SSC English 2nd Paper Board Questions: Cumilla Board 2020

Cumilla Board

Secondary School Certificate Examination 2020

ENGLISH

SECOND PAPER

Subject Code: 108

Time - 3 hours

Full Marks - 100

[N.B. The figure in the right margin indicates full marks.]

Part A: Grammar (60 Marks)

1. Fill in the blanks with the words from the box. You may need to change the forms of some of the words. You may need to use one word more than once: 0.5x10=5

Without effort there can be no (a) _____ in life. Life loses its interest (b) _____ there is no struggle. Games become (c) _____ if there is no competition in (d) _____ and if the result can be (e) _____ foreseen. No matter we win (f) _____ game or lose it, the (g) _____ the contest, the greater the interest. A (h) _____ is not a real triumph unless (i) _____ the sides are equally strong. Whether (j) _____ like it or not, life is a continuous competitive examination.   

2. Fill in the blanks with suitable words: 0.5x10=5

Education is one of the basic (a) _____ of a human being and is (b) _____ for every kind of development. It (c) _____ us to make right choices in (d) _____. It enhances our ability to raise (e) _____, store food, protect the environment and (f) _____ out our social responsibilities. It provides (g) _____ with an enlightened awareness about things. (h) _____ education has to be defined. It (i) _____ not merely getting degrees from schools, (j) _____ and universities. It is something more lasting, more humane. 

3. Make five sentences using parts of sentences from each column of the table below: 1x5=5

4. Complete the following text with right forms of the verbs given in the box: 0.5x10=5

According to the history, women in the past were (a) _____ within the four walls. But at present they (b) _____ no longer captive to their parents' or husbands' house. With the passage of time, the outlook and attitude have been (c) _____ as men and women are (d) _____ themselves with the changing society. By (e) _____ education, they are (f) _____ pilots, doctors, engineers, high officials, etc. They are (g) _____ hand in hand with men in all worthy programmes. They are now able to (h) _____ their worth. They (i) _____ much to the economy of the country. Now it has come to the realization of men that no development is possible by (j) _____ half of our population idle at home.  

5. Change the narrative style of the following text: 5

The new teacher entered the classroom and said, "Can you tell me what I should do now?" "No, sir," one of the students said. The teacher smiled and said, "Try to guess." "You should introduce yourself to us," another student said. "Thank you," said the teacher, "You are really brilliant."

6. Change the sentences according to directions: 1x10=10

(a) Health is wealth. (Make complex sentence) 

(b) A healthy poor man is happier than a sick moneyed man. (Use positive degree)

(c) Though a healthy man is an asset to his family, an unhealthy man is a liability. (Make compound sentence)

(d) He can succeed in life. (Make interrogative sentence)

(e) So, everybody cannot but be conscious of his health. (Make affirmative sentence)

(f) Everybody must take care of his health all the time. (Make negative sentence) 

(g) Health can be improved by regular physical exercise and a balanced diet. (Use active voice) 

(h) The people who are poor cannot afford to take a balanced diet. (Make simple sentence)

(i) They are very concerned with the quantity of food. (Make exclamatory)

(j) Everybody should know it that malnutrition causes weakness. (Use passive voice) 

7. Complete the following sentences: 1x5=5

(a) Unless you study attentively _____.

(b) It is a long time since _____.

(c) If I have seen you _____.

(d) 1971 is the year when _____.

(e) Danger comes where _____.

8. Complete the text adding suffixes, prefixes or the both with the root words given in the parenthesis. 0.5x10=5

The books of famous (a) _____ (write) are put on sale in the book fair. Most of the (b) _____ (visit) buy books of different (c) _____ (publish). Almost no visitor returns from the fair without making any purchase. The (d) _____ (buy) like to buy at a fair price. Our book fair is always (e) _____ (crowd). As (f) _____ (vary) books are (g) _____ (play) in a fair, the buyers get a scope to choose books. They buy their (h) _____ (choose) books after a long search. This facility is (i) _____ (available) in any place other than a book fair. A book fair is always (j) _____ (come) to the students. 

9. Make tag questions of these statements: 1x5=5

(a) The freedom fighters are the real heroes, _____?

(b) Nothing is greater than their sacrifice, _____?

(c) Their contribution for our country will always be remembered, _____?

(d) We should never neglect them, _____? 

(e) Every citizen of Bangladesh must have due respect for them, _____? 

10. Complete the passage using suitable connectors: 1x5=5

None can deny the importance of tree plantation (a) _____ our lives on earth inevitably depend on it. (b) _____ it is a matter of sorrow that we are cutting down trees indiscriminately. (c) _____ trees are planted, soon our country will turn into desert (d) _____ there will be an adverse change in the climate. (e) _____ we should plant more and more trees for our own sake. 

11. Use capitals and punctuation marks where necessary in the following text: 5

is there anybody here who has ever crossed a river by a boat i have teacher i clearly remember what happened in that journey said jamal

Part B: Composition (40 Marks)

12. Suppose, you are Taskia/Toukir and you have passed HSC and got a diploma on computer. You looked in an advertisement in the "Daily Star" that Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is going to appoint some computer operators. Now, write a CV with a cover letter for the post of a computer operator in the company. Your CV should not exceed one page. 8

13. Suppose, you are the SSC candidates of Modern School and College, Rangpur. You are interested to go on a study tour in a historical place. Now, write an application to the Headmaster of your school praying for permission and monetary assistance regarding the tour.  10

14. Suppose, on the last vacation you were going to Rajshahi by bus. Unfortunately, your bus met with an accident but luckily there was no casualty or death. Now, write a paragraph on "Causes of Road Accidents in Bangladesh." 10

15. Nowadays, people are suffering from various diseases. If they take physical exercise every day, they can enjoy a sound health. Now, write a composition on "The Importance of Physical Exercise". 12