Elective Course in English-01 (EEG-01)/(BEGE-101)

1 Read the following poem by Rabindranath Tagore and answer the questions given below it.

In the russet dawn, a young maid you came smiling

Donning a white robe, freshly bathed

In the shining rays of the dawn.

You would show your face

Beaming like a full-grown flower,

Just at my break of day—you would drag me away

To the garden for gathering Shefali flowers.

Times without number you lured me away

From my childhood duties

Throwing away my books,

And snatching my chalk from me.

You would release me from the prison of my school

And lead me, through secret alleys,

To a solitary place that was a mystic chamber

On an empty roof under the sky.

How you used to play

Beguiling me with your varied tales.

That was as enchanting

And yet as meaningless as dreams

You alone knew whether they were true or untrue

 

A pair of pearls used to swing from your ears,

There were gold bracelets on your two hands,

Your locks touched your two cheeks playfully,

From your two limpid eyes shimmered rays of light

Like the shattered beams in a transparent brook.

Even before we knew each other well

In care-free confidence,

So often we played and romped together

Babbling—our cloths to complete disarray.

 

Then one day, I was not so aware

When in the garden of life

The southern wind first blew its scented breath

In the spring of my youth;

A hundred new desires were blossoming,

I was startled by my own music,

I was surprised to find you, the goddess

Of my inner heart, make your advent

Into my inner world, straight from the play-ground

And you were now sitting in majesty

Like a queen in your ante-chamber.

1a Write about the three things which the children would do together. 3

1b What do you think were the ‗childhood duties‘ of the young boy? 3

1c Pick out four phrases/lines which are examples of literary devices. 4

1d What stage of life is suggested in stanza three? Pick out two lines that indicate that stage. 3

1e Explain what the poet means by the following lines in the context of the poem: 3

       In the spring of my youth;

       A hundred new desires were blossoming,

       I was startled by my own music,…

1f Why is the girl now considered ―the goddess‖? 2

1g Do you think this ―change‖ happened gradually? Why/why not? Pick out the relevant lines. 2

2 Write short notes on four of the following literary devices, giving examples in each case. 20

i Metonymy                         ii Synecdoche

iii Personification                iv Hyperbole

v Paradox                           vi Oxymoron

3 The sentences below reflect a specific literary device. Say which device is used and why you think so. 20

i The math‘s master had an eye like a hawk‘s.

ii She trumpeted her success abroad.

iii Life is the greatest teacher of all.

iv Screams of noise rent the very air.

v He has just completed 6 months as a guest of the State.

vi I am never less alone than when alone.

vii Kindly address your remarks to the Chair.

viii I have my daily bread to earn.

ix When I am dead, I hope it may be said: ―His sins were scarlet, but his books for the read.‖

x My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.

4 Write short notes on any four of the following giving examples from literary texts. 20

i Extension by Magnification

ii Multiple meaning of words

iii Different types of Homonyms

iv Overlap of meaning in Concrete Nouns

v Structure Words and Content Words

vi Phrasal Verbs

5a Complete these dialogues with the past simple or present perfect form of the verbs in brackets: 10

A I need to ask David if he ____________ (decide) to set us the focus group.

B Don‘t worry. I ____________ (already/speak) to him about it.

A Really? When ____________ (you/see) him?

B I ____________ (call) him first thing today.

A What ___________ (he/say)?

B He ______________ (not/make) up his mind yet. He needs some documents from head office, and they still_________ (not/arrive).

A _____________ (you/finalize) all the arrangements for Mr. Lee‘s visit yet?

B I‘m dealing with it now. I _________ (fix) a date for him to come and visit – the 19th .

A What about Sunita? I think she needs to be there.

B That‘s fine. I ______________ (speak) to Sunita couple of days ago, and the 19th is fine for her too.

5b Write an appropriate question for these answers using the stative verbs from the list.

(More than one correct question is possible.) 5

       belong  taste    look     own    prefer    sound

1 Q: Does the car sound ok to you?

   A: I think so – I can‘t hear anything wrong with it.

2 Q: …………………………………………………………..

   A: He‘s about 2 m tall, with dark hair and blue eyes.

3 Q: …………………………………………………………..

   A: Tea – I don‘t like coffee at all.

4 Q: …………………………………………………………..

   A: It‘s delicious.

5 Q: …………………………………………………………..

   A: It‘s mine.

6 Q: …………………………………………………………..

   A: No, I rent it.

5c Complete the sentences with these linking words: 5

    if     unless     provided     as long as     in case 

i I‘m organizing some insurance ………………I get ill.

ii I‘m very busy, so please don‘t disturb me……………….it‘s an emergency.

iii ………………sales don‘t start falling, we‘ll reach our targets this year.

iv I should be able to get there by 10.30, but I‘ll let you know …………there‘s a problem.

v …………….as we get the funding, we can go ahead with the project in October.