Get premium membership and access revision papers, questions with answers as well as video lessons.

Machakos County Kcse Trial And Practice Exam: English 2015 Question Paper

Machakos County Kcse Trial And Practice Exam: English 2015

Course:English

Exam Year:2015

MACHAKOS COUNTY KCSE TRIAL AND PRACTICE EXAM 2015
ENGLISH(comprehension,literary appreciation and grammar)
PAPER 2

1.COMPREHENSION
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow
Education is perhaps one of the greatest assets children can inherit from their parents.Indeed parents are known to incur huge debts to help their children get education.The drive to make these sacrifices and our population growth,have created a huge demand for education.
This demand is reciprocated by mismatched supply that is not focused on developing''''employable''''skills and the output is more jobless graduates into the already full market place.Ironically,whereas this is the scenario in emerging economies the world over,it is in the same economics that skilled workers are in high demand,according to human capital study done by PWC. Indeed emerging economies are no longer relying on cheap labour to fuel exports-driven economies,but rather fouls on skilled labour because their economic models have shifted to exporting value-added goods.The demand for workers capable of doing talent intensive jobs that require quality qualification is growing steadily.studies have shown that no country in the world can achieve major socio-economic transformation without the contribution of skilled man power.Kenya seems to be cognizant of this fact going by the massive budget allocation made in education each year.
There is a strong case of standardization and regulatory framework that will ensure delivery of high quality teaching and research whose end products are work-ready students.This is therefore a call to the government and the private sector to work hard in glove to address the prevailing challenges in higher education that impact the quality of graduates produced.
Lack of adequate resources,poor training infrastructure and facilities as well as an emphasis on ''''cramming''''-reproduction of class notes in the exam papers compromise the quality of education.The result has been a yawning gap between the quality of students released into the job market and the needs of the employers.
If we are able to turn our institutions of higher learning into factories of talent that is readily marketable locally and to other countries,human capital development would become a key economic driver in our country.The government needs to partner with all stakeholders and come up with ''''out of the box''''holistic policy interventions that make use of best practices in order to promote practical skills and make education more effective in the short and long term.This also calls for accrediting and streamlining the requirement of new and existing education should look beyond profits and priorities equipping of students with knowledge,skills and competencies that enhance their employ-ability both locally and internationally.While Kenya boasts of high literacy levels,it should now prioritize the development and implementation of a long -term growth strategy that focuses on quality,not quantity.
Questions
a)What has created a huge demand for education according to the passage?(2 marks)

b)what do the emerging economies rely on?and why?(3 marks)

c)Indeed,emerging economies are no longer relying on cheap labour. Add a question tag(1 mark)

d)What advise i s given to those investing in education(3 marks)

e)Why is there an emphasis on standardization in education(2 marks)

f)In a paragraph of not more than 40 words,summarize the reason why the Government and other sectors should partner in education(5 marks)

g)Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the passage(4 marks)
i)Employable skills

ii)cognisant

iii)reciprocated

iv)out of the box

2. THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE
Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow
ADZAK:(Sitting down)i accept.(sighing,the innkeeper hands him some money.Good.
Now the formalities are disposed of.This is a case of rape.
INNKEEPER:Your honour, i caught the fellow in the act. Ludovica was in the straw of the stable floor.
AZDAK:Quite right,the stable.Lovely horses!especially liked the little roan.
INNKEEPER:The first thing i did,of course,was to question Ludovica.On my son''''s behalf.
AZDAK:(Seriously)I said I especially liked the little roan.
INNKEEPER:(Coldly)Really?Ludovica confessed the stableman took her against her will.Take you vail off,Ludovica(she does so) Ludovica,you please the court. Tell us how it happened.
1.What happens before this excerpt (3 mks)

2.I accept''''Explain what is implied by this statement(2 marks)

3.''''Your honour. I caught the fellow in the act''''Identify and explain one theme that can be deducted from the statement(3 marks)

4.''''Ludovica you please the court-tell us how it happened.''''In note form,explain Ludovicas defense.(4 marks)
Rough copy

Fair copy

5.Using the exerpt,state and explain two character traits of Adzak and two of Ludovica(4marks)

6.Why do you think Adzak asks Ludovica to remove the veil in this excerpt.(2 marks)

7 .''''Sighing,the innkeeper hands him some money''''.Good,now the formalities are disposed off''''What turns out to be ironic about this statement?(3 marks)

8.''''I caught the fellow in the act''''Explain what this statement alludes to in the Bible(2 marks)

9.Give the meaning of the following words as used in the excerpt
i)roan

ii)stable

3.Read the poem given below and answer the questions that follow
THAT OTHER LIFE
(By Everett M Standa)
I have only faint memories
Memories of those days when all our joyful moment
In happiness,sorrow and dreams
Were so synchronized
That we were in spirit and flesh
One soul;

I have only faint memories
When we saw each other''''s image everywhere;
The friends,the relatives,
The gift of flowers,clothes and treats,
The evenings walks where we praised each other,
Like little children in love;
I remember the dreams about children
The friendly neighbours and relatives
The money,the farms and cows
All were the pleasures ahead in mind
Wishing for the day of final union
When the dreams will come true
On that day final union
We promised each other pleasures and care
And everything good under the sun
As a daily reminder that you and me were one forever

QUESTIONS
a)What does the day of the final union mean to the persona?(3 marks)

b)What faint memories does the persona have according to the poem(3 marks)

C)What is the persona''''s attitude towards their marriage?

d)Explain the following expressions as used in the poem
i)Happiness,sorrow and dreams were so synchronized(2 marks)

ii).........praised each other like children in love(2 marks)

iii)All were pleasures ahead in mind(2 marks)

d)Identify two aspects of style used in this poem and explain their effectiveness(4 marks)

f)What is the mood of the poem(2 marks)

4.GRAMMAR
a)Give the correct form of the word in brackets to complete each of the sentences below(3 marks)
1.After a long.................he won the tender(argue)
2.The ................................of the staff has been a matter of concern.(sober)
3.The world is tired of the ......................which man shows his fellow men.(apathetic)
b.Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions.Do not change the meaning.
1. Muli could have passed the examination. Muli was regularly absent from school.(Join into one sentence beginning:were it not........)

2.The teachers agreed to teach after signing an agreement with the government(begin:only....)

3.This is the boy.His father is a generous man.(join into one sentence using a relative pronoun)
C.Complete the following sentences by writing the correct tense in brackets in each case(3 marks)
1.The students...............assistance from the police after the attack(seek)
2.The visitors .........................us goodbye and left immediately(bid)
3.All the workers have been.......................their dues(pay)
d.complete the following sentences with a phrasal verbs starting with the word in brackets
1.She looked carefully at the document but couldn''t............what it meant(make)
2.The teacher couldn''t ................the students''''bad behavior(put)
3.Please.....................that all the chairs are in good condition(see)
4.The boy actually....................his father(take)
Rewrite the following sentences correction in the error without changing the meaning(2 marks)
1.The dog has broken it''s leg

2.Jane is the smaller of the five sisters.

Marking Scheme/Answers

MARKING SCHEME
COMPREHENSION, LITERARY APPRECIATION AND GRAMMAR
Paper 2
1. a) The drive for parents to make sacrifices like incurring huge debts to help their children get education and also our population growth. (1 mk each x 2 = 2 mks)
b) The emerging economies rely on skilled labour (1 mk) because their economic models have shifted to
exporting value - added goods. (2 mks)
c) are they? (1 mk)
d) Those investing in education should look beyond profits (1 mk)prioritize equipping of students with knowledge and competences (1 mk) to enhance students'' employability both locally and internationally (1 mk )
e) Standardization should be emphasized to ensure delivery of high quality training and research (1 mk) in order
to result in a work - ready students. (1 mk)
f) - In order to address the prevailing challenges in higher education like cramming lack of resources and
infrastructure.
- To come up with "out of the box" holistic policy interventions, to promote practical skills and make education more effective. : .
NB: must be in prose; if a list is given award 50% of the .total marks.

g) i) Employable skills - skills necessary for being successful in or keeping a job.
ii) Cognizant - having knowledge or being aware of.....
iii) Reciprocated - to exchange with others for mutual benefit.
iv) Out of the box- Non conformal or creative in thinking.
THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE MARKING SCHEME
1. A case is presented to court whereby an innkeeper is accusing his stableman of raping his daughter - in - law (the innkeepers Ludovica. (3 marks)
2. These are words used by Azdak as a way of soliciting for a bribe. It implies that he is ready and willing to be bribed. (2 marks)
3. The theme of moral decadence. The stable man was caught in the act with Ludovica despite the fact that Ludovica is another man''s wife.
4. She entered the stable to see the new foal / the stable man observed that it was hot that day. The stable man laid his
hand on her left breast I she resisted by telling him not to do that I The stableman continued handling her indecently / That provoked her anger I Before she realized his sinful intentions he got closer I it was all over when
her father - in - law came and accidentally trod on her I .
(Any 4 points I mark each)
1
5. Azdak
(i) Corrupt- He openly accept brides in court "I accept"
(ii) Persistent - he repeats the particularly liked the little roan. I persistently asks to be bribed with the little roan
(iii) Immoral- Tells Ludovica to remove her veil possibly to assess how beautiful she is.
LUDOVICA
(i) Immoral I unfaithful - she sleeps with the stable man despite having a husband.
(i i) Opportunistic - she takes advantages of the absence of her husband to have an affair with the stable man.
(i ii) Obedient - she complies when she is told to remove her veil by the judge.
(Identification I mark illustration 1 mark-each)
6. Azdak wants to asses how beautiful Ludovica is possibly to justify her having tempted the stableman.
(2 marks)
7. The statement is ironical because as it turns out Azdak rules in favour of the stableman and fines Ludovica to handover the little roan to the court. This is despite the fact that he has already received a bribe from the innkeeper. One would have accepted him to rule in favour of Ludovica (3 marks)
8. The statement alludes to the story of the woman who was caught by the Pharisees, committing adultery which was
against the laws of Moses and she was presented to Jesus to pass judgement on her. (2 marks)
9. (i) Roan - a horse with a mixture of two colours
(ii) Stables - building in which horses are kept. (2 marks)
3.
. a) The day of "final union" reminds of joy / peace / pleasure and care they promised each other.
(Any three = 1 mk each)
b) The persona has faint memories of joyful moments / when they felt like one/ when they saw each other''s image everywhere I and loved each other like little children.
c) The persona is regretful (1 mk) he feels that they''ve not lived unto the promises they made to each other. (I mk)
d) i) The persona and partner felt happy in spite of happiness or sorrow ( 1 mk) for both had one hope in life. to
be happy and united in purpose. I (I mk)
ii) They were innocent about their feelings towards making each other feel loved I flattered. (2 mks)
iii) The persona hoped for a life of prosperity. (l mk) loaning money / farms / cows. (3 mks)
e) Repetition - ''I have only faint memories''
The repetition emphasizes the persona''s feelings of regret. .
Simile - ''We praised ...like little children in love'' - brings out the sense of deep love they had for each (1 mk)
f) The mood of the poem is nostalgic (1 mk) and regretful. (1 mk)
4. Grammar.
(a) 1. argument
2. sobriety
3. apathy (3 mks) No mark for misspelling.
(b) 1. Were it not for Muli''s regular absenteeism, he could have passed the examination / were it not that Muli was
regularly absent from school, he could have passed the examination (1 mk)
2. Only after signing an agreement with the government the teachers agree to teach (1 mk)
3. This is the boy whose father is generous (1 mk)
(c) 1. Sought
2. bid
3. Paid
(d) 1. Make out
2. Put up with
3. See to it
4. takes after
(e) 1. The dog has broken its leg.
2. Jane is the smallest of the five sisters.

Machakos County Kcse Trial And Practice Exam: English 2015 Question Paper

Marking Scheme/Answers

More Question Papers

Popular Exams