Question Paper Code: E3113
Anna University
B.E./B.Tech. DEGREE EXAMINATIONS, MAY/JUNE 2010
Regulations 2008
Second Semester
Common to all branches
HS2161 Technical English II
Anna University
B.E./B.Tech. DEGREE EXAMINATIONS, MAY/JUNE 2010
Regulations 2008
Second Semester
Common to all branches
HS2161 Technical English II
Subject Code : HS2161 /186202
Time: Three Hours
Maximum: 100 Marks
Answer ALL Questions
Part A - (10 x 2 = 20 Marks)
1. Match t he words i n Column A with their meanings i n Column B.
A(a) breeder B (i) energy
(b) harness (ii) not moving
© portable (iii) collect
(d) stagnant (iv) producer
(v) can be moved around
2. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions. (4 × 0.5 = 2)
The thorium reserves can be used ————— fast breeder reactors. A very small quantity ————— nuclear fuel produces energy that can otherwise be produced ————— vast quantities ————— conventional fuels like coal.
3. Write purpose statements for any TWO of t he following : (2 × 1 = 2)
(a) Cell phone
(b) Computer
© i-pod.
4. Fill in t he blanks i n t he following sentences with the appropriate tense forms of the verbs given in brackets : (4 × 0.5 = 2)
(a) I met him as he ————— (cross) t he road.
(b) The gardener ————— (work) i n t he garden since 8 o’clock.
© He called for the taxi after he ————— (finished) th e packing.
(d) Children normally ————— (respond) to praise and encouragement.
5. Fill in t he blanks with suitable forms of words given :
Noun Adjective Person concerned
(a) ———— Geological ————
(b) Chemistry ———— ————
© Environment ———— ————
(d) ———— industrial ————
6. Give t he numerical expressions for the following : (4 × 0.5 = 2)
e.g. : A motor bike weighing 150 kilograms – a 150 kg motor bike.
(a) a tank with a capacity of 250 liters
(b) a D.C. supply of 240 volts
© a lamp of a power of 60 watts
(d) a cricket match lasting three days.
7. Rewrite t he following sentence in reported speech : (2 × 1 = 2)
(a) The chairperson said, “The export projects have been the main cause for the drain on our funds”.
(b) The scientist observed “The test firings indicate th e accuracy of t he missile”.
8. Combine th e following pair of sentences to bring out t he cause a nd effect relationship : (2 × 1 = 2)
(a) The machine was not maintained properly. The accident occurred.
(b) There is an increase i n th e number of accidents. The traffic police do not check t he violation of rules.
9. Add suitable prefixes - sub, super, hyper, ultra, to the following words to match the meaning given against them : (4 × 0.5 = 2)
(a) ———– tension – abnormally high blood pressure.
(b) ———– violet – having wavelength beyond the violet end of t he spectrum.
© ———– zero – less than zero.
(d) ———– conductivity – t he property of having zero electrical resistance.
10. Write two instructions to prevent wastage of water in educational institutions.
Part B - (5 x 16 = 80 Marks)
11. Read t he passage and answer th e questions that follow it :
Let us take a brief look at t he planet on which we live. As earth hurtles through space at a speed of 70,000 miles per hour, it spins, as we all know, on its axis, which causes it to be flattened at t he Poles. Thus, if you were to stand at sea level at t he North or South Pole you would be 13 miles nearer the centre of t he earth than if you stood on t he Equator.
The earth i s made up of three major layers - a central core, probably metallic, some 4000 miles across, a surrounding layer of compressed rock, a nd to top it all a very thin skin of softer rock, only about 20 to 40 miles thick - that’s about as thin as t he skin of a n apple, talking i n relative terms.
The pressure on t he central core is unimaginable. It has been calculated that at the centre it is 60 million pounds to t he square inch, an d this at a temperature of perhaps 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The earth’s interior, therefore, would seem to be of liquid metal - and evidence for this is given by the behaviour of earthquakes.
When a n earthquake occurs, shock waves radiate from th e centre just as waves radiate outwards from t he point where a stone drops into a pond. And these waves pulsate through t he earth’s various layers. Some waves descend vertically a nd pass right through the earth, providing evidence for th e existence of t he core an d a n indication that it i s fluid rather than solid. Thus, with their sensitive instruments, t he scientists who study earthquakes, the seismologists, can in effect X-ray the earth.
Iceland is one of t he most active volcanic regions of the world. And it wa s to Iceland that Jules Verne sent the hero of his book ‘A Journey to t he centre of t he Earth’. This intrepid explorer clambered down the opening of an extinct volcano a nd followed its windings until he reached th e earth’s core. There he found great oceans, a nd continents with vegetation. This conception of a hollow earth we now know to be false. In t he 100 years since Jules Verne published his book, the science of vulcanology, as it is called, has made great strides. But even so t he deepest, man has yet penetrated is about 10,000 feet. This hole, t he Robinson Deep mine i n South Africa, barely scratches t he surface; so great is the heat at
10,000 feet that wer e it not for an elaborate air-conditioning system, t he miners working would be roasted. Oil borings down to 20,000 feet have shown that t he deeper they go, t he hotter it becomes.
The temperature of the earth at the centre is estimated to be anything between 3,000 a nd 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Some scientists believe that this tremendous heat i s caused by t he breaking-down of radio-active elements, which release large amounts of energy a nd compensate for the loss of heat from t he earth’s surface. If this theory i s correct, then we a re all living on top of a natural atomic powerhouse.
(A) Choose the responses which best reflects the meaning of t he text : (6 × 1 = 6)
(i) The outer layer of t he earth is compared to the skin of a n apple because
(a) it is only 20 to 45 miles thick
(b) it i s thin i n proportion to t he Earth’s mass
© it is relatively thin compared with the central core
(d) it is softer than other layers
(ii) Which of the following is not true?
It is thought that the interior of the Earth is not solid because
(a) there i s great pressure at the centre
(b) earthquake waves can move vertically
© t he outer layer i s made of rock
(d) the heat at the centre is too great
(iii) The Robinson Deep mine in South Africa is
(a) too deep to work in
(b) too hot to work in
© still i n use
(d) very close to t he surface
(iv) Since the publication of Jules Verne’s book it has been proved that
(a) t he centre of the earth is not hollow
(b) oil borings cannot go deeper than 20,000 feet
© t he earth is hot at t he centre because heat i s lost at t he surface
(d) the earth is in danger of exploding
(v) The behaviour of earthquake is the evidence to show that, (a) th e outer layer i s not semi-solid
(b) t he interior of the earth is not solid
© the interior layer consists of compressed rock
(d) earthquakes can be controlled
(vi) An elaborate air-conditioning system was indispensable in Robinson Deep Mine be- cause of the
(a) excessive internal pressure
(b) extreme cold condition © excessive internal heat (d) depth of the mine itself
(B) Decide whether the following statements are True or False : (6 × 1 = 6)
(i) If you stand at the Equator you will be closer to the centre of the Earth than if you stand at the Poles.
(ii) The shock waves from an earthquake cannot pass through the Earth’s centre core.
(iii) Jules Verne suggested that the Earth’s centre was hollow.
(iv) It is not known exactly how hot it is at the centre of the Earth.
(v) The earth travels through the space at a speed of 90,000 miles per hour. (vi) The earth is compared to a natural atomic power house.
© Choose the definition which best fits these words or phrases as they are used in the text : (4 × 1 = 4)
(i) in effect
(1) probably
(2) effectively
(3) actually
(4) accurately
(ii) intrepid
(1) daring
(2) foolish
(3) experienced
(4) curious
(iii) has made great strides
(1) caused a sensation
(2) been accepted by scientists
(3) developed immensely
(4) improved mining techniques
(iv) compensate for (1) prepare for (2) allow for
(3) make up for
(4) exchange for
12. (a) Write two paragraphs of 100 words each on the importance of forest resources and on th e measures that you would recommend to preserve forest resources. (16)
OR
12. (b) Write two paragraphs on t he following topic : (200 words)
“The merits a nd demerits of the best alternative source of energy for India.” (16)
13. (a) Write a letter to an Industry seeking for permission for a n Industrial Training. (16)
OR
13. (b) Imagine that you ar e t he class reprensentative. Draft a letter to Bharat Electronics Limited, Bangalore, seeking permission for a n Industrial visit by your class students. You may specify t he purpose of your visit, when you want to visit, your expectations etc in your letter. (16)
14. (a) Write a set of 8 instructions of t he following : (16)
“Giving first Aid to a victim of a road accident”.
OR
14. (b) Write a set of 8 instructions of t he following : (16)
“To maintain two-wheelers and four-wheelers in good working condition”.
15. (a) Rearrange the following jumbled sentences into a coherent paragraph : (16)
(i) When there is a language barrier, communication i s accomplished through sign lan- guage.
(ii) Body language transmits ideas a nd thoughts by certain actions.
(iii) Many of these symbols of whole words are very picturesque and exact an d can be used internationally.
(iv) Ever since humans inhabited t he earth, they have made use of various forms of com- munication.
(v) Other forms of nonlinguistic language can be found in Braille, signal flags, Morse code
a nd smoke signals
(vi) A nod signifies approval while shaking the head indicates a negative reaction.
(vii) Generally their expression of thoughts a nd feelings has been i n t he form of oral speech.
(viii) Nonetheless verbalization is t he most common form of communication.
OR
15. (b) Rearrange t he following jumbled sentences into a coherent paragraph : (16)
(i) In th e long term, certain chemicals i n tobacco smoke intensify t he damage i n the lung region.
(ii) But, giving up smoking progressively reduces such risks of lung cancer.
(iii) Consequently, the mucus remains an d starts accumulating i n t he lungs, making them liable to infection.
(iv) However, without any doubt it can be said that smoking i s injurious to health.
(v) The damage caused to the lungs an d respiratory passages inhibits the process that removes mucus an d dust particles.
(vi) There i s a n overwhelming statistical a nd experimental evidence to associate smoking with diseases like lung cancer and coronary heart attacks.
(vii) This, in turn, induces cancer in t he lung diseases.
(viii) Apart from early death from these two diseases, heavy smokers suffer from persistent coughs which damage th e lungs.
