IGNOU BEGC-131 June 2022 Previous Year Question Paper

Q1.(a) Read the following passage and answer the questions given below it : The river Ganga has a unique position in the cultural ethos of India. From time immemorial, the Ganga has been worshipped as a sacred river and even today it is regarded as the holiest of rivers by many Indians. Apart from its cultural significance, the river has great importance for the Indian economy. The densely populated Ganga basin is inhabited by 37% of India’s population. About 47% of the total irrigated area of the country is located in the Ganga basin. BEGC-131 2 Most of the original natural vegetation has disappeared from the Ganga basin which was once densely forested, and the land is now intensively cultivated to meet the needs of an ever -growing population. Wild animals are few, and the Ganga river dolphin once found throughout the Ganga - Brahmaputra basin, is considered endangered because of encroaching human activity. Concern has grown over the environmental impact of hydroelectric dams on the river, including habitat destruction for wildlife, forced relocation of people living in the pa ths of dams and reservoirs and loss of agricultural land. Of greater concern, however, has been the degradation in the quality of the river water itself. The Ganga basin is one of the densely inhabited regions on Earth, with the result that the river, o ver much of its course, is highly polluted. The principal sources of pollution of the Ganga are domestic and industrial wastes. Scores of cities and towns dump untreated sewage into the Ganga, and dozens of manufacturing facilities dump industrial waste. H igh leve ls of disease-causing bacteria, as well as toxic substances such as chromium, cadmium, and arsenic, have been found in the Ganga. The first step in improving the water quality would be to control the dumping of domestic and industrial waste from th e numerous towns along the river’s course. Questions :

(i) Why is the river Ganga said to occupy a unique position in the cu ltural ethos of India ? 2

(ii) According to this passage, the river Ganga is extremely important for the Indian economy. Why ? 2

(iii) What are the main sources of pollution of the Ganga ? 2

(iv) There are numerous hydroelectric dams on the river. What is the environmental impact of this ? 2

(v) In what way has intensive cultivation and urbanisation affected the natural life of the Ganga basin ? 2 BEGC-131 4

(vi) What is the first step to be taken to clean up the river Ganga ? 2

(vii) What are the major chemical pollutants found in the river ? 2

(viii) Give a suitable title to this passage. 1

(b) Use the following words in sentence s of your own : 51=5

(i) endangered

(ii) habitat

(iii) degradation

(iv) unique

(v) reverence

Q2.Match the words in Section A with their meaning in Section B : 101=10

(a) Demographic

(i) Introduce new ideas

(b) Chronic

(ii) Bright and impressive

(c) Resplendent

(iii) Referring to sound

(d) Acoustic

(iv) Most important

(e) Frail

(v) A pleasure trip on a ship

(f) Proliferate

(vi) Lasting a long time

(g) Recurrence

(vii) Increase rapidly in number

(h) Leading

(viii) Pertaining to the study of population

(i) Cruise (ix) Happening again (j) Innovate (x) Weak and delicate

Q3.(a) Fill in the blank s using a word from those given below : 101=10 [have, do, shows, does, has, vacation, lose, vocation, loose, might]

(i) your mother work in this school ?

(ii) you have a pen that I can borrow ?

(iii) I prefer to my dinner early.

(iv) My watch both the dat e and the time.

(v) the chief guest arrived already ?

(vi) I went to the cinema hall and watched both the morning and afternoon .

(vii) If you are not careful, you may the documents.

(viii) I have decided to make music my (ix) I hope you will enjoy your in Singapore. (x) he take the metro to go to work ? BEGC-131 6

(b)

(i) Fill in the blanks with the correct fo rm of the word in brackets : 51=5 I. The new international airport is under . (construct) II. the river in a small boat can be dangerous during the rainy season. (Cross) III. Doctors were finding it difficult to cope with so many people. (injure) IV. Nearly 4 0% of the Indian population is in the agricultural sector. (employ) V. We a taxi to visit the museum yesterday. (hire)

(ii) Fill in the blanks w ith ap propriate articles/prepositions : 51=5 I. Kalidasa was greatest poet of his time. (Article) II. Rocky Mo untains are in North America. (Article) III. You will need umbrella in the rainy season . (Article) IV. The steam en gine was invented James Watt. (Preposition) V. He was born a small village in Punjab. (Preposition)

Q4.Your friend and you are planning to go on a short trip to Kashmir during the vacation. Write out a dialogue in about 200 words wher e you discuss travel plans, arrangement of accommodation and other details with him/her.

Q5.Write a letter to the secretary of your residential association requesting him/her to improve sports facilities in your locality.

Q6.You have been invited to deliver a speech to a local youth group on the occasion of Earth Day.

Q7.Write out a speech in about 250 words on the topic : "The Importance of Water Conservation".

Q8.Write an essay in about 250 words on any one of the following topics : 15

(a) Coping with Air Pollution in Indian Cities

(b) Classical Dance Forms of India