English Questions and Answers - Form 1 Mid Term 1 Exams 2022

Questions

COMPREHENSION
Read the following passage and answer the question after it.

The nightmare

He began to feel drowsy, as his brain seemed to float in a mist. It drifted into denser and denser areas of the mist until he was back in his primary school. It was a drizzy morning and the children were busy picking litter around the school compound. Teachers were swinging their cane sticks, causing the children to scamper and collide every time a stick whistled through the air. The headmaster was standing on the veranda, surveying the whole spectacle with satisfaction when he suddenly glimpsed Kifefe hiding behind a pillar at the corner of the veranda.

“You rascal, come here!” Kifefe knew it was a bad morning for him. He came trembling with terror towards his periodic persecutor. The big man went straight for Kifefe’s ear, pulling and twisting it so hard that Kifefe’s feet gave way and he collapsed on the wet grass with the headmaster still holding on to the ear, bending over him. The nearest prefect was called to examine Kifefe’ feet for jiggers. The prefect gave one glance, turned his face towards heaven and gave a loud whistle as he spread his arms into the air in a dramatic gesture of disbelief. His gestures brought the picking of litter to a halt as all the children rushed to crowd around Kifefe, laughing and jeering. The headmaster showed them off with his hands. This was a sign for the prefects to attack the crowd with their whips, but the crowd merely went round and round and pressed the prefects and the teachers so closely that it was impossible for the agents of law and order to swing their whips. There was already the smell of blood in the air; the sacrifice was about to begin.

Lying beneath the crowd, Kifefe felt crushed by his powerlessness. His eyes pleaded for sympathy but he saw the glee of cruelty in the headmaster’s eyes and the lust for blood in the eyes of the crowd. Then the strokes began to rain down on Kifefe’s feet. The crowd pressed closer and closer until the headmaster could hardly swing his cane. He got worked up and turned his cane on the spectators, forcing them to ebb. But soon the cane broke into pieces and the spectators were pressing on him again. He took a new cane from the nearest prefect and resumed his frenetic strikes on Kifefe’s legs and feet but kifefe gnashed his teeth, held his breath and refused to cry. The headmaster panted, sweated and with his eyes almost pleaded with kifefe to cry, Kifefe held out. Again the cane broke to pieces, forcing him to stop. He stood stiffly before the crowd, the contempt in his eyes burning his skin. In desperation, he ordered that the largest stick that anybody could find within the compound be brought to him and somebody quickly produced something resembling a club. When the headmaster raised the club above his head, Kifefe uttered two cries of terror. He jerked up his head, opened his eyes and saw the whole dormitory looking at him. It was already morning.

Questions

1. What role did teachers play? (3mk)
2. The headmaster was surveying the whole spectacle with satisfaction. State why he is satisfied with what is going on. (3mks)
3. Why was Kifefe being punished. (4mks)
4. State three roles of prefects in Kifefe’s school. (4mks)
5. Write down points against the kind of punishment Kifefe gets. (4mks)
6. Explain the meaning of the following words or expressions as used in the passage. (3mks)
   1. Strokes began to rain down on him
   2. Lust for blood
   3. Panted
7. Why did Kifefe know it was a bad morning for him? (3mk)
8. When the headmaster raised the club above his head, Kifefe uttered two cries of terror. (Begin: Kifefe ............. ) (1mk)
9. What kind of person is kifefe? Give reasons for your answer. (3mks)
10. Suggest another title for this passage. (2mk)

Marking Scheme

1. What role did teachers play? (3mk)
   
   • To supervise the children as they picked litter.
   • To maintain law and order.
   • To cane students who did not do their work
     
     
2. The headmaster was surveying the whole spectacle with satisfaction. State why he is satisfied with what is going on. (3mks)
   • It seems the work is being done as expected.
   • Children are working as he is supervising the work.
     
     
3. Why was Kifefe being punished. (4mks)
   • He was hiding behind a pillar instead of working,
     
     
4. State three roles of prefects in Kifefe in school. (4mks)
   • To examine feet students’ feet for jiggers
   • They were agents of law and order.
   • They were supplying canes to the headmaster.
     
     
5. Write down points against the kind of punishment Kifefe gets. (4mks)
   • The headmaster does not explain to Kifefe why it is wrong to hide while others are working/Kifefe does not understand his mistake
   • The headmaster does not stop pulling his ear even when he collapses.
   • The headmaster is not interested in correcting Kifefe but making him cry.
   • The headmaster ought to have listened to Kifefe’s reason of hiding.
     
     
6. Explain the meaning of the following words or expressions as used in the passage. (3mks)
   1. Strokes began to rain down on him
      • Kifefe was being beaten randomly.
   2. Lust for blood
      • Strong desire to be violent
   3. Panted
      • Breathing quickly
        
        
7. Why did Kifefe know it was a bad morning for him? (3mk)
   • He was caught hiding instead of working and he knew that he would face the wrath of the headmaster.
     
     
8. When the headmaster raised the club above his head, Kifefe uttered two cries of terror. (Begin: Kifefe ............. ) (1mk)
   • Kifefe uttered two cries of terror when the headmaster raised the club above his head.
     
     
9. What kind of person is kifefe? Give reasons for your answer. (3mks)
   • Mischievous
   • Stubborn
   • Cunning
   • enduring
     
     
10. Suggest another title for this passage. (2mk)
    • The cruel headmaster
    • Accept any applicable