B.A. (Programme) / I ENGLISH LANGUAGE Paper-I (B)
Time : 3 Hours Maximum Marks : 100
All questions are compulsory. Answer all parts of a question together.
1. Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions that follow Face-to-face communication consists of three elements: words, tone of voice and body language. On the phone there is no way of reading (that is, seeing) the body language of a person. So what you say and the tone of your voice become much more important as does your ability to listen and respond. A good idea is to smile while talking on the phone. This will help in keeping your voice enthusiastic (or excited) and cheerful !
When you make a business call or a call to a stranger (or even a personal call, for that matter) you should always, first of all, identify yourself. Give your name. and if it is a business call, your company’s name and your position in the company to the person you are talking to. Speak slowly and clearly and say straightaway why you are calling. It is best to state this immediately and clearly, though briefly. This way you can save a lot of time by not talking to the wrong person or at the wrong time. The most important thing about making a phone call is to make it, if you have to, even if it is about something unpleasant. Do not make a call very early or too late in the day. Even before you greet the caller you should be clear in your mind about what you want to talk about and how much you wish to say. In fact, it is a good idea to mentally rehearse (or go over) your talk.
(a) (1) What are the differences between face-to-face communication and a phone call ? 3
(ii) Why is it a good idea to smile while talking on the phone ? 2
(iii) Write down three things you should do when you make a phone call. 3
(iv) Choose an appropriate title for the passage from the ones given below : 2
(a) How to talk on the telephone '?
(b) Important facts about telephone calls.
(c) Differences between face-to-face communication and a phone call.
(b) Match the terms/concepts in column ‘A’ with the explanation/definitions in column ‘B’.
Give one example of your own for each term /concept. 5
Column A Column B
• Code-mixing • regional varieties within a language
• Dialect • a person who knows two languages
• Intensive • parts of words from two different reading languages being combined while speaking
• Code- switching • study with care and in depth to remember or memorize the contents
• Extensive reading • go through rapidly to locate some specific information
• moving from one language to another freely in speech
• Bilingual • read widely from a variety of different text types
• system that shows the clear relationship between written symbols
and sounds in a language
(c) Answer any five of the following questions briefly: 5x2=10
(i) What is a descriptive essay ?
(ii) What does ‘skimming’ mean ?
(iii) List two differences between writing and speech.
(iv) Write two important differences between formal and informal letters.
(v) Explain what is pre-interview planning.
(vi) State one major disadvantage of pictographs.
(vii) List two things we must not do when talking on the phone ?
2. Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions that follow :
There are so many variations of English floating around that it has become almost impossible to decide what is a mistake and what is acceptable usage, what is jargon and what is rubbish. All Indian editors of newspapers. magazines or journals have to start by carefully looking for the traditional mistakes, that are the trademark of English in the Indian sub-continent.
At the top of the list of mistakes is the misuse of the word ‘inform’ which is used wrongly to mean ‘said’, as in “he informed that.....” Then there are the Indian words like ‘air-dashed’ (“the minister air-dashed to Delhi”) or ‘youngmen’ which is really two words needlessly fused into one. Another Indian usage is the phrase “gangs of youths.” Nobody in India is ever ‘strangled’, they are always ‘strangulated’ (we like big words) and instead of ‘criminals’ we
write ‘miscreants.’
As Indians, we use polite expressions to express something unpleasant. We never say that somebody has died. We say “They have expired” (like a passport or a driving license) or “passed away” or, even, “left for heavenly abode.” But
this fascination or let’s say obsession, with using polite phrases often translates into mistakes- few Indian newspapers bother to distinguish between ‘marriage’ (the relationship between 2 persons) or ‘wedding’ (the actual ceremony) so you will always read that “there were 200 marriages in the city yesterday so traffic was jammed.”
.... But. in defense of Indian English, there’s, a certain practical logic to some of our usages. There may be no such word as ‘prepone’ but if there is ‘postpone’, then doesn't ‘prepone’ capture the sense of advancing something ? And
doesn’t ‘retook’ sound better than “take another look” ?
(a) Complete the sentences given below : 2 x 5 = 10
(i) The writer is unsure about what is acceptable or what is a mistake in English because_______________
(ii) Some of the common mistakes we make are in using words such as _______________ ,
_______________ and _______________.
(iii) One of the hest examples of the Indian fascination with using polite expressions to state something
unpleasant is _______________.
(iv) The difference between ‘marriage’ and ‘wedding’ is _______________
(v) The passage tells us about _______________.
(b) Find words (any five) in the passage that are similar in meaning to the following words; 5
(i) Fault or error
(ii) Improper or wrong use
(iii) Courteous
(iv) To differentiate or make a distinction
(v) A fixed or persistent idea
(vi) Catch
3. (a) Complete the following dialogue : 10
(i) A. Hello Sauna, where have you been ?
B. Oh, hello Ayush, I have _______________
(ii) A. Shall I tell Mona the news ?
B. No._______________
(ii) A. How do we go home ?
B. Let's _______________
(iv) A. Do _______________
B. I don't really want to go out tonight.
(v) A. How _______________
B. I have been selling computers for 2 years.
(b) Some of the underlined parts of these sentences are wrong. Rewrite these sentences correctly.
(1) Aryabhatt has been an Indian Mathematician.
(ii) My parents have got married in Jaipur.
(iii) Where have you been born ?
(iv) Sarina isn’t at home. She’s gone shopping.
(v) Have you been read any of Shakespeare’s plays ?
4. (a) Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice. Do not use ‘somebody’ or ‘they’. 5
The first one has been done for you.
(i) Somebody has cleaned the room. The room has been cleaned.
(ii) They have cancelled the rock show. The_______________
(iii) Somebody is using the phone at present. The_______________
(iv) I feel that somebody is following us. I feel that we_______________
(v) They are making new roads around Delhi. New_______________
(vi) Somebody stole my umbrella. My _______________
(b) Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs, using ‘-ing’ or ‘to...’. Sometimes either form is possible. 5
(i) She seems _______________ lost weight. (have)
(ii) Don't forget _______________ the vegetables. (buy)
(iii) I suggested _______________ to bed early. (go)
(iv) My father would like _______________ to you about the project. (talk)
(v) “Do you mind _______________ a late dinner ?” (have)
5. (a) Complete the sentences using must, mustn't or needn't. 5
(i) We have plenty of food in the house so we _______________ go shopping.
(ii) You _______________ disturb him while he is studying.
(iii) We _______________ hurry as the show is about to begin.
(iv) I _______________ forget to post this letter.
(v) She _______________ have take her umbrella as it didn't rain.
(b) Put a question tag at the end of the sentences given below : 5
(i) You can speak English, _______________?
(ii) She doesn't know Sarina, _______________?
(iii) You wouldn't tell anyone, _______________?
(iv) He won't mind if I use his phone, _______________?
(v) I'm late, _______________?
6. Write a letter to your friend expressing your condolence and sympathy about her/his father's death. I0
7. Write down at least 10 ideas or points that come to your mind on the topic “The advantages of watching TV.”
Please do not write an essay. Remember you have to write your ideas/points (only) in a logical way. 10
8. Write a notice on behalf of the President of the College Students' Union requesting students to
keep the campus clean. 5
OR
You have found a lost bicycle. Draft an advertisement for finding its owner giving details
of make, color etc. 5