English I

When we look at the world through prosaic eyes, we see it as dull, ordinary and purely practical. We notice only facts, uses and routines, and miss the beauty, wonder and meaning in everyday things. Life seems flat and mechanical, whereas poetic vision makes the world fresh and full of delight.

When Snyder says "Our bodies are wild", he means that the human body is a natural, self-governing organism that works by its own instincts and processes (breathing, growing, healing, desiring) without our conscious control or social rules. Like wild nature, the body is free and cannot be fully tamed by civilisation, so freedom begins with accepting our own wild nature.

The central idea of "The Company Man" is the cost of excessive devotion to work and the company. The company man sacrifices his family, health and personal life for his career, and the story shows that such loyalty is rarely rewarded and leaves him empty and alone.

According to Barnum, a businessperson should be charitable because generosity builds goodwill and reputation. Helping others earns public trust and respect, which brings customers and, in the long run, prosperity. Charity is also a moral duty: those who succeed from society should give something back to it.

The speaker of "Lunatic" is impressive because of his courage, individuality and independent vision. He is not afraid to stand apart from the crowd or to be called mad for his beliefs and passion, and his determination, confidence and imaginative power make him admirable.

• responsive (verb): respond
• credible (noun): credibility
• hazard (adjective): hazardous
• deny (positive adverb): undeniably

"Vital" means absolutely necessary or essential to life or success (e.g., a vital decision for the company). "Trivial" means of very little importance or value (e.g., a trivial detail). The two are opposite in meaning: vital matters a great deal, trivial hardly matters at all.

(a) The film was so scary that my little brother had nightmares after watching it. ("So + adjective + that" shows result.)

(b) I like the idea of bungee jumping but I don't know if I'd be brave enough to do it. ("Adjective + enough + to-infinitive".)

(a) The young of today don't know how lucky they are! ("The young" means young people in general.)

(b) It's amazing how some elderly famous people don't look their age! ("Look their age" is the usual expression.)

(a) My physiotherapist says, "Your shoulder is responding well to treatment."

(b) The boss said to me, "You do not need to work over the weekend."

The poetic feature I like most in "Light My Lucky" is its use of irony and the language of advertising. The poem borrows the catchy, persuasive style of cigarette slogans, and by linking smoking with pleasure, attraction and good health it exposes how advertising sells false promises. The gap between the cheerful tone and the harmful reality gives the poem a sharp satirical effect.

I like this feature because it makes the reader think. Instead of lecturing against smoking, the poem lets the slogan-like voice reveal its own deceit, and the rhythmic, playful diction makes the criticism memorable. It also shows how everyday commercial language can shape our desires.

(a) promoted

(b) enquire

(c) interest

(d) desire

(e) trade

The central theme of "The Clock Tower" is the power of time and its effect on human life. The clock tower stands over the town as a constant symbol of time, order and authority, regulating everyone's lives while it remains indifferent to their hopes and sorrows. The story shows that time passes whatever we do, that all things change and decay, and that people must learn to use their time meaningfully and accept change and mortality.

In Plato's allegory, prisoners chained inside a cave see only shadows on the wall and take them for reality.

Inside the cave represents the world of the senses and of ordinary opinion, where people live in ignorance and illusion, believing that what they see and hear is the whole truth.

Outside the cave represents the real world of true knowledge, the world of Forms or ideas that can be grasped only by reason. The sun outside stands for the Form of the Good, the source of truth and understanding.

The prisoner's climb out of the cave is the soul's journey from ignorance to enlightenment through education and philosophy. The one who returns to free the others is the philosopher, who is often resisted or mocked by those who prefer their illusions.

(a) No sooner had the firemen extinguished one forest fire than another started.

(b) Never before had I been so petrified as when I did a parachute jump.

(c) I suspect that only much later from now will we find out the cause of the explosion.

(d) Little do we know at the moment where the ability to clone humans might lead.

(e) Under no circumstances are passengers permitted to smoke on the flight.

(a) stroke

(b) draw

(c) out

(d) with

(e) no

(a) We wouldn't know as much about the universe as we do now if scientists had not invented the telescope centuries ago.

(b) If email hadn't been invented, we would still be relying on letters and faxes today.

(c) If we haven't discovered intelligent life on other planets by now, we will probably keep searching for many more years.

(d) I'd be a lot better off today if I had saved more money when I was younger.

(e) Venice wouldn't have become such a popular tourist destination if it were not so beautiful and unique.

Lekhnath Poudel's poem "The Parrot in the Cage" (Pinjadako Suga) is an allegory in which the caged parrot stands for the Nepali people living under the autocratic Rana regime. Through the parrot's condition the poem reveals the political atmosphere of that period.

1. Lack of freedom. The parrot is confined in a cage and cannot fly, just as ordinary Nepalis had no freedom of movement, speech, thought or expression. The cage symbolises the oppressive system that restricted every aspect of life.

2. Tyranny and suppression. The Ranas held power hereditarily and ruled by force. Any voice of protest could be punished, so people lived in fear and silence. The parrot is made to repeat what its keeper wants, reflecting how people were forced to obey and flatter their rulers.

3. Exploitation and inequality. The owner keeps the parrot for his own pleasure and entertainment, as the ruling family enjoyed luxury at the expense of the people, who had no share in power or wealth.

4. Absence of education and rights. Under the Ranas, education was discouraged and people were kept ignorant to make them easier to control. The parrot's trained, mechanical speech suggests a people denied real knowledge and independent voice.

5. Longing for liberty. The parrot misses the open sky, the forest and its companions, and this longing expresses the yearning of the people for freedom and for the end of the regime. The poem therefore also carries a quiet hope and call for change.

In sum, the poem shows an atmosphere of fear, repression, inequality and silence, and uses the symbol of the parrot to criticise the Rana rule indirectly while expressing the national desire for liberty.

Character Reference

Kathmandu [Date]

The Principal Scholars International Academy Kathmandu

Subject: Character reference for Ms. Ritika Mishra

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am pleased to write this reference for Ms. Ritika Mishra, who has applied for the post of English Teacher at your academy. I have known her for over six years as a friend and former classmate, and I have had many opportunities to observe her character and abilities closely.

Ritika has an excellent command of the English language, both written and spoken. She reads widely, writes with clarity and expresses her ideas confidently. She also explains difficult points patiently and simply, which I have seen when she helped fellow students and tutored younger children in her neighbourhood. Her warmth and enthusiasm make learning enjoyable.

She is honest, punctual, responsible and hardworking. She completes every task she takes on carefully and on time, and she remains calm and respectful under pressure. She works well with others, takes feedback positively, and is always willing to learn new teaching methods and technologies. Her creativity and her caring attitude toward students would make her an asset to your institution.

I am confident that Ritika would be a dedicated and effective teacher, and I recommend her without reservation. Please contact me if you need any further information.

Yours sincerely,

[Name] [Address and contact number]

In "Living Like Weasels", Annie Dillard looks at a wild weasel. While walking at Hollins Pond, she comes face to face with it and the two stare into each other's eyes for a moment that seems to stop time. The weasel then vanishes.

The question she asks. The encounter leads her to ask how we should live, and what it would be like to live as the weasel does: wholly in the present, by instinct, without thought or hesitation, and fully committed to its necessity.

The message. Dillard wants readers to learn from the wild: to live with a single-minded purpose, to "live in necessity and not by choice", to act on what we truly are rather than being paralysed by doubt, and to be fully attentive and alive to the moment. She suggests that we grab hold of what we love and "hold on", whatever happens, and that nature offers a model of a simpler, more authentic and more intense way of living than our overly calculated human lives.

Proposal: Presenting the Culture of the Hilly Region at the National Cultural Festival

To: The Organizer, Nepal Forum for Cultures From: [Name] Date: [Date]

Introduction

This proposal suggests the elements that should be included to present the culture of my region, the hills of Nepal, at the national cultural festival in Kathmandu, and explains why they would interest visitors.

Suggested elements

1. Traditional music and dance. Performances with the madal, sarangi and flute, along with folk dances such as Maruni and Jhyaure, with performers in traditional costume.
2. Local food stall. Dishes such as dhido with gundruk, sel roti, local millet drinks and seasonal fruits, prepared in the traditional way.
3. Handicrafts and clothing. Demonstrations of weaving, bamboo and cane work and handmade dhaka and traditional ornaments, with items for sale.
4. Rituals and festival displays. Short enactments of local festivals, weddings and harvest celebrations, explained to the audience.
5. Storytelling and folk songs. Elders sharing myths, legends and songs in the local language.
6. Photo and heritage exhibition. Pictures and artefacts showing village architecture, agriculture and way of life.

Why they are of special interest

• Music, dance and food attract and entertain visitors of all ages and give a direct, lively experience of our culture.
• Handicrafts show real skills and provide income to local artisans.
• Rituals and stories carry our history and values and help young urban visitors understand their roots.
• Together they promote cultural pride, understanding between communities and cultural tourism.

Conclusion

I believe these elements would make our region's participation vivid, educational and memorable, and I would be glad to help coordinate the artists, products and exhibits.

Yours sincerely, [Name]

(a) Communication issues: individual and team (both)

Individual level. Amit did not tell his manager about his discomfort and isolation; he kept quiet until he exploded. He also reacted emotionally, calling Simon a "racist pig" and threatening to sue, which was aggressive and unprofessional communication. He did not ask colleagues directly about the lunch aroma or the language problems either.

Team level. The team excluded Amit: clients avoided lunch with him, some were reluctant to help with project issues, and the group switched from cricket to rugby when he joined. Simon's joke was stereotyping. There was no open, inclusive communication culture, no feedback channel and no cross-cultural sensitivity. The manager and HR also communicated poorly with Amit, deciding swiftly without hearing his side.

So the problem is both individual (Amit's silence and outburst) and team/organisational (exclusion, stereotyping, and a lack of supportive channels).

(b) Barriers to effective communication

• Cultural barriers: differences in food, dress (the pink umbrella), sports interests and humour led to misunderstanding and stereotyping.
• Language/semantic barriers: accent and language difficulty made understanding slow.
• Psychological/emotional barriers: Amit's anger and feeling of being victimised, and the colleagues' prejudice and dislike.
• Attitudinal barriers (perception and bias): racial stereotyping and Simon's derogatory remark.
• Organisational barriers: no open-door policy or complaint mechanism; the manager was "kept in the dark", and HR decided without proper inquiry or empathy.
• Social/physical barriers: exclusion from lunch groups and informal conversation, and social distance.

(c) What I would do in Amit's place

• Raise the problems early and calmly with the manager or HR, describing specific incidents instead of keeping them inside.
• Talk openly to colleagues about my culture (for instance explaining my food) and ask politely how I could adjust, and build relationships through shared interests.
• Respond to Simon's remark calmly and firmly, saying it was offensive, and then report it formally with witnesses, instead of using abusive language.
• Seek mediation or file a formal complaint about discrimination if the behaviour continued.

This approach protects my dignity and my job and keeps the case strong on its merits.

(d) What I would do as HR head

• Investigate fairly, listening to Amit, Simon, the manager and witnesses before deciding.
• Treat both faults seriously: discipline Simon for the racist, derogatory remark, and counsel Amit on his language rather than terminating him after six months.
• Give Amit a formal warning or counselling instead of dismissal, and allow him to continue the assignment.
• Introduce diversity and cross-cultural sensitivity training, an anti-discrimination policy and a confidential grievance channel, and train managers to notice exclusion.
• Hold team-building and inclusion activities and check in with Amit regularly.

This would be fair to both sides and would make the workplace inclusive and respectful, which also protects the company's reputation and avoids a legal case.

In the poem, desire is defined as a restless longing or yearning for something not yet possessed. It is a positive, driving force: the feeling that gives life energy, direction and movement, rather than being merely an absence or emptiness.

In Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl", the speaker is probably the girl's mother (or an older woman of the family) and the addressee is her young daughter. The speaker's constant instructions on how to cook, wash, behave and avoid becoming a "slut" show a mother passing on the expected rules for a woman's conduct.

In Blake's "The Fly", the speaker accidentally brushes away a fly with his hand and then realises he is like it. Both are small, mortal creatures whose lives are fragile and depend on chance: a "thoughtless hand" ended the fly's life as another chance may end his. Both dance, drink and sing until death, so human life is no more secure or important than an insect's.

In Jane Yolen's "The Hundredth Dove", the wedding does not take place because the king and Lady Columba cannot agree about freedom: the king wants to own and control, as with the caged doves, while Lady Columba values freedom and refuses to be possessed. The king's pride and his insistence on having his own way spoil the match, so the marriage is abandoned.

(a) requirements

(b) recognition

(a) Some people stay young at heart all their lives.

(b) Teenagers consider anyone over 30 to be as old as the hills.

"Imaging" means forming a picture or visual representation of something, either in the mind or by a device (for example medical imaging or imagining a scene). "Smuggling" means secretly and illegally bringing goods or people into or out of a country, avoiding customs and law. One concerns creating a picture or image; the other is an illegal act of transport.

• fortune (adjective): fortunate
• misery (adverb): miserably
• expert (adjective): expert (same form, e.g. "expert advice")
• hazardous (noun): hazard

(a) world ("have the world at your feet")

(b) ground ("a lot of ground to make up")

Metonymy is a figure of speech in which something is represented by a closely associated thing. In "Light My Lucky" the cigarette (the Lucky) is made to stand for the lifestyle that advertising attaches to it. Advertisers associate smoking with sexual attractiveness, energy, youth and good health, so lighting a cigarette becomes a sign of being attractive, happy and healthy.

The association is suggested rather than true: the images of beauty, romance and fitness in the advertisement are linked with the product by repeated suggestion, not by fact. The poem exposes this by letting the slogan-like voice say what the advertisement implies. This ironic contrast between the promised sex and good health and the real harm of smoking makes the point that the advertising is manipulative.

In "The Rights of Animals" the writer argues that animals have moral rights and answers the three common defences of using them.

Hunting. Against the claim that hunting is sport, tradition or population control, he argues that killing a sentient creature for pleasure is cruel and cannot justify the suffering and death caused. Animals can feel pain and fear, so the hunter's enjoyment does not outweigh the animal's interest in living.

Raising animals for food. Against the view that humans need meat and that animals are bred for this purpose, he says that factory farming causes great suffering and that humans can survive and stay healthy without meat. Convenience and taste do not justify confinement and slaughter. Reason and compassion should extend moral concern beyond our own species.

Laboratory experiments. Against the argument that testing saves human lives, he says that the benefits are often exaggerated, that alternatives exist, and that causing pain to unwilling subjects is wrong, just as we reject experimenting on humans who cannot consent. Using species membership alone to justify it is a form of prejudice, "speciesism".

Overall, he shows that each defence puts human convenience or benefit above animals' basic interest in avoiding suffering, and he argues that this is morally indefensible.

(a) Our firm wouldn't be in debt today if we had listened to our accountant's past warnings.

(b) If our parents hadn't lent us money, we wouldn't be living in our own flat now.

(c) If you aren't listening just now, you will have trouble using the equipment later.

(d) No verb is required in this sentence; it is already a correct mixed conditional: I would be a lot better off this year if my last tax bill hadn't been so high.

(e) If I didn't have to leave early tomorrow, he would come out tonight.

The main theme of Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave" is the journey from ignorance to knowledge, and the difference between appearance and reality. Prisoners chained in a cave see only shadows and think they are real; one who is freed climbs out, sees the real world and the sun, and understands the truth. When he returns and tries to enlighten the others, they resist and even threaten him.

The essay shows that most people live by senses and unexamined opinion, that true knowledge comes only through reason and education, and that enlightened people have a duty to guide others although the effort is difficult and often unwelcome.

(a) onlookers

(b) supporters

(c) viewers

(d) witnesses

(e) observer

(a) The thing you didn't tell me was that the grammar would be so difficult.

(b) The person who upset your mother was not me but you.

(c) The only place where you can get a gorilla suit for tomorrow's fancy dress party is a joke shop.

(d) My reason for leaving work early today is that I am holding a dinner party for twenty people tonight.

(e) What I am curious to know is who you went with to the disco last night.

In Strindberg's one-act play The Stronger, Mrs. X appears to be the more powerful of the two women, although the power is of a subtle kind.

Mrs. X controls the conversation. She is the only one who speaks. Miss Y answers only with silent gestures, looks and expressions. Mrs. X interprets her silence, fills it with words and decides the direction of the talk. In a conversation, the person who sets the agenda holds the advantage.

Mrs. X holds the marriage and the home. She is the lawful wife, she has the husband, the child and a secure social position. Miss Y, the unmarried actress, is lonely and has lost her former rival's husband. In the material and social sense, Mrs. X has won.

Mrs. X is aware of what she owes to Miss Y. She realises that her own taste, habits and even her husband's interests were shaped by Miss Y's influence. She states that she has taken Miss Y's place and kept her husband. By the end she claims victory: the "stronger" is the one who stays, and she stays.

Counter-view. Miss Y's silence can be seen as strength and self-control, and Mrs. X's long talk as nervousness and insecurity. Even so, since the play ends with Miss Y leaving defeated and Mrs. X in command, Mrs. X is the stronger and more powerful figure.

Birtamod-5, Jhapa 15 Magh 2080

The Manager Human Resource Department Kumari Bank Limited Kamaladi, Kathmandu

Subject: Character reference for Mr. Sujan Adhikari

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing in response to your request for a character reference for Mr. Sujan Adhikari, who has applied for the post of Trainee Assistant at your bank.

I have known Sujan for more than eight years. We were classmates at Birtamod Secondary School and later studied together in the BBA programme at a college in Kathmandu. We still work together on group projects and remain close friends, so I know him well both personally and academically.

Sujan is honest, disciplined and punctual. In all the years I have known him, he has never missed a deadline or neglected a responsibility given to him. He is polite and respectful towards teachers, seniors and juniors alike. He is good at working with others, listens carefully to different views, and stays calm under pressure. As the treasurer of our college management club, he handled the club's funds carefully and presented accurate accounts, which shows his integrity with money.

Academically, Sujan has been among the top students in accounting, finance and business mathematics. He is skilled in spreadsheets and accounting software and has good written and spoken English. He is also helpful and patient with customers, as I saw when he volunteered at a community savings cooperative during his holidays.

For these reasons, I believe Sujan is well suited to be a Trainee Assistant. He is trustworthy, hardworking, eager to learn, and capable of dealing courteously with customers. I am confident that he will be a valuable member of your team.

Please contact me if you need any further information.

Yours sincerely,

Rabin Karki Mobile: 98XXXXXXXX

In "Shooting an Elephant", George Orwell recounts how, as a young British police officer in Burma, he was called to deal with a rampaging elephant. The incident becomes his lens for understanding the real nature of imperialism.

1. The oppressor is also a prisoner. Orwell does not want to shoot the elephant. By the time he reaches it, the elephant's "must" (frenzy) has passed and it is peacefully grazing. However, a crowd of thousands of Burmese has followed him, expecting a show. He realises that he must shoot, not because it is right, but because he cannot appear foolish before the "natives". He writes that when the white man turns tyrant, "it is his own freedom that he destroys." The ruler must wear a mask and act a part, so he too is trapped by the system.

2. Imperial rule depends on prestige and image. Orwell sees that the white man's authority rests on keeping up an appearance of confidence and power. Laughter or doubt would break that image. Thus his action is driven by the fear of being laughed at, not by reason or morality.

3. Hatred and cruelty of the system. Before the incident Orwell is already hated by the Burmese, who jeer at him. He privately sympathises with them and hates the empire he serves, calling it an unbreakable tyranny, yet he also hates the "evil-spirited little beasts" who torment him. The incident reveals how imperialism poisons relationships on both sides.

4. Brutality and waste. The elephant's slow, painful death, which takes half an hour even after several bullets, symbolises the suffering that empire causes. The animal, like the colonised people, is a victim of a power it does not understand. The Burmese then argue over its meat, showing how poor and exploited they are.

5. Moral emptiness. Orwell is later relieved that the coolie killed by the elephant provided a legal excuse for the shooting. He admits he shot "solely to avoid looking a fool", exposing the hollowness of colonial justification.

Thus the encounter shows imperialism as an oppressive, theatrical and self-destructive system that dehumanises both ruler and ruled.

In her essay "Beauty", Susan Sontag argues that the idea of beauty has been unfairly attached to women, and that this has harmed them. Her wish for a way "of saving beauty from women, and for them" has two parts.

Saving beauty from women. Society has made beauty almost exclusively a female concern. Women are expected to be beautiful, judged by their looks and trained to see their appearance as their main worth. This makes beauty a duty and a trap, since it links women with vanity, superficiality and dependence. Sontag notes that beauty is treated as a woman's special quality while men are valued for action, intelligence and achievement. So the notion of beauty has been narrowed to a feminine and trivial one, and has become a form of social control. Beauty needs to be freed from this narrow association and restored as a general human value that applies to men, to nature, art and character.

Saving beauty for women. At the same time, Sontag does not want women to give up beauty. Beauty is a genuine source of pleasure, admiration and moral and aesthetic value, and rejecting it because it has been misused would be a loss. Women should be able to enjoy and cultivate beauty and be admired for it, without being reduced to it.

Meaning. She wants beauty separated from the double standard that makes it a weapon against women, while keeping it as a positive ideal. Women should be able to claim beauty on their own terms, as one among many qualities, along with intelligence, courage and strength of character. Sontag thus calls for a broader and more equal idea of beauty and a society in which women are valued as whole persons.

Green Business: Responsibility to Society and Nature

In recent years, "green business" has become a key subject of discussion among managers and policymakers. At a recent seminar on the topic, three strategies were discussed by which companies can act responsibly towards society and the environment: reducing environmental impact through efficient use of resources and clean production, caring for employees and local communities, and transparent and ethical governance. Each is valuable, but I would like to emphasise the first two as the most important means of reaching long-term business objectives.

The first strategy, reducing environmental impact, is essential because nature supplies the raw materials, water and energy on which every business depends. By saving energy, recycling waste, using renewable power and cutting pollution, a company lowers its costs and protects the resources it needs for the future. For example, a Nepali cement or brick factory that adopts cleaner kilns reduces air pollution, reduces fuel bills and avoids penalties. Moreover, customers are increasingly choosing eco-friendly products, so green practice builds brand value and opens new markets.

The second strategy, responsibility towards employees and the community, is just as important. A business operates in society and depends on its people, so it should offer fair wages, safe working conditions and training, and should support local education, health and employment. Satisfied employees are more productive and loyal, and a community that trusts a company supports it. Companies that invest in the places they operate in earn a "licence to operate" that no law alone can provide.

The third strategy, ethical and transparent governance, is also needed, because honest reporting and fair dealing give the other two strategies credibility. Without it, green claims can become mere advertising. However, it mainly supports the first two, which directly address nature and society, and so I place it after them.

In conclusion, protecting the environment and caring for people are the two strategies that best meet the objectives of sustainable business. They bring together profit, public goodwill and long-term survival. Businesses that adopt them will benefit themselves, society and future generations alike.

(a) Reading improved Sarah's vocabulary, grammar and understanding of punctuation and sentence structure, which strengthened her writing. It also helped her grasp complex concepts in class more easily. As a result, her grades improved from average and she became more interested in her studies.

(b) Reading exposed Sarah to different perspectives and cultures. She learned about the struggles and triumphs of people from diverse backgrounds, which helped her understand and relate to her peers. This empathy showed in her dealings with teachers and classmates, making her more considerate and compassionate and helping her form stronger relationships.

(c) As Sarah read various genres, she began to analyse and evaluate the information in the books instead of merely accepting it. This habit of questioning and judging ideas carried over to her studies, so she could think critically about her subjects. Reading therefore trained her mind to analyse, compare and reason.

(d) Sarah set aside time every day for reading, even when she did not feel like it, and this built discipline and perseverance. She applied the same discipline to her studies by giving dedicated time to each subject and keeping a consistent study routine, which helped her academic progress.

(a) feel (present simple after "if" in a real condition: "If you feel that I'm being unreasonable...").

(b) was smelling (past continuous, for an action in progress when another action, the bee sting, interrupted it).

(a) dependency: depend

(b) praise: praise (the noun and the verb have the same form)

(a) Protestors are threatening to bring down the government if their demands aren't met.

(b) Police broke up the demonstration by firing tear gas into the crowd.

(a) One of the Olympic gymnasts dislocated her shoulder in a fall and had to have it put back into place.

(b) If you suffer from a heart condition, you should not take this medicine.

(a) Tom can't (cannot) come to the phone at the moment, but I'll take a message if you like.

(b) A child genius, he could (or was able to) solve difficult fractions by the time he was three years old.

A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes one thing as if it were another, without using "like" or "as", in order to suggest a similarity between them. For example, "Time is a thief" implies that time steals away our life.

The central argument is that animals are sentient beings who can feel pain and suffer, so they deserve moral consideration and basic rights, and humans have no justification for treating them merely as means to human ends.

The poem "Here I Love You" by Pablo Neruda deals with love mixed with loneliness and longing. The speaker, isolated by the sea, thinks of his beloved, and the poem shows how love is fading and being overtaken by distance and absence, while the memory of her remains strong.

The moral of "The Hundredth Dove" is that freedom is more precious than possession, and that love and beauty cannot be won by force or ownership. The hundredth dove, which cannot be confined, shows that a free spirit will not be captured, and greed for total control brings only dissatisfaction.

In Strindberg's The Stronger, Mrs. X is the stronger. She talks throughout, controls the conversation and uses it to show that she has the husband, the home and the child, while Miss Y, who remains silent, is left lonely and defeated.

(a) I remember being very self-conscious about my appearance when I was young.

(b) If you want to achieve success in life, you need to be committed to everything you do.

(c) What's the matter Terry? He seems to be lost in a world of his own nowadays.

(d) Despite being understandably apprehensive about her interview, it went off very well.

(e) The team were excited at (or about) the thought of meeting their opponents in the Cup Final.

(a) practical: impractical (im- before p)

(b) suitable: unsuitable (un-)

(c) legal: illegal (il- before l)

(d) regular: irregular (ir- before r)

(e) honest: dishonest (dis-)

(a) Heavy rain caused a landslide after many trees on the hillside had been felled.

(b) Coal is a resource which is often uneconomical to mine nowadays.

(c) A severe famine in the south of the country left thousands starving.

(d) During the violent storm, a tornado was reported to have caused extensive damage to property in the city center.

(e) A disease like tuberculosis can be life-threatening.

In "The Clock Tower" the poet gives a fairly realistic and critical picture of society. The clock tower stands over the town, showing time for everyone, yet below it people live in poverty, inequality and routine hardship. Through concrete images of ordinary people, the poet exposes the gap between the rich and powerful and the poor, and the indifference of institutions to human suffering.

The poet is largely successful because the images are drawn from everyday life, the tone is ironic rather than sentimental, and the clock works as a symbol of time passing and of unchanged social order. The picture is, however, selective: it stresses injustice and decay and gives little space to positive aspects of society. Overall, the poem is a convincing and moving portrait of social reality.

In "Lunatic" (Pagal), Laxmi Prasad Devkota shows that a society which values convention, wealth and conformity often calls its truest and most sensitive people mad. The "lunatic" speaker is a free-thinking visionary who sees the hypocrisy, greed and narrowness around him, while the "sane" majority follow empty customs and material gain.

The poem's message is that real wisdom and humanity may lie with those labelled insane. Devkota criticises Nepali society's rigid norms, social injustice and neglect of creativity and compassion. He urges readers to question the standards of normality, respect individual freedom and imagination, and value love and truth over social status.

In "Girl", Jamaica Kincaid presents a mother's stream of instructions to her daughter on how to behave: how to cook, wash, sew, iron, walk, speak and "not to become a slut". These traditional gender roles confine the girl to the home and to serving others, and they conflict with modern ideas of equality, freedom and women's rights in several ways.

• Equality. The instructions prepare the girl only for domestic work, for pleasing a man and for respectability, while no similar duties are set for boys. Women's labour is assumed, not valued.
• Freedom. Almost every line tells her what to do and what to avoid, so she has no room for choice, ambition or self-expression. Her only reply, "but what if the baker won't let me feel the bread?", is quickly overruled.
• Rights and dignity. Women's worth is tied to reputation and sexual conduct, and social judgment ("the kind of woman who the baker will not let near the bread") controls her body and behaviour.
• Passing it on. The oppressive roles are handed down from mother to daughter, which keeps unequal expectations alive across generations.

The piece thus shows how traditional prescriptions limit girls' independence and block equal participation in society.

In "Professions for Women", Virginia Woolf describes the obstacles women have to overcome to become independent professionals, especially writers.

1. The Angel in the House. This ideal of the self-sacrificing, charming, pure and obedient woman haunts her. She whispers to women to flatter men, hide their opinions and put others first. Woolf says she had to kill this phantom, "or she would have killed me", before she could write honestly.
2. Taboo on women's bodily experience. The second obstacle, which she admits she has not solved, is that women cannot yet speak truthfully about their passions and bodies without being thought improper. Social convention limits what a woman may say.
3. Economic and legal barriers. Women had to earn money (her "five hundred pounds") and fight for rooms of their own, education and entry to professions that men controlled.
4. Prejudice and unequal opportunity. Women are held to be inferior, and are expected to prove themselves harder, while many professions are still closed to them.

Woolf concludes that the path is still full of obstacles that women must break through for true professional independence.

Animal Management Crisis in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is a fast-growing city where people and animals share crowded streets, and the management of stray dogs, cattle, monkeys and other animals has become a serious urban problem. The issue affects public health, safety and the environment, and it needs urgent attention from both the government and citizens.

The first major problem is the large number of stray dogs. They bite people, spread rabies, bark through the night and tear open garbage. Hospitals report many dog-bite cases each year, and the municipality's sterilisation and vaccination programmes are too small to control the growing population. Stray cattle and goats also roam the roads, causing traffic jams and accidents, while monkeys at religious sites such as Swayambhu harass visitors.

The causes of the crisis are poor waste management, unplanned urbanisation and weak enforcement. Open garbage provides food for strays, people abandon unwanted pets, and the lack of shelters, rules on pet registration and proper funding leaves authorities unable to cope. Religious beliefs and sympathy also lead people to feed animals without caring for their health.

Several solutions are possible. The city should expand mass sterilisation and vaccination, set up shelters and adoption programmes, require pet registration and fine owners who abandon animals. Better garbage collection will remove the food supply, and cattle owners should be made to keep animals off the streets. Awareness campaigns can encourage citizens to adopt animals responsibly and to treat them humanely.

In conclusion, the animal management crisis in Kathmandu reflects wider failures of planning and governance. With coordinated action by the municipality, animal welfare groups and the public, the city can protect both its people and its animals and become cleaner and safer.

Kathmandu 18 May 2026

The Marketing Officer Rijal and Company Putalisadak, Kathmandu

Subject: Application for the post of Communication Officer

Dear Sir or Madam,

With reference to your advertisement in the Nayapatrika National Daily dated 02 Jestha 2083, I wish to apply for the vacant post of Communication Officer at your company.

I hold a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Tribhuvan University and have two years of experience in public relations and communication work. In my previous role I wrote press releases, managed social media pages, prepared newsletters and coordinated events with clients and the media. I am fluent in Nepali and English, write clearly, and am skilled in MS Office and design and social media tools. I work well in a team, meet deadlines and enjoy dealing with people.

I believe my skills and enthusiasm would help strengthen Rijal and Company's image and its communication with customers and partners. My resume and copies of my certificates are enclosed.

I would be grateful for an opportunity to meet you for an interview at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Anil Thapa Mobile: 98XXXXXXXX Email: anil.thapa@example.com

Enclosures: resume, certificates, citizenship copy

"The Parrot in the Cage" is a symbolic work in which the caged parrot stands for the Nepali people under the Rana regime (1846 to 1951). The parrot is kept in a cage by a master, fed, talked to and shown off, but has no freedom. This corresponds closely to Nepali society of that time.

1. Loss of freedom. Just as the parrot cannot fly, the people lived under a hereditary autocracy with no political rights, no freedom of speech and no freedom of movement. The cage is the Rana system itself.

2. Master and servant. The owner treats the parrot as a possession and a pet, reflecting how the Rana rulers saw citizens as subjects to be used for their pleasure and comfort.

3. Forced imitation. The parrot repeats the words it is taught and cannot express its own thoughts, as the people were allowed only to praise the rulers and could not voice their own views.

4. Denial of education and awareness. Ordinary people were kept ignorant, without schools or knowledge, so that they could not question their condition.

5. Longing for freedom. The bird's desire to escape suggests the growing wish for liberty that eventually led to the end of Rana rule in 1951.

Through this symbol the writer criticises oppression and invites readers to value freedom, awareness and dignity.

In "The Allegory of the Cave" (from The Republic), Plato uses allegory and dialogue to explain how people mistake appearances for reality and how education leads them to truth.

Allegory. Prisoners chained in a cave see only shadows on the wall and take them for reality. One prisoner is freed, painfully climbs out and sees the real world and the sun, and when he returns he is mocked. The story turns abstract ideas (ignorance, knowledge, the Form of the Good, the philosopher's duty) into a concrete picture. The shadows, the fire, the ascent and the sun each stand for a stage of understanding.

Dialogue. The ideas come through a conversation between Socrates and Glaucon. Socrates asks questions, Glaucon replies and agrees step by step, and the argument develops gradually. This makes the reader take part and shows the Socratic method of learning by questioning.

Strengths in education

• Makes difficult ideas vivid, memorable and easy to understand.
• Encourages critical thinking, as learners are led to find answers themselves.
• Promotes active participation and shows learning as a gradual, sometimes painful, journey.
• Suits learners of different levels because it works through images and everyday language.

Weaknesses

• An allegory can be interpreted in many ways and may be oversimplified or misread.
• Dialogue is slow, time-consuming and hard with large classes.
• Where the questioner leads the answers (Glaucon mostly just agrees), it can become one-sided, almost teacher-driven.
• It depends on the skill of the teacher and may not be suitable for factual or technical content.

Used with care, the two techniques make teaching engaging and reflective.

(a) Mind reading. Mind reading means assuming you know what the other person thinks or means without checking. Examples:

• Kritika says, "Not willing to be the traditional supportive wife, I assume", guessing what Kiran was going to say.
• Kritika tells Kiran, "What you said was I should move to Seattle and support whatever it is you want to do", and "you want me to be the trailing spouse so you can do what you please".
• Kiran says, "You're using that to manipulate me, as if I don't care about the marriage" and accuses her of thinking only about herself.

Impact: these assumptions put words in the other's mouth, so each feels misunderstood and attacked. Kiran protests "You're putting words in my mouth", the argument escalates and no real information is exchanged, so the problem is not solved.

(b) Defensive climate. Defensiveness is fostered by judgment and evaluation ("You're being incredibly selfish"), control ("you should move to Seattle", "you know I'm right"), certainty and closed-mindedness ("I've heard all I want to hear"), superiority, strategy and sarcasm (Kritika's sarcastic tone and "I suppose that's not important?") and blame. Also, "you" language and accusations, interrupting and non-verbal aggression (slamming the pot, the knife and the counter) make each person guard themselves and counterattack.

(c) Listening. Neither feels truly listened to. They interrupt, answer with accusations, and each repeats their own position (Kiran's career, Kritika's marriage). Kiran says Kritika is "putting words in my mouth", and Kritika declares she has "heard all I want to hear". Only at the end does Kiran try to listen, by offering to step back and look at the options "with a fresh eye", but Kritika rejects it. They are mainly in pseudo-listening and defensive-listening modes, not empathic listening.

(d) Relationship-level meanings. Yes. Beneath the content of the job offer lie unspoken questions about power and control (who decides), about commitment and priority ("what about our marriage?"), about identity and roles (the traditional wife versus being oneself), about fairness and mutual respect, and about whether each feels valued and secure. Kiran seeks autonomy and recognition while Kritika seeks assurance that the marriage matters. These are not addressed, which is why the argument about flights and rent never resolves.