Basic English – 201105, আল-কুরআন অ্যান্ড ইসলামিক স্টাডিজ – ফাজিল অনার্স ১ম বর্ষ পরীক্ষা ২০২৪

FAZIL (B.A) HONS. FIRST YEAR EXAMINATION, 2024
[ফাজিল স্নাতক (সম্মান) প্রথম বর্ষ পরীক্ষা, ২০২৪]
القسم: القرآن والدراسات الإسلامية [বিভাগ: আল-কুরআন অ্যান্ড ইসলামিক স্টাডিজ]
المادة: اللغة الإنجليزية الأساسية [বিষয়: Basic English / মৌলিক ইংরেজি]
Subject Code [বিষয় কোড]: 201105 | Exam Code [পরীক্ষা কোড]: ২০১ | Question Paper Code [প্রশ্নপত্র কোড]: ০০৫
Time [সময়]: 4 hours | Full Marks [পূর্ণমান]: 80

[N.B. The figures in the right margin indicate full marks.]

Part A — Grammar

Marks—40

1. Identify the determiners, headwords, modifiers, infinitives, appositives and phrases : (5)

Given Passage:
“Al-Quran, the greatest book in the world, gives us all kinds of beneficiary knowledge to lead the path of well being and his brought revolutionary change in the scientific invention.”

Answer:

• Determiner: the, all
• Headword: Al-Quran, change
• Modifiers: beneficiary, revolutionary, scientific
• Infinitive: to lead
• Appositive: the greatest book in the world
• Phrases: the greatest book, in the world, all kinds of, beneficiary knowledge, the path of well being, revolutionary change, in the scientific invention

Or,

Given Passage:
“Kazi Nazrul Islam, a rebel poet, has great contribution on Bengali literature who showed his poetic genius by writing against all kinds of oppressions and superstitions in the society to uproot the inequality.”

Answer:

• Determiners: a, all, the, his
• Headword: Kazi Nazrul Islam
• Modifiers: great, Bengali, poetic
• Infinitive: to uproot
• Appositive: a rebel poet
• Phrases: a rebel poet, great contribution, on Bengali literature, his poetic genius, by writing, against all kinds of oppressions and superstitions, in the society, to uproot the inequality

2. Rewrite the following sentences using right form of verbs (any five) : (1 x 5 = 5)

(পরীক্ষার্থীদের সুবিধার জন্য সকল বাক্যের নির্ভুল সমাধান ব্যাখ্যাসহ নিচে প্রদান করা হলো)

Answer:

1. (a) The children (play) outside now.
   Answer: The children are playing outside now.
   [Explanation: Presence of the time adverbial ‘now’ indicates present continuous tense. Subject ‘children’ is plural, so ‘are playing’.]
2. (b) He (return) home just now.
   Answer: He has returned home just now.
   [Explanation: ‘Just now’ indicates present perfect tense (have/has + V3).]
3. (c) Truthfulness and honesty (be) sine qua non for the personality.
   Answer: Truthfulness and honesty is sine qua non for the personality.
   [Explanation: When two singular nouns joined by ‘and’ express a single unified idea or quality, the singular verb ‘is’ is used.]
4. (d) While (return) home, I met my old friend.
   Answer: While returning home, I met my old friend.
   [Explanation: A verb following preposition/conjunction ‘while’ directly takes present participle form (-ing).]
5. (e) If you informed me earlier, I (help) you.
   Answer: If you informed me earlier, I would help you.
   [Explanation: Second conditional structure: If + past simple, subject + would + V1.]
6. (f) I had my rice (cook).
   Answer: I had my rice cooked.
   [Explanation: Causative structure: have/had + object (thing) + past participle (V3).]
7. (g) Where you (go) yesterday?
   Answer: Where did you go yesterday?
   [Explanation: ‘Yesterday’ indicates past simple interrogative: Where + did + subject + base verb (go)?]
8. (h) The Jury (be) of different opinions.
   Answer: The Jury are of different opinions.
   [Explanation: When members of a collective noun (jury) are divided in opinion, it acts as a noun of multitude taking a plural verb ‘are’.]
9. (i) I can’t help (listen) to them.
   Answer: I can’t help listening to them.
   [Explanation: Phrase ‘can’t help’ / ‘cannot help’ is followed by gerund (V-ing).]
10. (j) I got the work (finish).
    Answer: I got the work finished.
    [Explanation: Causative structure: get/got + object (thing) + past participle (V3).]

3. Fill in the blanks of the following sentences with appropriate prepositions (any five) : (1 x 5 = 5)

Answer:

1. (a) The Padma abounds with fishes. (abound with: পরিপূর্ণ থাকা)
2. (b) The virtuous never hanker after money. (hanker after: লালায়িত হওয়া)
3. (c) My Madrasah is adjacent to my house. (adjacent to: সংলগ্ন / নিকটবর্তী)
4. (d) The man killed a snake with a stick. (with an instrument: কোনো অস্ত্র বা লাঠি দিয়ে)
5. (e) Please, don’t boast of your academic background. (boast of: অহংকার বা দম্ভ করা)
6. (f) The patient died of diarrhoea. (die of a disease: রোগে মারা যাওয়া)
7. (g) He congratulated me on my success. (congratulate on: অভিনন্দন জানানো)
8. (h) She laid down her life for the country. (lay down life: জীবন উৎসর্গ করা)
9. (i) Everyone should abstain from cheating. (abstain from: বিরত থাকা)
10. (j) He was deprived of his property. (deprive of: বঞ্চিত করা)

4. Change the voice of the following sentences (any five) : (1 x 5 = 5)

Answer:

1. (a) Look after your parents.
   Passive: Let your parents be looked after.
2. (b) Do you know us well?
   Passive: Are we well known to you?
3. (c) Do not insult the beggar.
   Passive: Let not the beggar be insulted.
4. (d) We are going to establish a debating club.
   Passive: A debating club is going to be established by us.
5. (e) Whom did you recommend for the post?
   Passive: Who was recommended for the post by you?
6. (f) The book reads well.
   Passive: The book is well when it is read. (Or: The book is read well.)
7. (g) Shanzi committed a mistake in her writing.
   Passive: A mistake was committed by Shanzi in her writing.
8. (h) Honey tastes sweet.
   Passive: Honey is sweet when it is tasted.
9. (i) He fanned himself.
   Passive: He was fanned by himself.
10. (j) Why did you insult the man?
    Passive: Why was the man insulted by you?

5. Change the following direct speech into indirect speech (any five) : (1 x 5 = 5)

Answer:

1. (a) The Principal said to the students, “Don’t adopt unfair means in the exam.”
   Indirect: The Principal forbade the students to adopt unfair means in the exam. (Or: The Principal advised the students not to adopt unfair means in the exam.)
2. (b) “Long live our parents,” they said.
   Indirect: They prayed that their parents might live long.
3. (c) I said to Lipi, “By Allah, I will not help you illegally.”
   Indirect: Swearing by Allah, I told Lipi that I would not help her illegally.
4. (d) My father said to me, “May Allah fulfil all your dream.”
   Indirect: My father prayed that Allah might fulfil all my dream.
5. (e) I said to him, “What a beautiful garden it is!”
   Indirect: I exclaimed with joy to him that it was a very beautiful garden.
6. (f) He said, “Goodbye, my friends!”
   Indirect: He bade his friends goodbye.
7. (g) My friend said to me, “Will you come to my house tomorrow?”
   Indirect: My friend asked me if I would go to his house the next day.
8. (h) He said to his friend, “Congratulations.”
   Indirect: He congratulated his friend.
9. (i) They said to us, “Let us organize a cricket tournament.”
   Indirect: They proposed to us that we should organize a cricket tournament.
10. (j) The boy said to me, “Where are you going now?”
    Indirect: The boy asked me where I was going then.

6. Make sentences with the following phrases and idioms (any five) : (1 x 5 = 5)

Answer:

1. (a) Burst into tears (কান্নায় ভেঙে পড়া): Hearing the shocking news of her father’s demise, the girl burst into tears.
2. (b) In a nutshell (সংক্ষেপে): The teacher explained the core theme of the lesson in a nutshell.
3. (c) Crying need (জরুরি প্রয়োজন): Quality education and ethical values are the crying need of our country today.
4. (d) Bed of roses (ফুলশয্যা / নিরুপদ্রব জীবন): Human life is a field of ceaseless struggle, not a bed of roses.
5. (e) Hue and cry (শোরগোল / হইচই): The villagers raised a hue and cry when they spotted a thief in the dark.
6. (f) Nip in the bud (অঙ্কুরেই বিনষ্ট করা): Bad habits and immoral tendencies must be nipped in the bud before they take deep root.
7. (g) Pros and cons (খুঁটিনাটি / ভালো-মন্দ সব দিক): You should carefully examine the pros and cons of the proposal before signing the agreement.
8. (h) Beggar description (বর্ণনাতীত হওয়া): The miseries and sufferings of the flood-affected people in the coastal area beggar description.
9. (i) By hook or by crook (যে কোনো উপায়ে / ভালো বা মন্দ উপায়ে): An honest person never tries to accumulate wealth by hook or by crook.
10. (j) Maiden speech (প্রথম বক্তৃতা): The newly elected member of parliament delivered an impressive and thoughtful maiden speech.

7. Complete the following sentences with appropriate parts of speech : (1 x 10 = 10)

Answer:

1. (a) Kazi Nazrul is our national poet. He is known as a rebel poet. (Adjective)
2. (b) He wants to go out. Would you mind opening the door? (Gerund / Non-finite Verb)
3. (c) The rose is a symbol of love. The beauty / fragrance of rose attracts all. (Noun)
4. (d) The village people live in peace / poverty. (Noun)
5. (e) A healthy man is an asset but an unhealthy man is liability / burden. (Noun)
6. (f) Holy Ramadan is coming. The Muslims fast in the month of Ramadan. (Verb)
7. (g) I walk in the morning. I need some fresh air. (Adjective)
8. (h) Liza is an inactive lady but her husband is active / energetic. (Adjective)
9. (i) Only hard labour can ensure success / prosperity. (Noun)
10. (j) I saw the minister in a happy / cheerful mood. He is honest. (Adjective)

Part B — Translation

Marks—10

8. (a) Translate the surah ‘al-Kawsar’ or ‘an-Nas’ into English. (5)

Answer:

Translation of Surah Al-Kawthar (سورة الكوثر):

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ ۝ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ۝ إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ ۝

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

1. “Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar (abundance of good and the Heavenly River).”
2. “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].”
3. “Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off [from all good and remembrance].”

Translation of Surah An-Nas (سورة الناس):

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ۝ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ ۝ إِلَٰهِ النَّاسِ ۝ مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ ۝ الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ ۝ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ ۝

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

1. “Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,”
2. “The Sovereign of mankind,”
3. “The God of mankind,”
4. “From the evil of the retreating whisperer,”
5. “Who whispers evil into the breasts of mankind,”
6. “From among the jinn and mankind.”

8. (b) Translate the Ayats into English : (5)

﴿أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَافَّاتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ ۚ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا الرَّحْمَٰنُ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَصِيرٌ﴾ (Surah Al-Mulk: 19)

Answer:

English Translation:
“Do they not observe the birds above them, spreading their wings out and folding them in? None holds them aloft except the Most Merciful. Truly, He is All-Seeing of all things.”

Or,

﴿وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً مُّبَارَكًا فَأَنبَتْنَا بِهِ جَنَّاتٍ وَحَبَّ الْحَصِيدِ﴾ (Surah Qaf: 9)

Answer:

English Translation:
“And We have sent down blessed rain from the sky, and caused thereby orchards and grain for harvest to grow.”

Part C — Composition

Marks—30

9. Write a paragraph on any one of the following topic : (10)

(a) Citizen Rights

Answer:

Citizen Rights: Citizen rights refer to the fundamental freedoms, privileges, and legal protections guaranteed by the constitution and laws of a state to every individual citizen. These rights are essential for human dignity, personal development, and democratic governance. Broadly, citizen rights can be classified into civil, political, economic, and social rights. Civil rights ensure the right to life, personal liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and equality before the law irrespective of race, gender, or social background. Political rights empower citizens to take part in national administration, elect representatives through free voting, and contest elections. Economic rights include the right to work, receive fair wages, and own property. Social rights guarantee access to quality education, healthcare, and human dignity. In Islam, citizen rights are divinely ordained; the Holy Quran and the Charter of Medina established equality, justice, and protection for all minorities fourteen centuries ago. However, citizen rights come hand in hand with responsibilities. Citizens must obey national laws, pay taxes, respect the rights of others, and defend national sovereignty. A civilized and progressive nation is measured by the degree of safety, justice, and fundamental freedom enjoyed by all its citizens.

(b) E-learning

Answer:

E-learning: E-learning, or electronic learning, is a modern method of education that utilizes electronic technologies, digital devices, and the internet to deliver instructional courses beyond traditional physical classrooms. It has brought a revolutionary transformation to the global educational landscape. Through e-learning, students can access interactive video lectures, digital libraries, online quizzes, and global learning platforms from the comfort of their homes. It offers remarkable flexibility, allowing learners to study at their own pace and convenience regardless of geographical barriers. Prominent international platforms such as Coursera, edX, and Khan Academy, along with various national educational portals, provide access to world-class academic resources at minimal cost. During global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, e-learning proved to be an indispensable lifeline for continuity in academic institutions. Despite its enormous benefits, e-learning faces challenges in developing countries, including unequal internet accessibility, erratic electricity supply, high device costs, and the lack of physical teacher-student interaction. Nonetheless, with the ongoing expansion of digital infrastructure and AI-driven personalized learning, e-learning is destined to be the cornerstone of future global education.

10. Write an application to the principal of your Madrasah to provide multi-media facilities for classrooms. (10)

Answer:

26 September 2024
The Principal,
Darussalam Fazil (Honours) Madrasah,
Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Subject: Application for providing multi-media facilities in classrooms.

Sir,
With due respect and humble submission, we, the students of your esteemed Madrasah, would like to draw your kind and sympathetic attention to the urgent necessity of installing multi-media facilities in our classrooms. In this modern era of information and communication technology, education has become highly visual, interactive, and technology-driven.

At present, our classes are conducted using traditional whiteboards and markers, which makes it challenging to clearly explain complex topics such as applied linguistics, modern scientific demonstrations, and audio-visual Quranic recitation and phonetics. Installing multi-media projectors, digital smart screens, and sound systems would enable our teachers to deliver lessons through engaging slides, educational documentaries, and interactive visual aids. This would enhance students’ comprehension, improve academic results, and prepare us effectively for competitive global challenges.

We, therefore, fervently pray and hope that your honour would be gracious enough to take necessary steps to provide modern multi-media facilities in our classrooms as early as possible and oblige thereby.

Yours obediently,
The students of Fazil (Honours) 1st Year,
Department of Al-Quran and Islamic Studies,
Darussalam Fazil Madrasah, Dhaka.

Or, Write a letter to your younger brother advising him to read newspaper regularly. (10)

Answer:

Mirpur, Dhaka
26 September 2024

Dear Rafiq,
At the outset of my letter, take my affectionate love and heartiest blessings. I hope you are keeping well by the grace of Almighty Allah. I received mother’s letter yesterday and was delighted to learn that you have achieved excellent marks in your recent term exams.

However, mother also mentioned that you remain confined strictly to your academic textbooks and rarely read daily newspapers. I am writing this letter to remind you of the profound importance of reading a newspaper regularly. Textbooks provide you with academic curriculum, but a newspaper is a vibrant mirror of the world. It provides comprehensive and up-to-date information on national affairs, international politics, scientific breakthroughs, sports, commerce, and literary articles. Reading a standard English daily newspaper will enrich your vocabulary, refine your sentence structures, and significantly sharpen your writing skills.

In today’s competitive global arena, a person without general knowledge is like a frog in a well. If you cultivate the habit of reading a newspaper for at least thirty minutes each morning, it will broaden your outlook and give you an edge in future higher studies and career examinations. I hope you will take my advice seriously and start reading a daily newspaper from tomorrow.

Give my respectful regards to parents and affectionate love to the younger ones.

Your loving elder brother,
Zubair Ahmed

11. Write a dialogue between you and your friend Jamal about the importance of tree plantation. (10)

Answer:

Myself: Assalamu Alaikum, Jamal! How are you doing today?
Jamal: Wa Alaikumus Salaam! I am doing well, Alhamdulillah. What about you?
Myself: I am fine too. I was reading a disturbing article in the newspaper about global warming, deforestation, and irregular climate patterns.
Jamal: Yes, it is indeed one of the most alarming crises confronting our planet. Indiscriminate tree cutting is turning fertile lands into deserts and causing catastrophic floods.
Myself: Exactly! Trees are our best natural friends. They absorb hazardous carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and provide us with life-saving oxygen.
Jamal: Trees do not just give us oxygen; they protect soil from erosion, maintain underground water levels, and bring regular rainfall. Without trees, our planet will become completely uninhabitable.
Myself: Moreover, trees provide us with delicious fruits, nutritious food, timber, and vital medicinal plants. They also serve as the natural habitat for countless birds and wild animals.
Jamal: In Islam, planting trees is considered a continuous charity (Sadaqah Jariyah). Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that if a Muslim plants a tree and any human, bird, or animal eats from it, it counts as a rewarded charity.
Myself: Subhanallah! That is such a profound teaching. Therefore, we must launch extensive tree plantation campaigns in our locality, madrasah premises, and along highways.
Jamal: Absolutely. We should plant at least three saplings every monsoon—one fruit tree, one timber tree, and one medicinal plant.
Myself: Brilliant idea! Let us begin our tree plantation drive from this upcoming Friday.
Jamal: InshaAllah, I am completely with you. Thank you for this fruitful discussion.
Myself: You are most welcome! See you on Friday.

Or, Write a dialogue between you and your friend about the impact of ‘Facebook’ in our society. (10)

Answer:

Myself: Hello Farhan! You seem deeply engrossed in your smartphone screen.
Farhan: Oh, hello! Yes, I was just scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed. It has almost become an addictive habit for me.
Myself: That is very true. Facebook has become an inseparable part of modern social life, but have you considered its overall impact on our society?
Farhan: Well, looking at the positive side, Facebook has revolutionized communication. It allows us to connect instantly with distant friends, share ideas, and access breaking news from around the world.
Myself: I agree. It is also an extraordinary platform for social awareness campaigns, e-commerce, small business entrepreneurship, and educational resource sharing.
Farhan: But we cannot deny its severe dark side. Many youths are wasting hours together scrolling mindlessly, which damages their academic concentration and mental peace.
Myself: Absolutely. Addiction to social media causes severe eye strain, sleep disorders, and leads to virtual loneliness. Moreover, rumors, cyberbullying, and fake news spread like wildfire on Facebook, causing social unrest and communal tension.
Farhan: You have hit the nail on the head. Excessive exposure to artificial lifestyles portrayed on Facebook also breeds jealousy and depression among young users.
Myself: Therefore, self-control and moderation are vital. Facebook should be used as a constructive tool for knowledge and connection, not as an addictive trap that consumes our valuable time.
Farhan: Thank you for this eye-opening conversation. From today, I will strictly limit my daily social media usage.
Myself: You are most welcome, Farhan. Let us make technology our servant, not our master!

সাধারণ জিজ্ঞাসা (FAQ)