ENGLISH PAPER 2 - 2017 MURANG'A MOCK EXAMINATION

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  1. COMPREHENSION, LITERARY APPRECIATION AND GRAMMAR (80MARKS)

    Read the passage below and answer the questions based on it (20marks)

    Recognising attitude

    You should have seen her walk in with elegance and style. Even those who had no taste for beauty and art quickly realised that she stood out among the beauty contestants. This was not an ordinary beauty contest like the previous ones. The competition had moved from the mere focus on outside beauty; it required brains too. When it came to answering the questions, Atieno did not disappoint the audience. She was eloquent and articulate, answering the questions intelligently and with precision. What is more, Atieno was cool and composed. She struck an image of one who was sure of herself and her subject. She spoke on how she would plough back the prize money to educate girls in her village and help orphans ravaged by the HIV/ AIDS pandemic. When she finished speaking, I could not help but join the rest of the audience in giving Atieno a standing ovation. To me, she was the epitome of perfection, a marriage of beauty and brains.
    I loved the appearance and the experience of the judges. Their resumes spoke of people who were widely travelled and had vast experience, thus they knew what to look for in the contestants. I had no doubt that they would give a fair judgment. We waited with bated breath for the judges to come back from their consultations to announce the winner. Soon we became restless as people began whispering and murmuring. When it took a bit longer, word even begun going round that the judges had disagreed on who the winner was.
    Finally, the judges emerged. Looking at their faces, my instincts told me something was amiss. Without wasting time, Judge Dulo dropped the bomb shell: " The winner of Miss Kenya Beauty Contest 2013 is Mzalendo Lukenya!" Shouts of disapproval filled the room. Even the minister for Culture and Social Services who is known for his level-headedness shook his head in disapproval. Finally the master of ceremonies calmed the audience and the judges called the winner on stage. When she appeared, the hall was filled with ululation and shouts of jubilation as song and dance filled the hall. I saw the minister wipe a tear from his left eye. The judges and the contestants had played a trick on us! Mzalendo Lukenya was actually Atieno! They had agreed not to associate her with any tribe in Kenya, hence the use of the name Mzalendo Lukenya. There were more shouts, music and dance in the hall. Indeed, this was a pageant of 'Beauty and Brains.'

    Questions
    1. Why was this contest different from any other? (1 mark)
    2. Identify a sentence in the last paragraph that indicates that all was not well. (1mk)
    3. Using illustrations from the passage describe the writer’s attitude towards Atieno (3mks)
    4. Identify and illustrate a stylistic device dominating the last paragraph (2mks)
    5. Why do you think the minister wiped a tear from his left eye? (2mk)
    6. In a paragraph of not more than 30 words describe Atieno (5marks)
    7. Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each (1mks)
      1. Atieno did not disappoint the audience(Re-write in passive voice)
      2. I had no doubt they would give a fair judgement (Rewrite using “fairly”) (1mk)
    8. Give the meaning of the following words as used in the passage (3mks)
      1. Epitome
      2. Resumes
      3. ululation
      4. Articulate
  2. Passage based on set book: The Caucasian chalk circle by Berfolt Bretch.

    Read the following passage carefully, then answer the questions that follow (25marks)

    AN OLD WOMAN(to Grusha) : Are you feeling bad? It’s just excitement about Jussup.
    Sit down and rest a while, my dear.(GRUSHA Staggers ).
    GUESTS: Now everything’ll be the way it was. Only the taxes’ll go up because now we’ll have to pay for the war.
    GRUSHA(weakly): Did someone say the soldiers are back?
    A man: I did.
    GRUSHA: It can’t be true
    FIRST MAN(to a woman): show her the shawl. We bought it from a soldier. It’s from Persia.
    GRUSHA(looking at the shawl): They are her. (She gets up takes a step, kneels down in prayer, takes the silver cross and chain out of her blouse, and kisses it.)
    MOTHER-IN-LAW (While the guests silently watch GRUSHA):
    What’s the matter with you? Aren’t you going to look after our guests? What’s all this city nonsense got to do with us?
    GUESTS (resuming conversation while GRUSHA remains in prayer):
    • You can buy Persian saddles from the soldiers too. Though many want crutches in exchange for them.
    • The leaders on one side can win a war, the soldiers on both sides lose it
    • Anyway, the war’s over. It’s something they can’t draft you any more.
    • The dying man sits bolt upright in bed. He listens.
    • What we need is two weeks of good weather
    • Our pear trees are hardly bearing a thing this year.
      MOTHER-IN-LAW (offering cakes): Have some more cakes and welcome! There are more!
      The MOTHER-IN-LAW goes to the bedroom with the empty cake pans. Unaware of the dying man, she is bending down to pick up another tray when he begins to talk in a hoarse voice.
      PEASANT: How many more cakes are you going to stuff down their throats?
      D’you think I can shit money?
      THE MOTHER-IN-LAW: starts, stares at him aghast, while he climbs out from behind the mosquito net.
      FIRST WOMAN(talking kindly to GRUSHA in the next room):
      Has the young wife got someone at the front?
      A MAN: It’s good news that they’re on their way home,huh?
      PEASANT: Don’t stare at me like that! Where’s this wife you’ve saddled me with?
      Receiving no answer, he climbs out of bed and in his nightshirt staggers into the other room. Trembling, she follows him with the cake pan.
      GUESTS(seeing him and shrieking): Good God! Jussup!
      Everyone leaps up in alarm. The women rush to the door
      GRUSHA: Still on her knees, turns round and stares at the man.
      PEASANT: A funeral supper! You’d enjoy that, wouldn’t you?
      Get out before I throw you out! (As the guests stampede from the house, gloomily to GRUSHA) I’ve upset the apple cart,Huh? (Receiving no anser, he turns round and takes a cake from the pan which his mother is holding.)
      SINGER:
      O confusion! The wife discovers she has a husband.
      By day there’s the child, by night there’s the husband.
      The lover is on his way both day and night.
      Husband and wife look at each other.
      The bedroom is small.
      Near the bed the PEASANT is sitting in a high wooden bath tub,anked, the MOTHER-IN-LAW is pouring water from a pitcher. Opposite GRUSHA cowers with MICHAEL, who is playing at mending straw mats.
      Questions
      1. Explain what has happened just before this extract(2mks)
      2. Comment on the OLD WOMAN’S statement.
        “It’s just excitement about dear Jussup.’ (2mks)
      3. Explain the meaning of the following statement: (3mks)
        The leaders on one side can win a war
        The soldiers on both sides lose it.
      4. Why do you think Grusha kneels down in prayer? (2mks)
      5. Pick a sentence in the passage that indicate Jussup is unhappy about his mother’s arrangement for his marriage to Grusha (1mk)
      6. Identify and illustrate one theme brought out in the excerpt (2mks)
      7. Describe two character traits of each of the following as depicted in the extract.
        1. Grusha 2mks
        2. Jussup 2mks
        3. Identify one feature of style advanced by SINGER and explain its effectiveness. (2mks)
      8. Explain the meaning of “…GRUSHA cowers with Michael…” (2mks)
      9. From elsewhere in the text, how has MOTHER-IN-LAW benefited from the GRUSHA-JUSSUP marriage?(2mks)
      10. Get out before I throw you out! (Add a question tag (1mk)
      11. What happens immediately after this extract? (2mks)
  3. Read the song below and answer the questions that follow (20mks)

    The hoe goes up whaaaa                          Eeeeh!
    And lands strongly, ndu!                           Eeeeh!
    It opens the earth                                    Eeeeh!
    The earth to receive seed                          Eeeeh!
    The sky, let forth the waters                      Eeeeh!
    The seed, come back with many more,       Eeeeh!
    Many granaries grown under your weight    Eeeeh!
    This harvest, who gives us?                        Eeeeh!
    Only He, the owner of the sky!                    Eeeeh!
    The owner of the land!                                Eeeeh!
    The maker of our people!                            Eeeeh!
    Only He!                                                    Eeeeh!

    The man who works, let his words be hearkened to!
    The mother who works; let her happily cook!
    The young man who works; may he in battle win!
    The young woman who works; may suitors see her!
    The hand that works; let its mouth eat!
    The hand that is slack; shall its mouth yawn?
    This harvest, who will eat it?
    The fathers, may they be wise!
    The mothers, may they birth nations!
    The young man, may they be strong!
    The young woman, may they be beautiful!
    The people,let them work!
    The children, let them play!

    Questions
    1. Classify this song                                                    2marks
    2. Using illustrations from the text identify four values of the community which this song comes from (4mks)
    3. Identify four oral features that make the song an oral piece(4mks)
    4. What are the gender roles of men and women in this community? (3mks)
    5. Identify one social and one economic activity of the community that owns this song(2mks)
    6. What religious beliefs do the members of the community have? (4mks)
    7. Explain the meaning of the line
      The hand that is slack; shall its mouth yawn? (1mk)
  4. GRAMMAR (15MKS)
    1. Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions after each (2mks)
      1. Bali could not pass the interview. He did not prepare adequately for it(Begin: If….)
      2. I never failed to switch off the lights after ten(Begin: Not once….)
    2. Fill in each blank space with the correct prepositions (2mks)
      1. The child died ………………………….typhoid.
      2. These men have been accused……………………….robbery with violence
    3. Fill in the blank spaces with the correct form of the word in brackets (2mks)
      1. This issue is not……………………………………….(negotiate)
      2. He has received………………………………………..(commend)for his determination and hard work.
    4. For each of the following sentences, replace the underlined phrasal verb with one word which conveys the same meaning(2marks)
      1. I hope my performance measures upto your expectations.
      2. The man walked out on his wife last year.
      3. His study brought to light some interesting facts.
    5. Rewrite the sentences below, replacing each diomatic expression with an expression similar in meaning (3marks)
      1. This time round, you have crossed the red line
      2. When he abused her he made her blood boil
      3. I eat meat once in a blue moon
    6. Join each pair of following sentences using appropriate conjunctions (3mks)
      1. The boy swept his room. His father prepared lunch.
      2. I feel unwell. I will attend the meeting.
      3. This is the man. I gave my bag to him.
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