Today is Pahela Baishakh

Today is Pahela Baishakh, the first ay of Bangla Year 1406. The day will be celebrated with traditional festivities across the country. The day is a public holiday. In keeping with the age-old tradition, traders and shopkeepers will open halkhata (fresh account books) and offers sweets to their customers and clients. Different socio-cultural organizations havedrawn up elaborate programmes to celebrate the day. The day’s first programme will begin at dawn Ramna Batamul. Chhayanat, a leading cultural organization, will organise the programme. A large number of people wearing traditional dresses are expected to attend the programme. Bangladesh Television will telecast live the programme from 6 in the morning.

National dailies will bring out special supplements while Bangladesh Betar And Bangladesh Television will air special programmes on the occasion. Students and teachers of the Fine Arts Institute (IFA) of Dhaka University will bring out a colourful procession from the Institute premises at 9:30 am carrying festoons, placards, posters, banners and wearing masks to welcome the Bangla New Year. Bangla Academy will hold a cultural programme on its premises in the morning, to be participated by leading artists of the country. Shilpakala Academy will organize a cultural function on the academy premises. Jatiya Press Club will hold a cultural function on the club premises at 6 pm. Bulbul Lalitakala Academy, Liberation War Museum and Bangladesh National Museum will also organize cultural functions on the occasion.

1. Choose the best answer from the alternatives:                                            1  5 = 5

    a. What is Chhayanat ?

        i) name of a daily                                               ii) a leading cultural organisztion

        iii) a leading cultural programme                    iv) name of a drama  

   b. The word `halkhata’ means……..

         i) an old khata                                                  ii) a khata keeping fresh accounts

         iii) a khata for business premises                    iv) place of cultural activities

   c. The word `celebrated’ means………..

        i) disorganized                ii) observed              iii) rationalized               iv) moved

    d. Various types of ……are the main attractions of the day.

         i) songs            ii) plays            iii) cultural programmes             iv) social rituals

    e. Which city has been portrait in rthe text ?

        i) Rajshahi                   ii) Chittagong                  iii) Dhaka                iv) Rangpur

2. Write whether the statements are true or false.If false, give the correct answer:          

                                                                                                                           1  5 = 5

   a. Traders open new shops on Pahela Baishakh.

   b. On Pahela Baishakh the whole country wears a festive look.

   c. The day’s first programme begins at RamnaBatamul.

   d. The celebration of Pahela Baishakh has got a long tradition.

   e. Bangla Academy holds a cultural programme on this day.

3. Fill in each gap in the following passage with a suitable word from the box.There  are more word than necessary :                                                                                                                                                                          

remarkable	shopkeepers	crowd	enthusiasm	scope	Melas
Put on	customers	festoon	various	festival	opening

Pahela Baishakh is a traditional (a)----------. Through the (b)---------- of halkhata, the (c)---------- and traders observe the day. The (d)---------- and clients are offered sweets. Different socio-cultural organizations draw up (e)---------- programmes on this day. Chhayanat is (f)---------- among them. People (g)---------- traditional dresses. (h)---------- are held around the country. A large (i)---------- gather at Ramna Batamul and observe the day with (j)----------.

4. Read the passage again and write a paragraph based on the information about Pahela Baishakh.                                                                                                           5

5. Answer the following questions :                                                                 1  5 = 5

   a. What will Shilpakala Academy do on Pahela Baishakh ?

   b. What type of holiday is Pahela Baishakh ?

   c. When is Pahela Baishakh celebrated ?

   d. Where does the first programme of the day begin ?

   e. What do the traders and shopkeepers do on Pahela Baishakh ?

6. Fill in each gap with a suitable word from the text :                                   

Pahela Baishakh (a)---------- the first day of Bangla year. The day is (b)---------- with (c)---------- festivities. The day is (c)---------- to the people (e)---------- in different professions. (f)---------- programmes are arranged by the leading cultural organizations. The national dailies (g)---------- the significance of the day (h)---------- special supplements. Educational institutions also (i)---------- the day in a colourful manner. Due importance is given on the day as it is a (j)---------- for all the communities of the country.

7. Read the passage again. Now, write in about 70-80 words about how you have observed the Pahela Baishakh.                                                                                     5

8. Read the passage again and write the main idea of the passage in not more than five sentences.                                                                                                                 5

9. Write a paragraph on Environment Pollution.