Active MembersTodayLast 7 Daysmore... |
Download Model question papers & previous years question papers
|
Posted Date: 23 Feb 2010 Posted By:: Sudhakar R Member Level: Gold Points: 5 (Rs. 1)
|
2009 Tamil Nadu Open University Post Graduate Diploma Tamilnadu open university P.G. Diploma Examination Spoken English June 2009 Question paper
P.G. DIPLOMA EXAMINATION – JUNE 2009.
(A.Y. 2006-07 batch onwards)
Spoken English
BASICS OF LANGUAGE
Time : 3 hours Maximum marks : 75
1.Explain any TWO of the following in about
50 words each. (2 x 5 = 10)
(a)What is ‘homophones’? Give examples.
(b)Write a note on ‘voice modulation’.
(c)What is ‘The Web’?
2.Read the passage given below and answer the questions based on the passage : (5 x 2 = 10)
You seemed at first to take no notice of your school-fellows, or rather to set yourself against them because they were strangers to you. They knew as little of you as you did of them ; so that this would have been reason for their keeping aloof from you as well, which you would have felt as a hardship. Learn never to conceive a prejudice against other because you know nothing of them. It is bad reasoning, and make enemies of half the world. Do you think ill of them ill they behave ill to you ; and then strive to avoid the faults which you see in them. This will disarm their hostility sooner than pique or resentment or complaint. I thought you were disposed to criticize the dress of some of the boys as not so good as your own. Never despise any one for anything that he cannot help — least of all, for his poverty. I would wish you to keep up appearances yourself as a defence against the idle sneers of the world, but I would not have you value yourself upon them. I hope you will neither be the dupe nor victim of vulgar prejudices. Instead of saying above ‘Never despise anyone or any¬thing that he cannot help,” I might have said, “Never despise anyone at all” for contempt implies a triumph over and pleasure in the ill of another. It means that you are glad and congratulate yourself on their failings or misfortunes.
You have hitherto been a spoilt child, and have been used to have your own way a good deal, both in the house and among your playfellows, with whom you were too fond of being a leader ; but you have good nature and good sense, and will get the better of this in time. You have now got among other boys who are your equals, or bigger and stronger than yourself and who have something else to attend to besides humouring your whims and fancies, and you feel this as a repulse or piece of injustice. But the first lesson to learn is that there are other people in the world besides yourself. The more airs of childish self-importance you give yourself you will only expose yourself to be the more thwarted and laughed at. True equality is the only true morality or wisdom. Remember always that you are but one among others and you can hardly mistake your place in society. In your father’s house you might do as you pleased in the world you will find competitors at every turn. You are not born a king’s son, to destroy or dictate to millions; you can only expect to share their fate, or settle your differences amicably with them. You already find it so at school, and I wish you to be reconciled to your situation as soon and with as little pain as you can.
– William Hazlitt
Questions :
(a)Can you tell who is writing to whom in this passage? What would you call this kind of writing – a speech, diary, a letter, a sermon?
(b)What reasons does the author give for not harbouring a prejudice against others?
(c)What are some of the blessings of living with others in the same class or the same school?
(d)Paraphrase : –
(i) True equality is the only true morality or true wisdom.
(ii) To be the dupe or victim or vulgar prejudices.
(iii) Settle your differences amicably with them.
(e)‘‘Contempt implies a triumph over and pleasure in the ill of another’’. Who are those who feel like this and why?
3.(a)Fill in the blanks with suitable articles :
(5 x 2 = 10)
(i) Chennai is –––––––– capital of Tamilnadu.
(ii) Have pity on –––––––––– poor.
(iii) Will you open ––––––––––– door?
(iv) It must be –––––––– dreadful creature.
(v) –––––––––– tiger that killed a girl was caught last week.
(b)Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in the brackets : (5 x 2 = 10)
(i) We ––––––––––––– (went/had gone) to the theatre yesterday.
(ii) I ––––––––––––– (write/have written) two letters in the morning.
(iii) We ––––––––––––– (spent/have spent) all our money. We shall have to walk home.
(iv) I ––––––––––––– (did not read/haven't read) that book yet.
(v) The little boy did not remember what his mother ––––––––––––– (asked/had asked) him to buy.
4.Read the following passage and make notes on it.
(1 x 5 = 5)
There are eight thousand six hundred kinds of birds, varying in size from the tiny humming birds to the largest of all living birds, the ostrich. They are of different colours and they live in many different places. They eat different kinds of food and they make different noises. But, in spite of all this, birds are a group of animals that are similar in many ways. For example, they all have feathers. They have warm bod¬ies and the feathers help to prevent this warmth from being lost. Only birds have feathers so that if you want to decide if some unknown creature was a bird or not, you would only need to see if it had feathers.
As well as having warm bodies and feathers, all birds have wings. Most birds use these for flying but there are birds that cannot fly, such as penguins and ostriches, and they use their wings in other ways. Penguins use their wings for swimming and ostriches use them when they run and sometimes for showing off.
Like any other animal, a bird must eat and every bird has a beak to pick up its food. Because there are many different kinds of food which birds can eat, the shape of the beak varies. In fact, it is possible to get a very good idea of a bird’s food by looking at the shape of the beak.
All birds lay eggs and the baby bird develops and grows inside the egg until it finally grows too big and breaks it open. After it has hatched, the young bird is still rather helpless and has to be looked after by its parents until it is strong enough to look after itself. There are some birds, such as the cuckoo, which do not look after their own young ones but lay their eggs in other birds’ nests. When the eggs are hatched, the other birds look after their ‘foster children’ as if they were their own.
5.Transcribe any THREE of the following passages :
(3 x 10 = 30)
(a)
WRONG NUMBER
Ram : Is that Hyderabad 71 307?
Raj : No. I’m afraid not. It is 71 407.
Ram : Oh dear. Wrong number again. You see this is the tenth time I’m dialling that number and every time I get a different number.
Raj : Why don’t you try through Assistance?
Ram : Assistance? Who’ll assist me?
Raj : You dial 199 and when someone answers, ask him or her to get you 71 307.
Ram : Thanks, my dear sir. I wasn’t aware of such a possibility.
Raj : Incidentally, your voice is very familiar. Wait a minute, even the number you mentioned seems familiar. I’m sure I’ve come -across that number sometime, somewhere. Did you say 71 307?
Ram : I did. Coming to think of it, even your voice seems familiar to my ears. You see I’ve a friend called Raj.
Raj : Did you say Raj? Well my name is Raj.
Ram : The Raj I want to talk to is Manager of the Princess Street Branch of the Bank of Baroda.
Raj : Hey! I am the Manager you’re referring to. Hold on a minute. My telephone number was 71 307 till about a fortnight ago. The telephone Department changed my number recently. Aren’t you Ram of the L.I.C.? Well, well, well. How are you, old boy?
(b)
THE ABSENT-MINDED PRIEST
Ticket Examiner :Good morning, Father Gordon. Travelling far?
Father Gordon : Ah good morning
Mr. Prabhu. How are you?
T.E. :I’m very well, thank you. I always remember you as one of my best teachers. Do you remember, Father, that you taught me English in Loyola College, Madras, in 1952?
Father :Of course I do. I even remember your name. Are you still working for the Railways?
T.E. :I am. In fact I’m on duty now. Incidentally may I have your ticket, Father?
Father :Certainly. Wait a second and I’ll show it to you. Oh dear. It’s not in my pocket. Let me check again. Dear me! no luck.
T.E. :Please be calm and look again. Check your wallet.
Father: I always keep the ticket in my pocket. I’ve looked every¬where, It’s no use. I seem to have lost my ticket. Mr. Prabhu, you don’t imagine that I’m a ticketless passenger, do you?
T.E. : Certainly not, Father. I shall check the tickets of the other passengers and then come back to you. Hope you will find your ticket.
Father :I don’t think I ever will,
Mr. Prabhu. You see, I ‘distinctly remember buying a ticket and keeping it in my shirt-pocket. It has just disappeared.
T.E. : It doesn’t matter Father. Just tell me where you are going and I shall write out a fresh ticket. Don’t worry, Father. I shall pay for it.
Father :Tell you where I am going? How can I do that without checking my ticket?
(c)BOOKING TICKETS
Man : Is that the booking office at Secunderabad Railway Station?
Girl : Yes, sir, What can I do for you?
Man : I want to book three first class tickets to Delhi by the Andhra Pradesh Express on the 31st of October, Could you book it for me?
Girl : I’m sorry to Sound so unhelpful sir, but we don't book pas¬senger tickets on the telephone. You have to send son and buy the tickets.
Man : Oh bother! You see I’m an extremely busy man and I can’t waste my time on such trifles as booking railway tickets.
Girl : I can see your point sir, but I’m afraid I can’t help you. We have our regulations you know.
Man : Why can’t one book tickets on the phone, pray?
Girl : What about the fares, sir? You have to pay the fares and I’m sure you can’t do that over the telephone.
Man : I realize that, but I’m sure there’s a way out.
Girl : And what is it, sir?
Man : Tell the Telephone Department about this and ask them to include the fares in my telephone bill for this Quarter.
Girl : That’s just not possible sir. The Telephone Department is an entirely different department sir. We don’t have anything to do with them.
Man : Oh why can’t people be more helpful?
(d)
A POLICEMAN'S DUTY
Policeman : Good morning madam. May I ask you what you are doing here?
Sheila : Ah, good morning officer, I’m trying to park my car. In fact I’ve already parked it. I’ll get off the car and do my shopping.
Policeman : I see. But madam, you don’t seem to be aware of the latest regulations regarding parking here.
Sheila :Regulations? Parking? What are you talking about, officer?
Policeman :Very simple, madam. I’m simply trying to draw your attention to the fact that this is a No parking’ zone and that people ought not to park their vehicles here.
Sheila :But then there is no parking space available anywhere near the Super Bazaar.
Policeman :May be, madam. Do you know why people steal madam? Precisely because they don’t have any money to buy food with. Are we to excuse criminals, madam, considering their poverty?
Sheila :Are you suggesting that you are going to book me for a traffic offence?
Policeman :Precisely, madam. May I have your driving licence, please?
Sheila :You don’t seem to know me Mr. Policeman. I’m the wife of the Inspector General of Prisons.
Policeman :That’s all the more reason why you should obey the rules, madam. Your husband is one of the custodians of law and order. Your driving licence, please!
——–––––––––
Return to question paper search
|
|
|
Submit Previous Years University Question Papers and make money from adsense revenue sharing program
Are you preparing for a university examination? Download model question papers
and practise before you write the exam.
|
|