WBCHSE HS Persian key terms

Persian prose writing, as opposed to verse. In this paper it covers the prescribed prose lessons: their content, central idea, characters and the author's style of expression.

Persian poetry or verse. The paper tests the prescribed poems for meaning, theme, explanation of lines and recognition of poetic devices such as simile and metaphor.

The author or writer of a prose text. Questions ask you to name the writer of a prescribed lesson and to describe his manner of writing.

The poet who composed a prescribed poem. You should be able to identify the poet and connect the poem's theme with his period and style.

The theme or central idea of a lesson or poem, stated in one or two sentences. Examiners often ask for the main message rather than a summary of events.

A short summary of a passage in your own words. A good summary keeps the main points in order and leaves out examples and repetition.

Simile: comparing two things with a shared quality, usually with words like مانند or مثل. The comparison is explicit, so both things are named in the line.

Metaphor: using a word for something other than its literal meaning because of a resemblance, without naming the compared thing. The comparison stays hidden inside the image.

An indirect expression that hints at a meaning rather than stating it. The literal words are not the intended point; the reader must infer the implied sense.

An allusion: a brief hint at a well-known story, Qur'anic event or legend. Recognising the reference is necessary to explain the line fully.

The intended meaning of a line of poetry, as distinct from its literal wording. Explanation questions ask what the poet actually means by the verse.

Explaining a line or passage in expanded prose: giving the literal sense, then the deeper meaning, and noting any image or device used.

Translation. In this paper it means rendering a Persian passage into Bengali or English, or turning a Bengali or English sentence into correct Persian.

An idiom or set phrase whose meaning cannot be worked out from the single words. Idioms must be learned as whole units and translated by an equivalent expression.

A word or vocabulary item. Candidates are expected to know the meaning of prescribed words and to supply a Persian equivalent for a given Bengali or English word.

A synonym: a word with nearly the same meaning as another. Synonym questions test whether you can replace a word without changing the sense of the sentence.

An antonym: a word of opposite meaning. Antonym questions are common in the grammar section and require knowing the word's exact sense, not just its general area.

Grammar: the rules of Persian word formation and sentence structure. The paper tests morphology, syntax, verb forms and correct construction of sentences.

Morphology: how words are built from roots, prefixes and suffixes. It covers noun patterns, plurals, derived forms and the parts of a verb.

Syntax: how words combine into phrases and sentences, including word order and agreement. It explains why a subject, object and verb are placed as they are.

A verb: the word that carries the action or state and shows tense and person. Persian verbs agree with the subject in person and number.

The past tense. The simple past is built from the past stem plus personal endings; the past continuous and past perfect add further markers.

The present or imperfect tense. It is formed from the present stem plus personal endings and can express habitual action, present state or future intention.

The imperative: the verb form used for commands and requests. It is built from the present stem and takes endings that vary with whether the subject is singular or plural.

The passive voice, where the subject receives the action rather than doing it. In Persian it is commonly formed with the past participle plus a form of شدن.

The active voice, where the subject performs the action. It is the ordinary, unmarked form of the Persian verb and contrasts with the passive.

A sentence: a complete unit of meaning containing at least a subject and a predicate. Sentence-construction questions test whether the parts are correctly ordered and agreed.

The subject of a nominal sentence: the thing being described or identified. It normally stands first and is followed by the predicate.

The predicate of a nominal sentence: what is said about the subject. It usually follows the subject and agrees with it in number and gender where relevant.

The doer of a verb in a verbal sentence. In Persian the verb agrees with the subject in person and number, and the subject normally precedes the object.

The object of a verb: the thing affected by the action. A definite object is usually marked by the particle را, while an indefinite object is not.

The ezafe construction, linking two nouns so that the second specifies or belongs to the first. It is pronounced as a short -e and is central to Persian noun phrases.

A compound or combined expression, such as two words joined to make one unit of meaning. Recognising compounds helps both in translation and in explaining poetic phrases.

Handwriting or script. Composition answers are judged partly on legible Persian script and correct joining of letters, so practice writing full sentences by hand.

Composition: a short piece of guided writing in Persian on a familiar topic. It needs a clear opening, several connected sentences and a closing remark.

A letter. Letter-writing questions expect the standard Persian layout: greeting, opening inquiry about health, the body of the message, and a closing formula with the writer's name.

Reading comprehension: reading an unseen Persian passage and answering questions on its content, vocabulary and main idea. Answers should be taken from or based closely on the text.

The title of a lesson, poem or unseen passage. The title often signals the theme, so checking it first helps you predict what the text will be about.

A character in a prose lesson. Character questions ask what the person did, what qualities he showed, and what the story teaches through him.

Style: the characteristic way an author or poet writes, such as simple versus ornate diction, short versus long sentences, and use of imagery or quotation.