The gypsies are a tribe of strange people. They do not have any fixed home, but wander about from place to place and live in tents. They were originally natives of India, but as they reached England from Egypt, the English took them for Egyptians. This is why they came to be called gypsies. They were believed to possess strange powers. They could tell your fortune by reading the palm of your hand. It was thought they stole little children to train them in their way of life. Whenever a child got lost, it was thought that it had been carried away by gypsies. So they were arrested and sent for trial. But this attitude towards the gypsies has gradually changed. ‘The English took them for Egyptians’ means

📘 যে পরীক্ষায় এসেছে: ২১তম বিসিএস প্রিলিমিনারি

ক) The English took them to the Egyptians
খ) The English considered them to be Egyptians
গ) The English were taken in by the Egyptians
ঘ) The English brought them as far as to Egypt

উত্তর ও ব্যাখ্যা দেখুন

✔ সঠিক উত্তর: খ) The English considered them to be Egyptians

ব্যাখ্যা:

✅ কেন সঠিক: ‘take somebody for something’ মানে কাউকে ভুল করে কিছু মনে করা। ‘The English took them for Egyptians’ = ইংরেজরা তাদের মিশরীয় বলে মনে করেছিল, অর্থাৎ considered them to be Egyptians।

❌ অন্য অপশন: ক) মিশরীয়দের কাছে নিয়ে যাওয়া; গ) be taken in = প্রতারিত হওয়া; ঘ) মিশর পর্যন্ত নিয়ে আসা — কোনোটিই phrase-টির অর্থ নয়।

💡 মনে রাখুন: take for = ভুল করে মনে করা; take in = ঠকানো; take after = চেহারায় মিল থাকা; take off = খুলে ফেলা বা উড্ডয়ন।

📖 শব্দার্থ:
take for = (ভুলবশত) মনে করা
consider = বিবেচনা করা, মনে করা
be taken in = প্রতারিত হওয়া

📌 জেনে রাখুন: Egyptian শব্দটি থেকেই ‘gypsy’ শব্দের উৎপত্তি — অনুচ্ছেদের ‘This is why they came to be called gypsies’ বাক্যে এটিই বলা হয়েছে।