READING COMPREHENSION

I. Read the passage and the questions carefully, then circle the letter beside the correct
answer to questions 1-6. Answer questions 7-9 in complete sentences.

ACID RAIN

If you stand near to cars in a traffic jam, you may see dirty gas pouring out of the exhaust pipes. You will certainly
smell fumes. All over the world, millions and millions of trucks, cars and chimneys are pouring smoke and fumes
into the air. That is one way the air gets so dirty and is often bad for people, animals and plants.

Some of the toxic chemicals rise into the air, mixing with the clouds and turning them acid. The rain or snow
which falls from those polluted clouds will be acidic. When the acid rain falls to the ground, it kills trees. It soaks
into the soil and damages plants and crops. It also runs into rivers and lakes, killing the fish, plants and animals
that live there. It can even affect people.

1. What comes out of the exhaust pipes of the vehicles?

A. Acid B. Fire C. Fumes D. Rain

2. The air is __________ by smoke from vehicles and chimneys.

A. polluted B. darkened C. absorbed D. blown

3. Dirty air often creates a ___________ environment.

A. hot B. rich C. harmful D. cloudless

4. Clouds often take in _____________.

A. acid rain B. polluted snow C. hazardous substances D. river water

5. The air is poisonous so the clouds become _____________.

A. dark B. heavy C. acidic D. soaked

6. According to the passage, trees are killed...

A. by the animals that live there B. by smoke in the air

C. when rivers and lakes overflow D. By rain that falls on them

7. Supply one (1) word used in the passage that means the same as ‘polluted’. (1mk)
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 8. What is a traffic jam? (1 mk)

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9. Outline two (2) ways in which acid rain affects people. (2mks)

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II. Read the passage carefully. Shade the letter next to the BEST answer for questions 1-6. Write in
complete sentence(s) to answer questions 7, 8 and 9.

My grandmother, who lives with us, is over seventy-five years. She is unable to walk far, except on a perfectly
level ground, and even then, it is not possible for her to go more than four hundred metres. Despite this handicap,
she is very helpful indoors, and does many jobs around the house to help my mother, who is her daughter.
Unfortunately, she is becoming very forgetful, and it is necessary to remind her of everything she has done or is
about to do. Her bad memory can lead to dangerous situations, for example turning on the gas and forgetting
to light the stove; or pouring the boiling water into the stove instead of into her hot water bottle.

She loves everything old-fashioned and will not part with anything without persuasion. Her bedroom is
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an excellent example. She will not sell her old bedroom suite, consisting of a large double wardrobe, a massive
dressing table and chest of drawers. She was not easily persuaded to sell her old double-bed in place of a new
single one when her husband died.

My grandmother also delights in re-living her life, and every time a wedding is mentioned, we hear all the
details of her own marriage. Going on outings in the car delights her, as it is the only way in which she can travel
afield. Every summer, she goes to visit several of her relatives and is seldom at home for more than three weeks
15 at a time. She has a sister, at Seaford on the South Coast, to whom she goes twice a year, and to a son and
0 his wife at Charlston in Surrey.

It is a good thing that she and my young sister are on the best of terms, because they share a bedroom.

1. My grandmother loves mainly

A. outdoor life and beautiful scenes B. remembering her marriage
C. going out with friends D. visiting people in the neighbourhood

2. Grandmother relives her life by

A. visiting her relations B. travelling to Sea Ford
C. being on terms with the younger sister D. recalling the past

3. I know my grandmother loves everything old fashioned, mainly because

A. her room has a double wardrobe, a massive dressing table and chest of drawers
B. she sold her old double bed after much persuasion
C. she would not part with her furniture
D. she loves to attend weddings

4. From the passage you can tell that my grandmother was

A. very beautiful in her youth B. a very active and industrious woman
C. dependent on her children D. a friendly person

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5. Her dressing table was
A. extremely large B. larger than her bedroom
C. twice as large as her wardrobe D. as large as her chest of drawers

6. The word “persuaded ” in the passage means

A. compelled B. advised C. convinced D. urged

7. From what two (2) things did grandma suffer?

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8. How does grandmother compensate for her handicap? (1 mk)

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9. What does ‘turning on of the gas stove… gas’, tell about my grandmother? (1 mk)
i.
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Provide one (1) other piece of evidence from the passage to support your answer above. (1 mk)
ii_______________________________________________________________________________________

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III. Read the passage and the questions carefully then circle the letter beside the correct answer to
questions 1-6. Answer questions 7-9 in complete sentences.

Many children who live in the city do not know much about the beautiful fresh vegetables they enjoy. They are
unfamiliar with how they are produced or from where they come. The farmers, with the assistance of family
members, have managed to overcome problems of drought and have been able to produce a large 5amount of
the vegetables. To do this, farmers practise ‘dry farming’. The ground is prepared for the crops, then a special
kind of grass is cut and used for covering the fields. This process is called mulching. The crops are planted
after the first good shower of rain. The mulching helps to retain the moisture in the soil. This, together with
occasional watering for each seedling by hand, keeps the vegetables 10 growing until the next shower of rain. It
is a hard life, but it can be rewarding when there is a good yield and a good price for the crops. But sometimes
a farmer may lose his whole crop from prolonged drought or too much rain at certain stages in the development
of the vegetables.

1. Many city children are not familiar with

A. food B. rainfall C. country farmers D. crop production

2. Mulching helps to

A. keep the soil damp B. dry out the soil C. make the trees tall D. keep out the rain

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 3. To produce good crops, farmers must

A. enjoy themselves B. work hard C. watch the sky D. pray for rain

4. ‘...rewarding’ (line 10) means the same as

A. getting a prize B. giving C. worthwhile D. contributing

5. According to the passage, too much rain

A. is always good B. falls very often C. floods the fields D. destroys the crops

6. ‘Drought’ refers to

A. long periods without rain B. good soil C. rainy weather everyday D. good crops

7. Give one (1) reason for farmers needing assistance from family members. (1mk)

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8. State one (1) thing that would happen if there was not enough rain? (1mk)

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9. Outline the process of ‘dry farming’. (2mks)

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IV. Read the passage below and the questions carefully, then shade the letter of the correct answer for
questions 1-6. Write in complete sentence(s) when answering questions 7-10.

This incident happened on a normal weekday in the life of my family.

It was a chilly morning in October, and my mother and father had stayed in bed, lacking the courage to get up.
The rest of the family was in the kitchen. My brother and I were rather gloomily eating some toast, thinking of
the usual school day ahead of us. As we munched the toast, we warmed ourselves in front of the enclosed coal
fire. Diana, my sister, was eating at the table, not paying much attention to anyone else. My other sister, Vibeke,
had just put the kettle on the stove, and was spreading jam on a bun which she had just taken gingerly from the
oven. After Vibeke had spread a lavish helping of jam on the bun, she leaned against the gas stove, finding it
5 the only unoccupied warm place, and began to eat. None of us really paid much attention to her. Then, as she
stepped forward, our eyes widened with terror. The back of her pyjamas was red with fire. I ran forward, terror
stricken, and shouted, “Vib, you’re on fire!” We all pounced, and fought the fire with our hands, as she,
screaming, pulled the garment off. My father thundered down the stairs, only to see four pale, shaking children
and a smouldering pyjama-top on the floor.

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My sister, realising that she had only a vest on, ran upstairs, sobbing to our mother. Father tried to calm us
down. Our nerves had been shattered. There was a nasty smell of burnt clothing in the air. My mother, a former
nurse, found that my sister’s skin though scorched, was not burnt. Thanks to our prompt action.

1. How many persons were in the kitchen at the time of the accident?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. Four

2. Which of the following statements is true?

A. Diana did not assist in putting out the fire. B. Two of the children fought the fire.
C. Three of the children including Diana fought the fire.
D. Mother was in the kitchen at the time of the incident.

3. The word ‘gingerly’ means ___________

A. quickly B. carefully C. hungrily D. hot

4. Though the children were frightened, they showed great _____________ as they fought the fire.
A. Courage B. strength C. fear D. force

5. The word ‘gloomily’ most likely means:

A. enjoyable B. leisurely C. sad and depressed D. happily

6. The incident would not have happened if

A. the girl had not used the gas-stove as a means of support.
B. she was paying attention to what everyone was doing.
C. the girl was not wearing red pajamas while eating breakfast.
D. the gas stove was new and working properly.

7. Why did the father comfort the children? (1mk)

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8. Why were some of the children gloomy while eating breakfast? (1 mk)

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9. How do you think the father felt when he saw the four shaking children? Why? (2 mks)

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V. Read the advertisement and the questions carefully, then circle the letter beside the correct
answers to questions 1 – 6. Answer questions 7- 9 in complete sentence(s).

It’s not easy to get there,

But it’s harder to leave.

Lush hillsides where the only sounds are the whisper of breezes and the chirping of birds. Golden sand
beaches fringed with clear, blue water. Gracious people who greet and treat you as friends. All these await
you on Nevis, along with fine food, accommodations from luxury villas to enchanting Plantation Inns to the
Caribbean’s top-rated resort, and activities to suit every taste.

NEVIS
Naturally
Come let Nevis cast its spell on you.
Then, leave if you must.

1. The type of accommodation not mentioned in the advertisement is

A. villas B. cabins C. resort D. inns

2. To mention the ‘hillsides’ (line 3) suggests that

A. Nevis sits on a very high hill. B. the peaks attract visitors.
C. tourists pay very high rates. D. the resort has sloped roofs.

3. ‘...fringed’ (line 5) means

A. freezing B. frothy C. sloped D. edged

4. Which tells that the events on Nevis are not designed for any particular
group of people?

A. ‘All these await you on Nevis’.

B. ‘gracious people who meet and greet you as friends’.
C. ‘activities to suit every taste’.
D. ‘Come let Nevis cast its spell on you’.

5. ‘lush’ (line 3) describes the

A. birds B. scenery C. breeze D. seas

6. According to the advertisement, which of the following would not attract someone to vacation on Nevis?

A. golden sand beaches B. travelling arrangements C. friendly hosts D. fine dining

7. What is the purpose of the advertisement? (1mk)

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8. At what time of year do you think most tourists would visit Nevis? (1 mk)
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 9. What is meant by ‘But it’s harder to leave’? (line 2) (2 mks)

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VI. Read the advertisement and the questions carefully, then circle the letter beside the correct
answers to questions 1 – 6. Answer questions 7- 9 in complete sentence(s).

The antelope was scared for her baby. Nudging him carefully towards the rough tufts of grass, she encouraged
him to eat quickly, carefully. “Build your strength, my lovely son. Build your strength and you will outrun your
enemies and live a long life.” The baby antelope ate and ate, but always with one eye on his mother.

The chimpanzee was scared for his baby. If the baby had no food, she would die. The forests were diminishing,
the hunters were always prowling with their guns. It was now or never. He called upon his brothers and together
they went hunting. Soon they spotted the antelopes grazing. At this, they lifted wooden sticks high above their
5 heads.

The antelope saw a blaze of fur as she pushed her baby to the side. “Run, my boy, my lovely son.” The mother
ran to the left and to the right as the chimpanzees squealed and shrieked and shook their sticks and the baby
10 antelope did run. He ran as swiftly as an eagle, fueled by panic and fear. At last, he turned to look for his mother.

Exhausted, she ran left, right, left, and right again. She was fast, but she was no match for the troop of
15 chimpanzees. They circled her easily and she soon fell prey to their ravenous state.
On this hot, African night the chimpanzee fed his little baby. “Build your strength, my lovely daughter. Build your
strength and you will outrun your enemies and live a long life.” The baby chimpanzee ate and ate, but always
with one eye on her father.
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1. The chimpanzees hunted with…
A. stones B. guns C. sticks D. fire

2. The antelope ‘saw a blaze of fur’ means

A. she had been injured B. the chimpanzees were very near
C. a fire had been lit D. the baby had grown a new covering

3. ‘Nudging’ (line 1) means the same as …

A. hugging B. pushing gently C. dragging D. hitting hard

4. The antelope and chimpanzee parents did not wish their young ones to…
A. grow old B. get caught C. grow strong D. get away from harm

5. The adult antelope was caught easily because she …

A. was too old to escape B. was very scared to run
C. was not as fast as the predators D. had eaten too much grass

6. The baby antelope ran that fast because it was…

A. pushed along by its mother B. propelled by fright
C. strong from eating so much D. racing with an eagle

7. What was the greatest danger to the antelopes? (1 mark)

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 8. Give one thing mentioned in the final paragraph to suggest that the baby chimpanzee had grown. (1 mark)

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9. Explain what is meant by:

a) ‘fell prey’. (line 19) (1 mark)

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b) ‘ravenous state’. (line 19) (1 mark)

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VII. Read the passage below and the questions carefully, then shade the letter of the correct answer for
questions 1-6. Write in complete sentence(s) when answering questions 7-9.

ONE STORMY DAY

Yesterday was the worst day of my life. I don’t think I am a coward really, but I was terrified. I hope never
again to have such an experience.

The day began as usual. We got ready for school, and Peter, strange to say, was late for once. The sky was
rather cloudy, and Mummy said, “Better take your raincoats.” I picked up mine, but Peter hates any sort of coat
– he says they look “sissy” and keep him too hot. But I’m sure he was sorry not to have his, because torrents
came down just as I reached the school gate, and I know he must have been drenched to the skin by the time
5 he had walked from the bus-stop to his school.

20 Assembly and morning classes went on as usual, though the rain fell without stopping. At break time, it held
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up for a while, but the playing fields were soaked, and the school garden was flooded. Then about midday, there
came a message that a storm was approaching the island, and that schools were to be closed. We were hurriedly
dismissed, and I lost no time in making my way home. The sky was very dark, almost black. Peter arrived soon
after I did, and Daddy decided not to go back to the shop after lunch. He and Peter inspected the windows and
outer doors, and made sure that all the fastenings and hinges were secure. Mom and I pasted strips of paper
over the panes of glass. Susie was rather puzzled by all this, as she had never heard of a storm warning before.
We filled water jugs and pails and put candles, lamps and matches on a handy table. We shut Sloopy up in the
kitchen, and waited, all gathered in the living room.
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1. The phrase ‘strange to say’ (lines 3-4) suggests that…
A. Peter was strange. B. Peter was usually punctual.
C. Peter was always late. D. the narrator was strange.

2. Peter did not take his raincoat because…

A. it was not the right sort of coat. B. it made him feel uncomfortable.
C. he felt that the girls would laugh at him. D. it was not raining when he left home.

3. The classes were dismissed because…

A. many children had not come to school. B. it was midday.
C. they expected much rain. D. the classrooms were too dark.

4. The phrase ‘I lost no time’ (line 14) means that the narrator…
A. went home quickly B. felt lost because she did not know what a storm was like.
C. had difficulty finding her way home. D. was confused because school was dismissed hurriedly.

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5. The words ‘drenched, soaked and flooded’ all indicate…
A. that the place was dark. B. the sound of the rain.
C. that it was a heavy storm. D. the look of the sky.

6. The word ‘torrents’ (line 7) refers to …

A. feelings of regret B. falling tears B. pouring rain D. feelings of guilt

7. Who was ‘Sloopy’? (line 20) (1 mark)

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8. What was Dad’s job or occupation? (1 mark)

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9. a) How did the children get to school? (1 mark)

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b) What evidence from the passage shows that they did not attend the same school? (1 mark)

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COMPOSITIONS
NARRATION (20 mks)

1. Write a story based on the picture above. Give your story a title.

2. Write a story entitled: The Missing Shoes

3. Begin your story with the following: The loud screams from the nearby bushes woke us all.
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4. You have witnessed a traffic accident. Describe the scene.

5. Use this picture sequence to tell the story. Give your story a title.

6. Write a story entitled “Thieves Struck Again.”

7. Write a story which includes: I trembled at the sound of footsteps approaching my bedroom in the
dead of night. Give your story a title.

8. Use the picture below to write a story. Give your story a title.

9. Write a story entitled: ‘Mistaken Identity’.

10. Write a story entitled ‘Left Alone’

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11. End your NARRATIVE with, ‘We were happy to be finally safe at home’. Give your story a title.
12. Write a NARRATIVE based on the picture below. Give your story a title.

13. Write a NARRATIVE which includes, ‘As we ventured inside, the sight that greeted us was shocking’.
Give your story a title.

14. Write a NARRATIVE based on the picture below. Give your story a title.

EXPOSITION (20 mks) - Write at least three (3) paragraphs in Standard English.

1. Explain how to play your favourite game.

2. How to take a shower

3. How to make a (land-line) telephone call.

4. Two (2) reasons for maintaining a clean school OR home environment.

5. Two (2) reasons for taking part in physical activities.

6. Explain two pieces of advice that you would give to a classmate who does not do homework.

7. Explain how to make your favourite sandwich.

8. How to prepare for a field trip or a sporting match.

9. Explain two (2) benefits of reading.

10. Explain how to cross the street at a busy intersection.

11. Explain two (2) reasons why you should say “No” to drugs.

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12. Explain how to tie shoe laces.

13. Explain two (2) ways in which water can be conserved.

DESCRIPTION: Write at least three (3) paragraphs in Standard English.

1. Write a description of the picture below.

2. Study the picture carefully then describe the scene.

3. Describe a graduation present/gift.

4. Describe an athletic student

5. Describe morning devotions at your school.

6. Describe a homeless person who came into the school yard while you were out for break.

7. Describe your school’s sports day.

8. Describe the kind of graduation ceremony you would like for your class.

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