English Questions and Answers - Class 8 Opener Exams Term 1 2023 Set 7

Read the following passage. It contains blank spaces numbered 1 - 15. For each blank space, choose the best alternative from the choices given.

Henry __1__ slowly towards his classroom. He was __2__ worried about the Science test he and the rest of the class __3__ take that morning. He was just about to __4__ into the classroom when he came across a question paper on the ground. At first, he wanted to
__5__ the paper and proceed to his desk. __6__, curiosity got the better of him and he found himself picking it up. On taking a __7__
at the paper, Henry was taken by __8__ at what he saw. It was the same Science test paper they were __9__  to do that morning. Besides, the paper was complete with answers.

Henry's first __10__ was to keep the paper for himself and review it before the actual test.  But he remembered the __11__ his father had always given him. "Honesty is the best policy, my son. Be honest in your thoughts, words and actions," his father always reminded him. With __12__ great words in mind, Henry decided to take the paper to the Science teacher. __13__ he handed in the paper over to the teacher, he __14__ that it was for a different class. __15__ that, the teacher appreciated him for his honesty.

In questions 16 to 18, choose the alternative that best completes the sentence.

16. If he had walked fast, he __________________________ school late.
    
    1. would not have reached
    2. could not have reached
    3. would not reach
    4. could not reach
17. Having had my morning meal, ____________________________
    
    1. my elder brother gave me some chores to do.
    2. an idea sprang to my mind.
    3. a loud knock on the door got me startled.
    4. I picked my bag and left for school.
18. The boy __________________________ we saw sneaking out of the school has been summoned by the head teacher.
    
    1. whom
    2. who
    3. whose
    4. which

In questions 19 and 20, choose the alternative that means the same as the underlined words. 

19. I had to offer him assistance because he had been declared bankrupt.
    
    1. broke
    2. poor
    3. desperate
    4. insolvent
20. Have you been informed that the event has been called off?
    
    1. discontinued
    2. postponed
    3. cancelled
    4. rescheduled

For questions 21 to 23, choose the sentence that is correctly punctuated.

21.  
    1. "You don't like the idea, do you?" Commented Mercy.
    2. "You don't like the idea do you?" commented Mercy.
    3. "You don't like the idea, do you?" commented Mercy.
    4. "You don't like the idea, do you," commented Mercy.
22.  
    1. "What a brilliant girl you are!" exclaimed Mrs Nderitu.
    2. "What a brilliant girl you are," exclaimed Mrs Nderitu.
    3. "What a brilliant girl you are?" exclaimed Mrs Nderitu.
    4. "What a brilliant girl you are!" Exclaimed Mrs Nderitu.
23.  
    1. Molly said, "my mother bought three ladies' purses.
    2. Molly said, "My mother bought three ladies purses."
    3. Molly said, "My mother bought three ladies purses."
    4. Molly said, "My mother bought three ladies' purses.

In questions 24 and 25, choose the sentence that is correctly constructed.

24.  
    1. We have sowed the seeds.
    2. He was charged for murder.
    3. They were playing under the shade. 
    4. Why are you discussing your best friend?
25.  
    1. None of us have finished the project.
    2. When was the news broadcasted?
    3. Neither my parents or my elder sister is in the house.
    4. Timothy, together with his cousins, was opposed to my idea.

Read the passage below and answer questions 26 to 38

I had always prided myself on my sharp tongue and witty retorts whether in class debates or casual arguments. Thus, when I was selected to represent the school in the regional debate series, I was naturally supremely confident of my readiness for the task. Little did I know that this would turn out to be one of the most important lessons in my life..

The run-up to the finals was a breeze for my team. We were all good speakers who had the benefit of an experienced teacher who trained us well. But in the team, I was undoubtedly the most outstanding speaker. In each of the rounds that I debated, the judges had unanimously selected me as the best speaker. This meant that my confidence was at an all-time high by the time we found ourselves with one week to train before the finals. I had no reason to even think that I would not be voted the overall best speaker for
the debate series.

Unfortunately, this got into my head and I began to get arrogant about the whole busines. I started putting on airs. I would laugh at what I saw as their pathetic arguments and poor debating style. I saw myself as the natural debater who would be let down by my teammates bad performance. As the finals drew closer, I became more and more dissatisfied with my team. I began missing practice, much to the panic of my teammates and the frustration of the teacher. They had no choice but to rely on me to pull through on the day of the finals. As much as they would love to remove me from the team, they could not as there was no replacement good enough.

The day of the finals dawned bright and fine. I practically skipped to the venue of the debate finals, feeling the exhilaration of being able to finally show off my debating prowess. But the reality was not something that I had ever imagined. My absence from the practice sessions had created a rift between my teammates and me. We could not seem to work seamlessly like we did in the previous rounds. Instead, our coordination was so bad that even our school supporters were shamed into silence. When it was my turn to conclude as the last speaker of the team, an expectant hush fell over the hall. Everyone knew that I was touted as the one most likely debater to win the coveted overall best speaker for the series.

As I launched into my speech, I knew that things were very wrong. I was hesitant in my explanation of the issue. I had realised rather late that what I was saying sounded incoherent. It did not in relate to my teammates' points. The puzzled looks on the faces of the judges almost drove me to tears. I had to struggle on with my speech, trying to hold back the hot tears that threatened to overflow. I realised too late that I could have been a really good speaker if only I had not been overconfident. As I sat down after speaking my piece, tears broke their banks and scalded my cheeks. I knew that we had lost the title. Never before had I ever felt so alone, or so rightly so.

Suddenly, a reassuring hand clasped mine. I looked up into the kindly face of my teammate, the one whom I had earlier condemned as a moron to her face. She gestured that it was all right and that I should not feel bad. That made me feel even worse. The other two teammates of mine came over and hugged me. Together, they hoped to stem my feelings of regret and pain even though I had rightfully deserved everything and more. In fact, I had cost them the title. I kept sobbing the word "sorry" to them, feeling even worse now that they had repaid my irresponsibility and pride with their kind words and comforting gestures. Even my teacher came over to give me a tight squeeze on the shoulder to say that all was forgiven. When we were called to receive the prize for the first runner-up position, we went up together as a team and bravely lifted the trophy to salute the cheers of our supporters. I finally realised what it was like to be a team.

26. Which statement is true about the writer according to the first sentence? He was 
    1. disrespectful.
    2. a confident speaker
    3. the best debater in his class.
    4. always won arguments.
27. Why do you think the writer was chosen to take part in the regional debate?
    
    1. He had experience in many competitions.
    2. His presence would guarantee his school a win.
    3. He had registered for the contest.
    4. He was a skilful debater.
28. The phrase The run-up to the finals was a breeze for my team means that the writer's team
    
    1. beat the opponents with ease.
    2. qualified automatically.
    3. competed against fewer teams. 
    4. were as good as the rivals
29. The writer was declared the best speaker in the preliminaries because
    
    1. the other speakers lacked confidence.
    2. he took more time than the rest to speak.
    3. he was popular with the audience. 
    4. he was probably convincing in his argument.
30. Why was the writer dissatisfied with his team?
    1. They were not well prepared for contest. B
    2. Pride had clouded his judgement
    3. He was sure the team would lose terribly. 
    4. The rest of the team lacked confidence.
31. When the writer missed practice sessions,
    
    1. everyone felt relieved.
    2. the trainer gave up.
    3. his teammates sought to know what was wrong.
    4. his teammates missed his presence.
32. It was not easy to remove the writer from the team mainly because
    
    1. the team could not do anything without him.
    2. he was the leader of the team.
    3. it was not easy to replace him
    4. everyone liked him.
33. The words 'putting on airs' as used in the passage show that the writer
    
    1. was boastful.
    2. belittled other debaters.
    3. did not want to rehearse.
    4. had little interest in the contest.
34. As the writer went to venue during the debate finals, he
    
    1. was anxious
    2. had reservations about his teammates.
    3. was elated.
    4. felt rather worried.
35. What led to poor coordination between the writer and his teammates?
    
    1. They had tensed.
    2. They did not have the final rehearsals together.
    3. They lacked skills to articulate their points. 
    4. They failed to follow the teacher's advice.
36. Why was the writer crying after making his presentation?
    
    1. He was ashamed of his teammates.
    2. He had been overconfident.
    3. He knew he had performed poorly. 
    4. No one liked his presentation.
37. After the writer had concluded his presentation, his teammates came to him to 
    1. show their disappointment.
    2. express the support for him.
    3. urge him to change for the better.
    4. show their gratitude.
38. Which proverb best summarises the last sentence of the passage?
    
    1. He who laughs last laughs best.
    2. Pride comes before a fall.
    3. Half a loaf is better than none.
    4. Unity is strength

Read the passage below and answer questions 39 to 50.

Most African countries are slowly adopting the anti-public smoking campaigns by designating certain regions for smokers. In most countries, there are smoking zones and times beyond which individuals are not allowed to smoke. For instance, even though there is no specific time for smoking, government workers are not supposed to be found smoking during working hours. In addition, people are not allowed to smoke while inside buses, churches, schools and cinema halls. Anyone found breaking this rule will be brought to book. Public smoking is prohibited due to the following reasons.

First and foremost, smoking accounts for a significant number of respiratory infections like lung cancer and throat inflammation. Although, there is no law that stops individuals from smoking, it is advisable to ensure that only willing smokers are exposed to cigarette smoke. This means that those willing to smoke are allowed to do so but should also bear in mind the welfare of other people. All cigarette manufacturing companies have clear warnings on their products advising consumers to avoid excessive smoking. In addition, their advertisements carry strong messages that cigarette smoking is not beneficial to health. There are even scary images of the effects of smoking. Smokers know these instructions very well but, as strange as it is, they ignore them. While buying cigarette packets, their eyes usually cross the many bold advertisements and conspicuous images and rush to see the contents without giving the instructions and images a second thought. They ignore these instructions and images at their own will and later suffer the consequences. On the other hand, the government has a duty of ensuring all citizens are guaranteed safe and healthy environment. This means that smokers should not interfere with non smokers by smoking in public. This policy protects innocent civilians against the effects of tobacco smoke.

In addition, smoking must not be done in the presence of children. It should be noted that parents are role models to their children. Children emulate their parents and other senior members of their societies. No parent is ready to see his school-going child puffing tobacco fumes while studying. This sight is not only disgusting but also unacceptable. Therefore, to avoid exposing children to cigarette smoking, it is necessary to regulate smoking habits. This is why most nations are adopting the anti-public smoking policy to prevent children from learning this habit. It is clear that it is impossible to stop an adult from smoking but it is advisable for the person to smoke while in a designated place. These smoking zones are usually out of bounds for children. Besides, some habits are regarded as public nuisance. A public place is supposed to have order and accommodate people from various backgrounds. The fact that people have different personalities should not be an excuse for anyone to misbehave. Public smoking is public nuisance just like shouting in public. Therefore, anti-public smoking policies should be reinforced, if possible, in all countries.

In addition, the world is struggling to control and eliminate all forms of pollution. In the early years of civilization, most automobiles used fuels that emitted a lot of smoke. For instance, the trains and ships that used steam were largely dependent on firewood to boil water. Consequently, the amounts of smoke emitted by these engines were much more than the benefits achieved by these transport vessels. Pollution was at its best while the destruction of natural forests also became an issue of serious concern. Even though some critics argue that tobacco smoke is not sufficient enough to cause climate change this argument is misleading and cannot be used to justify smoking in public places. In a country where three out of ten people smoke on a regular basis, the average smoke emitted in the whole country is far much more than the smoke that a truck full of rice emits. This means that the smoke emitted when many people smoke on a daily basis is enough to fill tons of gas cylinders. The little amount of smoke produced by each cigarette accumulates in the atmosphere and is responsible for a number of climate changes.

Moreover, public smoking is as dangerous as walking in a workshop without shoes or other protective clothes. Most public places do not have ash trays to deposit the filter or ashes produced after smoking. It is evident that most forest and domestic fires have been caused by irresponsible smokers. Most of them usually dump their cigarette butts along footpaths or in bushes while only a few of them squeeze them between their fingers or step on them to extinguish them. The majority of the population is usually careless and leaves lighted cigarettes on the roadside or public benches. Some are ignorant enough to dump lighted cigarettes butts in public dustbins only to be shocked later by fire eruptions. Needless to say, prohibiting public smoking will ensure that all smokers dump their unfinished or finished cigarettes in designated places. These places are usually equipped with water and fire extinguishers to make sure all emergencies are handled as soon as they arise.

39. Smoking zones are aimed at
    
    1. forcing smokers to give up the habit. 
    2. keeping all people free from smoking. 
    3. making smokers less exposed to the dangers of the habit.
    4. controlling smoking in public places.
40. Any person found violating the restrictions. related to smoking will be
    
    1. banned from smoking again.
    2. punished accordingly.
    3. put behind bars.
    4. made to record a statement.
41. Why are there images on the cigarette packets? They are meant to
    
    1. encourage people to smoke more regularly.
    2. sensitise people about dangers of smoking.
    3. control the rate of smoking in public.
    4. advise people to choose the best brands of cigarettes.
42. What is the role of the government according to the passage?
    
    1. To ban all people from smoking.
    2. To make smoking less harmful to all people.
    3. To shield the non-smokers from the effects of smoking.
    4. To create smoking zones.
43. The word prohibited has been used in the passage. Its opposite is likely to be
    
    1. forbidden
    2. permitted
    3. acknowledged
    4. licensed
44. From the passage it is true to say that children who see their parents smoking,
    1. often feel embarrassed.
    2. usually have low self-esteem.
    3. always get into trouble with the authority.
    4. may be tempted to take up the habit.
45. Why are smoking zones out of bounds for children?
    
    1. Children do not know the roles of such places.
    2. Children easily get influenced.
    3. To prevent children from smoking. 
    4. To stop children from getting affected by respiratory diseases.
46. Why is smoking in public referred to as public nuisance?
    
    1. It is a demonstration of lack of self discipline.
    2. It leads to interference with other people's freedom.
    3. It causes pollution.
    4. Smokers are usually uncontrollable.
47. Why was pollution high during early years of civilization?
    
    1. People were ignorant.
    2. There were limited means of transport.
    3. Steam engines gave off a lot of smoke.
    4. There were many industries.
48. People who argue that tobacco smoke is not sufficient enough to cause climate change
    
    1. are very wrong.
    2. do not know any dangers of smoking.
    3. have carried out some research.
    4. do not know anything about climate change.
49. Whenever smokers leave cigarette butts along footpaths,
    
    1. they affect wildlife with bad smell.
    2. they are always keen to put them out completely.
    3. they cause several types of pollution. 
    4. they may cause forest fires.
50. What is the best title of the passage above?
    
    1. Dangers of smoking.
    2. The need to ban smoking in public places.
    3. How to control smoking among people.
    4. Effects of smoking.

COMPOSITION

Below is the beginning of a story. Write and complete the story. Make your story as interesting as you can.

Although I could feel my heart beating unusually fast, I approached the head teacher's office hoping for the best but prepared for the worst............................................

MARKING SCHEME

1. B
2. D
3. A
4. C
5. D
6. C
7. B
8. A
9. C
10. B
11. D
12. C
13. A
14. B
15. D
16. A
17. D
18. A
19. D
20. C
21. C
22. A
23. D
24. D
25. D
26. B
27. D
28. A
29. D
30. B
31. D
32. C
33. A
34. C
35. B
36. C
37. B
38. D
39. D
40. B
41. B
42. C
43. B
44. D
45. C
46. B
47. C
48. A
49. D
50. B