ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE

GRADE 12 BASELINE ASSESSMENT

TIME: 40 minutes MARKS: 35
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Choose the best option to answer each the following questions.
2. Choose only ONE answer per question.
3. Write the question number and only the letter (A, B, C or D) for the answer that you select, on
your answer sheet.

SECTION A
Comprehension
Read the passage below and answer the questions. Choose the option that is most correct.
Sorry kids, the full stop is here to stay. Period.

1 Linguistic experts say young people – Generation Zedders, so those in their early
20s and teens – have got a thing about full stops at the end of text messages. They
don’t like them. They feel like they’re a mark of irritation and impatience, like you’re
cross with them.

2 So for instance, if you say, “I will be home shortly after five – please make sure 5
you’ve fed the dog.”, this will be construed as, ‘my mom is mad at me, she thinks I
never feed the dog, even though I do. It’s not fair, everyone hates me. No one
understands me.’

3 But if you say, ‘I will be home shortly after five – please make sure you’ve fed the
dog!” they will think you’re being friendly and like, nice. So they’ll feed the dog 10
instead of taking to their beds in a heap of snowflakes.

4 To use or not use a full stop – that is the question. It’s been unpacked by academics
before and was recently the subject of a study at Binghamptom University in New
York. Basically, it boils down to this: it’s sometimes okay to end an email with a full
stop because mails are generally perceived to be more serious and professional and 15
workplace-y. But text messages are more casual and informal so full stops are not
only unnecessary, the young argue, but rude and hurtful.

5 The debate was reignited recently by British journalist Rhiannon Cosslett when she
sent out this tweet: “Older people – do you realise that ending a sentence with a full
stop comes across as sort of abrupt and unfriendly to younger people? Genuinely 20
curious.”

6 Cue a barrage of responses from the tweeps, including one who believes the whole
issue is an example of “peak snowflakery”.
You know what it is, kids? It’s the only weapon we have. You have so many
weapons and you aren’t afraid to use them against. All we have are full stops. And. 25
We. Are. Going. To. Use. Them.

7 You are one step ahead in so many ways. Take TV remote controls. It was okay for
us when there was just one of them – this button for on and off, this one to change
channels, this one for volume, and so on. Easy. But then came more stuff, like
 Netflix and Showmax on a thing of wonder and bafflement called the smart TV, and 30
remote controllery became a whole new ballgame.

8 I’m not saying we don’t know how to use the silly things – of course we do! It’s not
rocket science! It’s just that it sometimes takes a little time to get to the place we
want to be, and sometimes we pick up the wrong remote and jab buttons that do
nothing. Cue the exasperation and impatience of young people who basically grew 35
up with a remote in their hands. Yet do we take to our bed in a swoon? No. We just
feel dumb.

9 Take meetings with millennials and Gen Zedders. It’s like being in room where
everyone speaks a foreign language – acronymish. You try your best to keep up,
surreptitiously googling each term under your desk. Tragically, though, by the time 40
you’ve figured out what they’re talking about they’ve moved onto the next thing and
all you get for your trouble is a side eye and smirk. Yet do we fall apart? No. We just
feel dumberer.

10 It’s a minefield out there. I made the mistake the other day of saying “shook up”
instead of just “shook” when I felt rattled about something. Oh, the disdain. Still, did I 45
flounce off in a huff of hurt? No. I just felt dumbererer.

11 So forgive us for wanting to hold onto the full stop. So much power in one teeny tiny
touch of a keyboard. It’s the superhero of punctuation, capable of all sorts of
destruction.

12 And clearly a bit of a bully too. I think I like it. Period. 50

[Adapted from News 24]

1 Refer to paragraph 1.
Generation Zedders are (1)
A between 15 and 20 years old
B between 13 and 25 years old
C between 12 and 26 years old
D between 25 and 30 years old

2 Refer to line 6. Provide a more formal alternative for the word ‘mad’ as used here. (1)
A mentally unstable
B insane
C cross
D filled with blinding rage

3 Refer to the final word in paragraphs 8, 9 and 10. (Dumb, dumberer,

dumbererer).
The writer uses this technique to show the reader that: (1)
A She feels more and more technologically challenged as time goes by
B She does not know the proper degrees of comparison
C She is not very clever when it comes to writing articles for the
newspaper.
D She has a wonderful sense of humour.

4 Refer to paragraph 9. (2)

 The writer’s attitude towards millennials and generation Zedders is:
A that she hates them and wants to harm them
B that she hates them and wishes they would not attend meetings
C that she sometimes feels they are laughing at her behind her back
D that she sometimes feels as though she should just give up because
they will never be able to understand her

5 The purpose of this article is to: (1)

A Tell young people to use full stops
B Inform teachers that learners cannot use proper punctuation
C Insult young people for being ‘snowflakes’
D Entertain the reader

[6]

SECTION B
Visual Literacy: Advertisement
Study the advertisement and answer the questions.

The fine print reads:

Regardless of whether you drive for the sheer joy of driving or take a long business trip, you will
always be at home in a Mercedes-Benz. Daily renewed pleasure with such quality and daily
constant safety are yours in every vehicle with the Mercedes-Benz star. And the value of an
Automobile depends upon these two features of quality and safety.
6 The aim of this advertisement is to convince the consumer that the product
features (1)
A expensive finishes
B safety features
C safety and quality
D quality and value for money

7 This advertisement is likely to appeal to people who wish to: (1)

A drive fast on mountain roads
B go on an off-road holiday
C take all their friends to a party
D travel safely

8 This advert was most likely published in: (1)

A the last two years
B the last 40 years
C the last 100 years
D the last 200 years

9 The three-point star logo in the advertisement represents: (1)

A the compass on the car’s inbuilt GPS
B the Mercedes Ben logo
C the Mercedes Benz tag line
D the Mercedes Benz promise of quality and safety

[4]

SECTION C
Visual Literacy: Cartoon
FRAME 1 FRAME 2
 FRAME 3 FRAME 4

10 Refer to Frame 1.
The visual clue that tells us that Gogo is not paying attention to Thandi is that: (1)
A she is wearing pants
B she has grey hair
C she is sitting down
D does not look up from her newspaper

11 Refer to Frame 2.
Thandi’s wide open eyes show that she is: (1)
A enthusiastic
B afraid
C surprised
D angry

12 Refer to Frame 3.
The ellipsis after Gogo’s words show that she: (1)
A does not really want to hear the sonnet
B is old and forgetful
C is going to say a poem of her own
D Is deaf and did not hear what Thandi said

13 Refer to Frame 4.
Gogo’s tone here is: (1)
A delighted
B devastated
C suspicious
D relieved

[4]
SECTION D
Literature: Unseen Poetry
Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow, by choosing the best possible answer.
One Perfect Rose – Dorothy Parker

A single flow'r he sent me, since we met. 1

All tenderly his messenger he chose; 2
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet – 3
One perfect rose. 4

I knew the language of the floweret; 5

"My fragile leaves," it said, "his heart enclose." 6
Love long has taken for his amulet 7
One perfect rose. 8

Why is it no one ever sent me yet 9

One perfect limousine, do you suppose? 10
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get 11
One perfect rose. 12

14 Then word ‘flow’r’ in line 1, is an example of: (1)

A Contraction
B Metaphor
C Typically poetic diction
D A romantic mood

15 Identify the figure of speech in line 1. (1)

A Simile
B Alliteration
C Apostrophe
D Onomatopoeia

16 Identify the figure of speech in line 2. (1)

A Symbolism
B Tone
C Mood
D Personification

17 In stanza two, the poet explains what the flower represents: (1)
A The language of flowers
B How fragile love is
C True love
D The fact that love stops her from thinking straight

18 Refer to lines 9–10. The writer’s tone is: (1)

A Delighted
B Enamoured (in love)
 C Ironic
D Angry

19 The question mark at the end of line 10 represents: (1)

A The fact that the loved one is not wealthy
B The poet’s existential dilemma
C The poet’s uncertainty about her loved one
D A rhetorical question

20 In this poem, the poet expresses (1)

A True love
B Materialism
C Admiration for her loved one
D Doubt about the relationship

21 The rhyme scheme of the poem is: (1)

A ab ab cd cd ef ef
B ab ab ab ab ab ab
C abba cddc ef ef
D aa bb cc dd ee ff
[8]

SECTION E
Language
Read the text below which contains some deliberate errors, and answer the questions that follow.

Zoom sued for fraud over privacy, security flaws

1 Zoom video communications were accused by a shareholder of hiding floors in it’s
video-conferencing app, part of a growing backlash against security loopholes that
were laid bear after an explosion in worldwide usage.

2 In a complaint filed Tuesday in San Fransisco Federal Court, the company and its
top officers were accused of concealing the truth about shortcomings in the app’s 5
software encryption including its alleged vulnerability to hackers as well as the
unauthorised disclosure of personal information to third parties including Facebook
Inc.

3 Investor Muchael Drieu, who filed the suite as a class action, claims a series of public
revelations about the app’s deficiencies starting last year have dented Zoom’s price 10
– though the shares are still up 67% this year as investors bet that the
teleconferencing company would be one of the rare winners from the coronavirus
pandemic.
[Adapted from News 24]

22 Refer to lines 1 – 2.
The concord error is best corrected as follows:
A Zoom video communication were accused by a shareholder of hiding
floors in its video-conferencing app.
B Zoom video communications were accused by a shareholders of hiding
floors in its video-conferencing app.
 C Zoom video communications was accused by a shareholder of hiding
floors in its video-conferencing app.
D Zoom video communications were accused by shareholders of hiding
floors in its video-conferencing app. (1)

23 Refer to line 1. The apostrophe in the word it’s is used (1)

A Correctly
B Incorrectly

24 Refer to line 2. The word video-conferencing is an example of: (1)

A a compound adjective
B a compound noun
C a complex adjective
D a complex noun

25 Refer to line 3. Identify the word incorrectly used and choose the correct one. (2)
A ‘laid’ should be ‘layed’
B ‘were’ should be ‘where’
C ‘an’ should be ‘a’
D ‘bear’ should be ‘bare’

26 Refer to line 5. The apostrophe in the word app’s, is used to show: (2)
A contraction
B singular possession
C omission
D plural possession

27 Refer to line 9. The use of the pair of commas is an example of (1)

A parenthesis
B antithesis
C ellipsis
D pausing for effect

28 Identify the malapropism in line 9. (1)

A investor
B filed
C suite
D series

[8]

SECTION F
Creative and Transactional Writing
Answer the questions below.
29 The purpose of a narrative essay is to: (1)
A Reveal your innermost thoughts and feelings
B convince the reader of a particular point of view
C present both sides of an argument
D tell a story

30 Planning should take place by means (1)

A of a very basic mind map
 B of writing out the whole essay in pencil first
C of a detailed mind map
D a drawing

The salutation in a Letter to the Press should be: (1)

31 A Dear Mr Editor
B Sir
C To whom it may concern
D My dearest Editor

An obituary is meant to: (1)

32 A be a written tribute to someone’s life
B be a speech said at a memorial ceremony
C written on a tombstone
D Contain every single detail about the person’s life

33 The aim of a letter of complaint is to: (1)

A threaten the company or person to whom you are writing
B try and resolve a problem in an amicable fashion
C let other customers know that it is not a good business
D force the owner or manager to give you free products

[5]

GRAND TOTAL: 35