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CSS Examination in English Precise and Composition

Q. No. 1 Make a précis of the passage given below and suggest a suitable heading. (20+5)

Akbar wanted to have a good commentary on the Quran and an order was given accordingly. A great quarrel arose over interpretations. Each Maulana would claim authenticity for his Dalil (references) which others would not accept; there were hundreds of such Dalils with all their differences in meaning and authenticity. The acceptance or rejection of an authority standing on tradition was more or less a question of belief. Naturally, the scope of differences, resting on beliefs and disbeliefs, was very wide. The training which an Islamic mind gets is a training in imperative commands. Therefore the Mullas were dogmatic and intolerant of other men's opinions. Moreover the Mullas of the court would not generally accept any versions and interpretations but their own, for fear of losing their prestige; they would discuss not in the spirit of a search after truth but in quest of victory. So, more often than not the discussions were characterised by bitterness on all sides. The Maulanas went so far as to use their hands when tongue and logic failed to decide the issue. The guardians of the Faith, Mukhdum-ul-Mulk Maulana Abdulla Sultanpuri and Sadr-us- Sudur Abdu-n Nabi, were the leaders in such discussions. And they assumed, by virtue of their position, almost an air of infallibility which was disgusting to many. What Akbar could least tolerate, was pride and conceit, and, most of all, pride of learning. Against the usual and dogmatic assertions of the Sadr and Mukhdum, Akbar used to set up learned scholars ' to break their pride.' Abul Fazl, brother of Faizi and son of Mubarak, had made his way into the court by presenting Ayat-ul-Kursi, a commentary on the Quran. He was chosen to refute the arguments of the Mullas ; Haji Ibrahim and Badauni also have been mentioned in the role of disputants against the Mullas on certain occasions. Q. No. 2 Read the passage given below and then answer the questions given at the end. (25)

Perhaps the central paradox of the religious life is that it seeks transcendence, a dimension of existence that goes beyond our mundane lives, but that human beings can only experience this transcendent reality in earthly, physical phenomena. People have sensed the divine in rocks, mountains, temple buildings, law codes, written texts, or in other men and women. We never experience transcendence directly: our ecstasy is always "earthed," enshrined in something or someone here below. Religious people are trained to look beneath the unpromising surface to find the sacred within it. They have to use their creative imaginations. Jean-Paul Sartre defined the imagination as the ability to think of what is not present. Human beings are religious creatures because they are imaginative; they are so constituted that they are compelled to search for hidden meaning and to achieve an ecstasy that makes them feel fully alive. Each tradition encourages the faithful to focus their attention on an earthly symbol that is peculiarly its own, and to teach themselves to see the divine in it. In Islam, Muslims have looked for God in history. Their sacred scripture, the Quran, gave them a historical mission. Their chief duty was to create a just community in which all members, even the most weak and vulnerable, were treated with absolute respect. The experience of building such a society and living in it would give them intimations of the divine, because they would be living in accordance with God's will. A Muslim had to redeem history, and that meant that state affairs were not a distraction from spirituality but the stuff of religion itself. The political well-being of the Muslim community was a matter of supreme importance. Like any religious ideal, it was almost impossibly difficult to implement in the flawed and tragic conditions of history, but after each failure Muslims had to get up and begin again.

Islam: A Short History by Karen Armstrong Questions

1. Explain the meanings of the expressions given below 7 i. transcendence ii. mundane iii. ecstasy

iv. constituted v. compelled

vi. vulnerable vii. redeem

2. What is the paradox of religious life? 3 3. How have people sensed the transcendent reality? 3

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4. How are religious and imaginative experiences related? 3 5. What does the writer mean by “our ecstasy is always "earthed,"” 3 6. How have the Muslims looked for God in history? 3 7. What is the supreme task of a Muslim community? 3

Q. No. 3 Write a comprehensive note (250-300) words on any one of the following. 20

1. The better part of valour is discretion 2. Civilized dissent is necessary for social progress. 3. Ignorance is bliss, knowledge worry 4. If winter comes, can spring be far behind. 5. What we-call progress is largely delusory.

Q. No. 4 (A) Change the narration of any 5 of the sentences given below. 5

1. She said to me, “Don't worry about a few mistakes. I make mistakes all the time.” 2. I said to her, “Do you learn from mistakes? Or do youkeep making the same ones?” 3. The man said, “Could I have a look at your paper for a moment?” 4. just want to see the football results. 5. My brother said to me, “I haven't quite finished it. Could you wait a minute?” 6. The man said to the bus driver, “I can't wait long. I'm getting off at the next stop.” 7. She said, “Hurrah! I've passed the first exam.” 8. I said to her, “Congratulations! And good luck with the second.” 9. When we said to him, “ Many happy returns of the day!”, he said,” Thanks.” 10. Mother said to me, “You woke everyone up last night. You must try to be quieter tonight.”

(B) Correct the mistakes in any 5 of the sentences given below. 10

1. His wisdom consisted of his handling the dangerous situation successfully 2. Many a students were appearing in the examination. 3. I drove fastly on the motorway. 4. Smoking is injurious for health. 5. He availed of this situation very intelligently. 6. What to speak of meat, even vegetables are not available now. 7. No sooner we left our home when it started raining. 8. Little money I had I spent on the way. 9. The criminal was sent on the goal. 10. He said that the earth went round the sun.

Q. No. 5 (A) Use in sentences any 5 of the expressions given below. 10

1. To fall back on something, 2. To fall through, 3. On right earnest, 4. Vested interests, 5. To draw the long bow 6. To discover a mare's nest 7. A skeleton in the cupboard 8. To bring grist to the mill 9. Swan song 10. Put one’s foot down

(B) Use in sentences any five of the following pairs of words. 5 1. Consciousness, conscientiousness 2. Ingenious, ingenuous 3. Fantastic, fanatical 4. Honourable, honorary 5. Politician, statesman.