English Paper 2 Questions and Answers - Sukellemo Joint Mock 2020/2021

SUKELLEMO JOINT MOCK
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
ENGLISH PAPER 2
(Comprehension, literary appreciation and grammar)

2 hours

Instructions to Candidates

• Answer ALL the questions in this paper.
• Candidates must answer the questions in English.

COMPREHENSION

Read the passage and answer the questions.

At the start of this week, 1.3 million people had officially died on account of Covid-19 world-wide. According to the World Health Organisation, another 55 million people had contracted the virus. It was a bitter-sweet week as far as efforts to battle the virus are concerned. On one hand was the great news of a second vaccine with a 95 per cent efficacy rate. We also saw leading capitals tighten travel, school ban and other containment measures as the second wave of the pandemic batters many regions.

Locally, the situation seems to mirror the global positions, albeit on a less scale, but the numbers of fatalities and infections are rising. We have lost 1,300 compatriots, with 73,000 more having encountered the virus. A casual glance on our neighbourhoods, social media and obituary pages back this, suggesting the official tally might be conservative due to unreported cases. The occasional infection of a public figure reminding us that we are not out of the woods yet. Medics and scientist continue burning the midnight oil to understand Covid-19 better and its symptoms, or lack of them witnessed in different people.

Though clear patterns of symptoms in fever, fatigue, breathing difficulty and loss of taste and smell were identified early, the last few months have seen some patients report a wide range of unexplained signs like longer infection periods and mental challenges such as anxiety, memory problems even depression. Even more intriguing has been the asymptomatic cases and cases of certain people in a family contacting the illness while others remain healthy. Add that to the fact that, Africa appears to suffer disproportionately lower rates of infection and mortality, its dilapidated health systems notwithstanding.

It is going to take time before someone can explain this incongruent picture. What is clear in the interim is that our world has dramatically changed, perhaps for the better. Traditionally, countries have spent colossal amounts of money building armies to deter global bullies. Now it appears potential threats to humanity must be re-assessed and budgets adjusted. It might be an unknown virus and not a nuclear bomb that will bring the world to its knees. The most secure nations are likely to be those with highly diversified risk registers and commensurate investment to build capacity to confront such.

The early travel bans and overflowing hospitals in the developed world was another rebuke to developing nations to prioritise health. The fact that some regions have been affected more than others is another sobering lesson. With the 21st century having experienced its fair share of protectionist tendencies and inward-looking policies, the pandemic has highlighted the need for concerted effort to ensure no part of the globe is left behind in modernising its health systems. Who knows, a future pandemic, may see the less affected regions serving as refuge centres and provide manufacturing hubs for drugs.

Perhaps it is time to build longer bridges and not towering walls. The pandemic has shone the spotlight on the place and role of global information systems and co-operation among nations. The future will likely be more secure if pandemics and other threats are reported early and containment measures quickly activated. Covid-19 has painfully reminded us of the dividend of tackling a problem early and at source, before it grows wings.

Questions

1. Why are the efforts to battle the virus bitter-sweet? (2mks)
2. What measures were put in place to contain the 2nd wave of infection? (2mks)
3. Explain these expressions as used in the passage; (2mks)
   1. … not out of the woods yet
   2. Burning the midnight oil.
4. In note form what are the symptoms of Covid-19. (3mks)
5. Identify 2 instances of irony in the passage. (4mks)
6. In about 40 words, summarise the lessons the pandemic has highlighted. (4mks)
   Rough draft
   Final copy
7. Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the passage; (3mks)
   1. Efficacy
   2. Asymptomatic
   3. Colossal

EXCERPT
Read the excerpt below and answer the questions

He was very helpful and he agreed to accompany them to the village where the girl was, and help them rescue her. They were about to give up the rescue mission after several attempts to distract the guards had failed. But the man from Nasila was able to lure the whole team of guards to a beer party at a nearby village, leaving the girl unguarded.

It was then that the rescue team stuck! Amidst screams of terrified women, the barking of fierce dogs, braying donkeys and mowing of cattle, they entered the hut where the weak and sickly girl lay. They carried her and scampered away fast, like men fleeing from a burning village for three kilometres, to the spot where they had left the vehicle. And they were lucky to have escaped, for immediately they put her onto the vehicle and they themselves had jumped into it, the fierce-looking guards arrived, breathless, but fuming furiously and brandishing all sorts of deadly weapons.

On seeing that they had been outsmarted, they resorted to throwing stones at them, but by then the four-wheel drive vehicle had shot past the range of their missiles.

Regrettably, they learnt later that the man who assisted them so much and enabled them to rescue the girl, was speared to death by those thugs who accused him of tricking them so the girl could be stolen. The girl had, however, arrived safely and she was in fair condition although she was shocked, traumatised and terribly emaciated. She said the girl still found it difficult to walk, for the injuries inflicted to her by the enkamuratani’s olmurunya had not yet healed.

Minik was thinking of how best to broach the matter in her mind. For a moment she wondered if it was the right time to bring out in the open the matter which she knew would be very painful to the girl who was just recovering from her own trauma. But she knew she could not hide the truth for long. It had to be revealed sooner so that counselling sessions could be put into place soon. Bracing herself appropriately, she quietly and coolly dropped the bombshell.

Questions

1. Place this excerpt in its immediate context. (4mks)
2. In which place did the rescue team find the weak and sickly girl? (1mk)
3. ‘bracing herself appropriately, she quietly and coolly dropped the bombshell.’ What was the bombshell? (2mks)
4. Describe the relationship of the man who assisted the rescue team with the weak and sickly girl. (2mks)
5. Discuss two outstanding themes in the excerpt. (4mks)
6. How is Minik portrayed in this excerpt. (4mks)
7. What is the role of Minik as shown in the rest of the text. (3mks)
8. How has hyperbole been used in the excerpt? (2mks)
9. ‘but the man from Nasila was able to lure the whole team of guards to a beer party at a nearby village, leaving the girl unguarded.’ Rewrite this sentence beginning with a participle phrase. (1mk)
10. Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the excerpt. (2mks)
    1. Scampered
    2. Outsmarted

POETRY (20 MARKS)
Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow

CIVIL WAR

In this land
Graveyards have no markers
For blood flows freely
Into the gutter
Where corpses abide
In restless sleep

In this land
Kinship is long dead
And the insiders prevail
A neighbours hand
In darkness hidden
Stifles yet another victim’s light.

In this land
The window blows across the neglected fields
Promising yet another spectacle
Of hollowed eyes and pinched skins
Trudging and falling to the unyielding trains
Of self-destruction

In the air
The whiter dove
Flutter with change
And perhaps
It would be better if this symbol of peace
Were established in the souls of the people
In this land

Questions

1. What is the poem about? (2mks)
2. Who is the persona in this poem? (2mks)
3. Identify any two features of style used in the poem and explain their effectiveness. (6mks)
4. Describe the tone of the poem. (2mks)
5. Explain the significance of the last stanza in relation to the title of the poem. (2mks)
6. Give the meaning of the following lines as used in the poem. (2mks)
   1. kinship is long dead
   2. stifles yet another victims light.
7. What is the attitude of the persona towards the subject matter? (2mks)
8. What is the mood of the poem? (2mks)

GRAMMAR (15 marks)

1. Rewrite the sentence below filling in the gap with the correct form of the word in brackets. (1mk)
   Annah was scolded for the ……………………………. (order) in her room.
2. Punctuate the following sentences appropriately (1mk)
   In case of any disagreement the teacher said consult the principal
3. Underline the adjective in the sentence below and state whether it has been used predicatively or attributively. (1mk)
   Your watch looks expensive
4. Choose the correct word from those in brackets. (1mk)
   (All over sudden/ all of a sudden) ……………………………………………………………there was a loud bang on the door.
5. Rewrite the following sentence replacing the underlined idiomatic expression (1mk)
   Advertising revenue in the new financial year has got off to a flying start.
6. Rewrite the following sentence using one word to replace underlined (1mk)
   The workers jobs may be put at risk if you purchase the machine
7. Supply a question tag to the following statements. (1mk)
   John hardly ever studies
8. Explain the ambiguity in this sentence. (1mk)
   “Did you see the girls with a telescope?”
9. Combine the following sentence using a participle phrase (1mk)
   I had seen the photographs of the place. I had no desire to go there.
10. Replace the phrasal verb underlined in the sentence below with one word that means the same. (1mk)
    They fell out over the decision and hardly speak to each other anymore.
11. Rewrite the following sentence according to the instructions. (do not alter the meaning) (1mk)
    This is the singer. Her songs are beautiful (join into one sentence using a relative pronoun)
12. Rewrite the following sentence using substitution. (1mk)
    Neema passed with flying colours. Her sister Kinya passed with flying colours too.
13. Complete the following sentences with the correct order of adjectives in brackets. (1mk)
    I used to drive……………………………………………………………………………………………. car. (blue, old, German, expensive, saloon)
14. Fill the gaps with a suitable preposition. (1mk)
    I am vexed .......... her for stealing my books.
15. Fill in the blank spaces with the correct article. (1mk)
    What is............. ewe?

MARKING SCHEME

COMPREHENSION
Read the passage and answer the questions.

At the start of this week, 1.3 million people had officially died on account of Covid-19 world-wide. According to the World Health Organisation, another 55 million people had contracted the virus. It was a bitter-sweet week as far as efforts to battle the virus are concerned. On one hand was the great news of a second vaccine with a 95 per cent efficacy rate. We also saw leading capitals tighten travel, school ban and other containment measures as the second wave of the pandemic batters many regions.

Locally, the situation seems to mirror the global positions, albeit on a less scale, but the numbers of fatalities and infections are rising. We have lost 1,300 compatriots, with 73,000 more having encountered the virus. A casual glance on our neighbourhoods, social media and obituary pages back this, suggesting the official tally might be conservative due to unreported cases. The occasional infection of a public figure reminding us that we are not out of the woods yet. Medics and scientist continue burning the midnight oil to understand Covid-19 better and its symptoms, or lack of them witnessed in different people.

Though clear patterns of symptoms in fever, fatigue, breathing difficulty and loss of taste and smell were identified early, the last few months have seen some patients report a wide range of unexplained signs like longer infection periods and mental challenges such as anxiety, memory problems even depression. Even more intriguing has been the asymptomatic cases and cases of certain people in a family contacting the illness while others remain healthy. Add that to the fact that, Africa appears to suffer disproportionately lower rates of infection and mortality, its dilapidated health systems notwithstanding.

It is going to take time before someone can explain this incongruent picture. What is clear in the interim is that our world has dramatically changed, perhaps for the better. Traditionally, countries have spent colossal amounts of money building armies to deter global bullies. Now it appears potential threats to humanity must be re-assessed and budgets adjusted. It might be an unknown virus and not a nuclear bomb that will bring the world to its knees. The most secure nations are likely to be those with highly diversified risk registers and commensurate investment to build capacity to confront such.

The early travel bans and overflowing hospitals in the developed world was another rebuke to developing nations to prioritise health. The fact that some regions have been affected more than others is another sobering lesson. With the 21st century having experienced its fair share of protectionist tendencies and inward-looking policies, the pandemic has highlighted the need for concerted effort to ensure no part of the globe is left behind in modernising its health systems. Who knows, a future pandemic, may see the less affected regions serving as refuge centres and provide manufacturing hubs for drugs.

Perhaps it is time to build longer bridges and not towering walls. The pandemic has shone the spotlight on the place and role of global information systems and co-operation among nations. The future will likely be more secure if pandemics and other threats are reported early and containment measures quickly activated. Covid-19 has painfully reminded us of the dividend of tackling a problem early and at source, before it grows wings.

Questions

1. Why are the efforts to battle the virus bitter-sweet? (2mks)
   • The efforts to battle the virus are bitter-sweet because on one hand is the great news of the vaccine and on the other hand the dead of many people as well as the big number of those who had contracted the virus
     
     
2. What measures were put in place to contain the 2nd wave of infection? (2mks)
   • The measures put in place to contain the second wave of infection include leading capitals tighten travel, school ban and other containment measures.
     
     
3. Explain these expressions as used in the passage; (2mks)
   1. … not out of the woods yet
      • This expression means that the world is not yet free from the difficulties/ problems/ challenges brought about by the virus.
        
        
   2. Burning the midnight oil.
      • this expression means that scientist work until late at night to understand Covid-19 and its symptoms.
        
        
4. In note form what are the symptoms of Covid-19. (3mks)
   • Fever
   • Fatigue
   • Breathing difficulties
   • Loss of taste and smell
   • Longer infection periods
   • Anxiety
   • Depression
   • Memory problems
   • (Any 6 points 1/2 mark each)
     
     
5. Identify 2 instances of irony in the passage. (4mks)
   • Its ironical for Africa to suffer disproportionately lower rates of infection and mortality despite its dilapidated health systems.
   • its ironical that an unknown virus and not a nuclear bomb will bring the world to its knees.
     
     
6. In about 40 words, summarise the lessons the pandemic has highlighted. (4mks)
   Rough draft
   Lessons the pandemic has highlighted are:
   -Some regions have been affected more than others.
   -The need for concerted effort to ensure no part of the globe is left behind in -modernising its health systems.
   -Time to build longer bridges and not towering walls.
   -The place and role of global information systems and co-operation.
   Note: the candidate must observe the rules of summary writing to score the full mark.
   
   Final copy
   Answer should be written in prose for both rough draft and final copy
   -Deletion and addition of words should be done only on the rough copy
   -Number of words used should be indicated at the end
   -Fair copy should be clean/tidy
   
   
7. Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the passage; (3mks)
   1. Efficacy
      • Effectiveness
      • Having the ability to produce the results that are wanted
   2. Asymptomatic
      • Someone has a condition/ disease but does not show the symptoms
   3. Colossal
      • Extremely large amounts of money.

EXCERPT
Read the excerpt below and answer the questions

He was very helpful and he agreed to accompany them to the village where the girl was, and help them rescue her. They were about to give up the rescue mission after several attempts to distract the guards had failed. But the man from Nasila was able to lure the whole team of guards to a beer party at a nearby village, leaving the girl unguarded.

It was then that the rescue team stuck! Amidst screams of terrified women, the barking of fierce dogs, braying donkeys and mowing of cattle, they entered the hut where the weak and sickly girl lay. They carried her and scampered away fast, like men fleeing from a burning village for three kilometres, to the spot where they had left the vehicle. And they were lucky to have escaped, for immediately they put her onto the vehicle and they themselves had jumped into it, the fierce-looking guards arrived, breathless, but fuming furiously and brandishing all sorts of deadly weapons.

On seeing that they had been outsmarted, they resorted to throwing stones at them, but by then the four-wheel drive vehicle had shot past the range of their missiles.

Regrettably, they learnt later that the man who assisted them so much and enabled them to rescue the girl, was speared to death by those thugs who accused him of tricking them so the girl could be stolen. The girl had, however, arrived safely and she was in fair condition although she was shocked, traumatised and terribly emaciated. She said the girl still found it difficult to walk, for the injuries inflicted to her by the enkamuratani’s olmurunya had not yet healed.

Minik was thinking of how best to broach the matter in her mind. For a moment she wondered if it was the right time to bring out in the open the matter which she knew would be very painful to the girl who was just recovering from her own trauma. But she knew she could not hide the truth for long. It had to be revealed sooner so that counselling sessions could be put into place soon. Bracing herself appropriately, she quietly and coolly dropped the bombshell.

Questions

1. Place this excerpt in its immediate context. (4mks)
   • Minik sends a worker to fetch Resian. When Resian gets to Minik’s house, she senses that Minnik is angry and it turns out that she is unhappy of the new daring cases of arrogant predators who are challenging her for selfish gains; threatening her effort to fight female circumcision and forced underage marriages. Minik tells Resian of the unexpected events and the challenges the rescue team went through. She does this carefully not frighten Resian and eventually, quietly and coolly drops the bombshell that the rescued girl is Taiyo and the man killed during the rescue is Joseph Parmuat.
     
     
2. In which place did the rescue team find the weak and sickly girl? (1mk)
   • In a village called Esoit. She was in a home that was heavily guarded by Oloisudon’s men.
3. ‘bracing herself appropriately, she quietly and coolly dropped the bombshell.’ What was the bombshell? (2mks)
   • That the rescued girl was Taiyo and that the man that was killed was Joseph Parmuat.
     
     
4. Describe the relationship of the man who assisted the rescue team with the weak and sickly girl. (2mks)
   • Taiyo and Joseph Parmuat were in a love relationship though Joseph had declined her love citing the reasons that he and Taiyo were considered related( a brother and a sister)
     
     
5. Discuss two outstanding themes in the excerpt. (4mks)
   • Conflict/ fear – the home in which Taiyo was kept was heavily guarded by Oloisudon’s men. When the rescue team struck, women in the hut where Taiyo was kept screamed in terror. The team managed to get into the hut, carried Taiyo and scampered away fast, like men fleeing from a burning village. They were lucky to have escaped, for immediately put her onto the vehicle and they themselves had jumped into it, the fierce-looking guards arrived, breathless, but fuming furiously and brandishing all sorts of deadly weapons. On seeing that they had been outsmarted, they resorted to throwing stones at them.
   • Death – the man who had assisted them so much and enabled them to rescue the girl, was speared to death by those thugs who accused him of tricking them so the girl could be stolen
     
     
6. How is Minik portrayed in this excerpt. (4mks)
   • Cautious – she wanted to approach the matter carefully not to frighten Resian. She knew Resian was still recovering from her trauma and could not, therefore, bear another traumatic experience.
   • Caring/ kind – she cared about the wellbeing of Resian and Taiyo. She did everything to ensure the girl (Taiyo) was rescued. She was kind enough not to cause more fear in Resian therefore she approached the mattercautiously.
     
     
7. What is the role of Minik as shown in the rest of the text. (3mks)
   • Minik is a feminist whose role is to rescue girls from forced marriages and FGM. Her fight against female circumcision and forced underage marriages had achieved tremendous success as she had rescued over 500 girls who were living in her ranch. Minik is aware of the new threats from the rich men who are challenging to outsmart her with their monetary prowess but she is as fierce as a wasp the reason she was nicknamed ‘wasp’ by Ole Supeyo. She is a well-known crusader against the retrogressive cultural practices that are against the girl child.
     
     
8. How has hyperbole been used in the excerpt? (2mks)
   • the ability of the rescue team to outsmart the heavily armed guards is over stated.
     
     
9. ‘but the man from Nasila was able to lure the whole team of guards to a beer party at a nearby village, leaving the girl unguarded.’ Rewrite this sentence beginning with a participle phrase. (1mk)
   • Leaving the girl unguarded, the man from Nasila was able to lure the whole team of guards to a beer party at a nearby village.
     
     
10. Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the excerpt. (2mks)
    1. Scampered
       Run with quick steps in fear
       
    2. Outsmarted
       Defeated
       
       

POETRY (20 MARKS)
Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow

CIVIL WAR

In this land
Graveyards have no markers
For blood flows freely
Into the gutter
Where corpses abide
In restless sleep

In this land
Kinship is long dead
And the insiders prevail
A neighbours hand
In darkness hidden
Stifles yet another victim’s light.

In this land
The window blows across the neglected fields
Promising yet another spectacle
Of hollowed eyes and pinched skins
Trudging and falling to the unyielding trains
Of self-destruction

In the air
The whiter dove
Flutter with change
And perhaps
It would be better if this symbol of peace
Were established in the souls of the people
In this land

Questions

1. What is the poem about? (2mks)
   
   • Poem is about civil war and its effects: e.g death (graveyards) blood flows, people maiming each other, relational deaths. (kinship long dead)
     
2. Who is the persona in this poem? (2mks)
   • A resident of the land, an observer in this land.
     
     
3. Identify any two features of style used in the poem and explain their effectiveness. (6mks)
   • Repetition – ‘in this land’. Emphasis on the fact that elsewhere things could be different but here
   • Metaphor – hollowed eyes and pinched skins. Maiming caused by injuries caused by war.
   • Symbolism – ‘whiter dove’ peace and optimism in the future.
     
     
4. Describe the tone of the poem. (2mks)
   • Angry – blood flows freely
   • Bitter – merciless killings serious in this land
   • Optimistic – white dove flutter with change
     
     
5. Explain the significance of the last stanza in relation to the title of the poem. (2mks)
   • Better days ahead if people’s hearts are changed
6. Give the meaning of the following lines as used in the poem. (2mks)
   1. kinship is long dead
   2. stifles yet another victims light.
7. What is the attitude of the persona towards the subject matter? (2mks)
8. What is the mood of the poem? (2mks)

GRAMMAR (15 marks)

1. Rewrite the sentence below filling in the gap with the correct form of the word in brackets. (1mk)
   Annah was scolded for the disorderliness (order) in her room.
   
   
2. Punctuate the following sentences appropriately (1mk)
   In case of any disagreement the teacher said consult the principal
   “In case of any disagreement,” the teacher said, “consult the principal
   
   
3. Underline the adjective in the sentence below and state whether it has been used predicatively or attributively. (1mk)
   Your watch looks expensive
   Expensive - predicatively
   
   
4. Choose the correct word from those in brackets. (1mk)
   (All over sudden/ all of a sudden) All of a sudden there was a loud bang on the door.
   
   
5. Rewrite the following sentence replacing the underlined idiomatic expression (1mk)
   Advertising revenue in the new financial year has got off to a flying start.
   Has started very well
   
   
6. Rewrite the following sentence using one word to replace underlined (1mk)
   The workers jobs may be put at risk if you purchase the machine
   • Jeopardize NB: correct spelling
     
     
7. Supply a question tag to the following statements. (1mk)
   John hardly ever studies, does he?
   
   
8. Explain the ambiguity in this sentence. (1mk)
   “Did you see the girls with a telescope?”
   • Using a telescope
   • Carrying a telescope
     
     
9. Combine the following sentence using a participle phrase (1mk)
   I had seen the photographs of the place. I had no desire to go there.
   • Having seen the photographs of the place, I had no desire to go there.
     
     
10. Replace the phrasal verb underlined in the sentence below with one word that means the same. (1mk)
    They fell out over the decision and hardly speak to each other anymore.
    • Quarrelled, argued
      
      
11. Rewrite the following sentence according to the instructions. (do not alter the meaning) (1mk)
    This is the singer. Her songs are beautiful (join into one sentence using a relative pronoun)
    • This is the singer whose songs are beautiful.
      
      
12. Rewrite the following sentence using substitution. (1mk)
    Neema passed with flying colours. Her sister Kinya passed with flying colours too.
    • Neema passed with flying colours; so did her sister Kinya.
      
      
13. Complete the following sentences with the correct order of adjectives in brackets. (1mk)
    I used to drive an expensive, old, saloon, blue, German car. (blue, old, German, expensive, saloon)
    
    
14. Fill the gaps with a suitable preposition. (1mk)
    I am vexed with her for stealing my books.
    
    
15. Fill in the blank spaces with the correct article. (1mk)
    What is a ewe?