Work Text:
English Language Exam
Answers must be provided on a separate sheet. Please attempt all questions to the best of your abilities. Occupying the space in between the given lines is not an option. Please find a place of rest elsewhere.
The intended marks for each section have been mentioned on the left. You, who understands very well what it is like to measure your worth in numbers, should find no issues with the same. Of course, anything less than a full score will prove to be unsatisfactory.
The first 15 minutes are to be spent only reading the questions. Do not get ahead of yourself. Remember that you have always played the long game. The lover is the one who waits. Is that not what they all say? Not that would know anything about such superficial sentiments. You are simply used to bidding for your time.
You may use the remaining hours to write down your answers. Try not to have as many regrets this once.
Question 1 [10]
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate prepositions. This exercise requires you to locate objects and persons that are no longer in your sight.
i) The boy with the long tooth was always _________ the circle of other children.
outside
at the center of
without
iii) The performer was instructed to lay _________ the sofa with a mic in his hand.
across
under
over
iii) In the eyes of the caretakers, the model student was considered to be _________ the problem student.
against
with
above
iv) He couldn’t bear looking _________ the sight of the girl’s smiling face.
into
at
away from
v) Under the light of a thousand stars, the green-eyed boy left his classmate with no choice but to follow _________ himself.
beside
through
behind
Question 2 [10]
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate tenses of the verbs given in the brackets. Please be sure to adequately distinguish between past, present, and future. If you find yourself using the present tense of a verb that should ideally be in the past tense, please catch yourself in time and change the tenses appropriately.
i) Even years later, _________ (sleep) inside a heated room, the boy from the slums couldn’t stop _________ (feel) cold.
ii) The girl with the pink hair _________ (poke) his arm. “You like sweets, don’t you?” she _________ (ask).
iii) As the two boys _________ (sit) under the tree, the smaller boy’s chin _________ (touch) the other’s shoulder.
iv) Inside the dining hall in the base camp, the rebel with the scars on his neck _________ (take) a seat at the long table. The place beside him _________ (remain) empty.
v) For as long as the boy _________ (be) in the garden, he _________ (be) in love.
(Note: The future tense of the above verb does not exist.)
Question 3 [10]
Rewrite the following sentences with the correct punctuation. Remember to use your pauses, exclamations, and conclusions in proportion. It helps you pass as another functioning human.
i) Of course, I would be, more, than happy, to lend you, my homework.
ii) You’ll end up being nothing. More than a trauma! To her.
iii) I’m afraid. I’m not that. Hungry? I’ll be skipping lunch today, too.
iv) I don’t have much time left, to spend in haste. With the competition coming up. I’ll be sure to do. My fans proud.
v) Cheer up. Till? Cheer up?
Question 4 [10]
Combine the following sentences using the appropriate conjunctions. Remember to convey the correct order of events regardless of how you wish they had gone. There is no room for hope in such a large amount of effort.
i) The bruised boy punched the other across his face, splitting the skin of his right cheek. The two boys tossed pebbles in the river side by side.
ii) The lone boy watched the girl eat her dinner by herself. The lone boy watched the girl run toward the shadow of another girl up ahead.
iii) “Let’s go,” said the boy leading the way, dragging the other by his hand, laughing at the bright sky. The other boy sat alone in the dark room, dreaming of the stars far away, listening to the quiet breathing on the other side of the door.
iv) He crushed the crown of flowers under his feet. Kneeling on the ground, he tried to nuzzle into the fallen petals, just like the boy next to him was doing.
v) “Maybe on your birthday,” said the boy, scribbling words onto paper, tapping his fingers against his knees. Just as he stopped singing, there was a sudden pressure of lips over his.
Question 5 [10]
Rewrite the following sentences as per the instructions mentioned in the brackets. By now, you must have become somewhat of an expert at adapting in accordance to someone else’s guidelines.
i) _________ had never played with him. The one who often played with him was _________.
(Rewrite this sentence with the appropriate pronouns.)
ii) The boy led the other inside the tunnel.
(Rewrite this sentence to be in a passive voice.) (Are you able to tell who is the doer and who the recipient?) (Who actually led whom?)
iii) No matter how many times he traced the curves of that forgotten face, its smile wasn’t anywhere to be found.
(Rewrite this sentence using the word “nowhere.”)
iv) The boy was no longer the same height as the other. He had long surpassed the safe limits of the other’s shadow.
(Rewrite this sentence using the comparative form of the word “tall.”)
v) Standing on that stage, the boy dressed in white finally witnessed the fulfillment of his _________ dream.
(Rewrite this sentence using a suitable adjective for the word “dream.”) (Is “fulfillment” the synonym or antonym of “annulment?”)
Question 6 [10]
Read the following verses and answer the questions below. Please note: Although the experiences being described may sound familiar and painful in nature, you should not expect to receive any sympathy in return.
He's smooth, flexible, quite easy
Just go past it like it doesn't bother you
It's nothing, shake it off and stand tall
Again, it's nothing, shake it off and stand tall
Like nothing happened
i) Who are the above lines addressing?
ii) What are the speaker's feelings toward himself? Does he have any difficulty perceiving himself?
iii) If the speaker could go back to any point in time in his life, how far back would he go? Is there even anywhere left for him to return?
iv) Do you think masculinity allows for less vulnerability?
v) What changed the speaker? Is hope truly irreversible? Is love?
Question 7 [10]
Read the following verses and answer the questions below. Please note: Flinching at any point will result in a loss of points and is generally not advised.
Wrong or right, win or die
I only learned things like that
Within my song, my heart, my voice
There was no warmth to be found
i) What is the speaker’s earliest memory of victory? Does it also begin with blood?
ii) The warmth the speaker is referring to is synonymous with:
ashes
his heart
bruised knuckles
a bonfire
paradise
iii) Does the speaker seem to hold any resentment toward the object of his affections? Why does this still sound like a love song?
iv) Why do shadows get longer toward the end of the day?
v) Are victors and losers buried in the same place? How can you then tell the difference?
Question 8 [10]
Listen to the given audio carefully. Please note: We know it may be difficult to listen to the sound of your own voice, but you must bear with it. Eventually, you must come to terms with the fact that you did exist.
I: Do you believe in god?
T: No, shut up.
I: Oncе upon a time, mankind had religion and beliеved in god. They believed that which could not be solved by human strength was the will of god. They believed that the entire universe revolved around the Earth. They thought that the unreachable place that connected with the sky was where the gods lived. From the moment humanity left the universe, we all forgot about god. But if belief in god is human, if all I can do as a human is to believe…
T: Why are you looking at me like that?
I: My god, my universe.
T: No, stay away. Hey—
i) Highlight three differences between the speakers’ individual perceptions of religion.
ii) Who is the first speaker mimicking? Is there a hint of bitterness in his tone?
iii) What makes a gesture shallow or sincere?
iv) Think back to a time you idealized someone else’s way of expressing themselves. In doing so, did you allow them their personhood?
v) Why is it that you wanted her to be just like you? How did you feel when you turned out to be wrong?
Question 9 [10]
Select one of the following topics and write a composition of a minimum of 500 words. Of course, your choices are limited. But then again, you were already aware of the same.
i) Write a short story about a boy who lives inside a fishbowl. One day, he finally gets to escape. Does that make for a happy ending?
ii) “Pet humans should focus on developing their musical talents instead of putting a lot of effort into general education subjects.” Give your views for or against this statement.
iii) You have been chosen to represent your class as a model student. Write an account of how you prepared for the interview and how the experience shaped you.
iv) Write a graduate letter to a classmate you have spent a considerable amount of time with. Do you have any parting words you had always wished to convey? Try not to leave with things unsaid.
Question 10 [10]
For a full ten points, write down the plural form of the word “friend.” Or did you only ever have the one?