TACKY HIGH SCHOOL

END OF TERM EXAMINATION

ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Name: ________________________________
Class: 91-3 Date: December ____, 2023
Time: 2 hours
INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS
This test has three sections: A, B and C.
 Section A: Letter Writing
 Section B: Comprehension
 Section C: Multiple Choice.
Answer ONE question from Section A.
Answer ALL questions in Section B and C.
Section A - Letter Writing
Answer ONE (1) question from this section.

Letter of Application
1) The Sandals Royal Plantation Hotel is offering summer jobs to both high school and tertiary
level students. The areas of employment are Tour Guide, Stewardship, Customer Service
Representative and Landscaping. Write a letter to the General Manager of Sandals Royal
Plantation, Main Street, Ocho Rios, St. Ann applying for a summer job in the area of your
choice.

(20marks)
OR
2) Write a letter of application based on the advertisement below.

GENERAL MANAGER
A company in Kingston requires the service of an experienced administrator to manage
an established manufacturing and distributing business that has great potential for growth.

Requirements/Experience:
 Candidate must have a proven successful record of management skills.
 Have a creative ability to promote positive changes.
 Tertiary education or equivalent.
 Leadership and communication skills.
 Must be internet savvy.
 Able to work on own initiative.
(20 marks)
 Section B - Reading Comprehension
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Once upon a time, a famous art museum searched the world over for the best paintings it
could find. After a long search, the museum found a beautiful Old Master painting depicting
youths and maidens frolicking in a wood. The directors were only too glad to pay millions for
this painting because they were captivated by its beauty and elegance. How delightfully the
maidens' hair and mouths were drawn, how perfectly the hands and arms of the youths, how
lifelike the bare feet on the forest floor. But the curator of the museum was the happiest one of
all, for he had now become guardian and protector of a famous work by a famous painter. "Every
time I look at that painting," he would say, "I see new beauties and excellences. Just look at these
leaves here, the sweep of the branches from this tree, capturing just the hint of a breeze and
seeming to vibrate with the music from the dance of the youths and maidens in the clearing. My
very soul resonates with the greatness of it all."
Needless to say, this wonderful painting was the most popular exhibit at the museum,
providing instruction and delight for thousands of visitors. Everyone, from the young child who
could barely walk to the old man who could barely walk, enjoyed its beauty frankly and openly,
or profited from studying its colour and arrangement. Children loved to see the happy figures
kicking up their feet with joy; the young people marvelled at the freshness and beauty of the
figures; those of mature years stood astonished at the excellent technique that could present such
a convincing vision; the old remarked upon the feeling of cozy intimacy produced by the scene
of innocent pleasure.
"This painting is almost too good to be true," remarked one visitor prophetically as he
purchased a print of it.
One day a horrible discovery was made: the painting was not a genuine Old Master after
all. It was a forgery. It had not been painted by the famous artist whose name was on it, and in
fact it had been painted within the last ten years. The museum directors and the curator were
horrified and consumed with shame. Immediately the painting was jerked from the walls of the
museum and ignominiously relegated to a basement storeroom. "We regret such an unfortunate
imposition," the curator told the museum's patrons. "This painting is not art; it is a tawdry fake.
This painting is a lie."
At first the public was saddened to lose sight of such a popular painting, and a few mild
protests were raised, but eventually concern for the painting was pushed aside by other more
pressing concerns, and it was forgotten (as are all things no longer directly in front of us in this
busy world) and life continued.
Only the museum curator and an occasional junior staff member ever saw the painting
now, hanging in the dim light of the basement well away from public view. All that was heard of
it was the curator's occasional disparaging comment. "Every day I see new defects and ugliness
in this fraudulent outrage," he would say. "Just look how false the sun on the leaves looks, how
phony is the wisp of that girl's hair, how ugly the clouds there, and how awkward that boy's
position in the dance. How we were ever taken in by this obvious cheat is beyond me." And
finally, shaking his head to show his regret, he concluded, "What we did was foolish and
shameful."

3. According to the passage, how does one know that a painting is a forgery? (2marks)
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4. Based on its use in paragraph 4, it can be inferred that 'ignominiously' means? (2marks)
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5. What is the overall theme of the passage? (1 marks)
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6. Based on the information provided, what does the author think of people? (2 marks)
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7. Describe the museum curator in your own words. (2 marks)
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8. As used in the final paragraph, which is the best antonym for 'disparaging'? (1 marks)
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(10 marks)

SECTION C - Multiple Choice

Independent and Dependent Clause

Choose whether the underlined section of each sentence is an independent

clause or dependent clause.

1. I will be so upset if she decides not to visit me.

A. Independent
B. Dependent

2. While I enjoy eating any type of food, my friend will only eat vegetarian.

A. Independent
B. Dependent

3. Please let me know when you arrive.

A. Independent
B. Dependent

4. Although I know he's a famous actor, I can't remember his name.

A. Independent
B. Dependent

5. After you have finished your work, we can head out for dinner.

A. Independent
B. Dependent
6. Because they are accountable to the public, they must act appropriately.

A. Independent
B. Dependent

7. I'll be leaving my job soon as I'm close to retirement.

A. Independent
B. Dependent

8. The car that has been stolen was parked in front of his house.

A. Independent
B. Dependent

9. While I believe in being generous, I find constant fundraising calls to be annoying.

A. Independent
B. Dependent

10. The little dog snores while she sleeps at my feet.

A. Independent
B. Dependent

(10 marks)

Context Clues
Read the sentences or short passages below, then select the correct definition for the words
in bold.

1. On Sundays, my sister and I go to the shore. We never rush; we just amble along and
talk.
a. Hop up and down
b. Walk at an easy, slow pace
c. Move quickly
d. Turn around in circles

2. Because we kept getting in his way, Dad had to banish us from the kitchen while he
prepared dinner.
a. Invite in
b. Show or display
c. Wave excitedly
d. Force to leave

3. The game was so one-sided and boring that the crowd could not bestir itself to cheer
when the home team finally scored.
a. Provoke to action
b. Defeat
c. Accidentally overlooked
d. Confuse
4. The newborn horse stood on wobbly legs and moved toward its mother with an unsteady
gait.
a. manner of speaking
b. aggravation
c. way of walking
d. expression

5. Since my aunt retired, she likes to take vacations. Last week she made a quick jaunt to
Bermuda.

a. Short, pleasant journey

b. Large package
c. Imprisonment
d. Brief, uplifting speech

6. The manager does not want students with nothing to do after school to loiter in the mall.
a. Yell loudly
b. Stand around aimlessly
c. Roll over
d. Rush by without stopping

7. On Founder’s Day, the townspeople dress in old-fashioned clothes and promenade

through the park as they did years ago.
a. Squeeze tightly
b. Whistle like a bird
c. Lift or raise
d. Go on leisurely stroll

8. When I saw my brother saunter into the house with a superior look on his face, I knew
he had gotten an A on the test.
a. Fall down
b. Stroll happily at an unhurried pace
c. Spin wildly
d. Heat to a high temperature

9. While we’re vacationing on Cape Cod, we’ll sojourn at Martha’s Vineyard for a few
days.
a. Wail in anguish
b. Lie blatantly
c. Stay for a short time
d. Surrender without any conditions

10. We are supposed to leave the city on Friday, but we may tarry an extra day to attend the
theater on Sunday.
a. Delay
b. Examine closely
c. Protest loudly
d. Move in a unpredictable manner

(10 marks)
Homonyms

Read each sentence carefully then circle the meaning of the underlined words in the options
given below.

1. He is a person of good character.

a. a person in a story or a play.
b. a person with good reputation
c. the nature or trait of a person.

2. Washington, DC is the capital of the USA.

a. capital letter
b. wealth owned by a person, invested or borrowed
c. most important city or town of a country
3. Dad will present his report to his clients tomorrow.
a. To give a talk b. a gift c. reward

4. Let us see which course the “No Homework on Weekends” issue will take us.
a. Lectures, series or lessons in a particular subject
b. Way in which something progresses or develops
c. A meal with successive parts

5. My friends and I won the baton relay.

a. To lay down an object again
b. A race by teams
c. To pass along information

Read and understand the given meaning. Circle the letter of the correct sentence that best
uses the meaning of the underlined word.
6. Noun: a small quantity of a substance.
a. The cliff drop is so steep it’s scary.
b. I saw a drop of blood on the sink
c. My uncle will drop by later to check on us kids.

7. Verb: to serve/give food.

a. The news feed say there will be no classes due to hurricane Joy.
b. We have to buy fish feed this weekend.
c. Don’t forget to feed the fish later.

8. Noun: a place that divides into two.

a. Make sure you make a right turn at the fork.
b. Some people prefer to use a fork and a knife instead of a spoon and fork.
c. I forked over P500 on coffee alone.

9. Verb: to protect from harm or to watch over.

a. The guards in our school make sure we have our IDs with us.
b. The Labrador faithfully guards his owners’ house every night.
c. The point guard really helped the team win the basketball game.

10. Noun: a student under the direct supervision of a teacher.

a. The pupil listened attentively to the teacher.
b. The pupil is the part of the eye where light enters.
c. The pupils were put to sleep by the guardian.
 10 marks

ANTONYMS

Choose an antonym for the word in all caps in the following sentence:

1. Uncle David OFTEN comes to our house.

a) seldom b) always c) frequently d) repeatedly

2. The MINIMUM salary is USD700 a year.

a) least b) smallest c) maximum d) lowest

3. The church is quite an ANCIENT building.

a) old b) modern c) primitive d) antique

4. Both blades of this pocket-knife are very SHARP.

a) dull b) pointed c) quick d) intelligent.

5. Mary's writing much BETTER than it used to be.

a) greater b) larger c) healthier d) worst

SYNONYMS

Choose a synonym for the word in all caps in the following sentences.

1) The largest flower-bed is CIRCULAR in shape.

a) round b) circle c) square d) diagonal

2) The Maroons were COURAGEOUS warriors.

a) afraid b) brave c) strong d) coward

3) The captain refused to ABANDON his ship.

a) stay b) enter c) leave d) keep

4) The men COMMENCED work at 9 am.

a) began b) completed c) finished d) over

5) Will you ALLOW us to stay up late tonight?

a) Permit b) join c) tell d) forbid

Total Marks: 70
End of Examination