English Second Paper for JSC Examination
Full Marks: 50
Time: 2 hours
[Answer all the questions. Figures in the margin indicate full marks]

Section A : Grammar

1. Fill in the gaps of the following text with appropriate articles. Put a cross for zero article.

0.5X6=3

Yesterday while I was going to Comilla by (a)_________ bus, I saw (b) __________ elderly lady carrying (c) __________ huge bag and (d) __________ umbrella struggling to get onto (e) _________ bus. She would not let anyone carry her bag. I invited her to take (f) ___________ seat next to mine. She took the seat and thanked me.

Answers : (a) x, (b) an (c) a (d) an (e) the (f) the

2. Fill in the blanks of the following text with prepositions.

0.5X6=3

Moni : When did you last visit Tania?

Sima : Oh, dear, I haven't seen her (a)---- ages. Does she still live (b) ---- Uttara?

Moni : No, she has moved (c) --- Uttara.

Sima : Where has she moved (d) --- ?

Moni : Lalmatia. Let's visit her one day. Tania would be very happy.

Sima : Yes, I know, but I work (e) ---about 10 pm most nights. When I get back home, I am very tired. Okay, let's see...., Tomorrow I won't be much busy. So, we can make it tomorrow

Moni : That's fine. I will pick you (f) --- from your office, is that okay?

Sima : Of course,

Answers : (a) for (b) in (c) from (d) to (e) until (f) up

3. Make four sentences from the substitution table :

   1X4 = 4

Answers : Answers will vary here.

4. Change the following passage into indirect speech.

1X4= 4

The patient said to the doctor, "Last month my blood pressure was too high. Since then I have changed my food habits." The doctor asked "How?". “I'm taking more fruits and vegetables, and very little fat in my diet. I'm having less sugar and salt now.”

Answer : The patient said to the doctor that last month his blood pressure was too high. Since then he has changed his food habits. The doctor wanted to know how he changed the habit. The patient replied that he was taking more fruits and vegetables, and very little fat in his diet. He also added that he was having less sugar and salt then.

5. Change the following sentences as directed in the brackets.

1X5=5

(a) Rana is one of the meritorious boys in our class (Make it a positive sentence.). (b) He is always attentive in the class (Make it a negative sentence without changing meaning.). (c) He is never disobedient to his teachers (Make it an affirmative sentence). (d) No other boys in our class is as popular in as Rana (Make it a superlative sentence.). (e) A boy like him is always loved by all. (Make it an interrogative sentence.)

Answers : (a) Very few meritorious boys are as meritorious as Rana. (b) He is never inattentive in the class. (c) He is always obedient to his teachers. (d) He is the most popular of all the boys in our class. (e) Isn't a boy like him always loved by all?

6. Rewrite the following passage using capitalization and punctuation :

0.5X6 = 03

yesterday we all went to visit one of our uncles' house at shafipur we spent the day eating delicious food and roaming around it took us about five hours to come back due to heavy traffic.

Answer : Yesterday we all went to visit one of our uncles' house at Shafipur. We spent the day eating delicious food and roaming around. It took us about five hours to come back due to heavy traffic.

7. Fill in the gaps used in the following text by adding suffix, prefix or both with the root words underlined in the text.

5X8=4

Ernest Hemingway, one of the famous American writers had a great (a) attract to war. He had wanted to become a soldier, but (b) fortune he couldn't because of his poor eyesight. Later, he became a war (c) correspond in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Many of his books were about war. His most (d) success book is For Whom the Bell Tolls is about the Spanish War. Another novel, A Farewell to Arms, is also about the (e) hollow of war. This book also gained much (f) popular. However, (g) like his writing, his personal life was full of misery. One of the reasons was his physical (h) sick for which he couldn't even receive the Nobel Prize he was awarded in person.

(Adapted from "New Headway Intermediate Students' book by Liz and John Soars, pg 27)

Answers : (a) attraction (b) unfortunately, (c) correspondent (d) successful (e) hollowness (f) futility (g) unlike (h) sickness

8. Complete the following text with suitable verbs in the box with their right form. 

5x8 = 04

Paul (a) ------ when he met Sue at the party. He thought that she (b) ----- away from their locality. The last time he saw her while she (c) ----- her driving test. Paul came to (d) ----- that she (e) ----- sick for the last two months. She (f) ----- very thin. Anyway, (g) ------ her back again, Paul was happy and (h) ----- her good health.

(Adapted from Heaton JB (1988) Writing English Language Test. Longman Group UK Ltd. London and New York.)

Answers : (a) was surprised (b) had gone (c) was taking (d) know (e) had been (f) became (g) seeing (h) wish

Section B : Composition

9. You want to participate in an Essay Writing Competition organized by a national daily. Write an email to the Editor requesting him/her for sending you the guidelines and other detail of that Competition. Word limit: 150 Words

10. Write a composition on the following topic in 250 words.           12

A school excursion you have recently been to a nearby town