HSC English 1st Paper Question Solution 2026 All Board | এইচএসসি ইংরেজি ১ম পত্র প্রশ্ন সমাধান ২০২৬

Part A — Reading Test
Marks — 60

1. Read the following passage and answer the questions no. A and B:

Behula is a legendary folk heroine and one of the main characters of Manasamangal; a medieval epic. She was the daughter of Sayven of Ujaninagar. Lakhindar was the youngest son of Chand Saudagar of Champaknagar. Behula grew up to be a beautiful and intelligent woman and was married to Lakhindar. Chand Saudagar a devotee of Shiva, had boasted that he was cleverer and stronger than Manasa, the snake goddess. He built an iron chamber for Lakhindar, believing it to be impregnable. However, on the wedding night of Behula and Lakhindar, Manasa sent a snake to kill Lakhindar. The snake made itself as fine as a strand of hair and, entering the chamber through a minute hole, bit Lakhindar.

Behula refused to accept her husband’s death. She placed her husband’s corspe on a banana raft and set out on a hazardous journey towards the abode of the gods. Despite all the dangers and temptation she encountered, Behula continued her journey and finally succeeded in reaching the abode of the gods. She pleaded for her husband’s life and promised Manasa that Chand Saudagar would worship her. Moved by Behula’s love for her husband, Manasa not only restored Lakhindar but also his brothers whom she had killed earlier.

Behula returned home with her husband and brothers-in-law, and Chand Saudagar finally bowed before the might of Manasa. Lakhindar and Behula then returned to their heavenly abode as Aniruddha and Usa.

A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives: 1×5=5

(a) What is Manasamangal?
(i) A medieval play      (ii) A medieval poem
(iii) A medieval epic      (iv) A medieval novel
Answer: (iii) A medieval epic

(b) The word ‘legendary’ refers to—
(i) historical      (ii) infamous
(iii) mythical      (iv) renowned
Answer: (iii) mythical

(c) The synonym of ‘impregnable’ is—
(i) inaccessible      (ii) vulnerable
(iii) irresistible      (iv) nonproductive
Answer: (i) inaccessible

(d) Why was the iron chamber built?
(i) To put the valuables inside      (ii) To save Lakhindar
(iii) To kill snakes      (iv) To imprison Manasa
Answer: (ii) To save Lakhindar

(e) How did Behula float on water?
(i) On an iron raft      (ii) On a wooden boat
(iii) On a country boat      (iv) On a raft
Answer: (iv) On a raft

B. Answer the following questions: 2×5=10

(a) Do you think that Behula is a legendary character?
Answer: Yes, Behula is a legendary character because she is a central, mythic folk heroine in the medieval epic Manasamangal, known for her extraordinary journey to the abode of the gods.

(b) How did Behula bring her husband’s life back?
Answer: Behula brought her husband’s life back by placing his corpse on a banana raft, making a hazardous journey to the gods, and promising Manasa that her father-in-law would worship her.

(c) Why was Manasa angry with Chand Saudagar?
Answer: Manasa was angry with Chand Saudagar because he, being a devotee of Shiva, arrogantly boasted that he was cleverer and stronger than her.

(d) What was the ultimate destination of Behula and Lakhindar? And how?
Answer: The ultimate destination of Behula and Lakhindar was their heavenly abode as Aniruddha and Usa. They reached it after returning to earth and ensuring Chand Saudagar bowed to Manasa’s might.

(e) Why did Manasa accept Behula’s prayer?
Answer: Manasa accepted Behula’s prayer because she was deeply moved by Behula’s true love and dedication for her husband.

2. Read the text and make a flow chart showing the bad effects of overspending. (No. 1 has been done for you) 2×5=10

We spend money for different reasons. We buy foods, clothes or everyday essentials, pay for different services, entertain people, travel to places, help others in need or invest in business and thus spend money everyday. In fact, spending is a part of our life.
Spending may make us happy or unhappy depending on how and why we spend. When we spend money on things that we need and within our limit, it is good. When it becomes a compulsive behaviour, it makes life stressful. Unnecessary spending or spending beyond one’s means has some bad effects. For one thing, it may lead to financial ruin or debt, and for another, it may create unhappiness within families. People who overspend are never satisfied with what they have. They always rush for brands, fashion items, designer clothes, etc. Over a period of time it becomes an addiction which may eventually create psychological problems.

1. Making life stressful → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6

3. Write a summary of the following text: 10

For the first time the streets of Gaza were clean, there wasn’t a paper or cardboard. People were collecting the paper from the streets to use it for baking, because the electricity was disconnected. My mum did not want to bake and she asked me to bring bread from the oven. The queue at the oven stretched from Gaza to the West Bank. People would line up of hours to get to their turn and take half a pack of bread.
In seconds, a Palestinian rocket launcher was erected in the area and in less than one second the Israeli planes started bombing it. People began running in all directions and the ambulances came.
People started falling dead ……. others were injured. I was in shock, and people in the street started telling me : “Thank God, You’re safe.”
Anyway, I went back home without the loaf of bread. And my mum yelled at me but still today, she doesn’t know why I didn’t bring the bread.

Answer: The text highlights the grim reality of life in Gaza, where basic survival is a struggle due to disconnected electricity, forcing people to use scrap paper for baking. The narrator describes a massive queue for bread that is suddenly interrupted by a deadly Israeli airstrike following a rocket launch. Amidst the chaos, death, and trauma, the narrator miraculously survives and returns home empty-handed, leaving their mother oblivious to the horrific violence that prevented them from getting the bread.

4. Read the following text and fill in the blanks with suitable words from the boxes. There are more words than necessary. Make any grammatical changes if needed: 0.5×10=5

Butterflies are (a) —— as powerful symbols in many (b) —— and contexts. They are often (c) —— with change and growth, (d) —— their fascinating transformation from caterpillar to (e) —— and finally into a graceful (f) —— . In Greek mythology, psyche (meaning ‘Soul’) is often depicted with butterfly (g) ——. Butterflies are thus (h) —— to the soul and the quest for love and (i) ——.
In some cultures, particularly in Asia, butterflies appear in art as (j) —— of love, romance, beauty and freedom.

Answer: (a) regarded (b) cultures (c) associated (d) due to (e) cocoon (f) butterfly (g) wings (h) connected (i) beauty (j) symbols

5. Fill in the gaps with appropriate words in each gap: 1×10=10

Air and water are two important (a) —— of the environment. These elements are (b) —— for life on earth. They are often (c) —— in many ways. Air is polluted mostly by (d) —— , water by different (e) —— of waste. If we want to live a (f) —— life, we should (g) —— the pollution of the environment. Total prevention may be (h) —— but we can certainly (i) —— pollution by raising (j) —— among people.

Answer: (a) elements (b) essential (c) polluted (d) smoke (e) types/kinds (f) healthy/sound (g) reduce (h) impossible (i) reduce (j) awareness

6. The following sentences are jumbled. Rearrange them in proper sequence: 1×10=10

(a) The grapes were too high for him to reach.
(b) Oneday, he was very hungry.
(c) Again and again, he jumped.
(d) At last, he entered a vineyard.
(e) Once upon a time, there lived a fox in a forest.
(f) At last, being tired, he went away saying that the grapes were sour.
(g) But each time he failed to reach the grapes.
(h) He took a run and jumped to reach the bunch of grapes but could not reach it.
(i) He searched for food everywhere but he did not get any food.
(j) There were ripe grapes hanging up on the vine.

Answer: e + b + i + d + j + a + h + c + g + f

Part B — Guided Writing
Marks — 40

7. Write a paragraph on ‘Artificial Intelligence’, answering the following questions in about 200 words. 10

(a) What does artificial intelligence (AI) refer to?
(b) Name some areas where AI is widely used today.
(c) What are the benefits of using AI for teachers in the classroom?
(d) Why is it important for students to learn about AI?
(e) What are the challenges of using AI tools?

Answer: Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think, learn, and perform tasks that typically require human cognition, such as problem-solving and decision-making. Today, AI is widely used across various sectors including healthcare, finance, transportation, customer service, and education. For teachers, AI offers numerous benefits in the classroom; it can automate grading, personalize learning experiences for students, and help in creating dynamic lesson plans, thereby saving time and enhancing teaching efficiency. It is crucial for students to learn about AI because it is rapidly shaping the future job market and society. Understanding AI equips them with necessary digital literacy and critical thinking skills to navigate a technology-driven world. However, the integration of AI tools is not without challenges. There are significant concerns regarding data privacy, potential biases in AI algorithms, and the over-reliance of students on technology, which might hinder their organic learning and problem-solving abilities. Balancing the use of AI with ethical considerations and traditional learning methods remains a key challenge for educators and policymakers.

8. The following is the beginning of a story. Complete it in your own words. Give a suitable title to it: 7

Shakil, a university graduate from the department of Food and Nutrition, returned to his village due to his failure to get a suitable job. Being frustrated, one day sitting under a tree he noticed the fall of date juice drop by drop into the jar. Suddenly a new idea came to his mind and thought of processing date juice ……………………

Answer:
Title: A Sweet Success from Despair
…into a commercial product. He remembered his university lessons on food preservation and packaging. Shakil started collecting date juice from local farmers at a fair price. He boiled the juice meticulously to produce high-quality, pure date molasses (khejurer gur) without any artificial chemicals. Using modern, hygienic packaging, he branded his product locally. Initially, the villagers were skeptical, but the exceptional taste and purity soon gained popularity. He utilized social media to market his product in urban areas, where demand for organic food was high. Within a year, his small initiative turned into a thriving business, creating employment for several unemployed youths in his village. Shakil proved that with proper knowledge and determination, one can create their own opportunities.

9. Suppose, you are Rakib/Rakiba. Your friend Tomal/Tomalika got the first prize on the National Debate Competition-2025. Now write an email congratulating him/her. 5

Answer:
To: tomalika@email.com
Subject: Heartiest congratulations on your outstanding achievement!
Dear Tomalika,
I hope this email finds you well. I was absolutely thrilled to hear the fantastic news that you won the first prize in the National Debate Competition-2025! Please accept my heartiest congratulations on this brilliant success.
I always knew you had an exceptional talent for presenting logical arguments and speaking eloquently. Your hard work, dedication, and long hours of preparation have finally paid off in the most spectacular way. You have made all of us incredibly proud.
I can’t wait to meet you and celebrate this victory together. Wishing you continued success in all your future endeavors.
With best wishes and love,
Rakiba

10. The pie chart below shows the percentage of supporters of different games in Bangladesh. Now, describe the chart in about 150 words. You should highlight and analyze the information given in the chart. 10

Answer: The provided pie chart illustrates the popularity of various sports among supporters in Bangladesh. The data is divided into five categories: Cricket, Football, Badminton, Chess, and Golf. According to the chart, Cricket is the most popular game, claiming the highest proportion of supporters at 40%. Football follows closely as the second most favored sport, with 30% of the supporters. Together, these two major sports dominate the sporting landscape, capturing 70% of total sports enthusiasts. Badminton holds a significant portion as well, being supported by 20% of the population. In contrast, indoor games like Chess and elite sports like Golf share the lowest popularity, each securing only 5% of the supporters. Overall, the chart clearly demonstrates that outdoor team sports, particularly Cricket and Football, are overwhelmingly preferred by the people of Bangladesh, while niche or individual sports like Golf and Chess have a very limited fan base.

11. Write down the theme of the following poem. 8

Say unto brethen when they see me dead,
And weep for me, lamenting me in sadness :
Think ye I am this corpse ye are to bury?
I swear by God, this dead one is not I.
I in the spirit am, and this my body
My dwelling was my garment for a time.
I am a treasure: hidden I was beneath
This talisman of dust, wherein I suffered.
I am a pearl; a shell imprisoned me,
But leaving it, all trials I have left.
I am a bird, and this was once my cage;
But I have flown, leaving it as a token.
I praise God who hath set me free, and made
For me a dwelling in the heavenly heights.
Ere now I was a dead man in your midst,
But I have come to life, and doffed my shroud.

Answer: The central theme of this poem is the immortality of the soul and the liberation of the spirit through death. The speaker comforts the mourners by explaining that the physical body is merely a temporary garment, a “cage,” or a “shell” that imprisons the true self. Death is not an end, but a joyous release from worldly suffering and trials. The soul, compared to a precious treasure, a pearl, and a freed bird, escapes the physical body to find true life and eternal peace in the heavenly heights provided by God.