Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions below.

On the afternoon of March 17, 1978, the weather took an odd turn in north Delhi. Mid-March is usually a nice time of year in that part of India: the chill of winter is gone and the blazing heat of summer is yet to come; the sky is clear and monsoon is far away. But that day dark clouds appeared suddenly and there were squalls of rain. Then followed an even bigger surprise: a hailstorm.

I was thon studying for an MA at Delhi University while also working as a part-time journalist. When the hailstorm broke, I was in a library. I had planned to stay late, but the unseasonal weather led to a change of mind and I decided to leave. I was on my way back to my room when, on an impulse, I changed direction and dropped in on a friend. But the weather continued to worsen as we were chatting, so after a few minutes, I decided to head straight back by a route that I rarely had occasion to take.

I had just passed a busy intersection called Maurice Nagar when I heard a rumbling sound somewhere above. Glancing ovor my shoulder I saw a gray, tube-like extrusion forming on the underside of a dark cloud: it grew rapidly as I watched, and then all of a sudden it turned and came whiplashing down to earth, heading in my direction.
Across the street lay a large administrative building. I sprinted over and headed toward what seemed to be an entrance. But the glass-fronted doors were shut, and a small crowd stood huddled outside, in the shelter of an overhang. There was no room for me there so I ran around to the front of the building. Spotting a small balcony, I jumped over the parapet and crouched on the floor.

The noise quickly rose to a frenzied pitch, and the wind began to tug fiercely at my clothes. Stealing a glance over the parapet, 1 saw, to my astonishment, that my surroundings had been darkened by a churning cloud or dust. In the dim glow that was shining down from above, I saw an extraordinary panoply of objects flying past-bicycles, scooters, lampposts, shoets of corrugated iron, even ontire teastalls. In that instant, gravity, itself seemed to have been transformed into a wheel spinning upon the fingertip of some unknown power.

I buried my head in my arms and lay still. Moments later the noise died down and was replaced by an eerie silence. When at last I climbed out of the balcony, I was confronted by a scene of devastation such as I had never before beheld. Buses lay overturned, scooters sat perched on treetops, walls had been ripped out of buildings, exposing interiors in which ceiling fans had beon twisted into tulip-like spirals. The place where I had first thought to take shelter, the glass-fronted doorway had been reduced to a jumble of jagged debris. The panes had shattered and many people had been wounded by the shards. I realised that I too would have been among the injured had I remained there. I walked away in a daze.

Long aftorward, I am not sure exactly when or where I hunted down the Times of India's New Delhi edition of March 18, I still have the photocopies I made of it. "30 dead", says the banner headline, "700 Hurt As Cyclone Hits North Delhi."

Ameen is excited about fighting, just like his father. He thinks it would not take long to return. (আমিন যুদ্ধ করতে যেতে চায় কারণ সে লড়াইয়ের জন্য অধীর। সে ভাবে এটি খুব বেশি সময় নেবে না।)

Sonabhan mixes water with rice husks and gives it to her ducks. They eat it quickly. (সোনাভান ধানের তুষের সাথে পানি মিশিয়ে হাঁসদের খেতে দেয়। তারা এটি তাড়াতাড়ি খেয়ে ফেলে।)

Ameen takes eggs, areca nuts, and a bottle gourd to sell at the bazar. These are arranged by his mother. (আমিন বাজারে বিক্রি করার জন্য ডিম, সুপারি, এবং লাউ নিয়ে যায়। তার মা এগুলো গুছিয়ে দেয়।)

He wears a half-sleeved floral shirt and a lungi. He looks in the mirror and combs his hair before leaving. (সে হাফ-হাতা ফুলের ছাপার শার্ট আর লুঙ্গি পরে। বের হওয়ার আগে সে আয়নায় চুল আঁচড়ায়।)

Sonabhan feels sad because she often has to apologize for Ameen's mischief. She dislikes explaining that she raised him without his father. (সোনাভান দুঃখিত বোধ করে কারণ তাকে প্রায়ই আমিনের দুষ্টুমির জন্য ক্ষমা চাইতে হয়। তিনি এই ব্যাখ্যা দিতে অপছন্দ করেন যে তিনি তাকে তার বাবার সাহায্য ছাড়াই বড় করেছেন।)

The listener in the story is the daughter. The mother is giving her advice on how to behave and live properly. (গল্পে শ্রোতা হলো মেয়ে। মা তাকে কীভাবে সঠিকভাবে চলতে হবে এবং জীবনযাপন করতে হবে তা শেখাচ্ছেন।)

The mother teaches how to sew on buttons and hem clothes. She emphasizes that these skills will help her maintain a neat appearance. (মা বোতাম লাগানো এবং কাপড়ের পাড় সেলাই করতে শেখান। তিনি বলেন, এই দক্ষতাগুলো তাকে পরিষ্কার-পরিচ্ছন্ন থাকতে সাহায্য করবে।)

The mother teaches how to sew on buttons and hem clothes. She emphasizes that these skills will help her maintain a neat appearance. (মা বোতাম লাগানো এবং কাপড়ের পাড় সেলাই করতে শেখান। তিনি বলেন, এই দক্ষতাগুলো তাকে পরিষ্কার-পরিচ্ছন্ন থাকতে সাহায্য করবে।)

The mother advices soaking salt fish overnight. This process makes it less salty and easier to cook. (মা বলেন, রান্নার আগে লোনা মাছ সারা রাত ভিজিয়ে রাখতে হবে। এতে এটি কম লবণাক্ত হয় এবং রান্না করা সহজতর হয়।)

The mother warns her not to sing benna in Sunday school. She thinks it is inappropriate for that setting. (মা তাকে রবিবার স্কুলে বেনা গান না গাওয়ার জন্য সতর্ক করেন। তিনি মনে করেন, এটি সেই পরিবেশের জন্য অনুচিত।)

The mother says eating fruit on the street will attract flies. This will make her look dirty and careless. (মা বলেন, রাস্তায় ফল খেলে মাছি আসবে। এতে তাকে নোংরা এবং অসতর্ক দেখাবে।)

The mother fears that the girl might be seen as a slut. She tries to prevent this teaching her proper behaviour. (মা ভয় পান যে মেয়েটি অসচ্চরিত্র বলে বিবেচিত হতে পারে। তিনি তাকে সঠিক আচরণ শেখানোর মাধ্যমে এটি এড়ানোর চেস্টা করেন।)

The mother advises squeezing bread to check its freshness. She wants the daughter to ensure the food she buys is of good quality. (মা বলেন, রুটি তাজা কিনা তা পরীক্ষা করতে চাপ দিতে হবে। তিনি চান মেয়ে যে খাবার কিনছে তা যে ভালো মানের সে ব্যাপারে নিশ্চিত হোক।)

The mother teaches that one should smile differently depending on the person. She believes this helps in dealing with people appropriately. (মা শেখান যে ব্যক্তি বিশেষে ভিন্নভাবে হাসতে হবে। তিনি মনে করেন, এটি মানুষের সাথে সঠিকভাবে মেশার জন্য সাহায্য করবে।)

The story reflects society's strict rules and expectations for women. It shows how gender roles shape a person's identity and behaviour. (গল্পে নারীদের জন্য সমাজের কঠোর নিয়ম এবং প্রত্যাশা প্রতিফলিত হয়েছে। এটি দেখায় কীভাবে লিঙ্গভিত্তিক ভূমিকা মানুষের পরিচয় এবং আচরণ গঠন করে।)

Meherjan had everything. But the erosion of the river Jamuna had snatched all away. Like a greedy person, the Jamuna devours all her dreams and happiness. So, the author calls the Jamuna greedy.

Meherjan lives in a slum on the Town Protection Embankment in Sirajgonj.

Meherjan lives in a slum on the Town Protection Embankment in Sirajgonj.

We can stop river erosion by implementing a combination of strategies, including planting vegetation along riverbanks, constructing barriers like dams, reduce soil disturbance and sediment runoff. These initiatives help stabilize riverbanks, control sediment deposition, and prevent erosion.

Many more villages are in the threat of erosion during each monsoon because of the climate change human beings brought about through their actions.

People living along the river banks are the victims of river erosion and the worst sufferers of climate change.

The greedy Jamuna crushed Meherjan's dream and happiness as it consumed gradually all her landed property: besides it ultimately devoured her last shelter during the last monsoon.

Due to river erosion, she lost her cultivable land, trees, vegetable garden, bamboo bush, cattle and shelter.

If we cannot control river erosion, the number of homeless people may increase day by day, Statistics shows that at least 100,000 people are becoming homeless every year in Bangladesh due to river erosion.

Certainly, we must take prompt action to adapt to climate change. Otherwise gradual rise of river erosion will take the lives of lots of Meherjans every year.

Certainly, we must take prompt action to adapt to climate change. Otherwise gradual rise of river erosion will take the lives of lots of Meherjans every year.

Many more villages are in the threat of erosion during each monsoon because of the climate change human beings brought about through their actions.

Mehorjan lives in a slum on the Sirajganj Town Protection Embankment. She has a polythene roofed living place which looks like a cage.

Then, river erosion makes thousands of people homeless, landless and literally helpless.

We can reduce the increasing number of shelterless people affected by river erosion by taking prompt actions to adapt to climate change.

(a) common (b) victim (c) river (d) difficulties/ hardship/ pains (e) know/ learn

Climate change is a (a) common word for today's world. Meherjan is none but a (b) victim , of it. She lost everything because of (c) river erosion. Now, she is running with great (d) difficulties/ hardship/ pains It is sad to (e) know/ learn that every year Meherjan gets new companions.

(a) Bangladeshi (b) due (c) scarcity/ want (d) dweller (e) victims (f) threat (g) along/ near (h) shelterless (i) example (j) affects/threatens/influences

Meherjan is a typical (a) Bangladeshi woman who lives in a slum. She lost her shelter and properties (b) due to the erosion of river Jamuna. She also lost her family. Her husband had died of diseases caused by poverty and (c) scarcity/ want of food. Now, she is only a slum (d) dweller Like Meherjan there are many people who have become the (e) victims of river erosion. River erosion is still posing (f) threat to the lives and properties of thousands of people. People living (g) along/ near the rivers are the most likely victims of river erosion. Each year about one lakh people become (h) shelterless due to river erosion in Bangladesh. Meherjan's life is just one (i) example of how climate change (j) affects/threatens/influences the lives of thousands of people.