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BISHOPS COLLEGE
Colombo 3

1's Terft Examination 2!1q

General English
Grade12-Arts/C@

Ft.po"a AV : Mrs Priyani Wickramatunga

Date , &.0!.19-=----------
-ffithepaperitself'
handwriting'
* Marks wilt be deductedfor bad punctuation, untidiness ond for illegible

PABT A - GRAMMAR [30 markst

Articles, where necessary' [5 marksl

[1] Fill in the blanks with

Lt \ modern life is stressful'

;. iJ,t* p) first time vou've staved at (3) .- Hilton?
i
Amazon (5) river on (7}
I e r< {41 Nile or (s).-
earth? -t- slopes of the Alps'
ski
year are attracted to (9)
----
4. several miilion visitors (g)
- -longest
5.(10)our,gp"opl"tendtothinkthatlifewasmoredifficultinthepast'

(2) Complete the passage using suitable

Preposhions' [5 marksl
-

birthday,herfathergaveheratoychimpanzeenamedJubilee.Jubileewasnamed(3}-.-l-a
seemed to foretell the course Jane,s
life would take' To this day, Jubilee
baby chimp in the London Zoo, and
(4)-- an early age' Jane was fascinated {5}
sits in a chair in Jane's London home.
going to Africa to live (7)
age of 10' she was talking (6)
animals and animal stories' By the
a radical idea because
.-
the animals there' (8) the time, in the early 1940s, this was
she
themserves. when a schoor friend invited her to visit Kenya,
-
women did not go to Africa t9) ----
by boat- she was 23 years old'
she had earned the fare to travel there
worked as a waitress (10) .-----

that completes the gap' [5 marksl

[3] Underline the best Adverb
1. l-wantto knowwhathaPPened'
C. simplY D. highlY
-A. exactlY
B' PurelY

Z. Don,t worry. lt's safe. You won't fall.

D comPletelY
r ri^^rrr B deeolv C' fullY
 3. The future _
tture will be shaped by technology.
A. merely B. specially C. Largely D. p,urely

4. Everything will be cheaper in the sales.

A. widely B. greatly C Considerably D. particularly

5. There's nothing ilar to this product.

similar 6

A. closely B. rbmotely C. nearly D. wildly

6. They succeeded in _ exploiting their opportunities.

A, Hardly B. entirely C. fully D. deeply

7. Nobody answering the phone doesn't mean there's no'one there.

A. necessarily B. surely C. wholly D. Strictly

8. lt is true that education is becoming global.

A. exactly B. reliably C. certainly D. fully

9. The problem was _ corrected.

A. swiftly B. freshly C. distinctly D. rightly

10. All his clothes were laid out on the bed.

A. neatly B. exactly C. evenly D. perfectly

[4] Fill in the blanks using the corect form of the verbs. [10 marks]

1. Hardly had the minister finished his speech when gunshots (storm) the stadium.

2. Everybody will be at the office at about 08:30 tomorrow as the meeting

(start) at nine o'clock.

3. That candidate who we had been interviewed before we (speak) to all the
others is still my favourite.

4. According to a survey, thousands of vending machines (have to be

converted) before the new coins have come into circulation.

5. We (visit) the seashore many times before but last summer we enjoyed
ourselves more than ever.

6. By the time he was 14, Wolfgang Mozart (compose) an enviable number of

musical pieces.

7. By the year 2020, linguists (study) the lndy-European language family for more
than 200 years.

8. My grandparents (come) to see us next weekend. They

{not visit) us for two years.
 (look for) her ring for two hours when we found it in the bathroom.

10. Wheri children (become) teenagers, they (spend)more time

with their friends-

(5) Fill in the blanks with'Active.or Passivgform in any appropriate tense. [5 marksl

1. The Amazon rainforest is extremely important to the ecology of the earth. 4O% of the world's oxygen
(produce) there.

2. The game (win) by the other team tomorrow. They are a lot
better than we are.

3. There was a terrible accident on a busy downtown street yesterday. Dozens of people saw it, including
my friend, who {interview) by the police.

4. Right now Susan is in the hospital. She (treat) for a bad burn
on her hand and arm.

5. Yesterday, a bank robber (catch) by the police.

PART B - DIALOGUES [10 marks]

(6) Complete these dialogues meaningfully.

IA]
A: [1]
C : Yes. l'd like to return these jeans.
A: May I [2]
C : I bought them for my son, but they're too short.
A: [3]
C Yes, here it is.

A l'm sorry. These jeans were on sale. There are no refunds on sale items. You can exchange them for
something else or we can give you a credit note.

C t4l
A Let me check.[a minute later] l'm afraid they have sold out.

C Okay, l'll take a credit note. How long is it good for?

A Isl
c Okay. l'll come back next week and see if I can find something else he might like.

tBI
A: This is Janet Smith in apartment 23. Can I speak to the apartment manager?

B: Hi. How can I help you today?

A: Well, my window facing the empty lot is broken.

A: I don't know. lwasn't home when it happened.

B: Do you have any clue who might have done this?

A:

B: Why, what leads you to that suspicion?

A: Well, next to the broken glass was a baseball.

B:Well, [8]
A: I saw them playing just befo;e I left my apartment'

B: Well, did you [9]

A: No, I just saw them in passing. A friend of mine is in the business. How about if I call him to repair it?

B: [10]

A: Come on over. So does my friend charge you or me?

B: Since you didn't break it, you don't have to pay for it.
A: That's a relief. I thought I was going to get stuck with the bill.

B: lf I knew which kid did it, I would bill his parents.

PART D - COMPREHENSION [15 marksl

[8] Underline the most appropriate option that would complete these sentences. [5 marks]

1. Even though the two parties appear united in negotiatiofls, -----------

A) the level of trust between them will always remain, at best, tenuous.
B) they weren't able to agree on the subject.
C) they will eventually reach an agreement.
D)the president unexpectedly rejected it

2. --------*--- that nobody wanted to purchase it.

A) lt was such a well designed car

B) Although most of the costumers were interested in the painting
C) The necklace at the auction was so enchanting
D) The house was so deteriorated from lack of maintenance.

3. You had better take your mobile phone with you

A) so that you can lose it

B) or I couldn't have called you
C) because I will not be at home during the whole day
D) lf you had wanted to go abroad

4. --------- when they learned that the chairman would not be able to join the meeting.

A) l{erdlv had the committee learned the reason of the meeting

B) When they realized why they were all there in tfrat earty time of the day
c) lt wasn't until they got a phone call about an urgent meeting the next day
D) However professional they tried to be seen

5. --:----:- , the Grarnmys are the highest rated.

A) There are many music awards shows in the US

B) Although Grammys are considered to be highly prestigious
C) Because there is only one big music awards show in the US
D) Of the "big three" music awards shows

(9) Read the following text and answer the questions that follow. [10 marks]

NILE VALLEY AND DELTA, EGYPT

The Nile Valley and Delta, the most extensive oasis on earth, was created by the world's longest river and
its seemingly inexhaustible sources. Without the topographic channel that permits the Nile to flow across
the Sahara, Egypt would be entirely desert; the Nile River traverses about 1,500 kilometres through Egypt
and flows northward from the Egyptian-Sudanese border to the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is a
combination of three long rivers whose sources are in central Africa: the White Nile, the Blue Nile, and the
Atbara.

The White Nile, which begins at Lake Victoria in Uganda, supplies about 28 percent of the Nile's waters in
Egypt. ln its course from Lake Victoria to Juba in southern Sudan, the elevation of the White Nile's channel
drops more than 6OO meters. ln its 1,600-kilometer course from Juba to Khartoum, Sudan's capital, the
river descends only 75 meters. ln southern and central Sudan, the White Nile passes through a wide, flat
plain covered with swamp vegetation and slows almost to stagnation.

The Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia, provides an average of 58 percent of the Nile's
waters in Egypt. lt has a steeper gradient and flows more swiftly than the White Nile, which it joins at
Khartoum. Unlike the White Nile, the Blue Nile carries a considerable amount of sediment; for several
kilometres north of Khartoum, water closer to the eastern bank of the river is visibly muddy and comes
from the Blue Nile, while the water closer to the western bank is clearer and comes from the White Nile'

[1] Read the passage and choose the best answer to each question. [1 marks]

A. What does NOT describe the Nile River?

a. lt flows from south to north.
b. lt flows to the Mediterranean Sea.
c. lt is the world's longest river.

B. ln the first paragraph, what is the meaning of the word "inexhaustible"?

a. Endless b. limited c. finite
(2) Read this phrase in the 2nd paragraph of the article: "ln its course'..... What does it mean? [1]

{3) What does "lt has a steeper gradient qrd flows more swiftlt'' in the 2nd paragraph mean? [1]

( ) What happens to the White Nile'.in Southern and Central Sudan? [1]

(5) Explain the phrase "slows almost to stagnation" in your own words. [1]

(5) Where does the Blue Nile start and where does it join the White Nile? [1]

(6) Out of the three tributaries that make up the Nile which river carries the most volume of water? [1]

(7) Write down two characteristics stated in the last paragraph, which make the White Nile different from
the Blue Nile tzl

(8) Find synonyms for these words, from the passage: [1]
a. travels across
b. widespread

PART E - VOCABULARY [25 marksl

[10] Fill the space or spaces in the senten€es using the base word given in bold at the end. The required
word may be a noun, adverb, adiective or verb and it may be either positive or negative. [10 marksl

1. Many people often make a between London and New York. {compare}

2. This book as a series of lectures about shipwrecks, which were given two decades

ago. (origin)

3. There are power stations across Europe that use the rise and fall of the ocean

tides. (day)

4. lf you weren't so . of Ben, he'd be happier to spend time with you. (critic)
5. Don't you find it how Jeremy always comes to work looking so untidy?

(intrigueI

6. Doctors say a glass of warm milk before bedtime can result in a more night's sleep. (rest)

7. Tim-Berners Lee has rdceived.many awdrds as the of the world wide web.

(invent)
-
8. On the final day, we visited the Victoria Falls and then flew home. (majesty)

9. The book, like the movie, tracks the anxiety and pains of a teenager in 1970s

Germany. (grow)

10. This wine has a very fruity flavour to it and a after-taste. I really like it. (please)

[11] ln each line, choose and underline the word that is different from the others in meaning. [5 marks]

1. detach remove steady unfasten separate

2. obstacle dismiss difficulty hardship dilemma

3. sort kind type class weep

4. still hushed quiet channel silent

5. nature slender slim thin narrow

6. terminate end finish conclude steep

7. horrible docile awful terrible dreadful

8. fertile common usual ordinary customary

9. respect esteem regard confine honour

10. opponent rival adversary enemy colleague

[12] Choose the correct word from each pair of words to fill the blanks. [10 marks]

1. advice I advise 2. continuously / continually

3. wave f waive 4.envelope / envelop
5. break I brake 6. accept/ except
7. edition /addition 8. whether / weather
9. beside / besides 10. complement / compliment

1. I ...................... the terms of the contract. We have all the items you ordered .......... the down
quilt.
2. Do you want to order the matching earrings in .............................1o the necklace? This is the third
.......... of the textbook.
3. Can you give me some ..........on a gift? I'd ...........................you to give a gift certificate.
4. The price appears ........................... the product description. ............the camel-hair blazer, we
sell a camel-hair overcoat.
 of a problem with the""" lf you don't package the
5. We are recalling all 2oo0 models because
crystal carefully, it will """""""""' you for your good work'
the outfit' l'd like to """""""""""'-';""
G. The red shoes witl ..............
..

online' Our Web site has a link to the

...........
g. l,m wondering I can return the item I purchased

local forecast"
Return your payment in the brown
9. We .'.....' the vase with foam to prevent breakage.
...... we Provided'
were purchased by the first
10. We'll ......'-.the interest charges' AII of the robots
of customers-'

PART D'WRITING (20 marksl

you think are most appropriate
retter. Decide which of the phrases in bord
I13r a. Given berow is a formar
and underline thern' [5 marks]

1"9, Fox Road,

Downton.

14'h JanuarY ,2016.

Mr. Jeff Sexton,

The Chairman,
MuniciPal Council,
Downton"

Dear Mr Chairman,
of the
comprain about [zr the state of the yard/condition
r thought tlr rd write/ r am writing to
playground.overthelasttwoweeks,lhavenoticed[3Iloadsofrubbish/agreatdealoflitter.

[4llreckon/ltismyopinionthatthislitterisahealthhazard.Forexample,yesterdayayear4boyfellover
andcuthishandonabrokenbottle.[5ITheboyl,mtalkingabout/Theboyinquestionneededfour
views of the river
the *tter is an eyesore. our schoor has beautifur
stitches. [6r Furthermore/on top of this,
and these are spoiled by the litter'
this problem'
that there are [7r a road of things/a number of things that you courd do to rectify
r berieve
help prevent people
to purchase additionar ritter-bins. This would
Firstry, it may be possibre for the councir
needs
what's more/rn addition, r rhink that our school
discarding their ritter [g] reckressry/wi*y-n*ry. [9r
prevent vandals littering'
better/more adequate security to
and t look forward to your reply.
To finish/ln conclusion, l hope you will take my concerns seriously
[10]
Yours FaithfullY,

Name
 lbl Now assume that you are the chairman and write a formal reply to this letter using about 60
- 70
words. [5 marks]

[14] Essay Writing. Write an €ssay in about 200 words. Write the word count. [10 markst

a, Are our zoos cruel to wild animals? Discuss.

b. Who is the most popular person that you know of? Discuss why this person is popular, his/her attributes,
character, his/her outlook on life etc; (Do not write about Religious leaders, politicians or about your family
members) Plan your response, and then write an essay.

c. lmagine this situation. Your grandmother was taken ill and had to be hospitalized for a few days. you had
to stay with her for two nights as your mother could not be away from your little brother. Write two diary
entries of your experience in words not exceeding 200 words.