Name: …………………………………………..…..Adm. No: ….

…………Class: …………

Candidate’s Sign: ……...............Date:………………….

ENGLISH

TIME: 2 HOURS

GIKURUNE BOYS
END OF TERM ONE EXAM 2024
FORM ONE ENGLISH
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
(a) Write your name, admission number and class in the spaces provided at the top of the
page.
(b) Write the date of the examination in the spaces provided above.

(c) Answer all the questions in the spaces provided.

(d) Students should check the question paper to ascertain that all the pages are printed as
indicated and that no questions are missing.

FOR EXAMINER’S USE ONLY

QUESTION MAXIMUM SCORE CANDIDATES SCORE
TOTAL 80

This paper consists of 8 printed pages. Candidates should check the question paper
to ascertain that all pages are printed as indicated and no questions are missing.

Page 1 of 8
1. COMPREHENSION (20mks)
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

A SUMMONS TO THE HEADMASTER’S OFFICE.

“Ah, Abrahams. So you’re letting things slip after only six months?”
“No, Sir.”
Are you calling your teacher a liar?
“No, Sir.”
“Are you tired of working hard? Why are you letting me down? None of the others have,
you know. Do you want to do only the ordinary classes?”
“No, Sir.”
“You’d better tell me all about it.”
“It’s arithmetic, sir.”
“What about it?”
“I can’t do it sir.”
“Have you tried?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Hard?”
“Yes, sir.”
“This record says you show no real interest in it.
“I’ve tried sir.”
“Do you mean the record is untrue?”
“No sir, I mean I’ve tried hard to be interested.”
“You know, of course, that I don’t make the laws about examinations.”
“Yes sir.”
“Well, unless you get a certain average for arithmetic, your high average in all the other
subjects won’t help you. That is the law and I didn’t make it. I want to push you through
as fast as I can but you must work at arithmetic. Relax a little with the other subjects if
you like.”
“I like the other subjects, sir.”
“I know. But to get to where you want to go you can’t do only what you like….. Where
do you want to go?”
“What do you want to do?”
“Those stories, sir.”
“In the book the young woman gave you?”
“Yes, sir.”
I was wondering whether you had begun to forget them. I’m trying to read it now, sir.
“Getting anything out of it?”
“A little.”

Page 2 of 8
“Well, there you have it. Between you and the further knowledge that would help you get
everything out of that book, stands arithmetic, it’s like a lion barring your road. You
either turn back because you cannot cope with it, or you kill it, and go on. The makers of
our educational laws have not provided for poets. I want you to kill that lion and go on.
Arithmetic is silly in a poet’s armoury, but you must master it and get that average … I
promised you my cane if you were ever sent to me. We must keep our promises. Let
down your trousers, then go back and let the sting of the cane help you kill the lion….”

Adapted from ‘Tell freedom by Peter Abrahams.

Questions.
1. How long has Abrahams been in school? (1mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Why can’t Abrahams do well in arithmetic? (2mks)

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. Is he a poor student? Explain your answer according to the passage. (3 mks)

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

4. What does Abrahams want to become? (1mk)

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………….

5. According to the passage, why is the Headmaster keen to see to it that Abrahams
improves in arithmetic? ( 2mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

Page 3 of 8
 6. What do you understand by the following expressions by the headmaster? ( 4mks)

‘I want you to kill that lion and go on”?

………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………….

“....let the sting of the cane help you kill the lion….”

………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. There is no other way. ( Change this statement into a question.) (1mk)

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

8. “I promised you a cane if you’re ever sent to me.” Who sent Abrahams to the
Headmaster? Give evidence for your answer. (2mks)
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................

9. If you were Abrahams, what would you do to make sure you are not caned ever again
by the headteacher? (2mks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

10. Give another word similar in meaning with the following words used in the passage.
(2mks)

Arithmetic -
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

Barring -
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Page 4 of 8
 2. WRITING (10mks)
During the April holiday, your class is going to Mombasa on a five-day class trip. Your class
teacher has requested you to prepare an appointment diary for the five days with a place to visit
each day. Prepare the diary.

3. Cloze test. (10mks)

Fill in each blank space with the most appropriate word.
My husband and I live in Mombasa. We both work ………1………...a telephone
…………2………… in town.

Page 5 of 8
Last Saturday, I ……………3……………… to the top of a telephone pole. As I repaired the
phone line, I …………4…………….someone speaking to Mrs. Hamisi, the manager. The
person was complaining …………5…………his telephone line. He told the
manager……………6…………….the line was loose and hanging across the road. The man
thought that it had been cut by a passing lorry. Mrs. Hamisi told him that she would send a
……………7…………….. to his home to correct it. “Why go to all that trouble?” he replied.
“Why don’t you ……………8…………the wire straight from your end?”
I laughed ……………9…………..loud at such naivety and nearly
fell……………10…………the telephone pole.

4. ORAL SKILLS. (20mks)

a. Mr. Keya, an official from the CDF office has been sent to your school to interview
you following your application for a bursary. Complete the conversation below.
(12mks)

Deputy Principal: Come in. Good morning young man.

You:
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………(2mks)
Deputy Principal: Here is Mr. Keya from the CDF office, Maua Constituency. Kindly
greet him and introduce yourself to him:
You:
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………(3mks)
Mr. Keya: Good to meet you, Daniel. I’m Keya Waloba.
You:
……………………………………………………………………………….........(1mk)
Mr. Keya: (Laughing) Not Care but Keya. K-e-y-a.

Page 6 of 8
 You:
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………..(2mk)
Mr. Keya: Don’t worry. I understand. Are you a resident of Maua Constituency?
You:
………………………………………………………………………………………(1mk)
Mr. Keya: Okay. That’s good. You have been awarded a bursary of Ksh.20,000 per term
on condition that you will maintain a mean grade of at least B+.
You:
………………………………………………………………………………………(1mk)
Mr. Keya: You’re welcome, Daniel. Do you promise to do us all proud?
You:
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………(2mks)

b. Provide another word pronounced the same way as each of the following: (4mks)
i. Fair ……………………………………………………………………………..
ii. One ……………………………………………………………………………..
iii. Seen ……………………………………………………………………………
iv. Waste ……………………………………………………………………………
c. Indicate the silent letters in the following words. (4mks)
i. Biscuit …………………………………………………………………………
ii. Juice ………………………………………………………………………..
iii. Psalm ………………………………………………………………………..
iv. Island ………………………………………………………………………..

5. GRAMMAR (20MKS)
I. Fill in the blank spaces in the following passage with the most appropriate article (4mks)
……………………….. banana tree is ………………………… strange looking plant. It
grows very quickly and in less than ………………………….year will reach a height of

Page 7 of 8
 seven metres or more. Usually, prunning needs to be done and one can take more than
……………………. hour to finish an acre.

II. Choose the correct word from the brackets to fill in the blank spaces. (4mks)
a) “I am sorry for the ………………………………….,” said my friend. (loose, loss)
b) Why have you ……………………………………to eat raw bananas while we have
ripe ones in the store? (chose, chosen)
c) We ………………………………for our president each time we get an opportunity.
(pray, prays)
d) Who ………………………………. the bell this morning? (rang, rung)
III. Complete the sentences below using appropriate reflexive pronouns. (4mks)
a) The boy was beside………………………………… with fury for missing the penalty.
b) Let us not deceive …………………………………. that life is a bed of roses.
c) When one faces challenges, one has to encourage …………………………… that
things will just be fine.
d) A house divided against ……………………………………cannot stand.

IV. Use the plural forms of the words in brackets to fill in the blank spaces. (4mks)
a) You surely do not need three ……………………………………. (radio)
b) Two ……………………………….make one. (half)
c) All the ……………………………………. met so that they could make strategic plans
for their locations. (Chief).
d) The two ……………………………………. disappeared into the nearby bush. (deer)

V. Use the correct word from the brackets to fill in the blank spaces. (4mks)
a) How ……………………………….time do we have left? (many/ much)
b) The news …………………………..very sad today. ( is/are)
c) That is the …………………………………….I had invited you to. (occasion/
occassion)
d) He was praised for his …………………………………………. (braveness/bravery)

Page 8 of 8