LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034

U.G.

LO 07

DEGREE EXAMINATION –GENERAL ENGLISH

FIRST SEMESTER – APRIL 2007

EL 1065 – ESSENTIAL ENGLISH

 

 

Date & Time: 03/05/2007 / 9:00 – 12:00        Dept. No.                                                     Max. : 100 Marks

 

 

 

1. Fill in the blanks with Articles (a, an, the). (10 X 1 = 10)

 

______ lad waited for ______ long time for him. ______ sun rose high in ______ sky, then began to sink down lower ______ lower, but still ______ Nine- Headed Monster did not return.

 

______ lad climbed out of ______ boat ______ drew it up onto ______ shore.

 

______ lad went through ______ opening along ______ passage that grew higher ______ wider until at last he came to some copper gates. He stopped ______ gave ______ light knock on ______ gates. Not ______ sound. He knocked ______ bit louder, but there was still not ______ sound.

 

2. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.

A learned business man was at the pier of a small costal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow tuna. The educated complemented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied, “Only a little while”. The businessman then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The fisherman said that he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The businessman then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta, stroll into the village each evening where I sip coffee and chat with my friends. I have a full and busy life, sir”.

The businessman scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to a big city. You will run your expanding enterprise”.

The fisherman asked, “But sir, how long will this all take?”

To which the businessman replied, “15-20 years”.

“But what then, sir?”

The businessman laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”

“Millions, Sir? Then what?”

The businessman said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small costal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip coffee and talk with your friends”.

The fisherman replied “……………….. ……… ……………..”

Answer the following questions.                                                                                  (5 X 3 = 15)

1. What were the suggestions given by the businessman to the fisherman?
2. What did the business man say about the fisherman’s life after retirement?
3. “Millions, Sir? Then what?” Who asked these questions and what are their implications?
4. If you were in the position of the fisherman what would your reply be?
5. Why didn’t the fisherman think of spending more time on catching more fish and for making money?
6. Write about the different perspectives of the wise businessman and the fisherman in a tabular column.                                                                                         (5 marks)

 

 

3. A Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below.

 

He came at around ten thirty form his office very tired and worn out from the hard day’s work. He wanted to just fall on his warm and cozy bed and go off to sleep. But he knew his duty always comes first before his comfort. Sitting at the feet of his father, he took a bowl of warm water and started to clean the infected areas surrounding his feet. The wounds on the wrinkled skin needed tender care and love in order to slowly heal. Since a diabetic needs to be very careful, he made sure that the nails were trim and clean. He did all possible things to prevent an infection from erupting. His father sat watching his son with silent admiration. Through his misty eyes he could see him entering the kitchen and could hear the clatter of plates and tumblers. With a broad smile he came and sat beside his father. Then he began feeding him with a spoon. Everything had to be clean. Besides his father also had a nervous problem, as a result of which his hands were not steady. So he had to help him out with everything.

 

“Good night appa”, he said and went to the hall. There he knelt down to say his prayers. The father who was a skeptic has observed this for a couple of months. He recollected the days when he had insulted him several times whenever he saw him praying. He remembered how he debated with his son about the reality of God. “God is for the weak. Strong men can do anything without him.” A weak smile emerged in his face. A moment of realization dawned on him. From the half open shutters the moon light filtered into the darkness raising shadows unknown. Suddenly he realized that he was walking towards the hall. He sat beside his son.

 

Answer the following questions.                                                                                  (5 X 2 = 10)

 

 

1. How did the son feel when he came home from his work?
2. What did he do every day after he came home?
3. What are the ailments his father is suffering form?
4. Describe the attitude of the father.
5. What resulted in the change in the father’s attitude?
6. Compare the above passage with the lesson “Prayer” and write a paragraph in ten sentences on the values expressed in the two passages.                                                           (5 marks)
7. Make sentences using the following words.                                                   (5 x 1 = 5)      

1. worn out 2. admiration 3. emerged      4. recollect       5. dawned

 

5. (a) Write a paragraph on “My best day at Loyola” in about 100 words. (2 x 5 = 10)

(b)Write a paragraph on “Me, Myself and My Friends” in about 100 words.

 

6. What is the best gift that you would give to your parents? (200 words) (15 marks)

 

7. Write a letter to your friend about the recent World Cup Cricket series. (10 marks)

 

8. Write an essay on the topic “If I were a god…” in about 200 words. (15 marks)

 

 

 

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LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034

U.G. DEGREE EXAMINATION – GENERAL ENGLISH

MD 9

FIRST SEMESTER – APRIL 2008

EL 1065 / 1061 – ESSENTIAL ENGLISH

 

 

 

Date : 22/04/2008         Dept. No.                                      Max.:100 Marks

Time : 1:00 – 4:00

 

I Answer the following questions:                                                              10marks.

Fill in the blank with appropriate preposition: The lifeboat made straight ——–the sinking

ship.  (1 mark)

Identify the conjunction in the following sentence: She must weep or she will die.[1 mark]

 

Write one sentence each for the following expressions: ‘neither of the…’ ‘One of the…………..’                                                                                 [2 marks]

Write the comparative and superlative degrees of comparison for the article ‘industrious’.                                                                                                                     [2 marks]

Change the sentence into active voice: Why was such a letter written by your brother?                                                                                                                          [1 marks]

Fill in the blanks with suitable articles: English is——language of —–people of England.

(2 marks)

Choose the correct verb from those in brackets: I —–English for five years. (Study, am studying, have been studying). [1 mark].

 

 II Read the following passage and answer the following questions:

The day started out just like any other.  My first class that was in Economics, with professor Ben.  I walked quietly into the classroom as usual and found a corner seat in the back row.  I always chose that corner seat to avoid the attention of the professors.  Well, I was extremely shy.  It made me very nervous an unhappy if the professor asked me any questions.  I read my lessons regularly but I never feel confident.  With a low self-image and equally low self-esteem, I had little self-confidence.  ‘I can’t ‘ was my characteristic way of reacting to any challenge.  I went crawling through my life like a worm until that day changed my life, so thoroughly and forever.

To my deep distress, the professor asked me to explain a point in the day’s lesson.  I had studied the lesson diligently and knew the answer, but I was so terrified of speaking in public.  With shaking knees, I stood up shifting nervously from one foot to another, beads of perspiration running down my face.  Finally I mumbled incoherently and slumped down.  I had not only handled the subject matter awkwardly but had made the entire class laugh.

As the class came to a close, the professor asked me to meet him.  ‘I wish to talk with you,’ he said.  Shaking in my shoes, I waited until all the students had left, then slipped into the professor’s room.  ‘You wanted to see me, sir?’ I asked.

‘Yes’ said the professor, ‘sit down’ He sat looking at me with real concern.  The silence deepened.  ‘What is the matter with you?’ he asked.  Then he continued, ‘you are doing well in the class.  You’ll probably get a first class.  But when I ask you a question, you appear terribly embarrassed, nervous, and scared.  What is the matter with you, son?’

‘I don’t know professor,’ I mumbled miserably; “ I Guess I’ve got an inferiority complex.”

‘Do you want to get over it and act like a man?’

I nodded.  ‘I’d give anything to get over it.  But I don’t know how.’

The professor smiled reassuringly. “You can get over it, son, by doing what I did to get over my inferiority feelings.’

‘You’? I exclaimed.  “You were the same way, I am?’

‘That’s why I noticed the same symptoms in you’, the professor said.

‘But how did you overcome the problem?’ I asked.

His answer was quietly given.  That has transformed me from a shy withdrawn little boy to a confident and successful person I am today.  The release from negative thought has been so joyful and wonderful that I have to tell others similarly affected that they too can do much better than they are doing now.

 

1. Give meanings for the underlined words. (1×10=10) marks
2. Answer the following questions in your own words. (5×2=10 marks)
3. a). why did the student always sit in the last bench?

b). Suggest a suitable title for the story.

2. How did the student react to any challenge? What does he compare himself with?
3. What were the feelings of the student when he the professor questioned him on the lesson?
4. What was the student’s problem? What advice do you think the professor gave him?
5. What do you understand by ‘inferiority complex.’? How do you overcome it?

 

1. Compare the values found in the above passage with the text “We are Equals” which deals with the student and the professor and write a paragraph in 10 sentences [5marks]                                   .

III Read the passage carefully and answer the questions:

     There once lived  an old lady, who lost her sight.  She wanted to be cured of her blindness.  She called in a doctor.

“I suppose I shall be able to cure your blindness” said the doctor, after examining her eyes.  “ I shall charge you thousand rupees for treatment.”

The old lady thought a while.  “ I shall pay you the fee,” she said, “only if my sight is completely restored.  I shall pay you nothing in case you fail to cure me.” The doctor agreed.

The doctor called at her house daily and carried on with his treatment.  When he saw lady’s furniture he was tempted to steal it.  Every day he took away some of her furniture.  He deliberately delayed the cure till he stole most of her furniture.

At last the doctor cured her blindness.  He asked for his fee.  “I won’t pay you the fee,” said the lady;” the cure is not complete.”

The doctor filed a suit against the lady.  The judge studied the case.  “Why have you refused to pay the doctor his fee?” the judge asked the lady.  “Because my sight has not been completely restored,” she replied.  “I cannot see all my furniture.”

The judge understood what had happened.  He passed verdict in favor of the old lady.  The doctor was not only to return the furniture, which he had taken from her house, but also to forfeit his fee.

1. Answer the following questions in your own words (5×1=5 marks)
2. What was the agreement between the old lady and the doctor?
3. Why did the doctor delay his treatment?
4. Why did the doctor go to court?
5. What was that had been passed in the court?
6. What is the moral of the story?
7. Give a suitable title for the story.
8. Make sentences with the following words (10 x1=10 marks)

a). Sight   b) cured  c) treatment  d) deliberately   e). Verdict.

f.) Forfeit   g) restored   h) delayed   i) refused   j) tempted.

 

 

 

 

 

IV Answer any two of the following questions in a paragraph in about 100 words each:

(2 x 5 =10 marks)

1. Write a short note on the topic ”The book you like the best.”
2. Write a short note on the topic “ Should boys learn to cook.”
3. Write a short note on the topic “ The best way of spending holidays.”

 

V Answer the following question in about 200 words:

My first day in Loyola College.                                            [15marks]

VI Write a letter to your friend about your plans for the summer vacation. (10 marks)

VII Write an essay on any one of the topics in about 200 words on the following                                                                                                                         [15 marks]

1. The effects of Advertisements on the public.
2. Spreading greenery for a healthy living.
3. My role model.
4. Your favorite hobbies.
5. The use and misuse of cell phones.

 

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     LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034

U.G. DEGREE EXAMINATION – GENERAL ENGLISH

NM 35

FIRST SEMESTER – April 2009

EL 1065 / EL 1061 – ESSENTIAL ENGLISH

 

 

Date & Time: 02/05/2009 / 1:00 – 4:00       Dept. No.                                                       Max. : 100 Marks

 

 

1. REWRITE AS DIRECTED:                                                          (15 Marks)

 

1. Choose the correct answer:                (3 Marks)
2. a)  She stopped me —–going home. (from/to)
3. b)  Shakespeare is one of the —–poets. (greater/greatest)
4. c)  This is —–own house. (mine/my)
5. Change the statement into a question:   (1 Mark)
6. a) Sita became lazy.
7. Write TWO interrogative sentences using the following words:   (2 Marks)
8. a) Where b) Why
9. Join the sentences using the word ‘AND’:   (1 Mark)
10. a) Clara lifted her bag. She walked along the road.
11. Fill in the blank a using pronoun:      (1 Mark)
12. a)  There was no doubt as to ——– the speaker meant.
13. Fill in the blanks with ARTICLES:    (2 Marks)
14. a) He is —— honest man.
15. b) Raj is—– NCC officer.
16. c)  I have —–red and —- blue pencil.
17. Fill in the blanks with the correct PREPOSITION:  (2 Marks)
18. a)  He is gazing—- the sky. (at/in)
19. b)  It’s a machine ——-washing clothes. (for/to)
20. c)  They came —–a big bus. (in/by)
21. d)  She is writing —–a pen. (with/in)
22. Give OPPOSITES for the UNDERLINED words:  (3 Marks)
23. a)  He is a broad-minded
24. b)  The clothes are dry.
25. c)  Children love domestic

 

1. a) Read the following and answer the questions given below:     (5 x 3 = 15Marks)

Once there lived a violent elephant in a forest by the side of a village. It would come down to the village and attack the villagers without any provocations. There was a temple where the village folks worshipped the deity every day. There lived a clever mouse in the village. One day the villagers ran for their lives after seeing the elephant. The mouse stood in an important place to draw the attention of the elephant. When the elephant saw the mouse, he became angry and raised its feet to trample it.

A frightened mouse gathered courage and told the elephant, “It’s not good killing people.” The elephant replied, “I have a big belly and whenever I do not get sufficient food, I get angry.” The mouse said, “I’ll take you to a special friend of mine who will offer you as much food as you want.” The mouse took the elephant to the sea-shore and made a sound. A very big whale came and enquired what the matter was. The Whale persuaded the elephant that he would take him to a house with plenty of food in it. And hence it took him to the deepest part of the sea. The whale said that a lot of food is there in the bottom of the sea. The greedy elephant asked the whale to take him there. The whale took a dip and the foolish elephant got drowned in the sea. Next morning the elephant’s body was floating near the sea- shore. The villagers’ joy knew no bounds. The villagers thanked the mouse who played an important role in killing the elephant.

1. Where did the elephant live and how harmful was the elephant?
2. How did the mouse persuade the elephant to the sea-shore?
3. Justify the death of the elephant?
4. Write your comment on the statement: “It’s not good killing people” according to the

present situation of the world?

5. Discuss the positive attitude that helped the small mouse in tackling a powerful

Elephant.

 

1. b) Read the passage given below and write THREE sentences on ENVIRONMENT PRESERVATION, SATISFACTION, SHARING, CONCERN FOR LIVING ORGANISMS and VALUE EDUCATION: (5 x 3 = 15 Marks)

 

“Man has lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall. He will end by destroying the

earth” – Albert Schweitzer.

Once upon an unfortunate time, there was a hairy thing called ‘man.’ Along with him was a hairier thing called ‘animal.’ Man had a larger brain which made him think he was superior to animals. Some men thought they were superior to others. They became leader men. Leader men said, “We have no need to work; we will kill animals to eat.” So they did. Man increased and animals decreased. Eventually leader men said, ‘There are not enough animals left to eat. We must grow our own food.’ So man grew food. Now, the only animals that had not been destroyed were tiny ones, like rabbits and mice, and these little animals were caught eating some of man’s crops. ‘These animals are a menace. They must die.’ In China they killed all the sparrows; in Australia they killed all the rabbits; in India they killed all the snakes. Every where man killed all wild life. Soon there was none, all the birds were poisoned. Leader men said, ‘At last we are free of pests.’

Man’s numbers increased. The world became crowded with men. They all had to sleep standing up. One day a leader man saw some new creatures eating his crops. These creatures’ name was ‘the starving people.’ ‘These creatures are a menace!’ said the leader man…..

 

III. Rewrite the JUMBLED SENTENCES in a proper sequence:   (5 x 1 = 5 Marks)

1. When his turn came, he put his hand in his pocket.
2. Ismail found two good jobs in the Indian Express.
3. He realized that his purse has been robbed.
4. He decided to apply for both.
5. He found a large queue at the stamps counter in the post office.

 

1. Rectify the errors and rewrite the sentences: (5 x 1 = 5 Marks)
2. a)  One of the biggest industrial houses in Mumbai are declaring a lock out.
3. b)  It is very heavy to lift.
4. c)  He would return back the money.
5. d)  Rani goes to a beauty-parlour. Isn’t she?
6. e)  Vijay did not answer the question. Do he?

 

1. Answer any ONE of the following in about 250 words: (15 Marks)
2. a)  What are the essential qualities of a true leader?
3. b)  Explain the responsibilities of the youth?
4. c)  Discuss: Are women truly Independent?
5. d)  How will you improve your English Language?

 

1. Study the PICTURES given below and relate it to LIBERTY, EQUALITY, BROTHERHOOD, TOLERANCE and RELIGION AS VOTE BANK POLITICS in about TEN sentences: (15 Marks)

      

 

FOR VISUALLY CHALLENGED STUDENTS ONLY: (15 Marks)

1. b) Write a SHORT ESSAY on EDUCATION.

 

VII. Write any ONE of the following in about 200 words: (15 Marks)

1. a)  Can War on Terror put an end to the Terrorists- Discuss?
2. b) Can the evils of Child Labour be stopped by strict laws?

 

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