Comprehensive English Language Proficiency Test

Full Marks-50, Time-2 Hrs.

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions as
instructed:
In the 16th century, an age of great marine and terrestrial exploration,
Ferdinand Magellan led the first expedition to sail around the world. As a young
Portuguese noble, he served the king of Portugal, but he became involved in the
quagmire of political intrigue at court and lost the king's favor. After he was
dismissed from service by the king of Portugal, he offered to serve the future
Emperor Charles V of Spain.
A papal decree of 1493 had assigned all land in the New World west of 50
degrees W longitude to Spain and all the land east of that line to Portugal.
Magellan offered to prove that the East Indies fell under Spanish authority. On
September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain with five ships. More than a
year later, one of these ships was exploring the topography of South America in
search of a water route across the continent. This ship sank, but the remaining
four ships searched along the southern peninsula of South America. Finally they
found the passage they sought near 50 degrees S latitude. Magellan named this
passage the Strait of All Saints, but today it is known as the Strait of Magellan.
One ship deserted while in this passage and returned to Spain, so fewer sailors
were privileged to gaze at that first panorama of the Pacific Ocean. Those who
remained crossed the meridian now known as the International Date Line in the
early spring of 1521 after 98 days on the Pacific Ocean. During those long days
at sea, many of Magellan's men died of starvation and disease.
Later, Magellan became involved in an insular conflict in the Philippines and was
killed in a tribal battle. Only one ship and 17 sailors under the command of the
Basque navigator Elcano survived to complete the westward journey to Spain
and thus prove once and for all that the world is round, with no precipice at the
edge.
A] Answer the questions in full, syntactically correct sentences. Do NOT copy
sentences from the text, although you can use the information provided therein.
2*5=10
I) What factor propelled Magellan to offer his maritime expertise to a different
dynasty?
II) How did Magellan plan to prove his allegiance to the Spanish authority?
III) What incidents led to the eventual discovery of the Strait of Magellan?
IV) Explain the use of the word ‘privileged’ in the penultimate paragraph of the
text.
V) What did the last contingent led by Elcano conclusively disprove?
2. Read the following piece carefully and answer the questions as
instructed:
Mistake
Once it was a farm.
'Here at Acme we manufacture plastics, everything from wire to elastics.'
I lived here once -- grew up here, in fact.
'Last year we began to expand; we laid out eighty thousand for this land.'
I milked the cows, planted, dreamed.
'The factory you are about to enter is an ultra-modern manufacturing center.'
My father owned it, and his father before him.
'Yes, sir. We're going to create new products here; plastic hats, flowers, and
cans for beer.'
When he died I decided to sell.
That money looked awfully good.
But now
Seeing this -- this factory,
I miss that farm.
Michael Mager
 A) Answer the questions in full, syntactically correct sentences.
5*2=10
I) Justify the poem’s Title.
II) Analyze the psychological transition that the poet has undergone.

3. Do as directed: 1*10=10

A) Fill in the blanks with proper forms of verbs given within the brackets:
I) I……………..(just, taste) the soup when an idea………………….(occur) to
me.
II) I'm forever ……………(keep) your toothbrush where it should be! Why
………………..(you, not change) your habit?
III) Hey, you! What ……………………. (you, think) you………………….(do)?
IV) The post…………………….(not come) yet. Why …………………….(you, not
apply) while there……………..(is) still time?
V) I see that the weather …………………………(get) worse!

B) Fill in the blanks with appropriate words from the list below. You may
have to alter the form of words to make them suitable for respective
blank spaces. 1*10=10

Logos is the use of facts, information, ……………… or other evidence to

make your ………………… more……………. An audience will be more likely to
believe you if you have data to back up your claims. For example, a
…………………for soap might tell you that laboratory tests have shown that
their soap kills all 7,000,000 of the ……………….living on your hands right
now. This piece of information might make you more likely to buy their
brand of soap. …………………… of this evidence is much more
…………………..than simply saying “our soap is the best!” Use of logos can
also …………… a speaker’s ethos; the more facts a speaker…………… in his
case, the more likely you are to think that he is educated and………………...
List of Words: Convince, Commerce, Statistics, Believe, Argue, Bacteria,
Strength, Inclusion, Trust, Represent
4. Write a paragraph of considerable length on the issue of politics in
educational institutions. 10