Theme Writing/Appreciation of poems

Textual and Non-Textual Poems

                         The Traffic Police

Amidst killer speeds I stand

Facing the traffic, stretching my hand.

I am seen on kid’s books and as cartoons everywhere

Educating people and asking them to beware

Of the erratic traffic and the signboards

Seen on almost all the roads.

So that you’re safe I see each one of you

But my sweat, my plight on the road sees who?

Be it sunny or rainy,

For your safety I must be

Vigil and agile, on the middle

Standing erect, as fit as a fiddle.

Oh! My ear hurts! Oh! My head aches!

Oh! Look at the weather --- such unpredictable days!

But I cannot swerve; I must be on duty.

I care for your safety.

Be it noisy or dusty; Be it sunny or rainy;

I must be on duty. I care for your safety.

Theme: The main theme of the poem “The Traffic Police” is the duties, responsibilities and hazards of a traffic police. The poem reflects the sincerity of the traffic police and his commitments to people’s safety. To perform his duties properly, he has to be active, vigil. Moreover, he endures hardship and hides his own sorrows and sufferings. In a word, the poet wants to honour the traffic police, who makes an important role in the society in spite of being deprived.

Love and Friendship

                                                          William Shakespeare

Blow, blow, thou winter wind,

Thou art not so unkind

As man's ingratitude;

Thy tooth is not so keen,

Because thou art not seen,

Although thy breath be rude.

  

Heigh-ho! Sing heigh-ho! unto the

green holly,

Most friendship is feigning, most

loving mere folly:

Then heigh-ho, , the holly!

This life is most jolly.

Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,

That dost bite so nigh

As benefits forgot:

Though thou the waters warp,

Thy sting is not so sharp ,

As friends remembered not.

Heigh-ho! sing heigh -ho! unto the

green holly.

Theme: The main theme of the poem “Love and Friendship” by William Shakespeare, is the futility of love and human relationship. Here the poet thinks that human friendship is feigning and hypocritical. In human society friendship is often pretense, and love is nothing but absurdity and foolery. Honest and genuine love and friendship is difficult to find. It has no depth or significance. So he glorifies winter wind and thinks that winter wind is not as unkind as man’s ingratitude. That’s why he laments that human is far crueler than nature.

The  School Boy

-William Blake

I love to rise in a summer morn (1)

When the birds sing on every tree;

The distant huntsman winds his horn,

And the skylark sings with me:

O What sweet company!

But to go to school in a summer morn,-

O it drives all joy away!

Under a cruel eye outworn,

The little ones spend the day

In sighing and dismay.

Ah then at times I drooping sit, (2)

And spend many in anxious hour;

Nor in may book can I take delight,

Nor sit in learning's bower,

Worn through with dreary shower.

How can the bird that is born for joy

Sit in a cage and sing?

How can a child, when fears annoy,

But droop his tender wing,

And forget his youthful spring!

Theme (Stanza 1 and 2): The main theme of the poem “The School Boy” by William Blake, is about the innocence and tenderness of childhood. The poem beautifully points out how our faulty education system snatches away delight and pleasure of our students and suggests that education should be joyous and attractive. A traditional school takes away  all the happiness of a child. If a child remains under the umbrella of annoying fear and tension, he can never enjoy his childhood.

O father and mother if buds are nipped, (3)

And blossoms blown away;

And if the tender plants are stripped

Of their joy in the springing day,

By sorrow and care's dismay,-

How shall the summer arise in joy,

Or the summer fruits appear?

Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy,

Or bless the mellowing year,

When the blasts of winter appear?

Theme (Stanza 3): In the poem “The School Boy” by William Blake,  the poet addresses the parents to be sympathetic to their children. If children are deprived of their joy and sent to a school of cruel environment, it will lose all its innocence and lead a joyless life. The poem conveys that if children are suppressed or forced, and thus, their potentiality is damaged, they cannot grow properly to enjoy life or to face the reality. They should be let grow naturally so that they can be ready to lead a meaningful life.

Dreams

-D.H. Lawrence

All people dream, but not equally

Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind,

Wake in the morning to find that it was vanity.

But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people,

For they dream their dreams with open eyes,

And make them come true.

Theme: The main theme of the poem “Dreams” by D.H. Lawrence is that the visionary people always turn their dreams into reality. Dreams vary from person to person. People who dream at night while sleeping forget everything in the next morning. This kind of dreams come from the nasty regions of their mind and they are all hollow inside. But there are some other dreamers who are really dangerous. These dangerous dreamers dream during day time and  dream keeping their eyes open and make them come true to reach their goals.

                                                                  

                                                                        Dreams

                                                                   Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken -winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

Theme: The main theme of the poem  “Dreams” by  Langston Hughes is the importance and impact of dreams in every human life. The poet in this poem suggests his readers to hold on tightly to their dreams. Dreams provide us with hope, solace and comfort. A man without dreams has no goal or objective in life. According to the poet, if dreams die life will be like a bird with damaged wings that cannot fly. When dreams go away life becomes a ‘barren field’ covered with frozen snow.

                                                                                                                                                                              

September 1, 1939

-W.H. Auden

I sit in one of the dives

On Fifty-second Street

Uncertain and afraid

As the clever hopes expire

Of a low dishonest decade:

Waves of anger and fear

Circulate over the bright

And darkened lands of the earth,

Obsessing our private lives;

The unmentionable odour of death

Offends the September night.

Theme: The main theme of the poem September 1, 1939 by W.H. Auden is the destruction caused by the war and the present condition of the modern world. The poet here highlights the decline of humanity and the feelings of uncertainty and fear. Through a historical event, he points out that war brings nothing but death and sufferings. In a word, the poem bitterly criticizes war, and the destruction caused by war.

                                                           The Lake Isle of Innisfree

 -W.B. Yeats

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee.,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there,

for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight's all a-glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,

I hear it in the deep heart's core.

Theme: The main theme of the poem “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W.B. Yeats is about the poet’s desire to escape from his present to live close contact with nature to achieve peace and solitude. He was born in a world of turmoil and frustration which was inflicted by mechanization, hatred and war. In the cities, people lost all human compassions and conscience. That’s why the poet has expressed his own dream to go to the lake island ‘Innisfree’ to get relived of the drudgery of city life and find real peace.

She Walks in beauty

-Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven trees,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express,

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

Theme: The main theme of the poem “She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron is the description and glorification of the beauty of a woman by his ardent lover. The poet here compares her to lots of beautiful things but the things are dark like ‘night: and ‘starry skies’. Here the poet expresses his awe and amazement at the appearance of the woman. Her beauty has a kind of harmony between dark and light. Thus, the theme of contrast between light and dark is also explored in the poem.

I Died For Beauty

- Emily Dickinson

I died for beauty, but was scarce

Adjusted in the tomb,

When one who died for truth was lain

In an adjoining room.

He questioned softly why I failed?

"For beauty," I replied.

"And I for truth- the two are one;

We brethren are," he said

"And I for truth-  the two are one;

We brethren are," he said.

And so, as kinsmen met a-night,

We talked between the rooms,

Until the moss had reached our lips,

And covered up our names.

Theme: The poem “I Died For Beauty” by  Emily Dickinson deals with the theme of beauty and truth. Here the poet means to say that truth and beauty are identical. They are portrayed as parallel in various ways. The poet also implies that even such great principles as beauty and truth are subjects to the ravages of time.

Because I Have Seen Bengal’s Face

-Jibanananda Das

Because I have seen Bengal’s face I will seek no more;

The world has not anything more beautiful to show me.

Waking up in darkness, gazing at t1ic fig-tree, I behold

 Dawn’s swallows roosting under huge umbrella-like leaves. I look around me

 And discover a leafy dome-Jam, Kanthal, Bat, Hijol and Aswatha trees-

All in a hush, shadowing clumps of cactus and zedoary bushes.

When long, long ago. Chand came in his honeycombed boat

To a blue Hijal, Bat and Tamal shade near the Champa, he too sighted

Bengal’s incomparable beauty. One day, alas In the Ganguri,

On a raft, as the waning moon sank on the river’s sandbanks,

Behula too saw countless aswaths bats besides golden rice fields

And heard the thrush’s soft song. One day, arriving in Amara,

Where gods held court, when she danced like a desolate wagtail,

Bengal’s rivers, fields, flowers, wailed like strings of bells on her feet

Theme: The main theme of the poem “Because I Have Seen Bengal’s Face” by Jibanananda Das,   is about the everlasting natural beauties of Bangladesh and the poet’s deep  love for his country. Here the poet wants to express that the beauty of Bengal has no parallel and it is perpetual. Its beauty has been enchanting and giving strength to the people from the time immemorial. The poet explains that since Bengal’s nature has so much to give, he need not seek anywhere else for peace and beauty.

                                 

                                                              The Charge of The Light Brigade

     -Lord Alfred Tennyson

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

‘All In the valley of Death,

Rode the six hundred.

‘Forward, the Light Brigade!

Charge for the guns he said:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

Theme: The poem “The Charge of The Light Brigade” by Lord Alfred Tennyson, deals with the theme of bravery of the soldiers who rode into the battlefield not thinking of their life. It also points out the loyalty of of the soldiers. They kept riding into the valley of death as they were ordered even though they knew that death was waiting for them there.

                                         

Non- textual poems

                                                                 I wandered lonely as a Cloud

-William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a Cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and Hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, o; golden Daffodils:

Beside the Lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way.

& They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

Theme: The main theme of the poem “I wandered lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth is the spiritual power of nature, which can soothe the mind and remove loneliness. Nature has a tremendous power of making people feel happy. Nature is spiritual, uplifting, soul-cleansing. The poet here beautifully depicts nature at its best form, and projects his extra-ordinary delight in exploring ordinary things.

Rainbow

-William Wordsworth

My heart leaps up when I behold
   A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
   Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

Theme:The poem “Rainbow” by William Wordsworth deals with the love of nature and the happiness one feels being close to nature. The poet expresses that life is not worth living if one does not have an intimate relation with nature. He also reveals that man is the product of his habits and behavior developed during childhood.

                                                                    To Daffodils               

-Robert Herrick

Fair Daffodils, we weep to see

You haste away so soon;

As yet the early-rising sun

Has not attain'd his noon.

Stay, stay,

Until the hasting day

Has run

But to the even-song;

And, having pray'd together, we

Will go with you along.

We have short time to stay, as you,

We have as short a spring;

As quick a growth to meet decay,

As you, or anything.

We die

As your hours do, and dry

Away,

Like to the summer's rain;

Or as the pearls of morning's dew,

Ne'er to be found again.

Theme: The theme of the poem “To Daffodils” by Robert Herrick is the transience of human life like daffodil flowers. Men have a transient life; even the youth is very short–lived. Comparing human life with the life of daffodils, the poet says that both of them grow very fast to be destroyed soon. Life is short and so we must make the best use of our time.

Time, You Old Gypsy Man
-Ralph Hodgson

Time, You Old Gypsy Man
Will you not stay, 
Put up your caravan 
Just for one day? 
All things I'll give you 
Will you be my guest, 
Bells for your jennet 
Of silver the best, 
Goldsmiths shall beat you 
A great golden ring, 
Peacocks shall bow to you, 
Little boys sing. 
Oh, and sweet girls will 
Festoon you with may, 
Time, you old gypsy, 
Why hasten away?

Theme: The central theme of the poem “Time, You Old Gypsy Man” by Ralph Hodgson, is the importance of time. Time waits for none. The poet implies that if we don’t make the best use of our time, we will never get it back. Time once lost is lost forever. A person can only be successful if he/she values time and uses it properly.

            Under the Greenwood Tree

       -William Shakespeare

Under the greenwood tree Who loves to lie with me, And turn his merry note Unto the sweet bird's throat, Come hither, come hither, come hither: Here shall he see No enemy But winter and rough weather. Who doth ambition shun And loves to live i' the sun, Seeking the food he eats, And pleased with what he gets, Come hither, come hither, come hither: Here shall he see No enemy But winter and rough weather.

Theme: The poem “Under the Greenwood Tree” by William Shakespeare focuses on the  happiness and beauty of pastoral life in contrast to the treachery of city life. The pastoral life is free from all anxieties, problems and difficulties except the unpleasantness of weather. It is also free from all enmity and petty rivalries. So the theme of the poem is the supremacy of nature over courtly and artificial city life.

Synonym and Antonym

Question Pattern for Examination

        Read the passage and then write the antonym or synonym of the words as directed below:-

           Books are the unique medium through which we contact mighty minds of ages. Books tell us about their feelings what they said and what they did. Books are one of the greatest friends to us. They introduce us the best humanity, they are reliable records of the history. A book is a valuable living voice. We can know about the thoughts and rituals of past men through books. We should read good books and avoid worthless ones. A good book is a friend of loneliness and a nurse in ailment. We can find real happiness by reading good books.

(a) unique (antonym), (b) mighty (antonym), (c) humanity (synonym), (d) reliable (antonym), (e) valuable (antonym), (f) rituals (synonym), (g) worthless (synonym), (h) loneliness (synonym),  (i) ailment (synonym),   (j) happiness (antonym)

Words	Synonym	Antonym
Ability	capacity, capability	inability
accept	take, receive	reject
accepted	granted	rejected
achieve	gain	reject, refuse
achievement	success, attainment	failure
actual	real, definite, authentic	imaginary, fictitious
actually	really, absolutely	Apparently, supposedly
acute	severe	mild
add	annex, join, unite	delete
aggressive	destructive, hostile	calm, easy-going
agitating	alarming	calm
agree	suit, conform	disagree, differ
ailment	illness	health
aim	goal	aimless
all	entire, whole	none
allow	permit, grant	disallow, deny
amenable	agreeable, flexible	intractable
appealing	temptating,  attractive	repulsive
apprehend	realise	misunderstand
aquatic	water	terrestrial
aspect	element
atmosphere	environment
attach	connect, annex	detach, separate
attract	fascinate, captivate	bore, disenchant
avoid	escape	face, meet
awareness	consciousness	unawareness
awfully	terribly, horribly	wonderfully
basic	fundamental, elementary	inessential, minor
bear	endure	enjoy
beautiful	pretty, charming, lovely	ugly, awkward
because	cause, reason
believe	trust, consider, regard	disbelieve, doubt
benefit	advantage	disadvantage
best	finest	worst
better	improved	worse
bewildering	confusing, perplexing	clear
boredom	dullness, monotony	satisfaction, amusement
break	smash, shatter, split	mend, repair, connect
bring	fetch	take away
broad	wide	limited
brutal	cruel, barbarous	kind
build	construct	destroy, ruin
busy	active	idle, inactive
buy	purchase	sell
called	known
catastrophe	disaster, adversity	blessing, aid
cause	reason
ceaselessly	continuously	discontinuously, inconstantly
celebrate	observe, perform	lament
certain	definite, fixed	indefinite
cheaper	reasonable, economical	costlier
chuck	leave, abandon	join
civilized	cultured	wild, barbarous, savage
closer	nearer, adjacent	distant
comfort	ease	discomfort
command	authority, order	request, beg, ask
common	general, ordinary	rare
compensate	recompense, refund	penalize, damage
competence	ability, capability	inability, incompetence
complexity	Perplexity	clarity
confine	imprison	free, release
conflict	clash, combat, rivalry	agreement, harmony, concord
congestion	overcrowding,	clear, empty, free
conscious	aware, sensible	unaware, careless
conservative	traditional, conventional	liberal
consider	think, discuss	ignore, neglect
considerate	kind, generous, gracious	selfish, thoughtless
consist	comprise
construction	building, edifice	destruction, ruin
continue	carry on, proceed	stop, discontinue
control	authority, command	lawlessness, chaos
convince	assure, persuade	dissuade
cordial	affable, amicable	hostile
create	discover, form, generate	destroy, demolish
curse	bane	blessing/boon
decide	determine, settle
declare	announce
decrease	reduce, diminish	increase
degrade	debase, abase	upgrade, honour, enhance
demand	claim, ask	offer, request
dependent	subordinate	independent
desirable	acceptable, cherished	undesirable
destroy	demolish, ruin	build, create
destruction	ruin, demolition	construction, creation
devastating	destructive	constructive
develop	build up, flourish, grow	retrogress
development	improvement	destruction
devotion	commitment, loyalty, adoration	indifference, disloyalty
difference	diversity, inequality	similarity, equality, harmony
different	dissimilar, varied	similar
difficult	problematic, troublesome	easy, simple
disability	inability, incapability	ability, capacity
disaster	calamity	success
discharge	release	hold, keep
discourage	dissuade, dishearten	encourage
discrimination	inequality, inequity	equity
dishearten	deject, discourage	encourage,  hearten, praise
distinction	honour	dishonour
division	discrimination	equity
dominate	control, command	obey, follow
dream	ambition, aspiration	reality
early	initial, recent	late
earn	acquire, obtain	spend
easy	simple	tough
ecology	ecosystem
economic	monetary, financial	Non-economic
effect	impact	cause
effective	active, useful	ineffective
elect	choose, nominate, select	reject
element	component, aspect	whole
emerge	appear, develop	abandon, disappear
emphasis	stress, importance	unimportance, triviality
employed	applied, utilized	unemployed
enchant	charm, attract, captivate	bore, disenchant
encompass	circumscribe, surround
encourage	cheer, favour	discourage
endeavour	effort	inactivity, passivity
endure	tolerate, bear, undergo	yield, surrender
ensure	guarantee, certify
entertain	amuse	bore
entertainment	amusement, recreation	depression
envy	jealousy, hatred	friendliness, love
equal	impartial	unequal
eradicated	removed	established
essential	necessary, fundamental	unnecessary, minor, trivial
establish	found, build, institute	destroy, ruin
evidence	proof, affirmation	disproof, contradiction
evil	bad, sinful, hateful	good
exceptional	extraordinary, uncommon	ordinary, unexceptional
exchange	replace
expand	spread, swell, enlarge, inflate	compress, shrink
exploit	dominate	waste
extinction	abolition, oblivion	survival
facility	opportunity	hindrance, difficulty
fair	impartial	unfair
false	wrong, bogus	true
familiar	well-known, acquainted	unfamiliar, unacquainted
far	a long way, distant	near, close
fascinate	attract	bore, depress
fertile	productive	barren
find	search	lose
fine	attractive, beautiful	coarse, ugly, poor
flourish	thrive, grow, prosper	deteriorate
follow	pursue	avoid, ignore
foolish	idiotic, silly, stupid	wise, prudent
force	compel	ease
foreigner	alien, newcomer	native
forget	disregard	remember
form	mode, type, shape	disarrangement, shapelessness
fort	citadel
fragmentation	disintegration, croak	join
freedom	liberty, independence	restriction, bondage
frequent	recurrent, repeated	rare, inconstant
friend	pal, companion	foe, antagonist, enemy
friendly	affable, amiable	reserved, hostile
frustrate	baffle, hinder	assist, accelerate
frustrating	disappointing	encouraging
gigantic	massive, vast	tiny
glamour	beauty	dullness, ugliness
glitter	sparkle, shine	fade
global	international	local, regional
good	great	bad
grateful	thankful	ungrateful
great	famous, well-known, renowned, noble	infamous, notorious, common
grow	develop, increase	cease, decrease
habitat	dwelling
hamper	hinder, obstruct	facilitate
happiness	gladness, cheerfulness	sadness, unhappiness
harm	damage, wrong	help, favour
help	assist, aid, service	blockage, hindrance
helpless	dependent	self-reliant, independent
homemaker	housewife
horizontally	flat, parallel	vertically
huge	vast, enormous, massive	tiny, small
human		animal
humanitarian	charitable, philanthropic	unkind, inhumanitarian
humanity	humankind, mankind	inhumanity
idea	concept, design, notion,	reality
ignorance	illiteracy	literacy, wisdom
illiterate	ignorant, uneducated	literate, educated
imbalance	inequity, disparity	balance, equity
immense	great, enormous	minute, tiny
impact	effect
impart	convey	conceal, cover
imperial	grand, majestic, royal	ordinary, normal
imperialism	colonialism
impossible	improbable	possible
important	significant, crucial, vital	insignificant, unimportant, minor
importance	significance	insignificance
impress	amaze, astonish	depress, discourage
impressive	imposing	unimpressive
improve	ameliorate, enhance, develop	deteriorate, worsen
include	involve, add	exclude
increase	expansion, development	decrease, decline
independent	free, sovereign	dependent, subordinate
industrious	hardworking, diligent	lazy
infancy	childhood	adulthood
inferiority	humbleness, lowliness	superiority
influence	effect, manipulation
insanitary	unhygienic, contaminated	sanitary, hygienic
insist	claim, persist
instability	fluctuation, uncertainty	stability, consistency
integral	essential,  indispensible	nonessential, supplementary
intellectual	scholar, logical, rational	ignoramus, lowbrow
intelligibility	comprehensibility	ambiguity
intention	goal, aim
interact	intermingle
interest	attraction, curiosity	hatred, boredom, indifference
international	global	domestic
interrelated	interconnected
intrinsic	basic, inherent, inborn	extrinsic
invent	create, discover	destroy, ruin
investigation	analysis, exploration, enquiry
jail	prison, lockup
job	work, task, profession
join	attend, add, attach	divide, leave, separate
killed	murdered	saved
kingdom	empire
know	learn
known	recognised, familiar	unknown, unfamiliar
large	huge, big	small, tiny
largest	biggest	smallest
laugh	chuckle	cry
lazy	inactive, sluggish	industrious, hardworking
liberate	free, rescue	enslave
liberation	freedom, independence	captivity
likely	probably	unlikely
link	relate	separate, unfasten
located	situated	dislocated
lonely	alone, lonesome	sociable, befriended
loneliness	isolation, desolation	companionship
longest	lengthiest	shortest
love	adore	hate
malnutrition	anorexia, hunger	nutrition
maltreat	mistreat, hurt, harm	well-treat, aid, assist
massacre	genocide
maximum	highest	minimum, lowest
mental	psychological	physical
minimize	lessen, reduce	maximise
mighty	powerful, robust	weak, frail
miserable	distressed, wretched	happy
misuse	maltreatment, waste	use
mode	form
modernised	updated	backdated
morality	ethics, integrity	dishonesty
moving	running	stopping
multinational	international, global	national, domestic
mysterious	mystifying, mystical	apparent, clear
narrow	slender	spacious
national	domestic, local	international, global
native	domestic, local	foreign
natural	normal	artificial, unnatural
necessary	essential, imperative	unnecessary, inessential
necessity	need	auxiliary, trivial
need	require	ignore
negative	contradictory	positive
never	nope	always, ever
notice	observe, heed, detect	overlook, ignore
nuclear	single	extended
objective	purpose
observe	examine, notice	violate, miss
obviously	certainly, definitely	doubtfully
occur	happen
open	blank	close, shut
opinion	view	concrete, fact
oppressor	tyrant	kind
organization	institution, association	disorganization
organize	arrange	disorganize
originality	uniqueness
outlook	attitude	indifference
outside	exterior, external	inside
outcome	result, consequence
outward	external	inward, internal
overcome	conquer, triumph, beat	fail
pass	overtake
pay	fund	take, receive
people	public
perpetual	eternal, permanent	temporary, transient
perplexing	confusing, baffling	clear, lucid
planned	designed, schemed, plotted	unplanned
platform	podium, floor
pleasure	joy, amusement, enjoyment	displeasure, discontent
poisonous	toxic, lethal	innocuous
pollute	contaminate	clean, decontaminate
pool	lake
popular	well-liked	despised, unpopular
possible	hopeful, feasible	impossible
poverty	want, scarcity, shortage	richness, abundance
precaution	provision, care, protection	harm, negligence
precondition	prerequisite
precious	valuable, expensive	valueless, common
prestige	status, fame, honour	insignificance
prevent	stop, bar, block, defend	allow, foster
preventive	precautionary protective	causative, fostering
probe	investigate
process	method, procedure
produce	grow, beget	consume
profuse	abounding, ample, plenty	scanty, lacking
progress	development	downfall
project	plan
promote	upgrade, improve, develop	demote
properly	accurately, exactly	improperly
protect	defend, guard, preserve	threaten, destroy, endanger
protest	object, revolt, challenge	harmony, peace, accept
prove	verify, justify	disprove, hide, conceal
purpose	aim, intention
quicken	accelerate	slow down
rapid	swift, quick	slow
realize	understand, comprehend	ignore, neglect
reliable	dependable	unreliable
receiver	acceptor	sender
recitation	oration, narration
recklessly	irresponsibly, heedlessly	carefully, cautiously
reclamation	recovery
recognize	admit, know, identify	deny, refuse
recognition	acknowledgement	denial
reduce	decrease, lessen	increase
reflect	replicate, display
refute	confute	prove
regime	rule
remember	recall	forget
remove	delete, erase, abolish	add, insert
renowned	famous, celebrated	anonymous, unknown, obscure
repair	mend, fix, renovate	break
replace	substitute, change	hold, keep
require	need, essential	inessential
research	study, analyse, investigate	ignorance
respect	honour, regard	disrespect, dishonour
responsible	liable, accountable	irresponsible
responsibility	duty, accountability ,	irresponsibility
rest	leisure, vacation	action, restlessness
restricted	barred, closed, confined	open, free, unlimited
restriction	constraint	allowance, liberation
result	consequence	cause
return	come back	depart, leave
revolutionary	radical	conventional
rewarded	pleased, remunerated	rebuked, punished
right	privilege, correct, appropriate	wrong, false
ritual	ceremony, act, custom, habit
role	task
rule	reign
rule	guideline
run out	finish
sadness	melancholy, depression	happiness
safety	security	danger, insecurity
same	alike	different
secretly	quietly, privately	publicly, openly
self-sufficient	independent	dependent
sell	barter	buy
send	deliver, dispatch, post	receive, retain, take
seriousness	earnestness, sincerity
severe	acute, serious	mild, amenable, slight
shine	dazzle, flash, glitter	dull
show	exhibit	cover, hide
signal	indication, beacon, gesture
significance	importance	insignificance
sincerity	frankness, reliability	insincerity
situate	locate
slow	sluggish	fast
solicitor	advocate, lawyer
sooner	instantly, promptly	later
sorrow	woe, misery	happiness, gladness
speaker	orator
specialist	expert	amateur
sponsor	pay for, patron
started	began, commenced	finished
stay	dwell, remain, abide	depart, leave
step	measure, stride, action
stop	discontinue	continue, begin,commence
strong	durable, firm, solid, powerful	weak, feeble
subconscious	unconscious	conscious, deliberate
success	prosperity, gain	failure
successful	prosperous	unsuccessful
succeed	fulfill, flourish	fail
suffer	endure, undergo	calm, yield
suffering	misery, affliction	blessing, comfort
summit	apex, peak	nadir, base, bottom
surrounded	besieged, enclosed	freed
sympathy	pity, consolation	hatred, annoyance
system	mode, method
tallest	towering	shortest
teach	educate	mislead, ignore
testimony	indication, proof
theoretically	academically
think	imagine, anticipate
thinner	lean	thicker
threat	danger, warning
throw	fling, toss	catch
tired	distressed, fatigued	relaxed, fresh
tolerable	bearable, endurable	intolerable, unbearable
torture	afflict, torment	comfort, contentment
toxic	poisonous	innocuous, harmless
traditional	conventional, customary	abnormal, modern, uncommon
train	coach, direct, drill
trait	characteristic
transport	transfer	stay, remain
treatment	care
tremendous	amazing, appealing, awesome	awful, underwhelming
trick	deception, deceit	authentic, real
troublesome	annoying, irritating	helpful
unconspicuous	obscure	conspicuous
understand	realize, comprehend	misunderstand
undoubtedly	surely, definitely	doubtedly
unique	exclusive, uncommon	common, ordinary
unknown	anonymous, foreign, unfamiliar	know, familiar
unsafe	insecure, hazardous	safe, secure
updated	modern, advance	backdated, antique
upsetting	disturbing, annoying	convenient, comforting
use	utilise, apply	misuse
useful	advantageous, convenient	useless, harmful, disadvantageous
usually	normally, generally	rarely, exceptionally
valuable	invaluable, important, costly, expensive	valueless, useless, cheap
vary	differ, alter, diversify	match, resemble
variety	difference	similarity
vast	huge, large	small
venue	place
vice	sin	virtue
victim	sufferer	attacker, criminal
victory	triumph	failure
view	opinion, notion, outlook
viewer	spectator, observer, witness	participant
violence	bloodshed, clash	peace, calm, order
vital	crucial, essential, important	unimportant, insignificant
vocation	profession
vulnerable	susceptible, accessible	protected, strong
wagon	cart
waste	rubbish
watch	enjoy	ignore, avoid
wealth	asset
weaker	feebler	brighter
welfare	betterment, well-being	loss
widely	extensively	narrowly
widen	broaden	shorten, abridge
widespread	broad, extensive	limited
world	globe, earth
worthless	insignificant	worthy, significant

 

                          Exercise on synonyms and antonyms

Read the passage and then write the antonym or synonym of the words as directed below:-

1.         Books are the unique medium through which we contact mighty minds of ages. Books tell us about their feelings what they said and what they did. Books are one of the greatest friends to us. They introduce us the best humanity, they are reliable records of the history. A book is a valuable living voice. We can know about the thoughts and rituals of past men through books. We should read good books and avoid worthless ones. A good book is a friend of loneliness and a nurse in ailment. We can find real happiness by reading good books.

(a) unique (antonym), (b) mighty (antonym), (c) humanity (synonym), (d) reliable (antonym), (e) valuable (antonym), (f) rituals (synonym), (g) worthless (synonym), (h) loneliness (synonym),  (i) ailment (synonym),   (j) happiness (antonym)

Ans: (a) common/ matched/ comparable/ equalled (b) weak/ feeble/ frail/ powerless (c) morality/ benevolence/ generosity/ kindness (d) unreliable/ doubtful/ untrustworthy/ faithless (e) valueless/ worthless/ useless/ unprofitable (f) ceremony/ convention/ tradition/ custom (g) valueless/ futile/ meaningless/ useless (h) aloneness/ solitariness/ desolation/ isolation (i) disease/ malady/ illness/ sickness/ disorder (j) unhappiness/ sorrows/ miseries/ grief

2.         Books are men’s best friends in life. You may have many good friends but you do not find them when you need them. They may not always come to you with sympathy. Some may prove true or some may provefalse and do you much harm. But books are always ready to be your side. Some books will make you laugh, some others will give you much pleasure. Again some books will bring new knowledge and ideas. They are ever friends throughout your life.

(a) friends (antonym), (b) need (antonym), (c) sympathy (synonym), (d) prove (synonym), (e) false (antonym), (f) harm (antonym), (g) laugh (antonym), (h) pleasure (synonym),  (i) bring (synonym), (j) ideas (synonym)

Ans: (a) foe/ enemy/ rival (b) avoid/ shun/ avert/ repel (c) kindness/ empathy/ compassion (d) assert/ show/ test/ evidence/ appear/ seem (e) true/ correct/ accurate (f) help/ assist/ benefit (g) cry/ weep (h) delight/ joy/ enjoyment/ amusement (i) fetch/ get/ carry/ bear (j) plan/ concept/ design/ thought/ notion

3.         Sports are a popularform of entertainment. Many international sporting events are organized form time to time. Most of the events are sponsored by multinational manufacturing companies and business firms. They pay for the sports events in exchange for the right to advertise their products during those events. These events are telecast worldwide by satellite and people all over the world watch them live. As a result, the sponsors’ products receive maximum media coverage giving companies international recognition. This is the only commercial aspect of international sport but there are other aspects too.

(a) popular (antonym), (b) form (synonym), (c) entertainment (synonym),(d) organized (synonym), (e) sponsored (synonym), (f) multinational (antonym), (g) pay (antonym), (h) watch (synonym), (i) maximum (antonym), (j) recognition (antonym)

Ans: (a) unpopular/ disliked (b) kind/ type (c) recreation/ amusement (d) arrange/ constitute (e) patronize/ donate (f) national/ domestic (g) receive/ accept/ take (h) see/ observe/ notice/ view (i) minimum/ little (j) denial/ refusal

4.         The process of globalization obviously requires a common language for international communication. For many different reasons, English has achieved the prestige of being that language. As a result, it has crossed national borders to reach people who speak other languages. It is no longer the unique possession of British or American people, But a language that belongs to the world’s people. In fact, bilingual and multilingual users to English far outnumber its monolingual native speakers. This phenomenon has led to a bewildering variety of English around the world. As more and more people speak English, more and more varieties have emerged which are strongly influenced by the pronunciation, grammar and idioms of the respective mother-tongues. World English has now moved away from the control of the native speakers. However, the question of British or American English is not so important now. Today’s slogan is mutual intelligibility among users of the language.

(a) obviously (synonym), (b) prestige (synonym), (c) national (synonym), (d) unique (antonym), (e) native (antonym), (f) variety (synonym), (g) emerged (antonym), (h) control (antonym), (i) important (synonym), (j) intelligibility (antonym

Ans: (a) certainly/ definitely/ surely/ undoubtedly (b) honour/ dignity/ fame (c) local/ domestic (d) common/ public (e) foreign (f) diversity (g) disappear (h) yield/ comply/ freedom (i) significant (j) unintelligibility/ ambiguity

5.         Sincerity is the root of success of all works. One can go a long way if he does a job with sincerity. The great men are sincere because they know that sincerity is the key to success. Those who do not follow the rules of sincerity can never go a long way. Sincerity is the secret of victory. If any work is not done with sincerity, one will never receive desirable output from it. So we should be sincere in every walk of life.

(a) success (antonym), (b) job (synonym), (c) great (antonym), (d) because (synonym), (e) know (synonym), (f) follow (antonym), (g) rules (synonym), (h) never (antonym),, (i) victory (synonym), (j) desirable (antonym)

Ans: (a) failure/ defeat/ (b) service/ work/ employment/ task (c) ordinary/ common/ small/ mean/ dull (d) since/ as (e) realize/ understand/ learn/ recognize (f) neglect/ disobey/ lead/ defy/ avoid/ violate (g) law/ order/ principle/ discipline (h) always/ ever/ constantly (i) triumph/ conquest/ win/ success/ attainment (j) unexpected/ undesirable/ unwanted/ unwelcomed

6.         There are many people who have a conservative outlook. Quite early in life they learn to believe that everything in this world was predetermined. All that happens to them was ordained by God. From this belief, the poor generally accept their poverty and all their sorrows and sufferings without trying much to overcome them. They also have the same sort of attitude towards illness and disease.

(a) people (synonym), (b) conservative (antonym), (c) early (antonym), (d) believe (synonym), (e) world (synonym), (f) all (antonym), (g) poverty (antonym), (h) sufferings (synonym), (i) overcome (synonym), (j) same (antonym)

Ans: (a) populace/ public/ folk/ persons/ men (b) liberal/ modem/ open-mined/ generous (c) late/ delayed (d) trust/ rely (e) earth/ globe (f) nothing (g) affluence/ richness/ bounty (h) pains/ miseries/ troubles (i) conquer/ succeed/ superpass (j) different/ varied/ various

7.         During the nine month long Liberation war the Pakistani army carried out the most brutalmassacre in human history. There were thousands of killing field all around Bangladesh. One of the largest killing fields is located at Dumuria in Khulna. The area is called Chuknagar. Hundreds and thousands of fleeing people arrived all Chuknagar to cross the border. On 20 May 1971 Pakistani soldiers surrounded the area. They started to fire at the fleeing people. About eight to ten thousand people were killed at Chuknagar.

(a) Liberation (synonym), (b) brutal (antonym), (c) massacre (synonym), (d) human (antonym), (e) largest (antonym), (f) located (synonym), (g) called (synonym), (h) surrounded (antonym), (i) started (synonym), (j) killed (antonym)

Ans: (a) Freedom/ liberty/ emancipation/ independence (b) Loving/ kind/ humane/ generous/ sympathetic/ merciful (e) Genocide/ mass/ killing (d) Inhuman/ cruel/ brutal/ unkind (e) Dislocated (f) known/ named (g) Encompassed/ enclosed/ encircled (h) Finished/ ended/ stopped (i) Assassinated/ murdered/ slained/ slaughtered (j) Smallest

8.         Bangladesh is an agro-based country. The soil of Bengal is purer than gold. Most of her land is fertile. The farmers of this country are industrious. They work ceaselessly from dawn to duck. They are not lazy. They love their motherland. They have a strong attachment to their motherland. Their diligence and perseverance keep the wheel of economy moving. We must respect them. We are grateful to them. We must follow their devotion to duty and country.

(a) fertile (antonym), (b) industrious (antonym), (c) ceaselessly (synonym), (d) lazy (antonym), (e) love (antonym), (f) strong (synonym), (g) moving (antonym), (h) respect (synonym), (i) grateful (synonym), (j) devotion (synonym)

Ans: (a) alluvial/ rich/ productive (b) lazy/ Idle (c) continuously/ relentlessly (d) idle/ dull/ inactive (e) hate (f) deep/ profound (g) still/ standstill/ stagnate (h) honour/ regard/ esteem/ admire (i) ungrateful (j) dedication/ loyalty/ sincerity

9.         All this was perplexing and upsetting. For at the time I had already made up my mind that imperialism was an evil thing and the sooner I chucked up my job and got out of it the better. Theoretically and secretly, of course I was all for the strugglers and against their oppressors.

(a) perplexing (antonym), (b) upsetting (antonym), (c) imperialism (synonym), (d) evil (antonym), (e) sooner (antonym), (f) chucked (synonym), (g) better (antonym), (h) Theoretically (synonym), (i) secretly (synonym), (j) oppressors (synonym)

Ans: (a) enlightening/ clear (b) undisturbed (c) colonialism (d) good/ fine (e) later (f) quitted (g) worse (h) unpractically/ mentally/ phychologically (i) privately (j) repressor

10.     Social values underline a set of principles of generally accepted norms and behavior of a society. Our forefathers practiced a good number of social values like simplicity, honesty, sincerity, responsibility and piety. We have replaced those good aspects with complexity, dishonesty, corruption, conspiracy, faithlessness and envy. Our materialistic attitude has made us self-centered and corrupted. We must get rid of these vices and create awareness among all about the negative impacts of our wrong doings. In order to make a better society, we should create awareness among people about the outcome of their misdeeds.

We must have distinctive social values once practiced by our forefather. We should give importance to the past moral values to bring peace and harmony in the society and make the world better for living.

(a) accepted (antonym), (b) sincerity (antonym), (c) responsibility (synonym), (d) complexity (antonym), (e) envy (antonym), (f) vices (antonym), (g) impacts (synonym), (h) awareness (synonym), (i) outcome (synonym), (j) importance (synonym)

Ans: (a) unaccepted (b) insincerity (c) accountability/ dutifulness (d) simplicity (e) love/ kindness (f) virtue (g) Influence (h) result (i) significance (j) consciousness

11.     Democracy is the system of government which allowsfreedom of speech, religious and political opinion. It means fair and equal treatment for the citizens without social class division. In fact, in a democratic country people elect their representatives who work for the people. Free and fair election is the pre-condition for democracy. In a democratic country, people enjoy the rights of food, cloth, shelter, education, medical treatment and other facilities.

(a) allow (synonym), (b) freedom (synonym), (c) opinion (synonym),  (d) fair (antonym), (e) equal (antonym), (f) division (antonym), (g) elect (synonym), (h) system (synonym), (i) treatment (synonym), (j) facilities (synonym)

Ans: (a) permit/ approve (b) liberty/ independence (c) view/ notion (d) unfair (e) unequal (f) unification/ unity (g) vote/ select/ choose (h) method (i) cure (j) convenience/ advantage

12.     We should never call a student weaker. Teachers should never discourage any student frustrating his/her interest, ability and dream. Every teacher should try his/her best to find out the ways of success for the students and guide them to achieve it.

(a) never (antonym), (b) weaker (antonym), (c) discourage (antonym), (d) frustrating (synonym), (e) interest (synonym), (f) ability (synonym), (g) dream (synonym), (h) best (antonym), (i) success (antonym), (j) achieve (synonym)

Ans: (a) always (b) stronger (c) encourage (d) hampering/ hindering (e) willingness/ eagerness/ enthusiasm (f) capacity (g) aim/ goal (h) worst (i) failure (j) attain

13.     A thing cannot become as precious as gold only by way of glittering. People in general, are charmed and attracted by outward show of things and not by their own merits. Gold is a precious metal and its value is recognized by all. Nevertheless, there are many metals cheaper than gold but look like it. They glitter for some time and fade in course of time. They fascinate our eyes too. But their beauty and glamour do not last long. But gold is such a metal that it can stand the wear and tear of time ad shine till the last moments of existence. In our society, there are so many people who are outwardly very gentle and nice. But after a period of time, their real identity is revealed. They do not have intrinsic value and morality.

(a) precious (antonym), (b) glittering (synonym), (c) attracted (synonym), (d) outward (antonym), (e) recognized (synonym), (f) fascinate (synonym), (g) glamour (antonym), (h) shine (antonym), (i) intrinsic (synonym), (j) morality (antonym)

Ans: (a) valueless/ worthless (b) glitter/sparkle (c) allure (d) inward (e) acknowledge (f) charm (g) ugliness (h) fade (i) inborn/ instinctive/ natural (j) immorality

14.     A good writer may be a good reader. A good reader may be a good speaker or make good recitation. Noting of this is impossible for a man if he is not lazy. The main thing is sincerity. Seriousness should also be taken under consideration. If a man is serious, he can make impossible to be possible. If we become serious in our intention we can shine in life.

(a) good (antonym), (b) speaker (synonym), (c) recitation (synonym), (d) impossible (antonym), (e) lazy (antonym), (f) sincerity (synonym), (g) seriousness (synonym), (h) possible (antonym), (i) intention (synonym), (j) shine (synonym)

Ans: (a) bad (b) teller/ lecturer (c) rendition/ articulation (d) possible (e) industrious (f) cordiality/ heartiness (g) earnestness/ thoughtfulness (h) impossible (i) willingness/ objective/ dim (j) prosper/ succeed

15.     Illiteracy is a curse. It is the root cause of ignorance which frustrates all development efforts of the government. No development effort can succeed unless illiteracy is eradicated. Eradication of illiteracy in a country like Bangladesh with so vast a population is undoubtedly a gigantic task.

(a) curse (antonym), (b) cause (synonym), (c) ignorance (antonym), (d) frustrates (synonym), (e) development (synonym), (f) succeed (synonym), (g) eradicated (antonym), (h) vast (antonym), (i) undoubtedly (synonym), (j) gigantic (antonym)

Ans: (a) blessing (b) reason (c) knowledge (d) baffles (e) improvement/ advancement (f) flourish/ thrive (g) uneradicated/ unremoved (h) few (i) certainly (j) small/ little/ tiny

16.     Courtesy is a virtue in man. It goes without saying that courtesy costs nothing but gives a lot. So, you should be courteous. You must have politeness. People will disrespect and dislike you if you are discourteous. Nobody likes discourtesy. Try to be a gentle from your student life. You can win the heart of your enemy by being courteous. You can ensure removal of and improve mutual understanding and cordiality among people.

(a) virtue (synonym), (b) a lot (antonym), (c) disrespect (synonym), (d) Try (synonym), (e) gentle (antonym), (f) win (antonym), (g) ensure (synonym), (h) anger (synonym), (i) remove (synonym), (j) cordiality (synonym)

Ans: (a) quality (b) a little (c) dishonour (d) attempt (e) rude (f) lose (g) confirm/ guarantee (h) fury (i) eradicate (j) intimacy

17.     Illiteracy is a curse. It retards all development work of a country. It is said that an illiterate nation gropes in darkness with no definite goal. In fact, an illiterate person is conservative, superstitions and blind. He can contribute very little to his society and country. He is unconscious and unaware of his rights and responsibilities. The whole country is responsible for this. Most of our people are illiterate and poor. In fact, illiteracy, caused by poverty, stands in the way of success. All should be practical and pragmatic while addressing this problem. Effective measures must be taken by all concerned to remove illiteracy and thus make the nation enlightened.

(a) curse (antonym), (b) retards, (c) darkness (antonym), (d) conservative (antonym), (e) unconscious (synonym), (f) success (antonym),  (g) pragmatic (synonym), (h) measures (synonym), (i) remove (synonym), (j) Enlightened (synonym)

Ans: (a) blessing (b) hampers (c) brightness (d) progressive (e) unaware (f) failure (g) practical (h) initiative/ step (i) eradicate (j) illuminated

18.      “I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I will fight it now and will do so until the end of my days,” Mandela said in his acceptance speech on becoming South Africa’s first black president in 1994,... “the time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come”. “We have, at last achieved our political emancipation.” In 1993, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, an honour he shared F.W de Klerk, the white African leader who had freed him from prison three years earlier and negotiated the end of apartheid.

(a) emancipation (antonym), (b) discrimination (synonym), (c) manifestation (synonym), (d) honour (antonym), (e) negotiate (synonym), (f) freed (antonym), (g) acceptance (antonym), (h) intensely (antonym), (i) apartheid (synonym), (j) chasm  (synonym)

Ans: domination/ dependence (b) difference (c) expression (d) dishonour (e) mediate/ arbitrate (f) confined/ imprisoned (g) rejection/ refusal (h) mildly (i) discrimination (j) rift/ division/ cleft

19.     He is optimistic of his success. He works hardand abides by his teachers’ guidelines. He understands it is important to be diligent. He does not rely on any one and believes that honesty and hard work can help one reach the peak of success. He harbours the faith that a laborious main is sure to shine.

(a) optimistic (antonym), (b) hard (synonym), (c) abides (synonym), (d) understands (synonym), (e) important (antonym), (f) rely (synonym), (g) honesty (antonym), (h) help (antonym), (i) laborious (synonym), (j) shine (synonym)

Ans: (a) pessimistic (b) tough (c) follow (d) realize (e) insignificant (f) depend (g) dishonesty (h) harm (i) diligent (j) Succeed

20.     Most of the Bangladeshis know that our motherland is in the active earthquake zone. Experts are alarmed be the recurrence of the quakes in the recent years. But they do not give any direct answer to the question of the safety of the building in Dhaka city. As there is every possibility of earthquakes in Bangladesh, experts call for taking adequate precautionary measures to reduce the losses. RAJUK opines that an earthquake resistant building code should be followed to avoid natural disaster.

(a) active (antonym), (b) alarmed (antonym), (c) recurrence (synonym), (d) recent (antonym), (e) direct (antonym), (f) safety (synonym), (g) possibility (antonym), (h) reduce (synonym), (i) resistant (synonym), (j) followed (synonym)

Ans: (a) inactive (b) relaxed (c) reappearance (d) old (e) indirect (f) security (g) impossibility (it) lessen (i) resistible (j) maintained

21.     English is widely recognized as an international language. It is largely used and spoken all over the world. In the age of globalization. It is the only means to communicate across the national borders. So it is a must for every individual and so proper knowledge of English highlights an individual’s potentiality. To seek higher education and a better job, one must have a good command over English.

(a) widely (synonym), (b) international (synonym), (c) would (synonym), (d) means (synonym), (e) national (antonym), (f) individual (synonym), (g) highlights (synonym), (h) higher (antonym), (i) better (antonym), (f) command  (synonym)

Ans: (a) broadly (b) global (c) earth/ universe (d) medium/way (e) international (f) person (g) focus (h) lower (i) worse (j) skill

22.     Patriotism means to love for one’s own country. It is a noblevirtue. It removes all sorts of meanness from human mind and makes it broad. Patriotism inspires a man to shed the drop of blood to defend the freedom of his country. A man without this quality is no better than a beast. A true patriot is honored by all. His only aim is to promote the welfare of his country and countrymen.

(a) noble (antonym), (b) virtue (synonym), (c) removes (synonym), (d) meanness (synonym), (e) broad (antonym), (f) inspires (synonym), (g) defend (synonym), (h) freedom (antonym), (i) honored (antonym), (j) promote (synonym)

Ans: (a) humble/ lowly (b) quality (c) alleviate (d) narrowness (e) narrow (f) encourage (g) prevent (h) subjugation  (i) dishonour (j) elevate

23.     Without effort there can be no progress. Life loses its interest if there is no struggle. Games become dull if there is no competition in them and if the result is easily foreseen. No matter we win the game or lost it. The keener the contest, the greater the enjoyment. A victory is not a real triumph unless both the sides are equally matched. Whether we like it or not, life is one continuous competitive examination.

(a) effort (synonym), (b) progress (antonym), (c) interest (synonym), (d) dull (synonym), (e) easily (antonym), (f) enjoyment (antonym), (g) victory (antonym), (h) equally (antonym), (i) like (synonym), (j) competitive (antonym)

Ans: (a) attempt/ try (b) demotion/ degradation (c) eagerness (d) arduously (e) merriment/ pleasure (f) defeat (g) unequally/ discriminately (h) dislike (i) combative/ contentious (j) exciting

24.     Those who are industrious can prosper in life. It means that industry is the key to success. The idle are always unsuccessful. It is sheer foolishness to think that success comes automatically as it is given by the Almighty. Passing time in idleness brings about adversity in life. But the industrious can remove the hindrances by dint of continuous hard work and perseverance. A farmer is a real hard worker.

(a) industrious (antonym), (b) prosper (synonym), (c) perseverance (synonym), (d) unsuccessful (antonym), (e) real (synonym), (f) idle (antonym), (g) foolishness (antonym), (h) adversity (antonym) (i) automatically (synonym), (j) hindrances (synonym)

Ans: (a) lazy/ idle (b) develop/ progress (c) patience/ continuity (d) successful (e) true/ actual (f) industrious/ hard­working (g) cleverness (h) luck/ fortune (i) spontaneously/ mechanically (j) barrier

25.     Women in our society have always been considered subservient to men. The majority of houses are male dominated, usually by husbands and woman most often have no say in decision making. Their opinion is considered unnecessary even in such issues as the number of children they would like to have, education of their children and marriage of their sons and daughter, issues of finance and property.

(a) society (synonym), (b) subservient (antonym), (c) majority (antonym), (d) male (synonym), (e) usually (antonym), (f) say (synonym), (g) considered (synonym), (h) education (synonym), (i) issues (synonym), (j) finance (synonym)

Ans: (a) community (b) free (c) minority (d) masculine (e) unusually (f) speech/ word (g) regarded/ thought (h) learning (i) matters (j) money

26.     Facebook is a very popular social networking site with over eight hundred million users. But it has both positive and negative effects on its users. We can keep touch with our friends and relatives who live far away from us. It is the best means to stay connected with people whom we know. Facebook hepls us make friendship even with unknown people within seconds. On the contrary, it is very easy for cyber bullies to thrive. They can harass anyone anytime. The most alarming of consequences is that teenagers are spending too much time on it.

(a) popular (synonym), (b) effects (synonym), (c) touch (synonym), (d) means (synonym), (e) connected (antonym), (f) unknown (antonym), (g) easy (synonym), (h) harass (synonym), (i) teenagers (antonym), (j) spending (synonym)

Ans: (a) favourite (b) impacts (c) contact/ relation (d) ways (e) disconnected (f) known (g) uncomplicated/ untroubbsome (h) hassle (i) adults (j) expend

27.     Dowry system is a curse in our social life. This system is very harmful to the society. Many innocent women fall victim to dowry system and their lives become miserable. It has been prevalent for many years among the Hindus. The Hindu women cannot inherit their paternal property. That’s why cash money, various ornaments, good dresses etc. are given in their marriage ceremony. This evil tradition is getting established in Muslim society day by day. For their greed many men demand money and poverty form the brides’ parents and if they are unable to get these, they torture women. Many times, as a consequence of it, the girls take the way of suicide or they are killed by their cruel husbands or in-laws.

(a) curse (antonym), (b) harmful (synonym), (c) innocent (antonym), (d) miserable (synonym), (e) prevalent (antonym), (f) inherit (antonym), (g) marriage (synonym), (h) evil (antonym), (i) greed (synonym), (j) cruel (synonym)

Ans: (a) blessing (b) detrimental (c) guilty (d) deplorable (e) rare/ scarce/ uncommon/ unusual (f) leave (g) wedding (h) good (i) voracity/ avarice (j) atrocious

28.     Television has been the most common and widespread source of entertainment of the present world. A wide range of programmes of various interests is telecast on numerous channels. Almost every middle class and even working class families have a television set today. Television programmes are not only enjoyable but also highly educative. For example, television is used for distance learning. Courses run by the Open University are shown on BTV. Several channels like the Discovery and the National Geographic channels telecast highly informative programmes.

(a) common (antonym), (b) entertainment (synonym), (c) numerous (synonym), (d) enjoyable (antonym), (e) distance (antonym), (f) run (synonym), (g) shown (synonym), (h) Discovery (antonym), (i) telecast (synonym), (j) informative (antonym)

Ans: (a) uncommon (b) recreation (c) many (d) boring/ unpleasant (e) nearness (f) conduct (g) display (h) hide (i) broadcast (j) uninformative

29.     Illiteracy is curse. It is the root of ignorance which frustrates all development efforts of the government. No development succeeds unless illiteracy can be removed. Eradication of illiteracy in a country like Bangladesh with so vast a  population is undoubtedly a mammoth task. Any individual, community or organization even the government is not capable of solving this tremendous problem.

(a) curse (antonym), (b) ignorance (synonym), (c)efforts (synonym), (d)succeed (antonym), (e) removed (synonym), (f) vast (antonym), (g)mammoth (synonym), (h) individual (antonym), (i) capable (antonym), (j) problem (synonym)

Ans: (a) blessing (b) illiteracy (c) try/ attempt (d) fail (e) eliminate (f) tiny (g) huge (h) group (i) incapable/ unable (j) trouble

30.     There are two schools of experts regarding earthquake. One schoolcomprising of engineers and geologists is of the view that the recurrence of quakes in recent years should be taken as a signal for a major earthquake. Another school comprising of similar categories of experts, however, believes that the concern should not be as amplified because although there are a number of fault lines in the geographical area comprising Bangladesh. None of them is active enough to pose a major threat.

(a) school (synonym), (b) expert (antonym), (c) comprising (synonym), (d) view (synonym), (e) recurrence (synonym), (f) major (antonym), (g) similar (antonym), (h) believe (antonym), (i) active (antonym), (j) pose (synonym)

Ans: (a) group (b) amateur (c) include (d) opinion (e) repetition (f) minor (g) different (h) disbelieve (i) inactive (j) cause

31.     Robert Bruce was a famous king. Enemies invaded his kingdom. The king fought bravely but lost the battle. He had to flee from his kingdom to save his life. And he took shelter in a remote cave. The king was always in a gloomy state for his unhappy condition. Once he was lying in the cave. Then he saw a spider trying hard to reach top ceiling of the cave. The spider failed again and again to succeed. But it did not give up hope. Bruce saw the spider climbing to the ceiling after some unsuccessful attempts. This dauntless spider inspired Bruce to shake off the darkness of the despair. He gathered an army of strong men and attacked his enemies. The enemies courted defeat and Robert Bruch regained his kingdom.

(a) famous, (antonym),  (b) invaded, (synonym),  (c) bravely, (antonym), (d) flee, (synonym),  (e) remote, (antonym),  (f) gloomy, (synonym),  (g) ceiling, (antonym),  (h) dauntless, (synonym),  (i) defeat, (antonym),  (j) regained(synonym)

Ans: (a) notorious (b) attack (c) fearfully (d) depart/ leave/ retreat/ escape/ abscond (e) close/ near (f) dismal/ cheerless (g) base/ bottom/ floor (h) fearless/ courageous/ brave (i) conquest/ triumph/ victory/ win (j) recovered/ repossessed/ reclaimed/ recaptured

32.     Imprisoned for nearly three decades for his fight against white minority rule, Mandela never lost his resolve to fight for his people’s emancipation. He was determined to bring down apartheid while avoiding a civil war. His prestige and charisma helped him win the support of the world. Mandela went on to play a prominent role on the world stage as an advocate of human dignity in the face of challenges ranging from political repression to AIDS.

(a) Imprisoned (antonym), (b) decade (synonym), (c) resolve (antonym), (d) emancipation (synonym), (e) apartheid (synonym), (f) charisma (antonym), (g) prominent (antonym), (h) dignity (synonym), (i) ranging (synonym), (j) repression (antonym)

Ans: (a) freed (b) era/ ten years (c) irresolution (d) liberation (e) racism (f) shortcoming/lacking (g) obscure (h) grandeur (i) extent/encompassing (j) peace/adoring

33.     Traffic jam refers to long line of vehicles on the road leading to serious road block. It is a common picture of the major roads in Bangladesh. It is also seen on the town or even rural roads. There are some causes behind this. Firstly, many drivers are ignorant of traffic rules while some deliberately violate traffic rules.

(a) jam (synonym), (b) road (synonym), (c) serious (antonym), (d) common (synonym), (e) major (antonym), (f) rural (antonym), (g) causes (synonym), (h) ignorant (antonym), (i) rules (synonym), (j) deliberately (synonym)

Ans: (a)congestion/ blockage (b) street/ way/ path (c) uncritical/ trivial (d) general/ usual (e) minor (f) urban (g) reasons (h) aware (i) regulations/ practices/ laws (j) intentionally

34.     Khan Jahan Ali was a powerful leader of the people. He could buildluxurious palaces and amassvast riches for his own pleasure but he did not do so. On the other hand, he made roads, dug tanks and built mosques to lead people to the path of well-being and prosperity both here and hereafter. His soldiers were busy with construction work not with military exploits.

(a) powerful (antonym), (b) build (antonym), (c) luxurious (synonym), (d) amass (synonym), (e) vast (antonym), (f) pleasure (synonym), (h) busy (antonym), (i) construction (antonym), (j) exploit (synonym)

Ans: (a) weak (b) destroy (c) comfortable (d) collect (e) tiny/ small (f) delight (g) progress (h) free (i) destruction (j) feat

35.     Rabindranath showed his literary genius at his very boyhood. At the age of 17, he was sent to London for higher education. At the very beginning, London made a poor impression on him. Later, he attended London University and often visited the Houses of Parliament for listening to Gladston and John Bright’s debates on Irish home rule. At the later stage, he admired the western culture and for this reason, he was called back to India.

(a) genius (synonym), (b) sent (antonym), (c) higher (antonym), (d) beginning (antonym), (e) poor (antonym), (f) Later (antonym), (g) often (synonym), (h) debate (synonym), (i) admired (antonym), (j) reason (synonym)

Ans: (a) talent (b) receive (c) lower (d) finish/ end (e) rich (f) earlier (g) frequently (h) controversy (i) disregard (j) cause

36.     A most important truth, which we are apt to forget, is that a teacher can never truly teach unless he is still learning himself. A lamp can never light another lamp unless it continues to burn its own flame. The teacher who has come to the end of his subject, who has no living traffic with his knowledge, but merely repeats his lessons to his students, can only load their minds; he cannot quicken them. Truth not only must inform but inspire. If the inspiration dies out and the information only accumulates, then truth loses its infinity.

(a) important (synonym), (b) truth (antonym), (c) apt (synonym), (d) continue (antonym), (e) living (antonym), (f) knowledge (synonym), (g) quicken (antonym), (h) inspire (synonym), (i) accumulate (synonym), (j) lose (antonym)

Ans: (a) significant (b) lies/ falsehood (c) fit/ suitable (d) stop (e) dead (f) wisdom (g) delay (h) encourage (i) gather (j) find/ win

37.     Life is full of complexities and contradictions. Our expectations are not always materialized. What we think to be happy naturally teaches us that virtue is rewarded but vice is punished. A good-natured man will live a happy and prosperous life but an ill-natured man will face various sufferings. But in real life we see that a man who cultivates the good qualities like honesty, sincerity, piety is not happy. He suffers physically, financially and even socially. But a man who does the opposite live a life incomfort and happiness.

(a) contradiction (synonym), (b) materialize (synonym), (c) naturally (antonym), (d) prosperous (antonym), (e) honesty (synonym), (f) sincerity (antonym), (g) piety (antonym), (h) comfort (synonym), (i) complexities (synonym), (j) happiness (antonym)

Ans: (a) confusion (b) implement (c) artificially/ manually (d) poor/ impoverished (e) integrity (f) insincerity/ negligence (g) impiety (h) ease/ pleasure (i) complications (j) unhappiness

38.     Man’s intellect has a natural pride in its own aristocracy which is the pride of its culture. When this pride succumbs to some compulsion of necessity or lure of material advantages, it brings humiliation to the intellectual man. It is a matter of great sorrow that, nowadays, the students of our country are made to tread the mill of passing examinations not for learning anything. In the Bengali Language there is a modern maxim which can be translated, “he who learns to read and write rides in a carriage and pair”. In English there is a similar proverb. ‘Knowledge is power’. It is an offer of a prospective bribe to the student, a promise of an ulterior reward which is more important than knowledge itself.

(a) aristocracy (synonym), (b) succumb (antonym), (c) compulsion (synonym), (d) lure (antonym), (e) humiliation (antonym), (f) tread (synonym), (g) maxim (synonym), (h) carriage (synonym), (i) prospective (antonym), (j) ulterior (synonym)

Ans: (a) nobility/ royalty (b) survive (c) necessity/ force (d) coax/ bait (e) honour/ respect/ regard (f) crush/ trample (g) proverb (h) vehicle (i) improbable (j) concealed

39.     Communicative competence refers to the ability to use language appropriately in different circumstances. There are two ways of developing communicative competence in language. The first is acquisition which is similar to the way people develop ability in their mother tongue. It is a natural, subconscious process in which users are not usually aware of acquiring a language. They are aware only of the fact that they are using the language to communicate. It may also be called ‘implicit’ learning.

(a) competence (synonym), (b) ability (antonym), (c) appropriately (antonym), (d) similar (antonym), (e) natural (synonym), (f) subconscious (antonym), (g) aware (antonym), (h) communicate (antonym), (i) acquisition (synonym), (j) spontaneously (synonym)

Ans: (a) skill (b) inability (c) inappropriately (d) different/ dissimilar (e) normal (t) conscious (g) unaware (h) avoid/ refrain (i) picking up (j) voluntarily/ willingly

40.     Morning walk is not only pleasant but also beneficial to health. In fact, walking regularly in the morning is a very good habit. It is the most advisable physical exercise for the young and the old. In the morning, nature appears at her best. At that time everything remains quiet and seems impressive. The environment with birds and beasts becomes calm and serene. The people who go out for a walk in the morning can not but be impressed by it. It helps to keep their mind jolly and jovial. It also sets their temper for the rest of the day.

(a) pleasant (antonym), (b) beneficial (antonym), (c) regularly (antonym), (d) advisable (synonym), (e) appear (synonym), (f) quiet (antonym), (g) serene (synonym),  (h) impress (synonym), (i) jovial (antonym), (j) temper (synonym)

Ans: (a) unpleasant (b) harmful/ injurious/ detrimental/ bad (c) irregularly/ unusually/ unconventionally (d) judicious/ prudent/ sensible (e) look/ seem (f) boisterous/ clamorous/ noisy (g) peaceful/ placid/ still/ tranquil charm/ fascinate (i) sad/ unhappy (j) disposition/ humour/ mood/ mind

41.     The 26^th March is the ‘Independence Day’ of Bangladesh because Bangladesh has become independent on this day. The day is important in our life because on this day we had liberated our country from the domination of the Pakistani occupation forces. This day is celebrated with due respect and solemnity every year in our college. We celebrate this day every year with great pleasure and joy. On this day we pay our glowing tributes to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the war. Their strength and courage inspire us. The Pakistani forces killed thousands of innocent people, tortured innumerable women, kill many intellectuals of the country. After nine months of fighting we achieved the golden son of independence. The Independence Day symbolizes the triumph of justice over tyranny. The sacrifice made by the martyrs will act as a perennial source of inspiration for me to work for the country.

(a) independent (synonym), (b) liberated (antonym), (c) domination (synonym), (d) celebrated (synonym), (e) solemnity (antonym), (f) glowing (synonym), (g) inspire (antonym), (h) innocent (antonym), (i) symbolizes (synonym), (j) sacrifice (synonym)

Ans: (a) free (b) subjugated (c) subjugation (d) observed (e) cheerfulness (f) fervent/ complementary (g) dissuade (h) guilty (i) betokens/ connotes (j) dedication

42.     The ancient Olympic Games were abolished by the Roman Emperor Theodosius in 393 AD. after Greece had lost its independence. But the idea never died and the Frenchman Baron Pierre de Coubertin, an educator and scholar, founded the modern Olympics. His aim was to bring together, once every four years, athletes from all countries on the friendly fields of amateur sport. No account was to be taken of national rivalries, nor politics, race, religion, wealth or social status.

(a) ancient (synonym), (b) abolished (antonym), (c) independence (synonym), (d) scholar (synonym), (e) founded (synonym), (f) together (antonym), (g) friendly (antonym), (h) rivalries (antonym), (i) race (synonym), (j) status (synonym)

Ans: (a) old/ primitive (b) initiate (c) liberty (d) learned (e) establish (f) alone (g) unfriendly (h) amity/ co-operation (i) tribe/ community (j) position/ dignity

43.     To err is human. But forgetfulness is a kind of problem. It develops with your age. Senility is the reason behind this. Sometimes it originates from your sense of indifference to the things you get out of memory. Unwillingness to keep something in memory also makes you forget something rapidly. It is good to be absent-minded. But repetition may prevent forgetfulness.

(a) forgetfulness (synonym), (b) Senility (synonym), (c) originate (synonym), (d) indifference (antonym), (e) Unwillingness (antonym), (f) rapidly (antonym), (g) absent-minded (synonym), (h) repetition (synonym), (i) prevent (antonym), (j) err (synonym)

Ans: (a) oblivion (b) dotage (c) initiate/ begin (d) attentiveness (e) willingness (f) slowly (g) apathetic (h) reiteration (i) abet/ aid (j) blunder