English For Today Classes Nine and Ten - Reading from English Literature - Vocabulary | Free Course

Chapter: Reading from English Literature

📚 Vocabulary

English For Today Classes Nine and Ten

⭐ Most Important Exam Words

wonderfancyinterpretsummarisenurturefeaturecloudeddevotiondanktidemistdrownedgipsycaravanhastenqueerharnessobligationmillinerfestoonsornamentchemistdisheartenedworn-outfollypracticalmerchantmerchandiseluxuriousducatmoneylenderbondpenaltymercyrighteousnessdisguiseclaimdefeated

📃 Word Formation Rules

► Add -ful to nouns to form adjectives: wonder → wonderful, beauty → beautiful.

► Add -less to nouns to form adjectives meaning without: use → useless, hope → hopeless.

► Add -ness to adjectives to form abstract nouns: kind → kindness, righteous → righteousness.

► Add -ment to verbs to form nouns: achieve → achievement, agree → agreement.

► Add -tion or -sion to verbs to form nouns: express → expression, interpret → interpretation.

► Use the negative prefix dis- to form opposites: hearten → dishearten, honest → dishonest.

► Use the negative prefix im- before words beginning with m or p: practical → impractical, possible → impossible.

► Use the prefix un- to form common opposites: known → unknown, usual → unusual.

► Use -ly to form adverbs from adjectives: quick → quickly, happy → happily.

► Compound nouns combine two words: money + lender → moneylender, flower + pot → flowerpot.

1. Books and Literary Appreciation (8 words)

wonder[/ˈwʌndə(r)/]nouneasy

Meaning: বিস্ময়

Alt: আশ্চর্যজনক বিষয়

Example: Books fill our minds with wonder.

Syn: amazementAnt: boredom

💡 Exam tip: Wonder is usually a noun; wonderful is its adjective form.

fancy[/ˈfænsi/]nounmedium

Meaning: কল্পনা

Alt: অভিলাষ; পছন্দ

Example: New people rise in our fancy when we read books.

Syn: imaginationAnt: reality

💡 Exam tip: In the poem, fancy means imagination, not luxury.

melt away[/melt əˈweɪ/]verbmedium

Meaning: মিলিয়ে যাওয়া

Alt: ক্রমে অদৃশ্য হওয়া

Example: The room seems to melt away when a child reads a good book.

Syn: disappearAnt: appear

💡 Exam tip: This is a phrasal verb; use melts away with a singular subject.

chosen[/ˈtʃəʊzn/]adjeasy

Meaning: নির্বাচিত

Alt: পছন্দ করা

Example: A character in a story may become our chosen friend.

Syn: selectedAnt: rejected

💡 Exam tip: Chosen is the past participle of choose.

unlock[/ʌnˈlɒk/]verbeasy

Meaning: খুলে দেওয়া

Alt: গোপন বিষয় প্রকাশ করা

Example: A book can unlock a child’s imagination.

Syn: openAnt: lock

💡 Exam tip: Use unlock figuratively with knowledge, imagination, or potential.

aesthetic[/iːsˈθetɪk/]adjhard

Meaning: নান্দনিক

Alt: সৌন্দর্যসম্পর্কিত

Example: Literature develops aesthetic feelings in students.

Syn: artisticAnt: ugly

💡 Exam tip: Aesthetic is commonly used in questions about beauty and art.

interpret[/ɪnˈtɜːprɪt/]verbmedium

Meaning: ব্যাখ্যা করা

Alt: অর্থ বিশ্লেষণ করা

Example: Students should interpret the central idea of a poem.

Syn: explainAnt: misinterpret

💡 Exam tip: Interpretation is the noun form.

summarise[/ˈsʌməraɪz/]verbeasy

Meaning: সারসংক্ষেপ করা

Alt: সংক্ষেপে বলা

Example: We should summarise the story in our own words.

Syn: abridgeAnt: expand

💡 Exam tip: A summary contains the main points, not every detail.

2. Two Mothers Remembered (8 words)

nurture[/ˈnɜːtʃə(r)/]verbmedium

Meaning: লালন-পালন করা

Alt: বিকশিত হতে সাহায্য করা

Example: A mother nurtures her child with love and care.

Syn: raiseAnt: neglect

💡 Exam tip: Nurture may be used as both a verb and a noun.

launch[/lɔːntʃ/]verbmedium

Meaning: জীবনের পথে এগিয়ে দেওয়া

Alt: উদ্বোধন করা; চালু করা

Example: Her mother nurtured her and launched her career.

Syn: initiateAnt: halt

💡 Exam tip: In this poem, launch is used metaphorically.

feature[/ˈfiːtʃə(r)/]nouneasy

Meaning: মুখাবয়বের বৈশিষ্ট্য

Alt: প্রধান গুণ বা দিক

Example: The daughter bears her mother’s features.

Syn: characteristicAnt: insignificance

💡 Exam tip: Features may refer to facial parts or important qualities.

expression[/ɪkˈspreʃn/]nouneasy

Meaning: অভিব্যক্তি

Alt: প্রকাশভঙ্গি

Example: She has the same facial expressions as her mother.

Syn: lookAnt: concealment

💡 Exam tip: Facial expression means the look on someone’s face.

clouded[/ˈklaʊdɪd/]adjmedium

Meaning: অস্পষ্ট; বিভ্রান্ত

Alt: মেঘাচ্ছন্ন

Example: The old mother’s mind became clouded with age.

Syn: confusedAnt: clear

💡 Exam tip: Clouded mind indicates loss of mental clarity.

stranger[/ˈstreɪndʒə(r)/]nouneasy

Meaning: অপরিচিত ব্যক্তি

Alt: অচেনা মানুষ

Example: The illness made the mother seem like a stranger.

Syn: unknown personAnt: familiar

💡 Exam tip: Stranger can also be the comparative form of strange.

strength[/streŋθ/]nouneasy

Meaning: শক্তি

Alt: সামর্থ্য; দৃঢ়তা

Example: The daughter became her mother’s strength.

Syn: powerAnt: weakness

💡 Exam tip: Remember the spelling and pronunciation of strength.

devotion[/dɪˈvəʊʃn/]nounmedium

Meaning: ভক্তি; নিষ্ঠা

Alt: গভীর ভালোবাসা

Example: Children should show devotion to their mothers.

Syn: dedicationAnt: disloyalty

💡 Exam tip: Devoted is the adjective form and devote is the verb form.

3. The Sands of Dee and Time (8 words)

dank[/dæŋk/]adjhard

Meaning: স্যাঁতসেঁতে

Alt: আর্দ্র ও ঠান্ডা

Example: The western wind was wild and dank with foam.

Syn: dampAnt: dry

💡 Exam tip: Dank describes an unpleasantly damp atmosphere.

tide[/taɪd/]nounmedium

Meaning: জোয়ার-ভাটা

Alt: সমুদ্রের পানির ওঠানামা

Example: The western tide crept up along the sand.

Syn: currentAnt: ebb

💡 Exam tip: High tide means জোয়ার; low tide means ভাটা.

mist[/mɪst/]nouneasy

Meaning: কুয়াশা

Alt: জলীয় বাষ্পের আবরণ

Example: The rolling mist hid the land.

Syn: fogAnt: clarity

💡 Exam tip: Mist is generally lighter than fog.

drowned[/draʊnd/]adjeasy

Meaning: ডুবে মৃত

Alt: পানিতে নিমজ্জিত

Example: The boatmen found the drowned maiden near the sea.

Syn: submergedAnt: saved

💡 Exam tip: Drowned is the past participle of drown.

grave[/ɡreɪv/]nouneasy

Meaning: কবর

Alt: সমাধি

Example: They carried Mary to her grave beside the sea.

Syn: tombAnt: birth

💡 Exam tip: Grave also means serious when used as an adjective.

gipsy[/ˈdʒɪpsi/]nounmedium

Meaning: যাযাবর ব্যক্তি

Alt: ভবঘুরে মানুষ

Example: The poet compares time to an old gipsy man.

Syn: wandererAnt: settler

💡 Exam tip: The poem uses gipsy as a metaphor for constantly moving time.

caravan[/ˈkærəvæn/]nounmedium

Meaning: ভ্রাম্যমাণ বাসস্থান

Alt: যাযাবরদের গাড়িবহর

Example: The gipsy man puts up his caravan for a short stay.

Syn: wagonAnt: house

💡 Exam tip: Put up a caravan means স্থাপন করা বা থামানো.

hasten[/ˈheɪsn/]verbeasy

Meaning: তাড়াতাড়ি চলে যাওয়া

Alt: দ্রুত করা

Example: The poet asks time why it hastens away.

Syn: hurryAnt: delay

💡 Exam tip: Hasten away means leave quickly.

4. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (8 words)

woods[/wʊdz/]nouneasy

Meaning: বনভূমি

Alt: জঙ্গল

Example: The poet stops to watch the woods fill with snow.

Syn: forestAnt: city

💡 Exam tip: Woods is usually used as a plural noun.

queer[/kwɪə(r)/]adjmedium

Meaning: অদ্ভুত

Alt: অস্বাভাবিক

Example: The horse thinks it queer to stop near the woods.

Syn: strangeAnt: usual

💡 Exam tip: Queer in this poem means strange, not its modern identity-related sense.

harness[/ˈhɑːnɪs/]nounmedium

Meaning: ঘোড়ার জিন ও সাজসরঞ্জাম

Alt: নিয়ন্ত্রণের সরঞ্জাম

Example: The horse gives its harness bells a shake.

Syn: tackAnt: freedom

💡 Exam tip: Harness bells are bells attached to a horse’s equipment.

frozen[/ˈfrəʊzn/]adjeasy

Meaning: জমাটবদ্ধ

Alt: বরফে পরিণত

Example: The woods lie between a frozen lake and the road.

Syn: icyAnt: melted

💡 Exam tip: Frozen is the past participle of freeze.

downy[/ˈdaʊni/]adjhard

Meaning: নরম ও তুলোর মতো

Alt: সূক্ষ্ম লোমযুক্ত

Example: The downy flakes fall softly in the evening.

Syn: softAnt: rough

💡 Exam tip: Downy describes the soft texture of snowflakes.

lovely[/ˈlʌvli/]adjeasy

Meaning: মনোরম

Alt: সুন্দর

Example: The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

Syn: beautifulAnt: ugly

💡 Exam tip: Lovely is an adjective formed from love plus the suffix -ly.

promise[/ˈprɒmɪs/]nouneasy

Meaning: প্রতিশ্রুতি

Alt: অঙ্গীকার

Example: The poet has promises to keep before sleeping.

Syn: commitmentAnt: refusal

💡 Exam tip: Keep a promise means প্রতিশ্রুতি রক্ষা করা.

obligation[/ˌɒblɪˈɡeɪʃn/]nounhard

Meaning: দায়িত্ব

Alt: বাধ্যবাধকতা

Example: His obligations prevent him from staying in the woods.

Syn: dutyAnt: choice

💡 Exam tip: Obligation is a formal synonym of duty or responsibility.

5. The Purple Jar (8 words)

milliner[/ˈmɪlɪnə(r)/]nounhard

Meaning: টুপি ও পোশাক-সামগ্রী বিক্রেতা

Alt: টুপি প্রস্তুতকারক

Example: Rosamond stopped at a milliner’s shop.

Syn: hat-makerAnt: customer

💡 Exam tip: A milliner’s shop sells hats and related fashion items.

festoons[/feˈstuːnz/]nounhard

Meaning: ঝালর বা মালার অলংকার

Alt: সাজসজ্জার ঝুলন্ত মালা

Example: The shop window was decorated with festoons of artificial flowers.

Syn: garlandsAnt: plainness

💡 Exam tip: Festoon may be used as both a noun and a verb.

ornament[/ˈɔːnəmənt/]nouneasy

Meaning: অলংকার

Alt: সজ্জার বস্তু

Example: The jeweller displayed many bright ornaments.

Syn: decorationAnt: plainness

💡 Exam tip: Ornament can refer to jewellery or decorative objects.

chemist[/ˈkemɪst/]nounmedium

Meaning: ঔষধ বিক্রেতা

Alt: রসায়নবিদ

Example: Rosamond saw colourful jars in a chemist’s shop.

Syn: druggistAnt: patient

💡 Exam tip: In British English, chemist often means a pharmacy.

disheartened[/dɪsˈhɑːtnd/]adjmedium

Meaning: হতাশ

Alt: উৎসাহহীন

Example: Rosamond became disheartened when her mother refused to buy things.

Syn: discouragedAnt: encouraged

💡 Exam tip: Disheartened is formed with the negative prefix dis-.

worn-out[/ˌwɔːn ˈaʊt/]adjeasy

Meaning: জীর্ণ

Alt: অতিরিক্ত ব্যবহারে ক্ষয়প্রাপ্ত

Example: Rosamond’s worn-out shoes caused her great pain.

Syn: damagedAnt: new

💡 Exam tip: Use a hyphen when worn-out comes before a noun.

folly[/ˈfɒli/]nounmedium

Meaning: মূর্খতা

Alt: অবিবেচনাপ্রসূত কাজ

Example: Rosamond cried for her folly after buying the jar.

Syn: foolishnessAnt: wisdom

💡 Exam tip: Folly is an uncountable noun meaning foolish behaviour.

practical[/ˈpræktɪkl/]adjeasy

Meaning: বাস্তবজ্ঞানসম্পন্ন

Alt: ব্যবহারিক

Example: Rosamond’s mother was practical and considered the use of each object.

Syn: sensibleAnt: impractical

💡 Exam tip: Practical describes a person or decision based on usefulness.

6. A Pound of Flesh and The Trial (12 words)

merchant[/ˈmɜːtʃənt/]nouneasy

Meaning: ব্যবসায়ী

Alt: বণিক

Example: Antonio was a rich merchant of Venice.

Syn: traderAnt: buyer

💡 Exam tip: Merchant means a person engaged in buying and selling goods.

merchandise[/ˈmɜːtʃəndaɪz/]nounmedium

Meaning: বাণিজ্যিক পণ্য

Alt: বিক্রয়ের সামগ্রী

Example: Antonio’s ships carried merchandise to other countries.

Syn: goodsAnt: services

💡 Exam tip: Merchandise is generally an uncountable noun.

luxurious[/lʌɡˈʒʊəriəs/]adjeasy

Meaning: বিলাসবহুল

Alt: আড়ম্বরপূর্ণ

Example: Bassanio liked to live a luxurious life.

Syn: lavishAnt: simple

💡 Exam tip: Luxury is the noun and luxuriously is the adverb form.

ducat[/ˈdʌkət/]nounhard

Meaning: ভেনিসের প্রাচীন মুদ্রা

Alt: স্বর্ণমুদ্রা

Example: Bassanio asked Antonio for three thousand ducats.

Syn: coinAnt: debt

💡 Exam tip: A ducat was a currency used in Venice and other European regions.

moneylender[/ˈmʌnilendə(r)/]nouneasy

Meaning: মহাজন

Alt: সুদে টাকা ধারদাতা

Example: Antonio borrowed money from the moneylender Shylock.

Syn: lenderAnt: borrower

💡 Exam tip: Moneylender is a compound noun: money plus lender.

bond[/bɒnd/]nounmedium

Meaning: চুক্তিপত্র

Alt: আইনি অঙ্গীকারনামা

Example: Antonio signed a bond before receiving the money.

Syn: agreementAnt: breach

💡 Exam tip: In the story, bond means a legally binding written agreement.

penalty[/ˈpenəlti/]nouneasy

Meaning: দণ্ড

Alt: জরিমানা বা শাস্তি

Example: The bond imposed a severe penalty on Antonio.

Syn: punishmentAnt: reward

💡 Exam tip: Penalty often follows the preposition for: a penalty for failure.

mercy[/ˈmɜːsi/]nouneasy

Meaning: দয়া

Alt: ক্ষমাশীলতা

Example: Portia begged Shylock to show mercy.

Syn: compassionAnt: cruelty

💡 Exam tip: Mercy is a central theme of the trial scene.

righteousness[/ˈraɪtʃəsnəs/]nounhard

Meaning: ন্যায়পরায়ণতা

Alt: নৈতিক সঠিকতা

Example: Shylock praised the disguised Portia for her righteousness.

Syn: justiceAnt: wickedness

💡 Exam tip: Righteous is the adjective form; righteous judgment means ন্যায়সংগত বিচার.

disguise[/dɪsˈɡaɪz/]nounmedium

Meaning: ছদ্মবেশ

Alt: পরিচয় গোপনের পোশাক

Example: Portia entered the court in disguise.

Syn: masqueradeAnt: revelation

💡 Exam tip: Disguise is both a noun and a verb.

claim[/kleɪm/]verbeasy

Meaning: দাবি করা

Alt: অধিকার চাওয়া

Example: Shylock claimed his pound of flesh according to the bond.

Syn: demandAnt: surrender

💡 Exam tip: Claim may take an object directly: claim a right or claim compensation.

defeated[/dɪˈfiːtɪd/]adjeasy

Meaning: পরাজিত

Alt: ব্যর্থ ও হতাশ

Example: Shylock was defeated by Portia’s clever interpretation of the bond.

Syn: beatenAnt: victorious

💡 Exam tip: Defeat is the verb or noun; defeated is the adjective or past participle.

💡 Exam Tips

• Learn each word with its Bengali meaning, part of speech, synonym, and antonym.

• For poem questions, connect vocabulary with imagery, repetition, mood, and theme.

• Remember that dank, downy, queer, ducat, and righteousness are higher-difficulty words likely to test contextual meaning.

• Use worn-out before a noun, as in worn-out shoes; use worn out after a verb, as in the shoes are worn out.

• Differentiate practical from impractical, mercy from cruelty, and wisdom from folly.

• In The Purple Jar, focus on the contrast between emotional desire and practical necessity.

• In The Merchant of Venice, remember the sequence: loan, bond, failure to repay, trial, and Portia’s interpretation of the bond.

• For synonym questions, choose the meaning suitable for the sentence rather than a merely familiar synonym.

• Revise irregular forms: choose–chose–chosen, write–wrote–written, and drown–drowned–drowned.

• When writing examples in an examination, use the target word in a grammatically complete sentence.

English For Today Classes Nine and Ten - Reading from English Literature - Vocabulary

Chapter: Reading from English Literature

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