DPS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

36 Aroozoo Avenue (opp Surin Park) 539842

Tel: (65) 62856300 Fax: (65) 62851670 Website: www.dps.edu.sg

SECOND TERM EXAMINATION

2014 - 2015
CLASS:VII MARKS :80
DATE :13.3.15 SUBJECT: English Language TIME :2Hours

INSTRUCTIONS

1. You are required to utilize the first ten minutes for reading the
the question paper.
2. You will not be allowed to write during this time.
3. Neatness should be maintained by avoiding overwriting or striking
out.
________________________________________________________________

I. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
A Letter From New York
Dear Aunt Julia,

I have so much to tell you, I don’t know where to begin! Re me mbe r l a st

summer when I told you that I wa s pla nning to e nte r the Te e nSa y
M a g a z i n e e s s a y c o n t e s t ? We l l , I e nte r e d, a nd my e ssa y, "I mpr ovi ng
C o m mu n i t y S a f e t y , " w o n ! T h e p r i z e w a s a w e e k e nd t r i p t o Ne w Y o r k
C i t y , w i t h a v i s i t t o t h e T e e nS a y o f f i c e s t o s e e h o w t h e y p u b l ish t he
ma g a z i n e e a c h mo n t h . T h r e e o f u s we r e c h o s e n t o g o f r o m T e x a s : two
o t h e r c o n test w inners, and myse lf .

M y mo t h e r t o o k me t o t h e a i r p o r t f or the f light to Ne w Yor k, a n d I h a v e

t o a d mi t I w as nervous! I’ve fl o w n b e f o r e , b u t n e v e r w i t h o u t my
p a r e n t s. B ut w hen w e got to the a i r p o r t a n d me t t h e o t h e r p e o p l e i n o u r
g r o u p , I r e l a x e d . Th e g r o u p l e a d e r , M s. Alvarez, was really frie ndly a nd
e a sy t o t a lk to. She is in charge o f ma r k e t i n g a n d s p e c i a l p r o mo t i o n s a t
T e e n S a y M a g a z i n e . Whi l e w e w a i t ed f o r o u r f l i g h t , s h e d e s c r i b e d t he
a c t i v i t i e s w e ’ d b e p a r t i c i p a t in g i n t h a t w e e k e n d . S h e a l s o i n t roduced me
t o t h e o t h e r c o n t e s t w i n n e r s . I r e n e i s f r o m A r l i n g t o n , a n d s h e ’s 1 4 y e a r s
old like me. She won a prize for t h e s e r i e s o f p h o t o g r a p h s s h e t o o k
w h e n h e r f a mi l y d r o v e a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y l a s t s u m m e r . T h e o t h e r winne r
i s a 1 5 - y ear-old boy name d E dd i e . E d d i e w o n t h e T e e n S a y c o m m u n it y
s p i r i t a w a r d f o r c l e a n i n g u p a n d i mpr o v i n g t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d p a r ks in
his town. Irene and Eddie both se e me d l i k e a l o t o f f u n . B e f o r e o u r
p l a n e e v e n t o o k o f f , w e w e r e l aughing and telling jokes like we ’ d
k n o w n e a c h o t h e r fo r e v e r .

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I w a s s u r p r i s e d a t h o w q u i c k t h e f l i g h t s e e me d . S i n c e M s . A l v a r e z a n d I
w e r e s i t t i n g n e x t t o e a c h o t h e r , s h e t ol d me a l o t a b o u t h e r s e lf and how
sh e h a d e nded up w orking at T e e nSa y Ma ga z ine . She sa id tha t a s a
y o u n g g i r l s h e h a d a l w a y s e n j o y e d wr iting stor ie s a nd inte r vie wi n g
p e o p l e . Sh e a l s o l o v e d p l a n n i n g a nd or ga niz ing e ve nts. She wa s a l w a y s
i n c h a r g e of planning her school’ s da nc e s a nd f undr a ise r s, a nd e v e n
o r g a n i z e d h e r f a mi l y ’ s b i g r eunion pa r ty e ve r y ye a r . Af te r c olle ge , s h e
g o t a j o b a s a r e p o r t e r a t T e enSay, and then she gradually move d into
t h e i r ma r k e t i n g a n d s p e c i a l p r o mot i o n s d e p a r t me n t . S h e s a i d t h at she
s t i l l o c c a s i o n a l l y writes an article for them, b u t s h e l o v e s w h a t s h e
d o e s n o w . I t o l d h e r t h a t I w a s t h i n k i n g a b o u t b e c o mi n g a r e p o rt er
s o me d a y , a n d s h e s a i d t h a t s h e thought I c ould do it if I wor ke d really
hard.

B e f o r e I k n e w i t , w e w e r e l a n d i n g i n N e w Y o r k . A t t h e a i r p o r t , w e we r e
p i c k e d u p i n a l i mo u s i n e — j u s t l i ke c e le br itie s! W e dr ove to the
T e e n S a y o f f i c e s d o w n t o w n . A l l d u r i ng the r ide , I r e ne a nd Eddie and I
w e r e p r e s sed up against the w indows l i k e l i t t l e k i d s , s t a r i n g at t h e
buildings and the people we passe d. You wouldn’ t be lie ve how di ffe rent
N e w Y o r k i s f r o m T e x a s ! T h e c o l o u r s , t h e s me l l s , t h e n o i s e s —
e v e r y t h i n g is different. We c oul dn’t get over how crowded it wa s : a l l o f
the people and cars on the stre e t s a n d s o mu c h g o i n g o n . W e w e re
e x c i t e d t o j u mp i n a n d s t art seeing the sights.

W h e n w e arrived at the T eenS a y offices, Ms. Alvarez took us on a t o u r .

W e g o t t o s e e h o w a ma g a z i n e g o e s f r o m a r o u g h ma n u s c r i p t t o a
finished issue. I couldn’t be lieve how much work and detail goe s i n t o
e a c h i s s u e , a n d h o w ma n y p e o p l e i t t a k e s t o d o t h e w o r k . M y f a vo r i t e
p a r t w a s s eeing the bulletin board where ske tc he s, r ough dr a f ts, a n d
o u t l i ne s ge t p i n n e d u p i n s e q ue n c e . We a l s o me t ma n y o f t h e e mpl o y e e s ,
f r o m i l l u st r a t o r s a nd w r i t e r s t o p h o t o gr a p h e r s an d e d i t or s, a n d they
answered all of our questions.

B y t h e t i me t h e t o u r w a s o v e r , Ms. Alvarez could tell that we were

getting tired. She took us to her favourite restaurant, and on t h e w a y
t h e r e w e h a d a c h a n c e t o d o s o me w i n d o w - s h o p p i n g a n d c h e c k o u t s o me
o f t h e si g hts. A ll around us, pe opl e we r e spe a king dif f e r e nt langua ge s. I
told Ms. Alvarez that I thought I could spend a whole year in New York
and still not see everything!

W h e n I s e e y o u a t M o t h e r ’ s b i r t h da y pa r t y n e xt we e k , I w i l l t e ll y o u a l l
a b o u t t h e sightseeing w e are go i n g t o d o t o mo r r o w . I a m e nc l o s i ng a
c o p y o f m y e s s a y w i t h t h i s l e t t e r. So far, it has been a great t ri p .

Love,
Yoshiko

Q1. Why did Yoshiko go to New York City? (2)

Q2. Why was Yoshiko nervous before boarding the flight to New York? (2)

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Q3. Describe Ms. Alvarez based on the information given in the passage. (3)

Q4. What conclusion can you draw about the relationship between Yoshiko and Aunt Julia?(3)

Q5. Write briefly about Yoshiko’s adventure in New York. (2)

Q6. What are some of the differences between New York and Yoshiko’s hometown? (2)

Q7. What is a synonym for the word ‘occasionally’? (1)

II. Fill in the blanks with Present Perfect Tense of the verbs given in the brackets: (5)

a) ……. there ever ………. a war in the United States?(be)

b) Nobody ……..ever …………..that mountain.(climb)

c) Susan ………………………Japanese, but she can communicate.(not, master)

d) He …………………..for three different companies so far. (work)

e) My car ……………………..down three times this week. (break)

III. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs given in the brackets: (10)

a) Tomorrow I think I (start)…………………..my new project.

b) The teacher (probably/assign)………………… a test to his students next Monday.

c) By 9 o'clock, we (finish)……………………..our homework.

d) She came home,…………….( switch) on the computer and …………(check) her e-mails.

e) Simon ……………….(play)on the computer while his brother watched TV.

f) Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin …………………… (play) football.

g) It …………….. (rain) every afternoon in the hot season.

h) ……………. (open) the packet and …………….(pour) the contents into hot water.

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IV. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions: (5)

a) My friend has been living in Canada……………………….two years.

b) I have been waiting for you……………………..seven o'clock.

c) You should have finished this essay…………………..Friday.

d) The picture hangs …………….my bed.

e) There isn't a bridge ……………………the river.

V. Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles: (5)

a) ……………… most of …………….. stories people tell about ………………. Irish are not true.

b) I am ……….. little excited about ………….. party tonight.

c) There are …………….. lot of good shows on .............T.V. today.

d) I have …….. uncle who lives in ……………home for …………. Elderly.

VI. Add either an adjective or an adverb to complete the following sentences: (10)

a) The bus driver was………………injured.

b) Kevin is…………………clever.

c) This hamburger tastes………………... .

d) Be……………….with this glass of milk. It's hot.

e) Robin looks………………. . What's the matter with him?

f) Jack is ……………..upset about losing his keys.

g) This stew smells……………..... .

h) Our basketball team played……………..last Friday.

i) Don't speak so …………... .I can't understand you.

j) Maria ………………….opened her present.

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VII. Fill in the blanks with suitable conjunctions: (5)

a) Receptionists must be able to retain information ______ pass messages accurately.

b) I did not go to the show ______ I had already seen it.

c) Keep the food covered ______ the flies will contaminate it.

d) ______ he is thin, he is strong.

e) Rehana ______ phoned ______ wrote after she left home.

VIII. Select any one of the following: (10)

a) You participated in an international computer quiz competition and clinched the first
prize. Write a letter to your cousin and narrate your experience as one of the contestants
and your feelings upon winning the contest.

b) You often reach school late due to the traffic jams on the roads in your city. This
problem is getting worse by the day and causes you a lot of inconvenience. Write a letter
to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) complaining about the problem and offer
some suggestions for improvement.

IX. Write a composition (200 words) on any one of the following topics: (15)

a) Write an interesting story ending: … it could not have been a more exciting day.

b) You have been on a plane journey recently. While going through a cloud, the plane
developed engine trouble. Describe the feelings of the passengers and how the situation
was brought under control.

c) Influence of My Teacher in My Life

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