English Comprehension (Eng101)

Fall 2020
Assignment No. 1
Total Marks: 20
Lectures: 23-32

Instructions:

 Upload your assignments in a proper format, i.e. MS word file. Corrupt files will be awarded
zero marks.
 The assignments should be zoomed in at 100%.
 Please avoid plagiarism; plagiarized work will be marked zero.
 After the due date, the assignments submitted via email would not be entertained.
 Please avoid submitting copied assignments; otherwise, such a case would be referred to the
discipline committee.
 The font color should be preferably black and font size 12 Times New Roman.

Q1. One vital concept of reading comprehension is to evaluate texts. Two passages have
been given to evaluate the writer’s intention regarding running on a treadmill. Read the
passages carefully and answer the multiple choice questions given below.
(2*5=10 Marks)

Passage (1)
The treadmill began to whir, and I gripped its handlebars as the belt started moving me
backwards. All I could do now was run -- or begrudgingly barrel forward -- toward an outdated
screen that showed me the terrain I was supposed to be running on. It was made of red squares
stacked up, one on top of another: the higher stacks were supposed to be steep hills, and the
lower ones, valleys. I tried to picture them as burning coals to see if that would make me speed
up or at least feel like this exercise was somehow connected to nature -- even one of its cruel
parts.

Passage (2)
The treadmill began to whir, and my heart sped up faster than the belt could go. Instead of
pressing "select" on my remote control to escape into a TV show, I had just selected "Power
Run." A sleek screen with a simple set of red lines showed me the terrain on which I was
running. Those red lines looked like a pulse, and they got me to run farther and faster than I
could ever run when I'm outside, worried about weather, cars, or other people. It may not have
looked like I was going anywhere that night, but I had just broken out of a ten-year slump.
1. How would you describe this author's attitude towards the treadmill in Passage 1?

a) Positive
b) Negative
c) Neutral
d) Formal

2. How would you describe this author's attitude towards the treadmill in Passage 2?

a) Positive
b) Negative
c) Neutral
d) Formal

3. In passage 1, imagination of the author, “the red squares as burning coals” shows that:

a) It is pleasant.
b) It is normal.
c) It does not sound pleasant.
d) It is weird.

4. In passage 2, "heart sped up faster than the belt could" shows:

a) Intensity
b) Anger
c) Motivation
d) Confusion

5. In passage 2, “they got me to run farther and faster than I could ever run when I'm
outside” shows:

a) The desire of running faster

b) The speed of the author
c) Benefits of running inside
d) Drawbacks of running on the treadmill

Q2. Humans need visual and lingual components in order to feel compelled towards
something and descriptive writing is one of them. In fact, it is an art which gives
individuals a chance to use their aesthetic sense and compose new ideas. Given below is a
picture and you have to describe it in 150-200 words. Your description should be
interesting, coherent, well composed, and grammatically perfect.

(10 Marks)