Exam practice

They are quarreling: grown men and women in a snowy village street are shouting and pushing each other, while an old woman stands among them, trying to calm them down.

It is bad. Quarreling and fighting among neighbors spoils relationships and can lead to injuries, and it sets a bad example for children. Problems are better solved by talking calmly and forgiving each other.

a. finery b. fancy c. scrambled d. lassies e. folly f. abusing g. chip h. rejoicing

Both wore new frocks, the little one blue and the bigger one a yellow print, with red kerchiefs on their heads.

In a large puddle of dirty farmyard water, in a lane between two homesteads.

Because Malasha stamped her foot in the puddle and splashed muddy water all over Akoulya’s new frock and into her eyes and nose, just after Akoulya had told her not to splash.

Because the two girls’ mothers began a loud, angry quarrel after Akoulya’s mother struck Malasha. The men came out to join in, and a crowd gathered, everyone shouting and nobody listening.

She stepped in among them and asked whether it was right to behave like that, especially on a holy day, which was a time for rejoicing, not for such foolishness. When the girls ran past, she pointed to them and shamed the men: the girls had already forgotten the quarrel and were playing happily.

Because they forgave and forgot the quarrel at once and went back to playing together, while the grown-ups, who had not even been splashed, turned a small accident into a fight between families. The girls’ quick forgiveness showed the wisdom the adults had lost.

We should forgive quickly and not let small quarrels grow. Anger and pride can turn a tiny matter into a big fight, while a simple, forgiving heart, like a child’s, brings peace. Adults can learn from children too.

When I was seven, my cousin and I fought over a kite during Dashain. He tore it by pulling too hard, and I pushed him into the mud. Our mothers took our sides, and soon they were arguing in the courtyard while the rest of the family watched. By evening, my cousin and I had made a new kite out of newspaper and were flying it together on the roof. When our grandfather saw us, he laughed and told our mothers to come up and look. They felt embarrassed and made tea together. I still remember how quickly we forgot it, and how long the grown-ups stayed upset.

• a.ˈHave a ˈseat, ˈplease.
• b.The ˈstory was ˈinteresting, but it did ˈnot conˈtain eˈnough ˈmessages.
• c.Would you ˈlike a ˈcold ˈdrink?
• d.ˈWhat did you ˈtell her this ˈmorning?
• e.ˈDon’t ˈtake it so ˈeasy. He ˈwon’t give ˈup so ˈquickly.
• f.ˈMost ˈpeople are ˈfully aˈware that ˈmotorcycles can be ˈdangerous to ˈride.
• g.Does she ˈwork with you? ˈYes, she ˈdoes. (In a short answer the helping verb is stressed: it stands for the whole verb.)
• h.He ˈbought a ˈred ˈcar for his ˈdaughter.
• i.I am Braˈzilian. (Am is a form of be, which is usually not stressed.)
• j.We are ˈnot faˈmiliar with this ˈnew comˈputer ˈprogram.

There can be small differences between speakers, for example whether so in e. is stressed; but the content words are always stressed.

• a.Headteacher: Do we all agree to extra classes before the SEE? Prakash: Yes, I agree. We need more time for maths. Sunita: I see what you mean, sir, but many of us walk an hour to school. Could the classes be on Saturday mornings instead of after school?
• b.Zoo manager: Shall we add a lion to the zoo? Member 1: That’s a great idea; visitors would love it. Member 2: I’m afraid I disagree. A lion needs a large enclosure and costly food and care. Let’s first improve the cages of the animals we already have.
• c.Ward chairperson: I want all of you to join the cleanliness campaign on Saturday. Bimala: Absolutely! The river bank is full of plastic. Rajan: I agree, but cleaning once won’t be enough. We also need bins and a weekly collection.
• d.Monitor: Let’s make a job chart for cleaning the class and follow it. Nisha: I couldn’t agree more. Then nobody can say it wasn’t their turn. Kiran: I’m not sure about that. Who will check it? Maybe the class teacher should approve it first.
• e.Teacher: I want everyone to give a short presentation every two weeks. Aarati: That’s a good idea. It will make us confident. Sabin: I agree up to a point, ma’am, but every two weeks is a lot before the exams. Could it be once a month?

• a.My sister does not live with my parents.
• b.Maryam does not know the answer well.
• c.I do not want to leave now.
• d.Anusha does not agree with me.
• e.The boy did not kill the cockroach with his shoe.
• f.His father did not recognize me at once.
• g.He did not apologize for his misconduct.
• h.He did not eat many mangoes. (a few → not many, nearly the same meaning; for the opposite: He did not eat any mangoes.)
• i.We did not sell much honey. (a little → not much)
• j.The rich are not always happy. (sometimes → not always)
• k.Kanchan does not visit me frequently (or often).
• l.Shailesh did not buy many books.
• m.Garima did not let me use her toilet.
• n.Not all of them can help her. (Some can, some can’t. For “not one of them”: None of them can help her.)

a. were (a number of = many) b. is (the number) c. was (one pack) d. were (pants is always plural) e. are (the truthful = truthful people) f. is (a to-infinitive subject) g. lies (agrees with the body) h. are (nearer: her friends) i. is (none = not one; are is also heard, but is is the safe exam answer) j. glitters k. is l. are (nearer: the paintings, and today is present) m. twirls n. am (nearer: I)

A moral story is short and simple: a few characters, one problem, a choice, and what the choice led to. End with the moral in one sentence.

The Honest Woodcutter
Once upon a time, a poor woodcutter was cutting a tree on the bank of a deep river. Suddenly his axe slipped from his hands and fell into the water. He sat down on the bank and began to cry, for the axe was all he had to earn his living.
Hearing him, the god of the river rose out of the water and asked what was wrong. When the woodcutter told him, the god dived into the river and came back with an axe of gold. “Is this yours?” he asked. “No,” said the woodcutter. The god dived again and brought up an axe of silver. “No, that is not mine either,” said the woodcutter. The third time, the god brought up an old iron axe. “Yes, that is mine!” cried the woodcutter happily.
The god was so pleased with his honesty that he gave him all three axes.
When a greedy neighbor heard this, he went to the same river and threw his axe into the water on purpose. When the god showed him a golden axe, he shouted, “That’s mine!” The god, angry at his lie, sank back into the river with the golden axe, and the neighbor lost his own axe as well.
Moral: Honesty is the best policy.

She is the second contender in the TV show, a charming young lady trying to break a world record.

She is trying to break a world record by leaning on a brush.

Albert’s wife, Daisy, comes every half hour and pours more boiling soup into the bucket.

Only about seven seconds away. Daisy was counting down the last ten seconds, and she had reached seven when Mabel pushed him over.

He took them off to have a bath, and when he got out of the bath, they were gone.

Probably out of jealousy: Albert was about to break a record, while she was getting nowhere by leaning on a brush, so she stopped him from winning. Her ironic “Congratulations” shows she knew exactly what she was doing. (In a comedy, of course, it is also there to give the show its funny ending.)

I would feel angry and cheated, because all my hard work would be wasted in a second by someone else’s jealousy. It is not ethical. In a fair competition, everyone should have an equal chance and win or lose by their own effort. Stopping a rival on the verge of winning is cheating, and it can even injure them, as it did Albert. A good sportsperson respects rivals and is happy to win only by being better, not by bringing others down.

• a.Eagles are large, powerful birds of prey: they fly very high, see very far, and hunt with strong, hooked beaks and sharp claws (talons).
• b.They have very sharp eyesight, and they can soar for hours on rising warm air without flapping their wings.

a – iii (eagles fly high, not with small birds: keep good company)
b – iv (an eagle keeps its eyes on its prey: have a goal and stay focused)
c – i (an eagle fights prey of any size: face your problems; don’t give up)
d – v (eagles use storm winds to rise above the clouds: achievers are not afraid of hard times)
e – ii (an eagle eats only what it has just caught: don’t live on past successes; look for new goals)
Messages i and v are close: about the third point the talk says both “face it” and “successful people are fearless”, and about the fourth, “achievers are not afraid of challenges”. The pairing above is the usual one; if you pair c with v and d with i instead, you can defend it with those words from the talk.

• a.Dev Narayan performs well.
• b.The dog bit Fatima.
• c.A room in the flat needed painting.
• d.All the students had to sit the re-examination.
• e.He always drinks wine.
• f.Pour a lot of water into the curry.
• g.Somebody came to me.
• h.There is someone in the locality living in luxury.
• i.He has a bath every day.
• j.Both the boy and the man go to school. (Both … and makes a plural subject, so go.)
• k.She has something in her bag.
• l.He works with us.

Dear Hiring Manager,
I feel that I am the ideal candidate for the position of Communication Manager in your company. I have three years of experience as a receptionist in a company that is similar to yours. My phone skills and written communication are excellent. These skills, and others that I have learned on the job, help me understand that every person in a company helps make the business a success. At my current job, the team always says that I am very helpful. Everyone appreciates it when I go the extra mile to get the job done right. My current employer and co-workers feel that I am an asset to the team. I, along with my colleagues, am efficient and organized. Are there any other details about me that you would like to know? If so, please contact me. Here is my résumé. You can reach me by email or phone. I look forward to speaking with you in person.
Sincerely yours,
Adara Banu
The reasons, in order: a company (singular); two subjects joined by and; these skills (plural), every person (singular); the team as one group; everyone (singular); employer and co-workers (plural); along with doesn’t add to I; there are … details; here is my résumé; I look.

HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES
Late Jayananda Lama
(1956 – 2022 A.D.)
We are deeply saddened by the death of Jayananda Lama, the senior folk singer and actor, who passed away at his residence in Kaushaltar, Bhaktapur. His death is an incredible loss for the Nepali art sector.
For decades, his voice brought joy to homes all over Nepal. Super hit folk songs such as Kalakate Kainyo, Herda Ramro, Chuin Chuin Chuikane Joota and Mulako Chana made him a household name, and he acted in more than a hundred movies. He will always be remembered as an artist who kept the music of our hills alive.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family, relatives and fans at this difficult time. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Bhaktapur Folk Music Society

Sallaghari, Bhaktapur
22 October 2022

Dear Purna,

I was very sorry to hear about the accident at the factory on Thursday. When our supervisor told us that the machine had failed and that your hand was broken, none of us could work properly for the rest of the day.

In the three years we have worked together, you have always been the most regular and dutiful of us all, the first to arrive and the last to leave. It is so unfair that this happened to you, and the fault was in the machine, not in your work. I have heard that the management is checking all the machines now, so that it does not happen to anyone else.

Please don’t worry about your work. We will share your duties until you come back, and the supervisor has said your place is safe. What matters now is that you rest and let your hand heal properly. I will come to the hospital on Sunday with some of the others; tell me if you need anything from home.

I wish you a speedy recovery. We are all missing you on the floor.

Yours sincerely,
Rajan

c, e, a, f, d, b

• a.She has not finished her homework yet.
• b.None but the captain knew the plan.
• c.You need not wear a uniform on Saturdays.
• d.I did not like the film, either.
• e.Somebody helped the old woman.
• f.Both Hari and Sita were late.

a. have (a number of = many) b. has (each) c. are (the rich = rich people) d. have (nearer: the students) e. is (one subject, though it ends in -s) f. comes (agrees with the bus)

• a.In Kavre.
• b.A promise not to cheat.
• c.No teacher stood in it to watch the students.
• d.Only two out of four hundred, and both admitted it.
• e.That trust had worked better than any invigilator.

(This is a made-up practice text, not a real news report.)

Open by saying you heard the news and how sorry you are; say that what matters most is that everyone is safe; offer real help (a place to stay, books, help with rebuilding); end with good wishes and Yours sincerely or With love.

Thimi, Bhaktapur
10 Shrawan 2082

Dear Pasang,

I was shocked and very sorry to hear that the landslide last week damaged your house in Sindhupalchok. I can only imagine how frightening that night must have been for you and your family.

The most important thing is that all of you are safe. A house can be rebuilt, but nothing could replace any of you.

Please let me know how I can help. My parents say that you are welcome to stay with us until your house is repaired, and you can share my room and my books for the exams. Our class is also collecting money and clothes for families hit by the floods, and I will make sure some of it reaches your village.

Stay strong, and give my regards to your parents. I hope to see you back at school soon.

With love,
Sonam