Get premium membership and access revision papers, questions with answers as well as video lessons.
Nandi Central District - English Paper 2 Question Paper
Nandi Central District - English Paper 2
Course:Secondary Level
Institution: Mock question papers
Exam Year:2010
Name………………………………………………………. Index No…………………/…….
School……………………………………………………… Date ………………………….…
Candidate’s Signature………………………
101/2
ENGLISH
(COMPREHENSION, LITERARY APPRICIATION AND GRAMMAR)
Paper 2
July / August
Time: 2 ½ Hours
NANDI CENTRAL DISTRICT JOINTS EVALUATION TEST- 2010
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E)
ENGLISH
Paper 2
July / August
Time: 2 ½ Hours
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
• Write your Name and Idex Number in spaces provided above.
• Sign and write the date of examination is spaces provided above
• Answer ALL the questions in this question paper.
• All your answers MUST be written in the spaces provided in this question paper.
This paper consists of 8 printed pages.
Candidates should check the question paper to ensure that all pages are printed as indicated and no questions are missing
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow: (20 marks)
The study of literature involves much more than just reading the prescribed literary text.
Literature is about life and so the study of it leads One to questions concerning what aspect of life the work is about. Further questions that should concern the student’s mind arc the reasons why the work was written, how it has been written, and how successfully it has fulfilled the writer’s intention. It is therefore, important that a student of literature reads a text intelligently for it is only then that he can identify the various important literary aspects of that text.
Studying literature is therefore as specialized as studying biology or any other subject
Retelling the story is only the initial stage in the. study of that story.
Analyzing the story critically is what studying that story really means. Generally, analysis starts from a search for the themes of the story.
This search is an attempt to relate the work to life. A story about a local
Those whose hard work transforms a village’s life style may actually have self-reliance as the key to rural development as its theme. The same story could be treating the theme of self determination or rural transformation.
This means that a story of the length of a novel can have as many themes as the author is able to knit neatly into it. A short story, however, is generally restricted to only one theme, though some writers are able to include two or even more themes.
When the question concerning why the author wrote the story has been answered, the student of literature next concerns himself with how it is told. This question leads the student to find out when, where and how the story begins. This is an important stage of the study because what happens during the story and at the end of it really depends on these initial activities. If. for instance, a story starts in a cowshed, moves to a classroom and ends at the reception desk of an institution, a student of literature should analyse this progression and ascertain how far it fits in with the general setting, characterization and events of that story. Any new events or characters that do not provide further insights into the unfolding situations already presented and developed, only serve to weaken the story. Another important aspect deserving students’ attention is the setting of a story. One wants to know not only how the story develops but also in what geographical, social or economic environment the events are taking place. A student of literature needs to find out some information on the time and place of the writing of the story.
This knowledge is invaluable as it provides insight into the relationships in the story, and the general way of the life depicted. For instance, a study of Elechi Amadi’s Sunset in Biafra can only be fully appreciated when the student is aware of the events of the civil war in Nigeria.
While reading a literary text, a student of literature should also identify the various characters,who may or may not resemble people familiar to the reader. They may be very strange, being peculiar to the environment and time but they are never so strange as to elude identification. In some cases, the reader may find himself empathising with a character, and, therefore, seeing the world of the text from that character’s point of view.
When analysing a text, questions that initially come to mind arise from a direct interpretation of that text. The meaning arrived at at this stage is normally one the author conveys to the reader directly which is known as the literal meaning. A closer analysis involves the student of literature in delving into what is generally referred to as the implied meanings. These arc meanings conveyed to the reader through indirect references. In order, therefore, to appreciate these implied meanings, one needs to have sound knowledge of the language the text is written in.
Appreciation of a text at this level obliges the student to not only analyse the speaker’s utterances but also the circumstances in which they are made and the overall impression created by them on the speaker’s audience. The general mood these utterances generate in their context needs to be identified and commented upon in the light of the text as a whole. If, for instance, a writer creates suspense by depicting a character withholding information eagerly awaited by another character,it is useful to analyse the contribution of that device to the understanding and enjoyment of the novel.
Attitudes are also generally suggested using carefully chosen vocabulary and sentence structure.
A writer may decide to convey to the reader a contemptuous attitude of a particular character to another by making the character use sarcastic statements and interjections in every conversation between them. At the same time the author himself can convey a similar attitude by using unfavourable nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs every time the character comes up in the story.
Situations of mockery or dramatic irony will generally be reserved for such a character.
Of course, not all readers will have the same reaction to a given text. A student is, infact,encouraged to develop his own opinion on a given text. To arrive at this, he is urged to read widely and familiarize himself with various works of criticism on the same text he is reading. The student, in this case, will generally find that critics use conventional literary terms frequently. He will also find that they assume that anyone reading their essays knows every term used. This assumption, therefore, obliges the student of literature to become familiar with common literary terms. Critics will, for instance, use terms like flashback, satire or protagonist and lack of sound knowledge of what these terms mean will make it difficult for the student to understand the argument. In his own analysis of texts, moreover, a student with sound knowledge of literary terms finds it easier to analyse literary texts than one who has to go into long-winded and vague explanations, descriptions and comparisons.
Finally, it is important to remember that studying literature is studying language in context. It is studying the way the author manipulates language that should concern the student of literature.
This, in effect, means that the student’s sensitive response to the vocabulary used, the grammar,paragraphing and textual Structure in the given story is as important as the knowledge of literary terminologies. Sound knowledge of the language of the text is, thus, at the root of all confident studies of literature.
a) What does the study of literature entail? (2mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….…………
………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
b) Why should one read a literary text intelligently? (2mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….…………
………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
c) From your reading of this passage, what do you think the term “theme” refers to ? (2mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….…………
………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
d) This search is an attempt to relate the work to life. (Add a question tag) (1mk)
………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
e) Explain why a student of literature needs to look for extra information on the setting of the text that he is analysing. (2mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….…………
………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
f) Explain the expression “seeing the world of the text from the characters point of view”.
(2mks)
………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
g) Identify one method a write may use to create suspense in a story. (1mk)
………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
h) In about 50 words, explain how the writer encourages a student to react to a given text.
(5mks)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
j) Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the passage.
(4mks)
(i) Initial
…………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
(ii) Progression
…………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
(iii) Ascertain
…………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
(iv) Conventional.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
2. Read the excerpt below and then answer the questions that follows.
“I shall take my father, for example, if you like. He is the head of the family. Suppose another man, Karanja or Njuguna for example, come in and we offer him hospitality. Suppose after a time he deposes my father and makes himself the head of the family with a right to control our property. Do you think he has any moral right to it? Do you, Waiyaki? And do you think I am bound by any consideration to obey him? And if conditions become intolerable, it lies with me to rebel, not only against him but also against all that is harsh, unfair and unjust. Take Siriana Mission for example, the men of God came peacefully. They were given a place. Now see what has happened. They have invited their brothers to come and take all the land. Our country is invaded. This Government Post behind Makuyu, is a plague in our midst. And this hut-tax He was exhausted. He looked around defiantly and yet sorrowfully. Then he began to breathe hard. He was becoming excited again. He waved his hands in the air and then gave a thud on the table. He let his eyes roll around as if he were speaking at a big political rally. Waiyaki had never seen Kinuthia like this before. And why should they, who had been educated at Siriana, be so vehement against it? It was just like his father, who had sent him to the Mission to which he had all his life objected. Perhaps life was a contradiction. Waiyaki felt something stir in him as he listened to Kinuthia. Perhaps Kinuthia was speaking for the sleeping hills, for the whole of Gikuyu country. Then he suppressed the feeling and thought of the new drive in education.
Perhaps this was the answer to a people’s longings and hopes. For a moment he became lost in his contemplation of education and the plans he had in mind
“Come, Waiyaki. Tell us about this new Kiama.”
It was Kamau who asked. Waiyaki lost his vision but he still watched the rain. This rain was a blessing; and the famine which people had feared would come if the drought had continued would now be averted. From the scoops flowed little narrow streams that ran through the grass. They mingled and flowed on to join the main stream, like a small river, like Honia Or like a flood. Only this one would end and Honia river would forever flow.
And the small river went down making a small murmuring sound, talking to itself or to the
ground. ‘‘Noah’s flood’ Waiyaki thought.
Kinuthia spoke.
“Yes. I think such a Kiama, to preserve the purity of our tribal customs and our way of life,should be formed now.”
Waiyaki had heard about this Kiama. He knew the drive came from Kabonyi. Waiyaki feared they would give him a place in the leadership of this Kiama, which was meant to embrace all the ridges. He did not feel enthusiastic about it. He wanted to concentrate on education. Perhaps the teaching of Livingstone, that education was of value and his boys should not concern themselves with what the government was doing or politics, had found a place in Waiyaki’s heart. It rained on, the downpour almost slashing the sun-scorched grass. What was it? And still it rained, with the little streams gathering and joining together. He saw what they were doing-Carrying away the soil.
Corroding, eating away the earth. Stealing the land.
And that was the cry, the cry on every ridge. Perhaps the sleeping lions would sleep no more, for they were all crying, crying for the soil. The earth was important to the tribe. That was why Kinuthia and others like him feared the encroachment of the white man. They feared what had happened in Kiambu, Nyeri and Murang’a. The new settlers at Siriana wore the same face. And Waiyaki was thinking, was Mugo wa Kibiro right? One day the white man would go. And for a time Waiyaki remembered his father and that prophecy.
a) Explain what happens just before this excerpt. (3mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
b) What ironical instance is brought out in paragraph two? (2mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
c) Identify and explain any two themes founds in the excerpt. (4mks)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
d) Make notes on Waiyaki’s greatest priority as brought out in the excerpt. ( 4mks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
e) Why are the people unwilling to accommodate the white man? (2mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
f) Explain the symbolic meaning of the song in the excerpt. (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
g) He did not feel enthusiastic about it. (Add a question tag) ( 1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
h) With illustrations from any other part of the story, explain the prophecy that Waiyaki
remembers. (2mks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(i) Describe Kinuthia’s character, as depicted in this excerpt. (4mks)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(j) Explain the meaning of the following expressions as used in the except. (2mks)
(i) a thud
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(ii) averted
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(iii) enthusiastic
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(iv) the encroachment of the white man
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Read the poem below and answer the question that follow.
MONANGAMBA.
On that big estate there is no rain
it’s the sweat of my brow that water’s the crops
On that big estate there is coffee ripe
and that cherry – redness
is drops of my blood turned sap.
The coffee will be roasted,
ground, and crushed,
will turn black, black with the colour of the contract labourer.
Black with the colour of the contract labourer!
Ask the birds that sing,
The streams in carefree wandering
And the high wind from inland:
Who gets up early? Who goes to toil?
Who is it that carries on the long road
The hammock or the bunch of kernels?
Rotten maize, rotten fish,
Ragged clothes, fifty shillings
Beating for biting back?
Who?
Who makes the millet grow
And the orange groves to flower?
Who?
Who gives the money for the boss to buy
cars, machinery, women
And Negro heads for motors?
And the birds that sing,
The streams in carefree wandering
and the high wind from inland
will answer.
Mongambee ee……
Ah! Let me at least climb the palm trees
Let me drink wine, palm wine
And fuddled by my drunkenness forget.
Mongambee ee……
Questions
a) Explain who Monagamba is (3mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
b) Identify two instances of repetition and explain their effectiveness. (4mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
c) State two problems that the persona experiences in the hands of his boss. (4mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
d) Describe the tone of this poem. (2mks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
e) Describe the character trait of the boss as depicted in the poem. (2mks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
f) Explain the meaning of the following lines as used in the poem . (3mks)
(i) It’s the sweat of my brow that waters the crop.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
(ii) that cherry – redness is drops of my blood turned sap.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(iii) Black with the colour of the contract labourer
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
g) How does the persona solve his problems? (2mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. GRAMMAR
a) Use the correct form of the words in the brackets. (2mks)
(i) The mediator made a break through between the_______________________parties (war)
(ii) The fans seemed to have_________________appetite for more hits (satiate)
b) Rewrite the following sentences as instructed . (4mks)
(i) “Shall we call the ambulance for you Mary,” they asked.
Rewrite in reported speech)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
(ii) Many people will continue suffering .
The anarchy is not stopped forthwith.
(combine the sentences beginning. Unless…….)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
(iii) If the tourists leave enmasse the economy will decline drastically.
(Begin should …)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
(iv) My father bought a _______________________+table (round, glass, huge, beautiful ) fill
the gap by rearranging the adjectives in the correct order
c) Use the most appropriate preposition to fill in the gap in each sentence. (2mks)
(i) The container was hosted________________________ place by crane.
(ii) Global communication was transformed _____________________________ the invention
of the internet.
d) Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb given in brackets. ( 3mks)
(i) A concerted effort from all skakeholders________________ for good parenting.(be)
(ii) The counsellors have ______________an extensive healing programme (began)
(iii) The tout _____________the luggage amid protests (fling)
e) Explain the difference in meaning of the following pair of sentences. (2mks)
(i) I only heard the news in brief.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
(ii) I only heard the news briefly.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
f) Correct the errors in the following sentences. (2mks)
(i) Sheila is more prettier than Susan.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(ii) When the snake heard my footsteps, it went away.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…...
End
More Question Papers
Popular Exams
Return to Question Papers