IGNOU BEGLA-137 Solved Question Paper PDF Download

IGNOU BEGLA-137 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in Hindi

IGNOU BEGLA-137 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in English

Q1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : Spring Nothing is so beautiful as spring— When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing; The glassy peartree leaves and blossoms, they brush The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling. What is all this juice and all this joy ? A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning In Eden garden—Have, get, before it cloy, Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning, Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy, Most, O Maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning. (a) What does the word ‘wheels’ in line 2 indicate ? (b) Which two words indicate the beauty of the weeds ? (c) Which words do tell us that the thrush’s song is sharp and clear ? (d) In what sense are peartree leaves ‘glassy’? (e) Which word indicates that the sky appears to be coming down ? (f) What period of man’s life does ‘Mayday’ refer to?

Ans. (a) The word ‘wheels’ in line 2 indicates the circular, radiating pattern of the weeds’ growth. It suggests a dynamic and energetic form of growth, spreading out from a central point like the spokes of a wheel, evoking an image of rapid, vigorous expansion. (b) The two words that indicate the beauty of the weeds are ‘lovely’ and ‘lush’ . While ‘long’ denotes their growth, ‘lovely’ directly comments on their beautiful appearance, and ‘lush’ describes their rich, abundant, and vibrant quality. (c) The phrases that tell us the thrush’s song is sharp and clear are “rinse and wring / The ear” and “it strikes like lightnings” . The first phrase suggests a purifying clarity, as if cleaning the ear, while the second simile conveys the song’s sudden, sharp, and startling intensity. (d) The peartree leaves are ‘glassy’ in the sense that they are smooth, shiny, and reflective , perhaps from being wet with dew or rain. This word gives them a delicate, fragile, and pristine quality, as if they are made of glass. (e) The word that indicates the sky appears to be coming down is ‘descending’ . The phrase “The descending blue” creates an image of the sky actively moving downward to meet the earth, enveloping the scene and enhancing the feeling of immersive richness. (f) ‘Mayday’ refers to the period of youth or the prime of one’s life . It is a time of celebration, freshness, potential, and innocence, analogous to the spring season. Its association with “girl and boy” reinforces this theme of innocent youth.

Q2. Write short notes in about 50 words each on any two of the following : (a) Homophones (b) Metonymy (c) Metaphor (d) Personification

Ans. (Model answers are provided for all four) (a) Homophones: Homophones are words that are pronounced the same way but have different meanings and spellings . For example, ‘see’ (to view) and ‘sea’ (the ocean), or ‘their’ (possessive), ‘there’ (a place), and ‘they’re’ (they are). Understanding the context is crucial to determine the correct word and avoid confusion in writing. They are a common source of spelling errors. (b) Metonymy: Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is referred to not by its own name, but by the name of something closely associated with it . For instance, using “the crown” to refer to a monarchy or “The White House” to refer to the U.S. presidential administration. It is a substitution based on association, not comparison. (c) Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as” . It asserts that one thing is another to highlight a shared quality, creating a vivid image. For example, in “Her voice is music to his ears,” the voice is directly equated with music to express its pleasing quality. (d) Personification: Personification is a literary device where human qualities, emotions, or actions are attributed to inanimate objects or abstract ideas . This helps to make abstract concepts more vivid and relatable. For example, “The wind whispered through the trees” gives the human action of whispering to the inanimate wind, creating a gentle and mysterious atmosphere.

Q3. Identify and explain the figure of speech in the following sentences : (a) They poise and run like puffs of wind that pass. (b) To be or not to be—that is the question. (c) The Oval Room was the source of the watergate. (d) I’ll make him eat his words. (e) Excess of ceremony shows want of breeding.

Ans. (a) Figure of speech: Simile . Explanation: This sentence uses the word ‘like’ to make an explicit comparison between the movement of ‘they’ and ‘puffs of wind’. This simile emphasizes their lightness, speed, and transient or fleeting nature. (b) Figure of speech: Antithesis . Explanation: This device places two opposite ideas, ‘to be’ (to live) and ‘not to be’ (to die), together in a balanced grammatical structure. This stark contrast powerfully highlights the central conflict or dilemma being contemplated. (c) Figure of speech: Metonymy . Explanation: ‘The Oval Room’ (a part of the White House, here standing for the Presidency itself) is used to represent the people and power of the presidential administration. It substitutes the place (Oval Room) for the institution and people associated with it, who were implicated in the Watergate scandal. (d) Figure of speech: Idiom . Explanation: This is an idiomatic expression. Its meaning—to force someone to retract a statement—is not deducible from the literal meanings of the words ‘eat’ and ‘words’. It is a fixed phrase with a figurative meaning understood through common usage. (e) Figure of speech: Paradox (or Epigram ). Explanation: This statement is a paradox because it seems self-contradictory but contains a kernel of truth. Conventionally, ceremony is associated with good manners (‘breeding’), but the sentence claims that an ‘excess’ of it indicates a ‘want’ (lack) of it. It is also an epigram as it is a concise, witty, and memorable statement.

Q4. Match the modal verbs/phrases with their meanings : (a) Will (i) Possible (b) Could be (ii) Actions in future (c) Ought to be (iii) Probability (d) Would have to (iv) Didn’t happen in past (e) Should have to (v) Didn’t happen but wish it had happened

Ans. The correct matches are as follows:

• (a) Will – (ii) Actions in future
• (b) Could be – (i) Possible
• (c) Ought to be – (iii) Probability
• (d) Would have to – (iv) Didn’t happen in past
• (e) Should have to – (v) Didn’t happen but wish it had happened

Q5. Complete the sentences by using the correct form of words given below : (a) The ………… boy failed his examinations. (boast) (b) Please shorten your meeting and come home ……………….. (immediate) (c) The patient is ………. ill and may not be able to live much longer. (serious) (d) The little girl hums ……… to herself. (cheer) (e) Desmond ……… gave up his seat to the old lady in the bus. (grudge)

Ans. (a) The boastful boy failed his examinations. (b) Please shorten your meeting and come home immediately . (c) The patient is seriously ill and may not be able to live much longer. (d) The little girl hums cheerfully to herself. (e) Desmond grudgingly gave up his seat to the old lady in the bus.

Q6. Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate idioms given in the box : Blessing in disguise; costs an arm and a leg; Devil’s advocate; the cold shoulder; missed the boat (i) Rahul ………… and didn’t enroll while there was a discount. (ii) They gave Sohan ………….and denied invitation to lunch. (iii) Telling about stocks to friends is like ………… as it might be cheap but risky also. (iv) Getting latest iPhone …………. (v) Loosing a clerical job was ………… for me as after that I got officer’s job.

Ans. (i) Rahul missed the boat and didn’t enroll while there was a discount. (ii) They gave Sohan the cold shoulder and denied invitation to lunch. (iii) Telling about stocks to friends is like Devil’s advocate as it might be cheap but risky also. (iv) Getting the latest iPhone costs an arm and a leg . (v) Loosing a clerical job was a blessing in disguise for me as after that I got an officer’s job.

Q7. Use correct articles in the following sentences : (a) Rahul is trying to become ………. IAS officer. (b) Ducati is ………. expensive car. (c) Sachin is ………. god of cricket. (d) Always help ………. poor and ………. needy. (e) I love to sail over ………. water.

Ans. (a) Rahul is trying to become an IAS officer. (The sound of ‘I’ in IAS is a vowel sound.) (b) Ducati is an expensive car. (‘Expensive’ begins with a vowel sound.) (c) Sachin is the god of cricket. (‘The’ is used to specify a unique or particular noun, implying Sachin is the supreme deity in the context of cricket.) (d) Always help the poor and the needy. (‘The’ + adjective is used to refer to a class or group of people.) (e) I love to sail over the water. (‘The’ is used here to refer to a body of water, as is common in the context of sailing. Using no article would imply water as a general substance, which is less idiomatic in this phrase.)

Q8. Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate linking words : (i) Take an umbrella ………. it rains. (ii) Rahim won the race ………. his lack of training. (iii) Tom is rich ………. Sam is poor. (iv) ………. severe illness he left the examination. (v) The place is ………. good ………. safe.

Ans. (i) Take an umbrella in case it rains. (Shows precaution) (ii) Rahim won the race despite his lack of training. (Shows contrast/concession) (iii) Tom is rich but / whereas Sam is poor. (Shows contrast) (iv) Due to / Because of a severe illness, he left the examination. (Shows reason/cause) (v) The place is both good and safe. (Shows addition using a correlative conjunction)

Q9. Define the following giving suitable examples : (a) Personification (b) Metaphor (c) Paradox (d) Antithesis (e) Irony

Ans. (a) Personification: Definition: It is a figure of speech where non-human entities, such as animals, inanimate objects, or abstract ideas, are endowed with human qualities, emotions, or actions. Example: “The angry storm pounded on the roof.” Here, the inanimate ‘storm’ is given the human emotion of ‘anger’ and the human-like action of ‘pounding’. (b) Metaphor: Definition: It is a figure of speech that makes an implicit or direct comparison between two unrelated things, asserting that one thing is the other. It does not use connecting words like ‘like’ or ‘as’. Example: “His words were a dagger in her heart.” This metaphor compares words to a dagger to powerfully convey the sharp, intense emotional pain they caused. (c) Paradox: Definition: A paradox is a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or absurd but, upon closer inspection, contains a deeper truth. It challenges the reader to think about an idea in an unconventional way. Example: “I must be cruel only to be kind.” (from Shakespeare’s Hamlet ). This seems contradictory, but it means a seemingly harsh action is necessary to achieve a compassionate outcome. (d) Antithesis: Definition: A rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence, often in parallel structure, to achieve a contrasting effect. It emphasizes the contrast and creates a balanced, memorable phrase. Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” (from Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities ). This classic example sets up a powerful contrast using parallel clauses. (e) Irony: Definition: Irony is a figure of speech where the intended meaning is different from, and often the opposite of, the literal meaning of the words. The main types are verbal, situational, and dramatic irony. Example: (Verbal Irony) Stepping out into a hurricane and saying, “What lovely weather we’re having!” The speaker means the opposite of what is said.