English Paper 2 Questions - Mumias West Pre Mock Exams 2023

INSTRUCTIONS

• Answer all the questions in this question paper.
• Your responses must be written in English

For examiner’s use only

QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1: COMPREHENSION (20 MARKS)
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow
What is educational success? Many people associate this with passing exams and advancing one’s academic achievements. They think it is scoring ‘A’s and transiting from one level to another. Others think it is enrolling more children in school.

This definition emphasizes the blanket assessment of a group of students with little regard for individual achievements. There is great difference between going to school and getting education. You can go to school but never acquire an education. Not all children can score grade ‘A’, but that does not mean that they are not educationally successful. So, is there another way to determine educational success for each student?

There are three ways to do this. First, emphasis should be placed on student’s motivation to go to school.
Youth who have their own reason for going to school and have set their goals tend to excel in academics. Young people can push themselves to succeed academically to avoid difficult situations or pull themselves up to change the state of their lives.

There is also the extrinsic motivation from parents and society. Parents who want their children to succeed are supportive and encouraging. Young people often work hard to please their parents and guardians and to be recognized by society. Every child should enjoy educational success as every step of their journey rather than focusing continuously on top students and institutions and their achievements. Successful communities boast of successful schools.

The second aspect of educational success is school engagement; which makes a student enjoy learning, feel appreciated as part of a community, and that they are gaining from the experience. Youth who are engaged in their school work will do all that they can to ensure that they achieve their goals.

Studies have shown that schools with a good climate (high expectations, parent involvement, staff development, intimate learning environments and connection of learning with student’s interest and career plans) are more likely to have better academic achievement than those with more personnel.

This means that schools that blame their underachievement on lack of teachers should change their focus to ensure that they have a good school climate with the resources they have. Third is the future goals of the student. Most students who transit through primary and secondary school want to further their goals. This may include enrolling in a tertiary institution for vocational training to gain skills for purpose of getting employment. It is important for youth to associate academic learning with their future goals.

So, what really is educational success? It should be a subjective report from each student on their personal desire to go to school, a report of enjoyment of learning as well as a belief that they are attaining something beneficial for their future.

Educational success is first and foremost individualized achievement and secondly, community success. Every child should enjoy educational success at every step of their journey rather than focusing continuously on top students and institutions and their achievements.

The focus should be on each student with a firm belief that they can contribute to the development of self, family, and community at every step of their academic journey.

1. How do different people define educational success? ( 2 marks)
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2. From the second paragraph, explain why the writer does not conform to the above definitions? ( 2 marks)
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3.  According to the passage, how can one ensure academic success in the youth? ( 3 marks)
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4. What roles can parents play as contribution to educational success? ( 3 marks)
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5. Giving your answer in note form, list contributors to educational success of the children. ( 4 marks)
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6. Parents who want their children to succeed are supportive and encouraging. (Rewrite to begin:
   Being ....) ( 1 mark)
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7. How does the definition of educational success change towards the end of the passage? ( 2marks)
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8. Give the meanings of the following words as used in the passage: ( 3 marks)
   1. transiting .........................................................................................
   2. blanket assessment ..........................................................................................................
   3. good school climate..........................................................................................................................

QUESTION 2 : THE EXCERPT (25MKS)
Read the following excerpt from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and answer the questions that follow:
Helmer: Nora! (Goes up to her and takes her playfully by the ear) The same littlefeatherhead! Suppose, now, that I borrowed fifty pounds today, and you
spent it all in the Christmas week, and then on New Year’s Eve a slate fellon my head and killed me, and –

Nora: (putting her hands over his mouth) Oh! Don’t stay such horrid things.

Helmer: Still, suppose that happened, - what then?

Nora: If that were to happen, I don’t suppose I should care whether I owed money or not

Helmer: Yes, but what about the people who had lent it?

Nora: They? Who would bother about them? I should not know who they were.

Helmer: That is like a woman! But seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a
home life that depends on borrowing and debt. We two have kept bravely on the straight road so far, and we will go on the same way for the short
time longer that there need be any struggle.

Nora: (moving towards the stove) as you please, Torvalds.

Helmer: (Following her) Come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings. What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper? (Taking out his purse) Nora, what do you think I have got here?

Nora: (turning round quickly) Money!

Helmer: There you are. (Gives her some money) Do you think I don’t know that a lot is wanted for housekeeping at Christmas – time?

Nora: (counting) Ten shillings –a pound – two pounds!
Thank you, thank you, Torvald; that will keep me going for a long time.

Helmer: Indeed it must.

Nora: Yes, yes, it will. But come here and let me show you what I have bought. And all so cheap! Look, here is a new suit for Ivar, and a sword; and a
horse and a trumpet for Bob: and a doll and dolly’s bedstead for Emmy, - they are very plain, but anyway she will soon break them into pieces. And
here are dress lengths and handkerchiefs for the maids; old Anne ought really to have something better.

Helmer: And what is in this parcel?

Nora: (Crying out) No, No! You mustn’t see that until this evening.

Helmer: Very well. But now tell me, you extravagant little person; what would you like for yourself?

Nora: For myself? Oh, I am sure I don’t want anything.

Helmer Yes, but you must. Tell me something reasonable that you would particularly like to have.

Nora: No, I really can’t think of anything – unless, Torvald.

Helmer: Well?

Nora: (playing with his coat buttons, and without raising her eyes to his) If you really want to give me something, you might-you might-

Helmer: Well, out with it!

Questions

1. Briefly explain what happens immediately before the above extract (3mks)
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2. Why does Nora suggest that they borrow some money (2mks)
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3.  Helmer say; “that is like a woman!” what does this tell of his attitude towards women? (3mks)
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4. In note form identify instances that show affection between Helmer and Nora (4mks)
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5.  From the excerpt explain how the title A Doll’s House is presented (2mks
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6. From the extract what can we say about Nora’s character? (4mks)
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7. Identify and explain any two themes evident in the above extract (4mks)
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8. Old Anne ought really to have something better. (Supply a question tag) (1mk)
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9. Explain the meaning of the following terms as used in the passage (2mks)
   1. Skylark ………………………………………………………….…………………
   2. Extravagant ……………………………………………………….……..…………

QUESTION 3: ORAL LITERATURE
Read the oral poem below and answer the questions that follow.
After a brief struggle I got myself
A job
My food was meat and banana
Flour
A hundred cents a month and Soon I had some money.

Soon afterwards I bought myself
A beautiful girl
My heart was telling time this
Was a fortune
So heart you were deceiving
Me and I believed you
On Saturday morning as I was
Leaving work
I was thinking I was being
Awaited at home
But on arrival I couldn’t find my bride

Nor was she in her parents’ home I ran fast to the river valley;
What I saw gave me a shock. There was my wife conversing With her lovers.

I sat and silently wept.
I realized there in no luck in this world.
People aren’t trustworthy and Will never be!

1. Classify the above Oral Poem. ( 2 marks)
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2. State and illustrate two functions of the song? ( 4 marks)
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3. What evidence is there to show that this is an oral Poem? ( 4 marks)
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4. Explain what the oral poem is about. ( 2 marks)
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5. Give any two character traits of the singer? ( 4 marks)
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6. Identify and illustrate two economic activities practiced by the society in the song. (2 marks)
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QUESTION 4 : GRAMMAR

1. Rewrite the following sentences according to instructions given after each. Do not change the meaning. ( 3 marks)
   1. Nana never came late to school this term. (Begin: Not ....)
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   2. If I had known that they would bring the book with them, I would not have brought this copy.
      (Rewrite the sentence using need not instead of would not.)
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   3. I had finished writing my essay. The examiner announced the end of the exam. ( Rewrite to begin: Scarcely ...)
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2. Fill in the blanks with appropriate noun derivations of the words in brackets. ( 3 marks)
   1. The ...................................... with which the church is running its affairs is commendable. ( order)
   2. Real ................................................ is hard to maintain, (elegant)
   3. The Government Spokesman has called on Kenyans to embrace............................................ ( patriot)
3. Rewrite the following sentences replacing the underlined parts with the appropriate phrasal verbs based on the word given in each bracket. ( 2 marks)
   1. The circulated pamphlet made the meeting to be canceled at the last minute. ( call)
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   2. They had to hire this bus as theirs had been declared a complete loss after the accident.
      (write)
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4. Insert appropriate prepositions in the blanks ( 3 marks)
   1. Her performance was amazing .............................. any standards.
   2. Since he no longer runs the business, he has been reduced ................ begging.
   3. They make clothes ..................... cotton.
5. Insert appropriate question tags in the sentences below: ( 2 marks)
   1. We need to learn to prioritize.
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   2. Come and visit us tomorrow.
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6. Complete the following sentences using the correct interjections. ( 2 marks)
   1.  .................................................. what sort of food are you eating.
   2. ...............................................! I almost knocked you down.