BEG - 005: ENGLISH IN EDUCATION

1.
All questions are compulsory.
1 Read the passage carefully and then answer the questions that follow:
Death of the Dinosaurs
65 million years ago, dinosaurs suddenly became extinct, together with a large number of
other species. But why did it happen? Many scientists believe that the cause was a large
asteroid crashing into the Earth. According to this theory, the asteroid threw huge
amounts of dust and water vapour into the atmosphere, blocking out the light of the sun,
the vegetation died off, and the dinosaurs starved to death.
Evidence for the theory came in 1992 when scientists in Mexico uncovered an
underground crater 175 kilometres wide, which turned out to be exactly 65 million years
old. The crater was probably caused by an asteroid 10 km in diameter hitting the Earth at
thousands of miles an hour, with the force of 70 million one-megaton bombs. According
to David Raup of the University of Chicago, this was just one of many such cases. He
says that asteroids have caused more than half of species extinctions since life on Earth
began 600 million years ago. If he’s right, it seems likely that Homo sapiens will end its
days in the same way.
NASA to the Rescue As we can’t predict when a really big asteroid will arrive, is there
really any point in worrying about it? NASA thinks there is. It estimates that there are
between 1,000 and 4,000 asteroids at least 1 kilometre in diameter which regularly cross
Earth’s orbit. If such an asteroid hit the Earth once every 300,000 years, this gives the
average person roughly a one in 4,000 chance of being around when it happens. A small
risk, maybe, but much bigger than the risk of dying in an air crash, which is one in
20,000.
NASA aims to set up new telescopes and spend the next 25 years working out which
large asteroids are likely to arrive within the next century or two. The idea is that once
they’ve identified an asteroid heading straight for us, they can move it out of the way by
hitting it with powerful nuclear bombs.
1a Why did the dinosaurs starve to death?
Ans:
Many scientists believe that the cause was a large asteroid crashing into the Earth.
According to this theory, the asteroid threw huge amounts of dust and water vapour into
the atmosphere, blocking out the light of the sun, the vegetation died off, and the
dinosaurs starved to death.
1b What is the evidence given by scientists to support that an asteroid caused mass
extinction of plant and animal life?
Ans:
Evidence for the theory came in 1992 when scientists in Mexico uncovered an
underground crater 175 kilometres wide, which turned out to be exactly 65 million years
old. The crater was probably caused by an asteroid 10 km in diameter hitting the Earth at
thousands of miles an hour, with the force of 70 million one-megaton bombs.
1c What does the author say will be the fate of human beings? Why?
Ans:
He says that asteroids have caused more than half of species extinctions since life on
Earth began 600 million years ago. If he’s right, it seems likely that Homo sapiens will
end its days in the same way.
1d NASA thinks that we should be concerned about being hit by an asteroid. Why?
Ans:
NASA to the Rescue As we can’t predict when a really big asteroid will arrive, is there
really any point in worrying about it? NASA thinks there is. It estimates that there are
between 1,000 and 4,000 asteroids at least 1 kilometre in diameter which regularly cross
Earth’s orbit. If such an asteroid hit the Earth once every 300,000 years, this gives the
average person roughly a one in 4,000 chance of being around when it happens.
1e What technology do you think would be used to prevent an asteroid from hitting
the earth?
Ans:
NASA aims to set up new telescopes and spend the next 25 years working out which
large asteroids are likely to arrive within the next century or two. The idea is that once
they’ve identified an asteroid heading straight for us, they can move it out of the way by
hitting it with powerful nuclear bombs.

1 f. Make sentences of your own with the following words/phrases from the passage:
i. extent
Ans:
NASA thinks there is. It estimates that there are between 1,000 and 4,000 asteroids at
least 1 kilometre in diameter which regularly cross Earth’s orbit.
ii. species
Ans:
Asteroids have caused more than half of species extinctions since life on Earth began 600
million years ago.
iii. crashing
Ans:
A small risk, maybe, but much bigger than the risk of dying in an air crash, which is one
in 20,000.
iv. blocking out
Ans:
They can blocking out of the way by hitting it with powerful nuclear bombs.
v. homo sapiens
Ans:
It seems likely that Homo sapiens will end its days in the same way.
vi. estimates
Ans:
It estimates that there are between 1,000 and 4,000 asteroids at least 1 kilometre in
diameter which regularly cross Earth’s orbit.

1g Find opposites of the following words from the passage.

i. suddenly
gradually
ii. huge
small or tiny
iii. crashing
accomplishment
iv. arrive
leave
1h Nasa has found a large asteroid that will hit the earth in a month’s time. Would
you be confident that it would be intercepted? Are you concerned about the debris
that might fall on earth and its repercussions? Express your feelings and say how
you will protect yourself and your family.
Ans:
If we don’t know an asteroid is there, we can’t prevent its impact. The further ahead of an
impact we find a threatening asteroid, the more options exist to change its orbit so it
won’t hit the Earth. The good news is the rate of discovery is going up. We are doing
quite well at finding asteroids big enough to cause global disaster. But much remains to
be done to find a majority of the smaller asteroids still capable of causing regional
disasters.

2 Pick out the sentences where the subject does not agree with the verb and correct
them.
i Politics play an important part in our lives.
Politics play an important role in our lives.
ii Neither she nor her sister are to blame.
Neither she nor her sister is to blame.
iii Dombey and Son is an interesting novel by Dickens.
An interesting novel ‘Dombey and Son’ by Dickens's
iv During difficult times the poor suffers more than the rich.
During the difficult time poor suffers more than the rich.
v Renu and her friends has decided to study through the night.
Renu and her friends has decided to study over the night.
vi Nobody has any objections about the new rules.
Nobody has any objection about the new rules.
vii Either the accused or his cronies have the diamonds.
Either the accused or his cronies have the diamonds
viii The committee have unanimously voted for the resolution.
The committee has unanimously voted for the resolution
ix A lot of milk have been wasted in preparing the new recipe.
A lot of milk has been wasted in preparing the new recipe.
x All the books by the author have been sold.
All the books by the author has been sold
3 Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals given below. You may use these modals
more than once.

It’s surprising that the teacher only scolded Rina, she ______should______ have
been punished more severely for doing what she did.
ii Why didn’t you tell me that you were eating at your friend’s house, I
___needn’t_________ have cooked so much food.
iii You are silly to go to the deep end of the swimming pool, you ____would________
have drowned.
iv I ____should_______ have got up so early in the morning.
v You ____shouldn’t_________ have shouted at him, he is really upset.
vi I ______ shouldn’t ______ have reached the party on time, nobody arrived for a
long time.
vii Why didn’t you come by the Metro. It ______would_______ have been easy for
me to pick you from the station.
viii You have taken shelter under a tree, you ____could_______ have been struck by
lightening.
ix You ______ shouldn't ________ have borrowed my book without asking me.
x ______could_______ you mind passing the salt, please?

4 Read the following passage and make notes based on it. Give a title to the passage.

In today’s competitive environment what is vital for a child’s growth is self-esteem.

Examining the causes of aggression, bullying, withdrawal and failure we discover lack of
self-esteem to be the root of anti-social behavior. As parents and teachers we are
responsible for the mental development and confidence levels of a child. If a child is
constantly rebuked and told that he’s a failure, his self-worth hits rock bottom.
Unthinkingly we call our children “stupid”, “idiotic” and “irresponsible” and this has a
significant impact on their tender psyches. If we have a positive view of our children,
they are likely to feel the same about themselves. Help children feel good about
themselves, and think highly of themselves. Children will value themselves if their
parents value them.
Parents are the most influential role models children have. Whatever values and beliefs
we want our children to learn, those are the beliefs and values we have to live our lives
by. When you understand and accept yourself, it helps you understand and accept others.
As a parent or a teacher, you have a great influence over the self-esteem of your child.
For the first four or five years, parents are the most important contributors. When children
start school, teachers and friends become important. Once they reach adolescence, peer
groups play a greater role in steering a child’s self-esteem. As Thomas D. Yarnell, a
Clinical Psychologist says: “Self-esteem refers to how you feel about yourself. It includes
such things as your self-confidence, self-respect, your independence and your self-
reliance. All the ways you feel about yourself and your abilities are wrapped up in the
term self-esteem.” Self-esteem has to be nurtured during infancy. If the infant feels well
taken care of s/he will feel that the world is a loving place and s/he is an important being.
One must avoid expecting too much or too little from children, criticizing, (especially in
front of people) not showing appreciation, calling children clumsy, thoughtless, stupid or
lazy, telling them that they are failures, overprotecting or neglecting them. To improve
their self-esteem, we must praise successes, show affection, show interest in their
activities, projects, or problems, we must tell children what to do instead of what not to
do.
5 You have finished school and you are yet to decide the course(s) you want to study
at the university. Have a dialogue with a Career Counsellor who is trying to help
you arrive at a decision. Write in about 200 words.
Ans:
Counselor: Hi there!
Vivek: Hello, I am Vivek.
Counselor: Welcome to Career Solutions. I am Tanya. Tell me, how can I help you?
Vivek: I needed some assistance regarding my career choices. I am in a quandary and
not able to decide what would be the best option for me.
Counselor: Sure thing, I will help you in the best way possible so that you can take the
best decision for your future.
Vivek: Yes, please. I am thoroughly confused.
Counselor: Sure, let’s start. Have you taken the aptitude test?
Vivek: Yes, I appeared for it last week only.
Counselor: That’s great. So I will be asking you a series of question, some of them could
be personal. By personal, I mean they would concern your family. Is that okay?
Vivek: Yes, it is absolutely fine. Please proceed.
Counselor: Okay. So, you are from the commerce stream, right?
Vivek: Yes, that is correct.
Counselor: What made you take the commerce stream after Class Xth?
Vivek: I come from a business background. My father deals in imports and exports so he
suggested me this would the best academic line for me.
Counselor: So this was not your choice?
Vivek: I am fine with it. I love mathematics and accounting, and the science field did not
interest me.
Counselor: That’s great. So you are looking to get into the field of finance and
accounting?
Vivek: I am extremely confused! People have suggested me to go for C.A., while others
have recommended to go for B.Com, while still others are telling to do Statistics. I can’t
do them all!
Counselor: I see. We have an interesting dilemma here. But from what you have told me,
you love mathematics and accounting, right?
Vivek: Yes indeed.
Counselor: I would suggest you go for C.A. then, because that is core finance and will
make you far more adept than doing B.Com or Statistics. Most students who opt for the
latter two courses go for MBA also for more career options.
Vivek: Oh, that means C.A. is more beneficial? What’s the employment situation like for
those who do C.A.?
Counselor: It is excellent. The Big 4 accounting and audit firms- EY, Deloitte, KPMG,
and PWC offer great packages if you are a C.A. and good at your job. Apart from these,
there are many other firms as well that provide good employment opportunities.
Vivek: That’s good to hear. I want to get into my family business only after gaining 10
years of corporate experience.
Counselor: I would suggest you start studying earnestly for C.A. Selection is difficult but
the rewards are immense if you get through.
Vivek: Thank you so much. On a note of caution, should I also enroll in a B.Com course?
What if I don’t get crack the exam?
Counselor: Yes indeed. I was going to suggest that only. That will ensure you don’t
waste year after year preparing for C.A. exams only.
Vivek: Great. This was really enlightening. I am now clear what my next step should be.
Thanks again!
Counselor: Happy to help you Vivek. If you found our services useful, would request
you to leave a review on our official website!
Vivek: I will do that for sure. Thank you!

6 You are applying for the Master’s Programme at a prestigious university. You
need to write an essay of about 250 words on
- Why you want to choose that particular university?
Ans:
When you apply for an entry-level position, a typical job interview question is, "Why did
you choose your college?" By asking, the interviewer hopes to find out what makes you
tick. Understanding why and how you made a major life decision provides a certain level
of insight into your priorities and decision-making process. Answering this question well
may just help you land the job.
What Not to Say
First things first, let's get what not to say out of the way. When asked about why you
chose your college during an interview, you should never reply that it was because it was
the only school that accepted you.
Even if that was the case, you can frame your response in a much more positive way.
After all, you chose to apply to the school that accepted you. So, think about what you
hoped to gain from the school when you applied to it.

- Why you want to choose the subject in which you want to do your Master’s?
Ans:
What is next after you graduate with your Bachelor? Trying to find a good job and start
working right away, or maybe to continue studying a Masters and seek for a better career
afterwards? It sure sounds tempting to start working right away taking into account all the
hard work you have put into graduating with your Bachelor. Additionally, you probably
don’t want to hear about exams at all anymore. But, is this the right decision, and what
are you missing if you don’t study a Masters?
Master your knowledge
You will be able to extend your knowledge on the subject you have chosen as your
Bachelor. You will be able to learn more about the subjects that you love. More
knowledge means that you will become a better expert in this field and you will have an
advantage. If you pursue a research Masters you will be able to work on a research
independently and develop your thoughts and ideas in the field that deeply interests you.
In your research you will earn real–world experience that will improve your CV and
career prospects.
During your Masters studies you will learn more about the actual subject and the learning
materials will be less general in comparison to your undergraduate study. You will be
able to choose a certain narrower pathway where you will develop. For example, if you
graduated in Biology with your Bachelor degree, you can extend your knowledge with a
Masters in Botany, Zoology, Marine Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Biochemistry,
Genetics, etc.
- What further course of action would you take after you complete your Master’s
degree?
Ans:
A Masters course is said to make you more employable, increase your earning power and
provide you with skills that an undergraduate course can’t teach you. So, how can you
best focus these attributes into your career? This article is intended for all Masters course
(MA, MSc etc.) students who want to research their career options, and increase the
worth of their Masters course.
There are three essential things to consider when evaluating your post-Masters course
options. First you must define your transferable and subject-specific skills. You should
also consider both your specialised career options and general career choices available to
you. Finally, the possibility of continuing your education and training should be assessed.
Transferable skills and beyond
Some might view a Masters course as endowing you with the same skills set as a first
degree, albeit with greater depth. It is true that, much like Bachelor’s degree graduates,
your Masters course will have endowed you with skills such as:
Written and oral communication
Problem-solving
Project management
Time management