Read the text and write TRUE for true and FALSE for false statements. 5×1=5
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 to-day, I am sure I shall reach the top.
Today to the end of the marvelous stair,
Where those glittering pinacles flash in the air!
Climbing, climbing, higher I go,
With the sky close above me, the earth far below.
a. The speaker climbs up an apple tree.
b. The brightness of the turret and dome is compared with the sea foam.
c. The leaves make the speaker easier to climb up the tree.
d. The speaker is climbing up the tree for the first time.
e. Climbing up the tree symbolizes the struggles of life.
Read the text and do the tasks.
The Russians are practically no different, and similarities exist regarding using flowers as a token of expressing love and affection. It is always heartwarming to receive flowers. However, flower-gifting in Russia has some unique traditions. Flower etiquette, in Russia is strictly guided by a range of rules depending on the setting. For instance, the kinds of flowers gifted in a romantic setting differ immensely from those gifted when visiting a Russian home. If flowers are gifted outside these rules, it is possible to offend the receiver.
Red carnations are filled with a deep sense of patriotism. The origins of this symbolism reside in the 1917 February Revolution. The Russian Social Democratic Worker's Party of Bolsheviks had produced masses of cardboard pins designed like red carnations. These badges gained widespread popularity and became a symbol of resistance against the Russian Provisional Government.
Contrasting to the victorious symbols of red carnations, white carnations represent bad omens. The washed-out petals are believed to strip holders off good luck and talent. Therefore, white carnations should not be given as gifts to performers. On the other hand, Russians believe that placing a white carnation under your pillow while you sleep leaves you inspired upon waking the next morning.
A. Fill in the blanks with the correct information from the text. 5×1=5
a. Flowers are generally used to express..........in many cultures.
b. Flower gifting outside the rules may..........the receiver.
c. Red carnations reflect the sense of..........in the Russian culture.
d. The Russian Revolution took place in..........
e. The white carnations signal..........in Russian culture.
B. Answer these questions. 5×1=5
a. How do people feel to receive flowers?
b. What guides flower etiquette in Russia?
c. What did the badges of cardboard pins symbolize in Russia?
d. Why should white carnations NOT be given to performers in Russia?
e. How would the Russians make positive use of white carnations?
Read the text and do the tasks.
Dear sir/madam,
I am writing to express my extreme dissatisfaction with the laptop (model: ZX 500, order no. 784512) that I purchased from your online store on 10th November 2025. The item was delivered on 15th November, but it has several serious defects that make it completely unusable.
Firstly, the laptop overheats within 10 minutes of use and automatically shuts down, even when performing basic tasks such as browsing the internet. Secondly, the battery lasts less than 30 minutes despite being advertised as having an 8 hour battery life. Most disappointingly, the keyboard has three missing keys, which I noticed only after removing the protective packaging.
I have attempted to contact your customer service department three times by phone and twice by email over the past week, but I have received no response. This lack of support has caused me considerable inconvenience, as I rely on this device for my university studies and part time work. Under consumer protection laws, I am entitled to a full refund or an immediate replacement with a brand-new, fault-free unit. I request that you arrange collection of the defective laptop at your expense and process a complete refund within the next seven days.
I look forward to your prompt reply and resolution of this matter.
Yours faithfully,
Anna Koju
A. Write the sentences in the correct order as they appear in the text. 5×1=5
a. The writer demanded a full refund or an immediate replacement with a brand-new laptop.
b. The company delivered the laptop to the writer on 15th November.
c. The writer attempted to contact customer service department many times.
d. The writer purchased the laptop online.
e. The writer noticed that the laptop had several defects.
B. Answer these questions. 5×1=5
a. What is the purpose of writing this letter?
b. When did the writer buy the laptop?
c. What had the company advertised about battery capacity of the laptop?
d. Why is the laptop very essential for Anna Koju?
e. Is the seller responsible to the customer? Give a reason.
Read the text and do the tasks.
When there is a grey area, it is the referee or umpire's job to decide whether cheating is taking place. However, players can take advantage of this situation because referees aren't perfect and can't see everything. For example, in cricket, if the ball hits a batter's legs, he is out, and most batters know when they are out, they should leave the field immediately. However, few cricketers are sporting. They wait until the umpire tells them to go because they want to stay in the game, and the umpire might not see what happened. This isn't considered cheating.
However, there's no denying that Diego Maradona cheated in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals between England and Argentina. In that particular match, Maradona infamously scored a goal using his hand. The referee, who missed the incident, awarded the goal, and unsurprisingly, Maradona didn't question the decision. But the game of football, however, isn't always so forgiving of those who bend the rules, as Brazilian player Rivaldo knows. In the 2002 World Cup, he faked an injury during a match. Unlike Maradona, Rivaldo wasn't so lucky; he was caught out and was later fined, proving that the outcomes of such actions are not always in the player's favour.
Sometimes, players might even try to lose on purpose. At the 2012 London Olympics, four women's badminton doubles teams from China, Indonesia and South Korea purposely played badly. They all wanted to lose because it would lead to an easier place in the tournament.
Although none of the players broke any badminton rules, they were all disqualified for their poor sportsmanship.
Where there are games, people will always try different ways to win. But is bending the rules the same as cheating? Or does it just make the game more interesting because sports competitions are not only about physical skills but also about clever strategies?
A. Match the meanings in Column A with the correct words from the text in Column B. One of the words in Column B does not have a match. 5×1=5
a. What should a batsman do after a ball hits his/her legs in cricket?
i. wait for umpire's decision ii. inform the umpire
iii. go out of the field iv. stay in the game
b. Which two teams played the 1986 World Cup quarter finals?
i. England and Argentina
ii. Indonesia and Argentina
iii. China and Argentina
iv. South Korea and Argentina
c. Why was Rivaldo punished?
i. He scored a goal with his hand.
ii. He questioned the referee's decision.
iii. He tried to lose on purpose.
iv. He faked the injury.
d. Why was the Chinese team disqualified in London Olympics?
i. because of the referee's wrong decision
ii. because they broke the rules
iii. because of their poor performance
iv. because they wanted to lose the match on purpose
e. What is the text mainly about?
i. winning strategies in games ii. cheating in games
iii. skills in games iv. competitions in games
C. Answer these questions. 5×1=5
a. When can the players take the advantage of cheating in a match?
b. Why did the referee award a goal although Maradona cheated?
c. For which team did Rivaldo play in the 2002 World Cup?
d. Why did the Indonesian team try to lose a match in women's badminton doubles in the 2012 Olympics?
e. What do the players need to win the sports along with physical skills?
Write an advertisement in about 100 words for the post of Secondary Level English Teacher using the given clues. 5
..... ABC secondary school ..... a reputed school ..... dynamic, self-motivated and dedicated ..... minimum Bachelor's Degree in English. ... two years experience ..... deadline - April 15, 2026 .....
One of your friends has got a scholarship for her studies. Write a formal message of congratulations in about 100 words on behalf of your class using the given clues. 5
..... Dipmala Sherpa ..... Grade Ten student ..... scholarship for studies ..... matter of pride ..... hard work paid off ..... bright future .....
Nowadays, many Nepali youths go to foreign countries for jobs and further studies. Write two paragraphs in about 150 words expressing your views about the effects of such trend in Nepal. 6
Write an email to your uncle describing the recent annual day celebration of your school. Write it in about 200 words including the main events of the day, your participation and feelings. 8
Reproduce the following sentences as instructed in the brackets. 6×1=6
a. Some glasses have been broken,...........? (Add a correct question tag.)
b. Bharat wants to become a manager. (Change into negative.)
c. They played football for the whole day. (Change into 'How long' question.)
d. While Sanskriti was preparing food, she (watch) TV. (Write the correct form of the verb given in the brackets.)
e. The mountains attract many tourists. (Change into passive voice.)
f. Firoj said to Anu, "Don't waste your time." (Change into indirect speech.)
Copy the correct answers from the given alternatives. Rewriting the text is not necessary. 10×0.5=5
Technology has changed the way we have been living (a).....(for/since/in/by) the last few decades. It is now hard to think how human life (b).....(had passed/pass/had been passed/passed) without smartphones and the Internet in the past. Most people cannot keep them away even for a minute, (c).....(don't they/cann't they/do they/can they)? Today, we get connected to each other any time we like. In every household there (d).....(is/are/has/have) screens glowing with information and entertainment. (e).....(Before/As/Because/Although) you walk down the street, you see everyone looking at their cell phones. It seems as if they are not paying attention to the world around them. If we (f).....(are given/were given/have been given/give) a choice to the children, they will spend hours playing online games rather than going out. The Internet has made children (g).....(to concentrate/concentrates/concentrated/concentrate) on online games.
Human life (h).....(made/has been made/has made/makes) more exciting by this digital revolution. Some experts even say artificial intelligence will soon think (i).....(faster/fast/as fast as/the fastest) than (j).....(a/an/the/no article) human brain.