English - I

Word Formations (Parts of Speech)

• fortune (noun) $\to$ fortunate (adjective) (also: unfortunate)
• misery (noun) $\to$ miserably (adverb)
• expert (noun) $\to$ expert (adjective) (e.g., expert testimony, expert opinion)
• hazardous (adjective) $\to$ hazard (noun)

Mixed Conditional Sentences

a. Our firm would not be in debt today if we had listened to our accountant’s past warnings. (Past condition $\to$ Present result: Third Conditional if-clause + Second Conditional main clause).

b. If our parents hadn’t lent us money, we would not be living (or would not live) in our own flat now. (Past condition $\to$ Present continuous state result).

c. If you did not listen (or haven’t listened / don’t listen) just now, you will have trouble using the equipment later. (Recent past/present event condition $\to$ Future consequence).

d. I would be a lot better off this year if my last tax bill had not been so high. (Present state $\to$ Past condition: Second Conditional main clause + Third Conditional if-clause).

e. If I did not have to leave early tomorrow, he would come out tonight. (Future obligation condition $\to$ Present/future conditional result).

Comprehensive Model Solutions

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Part 1: Professional Character Reference Letter for Kumari Bank

Kumari Bank Limited Human Resources Department Central Office, Durbarmarg, Kathmandu, Nepal

Date: 24 May 2024

Subject: Character Reference for Mr. Rohan Shrestha (Applicant for Trainee Assistant)

Dear Hiring Committee,

It is a privilege to write this character reference on behalf of Mr. Rohan Shrestha, who has applied for the position of Trainee Assistant at Kumari Bank Limited. I have known Rohan personally and academically for over four years, having studied alongside him during our Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program at Tribhuvan University, as well as collaborating with him on various student council initiatives.

Throughout our academic career, Rohan has consistently distinguished himself by his unimpeachable integrity, high ethical standards, and conscientious work ethic. In coursework involving financial accounting, business statistics, and banking operations, he showed exceptional numerical accuracy and analytical problem-solving abilities. During our final-year capstone project, Rohan acted as group treasurer, managing research funds with meticulous accuracy and absolute transparency.

Beyond his technical and scholastic abilities, Rohan possesses outstanding interpersonal strengths. He is an empathetic listener, communicates clearly under stressful deadlines, and works effectively in diverse team environments. His polite deportment and customer-centric mindset make him exceptionally suited for retail banking operations and client relationship management. Furthermore, he is punctual, dependable, and always eager to learn and adapt to organizational protocols.

I have no doubt that Rohan Shrestha possesses the character, reliability, and capability required of a banking professional. I recommend him for the Trainee Assistant position at Kumari Bank without reservation. Please do not hesitate to contact me if any additional information is required.

Yours sincerely,

(Signature) Bikash Adhikari Senior Research Fellow & BBA Alumnus, Tribhuvan University Phone: +977-9841234567 | Email: [email protected]

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Part 2: Orwell’s Encounter with the Elephant and the True Nature of Imperialism

In his classic essay Shooting an Elephant, George Orwell recounts his experiences as a sub-divisional police officer in Moulmein, Lower Burma, using his fatal encounter with a working elephant in musth to lay bare the inner contradictions and corrupting essence of colonial imperialism:

1. The Colonizer as a Helpless Puppet

• Orwell realizes that despite holding legal authority and a powerful rifle, he is not free. When an expectant crowd of more than two thousand Burmese locals gathers behind him, watching his every move, his autonomy vanishes:

  “I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.”

• The imperial master is reduced to a hollow, posturing actor bound to fulfill the expectations of the subjugated populace solely to preserve face.

2. The Compulsion to Avoid Humiliation

• Personally and professionally, Orwell knows the elephant is no longer dangerous, having passed its attack phase, and that killing it is an economic waste and moral atrocity.
• Yet, the overriding law of imperial rule is that the master cannot afford to appear hesitant, weak, or ridiculous. To avoid being laughed at by the colonial subjects, he is compelled to shoot the beast against his conscience.

3. Imperialism as an Agonizing, Inhumane Farce

• The slow, torturous death of the elephant—which collapses, groans, and bleeds profusely while Orwell fires shot after shot unable to extinguish its suffering—symbolizes the brutal, drawn-out destruction inflicted by imperial machinery upon conquered lands and innocent life.
• Through this encounter, Orwell proves that imperialism degrades both the colonized and the colonizer, hollowing out the moral soul of the oppressor.

Correct Word Choices

a. One of my colleagues gets to work by walking or cycling on alternate days. (Explanation: Alternate means every second day or every other day; alternative means another available choice or option).

b. At the monthly farmers’ market, they sell only locally grown produce. (Explanation: Produce (uncountable noun) refers specifically to fresh agricultural harvest such as fruits, vegetables, and crops; products generally refers to manufactured goods).

Past Simple vs. Present Perfect

a. I studied in Paris for six years until my parents moved to Rome. (Explanation: Past Simple is used because the action was completed in a finished past time period defined and bounded by the clause ‘until my parents moved’).

b. This is not the first time I have tasted shark meat. (Explanation: Present Perfect is required after experiential constructions such as ‘This is the first / second / not the first time...’).

Sentence Completions with Suitable Words

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 / disease / ailment, you should not take this medicine.