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Choose the correct pronoun from the brackets to complete the following sentences
i. Mr. Kamau and _______________ visited us last year. (he/him/himself)
ii. John offered Njoroge and ________________some biscuits. (I/me)
iii. Do you think that he is wiser than _________________. (I/me
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Read the narrative below and answer the questions that follow.
Long ago, there was famine in Gikuyu land. This famine had made the cows and goats to die. Only human
beings were left and even them, it could be seen that they were not going to live much longer. Now the people
asked themselves, “What shall we do?” It was decided that the most beautiful girl, one called Wanjiru should be
sacrificed to god so that the rain could fall. She was brought to a place where there was a big river. She started to
sing:
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
My father said I should be lost. I should be lost
My mother said I should be lost. I should be lost
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
She went down on her knee, she sang:
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
My father said I should be lost, I should be lost
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
The water reached the waist, she sang
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
My father said I should be lost, I should be lost
My mother said I should be lost, I should be lost
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
The water reached the neck, she sang
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
My father said I should be lost, I should be lost
My mother said I should be lost, I should be lost
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
The head went in
Very heavy rains fell on this land. The grass grew, a lot of food and the people began to feel better. Now where Wanjiru went
she found her people who had died before her. These people had a lot of cows and goats. Now they asked her what she would
like. She said she wanted cows and goats. She was given many goats and cows and then she was told to lie down in a place.
When she woke up she found that she had returned back to her people. She woke up at a place where there was a river and
she had her cows and goats. Now when the people saw her they rejoiced greatly.
The story ends there.
Adapted from: The Oral Literature of the Gikuyu by WanjikuKabira and KaregaMutahi.
(a) Why do you think this community makes the choice of a beautiful girl such as Wanjiru to sacrifice to god so as to receive
rain?
(b) Which functions does this song serve in this narrative?
(c) Describe one character trait of the villagers in this narrative.
(d) In point form, list how events follow each other in this story.
(e) Identify and explain two features of oral narration employed in this narrative.
(f) Identify two elements of fantasy in this story.
(g) Describe Wanjiru’stone in the song.
(h) Which social/cultural practices of the Agikuyu are brought out in this narrative.
(i) What does this phrase mean? 'My father said I should be lost.'
(j) Answer the following question according to the instructions given in brackets.
Very heavy rains fell on this land. (Write in the passive form).
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow
Society has failed and parents have not played their role fully in raising their children. This is according to
Jeff Ngari, a counseling psychologist and a deacon with the Reformed Catholic Church. Jeff says the issue of
teenage mothers is so big that it should be considered a cry for help. He adds that today, children lack the
guidance they require when it comes to having independent social interactions.
“The idea is not to block them from forming their own relationships, but to make them understand what it
means to be in a relationship, especially with the opposite sex, and how far this relationship should go,” says Jeff.
And just like the rest of society, parents have not been spared by the wave of moral decay and thus, according to
Jeff, they have failed as role models for their children. Due to this, many teenagers are picking up social ills from
their parents- the very people they are supposed to look up to.
“For instance, a teenager who has seen his or her mother repeatedly sleep out or come home in the wee hours
of the morning will most likely be excited about staying out late out of curiosity,” he says , adding, “this is
happening to most of our homes today.” Jeff says many parents are engaging carelessly in extra-marital
relationships that leave very little to the imagination of their children, and this is likely to be seen as a normal
thing by children, especially teenagers. As a result, there are many avenues through which teenagers can explore
the issue of sex and the greatest worry is that girls need to be rescued.
“The boy invariably walks away scot-free as the school, society and church turn their full attention on the girl
and judge her,” he says adding that it is one of the issues that the Reformed Catholic Church is trying to address so
that children such as these can be recognized instead of being neglected. “This is not to say that teenage pregnancy
is right, but it is a social ill that must be fought from family level, within the school setting, in the church and the
wider society,” he says.
Most teenage mothers experience rejection and abuse by their families, friends and wider community,
including the church. “No wonder these girls abandon their babies either in toilets or litter bins. The effects of
rejection can be fatal- rejection by society is the worst thing anybody can suffer. It kills from within. That is why
teenage motherhood is a cry for help and family support is very important, as the result is children giving birth,
and trying to raise babies
Jeff notes that without any know-how, finances or proper structures, teenage mothers face a very big
challenge. Add to this the stigma that comes with being regarded as immoral. “Yet we know that not all teenage
pregnancy is consensual. There are cases of grown men preying on innocent girls.” Abortion or an attempt to
carry it out complicates an already complicated situation, especially if crude methods are used. Besides, there is a
post-abortion self-stigma that does not go away.
“In the course of my career, I have met mature women who tell me that they had abortions when they were
very young, and they still feel guilty decades later. Some even go to the extent of saying, ‘My firstborn would be
this or that age.’ It is very painful.”
In Kenya, four in every ten women who die from unsafe abortions are adolescents; 70% of adolescents engage
in high-risk unprotected sex. This is according to a research paper presented by Dr. Richard O. Muga of the
National Co-ordinating Agency for Population and Development, Nairobi- Kenya, 2006. The alarming figures are
the reason why Margaret Muyanga, a counseling psychologist says open communication between teenagers and
parents can be instrumental in curbing any post- pregnancy abortion or even worse, suicidal tendencies.
a) Explain how parents have contributed to the moral decay of their children.
b) Give the factors leading to teenage pregnancy.
c) What is the consequence of the rejection and abuse that teenage mothers experience?
d) In not more than 50 words, summarize the consequences of teenage pregnancy.
- Rough draft
- Final draft
e) What is the writer’s attitude towards parenting?
f) Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the passage;
Scot-free
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Read the following oral narrative and answer the questions that follow.
One day, the chameleon and the donkey were arguing as to who could run faster than the other. The donkey
said, 'You chameleon, you are very old and tired. You can’t compete with a man like me in a race.”
The chameleon replied,” Don’t blow your own trumpet. I am not going to praise myself, but you know you
can’t defeat me in a race. We shall be equal.'
The race began and without donkey’s knowledge, the chameleon jumped on the donkey’s tail. They ran and
ran, until the donkey was so tired until he stopped to rest. As soon as the donkey stopped, the chameleon jumped
from the donkey’s tail and said, 'Now my friend, are you any faster than I?'
'No, now I know that you are a man,' answered the poor donkey.
i. What would you do in order to capture the attention of the audience before you begin to tell the story?
ii. How would you make the narration of the line indicated in bold effective?
iii. If you are part of the audience for this story, explain two things you would do to show that you are
participating in the performance.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Briefly discuss any seven factors that led to the decline in Trans-Saharan trade.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Explain the three trade routes used during The Trans-Saharan trade.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Discuss the origin and the organization of Trans-Saharan trade
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Use the diagram below to answer the questions that follow.
a) Why is sodium hydroxide solution preferred to water in the above set-up.
b) What modification should be made to the above set-up if percentage of oxygen used in air should be determined
c) Name the main component of air not used in the above set-up.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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a)Your brother who has been studying abroad is coming home and the family has organised a party. Write an email inviting two of your friends; Sabina and Kioko and copy your brother who is organising.
(b) Your friend Sabina is flying into the country from Addis Ababa Airport-Ethiopia. Write clear
directions on how she can come to your home.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Highlight any five characteristics of local trade.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Briefly describe the two main methods of trade used in the history of the civilization of man.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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0.63g of lead powder were dissolved in excess nitric (V) acid to form lead (II) nitrate solution. All the lead (II) nitrate was
then reacted with sodium sulphate solution.
a) Write an ionic equation for the reaction between sodium sulphate solution and lead (II) nitrate solution.
b) Determine the mass of the lead salt formed in the reaction in (a) above
(Pb = 207, S = 32, O = 16)
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Write a composition beginning:
Looking at my father, I knew my brother and I were in hot soup.......
Or
Write a story to illustrate the saying
'All that glitters is not gold'
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Briefly state the advantages and disadvantages of barter trade as a method of trade.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Read the passage below and then 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 economies that skilled workers are in high demand,
according to a 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 qualifications is growing steadily. Studies have shown that no country in the world can achieve
major socio – economic transformation without the contribution of skilled manpower. Kenya seems to be
cognizant of this fact going by the massive budget allocation made in education each year.
There is a strong case for standardization and regulatory framework that will ensure delivery of high quality
teaching and research whose end product 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 requirements of new and existing education
should look beyond profits and priorities equipping of students with knowledge , skills and competencies that
enhance their employability both locally and internationally. While Kenya boasts of high literacy levels, it should
now priorities 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?
b) What do the emerging economics rely on, and why?
c) Indeed, emerging economies are no longer relying on cheap labour. (Add a question tag)
d) What advise is given to those investing in education
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.
g) Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions as used in the passage
i) Employable skills
ii) Cognisant
iii) Reciprocated
iv) Out of the box
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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For each of the following words, construct two sentences to convey two different meaning as indicated.
(i) early (as an adverb and as an adjective)
(ii) Surprise (as a noun and as a verb)
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow.
Ah, Are you digging on my grave?
'Ah, are you digging on my grave,
My loved one?- planting rue?'
'No ; yesterday ‘he went to wed ‘
One of the brightest wealth has bred.
‘It cannot hurt her now,' he said,
' That I should not be true.
'Then who is digging on my grave?
My nearest dearest kin?'
'Ah, no: they sit and think, ‘what us!
What good will planting flowers produce?
No tendance of her mound can loose
Her spirit from Deaths gin;'
Questions
(a) (i) Supposing you were to perform this poem to your class how would you prepare?
(ii) How would you say line two stanza 1 and why?
(iii) Identify an instance of alliteration in stanza 1
(iv) Describe the rhyme scheme of stanza 2
b) For each of the following words, provide another word with similar pronunciation
(i) gate
(ii) bread
(iii) you
(iv) rest
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Fill in the blank space with the most appropriate words.
A new research title 'Underage Drinking in Kenya' has (1) _______________ that nearly one third of form four
students aged below 18 years take alcohol (2) _________________. As our society ponders this sad (3)
__________________, the urgent message to children who are taking alcohol
(4) ______________, do not drink another sip. Advice to those children is to strongly say 'no.'
(5) _________________ irresponsible behavior to alcoholism, there are many (6) _____________
effects of alcohol. It is wrong and illegal for children to drink alcohol.
The report also states that 46 percent of the children receive (7) ________________ first pint from friends and
(8) _________________ .Do you offer alcohol to child? As a parent or guardian, do you nurture (9)
_______________ ? How much time do you spend with them? Notably, (10) __________ of
guidance and supervision are stimuli to underage drinking
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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You have read the novel 'The River and the Source' and really enjoyed and are now ready to tackle it in K.C.S.E. You overheard some of your friends in form three complaining that it should not been included as one of
the texts to be done in K.C.S.E .Write a book review encouraging them to read since it will be examined in their year.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Study the diagram below then use it to answer the questions that follow.
a) Draw the wooden splint at the end of the experiment. If it was slipped then removed.
b) Explain the appearance of the wooden splint in (a) above.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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A group of young men decided to raise Ksh.480000 to start a business. Before actual payment was made four members pulled out and each of the remaining had to pay an additional Ksh.20000. Write an expression in terms of P for.
(a) (i) Original contribution of each member.
(ii) Contribution after withdrawal of four members.
(b) Form an equation in P and hence determine the number of initial members.
(c) Three men Kamau, James and Hassan shared Shs.480000 such that Kamau: James is 3: 2 and James: Hassan is 4: 2. Find how much each got.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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The table alongside shows the rates of taxation in a certain year.
In that year Mr. Kariuki a civil servant was earning a basic salary of Ksh. 27 000 per month. In
addition he was entitled to other taxable allowances totalling to Ksh 11 000 per month and a
personal relief of Ksh 1056 per month. He lives in a government house where he is paying a
nominal rent of Ksh. 3 500 per month.
(a) Calculate how much income tax Mr. Kariuki pays per month (in sh)
(b) Mr. Kariuki’s other deductions per month were co-operative society contribution of sh 2500
and loan repayment of sh. 3000, calculate his net salary per month.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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The figure below shows a triangle inscribed in a circle. AB = 6cm, BC = 9cm and AC =
10cm.
Calculate
(a) The interior angles of triangle ABC.
(b) The radius of the circle.
(c) The area of the shaded part.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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An arc subtends an angle of 0.9 radians. If radius of circle is 13cm, find the length of the arc.
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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In the figure below CB is a tangent to the circle, DEB is a straight line DE:EB=1:3
Find BD and EB given that CB=8√3cm
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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Describe historical development of the international law, that controls and regulates all international activities
Date posted:
May 23, 2019
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An item that costs sh 24000 cash can be bought on hire purchase. A customer pays sh 6000
as deposit and then makes 6 monthly instalments of sh 3500 each. Calculate the monthly rate
of compound interest, giving your answer to 1 d.p.
Date posted:
May 22, 2019
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Machine A can complete a piece of work in 6 hours while machine B can complete the same
work in 10 hours. If both machines start working together and machine B breaks down after
two hours, how long will it take machine A to complete the rest of the work.
Date posted:
May 22, 2019
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The first term of an arithmetic sequence is (2x+1) and the common difference is (x+1) if the
product of the first and the second terms is zero, find the first three terms of the two possible
sequences.
Date posted:
May 22, 2019
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Mwangi truncated 7/9 to 3 decimal places. Calculate the percentage error resulting from the
truncating.
Date posted:
May 22, 2019