NEW COURSE
English
 (Reading and Writing)

Time: 3 Hours                                                                                                               Full Marks: 75
Class: X                                                                                                                                        
Candidates are required to answer the questions in their own words as far as practicable. Scribbling and overwriting are strictly prohibited, and marks shall be forfeited for such untidy work. The figures in the margin indicate full marks.

1. Complete the sentences below using the correct words/ideas from the poem. [1X5=5]

Climbing

High up in the apple tree climbing I go,

With the sky above me, the earth below.

Each branch is the step of a wonderful stair

Which leads to the town I see shining up there,

 

Climbing, climbing, higher and higher,

The branches blow and I see a spire,

The gleam of a turret, the glint of a dome,

All sparkling and bright, like white sea foam.

 

 On and on, from bough to bough,

The leaves are thick, but I push my way through:

Before, I have always had to stop,

But today I am sure I shall reach the top.

 

Today to the end of the marvelous stair,

Where those glittering pinnacles flash in the air!

Climbing, climbing, higher I go,

With the sky close above me, the earth far below.

By Amy Lowell

a) The speaker expects to view……………from the top of the tree.

b) ……………………………….…helps the speaker go up and up.

c) The glow of a dome is compared with ……………………….

d) The speaker continues in her effort to………………………

e) The poem encourages readers to………………………………….

 2. Read the following text and do the activities that follow.

I recently experienced a parent’s worst nightmare. One evening my nine-week-old baby developed an extremely high fever. We rushed to our local community hospital and were admitted through the emergency department to the pediatric unit. We were discharged three days later. Thanks to the skilled doctors and nurses who cared for our precious little one. While our infant’s care and health outcomes were fantastic, our experience was less than satisfactory.

 During my hospital stay, many staff took the opportunity to bad-mouth their colleagues to me when we were alone. I am not sure if this occurred because I looked rather trustworthy or if they wanted to let me know they were more competent than their colleagues. The emergency nurses complained about the doctors; orders and the delay in response of the pediatric nurses. The pediatric nurses complained about the emergency room nurses’ inability to get an intravenous line. The pediatrician complained about orders made by the emergency doctor. Once admitted, our pediatric nurse complained about the pediatricians; approach to the care of my baby. Then the pediatrician complained about the pediatric nurse’s lack of ability to obtain a urine sample.

At every opportunity the parent in me wanted to scream at the top of my lungs “Can everyone stop complaining about each other and look after my sick baby?” From my vantage point, it seemed that everyone was so focused on their own needs and skills that they appeared completely insensible that there was a sick baby that needed their help. In fact, it was downright disappointing. This did nothing other than state to me that egos were taking priority over my daughter’s care.

 I cannot tell you how many times nurses told me, “I am so busy today.” I am not sure if they were telling me to excuse the fact that my daughter’s medications were not on time or maybe they were simply looking for support. Every time I heard this statement my head played my own version that sounded more like “Your daughter is not a priority.” Do not use patients or their families as your personal confidante. I was in that hospital room to care for my infant and see her condition improve, not to hear that staff were not equipped to see this goal through. Patients and their families need to know they are your priority and your job is to care for them to restore their health. Please take time to tell them this, and share positive news with them as if you are happy too because I know you are.

A.  Match the words in Column A  with their meanings in Column B. [1X5=5]

                                        Column A                             

        a)   admitted

        b)  intravenous

        c)   pediatric

        d)  confidante

        e)  restore

                                            Column B

i)  to bring back or reinstate

v) accepted or allowed to enter

vi) into or within a vein

iii) who one shares a secret or private matter with

ii) dealing with children and their diseases.

iv) lacking sensitivity or understanding                    

B. Answer the following questions in short.                                [1X5=5]

a) What was the nightmare for the writer?

b) What did the pediatrician complain about?

c) Do you think the writer’s daughter was given a priority? Why/why not?

d) What is the writer’s purpose in writing this text?

e) How would you treat your patients and their relatives if you were one of the hospitals?

3. Read the following text and answer the questions that follow.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is clinically diagnosed as an anxiety disorder and affects up to 4 percent of adults and children. Those who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder develop strict behavioral patterns that become extremely time-consuming and begin to interfere with daily routines. Many people with OCD delay seeking treatment, because they are ashamed of their own thoughts and behavior.

OCD sufferers experience worries that are both reasonable and excessive and that act as a constant source of internal stress. Fear of dirt and contamination are very common obsessive thoughts. To be diagnosed with OCD, a sufferer must exhibit obsessions and compulsions that take up a considerable amount of time (at least one hour per day).

To combat excessive thoughts and impulses, most OCD patients perform certain repetitive rituals that they believe will relieve their anxiety. These compulsions can be either mental or behavioral in nature. Common rituals include excessive checking, washing, counting, and praying. Over time, OCD patients attach strict rules to their compulsions.

OCD symptoms generally begin between the ages of 10 and 24 and continue indefinitely until a person seeks treatment. Research on OCD patients has found certain physiological trends. In particular, many studies show overactivity of blood circulation in certain areas of the brain. As a result of this increase in blood flow, the serotoninergic system, which regulates emotions, is unable to function effectively. Studies have also shown that OCD patients have less serotonin than the average person.

Because OCD patients tend to be so secretive about their symptoms, they often put off treatment for many years. The average OCD patient waits about 17 years before receiving medical attention. Most treatment plans for OCD involve a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors are prescribed to increase the brain’s concentration of serotonin. This medication successfully reduces the symptoms in many OCD patients in a short amount of time. For cases when OCD is linked to streptococcal infection, antibiotic therapy is sometimes all that is needed.

A.    Copy the questions and pick out the correct answers from the given options.[5]

a) What percentage of adults and children are estimated to be affected by                 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

i)       1%

ii)     2%

iii)   3%

iv)   4%

 

b. Why do many people with OCD delay seeking treatment?

                           i.Lack of awareness about treatment options

                           ii. Fear of medication side effects

                          iii. Shame about their thoughts and behavior

                           iv. Financial constraints

c. What is a common obsessive thought among individuals with OCD mentioned in the passage?

i) Fear of heights

ii)  Fear of public speaking

iii)   Fear of dirt and contamination

iv)   Fear of flying

 

d. According to the passage, when do OCD symptoms generally begin?

i)Between the ages of 5 and 10

ii) Between the ages of 15 and 24

iii) Between the ages of 25 and 34

iv) Between the ages of 35 and 44

 

e. What is the average waiting time for an OCD patient before seeking medical attention, as mentioned in the passage?

i) 5 years

ii)10 years

iii)15 years

iv)17 years

 

B.  Briefly answer the following questions. [1X5=5]

a) How does OCD interfere with the daily lives of those who suffer from it?

b) What are some common rituals or compulsions performed by OCD patients to combat excessive thoughts?

c)Why do OCD patients often delay seeking treatment, according to the passage?

d)  What physiological trends have been observed in research on OCD patients, and how do they relate to the serotoninergic system?

e) What are the typical components of treatment plans for OCD, as mentioned in the passage?

 

4. Read the text carefully and complete all the following exercises.

‘Bad! Very bad!’ the coach says angrily.

It’s the last game of the year. We need to win to get the Cup. ‘We’ is Stars, my new football team, and I’m Albertino, or Tino to my friends.

 Our team are losing 2–0 to the Stripes. They’ve got some good players and are playing well, but I know we can play better.

 ‘Bad! Very bad!’ the coach says again. They call him ‘Zangado’ – ‘angry’ in   Portuguese. He looks around the changing room. His hair is white, and his face is red.

 ‘We must win this game! Do you want to win the Cup or not?’

  We want to win, but we are still waiting for someone to answer. The players are looking down – all but three of us. The first is my friend, Junior. He’s nineteen and comes from my hometown. He’s a good player and my best friend. I like him a lot. I remember we played futsal when we were children. Futsal is football with only five players in the team. It’s a fast game!

 The second is Lenda. He’s thirty and he comes from São Paulo. He’s the captain of Stars and a very good player. He played for the Brazilian team when he was younger. I saw him play and I had a picture of him in my bedroom. But he doesn’t like me because I’m new… and very young.

  The third is me, Tino. I’m only sixteen, but I live football. In the day, I play football; at night, I sleep football. I eat and drink football! The beautiful game! Stars is my first big team and I’m very happy to be here. I know I’m young, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve got two quick feet – I’m not tall, but I’m very fast, and stronger than other boys of sixteen. I can play forever. I didn’t play in the first half. I waited and watched, but I could do nothing, of course. We went 1–0 down after ten minutes, then 2–0 down five minutes before halftime. Ouch!

  ‘OK,’ the coach says suddenly. ‘I want much more from all of you in the second half. We must play better, so I’m going to make some changes.’

Now all the players look up.

 ‘You and you,’ the coach says to two players. ‘You worked well, but I’m making two changes.’

‘Nakano, are you ready?’ he asks a different player. ‘Yes, coach,’ says Nakano.

 ‘OK. You’re on.’ Then he looks around. Who’s the next player? I feel my hands get hot. Coach Zangado looks past me. Then he looks back. ‘Tino, are you ready?’

 ‘Who – me?’ I ask. ‘Yes – you. You’re the only Tino here.’

‘Er.., yes, coach. I’m ready.’ ‘OK. You’re up front, with Lenda. We need a goal early in the second half. Understand?’

 ‘Yes, coach.’

Junior looks at me and gives a big smile. Lenda looks at me, but he doesn’t smile. He’s thinking, ‘Who is this boy? How good is he? Can he help us win?’

 I can’t answer these questions, but I feel thrilled and excited. My shirt is white: number 20 with ‘TINO’ in big black letters on the back. On the front is a big star. I pull up my right sock, then my left. In my left sock, there is something for good luck: a little star.

 My mother gave the little star to me when I began to play futsal. ‘Here, Tino – take this for luck. You’re little now, but one day you’re going to be a big star, an amazing player. I know it. You’re going to play for a big team.’ I love my mother. She’s here today, with my younger brother, Alex, and my little sister, Talita. My hometown is watching the game on TV, but my father isn’t here today. ’He doesn’t want to come’, he says... ‘Shh…! Now listen to me,’ says the coach. Everybody in the changing room is suddenly very quiet, and we can hear the big clock.

 ‘It isn’t finished. OK, we’re 2–0 down. Not good. But we’ve got forty-five minutes. Anything can happen in football, you know that. Stars is a good team; Stripes is an OK team. They’ve got one good player: their keeper. He’s a big man and he can stop a lot, but he’s only one man. Let’s play our game. Move the ball and work for the team. Don’t stand and think. Play with your feet, and when you can, shoot! This is Brazilian football. It’s easy!’

 The players are looking at coach Zangado. ‘He’s right,’ says Lenda. ‘The game isn’t finished. We can do it.’

‘But do you want to win?’ asks the coach.

‘Yes,’ some of the players say.

‘I can’t hear you,’ says the coach. ‘Do you want to win?’ This time all the players shouted ‘YES!’

‘And can you do it?’ asks the coach.

‘Yes!’ shout the players.

‘Come on – we can do it!’ the captain shouts. He looks in our eyes. ‘OK, let’s go!’

 We all walk out of the changing room. I’ve got butterflies in me, but I feel good. Butterflies are OK in my first big game! The fans shout when we run onto the pitch. The noise is amazing. The pitch is very green and it suddenly feels very, very big. I look around. There are thousands and thousands of fans – some in white shirts, some in red shirts. White is our color; red is the color of Stripes. They’re all watching the game, and watching me. ‘Come on, Tino!’ I say quietly. I know I can do it!

A. Find the words/phrases from the text as indicated in the brackets. [1X5=5]

a) furiously (synonym)

b)  striking (synonym)

c)  followers (synonym)

d)frown (antonym)

e) agitated (antonym)

 

B.  Arrange these events in the correct order. [1X5=5]

a) Tino pulls up his left sock with the little star.

b) The coach expresses frustration about the team's performance.

c) Tino recalls playing futsal with Junior when they were children.

d) Alex, and his little sister, Talita, attend the game with their mother.

e) The coach stresses that the game isn't finished and encourages the team to play their game.

 

C. Answer the following questions in short. [1X5=5]

a) How does Tino feel when Coach Zangado unexpectedly selects him to play in the second half?

bWhat significance does the little star in Tino's sock hold, and why does he have it?

c)  How does the coach motivate the team in the changing room, and what key points does he emphasize?

d) Describe Tino's emotional state as he walks onto the pitch for the second half.

e)Why is Tino's father absent from the game, and how does Tino feel about it?

 

5. Draft a formal message of condolence using the given outlines.   [5]

Prof. Doctor Atulaniya Bajracharya—a renowned nephrologist—down to earth personality—Medicity Hospital—75 years—died untimely—saved many patients’ lives—loved his profession—all miss his treatment strategy—great human being—extend condolences to family and friends—Chairperson, Society of Nephrologists, Nepal.

6. Write a set of rules and regulations for the visitors of a children’s park in not less than six points. Use the clues in the box.   [5X1=5]                                    

Opening time---emergency 24/7---only 500 tickets/day--- no crowd---littering prohibited---no tobacco

7. Every country makes a huge investment in children’s health and education hoping that the future of the nation safely rests in the hands of healthy and well-educated citizens. Do you think you are the future of the nation and can make corresponding changes? Give specific reasons and examples to support your claim.                               [6X1=6]

8. There are many sites of cultural heritage in Nepal. Choose one of them and write a letter or email to your foreign friend mentioning the historical facts about the place. Also, invite her/him to visit the place. Write in not less than four separate short paragraphs with 50-60 words each.      [8x1=8]                    

 9. Reproduce the following sentences as instructed in the brackets.    [6]

a)None of those customers were happy, ____? (Question Tag)

b)You must have completed the assignment on time. (Change into a negative sentence)

c)  Kamal takes two weeks to complete his work. (Change into a duration question)

d)Harikala ___ (finish) her MBA before she was elected mayor. (Use the correct tense)

e)Who broke the window pane? (Passive Voice)

f) Kripa asked Ravi how he would pay the bill. (Change into the direct speech)

 

10. Pick out the correct options that best complete the given text. (Rewriting the text is not compulsory.)                                                                                               [0.5X10=5]

On June 22, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that the deep-sea submersible, Titan, ……1………(who/which/what/whose) was carrying five people, was discovered in pieces after a "catastrophic implosion," resulting in the loss of all lives on board. The multinational search for the vessel came to an end after a debris field from the submersible ……2……… (was found/had been found/will have been) by a robotic diving vehicle deployed from a Canadian ship. ……3……… (The/A/AN/X) wreckage was located approximately 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic, 2.5 miles beneath the surface in the North Atlantic. The coast guard said that ……4………. (it found five major pieces of debris on the ocean floor/we found five major pieces of debris on the ocean floor/they have found five major pieces of debris on the ocean floor)

The Titan, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, ……5……… (had gone/went/was going/ has gone) missing during a dive to the century-old wreck of the Titanic after losing contact with its surface support ship. The debris field indicated that the submersible had suffered a catastrophic implosion, and no survivors ……6……… (were/was/has/have) found among the five individuals on board. The crew included OceanGate's founder and CEO, Stockton Rush, British billionaire and explorer Hamish Harding, Pakistani-born businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, both British citizens, and French oceanographer and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

The search efforts involved teams from the United States, Canada, France, and Britain. ……7……… (While/However/Despite/ Because) the cause of the implosion remains undetermined, acoustic data analysis by the U.S. Navy ……8………(gets/have/make/let) people to accept the occurrence of an implosion or explosion near the submersible's location when communication was lost. The tragedy drew significant media attention, ……9………? (hadn’t it/didn’t it/wasn’t it/did it) Numerous industry experts had raised concerns about the safety of the vessel. Had they been more careful and concerned about the potential disasters and tested the vehicle several times at similar depth, perhaps, ……10……… (nobody has to lose their lives/ nobody would lose their lives/ nobody would have lost their lives/nobody will lose their lives).

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