English Paper 2 Questions and Answers - Form 3 End Term 1 Exams

1. COMPREHENSION (20 MARKS)
   Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
   
   It has been noted that Kenya is experiencing ‘phenomenal’ growth in population and that this will put a strain on the economy. The general feeling amongst those who see a large population as a problem is that we should put family planning issues back on the national agenda. But does Kenya really have a population problem? I do not think so. There is nothing as good as a large population of people within a nation that values human resources and is ready to put them to productive use.
   
   Countries that are now registering tremendous economic growth, such as China, India and Brazil, are characterized by, among other things, large populations. A country’s economic growth is determined much more by the choices it makes in the utilization of its resources rather than by the rate of its population growth.
   
   We can roughly classify countries into three broad categories on the basis of their development and the utilization of their human resources. The first category is that of countries that value, develop and utilize their human resources for economic growth. These countries include China and the countries we now refer to as the Asian Tigers, such as Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. These countries have strategically utilized their immense human resources for exemplary economic growth. Singapore, for example, is the second most densely populated country in the world after Monaco, yet it has put all its people to work.
   
   The second category is that of countries that suffer from lack of human resources because of a dwindling population. These countries include Norway, Holland, Russia and Austria. They are overburdened with an aging population and are unable to excite their people to multiply. Having realized the negative impact of this low population on their economies, these countries are now encouraging their people to get more children by giving lucrative incentives to couples. They have also begun importing manpower.
   
   The third category is that of countries that do not seem to have a progressive policy on the utilization of their human resources. Instead, it appears as if they consider this particular resource an enemy.
   
   They are afraid that a large population will impact negatively on their economies. They, therefore, make programs to reduce population a priority. As a result, these countries operate on the fringes of the world economy, unable to utilize the resources bequeathed to them by nature. Unfortunately, many developing countries, including Kenya, fall into this category.
   
   The land mass we call Kenya is capable of supporting well over 200 million people, compared to its current population of about 40 million people. In size, it is 582,367 square kilometers, much bigger than many industrialized nations. It is, for example, far bigger than Israel, which is only 20,072 square kilometers, yet it supports a population of about 7 million people. By world standards, therefore, Kenya is a sparsely populated country. We fight over land in an area hardly a third of the country, where we practice subsistence agriculture and are always at the mercy of the vagaries of nature, yet our contribution to the world economy is marginal.
   
   We have to confront the real problems we face as a country and not find a scapegoat in population growth. Our inability to plan for our people and put resources to proper use in order to industrialize is our biggest undoing. Much of Israel, for example, is actually a reclaimed desert. Kenya, with some little creativity, can reclaim all the arid and semi-arid lands, and support a larger population. In short, we need to rethink our strategies. Other resources that Kenya needs to harness are water and the long hours of sunshine. Flood waters kill our people during rainy seasons as we helplessly watch, instead of using technology to harvest the water and use it to irrigate the arid lands. The sun shines on our heads every day, yet we cannot tap its rays to light up our homes at night or power our vehicles.
   
   The argument that population growth is cancelling out economic growth is flawed. There is little evidence to support the view that small families are the richest. Simply put, we cannot convince the poor that the only way of getting out of poverty is through getting fewer babies. We should direct our energies more at creating wealth rather than pushing the futile agenda of population control to the national limelight.
   
   Questions
   1. Give two examples of countries with large populations which are registering huge economic growth. (1 mk)
   2. Make notes on the classification of countries based on their development and use of human resources. (3 mks)
   3. What is the writer’s attitude towards his or her country? Explain your answer.(2 mks)
   4. List resources Kenya should use properly in order to industrialize. (2 mks)
   5. Why do you think the writer compares Kenya to Israel? (2 mks)
   6. Identify a figurative expression used in the second paragraph of the passage. (2 mks)
   7. What is the tone of the writer with regard to the Asian Tigers? (2 mks)
   8. What can cause a country to be overburdened by an ageing population? (1 mk)
   9. Rewrite the following sentence, starting with ‘Instead of...’ (1 mk)
      We should direct our energies more at creating wealth rather than pushing the futile agenda of population control to the national limelight.
   10. Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the passage. (4 mks)
       1. Dwindling
       2. Bequeathed
       3. Harness
       4. Flawed
2. EXTRACT
   Read the following excerpt and answer the questions that follow
   
   However, the notion that he was about to hand over his own daughter to a gangster continued to gnaw at the conscience of Ole Kaelo relentlessly. He felt guilty, especially when he recalled the atrocities that were known to have been committed by Oloisudori over the years. But another voice told him quietly that he was being foolish and unreasonable to question his own conscience over the matter of Oloisudori, for he was just one among many who were enjoying the fruits of their labour. And it was hardly anybody’s business to know how honest that labour was. After all, the small voice reassured him tauntingly, those who committed bigger crimes such as Goldenberg and Anglo-leasing, were still enjoying the ‘fruits of their labour.’ Had they not invested the yields of their ill-gotten money in housing estates, in shares, in import and exports in tourism, in transport and in other trades, just as Oloisudori had done?
   
   When he went to bed later that evening, he remained awake for many hours pondering over those disturbing thoughts that went through his mind fleetingly, like water that churned violently in a turbulent sea. He thought of Oloisudori’s impending visit and his intended marriage to Resian. He knew the success of failure of the event would determine the fate of his business. Even his continued ownership of that house where he and his family lived, depended on the outcomes of that event. Should Oloisudori fail to get Resian and recall the loan he had extended to him to buy that house, he was done. And knowing Oloisudori, he could very easily draw the rug from beneath his feet, leaving him vulnerable to all kinds of vagaries. And the thoughts gave him anxious moments.
   
   At dawn when sleep overtook him, Ole Kaelo had a pleasant dream. Resian had consented to Oloisudori’s proposal. After Oloisudori reported that to him, he was greatly pleased and relieved. His wife was rapturous. Although they were astonished at the turn of events, they were relieved to know that they would not have to live with the guilt of having forced their daughter to get married. What a wise child his once hardheaded daughter had turned to be after all! And how devious! After all those years of sullenness, awkwardness and tactlessness, she had finally brought relief to their life and ushered in a period of peace and tranquility. But then, it was just that. A dream!
   
   Questions
   1. Place the excerpt in its immediate context. (4mks)
   2. Discuss three major issues in this excerpt. (6mks)
   3. Discuss two character traits of ole kaelo in this excerpt. (4mks)
   4. “and the thoughts gave him anxious moments” (add a question tag.) (1mk)
   5. Discuss any three aspects of style in this excerpt. (6mks)
   6. Explain the meaning of the following expressions from the excerpt. (4mks)
      1. Gnaw……………………………………………………………………………………………….
      2. Pondering…………………………………………………………………………………………
      3. Impending visit …………………………………………………………………………………..
      4. He was done……………………………………………………………………………………….
3. LITERARY APPRECIATION
   
   ORAL NARRATIVE
   Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow
   
   THE OLD WOMAN
   Long time ago in a certain village there lived a rich healthy woman. Everyone in the village called her mama. Everybody liked her for her gay and pleasant nature. Her face was ever radiant as though she cared about nothing in this world. Aside from this, she was very fond of young children who referred to her as guuku. Mmbone, the old woman, was rather a mystery. Nobody knew where she came from or who her real family members were. This elicited many rumours about her origin. Some people believed she was the only survivor of a clan that had been wiped by a severe drought. Her survival had been secured by her good nature that made the gods spare her. Another rumour had it that she was hardworking and intelligent enough to keep enough food to last the entire drought period. The most bizarre rumour had it that she was chased away from a distant clan after killing her neighbours’ child so as to gain potency. All these mysteries about her notwithstanding, Mmbone’s compound remained a darling of villagers. Though she did not have children and grandchildren of her own, Mmbone’s compound was always full of playing children. Whenever she was annoyed, which was rare, she expressed her anger by rebuking “ Eh…..eh!..........eh!..........eeh! Not again you hear me? And as usual her bright face would come back.
   
   As the children played, she would be busy in her garden trying to plant vegetables, which helped her in making her ends meet. After a whole day’s work, she would come back home and prepare food to share with the children who spent the whole day running up and down the field.
   
   After finishing the food, the children would help one another to wash the utensils after which they would gather around the grandmother to enjoy her stories and songs. The songs and stories aimed at teaching the children moral values.
   
   “One story was particularly interesting. She told them about how one generous old woman once faced starvation. She went to the home of the people whose children she had saved from starvation during a drought. Surprisingly, the woman refused to assist the old woman. This greatly disturbed her. She however left, singing the following song.\
   
   Ndyegu yatsia kutusmu
   Akiima umwama
   
   Umwana natsia kusuma
   Akiima Ndeygu,
   Ngeyegu vava, ukaliranga ki
   Atsunutsunutsunu
   
   Ndegegu went to borrow food,
   She denied her child
   The child went to borrow hers
   She denied Ndyegu,
   Ndyegu ended up crying
   Why then?
   Atsunutsunnnutsunu.
   
   With time however the drought ended and the old woman survived. Years down the road, another drought happened. The mean woman was hard hit. She got scared and ashamed of going to borrow from the old woman. Seeing the agony of the children of the woman, the old woman went to her and asked.
   ‘My daughter, what disturbs you?’
   The woman answered,’ Mama, my children are hungry and l have no food to give them.”
   Then why don’t you come to ask for some from me?’
   The woman replied,’ Mama, I remember the day you came to borrow from me and l turned you away though l had some food to spare.”
   “Don"t worry my daughter. Though you refused to help me, the gods of our fathers fed me. Do you call me mama for nothing? Come! Take some cassava for my husbands and co-wives. They don’t have to suffer for your childish mistake!”
   The woman took some food home and saved her children.”
   
   During the story time, she showed the children how to dance but did not do it perfectly due to her advanced age. Regardless of all this, the children gave all their ears to her and benefited from her wisdom. One day, when she chould not dance with the agility of the children, one naughty child made fun of her. Instead of rebuking her directly, the old woman said, ‘Utarora nnya vukana dada yata vustsa tsing’ombe.” She would later smile broadly as she walked back to her house and parted with the children.
   
   After some time the village was shocked to hear that their beloved ma and grandma had gone West. Both the children and their parents grieved for long. She was then sent back to her ancestors, from where she had mysteriously come. Little did the children know that the old woman’s favorite stories were about her own life.
   
   QUESTIONS
   1. Categorize this narrative (2mks)
   2. Identify and illustrate three features of oral tales evident in the story (6mks)
   3. Describe Mmbone’s character. (2mks)
   4. Identify one social and one economic activity of the people from which this tale is taken. (2mks)
   5. What is the moral lesson of this narrative? (2mks)
   6. Which proverb would be appropriate to caution against agreed as evident in the story? (1mk)
   7. Why was Mmbone the darling of the villagers? (2mks)
   8. State what is achieved through the usage of the song in the tale (3mks)
4. GRAMMAR
   1. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the words in brackets. (3mks)
      1. Such a policy can ___________________(danger) the poor.
      2. ______________________________ means the state of being able to read and write (literate)
      3. It is quite ___________________________ that he lost the race to his closest rival (fortune)
   2. Replace the underlined words with a suitable phrasal verb formed from the words in brackets (3mks)
      1. The brothers do not agree in principle. (get)
      2. The boy resembles the father. (take)
   3. Fill in each of the blank in the sentences with the most appropriate preposition.
      (3 marks)
      1. He held an umbrella……………………… his head.
      2. The old man walked with the aid of a walking stick………………… his left hand.
      3. The cow rested……………………………… the shade.
   4. In the 16th century, Shakespeare wrote many plays. (Underlined the adverbial phrase) (1mk)
   5. Complete each of the following sentences using the appropriate interrogative pronoun. (2mks)
      1. ………………………………………..did you meet on your way?
      2. …………………………………………girl do you prefer, Jane or Joyce?
   6. Rewrite the following sentences replacing the underlined words with one word. (2mks)
      1. Read each question with a lot of care.
      2. He looked towards the east and saw the approaching car.
   7. For each given word, construct two sentences first using it as a verb then a noun. (2 mks
      1. Book
      2. Register

 Marking Scheme

1. China, India, Brazil (any two) (1 mk)
2. The countries can be classified as follows;
   1. Countries that value, develop and utilize their human resources.
   2. Countries that lack human resources.
   3. Countries that do not utilize their human resources. (3 mks)
3. He or she is patronizing because he/she thinks that the problem is that the country is unable to plan for its people and put resources to proper use in order to industrialize. (2 mks)
4. Human resources, water, land and sunshine. (2 mks)
5. The writer wants to show that Kenya can overcome its problems just as Israel, a smaller reclaimed desert, has done. (2 mks)
6. Metaphor – China and some other countries are referred to as Asian Tigers. (2 mks)
7. The writer is proud of the Asian Tigers. This is seen when the writer says that the countries have strategically used their human resources for economic growth.(2 mks)
8. A dwindling population or low birth rate can cause a country to be overburdened by an ageing population. (1 mk)
9. Instead of pushing the futile agenda of population control to the national limelight, we should direc tour energies at creating wealth.(1 mk)
10.  
    1. Becoming gradually less/ smaller.
    2. Given
    3. To make use of something in order to produce power.
    4. Mistaken.

EXTRACT

1. Place the excerpt in its immediate context. (4mks)
   • Before
     Ole Kaelo and Mama Milanoi make a visit to Oloisudori’s palatial home at Naivasha, he recalls another house Oloisudori has built for Resian in Nauru, at the night he dreams that Resian has accepted Oloisudori without any resistance. (1/2 x4= mks )
   • After
     Resian and Taiyo return the gifts that Oloisudori has given them, Resian tells him that he can only marry her over her dead body, she goes at Nasila shop and confront her father over the matter, Ole Kaelo slaps her twice,Resian runs to the river contemplating to commit suicide. (1/2 x4= mks )
2. Discuss three major issues in this excerpt. (6mks)
   • Materialism /greediness /opulence-Ole kaelo wants to marry off his daughter to Oloisudori just for material gain.
   • Fear-Ole Kaelo fears about the outcome should Resian turn down the marriage proposal.
   • Male Chauvinism-Ole Kaelo does not listen to his daughter’s grievances-he slaps her twice
     N/B must identify and illustrate
3. Discuss two character traits of ole kaelo in this excerpt. (4mks)
   • Remorseful-he feels guilty for having accepted rewards from Oloisudori in order to marry his daughter off to him
   • Fearful/coward-he fears about the outcome should Resian resent the proposal
     n/b must identify and illustrate
4. “and the thoughts gave him anxious moments” (add a question tag.) (1mk)
   • and the thoughts gave him anxious moments , didn’t they?
5. Discuss any three aspects of style in this excerpt. (6mks)
   • Monologue-Ole Kaelo is disturbed by the relationship between him and that of oloisudori.
   • Dream motif-Kaelo dream that Resian has consented to marry Oloisudori without any resistance.
   • Contrast and juxtaposition-Kaelo compares Oloisudori’s fruits of labour to that of the Goldenberg and the Anglo-leasing
     ( N/B must identify and illustrate)
6. Explain the meaning of the following expressions from the excerpt. (4mks)
   1. Gnaw - to bite
   2. Pondering - thinking about
   3. Impending visit - incoming/planned visit
   4. He was done - completely finished

LITERARY APPRECIATION

1. It is a legend. She saved the community at a time of their need- drought.
2.  
   • Timelessness,
   • opening formula- long time ago
   • presence of a song- Ndegu yatsia kutsuma
   • dialogue/ direct speech- “My daughter what disturbs you?”
   • Local dialect- Ndegu yatsia kutsuma…
   • Moral lesson- any relevant moral lesson+ illustration
     (any 3 + illustrations)
3.  
   • Loving/caring- she prepared food to share with the children
   • Generous- gives food to the women and the children
   • Forgiving- “Don’t worry my daughter though you refused…”
   • Religious- the gods of our fathers fed me. She believes in the provision of the gods.
4.  
   • Social- the people of the community believe in witchcraft. She was believed to have killed the neighbor’s child so as to gain potency.
     The people are religious, they believe in gods
   • Economic- crop farming, they planted vegetables.
5. Any relevant + illustration
6. Look before you leap- one should think deeply before doing something e.g the mean woman denied the old some food without knowing that the old woman would be her savior in time of need. (any other suitable)
7.  
   • She was liked for her gay and pleasant nature.
   • She was very fond of young children who referred to her as guuku (any two)
8.  
   • It breaks the monotony of narration hence makes the story more interesting.
   • It invites the audience to participate.
   • It bears the main theme of the story.
   • It joins the two parts of the story.

GRAMMAR

1.  
   1. Endanger
   2. Literacy
   3. Unfortunate
2.  
   1. get along
   2. take after
3.  
   1. over
   2. in
   3. in
4. In the 16th Century
5.  
   1. who
   2. which
6.  
   1. carefully
   2. eastwards
7.  
   1. Open
   2. Open
      (The sentences must be grammatically correct for one to score. The given word must maintain the tense)