Section A: Grammar MCQ (10 marks)

Circle the correct option (a) – (d).

1. “Your grandparents hardly visited the zoo, _____________ they?” Samantha

asked me.

a. do
b. did
c. don’t
d. didn’t

2. The puzzle is so challenging that neither James nor his sisters _____________ it
yet.

a. solve
b. solves
c. has solved
d. have solved

3. The person _____________ the dog barked at is my new babysitter.

a. which
b. whom
c. whose
d. whoever

4. Over time, the number of shoppers who bring a recyclable bag for their purchases
____________increasing.

a. is
b. are
c. was
d. were
5. The captain, together with his crew, _____________ drowned in the shipwreck.

a. is
b. are
c. has
d. have

6. _______________ you need to use the washroom, please raise your hand.

a. Will
b. Shall
c. Would
d. Should

7. Our family _____________ into our new home in Serangoon by the end of this
year.

a. shifts
b. is shifting
c. has shifted
d. will have shifted

8. We will not get to the peak of the mountain before sunset _____________ we
hurry up.

a. if
b. since
c. unless
d. although

9. “It is eleven o’clock _____________ my watch. It’s time to return to the

classroom,” John told his classmates at the canteen.

a. at
b. by
 c. on
d. from

10. A number of volunteers _______________ coming forward to help this Sunday.

They will take turns to patrol the neighborhood.

a. is
b. are
c. was
d. were

Section B: Vocabulary MCQ (5 marks)

Circle the correct option (a) – (d).

11. In some countries, tough punishments are meted out to litterbugs because they
serve as a _______________ to would-be offenders.

a. restraint
b. deterrent
c. restriction
d. hindrance

12. Mr Tan was _____________ to see his door ajar as he remembered closing it that
morning.

a. dazed
b. agitated
c. distraught
d. bewildered

13. Several of the customers have made a/an ________________against Mr Lim’s

restaurant for selling unhygienic food.

a. protest
b. objection
 c. accusation
d. conspiracy

14. After the earthquake, electricity was available _____________ as the power
generators kept breaking down at regular intervals.

a. shortly
b. concurrently
c. occasionally
d. intermittently

15. This country was prosperous during the ______________ of the wise king.

a. term
b. reign
c. tenure
d. period

Section C: Vocabulary Cloze (5 marks)

Circle the correct option (a) – (d).

It was the December holidays. Instead of (16) lazing around, I decided to

volunteer at the Children’s home for their annual Christmas party. I was (17) uneasy
about whether I would do a good job or not. However, my fears were (18) allayed as
soon as I stepped into the place, as the existing volunteers were (19) friendly and
guided me on what to do.
I was soon (20) in the thick of the action, helping with the packing of goodie
bags and putting up the decorations. it was such a joy to see the happy faces of the
children as they streamed into the hall, squealing in delight as they saw the
decorations and goodie bags. The party turned out to be a huge success.

16.
a. idling
 b. relaxing
c. loitering
d. unwinding

17.
a. panicky
b. confused
c. intimidated
d. apprehensive

18.
a. pacified
b. soothed
c. alleviated
d. cultivated

19.
a. amiable
b. devoted
c. gracious
d. affectionate

20.
a. kept busy
b. included in
c. guided along
d. being recruited
Section D: Comprehension MCQ (8 marks)

TRAVELLING EYE CARE CARNIVAL BACK AT SERANGOON

COMMUNITY CLUB!

Sunday, 24 October 2021

Venue: Serangoon North Community Club Take good care of our eyes!

The biannual event hopes to educate residents in Serangoon about the

importance of eye health. Launched in March 2021, the carnival is back
for the second time. There was positive feedback from the residents,
especially the elderly who benefitted from the free eye-checks.

Highlights of the Carnival

 Bouncy castle for children aged 12 and below

 More than 20 interactive game stalls for all ages
 Lucky Draw – win attractive prizes!

Purchase your coupons from the Sales Office in the Community Club from 1 September to 24
October 2021. Coupons are sold at $5 per booklet. All coupon booklets come with a free
reusable bag and discount vouchers worth $50 from our sponsors.

Talk for Parents

At this event, parents with young children can attend a talk on

‘Childhood Myopia’ and inculcate good eye habits in their children.

Review Presenter: Dr Tan Wei Ming

“Dr Tan is engaging. I learnt useful tips on

what parents should do as poor eyesight in children
is difficult to detect. My children have perfect eyesight
and they take regular eye beaks when they use the
computer. In my opinion, eye conditions can be corrected.”
Time: 10am to 11am
Venue: Indoor Sports Hall
Mrs Cheryl lee, mother of 3, who attended the talk
Sign up for the talk at www.eyecare.com at $10 per person. Limited to 100 seats. All funds
collected will go to the Eye Research institute to raise awareness of eye diseases.

Eye-screening for Residents aged 55 and

above

Recycle for Sight Project (RSP)

Do you have spectacles which you do not
use? Please donate to the RSP organized by
Eye Aid Optics. In 2020, we donated
hundreds of pairs of spectacles to needy
families in Singapore. We only accept
spectacles that are in usable condition – no
broken frames or missing lenses.
Be a volunteer to help collect the
spectacles. Call Ms Lily at 61234567 if you
have any queries about this project.
Collection Venue: Hibiscus Room
Ophthalmologist: Dr Vincent Ho
Venue: Orchid Room
Time: 9am to 1pm
Ophthalmologist: Dr Lynn Samat
Venue: Rose Room
Time: 11am to 3pm
Ophthalmologist: Dr Kumar Govin
Venue: Periwinkle Room
Time: 2pm to 6pm
Free for eligible residents. Latecomers will
not be admitted. Online bookings can be
made from 1 September 2021 with any of
the ophthalmologists. Collect your tickets
at the reception counter on Level One on
the day of the screening.

Dine-in-the-Dark Experience
How is it like to dine in the dark? Before the experience, all mobile devices must be handed over to
the volunteers. have a meal in a pitch-black setting with the visually-impaired. Your sense of touch,
taste, smell and hearing will be intensified. After the meal, the venue will be lit up. The volunteer
will present you with pictures and descriptions of what you have eaten. You can compare with
your impressions and find out how many of your guesses were correct.

Venue: Tulip Room

 For enquiries about the Dine-in-the-dark Experience, please email Mr Simon Loh at
simonloh@dine.sg.
 To register for the experience, please call 67654321

Sponsored by: Organised by:

EYE-VISIONARY PTE LTD Serangoon community club
OPTICS-NATIONAL PTE LTD
Circle the correct option (a) – (d)

21. What is the main purpose of the poster?

a. promote awareness of good eye health

b. attract residents to donate used spectacles
c. foster positive relationships among the residents
d. encourage the elderly to receive free eye checks

22. Why is an exclamation mark used in the heading, “Travelling Eye Care
Carnival Back at Serangoon Community Club!”?

a. to show that the carnival is about eye care

b. to draw attention to the venue for the carnival
c. to emphasise that the carnival has been held before
d. to convey excitement about the return of the carnival

23. Anyone who buys a coupon booklet will __________________________.

a. win attractive prizes

b. enjoy a free eye check
c. receive a free reusable bag
d. get $50 cash from the sponsors

24. According to the poster, which of the following is not true of Mrs Cheryl Lee?

a. Her children wear glasses

b. She benefitted from the Talk for Parents
c. She believes that eye conditions can be rectified
d. Her children take eye breaks when they use the computer

25. Mr Lim, aged 60, wants to get an eye-screening. What must he do?

a. turn up at Hibiscus Room anytime

b. buy his ticket at the reception counter on Level One
 c. book his ticket in advance with any of the ophthalmologists
d. visit any of the rooms between 1 September to 24 October 2021

26. Gopal wants to support the Recycle for Sight Project. He can
____________________________.

a. be a volunteer to fix spectacles

b. donate a pair of old glasses which has a missing lens
c. call Ms Lily to enquire how he could volunteer his services
d. go to Orchid Room and hand his old spectacles to the volunteers

27. Residents who take part in the Dine-in-the-Dark Experience will

____________________________.

a. email Mr Simon Loh to register

b. eat with a visually-impaired person
c. discuss what they will get to eat during the meal
d. keep their mobile phones with them during the meal

28. The sponsors of the Eye Care Carnival are _____________.

a. Eye Research Institute and Eye-Visionary

b. Eye Aid Optics and Serangoon Community Club
c. Eye-Visionary Pte Ltd and Optics-National Pte Ltd
d. Serangoon Community Club and Optics-National Pte Ltd
Section E: Grammar Cloze (10 marks)
Fill in the blanks with a correct word from the box.

(A) about (D) could (G) one (K) out (N) was
(B) also (E) instead (H) or (L) some (P) were
(C) by (F) of (J) others (M) that (Q) yet

What do you think researchers have discovered in the Amazon? You will often

think of rare birds, plants (29) ___________ difference insect species. Although these

can be discovered there, (30) ___________ of the most unusual languages in the

world exist in the Amazon too.

Everett, a researcher from America, knows a lot (31) ___________ these

languages. One day, Everett, together with a friend, (32) ___________ swimming in

the river when a woman from a tribe threw part of a monkey carcass into the water

near them. When the water began frothing, the men realised (33) ___________ they

were actually sharing the river with the piranhas – a type of sharp-toothed,

predatory fish. Everett also later found (34) ___________ that the river was filled

with crocodiles too!

Everett learnt his lesson to be cautious before going for a swim and he also

started to learn the language of the different tribes. It was an uphill task because
none of the tribesmen (35) ___________ speak English. Everett plunged into the

language (36) ___________ first learning the basics. He pointed at objects until a

tribesman named them for him. Then, Everett repeated the sounds the speaker had

made until he got the pronunciation correct. Finally, he would confirm each new

word he had learnt with (37) ___________ in the tribe.

(38) ___________ , the tribe never considered him to be a true speaker of the

language. To them, he was more like a very clever talking parrot who sounded like a

real person.

Adapted from ‘The Accidental Explorer’ by Aimee Ogden

Section F: Editing (10 marks)

Each of the underlined words contains either a spelling or grammatical
error. Write the correct word in each of the boxes.

Some birds are endangered by human activities. One of them is the Yellow-

Breasted Bunting. It is believed to migrate from Russia and Japan to southern China
(39)

and parts of Southeast Asia between August to October. Its population is estimated
(40) (41)

to have fall by 70 per cent in Russia from 2000 to 2010. Threts include being trapped
(42)

and sold as food in some parts of China. Buyers want to perchace them. In some
parts of the world, they are stuffed and sold as mascots as some people believe their

prezence in homes provides benifitts to the homes.

Another endangered bird is the Blue-Winged Pitta. It sometimes fly from

(45)

different parts of Southeast Asia to Sumatra. It is commonly killed in kolisions with

(46)

buildings, especially in Singapore.

The Brown-chested Jungle-Flycatcher moves from China to Indonesia in

(47) (48)

September every year, stop in Singapore along the way. It can be see in Bidadari.

(49)

Several years ago, birdwatchers observe that its population declined. This was

(50)
because of a loss of its forest habitat and envairoment due to logging and agriculture

in countries along its flight path.

Let’s hope we conceive of creative ways to minimise harm to the bird while

continuing to develop our land.

Adapted and modified from “Songbirds” (The Straits Times, Feng Zengkun)
Section G: Comprehension Cloze (15 marks)
Fill in the blanks with a suitable word using the contextual clues
available.

The team is ready. No mountain will (51) _______________ in the way of the

six women who will be (52) ________________ Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa next

week. They are doing it to (53) ________________ funds for charity.

The eight-day expedition, organised by Ace Adventure Expeditions, (54)

_______________ to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8. The

team also hopes to raise at least $10,000 (55) ______________ this expedition for

Project Pari. Project Pari is an initiative which (56) _______________ young women

from low-income families with financial assistance and enrichment activities.

The team started training in September last year, and it has been an uphill

(57) _______________. The women go trekking (58) _______________ week. They

also do ten sets of 40-storey (59) _______________ up staircases twice a week while

carrying loads.

The expedition leader, Ms Joanne Soo, enjoys the serenity she (60)

________________ in the mountains. She also thinks that her mountain-climbing

journey has developed her personal (61) ________________ such as self-discipline,

resilience, and humility.

 As she had been a student who had to work and earn money to (62)

_______________ herself through school, she said that the upcoming expedition to

help Project Pari is something close to her (63) _______________. Ms Soo, who was

part of a (64) _______________ to scale Mount Everest in 2009, said, “If there is

some help that can be given, I’m glad to be a (65) ________________ of it.”

She and her teammates certainly look forward to their next climb.

Adapted from ‘No mountain too high to raise funds for charity’ (February 2015) and

“Ace Adventures Expeditions”

Section H: Synthesis and Transformation (10 marks)

Rewrite the given sentences(s) using the word(s) provided. The
meaning of your sentence must be the same as the meaning of the
given sentence(s).

66. “Is it time for the English lesson?” the student asked.

The student asked ___________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

67. The air conditioner was maintained regularly. It still broke down.

Despite regular ______________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

68. The bullet train runs faster than any other train.
 No other __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

69. Anisha is generous. This pleased her friends.

Anisha’s ___________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

70. James was happy. It was evident to her classmates.

James ____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Section I: Comprehension Open-ended (20 marks)

Read the passage and answer all questions carefully.

(1) “The first day of band camp has been a blast!” Laura exclaimed excitedly.
Earlier that day, Laura and forty of her bandmates had reported to school for their
annual band camp. Laura had been looking forward to the camp. To her, it would be
extremely fun to spend extended time with her close friends, Aisha, Gopal, and Joe.
The four of them were affectionately known as ‘The Quadruplets’ by their bandmates
as they would often hang out with one another even outside of band practice.

(2) Before retiring for the night, the four friends had made a pact to meet for a
quick night snack together at the canteen. “Where’s Aisha?” Joe questioned. Laura
shared that Aisha was feeling under the weather. Hence, she had decided to turn in
earlier that night. Over some hot drinks and biscuits, the three friends chatted
animatedly with one another.
 (3) “The first day of band camp has been a blast! What was the highlight of the
day for you guys?” Laura asked. Without hesitation, Gopal, the band’s student leader,
shared, “Perfecting that difficult piece we have been practising for the whole month!”
Joe nodded in agreement. Seconds later, Laura added, “I also liked the campfire
rehearsal! It was so much fun!” Soon, the three friends decided to make their way
back to the classrooms for a much needed rest. It had been a tiring but rewarding day.

(4) While walking along the corridor, the three of them saw someone crouching
in the distance. Was that person in trouble? Concerned, they quickened their pace.
“Aisha, is that you?” Laura asked hesitantly. Realising that it was indeed Aisha, the
three friends rushed towards her. Aisha’s face was drained of colour. Immediately,
Laura, together with Gopal and joe, helped Aisha onto her feet and assisted her back
to the classroom. Then, Aisha shared that her stomach was in knots and she was
suffering from diarrhoea, having gone to the toilet five times in the last hour.

(5) To make matters worse, Aisha mentioned that there were several bandmates
who were also in the toilet. They seemed to be showing similar symptoms as her.
Learning that raised the alarm bells for Gopal. Decisively, he instructed Laura and
Joe to go around and check on the well-being of their bandmates while he looked for
their teacher-in-charge, Ms Teo. Gopal also asked a junior to look after Aisha in their
absence. Instantly, the three friends set off to fulfil their respective tasks.

(6) Despite the stressful episode, Gopal calmly recounted the situation to Ms
Teo when he had located her. Moments later, they headed to the classrooms to
determine the severity of the situation. As time ticked by, at least half of the band
members had started to exhibit signs of stomach discomfort or diarrhoea. “Seems like
a case of mass food poisoning,” Ms Teo uttered. As Ms Teo busily arranged for the
unwell band members to be taken home by their parents, Gopal got the rest to tend to
their peers who were ill. In unrehearsed unison, everyone did what they could to make
the situation better.
 (7) The next morning, the band camp had to be called off prematurely. Gopal,
Laura and Joe hoped that Aisha and the afflicted band members would recover soon.
Ms Teo assured everyone that the school would get to the root of the problem. Before
the rest of the members were dismissed, Ms Teo shared how proud she was of
everyone. That very affirmation warmed the hearts of the band members.

Written by: Casey Low

71. Why was Laura looking forward to attending the camp? (1m)

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

72. From paragraph 2, which four-word phrase tells us that Aisha might be ill?
(1m)

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

73. Look at the table below. What do the words in the left column refer to in the
passage? Write your answers in the column on the right. [3m]

Word(s) from the passage What the word(s) refer(s) to

a. night snack (line 8)

b. It (line 16)

c. that (line 27)

74. Gopal spoke about a ‘different piece’ (line 14). What made Gopal think that the
piece was difficult? (2m)

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

75. Write 1, 2 and 3 in the blanks below to indicate the order in which the events
occurred in the story. (1m)

_____ Aisha was absent from the gathering at the canteen that night.

_____ Laura thought the first day of band camp was extremely fun.

_____ The bandmates had given the four friends a nickname.

76. Why was Aisha’s face pale as she crouched in pain along the corridor? (2m)

a.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

b.

77. Based on lines 18-30, state whether each statement in the table below is true or
false, then give one reason why you think so. (3m)

True / False Reason

a) Gopal, Laura and Joe

were frightened when they
saw someone crouching in
the distance.
 b) Aisha was left to take
care of herself in the
classroom.

c) Laura and Joe agreed

with what Gopal had
instructed them to do.

78. From lines 25-38, which two words show that Gopal was not overwhelmed by
panic when dealing with the stressful situation? [2m]

a) _____________________________________________________________

b) _____________________________________________________________

79. Explain what Ms Teo meant when she mentioned ‘the school would get to the
root of the problem’ (line 41). [2m]

80. “Ms Teo shared how proud she was of everyone” (line 42).

a) Why was Ms Teo proud of them? [1m]

b) Which two qualities did the band members show that made Ms Teo proud of
them [2m]
i) _________________________________
 ii) _________________________________

Answer Key

1. b
2. d
3. b
4. a
5. c
6. d
7. d
8. c
9. c
10. b
11. b
12. d
13. c
14. b
15. d
16. a
17. d
18. c
19. a
20. a
21. a
22. d
23. c
24. a
25. c
26. c
27. b
28. c
29. H
30. L
31. A
32. N
33. M
34. K
35. D
36. C
37. J
38. Q
39. and
 40. fallen
41. threats
42. purchase
43. presence
44. benefits
45. fled
46. collisions
47. stopping
48. seen
49. observed
50. environment
51. stand
52. climbing
53. raise
54. seeks
55. through
56. provides
57. task
58. every
59. climbs
60. experiences
61. traits
62. support
63. heart
64. team
65. part
66. The student asked if it was time for the English lessons.
67. Despite regular maintenance, the air conditioner still broke down.
68. No other train runs faster than the bullet train.
69. Anisha’s generosity pleased her friends.
70. James’ happiness was evident to her classmates.
71. Laura thought it would be extremely fun to spend extended time with her close
friends, Gopal and Joe.
72. feeling under the weather
73.
a. some hot drinks and biscuits
b. the campfire rehearsal
c. Aisha and several other bandmates having a stomachache and suffering
from diarrhea
74. The band perfected the difficult piece after practicing for a month.
75. 2, 3, 1
76.
a. Her stomach was in knots
b. She was suffering from diarrhea
77.
 a. False / Gopal, Laura and Joe were concerned and they quickened their
pace when they saw someone crouching in the distance
b. False / A junior was asked to take care of Aisha by Gopal in the absence
of Gopal, Laura and Joe.
c. True / Laura and Joe set off instantly to fulfil their tasks after Gopal and
told them to do so.
78.
a. decisively
b. calmly
79. She meant that the school would figure out what had caused the case of mass food
poisoning
80.
a. Every band member did everything they could to help in unrehearsed
unison.
b.
i. teamwork
ii. care