HSC Verbs

1. Cricket is a popular game. Both the young and the old (a) – (get) pleasure from this game. In fact, cricket (b)--- (call) the gentlemen’s game. It (c) — (entertain) us with politeness and discipline. A sense of brotherhood and fraternity (d) – (create) among the playing nations through it. At present cricket is the most popular game in Bangladesh. The English (e) — (play) it here in this subcontinent and since then it (f) – (become) an integral part of our entertainment. Our team (g) – (consist) of skilled players. They already (h) — (show) their performance in several matches. But it is a matter of sorrow that sometimes our players (i) – (play) so poorly that our countrymen (j) — (become) astonished.

Answer: (a) get (b) is called (c) entertains (d) is created (e) would play/ played (f) has become

2. Trees contribute a lot to maintain ecological balance. A month-long tree fair (a) — (begin) in 

Sir John Clancy Auditorium recently. It (b) — (organize) by the local administration and the Department of Social Forestation. The fair (c) — (inaugurate) yesterday by the Sydney Councillor. It was also addressed by other speakers who (d) — (emphasize) the need for planting more trees. The chief guest in his speech (e) — (put) importance on planting trees so that we (f) — (save) our environment from other effects of climate change and natural disasters. A huge procession (g) — (parade) through the streets of the town after the inaugural session. Various government and non-government organizations (h) — (set) up stalls displaying saplings of different varieties. Cultural functions (i) — (arrange) every night (j) — (inspire) people to plant trees.

Answer: (a) has begun (b) has been organized/ is organised (c) was inaugurated (d) emphasized (e) put (f) could/ might save (g) was paraded/ paraded (h) have set/ set (i) are arranged (j) to inspire/ inspiring

3. (a) — (teach) is a noble profession. A teacher (b) – –(teach) his students from the core of his heart He teaches his students with a view to (C)--- (give) the light of education. By (d) – (get) the light of education, students can (e) — (enlighten) their inside. The students (f)---(learn) their lessons now as their teachers (g) – (instruct) them. But the students nowadays act as though they (h) — (know) everything. They are not (i) — (pay) heed to their teachers’ advice. But the students must be careful in their studies lest they (j) — (fail) to secure good marks.

Answer: (a) Teaching (b) teaches (c) giving (d) getting(e) enlighten (f) should learn (g) instruct (h) knew (i) paying (j) should fail

4. In the last autumn vacation I (a) — (get) sufficient time. So I (b) — (make) up my mind to make a journey by Sydney to Melbourne. I (c) — (reach) the station about half an hour before the departure of the train. It (d) — (be) then a very busy time. Motorcars and other vehicles (e) — (come) to the station with passengers. Coolies (f) — (run) behind them. There (g) — (be) shouts and rush of the passengers. After some time hearing a whistle, the passengers (h) — (stand) in a queue before the ticket counter. I also (i) — (stand) in the line and (j) — (buy) a second class ticket.

Answer: (a) got (b) made (c) reached (d) was (e) came/ were coming (f) ran/ were running (g) were (h) stood (i) stood (j) bought

5. When I was a child I (a) —(be) afraid of the dark, and I (b) –(go) to sleep with a light on. Even then, I feared that monsters (c)---(climb) in through my bedroom window. Every sound I (d) – (hear) struck fear into me. Often, I ran away from the room and (e) —(sleep) on the floor at the foot of my parent's bed. Now that I (f) (be) almost twenty, I obviously do better than what I (g) — Idol as a child. However, I (h) – (be) still scared of bedtime. I hate (i)--- (sleep) alone, and I still keep a tiny night-light on. And before I go to bed, I double-check every door and every window to make sure that they (j) — (be) locked.

Answer: (a) was (b) went (c) would climb (d) heard (e) slept (f) am (g) did (h) am (i) sleeping (j) are

6. Man is a social and rational being. He (a) — (have) freedom of choice, thought and expression. But everybody should (b) – (consider) that he is not the only person in a society. There (c) – (be) many persons in the society and they (d) — (have) the same right that one (e) — (expect) from one’s society. So, to (f) ---(form) a peaceful society one should be watchful to see that other’s rights are not violated. Every citizen must (g) – (cultivate) the habit of obeying the rules and regulations of the society. Selfishness (h) – (not help) the society. Rather it (i) —- (destroy) the peace and happiness of others. So, we all (j) — (think) of the greater interest of the society.

Answer: (a) has (b) consider (c) are (d) have (e) expects (f) form (g) cultivate (h) does not help (i) destroys (j) should think

7. If all the children of Bangladesh (a) — (go) to school, the country (b) — (get) rid of the curse of illiteracy. To boost up education, the government (c) — (spend) more money. Subsidies must (d) — (give) in the education sector. Teachers (e) — (need) to (f) — (train) for good teaching. The poor students can (g) — (bring) under “Food for Education” programme. We (h) — (take) care that no institution (i) — (close) down due to political clashes. All concerned (j) — (be) conscious about it.

Answer: (a) go (b) will get (c) should spend (d) be given (e) need (f) be trained (g) be brought (h) must take (i) will be closed/ might be closed (j) must be/ should be

NESA HSC Verbs

8. A poor man was once (a) — (put) in jail, although he (b) — (do) no wrong. After a long time, the king of the state (c) – (visit) the jail and the man told him that he was innocent but a case (d) – (file) against him by some of his enemies. The king (e) — (inquire) privately and (f) – (find) that it was true. He (g)--- (give) the man some money and set him free. He went straight to the market. In a shop there, wild birds (h) — (keep) in cages for sale. He said to the shopkeeper, I wish to buy all the birds of your shop. These birds unjustly (i) —(imprison) and I like to (j) — (set) them free.

Answer: (a) put (b) did (c) visited (d) was filed (e) inquired (f) found (g) gave (h) were kept (i) imprisoned (j) set

9. Road mishap (a) — (happen) in our country almost every day. Recently it (b) — (rise) to an alarming rate (c) — (take) a heavy toll on human lives. The members of a family remain anxious if someone (d) — (travel) in a bus. In most cases, reckless driving (e) — (cause) road accidents. The drivers are in the habit of (f) — (violate) traffic rules. Road accidents can be (g) — (lessen) if the drivers drive their vehicles carefully. People should be conscious in this respect. While (h) — (cross) the road, they should be careful. Some people travel (i) — (climb) on the roof of the buses and trains. Traffic rules must be maintained strictly with a view to (j) — (control) road accidents.

Answer: (a) happens (b) has risen (c) taking (d) travels (e) causes (f) violating (g) lessened (h) crossing (i) climbing (j) controlling

10.  It has been over three hundred years since emperor Shah Jahan of Delhi (a) — (build) the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his wife in Agra. Architecturally, it (b) — (be) one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The building (c) — (make) of fine white marble with inlays of coloured marble. It (d) — (have) eight sides and many open arches. It (e) — (rest) on a platform of a terrace of red sandstone. Four slender white towers (f) — (rise) from the corners of the terrace. A large dome (g) — (stand) above the centre of the building. Around this large dome there (h) — (be) four smaller domes. Just inside the outer walls, there is an open corridor from which the visitors (i) — (look) through carved marble screens into a central room. The bodies of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz (j) — (lie) in two graves below this room.

Answer: (a) built (b) is c) is/ was made (d) has (e)  rises (f) have risen/ rise (g) stands (h) are (i) look (j) lie

11. English (a) — (be) the most widely used international language. It (b) — (learn) to communicate with the foreigners for various purposes such as (c) — (maintain) co-operation, co-existence and exchanging business information. There are also certain jobs which (d) — (require) good functional knowledge of English. The jobs of a pilot, a postman, a telephone operator, a tour guide, a mechanic, a receptionist of an international hotel, an executive of a multinational firm, etc. (e) — (be) a few of them. Besides, a student (f) — (wish) to go for higher studies must learn English because the books on advanced education are mostly (g) — (write) in English. So, the importance and demand of learning English in our country can, in no way, be (h) — (ignore). Rather, we should (i) — (put) high importance on (j) — (learn) English to make room for ourselves in the competitive world.

Answer: (a) is (b) is learnt (c) maintaining (d) require (e) are (f) wishing (g) written (h) ignored (i) put (j) learning

12. Most of the people who (a) — (appear) most often and most gloriously in the pages of history (b) — (be) great conquerors and generals and soldiers, whereas the people who really (c) — (help) civilization forward are often never (d) — (mention) at all. We do not know who first (e) — (set) a broken leg, or launched a seaworthy boat or (f) — (calculate) the length of a year, but we (g) — (know) all about the killers and destroyers. People think a great deal of them, so much so that on all the highest pillars in great cities of the world you (h) — (find) figures of a conqueror or a general or a soldier. And I think that most people (i) — (believe) that the greatest countries are those that (j) —(beat) in the battle the greatest number of countries and ruled over them as conquerors.

Answer: (a) appear (b) are (c) help (d) mentioned (e) set (f) calculated (g) know (h) can find/ will find (i) believe (j) beat

13. Jerry is an orphan. He (a) — (come) to the orphanage at the age of four. He (b) — (lose) his parents in his infancy. Then, he (c) — (commit) to the care of the orphanage. He could hardly (d) — (recollect) his parents’ memory. In spite of (e) — (be) an orphan, he had developed a strong fabric of morality. His inimitable morality (f) — (draw) him close to the writer. The writer (g) — (impress) with him. She started (h) — (show) affection for him. Jerry (i) — (take) her for his mother. He fabricated a lie (j) — (win) her heart.

Answer: (a) came (b) lost (c) was committed (d) recollect (e) being (f) drew/ had drawn (g) was impressed (h) showing (i) took (j) to win

14. Air (a) — (be) an important element of the environment. But it is constantly being (b) — (pollute) in many ways. We make a fire to cook food and (c) — (do) many works. This fire emits smoke which (d) — (contaminate) air. Vehicles pollute air to a great extent by (e) — (burn) fuel. Air pollution also (f) — (happen) when coal and oil (g) — (burn). Mills and factories can be (h) — (hold) responsible for this pollution. It is high time we (i) — (check) air pollution. Otherwise, we (j) — (suffer) a lot.

Answer: (a) is (b) polluted (c) do (d) contaminates (e) burning (f) happens (g) are burnt (h) held (i) checked (j) will suffer

15. The Liberation War of Bangladesh inspired many artists, singers and cultural activists. Eminent artiste Shaheen Samad (a) — (join) Bangladesh Mukti Sangrami Shilpi Sangstha during the Liberation War. She along with others (b) — (inspire) millions with her voice (c) — (raise) funds for the refugee camps. The cultural troupe used to (d) — (travel) to refugee camps and different areas in Mukta’ Anchal. They (e) — (perform) patriotic songs and arranged puppet shows, besides, (f) — (stage) dramas. Shaheen Samad said, “Liberation War always (g) — (be) an inspiration for me.” She sang a lot of songs during that time and now (h) — (feel) honoured to have been able to inspire the freedom fighters. She has the memorable harmonium with which she sang in 1971. Now she (i) — (wish) to hand it over to Liberation War Museum. This eminent artist wants a live performance of those moving songs on TV channel, at least one song in a week and thus (j) — (cover) all the year-round.

Answer: (a) joined (b) inspired (c) to raise (d) travel (e) performed (f) staging (g) is/ has been (h) feels (i) wishes j) covers

16. Football is a favourite game in our country. It (a) — (arrange) between two teams (b) — (contain) eleven players each. The captains of both teams (c) — (lead) their groups. This is the most exciting and enjoyable game ever (d) — (play) across the world. It (e) — (run) for an hour and a half with an interval after half of the time (f) — (be) over. Any football tournament (g) — (arrange) between two strong teams can be exciting. The result (h) — (remain) almost unpredictable till the end because any team might win the other team (i) — (score) a goal within seconds. The referee is to see whether rules and order (j) — (maintain) by the players.

Answer: (a) is arranged (b) containing (c) lead (d) played (e) runs (f) is (g) arranged (h) remains (i) scoring (j) are maintained

17.  Once there (a) — (live) an idle king. He (b) — (not undergo) physical labour. As a result, he (c) — (get) bulky and could not move from one place to another. He (d) — (call) in a doctor The doctor (e) — (be) clever and wise. He did not (f) — (prescribe) any medicine for the king He asked the king to buy a club and (g) — (move) it in the air till his hands (h) — (get) moistened. The king started (i) — (follow) the prescription. Thus, the king (j) — (relieve) of his problem.

Answer: (a) lived (b) did not undergo (c) got (d) called (e) was (f) prescribe (g) move (h) got (i) to follow/ following (j) was relieved

18. Parents (a) — (be) blessings of God to us. When a child (b) — (bear), their joys (c) — (know) no bounds. They (d) — (start) (e) — (think) of (f) — (nurse) and (g) — (bring) up their children. They (h) — (remain) safe under the custody of their parents since birth. Parents never mind (i) — (take) pains for the upbringing of their offspring. We (j) — never (offend) our parents.

Answer: a) are (b) is born (c) know (d) start (e) thinking (f) nursing (g) bringing (h) remain (i) taking (j) should (never) offend

19. An idle brain is a devil’s workshop. If we (a) — (waste) our time in idleness, all sorts of evil thoughts will crowd in our brain. Idle persons who (b) — (kill) their time are burdens of society. They (c) — (sit) idle and cherish no high ideal and lofty ambition in life. They (d) — (not support) themselves. They (e) — (lead) an unhappy life and (f) — (suffer) in the long run. There should be time for reading, for office or other work, time for physical exercise, time for recreation and time for prayer. This (g) — (indicate) that we should do everything at the right moment. We (h) — (lead) a healthy and prosperous life only when we (i) — (follow) the routine which we (j) — (make) for our guidance.

Answer: (a) waste (b) kill (c) sit (d) cannot support (e) lead (f) suffer (g) indicates (h) may lead (i) follow/ will follow (j) make

20. One night the entire village was sleeping. The boy Bayazid Bustami was busy in the study. His mother (a) — (sleep). Suddenly she woke up and (b) — (feel) thirsty. (c) — (call) her son, she told her son to give her a glass of water and (d) — (fall) asleep again. So, he went out with the pitcher in search of water. After a while, he (f) — (come) back home with water and found his mother (g) — (sleep). Then he waited (h) — (stand) by her bed with a glass of water. He did not make any sound lest she (i) —(wake) up. Suddenly his mother woke up and saw him with a glass of water. At once she (j) —(understand) what was the matter. 

Answer: (a) was sleeping (b) felt (c) Calling (d) fell (e) found (f) came (g) sleeping (h) standing (i) should wake (j) understood

21. There are many people who (a) — (not take) physical exercise. They can hardly (b) — (realize) that they themselves (c) — (ruin) their health. They (d) — (fall) victim to many diseases. Life (e) — (become) dull to them. They (f) — (remain) always ill-tempered. We (g) — (build) good health and sound mind through physical exercise. Physical exercise (h) — (make) our body active and the muscles strong. It also (i) — (improve) our power of digestion and blood circulation. It (j) — (give) strength to our brain.

Answer: (a) do not take (b) realize (c) are ruining (d) fall (e) becomes (f) remain (g) can build (h) makes (i) improves (j) gives

22. To err is human. If a man commits a crime anytime and repents truly for his misdeed, he may (a) — (forgive). But the man who (b) — (not, give up) the wrong, (c) — (suffer) surely. In the long run, he (d) — (will take) to the land of death. The old sailor (e) — (be) a wrong-doer in his long journey. He committed a crime (f) — (kill) a sea bird (g) — (call) Albatross. That crime ultimately (h) — (bring) bad luck to them. The ship (i) — (leave) in the icy sea. The sun shone over their head. The wind (j) — (drop) down. It was a great disaster.

Answer: (a) be forgiven (b) does not give up (c) suffers (d) will be taken (e) was (f) killing (g) called (h) brought (i) was left (j) dropped

23. Many events of great importance (a) — (take) place during the last century. Significant advances (b) — (make) in the field of science and technology. Many European colonies (c) — (gain) independence. The movement for democracy (d) — (become) prominent in many parts of the world. Two World Wars (e) — (break) out in this century. It also (f) — (witness) the misuse of atomic energy. Two cities of Japan were completely (g) — (destroy) as a result of the dropping of atom bombs. However, the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent nation (h) — (be) a momentous event. After a bloody war of nine months Bangladesh (i) — (bear). Now we (i) — (hold) our heads high in the community of nations.

Answer: (a) took (b) have been made (c) have gained (d) has become (e) broke (f) witnessed (g) destroyed (h) has become (i) was born (j) can hold

24. Kuakata, locally (a) —(know) as Sagar Kannya (b) — (be) an uncommon scenic spot of Bangladesh. Kuakata (c) — (take) its origin from the story of a ‘Kua’ or well-dug on the sea-shore. It (d) — (allow) a visitor to watch both the sunrise and the sunset from the beach. The beach (e) – (have) a typical natural setting. This sandy beach (f) —- (slope) gently into the Bay and (g) (bathe) there is as pleasant as is swimming or diving. Fishing boats (h) – (ply) in the Bay of Bengal and (i) — (surf) waves add to the vibrant colours of Kuakata. Steps (j) — (take) to preserve the beauty of the famous beach.

Answer: (a) known (b) is (c) takes (d) allows (e) has (f) slopes (g) bathing (h) plying (i) surfing (j) should be taken

Important Q & A

👉What does NESA stand for?

Answer: NSW Education Standards Authority