NEB Class 12 · Exam intelligence
From 5 NEB Class 12 past papers: the chapters that keep coming back and their most important questions, each with a solved model answer. No guarantees; study the whole syllabus.
From the most-tested chapters first, each with a solved model answer.
a. You ought to ask him politely.
b. There's no point in buying it.
c. You ought not to take your shoes off.
d. You might as well use this pen.
e. You ought not to talk here.
The choice in each case follows from what the second half of the sentence gives as the reason. Where the reason makes the action advisable, ought to is used, as in (a), and where it makes the action inadvisable, ought not to is used, as in (c) and (e). Where the reason shows the action would be useless or pointless, there's no point in with the -ing form is used, as in (b), since a thing worth nothing is not worth buying. And where there is simply no reason against an action and a mild reason for it, might as well is the natural form, as in (d).
a. He seems to be a very hard working student.
b. The children seem to enjoy going to school.
c. These labourers seem to be comfortable working till 8 p.m.
d. The farmers seem to have had a very good harvest of rice this year.
e. My mother seemed to be very particular about punctuality.
Seem is used to state the conclusion that the facts point to, rather than the facts themselves, so in each answer the observed behaviour of the original sentence is replaced by the inference it suggests. Note the two points of form. Seem is followed by the infinitive, either simple (seems to be, seem to enjoy) or, when the inference is about something already completed, perfect (seem to have had), as in (d). And the tense of seem follows the tense of the original: (e) describes the past, so it takes seemed, while the rest describe present habits and take seem or seems.
a. If there is one thing I loathe, it is people who drive carelessly.
b. If there is one thing I dislike, it is people who forget to feed their pets.
c. If there is one thing that annoys me, it is people who lose other's possessions.
d. If there is one thing I hate, it is people who make me wait for a long time.
e. If there is one thing that annoys me, it is people who take other's books without asking.
This is a cleft sentence, used for emphasis: the thing complained of is held back to the end of the sentence, where it falls with much more force than in the plain statement. The pattern has two forms according to where the subject stands in the original. When the speaker is the subject, as in (a), (b) and (d), it becomes If there is one thing I loathe / dislike / hate, it is .... When the other people are the subject, as in (c) and (e), the verb must be carried into the clause and it becomes If there is one thing that annoys me, it is .... Note also that (d) corrects to the infinitive make me wait, since make in this sense is followed by the bare infinitive and not by the -ing form.
a. Cars are likely to be obsolete by the end of the century.
b. The leader is unlikely to reach in time.
c. The fertilizer is likely to be supplied in time.
d. The price of computers is bound to go down.
e. A new C.E.O. is sure to be appointed soon.
These expressions grade the speaker's degree of confidence, and the word used in the original sentence shows which one is wanted. "Probably" marks a fair likelihood but no certainty, so it becomes likely to, as in (a) and (c). "I doubt if" marks the opposite, so it becomes unlikely to, as in (b). "Definitely" and "I am sure" mark full confidence, and are carried by bound to, certain to and sure to; bound to suits (d) because a fall in the price of computers follows inevitably from the way the trade works, while sure to suits (e), which is the speaker's own conviction. (Certain to would be equally correct in (d), and bound to in (e), since the three are close in strength.) Note that the subject of the original clause becomes the subject of the new sentence, and the verb follows in the infinitive.
a. Can you remember whether she likes classical music these days?
b. They want to know how long you will be staying in Pokhara.
c. I have been trying to know when your next record is going to be released.
d. Did you notice whether he looked angry?
e. She has no idea what time the class begins.
Two changes are made in every case. First, the inverted order of the question disappears and the subject goes back before the verb, so does she like becomes she likes and is your next record going becomes your next record is going. With that inversion goes the auxiliary do, does or did, which was there only to form the question: does she like gives she likes and did he look gives he looked, the tense being carried by the main verb instead.
Second, the clause must be joined on. A question beginning with a question word keeps that word as the link, as in (b), (c) and (e). A question that could be answered yes or no has no such word, so whether (or if) must be supplied, as in (a) and (d).
Finally, the punctuation follows the opening words, not the original. Sentences (a) and (d) begin with a question of their own and so keep the question mark, while (b), (c) and (e) begin with statements and end with a full stop, even though what is reported is a question.
a. He must have been rewarded.
b. He may have gone home. (or might have gone)
c. They can't have been serious.
d. They can't have been present at the meeting.
e. He must be working.
These are the modals of deduction, used to say how sure the speaker is of a conclusion drawn from evidence rather than to talk about obligation or permission. Must expresses a confident positive conclusion and so replaces "obviously" and "I am sure" in (a) and (e). Can't expresses the confident negative conclusion, which is why it and not mustn't replaces "I am sure they were not" and "I am certain they were not" in (c) and (d); mustn't would express a prohibition, which is not the sense here. May or might expresses a genuine uncertainty and so replaces "perhaps" in (b).
The other thing to watch is the time referred to. Where the deduction is about the present, the modal is followed by the simple infinitive, as in (e), must be working. Where it is about the past, it must be followed by the perfect infinitive, have plus the past participle, as in (a), (b), (c) and (d): must have been, may have gone, can't have been.
a) Janak went back to Mahendranagar, .................
b) At last the N-cell managed to repair the telephone, ...........
c) The librarian, .............. , turned round suddenly.
d) We were all very grateful to Mr Pandey, .................
e) The driver, .............. , was rewarded.
a) Janak went back to Mahendranagar, where he was born and had spent his childhood. b) At last the N-cell managed to repair the telephone, which had been out of order for a week. c) The librarian, who was arranging the books on the shelf...
(i) would, or
(ii) could, or
(iii) simple past tense. [5]
a) It is hot here.
b) You are out of work.
c) Your bike has a puncture.
d) You are living in a small room.
e) You are ill in bed.
a) I wish it were not so hot here. (If only it would get a little cooler.) b) If only I could find work. (I wish I were not out of work.) c) I wish my bike did not have a puncture. (If only I could mend the puncture.) d) I wish I were no...
(i) Ask a question with How Long ..... ?
(ii) Answer it using the words in brackets. (use until/for/in/by whichever is appropriate)
a) They played cricket. (evening)
b) Mrs Change mowed the lawn. (30 minutes)
c) We waited at the bus stop/ (45 minutes)
d) The secretary wrote all the letters. (lunch time)
e) Sudha read the whole of Muna Madan. (5 days)
a) How long did they play cricket? They played cricket until the evening. b) How long did Mrs. Change take to mow the lawn? She mowed the lawn in thirty minutes. c) How long did you wait at the bus stop? We waited at the bus stop for for...
a) "Did you have your mean?"
b) "You can take as many books as you like".
c) "The rate of interest is going down".
d) "Have you finished all your book?"
e) "Have you cleaned your room?"
a) He asked me whether I had had my meal. b) He told me that I could take as many books as I liked. c) He told me that the rate of interest was going down. d) He asked me whether I had finished all my books. e) He asked me whether I had ...
a) They say the earth is round.
b) Apparently, elephants have good memories.
c) People say it is unlucky to sit under a ladder.
d) I am told that Birman was a lorry driver at one time.
e) People say consumption of yoghurt on the day of exam brings good luck.
a) The earth is supposed to be round. b) Elephants are supposed to have good memories. c) It is supposed to be unlucky to sit under a ladder. d) Birman is supposed to have been a lorry driver at one time. e) The consumption of yoghurt on...
(i) As soon as + simple past + simple past.
(ii) As soon as + past perfect + simple past. (omit and or but)
a) My neighbour peeled the banana and gave it to baby.
b) I looked in the fridge and found some oranges.
c) He kicked the dog and it barked.
d) I went to the shop and bought a carate of eggs.
e) I paid my bill and left the shop.
a) As soon as my neighbour had peeled the banana, she gave it to the baby. b) As soon as I looked in the fridge, I found some oranges. c) As soon as he kicked the dog, it barked. d) As soon as I went to the shop, I bought a crate of eggs...
a) I'm told garlic stops you catching cold.
b) People say the universe is collapsing by 2015.
c) Apparently Kathmandu is slowly getting over populated.
d) People say she was born in flying plane.
e) People say the students waste their golden time just kidding.
a) Garlic is supposed to stop you catching a cold. b) The universe is supposed to be collapsing by 2015. c) Kathmandu is supposed to be slowly getting over-populated. d) She is supposed to have been born in a flying plane. e) The student...
a) I looked in the kitchen and found some fried eggs.
b) She drank the coffee and asked for another cup.
c) He put his foot on the brake but nothing happened.
d) I read his autography and discovered him as a man of multiple intelligent.
e) He kicked the ball to the post but it got punctured.
a) When I looked in the kitchen, I found some fried eggs. b) When she had drunk the coffee, she asked for another cup. c) When he put his foot on the brake, nothing happened. d) When I read his autobiography, I discovered him to be a man...
a) Write a wish for the following sentences: i. You're suffering from swine flu. ii. You have lost the way.
b) Express regret for the following: i. You are jobless now. ii. She is angry with you. iii. You missed the class.
a) Wishes: i. I wish I were not suffering from swine flu. ii. I wish I had not lost the way. b) Regrets: i. If only I had a job now. (I regret that I am jobless now.) ii. I wish she were not angry with me. (If only I had not made her ang...
a) They studied in the college .......... the break time.
b) I studied English .......... sixteen years.
c) The translator worked in USAID project .......... ten years.
d) My father will be in Norway .......... 2015.
e) We did our project assignment .......... six hours.
a) They studied in the college until the break time. b) I studied English for sixteen years. c) The translator worked in the USAID project for ten years. d) My father will be in Norway by 2015. e) We did our project assignment in six hours.
a) Let's not sell it - it's not worth any way.
b) Don't ask him - he doesn't speak English.
c) Why don't you take a hot soup - it might turn cold.
d) Let's not argue about it - that won't solve the problem.
e) Let's not use the mobile now - the examination is going on.
a) There's no point in selling it, for it's not worth anything. b) There's no point in asking him, for he doesn't speak English. c) You might as well take a hot soup, for it might turn cold. d) There's no point in arguing about it, for t...
a) People who are cruel to pets are hateful.
b) People who break promises make me angry.
c) Alisha has forgotten to feed the cat again.
d) I loathe people who ring me early in the morning.
e) I hate people who speak while eating.
a) If there's one thing that I hate, it's people who are cruel to pets. b) If there's one thing that makes me angry, it's people who break promises. c) If there's one thing that annoys me, it's Alisha forgetting to feed the cat again. d)...
a) I'm sure she will achieve the first position.
b) Obviously, Nepal won the final match.
c) May be he is sociable.
d) Many students are flying abroad.
e) He actively teaches well.
a) She must achieve the first position. b) Nepal must have won the final match. c) He may (or might) be sociable. d) Many students may (or might) be flying abroad. e) He must teach well actively.
a) He isn't very rich.
b) He's happily married.
c) He's some kind of business man.
d) He doesn't spend much time out of doors.
e) He watched television a lot.
a) He does not seem to be very rich. b) He seems to be happily married. c) He seems to be some kind of business man. d) He does not seem to spend much time out of doors. e) He seemed to watch television a lot.
a) People who are cruel to animals upset me.
b) People who break promises make me angry.
c) I hate people who smoke in restaurants.
d) I detest people who interrupt when I'm speaking.
e) I loathe people who ring me up early in the morning.
a) If there's one thing that upsets me, it's people who are cruel to animals. b) If there's one thing that makes me angry, it's people who break promises. c) If there's one thing that I hate, it's people who smoke in restaurants. d) If t...
a) I'm sure he's working.
b) Perhaps he's going to ask me.
c) I'm sure he's not French.
d) I'm sure they stole the money.
e) Perhaps he went home.
a) He must be working. b) He may (or might) be going to ask me. c) He can't be French. d) They must have stolen the money. e) He may (or might) have gone home.
a) Don't take your children to see that film - it'll frighten them.
b) Let's not sell it - it's not worth anything anyway.
c) Why don't we give it away? - it's not worth anything anyway.
d) Don't ask him - he doesn't speak English.
e) Let's not talk about it now - the children are listening.
a) You ought not to take your children to see that film, for it will frighten them. b) There's no point in selling it, for it's not worth anything anyway. c) We might as well give it away, for it's not worth anything anyway. d) There's n...
a) She peeled the banana and gave it to the baby.
b) I looked in the fridge and found something.
c) The security man searched our hand baggage and we boarded the plane.
d) He put his foot on the brake but nothing happened.
e) I paid my bill and left the restaurant.
a) When she peeled the banana, she gave it to the baby. b) When I looked in the fridge, I found something. c) When the security man had searched our hand baggage, we boarded the plane. d) When he put his foot on the brake, nothing happen...
a) The exam is not usually very difficult but this year it was quite tough.
b) I had imagined my landlady would be in her fifties, but she turned out to be thirty.
c) His parents would like him to work hard, but he doesn't.
d) They could have helped me a lot, but in fact they hardly helped me at all.
e) Fifty people had been invited, but eighty came.
a) This year the exam was not as easy as it usually is. b) My landlady was not as old as I had imagined she would be. c) He does not work as hard as his parents would like him to. d) They did not help me as much as they could have. e) As...
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