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Form 3 English Examination Term 1 Question Paper

Form 3 English Examination Term 1

Course:English

Exam Year:2014

English
Functional Writing (20 marks)
Assume that you recently bought a wrist watch from Messrs Babcock and singer sports shop.
After a week the wrist watch malfunctions. Write a letter to Messrs Babcock and Singer, complaining that the watch bought from them does not keep good time. ( 20 marks)

Cloze test ( 10 marks)
Read the extract below and fill in the blanks with the most appropriate word.
Now, to survive in a household consisting---------------nine brothers (for it was not until four years-----------that another girl was born) required some skill, and Akoko perfected it. First and foremost, puny she might be, but she was physically fearless and------------take tumbles and-------------with a determined smile. Secondly-----------the unerring instinct of a child she sensed-----------father’s affection for her. That a man and a chief at that should even take notice---------a girl child was unusual; after all a son meant continuity and a girl would---------depart to go and ‘cook’ for some---------clan, but chief Odero found--------child irresistible.

Oral Skills ( 20 marks)
Read the following song and answer the questions which follow.
A GIKUYU LULLABY
Who has beaten Irungu in my presence,
May he enclose his home with thorny bushes
His home with thorny bushes
His home can not be popular
Urururu Irungu Irungu-i
Stop crying, Our Irungu
I’ve prepared fat and ointment for you
I’ll give you bananas and gruel.
Urururu Irungu-i

Questions
(i) What is the function of this Lullaby? (2 marks)
(ii) Identify and explain the characteristics of a Lullaby that are used in this song. ( 3 marks)
(iii) What do we learn of the Gikuyu society from this song? (3 marks)
(iv) Do you think Irungu was actually beaten? ( 2 marks)
(v) If you were to perform this song what three non-verbal cues would you incorporate to make it interesting? (3 marks)
B Underline the silent letters in the words below.( 5 marks)
(i) Doubtful
(ii) Handsome
(iii) Muscle
(iv) Pneumonia
(C ) It is your school’s Prize Giving Day celebration. All the students are seated in the hall.
As the guest of honour is giving his speech, you notice that your neighbor is not paying attention.
Explain three observation that suggest the student is not concentrating.( 3 marks)

Comprehension Passage
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
I soon learned, however, that life for a growing boy was not all play; at least, not for boys with parents like mine. Although my mother had never had the benefit of formal education herself, she was determined that I should be sent to school at earliest opportunity. My father, probably due to my mother’s persuasive power, was strongly in favor of this also. Even though I could often get round my father, I knew that once my mother’s mind had been made up, there was nothing I could do about it.

I found my first day at school so disappointing that I ran away, determined never to return. But my mother turned a deaf ear to my raging protests and quietly and determined dragged me by the arm every morning and deposited me in the schoolroom. Eventually I realized that I had lost the battle and decided that as I was going to be forced to stay there, I might as well get to like it and do what I could to learn something. To my surprise I soon found that I enjoyed my lesson and looked forward to going to school, even though we lived in fear and trembling of the teacher because of his firm and active belief in the old adage, “spare the rod and spoil the child.” I disliked being forced to do things against my will, for I had not been accustomed to it, and I used to think what a paradise school would be if we were left in Peace to do our studies without the presence of a master.

All the various grades were housed in one room and the master used to teach a class at a time. It must have been a hard job for him, and we did not do anything to ease his lot. Luckily I was keen on learning, so keen, in fact, that time amounted to three pence a month. Because of this, I began rearing chickens which I sold for 6d each. By this means I could not only help to meet my school fees, but I also had money for books as well. In addition, any fears about my father’s property were quite unfounded because I can never remember him denying any of us anything we asked, and he was particularly generous where I was concerned.

One thing in particularly stands out in my mind during my early school days, probably because it was my first lesson in discipline. We were not fond of the teacher because of his frequent use of the stick, often, we though, without just cause. One day we learned that an inspector was coming to the school and immediately saw our chance of getting our revenge on the master. We got together and decided to play truant for the whole day during the inspector’s visit. My one regret was that I was not able to see the expression on the inspector’s face of the teacher. It must certainly have caused him much embarrassment, but the following morning he got the last laugh, for as soon as we showed our faces, he was waiting for us with his stick. We were each stripped naked and given twenty-four lashes on our bare bottoms. This hurt so much that for the next three days, I was quite unable to sit enough that I had deserved it. And from that day I have always learned to accept punishment that I feel I have justly earned, however humiliating this may be.
(Quoted from Ghana by Kwame Nkrumah)
Questions

1. Of the writer’s parents, who was more determined to see him attend school? Give reasons for your answer. (3 marks)
2. “But my mother turned a deaf ear……”This means
(a) His mother was deaf in one ear
(b) His mother was determined not to pay attention
(c) His mother turned the writer’s deaf ear
(d) Both ears of the writer’s mother were deaf (1 mark)
3. “Eventually, I realized I had lost the battle….. “which battle is the writer referring to? ( 2 marks)
4. Why was the writer “Surprised” to find out that he soon enjoyed his going to school? ( 2 marks)
5. What two things did the writer detest about school? ( 2 marks)
6. The writer’s school had
(a) Many classrooms
(b) One classroom
(c) Two classrooms
(d) No classroom ( 1 mark)
7. In what ways did the writer contribute to his own schooling expenses? (2 marks)
8. The writer says he learnt one important lesson in discipline at this school.
Which one of these was it? (1 mark)
(a) The teacher should “spare the rod and spoil the child”
(b) That children must be whipped to death if they committed a crime
(c) That one should accept punishment if is justly earned
(d) That children should take revenge if they are punished by the teacher
9. How would you describe the attitude of the writer towards
(a) His parents
(b) His teacher( 4 marks)
10. The writer says that the teacher “got the last laugh”. Explain what he means ( 2 marks)

Grammar ( 20 marks)
Complete each blank space in the sentences below with the best alternative from the following. ( 5 marks)
Some, a few, little, any, few, a little.
i) a) Although the fire was very fierce…………items were salvaged from the burning shop.
b) Since the politician is very unpopular………….people listen to him
c) If there are…………presents for me, I would like to open them now.
d) Have………….tea, please.
e) As the droughts worsened, our cow produced………..milk.

ii) (Fill in the blanks with an appropriate noun formed from the words in brackets.) ( 6 marks)
a) The judges had nothing but…………..for our school’s performance this year. (admire)
b) The price was agreed upon without any………….(argue)
c) Kamau wants to work as an…………..after his secondary Education. (account)
d) If you are gender sensitive when you will be a fair………….(employ)
iii) Rewrite each of the following sentences according to instructions given after each.
Do not change the meaning.
a) She forbids the boys to throw stones (Write in the past tense)
b) Her daughters were not very clever. They worked hard and passed the examination. (Join into one sentence using the words ‘in spite of’)
c) These books belong to the daughters of our headteacher. (Begin: These are……………)
d) If you work hard now you will pass your examination. ( Use: Unless’)
e) The students cleaned all the classrooms early in the morning. ( Begin: All the classrooms………)
Complete the chart with either the feminine or Masculine of the nouns given. ( 5 marks)
Feminine.............Masculine
Nun................
................... Bachelor
.....................Hero
Actress.............

Question 6 Compulsory Set text ( 10 marks)
Identify and describe the main character in either (i) “ The River and the Source” by Margret A Ogola or
ii) “ The Caucasion Chalk Circle” by Bertolt Brecht

Form 3 English Examination Term 1 Question Paper

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