Meherjan lives in a slum on the Sirajgonj Town Protection Embankment. The whispering wind from the river Jamuna makes the fire unsteady. The dancing flames remind Meherjan of the turmoil in her life.
Not long ago Meherjan had everything a family, arable land and cattle. The erosion of Jamuna gradually consumed all her land property. It finally claimed her only shelter during the last monsoon. It took the river only a day to devour Meher's house, trees, vegetable garden and the bamboo bush. She had a happy family once. Over the years, she lost her husband and her family to diseases that cruel hunger and poverty brought to her family. Now, she is the only one left to live on with her loss and the pain. The greedy Jamuna has shattered her dreams and happiness.
There are thousand others waiting to share the same fate like Meherjan. Bangladesh is a land of rivers, some of whose banks overflow or erode during monsoon. Erosion is a harsh reality for the people living along the river banks. During each monsoon many more villages are threatened by the mighty rivers like the Jamuna, the Padma and the Meghna. It is estimated that river erosion makes at least 1,00,000 people homeless every year in Bangladesh. In fact, river erosion is one of the main dangers caused by climate change. If we can't take prompt action to adapt to climate change, there will be thousands of more Meherjans in our towns and villages every year.
(b) (iv) river erosion
(c) (ii) was consumed
(d) (ii) anxious
(e) (iv) vibrate
(f) (iv) 1,00,000
(g) (ii) To describe the impact of river erosion
(a) Meherjan once had a happy family, arable land and cattle. But river erosion, hunger, poverty and diseases took away her family, land and shelter.
(b) Meherjan uses fallen twigs to make fire for cooking food.
(c) The phrase "greedy Jamuna" is used because the river has cruelly swallowed Meherjan's house, land, trees, garden and happiness.
(d) River erosion is most likely to occur during the monsoon season.
(e) The central idea of the passage is the terrible impact of river erosion on poor people like Meherjan and the need to adapt to climate change.
(b) living
(c) likely
(d) become
(e) example
Bangladesh is blessed with huge inland open water resources. It has numerous rivers, canals, beels, lakes and vast areas of flood plains. Hakaluki Haor is one of the major wetlands of Bangladesh. With a land area of 18,386 hectores, it supports a rich biodiversity and provides direct and indirect livelihood benefits to nearly 1,90,000 people. This haor was declared an ecologically critical area in April 1999 by the government of Bangladesh. Hakaluki is a complex ecosystem, containing more than 238 interconnecting beels and jalmahals. The haor falls into two administrative districts-Maulovibazar and Sylhet. Some 1,90,000 people live in the area surrounding the haor.
The haor is a very important resting place of migratory water-fowls flying in from the north. The interesting species is the Barheaded Goose which is now hardly seen in fresh water wetlands. Hakaluki Haor is known as a good grazing land in winter. The haor had very dense swamp forests in the past, but deforestation and lack of conservation practices have virtually destroyed this unique forest in the last two decades.
| No. | Answer |
|---|---|
| (i) | 18,386 hectares |
| (ii) | in April 1999 |
| (iii) | Maulovibazar and Sylhet |
| (iv) | The Bar-headed Goose |
| (v) | is known |
(a) Morality develops the conscience by which man can judge good or bad and right and wrong.
(b) It helps a man guide himself in a proper way and cultivate all the virtues to become a complete man.
(c) It is such a great natural power that it grows naturally in human behaviour which cannot ignore logic and reason.
(d) But nowadays moral erosion is increasing and we are losing the invaluable virtue of morality.
(e) If we do not practise morality from our childhood, we shall fall in every aspect of life.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| d | c | f | a | h | g | b | e |
(a) In "O Me! O Life!", Whitman views humanity as a participant in the continuing drama of life. Every person has a role and can contribute a meaningful verse to the powerful play.
(b) The phrase "The powerful play goes on" means that life continues with all its struggles, questions and possibilities. Human beings must take part in it with purpose.
(c) The poem "Books" suggests that reading is a mental journey because books carry readers to new places, times, ideas and experiences without physical travel.
(d) "Two Mothers Remembered" suggests that patience is a loving quality of motherhood. A mother bears pain, waits, forgives and supports her child with quiet strength.
(e) In "The Sands of Dee", the poet suggests that human life is fragile, but people still show courage and endurance while facing hardship and danger.
(f) The poet uses the metaphor of a caravan in "Time, You Old Gipsy Man" to show that time is always moving and never stays in one place.
(g) In "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", snow creates a calm, silent and beautiful atmosphere. It also deepens the speaker's temptation to pause and rest.
(h) In "Solitude", "Be glad and your friends are many" means that people usually gather around someone in happiness, but many leave when sorrow comes.
(a) Sonabhan is deeply shocked and sorrowful at Moti's death. She feels the loss intensely and her life becomes empty without him.
(b) A significant change in Sonabhan's routine is that she can no longer care for Moti as before. His absence changes her daily habits and emotional life.
(c) Richards had brought the news of Mr. Brently Mallard's death in "The Story of an Hour".
(d) The purple jar symbolizes childish attraction to outward beauty and the mistake of choosing appearance over real need.
(e) Portia emphasized that God's mercy is noble, gentle and above worldly power. She said mercy blesses both the giver and the receiver.
(f) Antonio's primary occupation was trade. He was a merchant of Venice.
(g) When Mr. Brently Mallard entered the house alive, Mrs. Mallard was shocked because she had believed that he was dead.
(h) Mrs. Mallard died from the sudden shock of seeing her husband alive and losing the freedom she had just imagined for herself.
An Honest Decision
Motin is a poor farmer living in a village. His wife Dilara is an honest and pious woman. They have old parents and two school-going children living with them. So, they had to maintain the family with great difficulty. One day Dilara bought a lottery ticket and kept it in her bag. When the draw took place, she found that her ticket had won the first prize.
At first, Dilara could not believe her eyes. She called Motin and showed him the number again and again. Their children began to dream of new clothes, good books and a better house. Motin also thought that their days of hardship were over.
The next morning, Motin and Dilara went to the lottery office. On the way, Dilara noticed an old man crying beside the road. He said that he had lost his lottery ticket and all his hopes were gone. Dilara asked him about the ticket number. To her surprise, it was the same number as the ticket in her bag.
Motin became silent. They were poor, but they had never taken what belonged to others. Dilara returned the ticket to the old man. The old man was moved by their honesty and gave them a part of the prize money as a reward. Motin and Dilara used it to educate their children and repair their house. Their honesty brought them peace and respect in the village.
Abir: Hello, Bablu. How are you?
Bablu: I am fine, Abir. What about you?
Abir: I am fine too, but I am worried about you. You were a good student, but now you seem inattentive to your study.
Bablu: I know. I spend too much time playing online games on my smart phone.
Abir: A smart phone is useful, but too much gaming wastes time and harms concentration.
Bablu: That is true. I often sit to read, but then I start playing games.
Abir: You should use your phone for study. You can watch educational videos, read e-books, search meanings and join online classes.
Bablu: Yes, it also helps us communicate with teachers and friends quickly.
Abir: Exactly. But abusing it may damage our eyes, reduce sleep and make us addicted.
Bablu: I understand. I should make a routine and use the phone only for a limited time.
Abir: That will help. Keep games for leisure after finishing your study.
Bablu: Thank you, Abir. From today I will use my smart phone wisely.
Abir: Good decision. I am sure you can improve again.