EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA

Joint Examination for the School Certificate

and General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 112~11

PAPER 1 •

Thursday 29 OCTOBER 2009 1 hour 45 minutes

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS:
Answer Booklet

1 hour 45 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the spaces provided in the Answer
Booklet.
There are two sections in this paper. Answer both sections.
Write your answers in the Answer Booklet paper provided.
If you use more than one Answer Booklet, fasten the Answer Booklets together.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

All questions in this paper carry equal marks.

You should first read through the whole paper.
You are advised to spend an equal amount of time on each section.

Cell phones are not allowed in the examination room.

This question paper consists of 3 printed pages.

©ECZ/2009/Y1 [Turn over
Page 2 of3

SECTION 1

You are advised not to spend more than 50 minutes on this section.

Write on one of the following topics. You should write between 250 and 350 words.

1 Write an account of the goodness of belonging to a church organization.

2 Write on the advantages or disadvantages of keeping a dog or dogs at home.

3 How is your community organized to ensure that its members help one another
when they are in trouble?

4 School days are the best days of one's life. Argue for or against this statement.

5 Write a story with one of the following statements:

(a) "No one sympathized with her even when she lay in a pool of blood."

OR

(b) "A stitch in time saves nine."

6 Love is sacrifice. Describe an incident when you had to sacrifice for the love of
someone or something.

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SECTION 2

You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this section.

Four English teachers comprising three women and one man of High Park School in England,
want to visit your school which was recently twined with their school. Being their first visit to
Zambia, especially to your school, they want advance information to help them prepare
adequately for the visit. Here are some points to help you provide the much needed
information.

-Climatic conditions

-Medical facilities

-Food-where and type

-Clothing and personal equipment

-Condition of roads

-Where to stay

-Bank and communication

-Transport

-Teaching

-Tourist attractions

-Petrol and vehicle repairs

Using the points provided above, in suitable order, and any other related points write a letter
to the Principal of High Park School in England. Your letter should be between 250 and 350
words long.

Engilish/1121/1/ Z2009
 Centre
Candidate Number
Number

EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA

Joint Examination for the School Certificate

and General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level

ENGLISH LaNGUAGE 1121/2

PAPER 2 •

1hursday 29 OCTOBER 2009 2 hours

Candidates answer on the question paper

No additional materials are required

TIME: 2 hours

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the spaces at the top of this page.
There are three (3) questions in this paper.
Answer all questions.
Write your answers on the spaces provided on the question paper.
Cell phones are not allowed in the examination room.

FOR EXAMINER'S USE

• 2

TOTAL

This question paper consists of 8 printed pages.

©ECZ/200 9/Y1 [Turn over
 Page 2 ofB

Answer all three questions

Question 1 Summary [20 Marks]

Read the following passage carefully and then answer the question that follows.
Ten minutes passed, Towera kept standing hoping that Mwiza would open the door. He did
not. She decided to put up one more attempt. She walked to the bedroom window and
knocked. Two, three times, there was no response. The fourth knock yielded some noise from
inside. Mwiza opened the window.
What do you want?" he roared.
"Please ........ .
Before she finished, Mwiza spat into her face. The spittle was light, but the impact it had on
her heart was stronger and heavier than a slap.
"You will never see me here again," she said and walked away. She collected her bags and
walked towards the road. Where she was going, she didn't know, but she knew she was
running away from her spitting husband.
To start with, Towera thought her husband was playing the no nonsense game every new
husband wants to play. But spitting into her face was more than she could bear.
She wondered where to go from here. So late in the night. Hardly a month after the wedding
in which the man had invested so much. Tears rolled down Towera's cheeks at the thought.
She did not realise where she was when suddenly a car parked by her side. "Tax!" shouted
the driver. She entered and sat in the passenger's seat. "Where to sissy?" he asked.
"I don't know," she stated.
The driver paused and looked at her closely. He was struck by her beauty. He was used to
women who asked for lifts not knowing where they were going. He knew how to treat them.
But this one looked different. She seemed to have had a purpose in life which was disturbed
in the course.
Towera could correctly read the driver's mind. She had to quickly think of a name or a place to
go. She didn't have much money-not even enough for a taxi. She had to think of someone
who could pay for her taxi. "Would you know Benson .... Big Ben?" she asked the driver.
At the mention of Benson, the driver's face brightened.
"Is there any driver who doesn't' know big Ben in this part of town!" he remarked.
"Who are you to him?" asked the driver.
"He is my cousin," said Towera.
The driver looked at her with doubt. "Ben is a nice person. We wonder when he is getting
married," he said.
Towera kept quiet. They crossed this road and that one. Towera didn't know where they were.
Suddenly the car slowed down and hooted.
"Big Ben, I have brought your cousin," announced the driver.
"Who's there?" asked Ben, sounding sleepy.
"I am Towe~a. It's a long story," she said, fearing he would reject her there and then.
Breathless, Ben opened the door and let them in. He paid the driver. The driver drove off.
Then Ben helped Towera carry the luggage into the house. Towera observed him work like an
obedient servant. She was humbled.
Just one look aroud the house swept off Towera's mental feet. The type of seats, musical
machine and the thick carpet- so much wealth! She sat on the comfortable seat. Benson sat
English/1121/2/ Z2009

---,.,.....,..~~=-~----~---~ - -- - - -- --
 Page 3 ofB

directly opposite her. "So what brings you here?" he asked.

Not very sure of what she was going to say, she started, "I'm sorry that I have come here to
bother you. Firstly, let me thank you for opening the door for me."
"I wish I could do more," he said. "But now .... Mrs Mwiza, what is happening? I hope it is not
a trap!" he said.
"Well, when we stood at the market, Mwiza saw us," she said.
"Yes, I thought so," he agreed with her. "So what does he say?"
"He has chased me away from his home."
"What! An end to marriage?" exclaimed Ben.
Towera looked down. When she looked up tears rolled down her cheeks. Benson got moved.
He stood up and knelt down by her side.
"Don't cry. You're here now. Leave everything in my hands." When Towera cooled down,
Benson sat back into his chair and relaxed. Then after a long time he said, "and you chose to
come here? Suppose he finds you here?"
"It makes no difference," said Towera. After what appeared a century Benson said, "So what
shall I do?"
"I just want to spend the night here in your spare bedroom."
"Then tomorrow I take you back?" asked Benson.
"He spat into my face," Towera replied. "Surely Ben, do I deserve such treatment just because
I stood with you?"
Benson shook his head and said, "What I can't understand is why some men throw good luck
to the wind-just like that."
"Now Ben, are you going to throw me out too, and spit into my face?" pleaded Towera.
"That will be the last thing I would do," said Ben. Then standing up, Ben led her around the
room. "Here is the kitchen and eat anything you want".
Left alone, Towera opened the fridge. She could not believe it.

Question: Write a summary of the events leading to Big Ben's marrying the girl of his
dreams. Use not more than 120 words. The summary has been started for you:

Over Big Ben, Mwiza quarrelled with his beautiful new wife, Towera and .. ............ ..........

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Question 2 COMPREHENSION [20 MARKS]

Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
SCIENCE AND LITERATURE CONNECTION
1 There was a chief in a certain village. He had many slaves. Whatever he wanted to be
done, he ordered it. If it was a wise thing he wanted, his various counsellors said to
him. "Yes, it is good," If it was not a wise thing, they said, just the same, "Yes, it is
good," because if they disagreed with him he grew angry, saying, "What! Do you say
the chief doesn't know what he is doing?" But the lowest of his counsellors never said
yes or no. If the chief asked him about a certain thing he would think for a while and
then reply: "All things are linked."

2 It happened one time that the chief could not sleep at night because of the croaking of
frogs in the marshes. Night after night he could not sleep, and decided at last that the
frogs would have to be exterminated. He told his counsellors what he intended to do.
One by one, as usual, they applauded him, saying, "Yes, it is good." Only the lowest of
the counsellors did not speak. The chief said: "You, counsellor, have you no tongue in
your mouth?" The man thought for a while, then he said: "0 chief, all things are linked."
The chief thought: "This man knows nothing else to say."
3. The chief sent his slaves out to exterminate the frogs in the marsh. They killed frogs
until no more frogs remained. They returned, saying, "Sir, the frogs are done with."
That night the chief slept well, and he slept well for many nights thereafter. He was
pleased with life.

4 But in the marshes, the mosquitoes began to rise in swarms because there were no
frogs to eat their larvae. They came into the village. They came into the chief's house
and bit him. They made his life a misery. The people of the village suffered. So the
chief ordered his slaves to go out and kill mosquitoes. The slaves went out, they tried,
but the mosquitoes were too numerous. They continued to plague the village. The chief
called his counsellors. He scolded them, saying, "When I asked you about killing the
frogs, you answered, 'It is good.' Why did you not say, 'If the frogs are killed the
mosquitoes will multiply? Only one of you said something for me to think about. He
said, 'All things are linked,' but I did not understand his words."
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5 The mosquito hordes made life unlivable. People left their houses and fields and went
away. They went to distant places, cleared new fields, and began living again. The old
village became deserted except for the chief and his family. Finally, the chief, too, took
his family and went away.

6 Because of what happened, there came to be a saying: a 'Yes, it is good' caused a

village to become deserted."

In each of the questions 1 - 9, select the best of the four choices given. Show the letter of
your choice by putting a ring around it on the question paper, as in the example below. If you
change your mind, cross the ring very neatly. Answer question 10 according to insructions.
Example:
What is the main role of frogs in the Inter link?
A breading
B croaking at night
@ eating up mosquitoes larvae
D Leaping up and down
Cis the best answer and as you can see it has been ringed.

1 The story is about • • •

~ a bad chief.
B mosquitoes and frogs.
C ecological ignorance.
~ wrong counselling.
2 What was the truth according to the chief?
A What the majority counsellors said.
B His opinions.
_G~ What the lowest counsellor said.
D That all things are linked.

3 According to paragraph 1, what type of people did the chief not like?
A Slaves.
B Opposers.
C Proposers.
D Quiet.

4 In the same paragraph 1, the lowest counsellor always • • •

A agreed.
B said nothing.
C remained neutral.
D inter-linked things.

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5 According to paragraph 2, the chief • • •

A was irritated by the lowest counsellor's answers.
8 always consulted the counsellors for an answer.
C interrogated counsellors one by one.
D accepted any group advice given.

6 The frogs irritated the chief with their • • •

A prolific breeding.
8 incessant movement.
C nocturnal noise.
D indiscriminate feeding.

7 After the frogs were exterminated • • •

A mosquito bites increased.
8 snakes became pests.
C the village stank.
D mosquitoes became noisy.

8 The main culprit of the disaster in the swamp • • •

A was the chief.
8 were the slaves.
C was the lowest counsellor.
D were the other counsellors.

9 According to the Passage "All things are linked" implies • • •

A independence.
8 interdependence.
c dependence.
D parasitic life.

10 Choose the underlined words in the passage that mean the same or nearly the same as
the words below. Write the word against each word or phrase.
1 '
~·~ I - :,.-- IA l (_-
A Left alone ••••• ·• .- ........... ~ ••......•..••••••••••••••••

8
·-
Large numbers •••••. ·".......•.•.••.••••••••.••••••
~

c \ \ r.• •.....•.•.....•.••.•.••.•......•..
C on neeted ....• \"-'1' '"'

D W .1pe d out •. : ·,-.'

• .~ . ~ ("''' (
. ! ~ ~ •••.. (pr'
~ ..•.........•..••.•...•.

English/1121/21 Z2009
 Page 7 ofB

Question 3 Structure
Answer both Section 1 and Section 2

Section 1 [1 0 Marks]
In each of the following items, sentence A is complete, but sentence B is incomplete.
Complete sentence B each time making it as similar as possible in meaning to sentence A.
Make sentence B one sentence, never two.

Do not make any changes to the printed parts of sentence B.

Example: A The boy is John. He broke the window last week.
B John ....................................................................................... .
Answer: John is the boy who broke the window last week.

1. A All the cattle are in the Kraal.

B None .. :,_. \...... ~ ..'.,......\ ... .............. :...r. ... r. l "· .l. ...... :..... :..............'.. .t. . ·'· .... .................... .

2. A Football and basketball are popular games in Zambia.

• I
B Football, together w1th ... .\. .~ :.... # • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • r;v :r, ....~ .-;·..... ·............ : .. ,.·................ : ......... .

3. A You will never solve this problem until somebody helps you.
B Not until ... ::\;:?:.... :...·.... :... •.. (········ .. ··, •••••j ••oo••·······'· .. \!.•.... .'.. .i.... ( .L .... ~<:J.• ~ ..... ..:!:.. :..... !

'
4. A Most people consider football the most interesting sport in the world.
B Football. .... {;,.:.......-;:::! : .t ....... .~ .•: ... r..: .... :.. .... : ...........................................,. .... ~ ........~ .. .
_, '.). i !-Y, ~ " ,
5. A I prefer goingCto the cinema to watching television.
I
B I would rather ...... ·i .~ ... : ...... : .............. :·. ! ... : ...... : .......... ... / ...................... ~ ':'7;';-: ............
' c' /

6. A As the horse galloped across the road, it narrowly missed the car.
. ~

B Galloping ...::J .. l ~i: ....~· .....C .. Ln .:·c. ..... : ... t .....1... 1.•........ (.t./.I.( ... \-.. L i.... ! .,.......... J.....(...... ' · •
~
7. A It is only after going for Voluntary Counselling and Testing that you can know your
HIV status.
B Unless .:..... \ ...r:r- .......... :: ......... :-:~~ ............ :...............:.:.......................................... .
I

8. A The teacher sa id that he wanted me to tell him the truth or he would slap me.
I I
B The teacher said, " ... J~ J..r.t ................................................................................. "

9. A My .mother was too bewildered to talk.

B So ...... '...... . .......(............. .' .).~:;./C.,.! ... .c. :1 .( ....... ~ ........ .t.. L !i ....................................... .
\
10. A My performance does not improve although I train very hard.

B No matter··················'···'.'•.. , ...... ~ ............................... :..... '...... :............ :................... --·'· · J<

Eng!ish/1121121 Z2009
Page 8 ofB

Section 2 [1 0 Marks]
In each of the following sentences, four words have been put in brackets. For each
sentence, choose the best word and write it on the question paper in the space
provided.
Example: A She picked ..................... the cup. (below, with, up, above)
B She picked !:!Q the cup.
1. They took ........ ~::: ............. their heels when the lion roared. (up, on, to , over)

2. She was praised ........ :~: ..•............ telling the truth. (over, for, on, about)

3. Ducks wade ........ :1c:.............. dirty water. (through, in, along, into)

4. Thieves broke into the bank safe and made ...... .~\( . : ... ..·......... with large sums of money.
(away, up, off, on) (
5. No one liked the song but it soon caught ........ t c................ (off, up, on, in)

6. Humans are liable .......................... error. (for, to, with, by)

7. Brothers and sisters should get .......... >- . l., .... t. .... very well. (in, by, with, along)
'-'
8. I couldn't make ...... :1 .1 •.•••.••••• who he was since it was dark. (in, out, on, up)

9. Mutinta didn't really want to go to church, but her friends talked her ........... , . ! .. '. ." ............ it.
(against, for, into, about)

10. The soldiers carried ..........-:1.\ ............. with exercises despite the heavy rain. (ahead,
forward, on, over)

11. My uncle died three years ago but it's taking me a long time to get ........D.\(. •............ it.
(through, over, by, along)

12. Our enemies blew ........ '::r.J.:.S.' ....... the bridge to delay our advance. (by, over, across, up).

13. The president will come here next week to drum .......................... support for his
candidate. (for, at, up, on)

14. Jane backed ............ , \.~ .......... of the debate when nobody agreed with her. (out, off,
down, about)

15. When I was looking for my pen, I came ...... 0-::'." .!...-{:-: ........ my lost stamp.
(by, over, across, upon)
16. The Minister of Education wanted to visit our school next week, but his plans have fallen
........ /................. . (out, forward, through, down)
17. Our church wants to cut .......................... the amount spent on the Pastor's trips.
(out, on, back, by)
18. She was literally screaming ....... /.:Y) ............ rage. (in, by, with, under)

19. The board chairperson presided .......................... the meeting in a biased manner.
(in, on, over, with). r

20. She could not make it to school for she was incapacitated ........... 0,..., .......... illness.
(with, from, by, in) (

English/1121/2/ Z2009