Name Class Index Number

ANG MO KIO SECONDARY SCHOOL

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2021
SECONDARY FOUR EXPRESS/ FIVE NORMAL(ACADEMIC)
SECONDARY FOUR NORMAL (ACADEMIC) (OOS)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1128/02

Paper 2 Comprehension 30 August 2021 / Monday
1 hour 50 minutes
Candidates answer in the Question Booklet.
Additional Materials: Insert

Setter: Mrs Cha Wan Cheng

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your name, class and index number on the work you hand in.
Write in dark blue or black pen.
Do not use glue or correction fluid.

Answer all questions.

Write your answers in the spaces provided in the Question Booklet.
The Insert contains the texts for all the sections.

The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

Hand in the Question Booklet and Insert separately.

This document consists of 8 printed pages and 1 Insert .

[Turn over]

1
 Section A [5 marks]

Text 1

Refer to the webpage (Text 1) on page 2 of the Insert for Questions 1 - 4.

1. What is the main purpose of the webpage? [1m]

Answer:
It is to encourage/persuade/convince readers / audience to be an
environment volunteer with/for NEA.
It is to attract reader to become a NEA volunteer.
X It is to get the reader to participate in NEA’s event(s).

2. Refer to the photograph under the heading ‘Volunteering’. What intended

effect does it have on the reader? [2m]
Answer:
The photograph and the text illustrates a real example of how even a young
child can contribute towards the good cause / be a volunteer [1].

AND

This makes the reader feel convinced / inspired that they can well contribute
as a volunteer OR feel inspired to volunteer [1]

[Note: It is to show/tell them that age doesn’t matter – maximum 1m]

3. What are two other ways through which the webpage appeals to potential
volunteers? [2m]

Answer: The positive testimonials of volunteers [1] and a video on how to

become a NEA volunteer which depicts/shows a big group of volunteers
with smiling faces [1].

2
 Section B [20 marks]
Refer to Text 2 on pages 3 and 4 of the Insert for Questions 4 – 13.

4. State two pieces of evidence in Paragraph 1 which show that the writer had no
intention to going back to where he came from. [2m]

Answer: He had no return ticket [1] and he changed all his coins into
Spain’s currency [1].
[X cut my last connection with home – this is stating that the writer had no
intention of going back; you are to pick out what he did to show this]

5. In Paragraph 2, quote another phrase referring to the ‘craggy hilltop’.

Answer: ‘rocky tower’ [1m]

6. Explain how the language used in Paragraph 3 demonstrates the

overwhelming fear felt by the writer when night fell. Support your ideas with
three details from the paragraph. [3m]
Answer:
• ‘filled with heavy shadows which took on strange and eerie shapes’
suggests that the writer was so afraid of the darkness that he started
to imagine / hallucinate that there might be impending danger /
danger lurking;

• ‘jagged coastline looked menacing, like fragments of broken glass’

suggests that the rocky coastline appeared/seemed threatening to
him as a fall might cost his life / a fall into the waters might be fatal;

• ‘Vigo was cold and dim, smothered in the blue dusk’ suggests that he
found the chilly and darkening atmosphere suffocating.

In Paragraph 3, what two factors caused sleep to elude the writer? [2m]
7. Answer: It was the discomfort that come from lying on a bed of stones [1]
and the disturbing howling of the wild dogs OR the howling of the wild
dogs was TOO noisy OR the howling of the wild dogs was continuous /
lasted till dawn [1].

From Paragraph 4, pick an expression which suggests that very few people
8. inhabited the area near the hills. [1m]
Answer: ‘occasional signs of life’

In Paragraph 4, what conclusion did the writer arrive at upon seeing the
9. remains of fires and the sheep’s skeleton? Answer in your own words. [2m]
Answer: He was sure/certain [1] that robbers had sought shelter in the
castle before them [1].

Taboo: obvious; refuge; bandits

[Note: X lived / inhabited /

3
10. Give a word of your own each to describe, from the writer’s perspective,
(i) Zamora at present and (ii) Zamora in the past. [2m]

Zamora Word to describe

At present Run-down; dilapidated; crumbling;

ageing; ramshackle

X damaged; deserted; desolate

In the past Grand; charming; glorious;

magnificent / majestic; impressive;
spectacular; wondrous

X amazing; glamourous

11. ‘Artur, the tall young man, talked with vitality, but his speech was often broken
by jagged rasps of coughing.’ (Lines 52-53)
What is unusual and effective about the writer’s description of Artur’s speech?

Answer:
It was unusual as he sounded energetic/full of life [X lively] despite his
rough and unpleasant coughs suggesting that he was seriously unwell. [1]

It was effective in demonstrating Artur’s passion/enthusiasm/eagerness

about music that it energized him to play/make music despite his illness. [1]
[Taboo: vitality; jagged rasps of coughing]

12. Towards the end of the account, why do you think Artur’s friend was
weeping? [1m]

Answer: He knew that Artur was going to die / was dying soon.

13. The structure of the text reflects the stages of the writer’s journey in Spain.
Complete the flowchart by choosing one expression from the box to describe
each stage. There are extra descriptions in the box that you do not need to
use. [4m]
Flow chart

1&2 – Discarding the past for the future

3&4 – In a state of solitude and aimlessness

5 – Getting adjusted to a new place

6 – Gaining confidence in the future

4
 Section C [25 marks]

Refer to Text 3 on pages 5 and 6 of the Insert for Questions 14 - 19.

14. In Paragraph 1, what is being compared with a barren Amazon? [1m]

Answer: California coast without kelp.

15. What is the mission of Bay Foundation? [1m]

Answer: It is to restore Santa Monica Bay and its coastal waters.

(cannot lift directly – it is dedicated to…) → Answer to the question

16. From Paragraph 4, name two ways in which El Nino contributed to the
destruction of kelp forests.
Answer:
• The warmer waters promote the growth of purple urchins which
devoured the kelp forests.

• It brings warm tropical water low in nutrient value while kelp thrives in
cold, nutrient-rich water.

• In winter, El Nino brings about storms that literally rip the kelp from its
holdfasts.
[Any 2]

17. Describe briefly, in your own words, the state of the kelp forests at
Honeymoon Cove during the following time periods.

Time period State of forest

The kelp forests were totally destroyed / non-

existent.
Before 2013
(Taboo: complete barren)

Some areas /parts of the forests were revived.

2013 and beyond
(X …its eight acres of giant kelp. Taboo: restored)

18. Here is part of a conversation between two friends, Patrick and Sandy,
who have read the text.

Purple urchins have great I totally agree with you.

detrimental impact on the Fortunately the divers can
fishing industry. put their skills to good use
in other jobs.
5
 (i) How would Patrick fully explain his position with reference to
Paragraph 4? [2m]

Answer: Purple urchins competed with red urchins for kelp [1] thereby bringing
about a drastic drop in the population of red urchins and affecting the business
of red urchin suppliers [1].

(ii) Give two examples which Sandy can use to support her viewpoint with
reference to Paragraphs 6 and 8. [2m]

Answer:

The out-of-work red urchin divers are hired by Bay foundation to methodically
cull the purples by smashing them with hammers. [1]

Commercial urchin divers will be hired by Urchinomics to fish for the ranched
purple urchins. [1]

19. Using your own words as far as possible, summarise the importance of the
kelp ecosystem in curbing climate change and the various methods undertaken
by organisations to revive it.

Use only information from Paragraphs 2, as well as 6 to 8.

Your summary must be in continuous writing (not note form). It must not be
longer than 80 words (not counting the words given to help you begin).

The survival of kelp forests is important to mankind as

6
Point From the Passage
1 … for their ability to store large amounts
of carbon dioxide
2 With this, seaweed decreases
acidification that can kill marine life.
3 Through photosynthesis, kelp forests
boost oxygen levels in the ocean…
4 …while helping protect the coast from
erosion.
5 … kelp restoration (by Bay Foundation)
began in 2013
6 The Bay Foundation (now) hires out-of-
work red urchin divers to methodically
cull the purples by smashing them with
hammers.
In Own Words
They can hold huge quantities of carbon
dioxide [8]
…thereby enabling seaweed to reduce
acidification that destroys marine life.
[10]
Kelp forests contribute towards the
ocean’s increased oxygen levels [9]
… and prevent coastal erosion [4]
Bay Foundation commenced kelp
restoration in 2013. [6]
Bay Foundation engages jobless red
urchin divers to methodically kill/destroy
purple urchins with hammers. [13]

7 + 8 Sustainable Surf is working to get Sustainable Surf explores getting

surfers, surfing fans, and the consumer customers and consumer brands they
brands they patronize to finance patronize to finance kelp forests
restoration of kelp forests through its restoration through its SeaTrees
SeaTrees programmes. programmes. [19]

1 point to individual funding

1 point to funds gained through
consumer brands their customers
patronize [need to make reference to
Sustainable Surf / SeaTrees
programmes]

9 At White Point, SeaTrees will fund the SeaTrees pay for clearance of a 3,200-
removal of a 3,200-square-foot patch of square-foot patch of urchin-infested reef
urchin-infested reef as part of a at White Point. [13]
reforestation project.

10 The UC Davis (Bodega Marine The UC Davis has been experimenting

Laboratory... Rogers-Benett) has been ways to ranch / farm purple sea urchins.
testing methods to “ranch” starving [11]
purple sea urchins

11 The UC Davis scientists are … and partnering Urchinomics to sell

collaborating with (a Norwegian the urchins to food establishments. [10]
company called) Urchinomics that plans
to sell ranched urchins to high-end sushi
and seafood restaurants.