অষ্টম শ্রেণি (মাধ্যমিক) - English for Today - NCTB BOOK

After we have studied this unit, we will be able to

   ■ read and understand texts through silent reading

   ■ listen for information

   ■ ask and answer questions

   ■ write the answers to questions

   ■ practise sounds

   ■ write paragraphs/compositions

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Key words : disease essential concentrate possession

A. Look at and talk about the picture. Ask and answer the following questions.

  1. How often do you wash hands? 
  2. Why do you wash hands?

 

B. Read the questions first. Then read the text and answer the questions.

  1. Why is good health essential for us?
  2. Why is physical exercise necessary?

Health is the condition of our body and mind. It may be good or bad. Good health means healthy body free from diseases. It is essential for everyone to lead a happy life. If we are not in good health, we cannot concentrate on any activity in our life.

A proverb goes, "Health is Wealth" It means health is equally valuable as gold or any other personal possessions. We may have vast wealth and property, but if we are not healthy we cannot enjoy them.

To keep ourselves healthy, we have to do certain things. We have to take a balanced diet. We must exercise regularly to keep our body fit for work. There is an old saying: 'Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.' So, we should not keep late hours. We should go to bed early at night and rise early in the morning. Peace of mind is another condition for good health. So we must not worry over small things of life.

 

C Read the text in B silently and then choose the best answer.

 

D Write a short paragraph about how you can maintain good health within 180-200 words.

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A. Read and recite the poem.

                                                                                            Ode on Solitude

                                                              Happy the man, whose wish and care

                                                              A few paternal acres bound,

                                                              Content to breathe his native air,

                                                              In his own ground.

 

                                                              Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,

                                                              Whose flocks supply him with attire,

                                                              Whose trees in summer yield him shade,

                                                              In winter fire.

 

                                                              Blest! who can unconcern'dly find

                                                              Hours, days and

                                                              In health of body, peace of mind,

                                                              Quiet by day,

 

                                                              Sound sleep by night; study and ease

                                                              Together mix'd; sweet recreation;

                                                              And innocence, which most does please,

                                                              With meditation.

 

                                                              Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;

                                                              Thus unlamented let me die;

                                                              Steal from the world, and not a stone

                                                              Tell where I lie.

                                                                                                                            - Alexander Pope

 

B. Answer the questions.

  1. What things does a happy man have?
  2. How does he pass his time?
  3. How does he wish to die?
  4. How do you think you can be happy in life?
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Key words : hygiene godliness achieve spiritually soul

A Read the questions first. Then read the text and answer them in short.

  1. What can be a hotbed of germs?
  2. How many times should we brush our teeth a day?
  3. What kind of water should we drink?

The word 'hygiene' means the practice of keeping ourselves clean. It also means to keep our home and work places clean. It is important for our good health.

Hygiene is thought to be next to godliness. It is because we cannot achieve anything physically, mentally or spiritually if we are unclean in our body, mind and soul. Nobody likes an unclean person either. So we must follow the rules of hygiene.

First, we must keep our body clean. We should have a bath every day and wash our hair regularly. This will keep the body and hair free from dirt and bacteria.

Secondly, we should wash our clothes regularly. Dirty clothes give off bad smell and invite germs. We should wear socks and shoes when we go out to protect our feet from dust and germs. It is also important to wash our hands before meals and after using the toilet. We should brush our teeth twice a day, after breakfast and supper. We must also cut our nails regularly. Our drinking water must be safe. We can get safe water by boiling and filtering.

Finally, we should keep our surroundings and environment clean.

If we do and follow all the above things properly, we will be able to lead a healthy and happy life.

 

B. Read the following statements and say if they are True or False. If False give the correct information.

  1. Cleanliness is a part of good health.
  2. Cleanliness is very important for mental health.
  3. We need to wear socks and shoes to look smart.
  4. We need to brush our teeth before meals.
  5. We must keep ourselves clean.
  6. We can have pure drinking water from tube wells.

 

C. Complete the following sentences.

  1. If we are healthy, we _.
  2. We must be clean so that _.
  3. You must take exercise to _.
  4. Nobody likes an _.
  5. If we obey the laws of hygiene, we _.

 

D. Work in groups. Make a list of five things that you do daily to maintain personal hygiene. Share with other groups, make a poster and display it to the class.

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Key word : prescribe

A. Talk about the picture and answer the questions.

  1. Who is the man lying on the examination table?
  2. Who is examining the patient?

 

B. Read and act out the conversation.

Rabi's father Mr Zahir Ali is not well. He has difficulty in speaking. He is now at the doctor's clinic.

Rabi : Good evening, doctor.

Doctor : Good evening. How is your father today?

Rabi : Not at all well. He has difficulty in breathing as before. He is having severe chest pain again.

Doctor : I see. Mr Ali, could you lie down on the examination table, please? OK, let's see... Do you any pain here?

Zahir : Ooh!

Doctor : All right. I'm prescribing a medicine. Take one tablet in the morning and another at night before meals. I also advise you to have a chest X-ray immediately. If possible show me the X-ray report today in the evening. OK?

Rabi : Okay, doctor. Thank you.

Doctor : You are welcome.

 

C. Answer the following questions.

  1. Who are talking in the dialogue?
  2. Where does the dialogue take place?
  3. What are Zahir Ali's problems?
  4. Why can't Zahir Ali tell the doctor about his problems?
  5. What does the doctor prescribe him?

 

D. Ask and answer the questions in pairs.

  1. Did you have any stomach pain or leg injury anytime before?
  2. When was it?
  3. What did you do to get well?

 

E. Suppose you visited a doctor for a stomach pain or bad cold. Make an imaginary dialogue between you and the doctor. Act it out in pairs.

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Key words : nicotine tragedy broke puff

A. Read the letter silently to know what happened to Zahir Ali and tick the best answer

10/E Purana Paltan

Dhaka 1000

9 June 2013

Dear Sohel

I am sorry I could not reply to your letter earlier. This is because last week there was a tragedy in our family. My father died of lung cancer.

He used to smoke heavily. He got the bad habit from his college days. Recently my mother and I were very worried about Father's worsening health condition. He was having continuous chest pain. The doctor showed him his chest X-ray plates. There were dark marks on his lungs. The doctor explained to him that the marks were the signs of lung cancer. He also explained that a poisonous substance called nicotine is in tobacco leaves; and cigarettes are made from tobacco leaves. When a person smokes cigarettes, this nicotine enters into his lungs with every puff. If anybody smokes cigarettes for years, this deadly nicotine causes lung cancer. Both mother and I tried to stop father from smoking. He never listened to our requests and warnings. He died an untimely death.

Let me tell you the truth. My father's death is a great shock for us. You know, we are a big family of seven. My father was the only earning member in the family. We are now broke and we don't know how we are going to survive.

Anyway, God is merciful and we are trying to recover from the shock. Write me when you have the time. Give my regards to your parents. 

Love

Rabi

1 “My father's death is a great tragedy.”

The underlined word means

  1. a very sad event.
  2. a very strong warning.
  3. smoking heavily.
  4. lung cancer.

2 Rabi's family is now completely broke because

  1. his father had lung cancer.
  2. they have now no source of income.
  3. his father's death was heart breaking.
  4. his father is a chain smoker.

 

B. Ask and answer the question. First say, then write.

  1. 1 What could be the relationship between the sender and the receiver of the letter?
  2. What causes lung cancer?
  3. Who do you think are the members of Rabi's family? Why do you think so?

 

C. Imagine you are Sohel. Now write a reply to Rabi's letter.

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Key words : stretching benefit regularity

A. Look at the picture and talk about it with your partner.

B. Read the text and answer the following questions.

Mr Pronay Larma, the physical teacher of Rooppur High School is talking about health to his students.

"What things are necessary for good health?" he asks the students.

"We need a lot of things, teacher," says Rushad. "We need healthy food, proper rest and sleep. We also have to be clean and tidy."

"Good!" says Mr Larma. "These are the things you need for good health. But another thing that you also need is regular physical exercise.'

"What types of physical exercise can we do, teacher ?" asks Rayeed.

"Well," says Mr Larma. "There are different kinds of physical exercise. You can do them indoors as well as outdoors. In the house you can do some freehand exercises. That is, you can stretch different parts of your body. Outside, you can play, swim or simply walk.'

"Why do we need physical exercise, teacher ?" asks Ranjan.

"Well", says Mr Larma, "The benefits of physical exercise are many.' The greatest of them is that it keeps you fit for work. It also gives you energy, and makes you strong and cheerful. It teaches you regularity and discipline as well."

Questions

  1. What things are necessary for good health?
  2. How many physical exercises are there?
  3. Why do we need physical exercise?
  4. What physical exercises do you do?
  5. Do you have a physical education teacher in your school? How does he/she help you to do physical exercise?

 

C. Here is a list of some physical exercises. Write in your notebook which one are indoor exercises and which are outdoor, and which one can be done both indoors and outdoors. Finally, tick which one/ones you like. Then tell the class the reason/s for your liking.

List of exercises

  1. playing sports
  2. swimming
  3. skipping
  4. jogging
  5. walking
  6. stretching

 

D. Ask and answer the questions.

  1. Do you do physical exercise every day? What sort of exercise do you do?
  2. Why do you need regular physical exercise?
  3. What does physical exercise teach you?
  4. What's your favourite sport? Do you take part in it? If so, where do you play it and who with?
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A. Look at the picture. Then ask and answer the questions about it.

Questions

  1. What do you see in the picture?
  2. How do you feel living in such a house?
  3. Where can you find this type of house? Why do you think so?

 

B Listen to the teacher/CD and answer the following questions.

U3, L7 B

Listening text: 2

  1. How far is Shakib's house from his school?
  2. Why is Shakib's house free from mosquitoes?

 

C Listen again and write 'True' or 'False' against each of the following statements.

  1. Shakib's family lives in a remote town.
  2. He has no brothers or sisters.
  3. His parents do not know how to read or write.
  4. His mother is an excellent cook.
  5. Shakib does not participate in cleaning activities at home.

 

D. Look at the table, then listen again to the teacher/CD. The table has some words from the text that you have jast listened. First guess the meanings of the words. Then match them with their meanings. One is done for you.

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Key words : forum environment fortnightly

A Look at the two pictures. Then ask and answer questions.

  1. What do you see in the picture?
  2. What are the students doing in picture 1&2?
  3. Do you do these things at home? If you don't, who does?

 

B. Read the passage and answer the following questions.

Ms Subarna Saha, the class teacher, has just entered the classroom. She is now talking to the students.

"Why is the classroom so dirty?" asks Ms Saha. "I know the school cleaner is absent today. So what? Can't we ourselves keep our classroom clean?" says Ms Saha. "Sorry teacher," Shafiq, the class captain, says politely. "This is our classroom. If you clean it, you will do physical work and feel good. Also it is our responsibility to keep it clean and tidy", says Ms Saha.

"Okay, teacher," says Shafiq, "We'll do it from now on.

"First, you can make a forum, and select a leader," the class teacher suggests. "Then divide the cleaning activities among different groups,"

"It's really a great idea, teacher," says Shafiq. "We'll make the committee now and start working immediately."

After this, a committee is formed by class 8 students under the leadership of their class captain. The students are divided into several groups and a work plan is made for cleaning. The students decided to make some ground
rules. Here is a list of some of the rules:

  • Do not spit in the classroom.
  • Do not drop litter in the classroom.
  • Use the bin for trash.
  • Keep the desks and chairs in place.

All the students of class 8 are very excited to be involved in this activity at school.

 

C Choose the best answer.

1 Ms Subarna Saha is

  1. a physical education teacher.
  2. an English teacher.
  3. a class teacher.
  4. a science teacher.

2 The class teacher suggested the students to make a forum

  1. to keep their classroom clean.
  2. to participate in social activities.
  3. to keep the school environment clean.
  4. to help each other.

3 The students were happy to be able to

  1. become the members of the committee.
  2. take part in the cleaning programme at school.
  3. make their class captain leader of the committee.
  4. make themselves good students.
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