Chapter: Sense of Self
📚 Vocabulary
English For Today Classes Nine and Ten
⭐ Most Important Exam Words
identitysegregatefascinatedstubbornnesscomplaintconsequencecaptivitymotionlessbennagenderdiscriminationdignityindependentmake ends meetrecurringfaithlessreproachvainlysordidploddingcontributeresponsibilityrelationshipinter-relatedsuppressionmourningempower
📃 Word Formation Rules
► Add -ness to an adjective to form an abstract noun: stubborn → stubbornness, motionless → motionlessness.
► Add -ity to certain adjectives to form nouns: responsible → responsibility, independent → independence, captive → captivity.
► Add -tion or -sion to verbs to form nouns: segregate → segregation, suppress → suppression, discriminate → discrimination.
► Add -less to a noun to mean without: faith → faithless, motion → motionless.
► Add -ful to a noun to mean full of: hope → hopeful, meaning → meaningful.
► Add -ly to an adjective to form an adverb: vain → vainly, independent → independently, recurring → recurrently.
► Use the prefix inter- to mean between or mutually: relate → interrelated.
► Use the prefix dis- to express separation, negation or opposition: connect → disconnect, empower → disempower.
► Use the prefix un- to form an opposite adjective: conventional → unconventional, successful → unsuccessful.
► Some words change part of speech without changing form: bully can be a noun or verb; harbour can be a noun or verb; hem can be a noun or verb.
1. Mr. Moti: People, Family and Identity (8 words)
identity[/aɪˈdentəti/]nounmedium
Meaning: পরিচয়
Alt: the qualities that make a person or group distinct
Example: Our cultural identity is shaped by language, history and traditions.
Syn: individualityAnt: anonymity
💡 Exam tip: Use identity for personal, social or cultural পরিচয়.
segregate[/ˈseɡrɪɡeɪt/]verbhard
Meaning: আলাদা করা
Alt: to separate people or things into different groups
Example: Poverty can segregate people in a society.
Syn: separate, divideAnt: unite, integrate
💡 Exam tip: Segregate means separate; segregation is the noun form.
fascinated[/ˈfæsɪneɪtɪd/]adjmedium
Meaning: মুগ্ধ বা আকৃষ্ট
Alt: extremely interested in something
Example: Ameen was fascinated by fighting and racing.
Syn: interested, captivatedAnt: bored, uninterested
💡 Exam tip: The preposition fascinated by is commonly used.
stubbornness[/ˈstʌbərnnəs/]nounmedium
Meaning: একগুঁয়েমি
Alt: the quality of refusing to change one’s mind
Example: His stubbornness prevented him from accepting good advice.
Syn: obstinacy, determinationAnt: flexibility, obedience
💡 Exam tip: Stubbornness is formed from stubborn plus -ness.
complaint[/kəmˈpleɪnt/]nouneasy
Meaning: অভিযোগ
Alt: a statement that something is wrong or unpleasant
Example: The neighbours brought a complaint against the boy.
Syn: grievance, protestAnt: praise, compliment
💡 Exam tip: Complaint is a noun; complain is the verb.
pardon[/ˈpɑːrdən/]verbeasy
Meaning: ক্ষমা করা
Alt: to forgive someone for a mistake or offence
Example: The mother asked the visitor to pardon her son.
Syn: forgive, excuseAnt: blame, punish
💡 Exam tip: Pardon can also be used as a polite request for repetition.
forlorn[/fəˈlɔːrn/]adjhard
Meaning: বিষণ্ণ ও নিঃসঙ্গ
Alt: sad because of loneliness or loss
Example: The forlorn rooster looked unhappy in captivity.
Syn: sad, desolateAnt: cheerful, hopeful
💡 Exam tip: Forlorn is a literary adjective often used for a lonely person or animal.
consequence[/ˈkɑːnsɪkwens/]nounmedium
Meaning: পরিণতি
Alt: a result of an action or event
Example: Every action has a consequence.
Syn: result, outcomeAnt: cause, origin
💡 Exam tip: The phrase face the consequences is useful in writing.
2. Mr. Moti: Rural Life and Actions (8 words)
coop[/kuːp/]nounmedium
Meaning: পাখির খোঁয়াড়
Alt: a small enclosure for keeping poultry
Example: Sonabhan opened the duck coop at sunrise.
Syn: pen, enclosure
💡 Exam tip: A coop is specifically associated with chickens or other poultry.
flock[/flɑːk/]nouneasy
Meaning: ঝাঁক বা পাল
Alt: a group of birds or animals
Example: A flock of ducks went towards the pond.
Syn: group, herd
💡 Exam tip: Use flock for birds and sheep; use herd mainly for cattle.
cockerel[/ˈkɑːkərəl/]nounmedium
Meaning: মোরগ
Alt: a young male chicken
Example: Ameen lifted his twelve-week-old cockerel.
Syn: rooster, young cockAnt: hen
💡 Exam tip: Cockerel is a British English term for a young rooster.
bazaar[/bəˈzɑːr/]nouneasy
Meaning: বাজার
Alt: a marketplace, especially in South Asia
Example: Ameen carried eggs and vegetables to the bazaar.
Syn: market, fair
💡 Exam tip: Bazaar is a useful culturally specific word in Bangladesh-related texts.
sheaf[/ʃiːf/]nounhard
Meaning: গুচ্ছ বা আঁটি
Alt: a bundle of similar items
Example: She prepared a sheaf of areca nuts for sale.
Syn: bundle, bunchAnt: individual
💡 Exam tip: The plural of sheaf is sheaves.
stubborn[/ˈstʌbərn/]adjeasy
Meaning: একগুঁয়ে
Alt: unwilling to change one’s decision or opinion
Example: The stubborn boy could not be stopped once he decided.
Syn: obstinate, headstrongAnt: yielding, flexible
💡 Exam tip: Do not confuse stubborn with strong; stubborn often has a negative sense.
captivity[/kæpˈtɪvəti/]nounhard
Meaning: বন্দিত্ব
Alt: the state of being kept as a prisoner or confined
Example: The bird’s captivity made Sonabhan feel sorry for it.
Syn: confinement, imprisonmentAnt: freedom, liberty
💡 Exam tip: Captivity comes from captive; use in the state of captivity.
motionless[/ˈmoʊʃənləs/]adjmedium
Meaning: নিশ্চল
Alt: not moving at all
Example: Sonabhan sat motionless with the basket in her lap.
Syn: still, staticAnt: moving, active
💡 Exam tip: The suffix -less means without, so motionless means without movement.
3. Girl: Domestic Work and Culture (8 words)
fritter[/ˈfrɪtər/]nounmedium
Meaning: তেলে ভাজা খাবার
Alt: a small piece of food fried in batter
Example: The mother taught her daughter to cook pumpkin fritters.
Syn: fried cake, pastry
💡 Exam tip: Pumpkin fritters are a cultural food reference in the story.
hem[/hem/]nounmedium
Meaning: কাপড়ের প্রান্ত ভাঁজ
Alt: the finished edge of a piece of cloth
Example: She learned how to hem a dress properly.
Syn: edge, border
💡 Exam tip: Hem can be both a noun and a verb.
crease[/kriːs/]nouneasy
Meaning: ভাঁজের দাগ
Alt: a line made by folding or pressing cloth or paper
Example: She ironed the shirt so that it had no crease.
Syn: fold, wrinkleAnt: smoothness
💡 Exam tip: The phrase without a crease means perfectly ironed.
harbour[/ˈhɑːrbər/]verbmedium
Meaning: আশ্রয় দেওয়া বা ধারণ করা
Alt: to provide shelter or secretly keep something
Example: The okra tree harbours red ants.
Syn: shelter, containAnt: expose, release
💡 Exam tip: Harbour can mean a port as a noun and shelter as a verb.
benna[/ˈbenə/]nounhard
Meaning: ক্যারিবীয় লোকগান
Alt: a type of improvised Caribbean song or dance music
Example: The mother warned the girl not to sing benna in Sunday school.
Syn: folk song, calypso-like song
💡 Exam tip: Benna indicates the Caribbean cultural background of the story.
slut[/slʌt/]nounhard
Meaning: অশালীন বা অনৈতিক নারী বোঝাতে অপমানজনক শব্দ
Alt: an offensive term for a woman considered sexually immoral
Example: The mother repeatedly warns her daughter not to become a slut.
Syn: immoral womanAnt: chaste woman
💡 Exam tip: This is an offensive word; explain its contextual and gender-related use carefully.
wharf-rat[/ˈwɔːrf ræt/]nounhard
Meaning: ঘাটে ঘোরাফেরা করা ছেলে
Alt: a derogatory term for a boy associated with a wharf
Example: The girl was told not to speak to wharf-rat boys.
Syn: street boy, harbour boy
💡 Exam tip: The hyphenated word carries a negative social connotation.
custom[/ˈkʌstəm/]nouneasy
Meaning: প্রথা বা রীতি
Alt: a traditional way of behaving in a society
Example: Every culture has customs related to food and dress.
Syn: tradition, practiceAnt: innovation, novelty
💡 Exam tip: Custom means an established social practice; customary is the adjective.
4. Girl: Gender, Behaviour and Life Skills (8 words)
gender[/ˈdʒendər/]nounmedium
Meaning: লিঙ্গভিত্তিক সামাজিক পরিচয়
Alt: social and cultural ideas about being male or female
Example: Gender influences the expectations placed on the girl.
Syn: sex, sexual identity
💡 Exam tip: Gender is mainly social and cultural, while biological sex refers to physical attributes.
discrimination[/dɪˌskrɪmɪˈneɪʃən/]nounhard
Meaning: বৈষম্য
Alt: unfair treatment based on identity or group
Example: Gender discrimination limits equal opportunities.
Syn: prejudice, inequalityAnt: equality, fairness
💡 Exam tip: Use gender discrimination in essays about unequal treatment.
attribute[/ˈætrɪbjuːt/]nounmedium
Meaning: বৈশিষ্ট্য
Alt: a quality or characteristic of a person or thing
Example: Patience is an important attribute of a good teacher.
Syn: quality, characteristicAnt: defect
💡 Exam tip: Attribute as a noun differs in pronunciation from attribute as a verb.
identity marker[/aɪˈdentəti ˈmɑːrkər/]nounhard
Meaning: পরিচয় নির্দেশক
Alt: a feature that shows who a person is
Example: Language can be an important identity marker.
Syn: sign, indicator
💡 Exam tip: Use this phrase for age, language, dress, religion or occupation.
dignity[/ˈdɪɡnəti/]nounmedium
Meaning: মর্যাদা
Alt: the quality of being worthy of respect
Example: Everyone should be treated with dignity.
Syn: honour, self-respectAnt: humiliation, disgrace
💡 Exam tip: The phrase human dignity is common in argumentative writing.
bully[/ˈbʊli/]verbeasy
Meaning: ভয় দেখানো বা অত্যাচার করা
Alt: to hurt or frighten someone who is weaker
Example: No one has the right to bully another person.
Syn: intimidate, harassAnt: protect, encourage
💡 Exam tip: Bully is also a noun for a person who repeatedly intimidates others.
independent[/ˌɪndɪˈpendənt/]adjmedium
Meaning: স্বাধীন
Alt: able to act or live without depending on others
Example: Education can help a girl become independent.
Syn: self-reliant, autonomousAnt: dependent, subordinate
💡 Exam tip: Independent takes the noun independence and adverb independently.
make ends meet[/meɪk endz miːt/]verbmedium
Meaning: আয়-ব্যয়ের ভারসাম্য রাখা
Alt: to manage to live within one’s income
Example: Many families work hard to make ends meet.
Syn: manage financially, get byAnt: overspend, waste
💡 Exam tip: This idiom is useful in paragraphs about poverty and family life.
5. O Me! O Life!: Poetry and Human Existence (8 words)
recurring[/rɪˈkɜːrɪŋ/]adjmedium
Meaning: বারবার ফিরে আসে এমন
Alt: happening repeatedly
Example: The poet asks about the recurring problems of life.
Syn: repeated, recurrentAnt: one-time, rare
💡 Exam tip: Recurring is formed from recur; note the double r in recurring.
faithless[/ˈfeɪθləs/]adjmedium
Meaning: বিশ্বাসহীন
Alt: lacking faith, loyalty or trust
Example: The poet refers to endless trains of the faithless.
Syn: disloyal, unbelievingAnt: faithful, loyal
💡 Exam tip: The suffix -less means without; faithless means without faith.
reproach[/rɪˈproʊtʃ/]verbhard
Meaning: তিরস্কার করা বা দোষারোপ করা
Alt: to express disapproval or disappointment
Example: The poet reproaches himself for his failures.
Syn: blame, criticiseAnt: praise, approve
💡 Exam tip: Reproach can be a verb or a noun meaning blame.
vainly[/ˈveɪnli/]advhard
Meaning: ব্যর্থভাবে
Alt: without success or useful result
Example: The eyes vainly crave the light.
Syn: fruitlessly, unsuccessfullyAnt: successfully, effectively
💡 Exam tip: Vainly comes from vain plus -ly; it does not mean proudly here.
sordid[/ˈsɔːrdɪd/]adjhard
Meaning: নীচ বা জীর্ণ
Alt: dirty, unpleasant or morally degraded
Example: The poet observes the sordid crowds around him.
Syn: degraded, filthyAnt: noble, clean
💡 Exam tip: In the poem, sordid suggests both physical unpleasantness and moral lowliness.
plodding[/ˈplɑːdɪŋ/]adjhard
Meaning: ধীর ও পরিশ্রমীভাবে চলমান
Alt: moving or working slowly and heavily
Example: The plodding crowds symbolize a dull and difficult life.
Syn: trudging, laboriousAnt: swift, energetic
💡 Exam tip: Plodding may describe slow movement or a monotonous activity.
identity[/aɪˈdentəti/]nounmedium
Meaning: অস্তিত্ব ও স্বাতন্ত্র্যের পরিচয়
Alt: the fact of being a particular person or self
Example: The answer says that life exists and identity exists.
Syn: selfhood, individualityAnt: nonexistence
💡 Exam tip: Connect identity with the central theme of the whole chapter.
contribute[/kənˈtrɪbjuːt/]verbeasy
Meaning: অবদান রাখা
Alt: to give or add something valuable
Example: Every person may contribute a verse to the powerful play of life.
Syn: add, participateAnt: withdraw, withhold
💡 Exam tip: Contribute is followed by to: contribute to society.
6. Exam-focused Synonyms, Antonyms and Word Forms (8 words)
responsibility[/rɪˌspɑːnsəˈbɪləti/]nounmedium
Meaning: দায়িত্ব
Alt: a duty or obligation to deal with something
Example: Citizens have a responsibility towards society and culture.
Syn: duty, obligationAnt: irresponsibility, neglect
💡 Exam tip: Responsible is the adjective; responsibly is the adverb.
relationship[/rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪp/]nouneasy
Meaning: সম্পর্ক
Alt: the connection between people or things
Example: Humans have a close relationship with the natural world.
Syn: connection, associationAnt: separation, disconnection
💡 Exam tip: Use relationship with people and relationship between things.
inter-related[/ˌɪntər rɪˈleɪtɪd/]adjmedium
Meaning: পারস্পরিকভাবে সম্পর্কিত
Alt: connected with and influencing one another
Example: Human beings and animals are inter-related.
Syn: connected, interconnectedAnt: unrelated, independent
💡 Exam tip: Inter-related is often written as interrelated.
suppression[/səˈpreʃən/]nounhard
Meaning: দমন
Alt: the act of preventing feelings or actions from being expressed
Example: The mother’s strict instructions cause emotional suppression.
Syn: restraint, controlAnt: expression, release
💡 Exam tip: Suppress is the verb; suppressed is the adjective or past participle.
confinement[/kənˈfaɪnmənt/]nounhard
Meaning: আবদ্ধতা
Alt: the state of being kept within limits or a place
Example: The rooster suffered in confinement.
Syn: captivity, restrictionAnt: freedom, liberation
💡 Exam tip: Confinement is a common synonym of captivity and imprisonment.
mourning[/ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/]nounmedium
Meaning: শোক পালন
Alt: the expression of sadness after someone’s death
Example: Sonabhan remained in mourning after losing Moti.
Syn: grief, sorrowAnt: joy, celebration
💡 Exam tip: Do not confuse mourning with morning; they are homophones.
conventional[/kənˈvenʃənəl/]adjmedium
Meaning: প্রচলিত
Alt: based on accepted customs or usual practices
Example: Conventional gender roles often limit people’s choices.
Syn: traditional, customaryAnt: unconventional, innovative
💡 Exam tip: The noun is convention and the adverb is conventionally.
empower[/ɪmˈpaʊər/]verbmedium
Meaning: ক্ষমতায়ন করা
Alt: to give someone confidence, authority or ability
Example: Education can empower girls and boys equally.
Syn: enable, strengthenAnt: weaken, disempower
💡 Exam tip: Empowerment is the noun form and is useful in social issue essays.
💡 Exam Tips
• Learn each word with its Bengali meaning, part of speech, synonym and antonym.
• For a synonym question, check the exact context because one word may have several meanings.
• Remember common collocations: fascinated by, responsibility towards, relationship with, contribute to and make ends meet.
• In paragraph writing, use chapter themes such as identity, gender discrimination, social responsibility and human dignity.
• Distinguish homophones such as morning and mourning, and words with related forms such as complaint and complain.
• When explaining benna, mention that it is a Caribbean cultural reference and a type of folk song.
• For poetry questions, explain contribute a verse symbolically as making a meaningful contribution to life.
• Use formal alternatives in exams: help → assist, blame → reproach, separate → segregate, sad → forlorn, freedom → liberty.
• Be careful with offensive or culturally marked words such as slut and wharf-rat; explain their contextual significance rather than using them casually.
• Revise word formation because suffixes such as -ness, -ity, -tion, -less and -ly frequently appear in grammar and vocabulary questions.