English Questions and Answers - Form 1 Mid Term 2 Exams 2023

QUESTIONS

FUNCTIONAL WRITING:
Your school has organized a fundraiser, in a month’s time, in aid of the construction of a new dining hall. You have offered your mobile phone as one of the prizes to be won in the ongoing raffle competition. Write a letter to your parent/guardian to request him or her to attend the function and to bring along your mobile phone.  20 Marks.

CLOZE TEST:  10 Marks.

The _____1_______ of the school term and the beginning ______2_____ the school holidays brings much needed relief to the students, ___________3____________those who are in boarding schools. Having been _____4______school for thirteen weeks, it goes without saying that the students___5___ more than willing to get out of the school gates. Sadly, some students _____6________delay their journey home and spend time in town centers. Due to peer ______7________, some even  ________8_________ in risky behavior. Such behavior may not    ____9____ affect their well-being now, but also their life in _______10_________.

COMPREHENSION
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

BATTLE AT THE MANDAZI KIOSK
There was a nasty fight at the shopping centre this morning. I watched it all and I thought it was rather silly and sad. I mean, why should two grown-up human beings fight in public, like cockerels, over a little matter which they can settle through a simple discussion. Anyway, it all started with Mwakawago, the bicycle mechanic, going up to Amina’s kiosk and ordering two mandazi. He gave Amina fifty shillings and she gave him the mandazi. When Mwakawago asked for his change, Amina told him there was no change. Mwakawago could not believe his ears. He knew that mandazi cost twenty shillings each, and he expected change of ten shillings from his fifty shillings

“What do you mean?” he asked Amina.
“The price has gone up to twenty-five shillings each,” said Amina simply.
“When did you raise the price? Why didn’t you tell us?” asked Mwakawago angrily.
“Well, I am telling lyo now." retorted Amina. “Where would I find the time to go telling every Ali, Cherono and Oyango about price changes?”
“Why didn’t you put up a public notice? You thief," bellowed Mwakawago fiercely, “You went rob me in broad daylight.”
”I’m not a thief,” Amina reiterated. “Maybe your mother is”
“What did you say?” asked Mwakawago, his voice thick with threat.

Amina tightened the knot on the leso round her hips, looked Mwakawago straight in the eye and said, “You have no right to come here and call me a thief when I am just going about my business. If you do not want my mandazi, just give them back and take your lousy money”
“And where does my mother come in?” asked Mwakawago furiously.
“Go and ask her,” Amina shouted back.
Flying into a rage, Mwakawago threw the mandazi straight into Amina’s face.
Then he grabbed her by the front of her blouse and pulled her from behind the low table on which her basket of mandazi sat. In the struggle they upset the table, and the basket and mandazi scattered in the dust all over the road. Mwakawago slapped Amina twice, spitting a stream of insults at her at the same time.

Just then Amina gave Mwakawago three sharp kicks on the shins and he reeled back, yelling in pain and letting go of Amina’s blouse. Amina picked up a pot of boiling oil and aimed it at Mwakawago. Luckily it missed him. Then Amina grabbed a knife and dashed at Mwakawago, who had picked up a huge stone and was threatening to hurl it at her.

Fortunately, a small crowd of neighbours who had gathered around the combatants restrained them just in time. Mama Kivumbi, the vegetable seller got hold of Amina and tried to calm her down. Mwakawago was held back by Simiyu from the carpentry workshop and Maneno, the barber. Amina and Mwakawago kept yelling insults at each other. Eventually, Karimi, the charperson of the market Traders’ Association, was called. She asked everyone to be quiet so that they could resolve the conflict in a reasonable manner.
“First,” Said Karimi, “how did this whole thing begin?’

It was, however, not easy to get a clear picture of what exactly had happened. Amina insisted that Mwakawago had attacked her without any provocation, Mwakawago, on the other hand, just kept saying that Amina had insulted his mother, and tried to cheat him.

In a short time, the crowd of traders and other bystanders was divided into two groups. One group supported Mwakawago and said that Amina was in the wrong. She had provoked Mwakawago, especially by insulting his mother. The other group, however, argued that it was Mwakawago who was at fault. He had no business going round slapping innocent traders in their kiosks and scattering their mandazi on the road. Karimi listened patiently to the arguments from each side.

After a while she said, ‘I am glad we are all discussing this matter rationally. Maybe if Amina and Mwakawago had talked over their differences, this unfortunate fight need not have taken place.”

“Madam,” said Simiyu, “these two were tearing at each other like wild cats. I think they should both be disciplined”
“That may be important, Simiyu,” answered Karimi, “but I think reconciliation and an amicable understanding is what Amina and Mwakawago need most now:.

Finally, it was agreed that Karimi and a few fellow traders would help Amina and Mwakawago resolve their differences in the privacy of Karimi’s shop. As Amina, Mwakawago and the team of peacemakers headed for Karimi’s shop, the crowd dispersed.

QUESTIONS:

1. What does Mwakawago do for a living? (2 mks)
2. Explain in one sentence why Mwakawago does not get the change he expected.(2 mks)
3. Point out one way in which Amina could have informed her customers about the price increase. (2 mks)
4. Give two rude remarks which Amina makes to Mwakawago. (2 mks)
5. Why do you think Amina tightens the knot on the leso around her hips? (2 mks)
6. How would you describe the personality of Mwakawago? (2 mks)
7. What does Amina do that portray her as a violent person? (2 mks)
8. Explain how the crowd reacted to Amina and Mwakawago’s fight. (2 mks)
9. Identify and explain one use of a simile in the passage. (2 mks)
10. Explain the meaning of the following phrases as used in the passage: (2mks)
    1. every Ali, Cherono and Onyango –
    2. going about my business -

GRAMMAR:

1. Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the pair provided in the brackets:    5 Marks
   1. Since I _______________very far, I have to __________________now.  {Leave, Live}.
   2. ____________goats and ________________cows are his.  {These, This}.
   3. Do not ________________, even when you cannot be _______________.  {Sin, Seen}.
   4. She __________ get a reward for her good ________________. {Deed, Did}.
   5. They have been _______________ for______________ some time now.  {Quite, Quiet}
2. Fill in the blanks with the correct article:   4 Marks
   1. The course takes ______________ year.
   2. Everybody likes _____________honest student.
   3.  _____________ ear is a hearing organ.
   4. I like playing ________________ guitar.
3. Name the six stages/parts of a riddling session. 6 Marks.
4. Use appropriate punctuation marks in the following sentences:  5 Marks.
   1. What a wonderful creature a bat is
   2. After the mother left the child began to cry
   3. Which is the tallest building in the world
   4. We live in Free Area Nakuru.
   5. "Practice makes perfect” said the team coach   
5. Give four reasons why people go to a library. 4 Marks.
6. The following words have the same pronunciation, but are spelt differently. Use each of the words correctly in a sentence. 6 Marks.
   1.  Piece/Peace
   2. Plane/Plain
   3. There/Their

MARKING SCHEME

FUNCTIONAL WRITING:
Your school has organized a fundraiser, in a month’s time, in aid of the construction of a new dining hall. You have offered your mobile phone as one of the prizes to be won in the ongoing raffle competition. Write a letter to your parent/guardian to request him or her to attend the function and to bring along your mobile phone.  20 Marks.

CLOZE TEST:  10 Marks.

The _____end_______ of the school term and the beginning ______of_____ the school holidays brings much needed relief to the students, ___________especially____________those who are in boarding schools. Having been _____in______school for thirteen weeks, it goes without saying that the students___are___ more than willing to get out of the school gates. Sadly, some students _____will________delay their journey home and spend time in town centers. Due to peer ______pressure________, some even  ________engage_________ in risky behavior. Such behavior may not    ____only____ affect their well-being now, but also their life in _______future_________.

COMPREHENSION

1. He repairs bicycles
2. The price of mandazi had risen to twenty-five from twenty shillings
3.      
   • Put up a notice
   • Orally inform customers before selling to them.’
4.  
   • Telling Mwakawago that maybe his mother was a thief
   • That she wouldn’t have the time to go telling every Ali, Cherono and Onyango about everything that happens in her kiosk.
5. She is getting ready for a fight.
   (Accept any other reasonable answer)
6.   
   • Intolerant – he easily picks up a fight with Amina.
   • Reasonable – he asks Amina why she had not put up a notice announcing the rise of price.
7.  
   • She tightens the leso around her hips
   • She grabs a knife and dashes at Mwakawago
   • She hurls the boiling oil at Mwakawago
8.  
   • They restrained the two combatants from further fighting
   • They calmed Amina and Mwakawago
9. Tearing at each other like wild cats – It means the nasty and unreasonable fight between
   • Amina and Mwakawago.
10. Explanation of phrases:
    
    1. Every Ali, Cherono and Onyango – everybody the public
    2. Going about my business – doing my work without distractions.

GRAMMAR:

1. Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the pair provided in the brackets:    5 Marks
   1. Since I _______live________very far, I have to _________leave_________now.  {Leave, Live}.
   2. _____These_______goats and ________this________cows are his.  {These, This}.
   3. Do not ____sin____________, even when you cannot be ______seen_________.  {Sin, Seen}.
   4. She ___did_______ get a reward for her good __________deed______. {Deed, Did}.
   5. They have been _______quiet________ for_____quite_________ some time now.  {Quite, Quiet}
2. Fill in the blanks with the correct article:   4 Marks
   1. The course takes ________a______ year.
   2. Everybody likes ________an_____honest student.
   3.  ______The_______ ear is a hearing organ.
   4. I like playing ________the________ guitar.
3. Name the six stages/parts of a riddling session. 6 Marks.

   • INVITATION, ACCEPTANCE, CHALLENGE, GUESSES, PRIZE, SOLUTION.

4. Use appropriate punctuation marks in the following sentences:  5 Marks.

   1. What a wonderful creature a bat is!

   2. After the mother left, the child began to cry

   3. Which is the tallest building in the world?

   4. We live in Free Area, Nakuru.

   5. “Practice makes perfect”, said the team coach    

5. Give four reasons why people go to a library. 4 Marks.
   1. Borrowing and returning books.
   2. Reading reference materials such as the encyclopedia.
   3. Gathering and comparing information from various sources.
   4. Reading in a conducive atmosphere that is quiet and orderly.
6. The following words have the same pronunciation, but are spelt differently. Use each of the words correctly in a sentence. 6 Marks.
   1.  Piece/Peace
   2. Plane/Plain
   3. There/Their