English Questions and Answers - Class 8 Mid Term Exams Term 2 2023 Set 1

QUESTIONS

Read the passage below. It contains blank spaces numbered numbered 1-15. For each blank space, choose the best alternative from the giver four.

How does a camel survive in __1__ desert? Many people think that the camel __2__ water in its hump, but the hump is really made up of fats. That is __3__ you can tell a healthy mcamel from a sick one by its hump! A firm and tall hump indicates __4__ health while a soft and flabby one is a sign of weakness.

When a camel __5__ find water, it passes less urine to conserve the small amount of water it has in its body.__6__ the camel has a higher body temperature than that of most mammals. This means that it starts to sweat at a__7__temperature than that which human beings, for example, start to __8__. This also helps it to keep water loss through sweating __9__ a minimal. Moreover, in man, the__10__ of water thickens the blood. This is what makes man need water. In a camel, its cells can release some of its water__11__ to dilute the blood.

These are the reasons why a camel can go without water for up to __12__ days at a time. Because of its unique ability to __13__ to desert conditions, it is no__14__that the camel is the chief means of travel in the desert. Its __15__ known as the ship of the desert.

For questions 16-18, choose the alternative that best completes the sentences given.

16. If Miriam had enough utensils for the guests, she _________________________
    1. would not have borrowed some from her neighbours.
    2. would not borrow some from her neighbours.
    3. could not borrow some from her neighbours.
    4. will not borrow some from her neighbours.
17. When my aunt was involved in an accident, she _____________________________ in the hospital for three weeks.
    1. laid
    2. lain
    3. lay
    4. lied
18. Geoffrey as well as his friends. ____________________ left for the showground now.
    1. has
    2. have
    3. had
    4. will have

For questions 19-21, choose the alternative that means the same as the underlined word(s).

19. However hard Jacob tried, he could not climb the mountain.
    1. Jacob failed to climb the mountain because it was so high.
    2. Jacob tried hard enough and succeeded in climbing the mountain.
    3. Jacob did not try although he managed to climb the mountain.
    4. Jacob did not try hard enough to climb the mountain.
20. We ought to respect people older than we.
    1. We should respect people older than we.
    2. We must respect people older than we.
    3. We have to respect people older than we.
    4. We may respect people older than we.
21. No sooner had we started the journey than it began to rain.
    1. It began to rain as we started the journey.
    2. As soon as we started the journey it began to rain.
    3. It began to rain after we started the journey.
    4. Immediately it began to rain we started the journey.

For questions 22 and 23, choose the alternative tha means the opposite of the underlined.

22. The guardian of the orphan was short dead during the demonstrations.
    1. angel
    2. orphan
    3. child
    4. ward
23. The tree planting exercise in the community was compulsory.
    1. voluntary
    2. mandatory
    3. chasable
    4. obligatory

For questions 24 and 25, choose the alternative with the grammatically correct sentence.

24.  
    1. Since the signing of the treaty, doing business in East Africa has never been easier.
    2. Our performance was far much better than theirs.
    3. The little boy scribbled on the cleanest side of the paper.
    4. There were less cases of theft this Week
25.  
    1. We found her room arranged anyhowly.
    2. They seldomly visit their grandparents.
    3. The firstest land animal is the cheetah.
    4. He became rich gradually.

Read the passage below and then answer questions 26-38.

Mutua and I were classmates despite the fact that he was about five years older. Everyone in our class enjoyed his company a lot because he told amusing stories and even dared to make fun of some unpopular teachers. To this day, I cannot say whether or not Mutua was really my friend. Occasionally, he treated me in a manner that was neither kindly nor friendly.

Since we were preparing for the final examinations, the head teacher encouraged us to do evening studies in the school. He thought we would make better use of the time than if we studied at home. Unfortunately, we did very little serious work. Whenever there was no supervision, we engaged in endless mischief.

Mutua and I lived further than all the other pupils. We had to cross a river and climb a steep hill before reaching school. The footpath was covered with thick bushes on either side. Homes in this area were few and far apart. One felt unsafe walking along the path even during the day. At night it was very lonely and quiet; dreadfully quiet. It was said that hyenas and leopards roamed the neighbourhood soon after nightfall and once in a while we did hear the howling of a hyena very distinctly. My blood would freeze. I needed Mutua's company desperately. But I was scared of him because he behaved strangely. He would quicken his pace and begin imitating the wailing of a starving hyena. I would cling to him begging him to stop it but he wouldn't pay any attention. He seemed to enjoy every moment of it. Formless terrors would seize me and I would imagine myself being eaten up by a monster. Like every coward, I must have died many times. Somehow I didn't imagine that Mutua would also suffer if real danger arose.

There was a storm one evening and, on our way home, we discovered that the wooden bridge had been washed away. Normally, it was possible to jump across the river. But it was dark and we didn't know how far the water spread. We stood there undecided. Then we realized that the only option was to attempt to jump across. It was risky. I prayed earnestly. Perhaps, Mutua prayed too.

"You first, coward," Mutua jeered.

I walked a few metres back and then came running at top speed. I landed on dry land on the other side of the river. But I don't know what happened to Mutua because he fell with a splash in the middle of the impatient river. The strong current washed him away and I thought he was gone for good. Then I heard him call me. I was so happy, so relieved. The water had pushed him against the bank where he held on to something and scrambled out. I had never seen such a pitiable sight- he was wet, frightened and terribly embarrassed. I felt sorry for him though a naughty voice kept whispering to me, "Serves him right. He is always teasing me!"

The temptation was great but I could not rejoice at Mutua's bad luck. It was still dark and home was quite a distance away.

26. It is surprising that Mutua and the writer were classmates because Mutua
    1. told many amusing stories.
    2. was about five years older.
    3. was not really his friend.
    4. treated the writer badly.
27. Why did the head teacher encourage them to do evening studies in school?
    1. They were preparing for the final examination.
    2. They made better use of the time there
    3. There was no supervision by the teachers at home.
    4.  It is always easier to study in school.
28. Why did the pupils sometimes engage in endless mischief?
    1. Mutua made fun of the teachers.
    2. Sometimes nobody ensured that they studied.
    3. Boys and girls are always like that.
    4. They did very little serious work.
29. Which of the following best explains why the path was lonely?
    1. Few people lived in this area.
    2. Mutua imitated the wailing of a hyena.
    3. There were thick bushes on either side of the road.
    4. Hyenas and leopards roamed the neighbourhood.
30. Mutua was not a good companion because
    1. he would not listen to the writer.
    2. he enjoyed wailing like a hyena.
    3. he enjoyed teasing the writer.
    4. he did not behave like a gentleman. 
31. He seemed to enjoy every moment of it... what did Mutua seem to enjoy?
    1. Hearing the howling of a hyena at night.
    2. Wailing like a hyena and frightening the writer.
    3. The fact that the writer could not keep up with him.
    4. The fact that he could do what he wanted.
32. My blood would freeze means that
    1. the writer was always frightened at night.
    2. the writer's blood would actually freeze.
    3. the writer would get terribly afraid.
    4. the writer would shiver with cold. 
33. How did the storm make it difficult for Mutua and the writer to get home?
    1. They had to jump across the swollen river in the dark.
    2. The wooden bridge had probably been washed away.
    3. The river overflowed making it impossible to cross.
    4. they stood there undecided and it was getting late.
34. Why does the writer refer to the river as impatient?
    1. It was violent and washed away Mutua very quickly.
    2. It did not wait for Mutua to get across.
    3. Mutua fell with a splash in the middle of the river.
    4. The current was strong and Mutua was impatient to cross.
35. I thought he was gone for good means
    1. Mutua had decided to disappear for good.
    2. the writer thought he was now all alone.
    3. it was a good thing that Mutua had gone.
    4. the writer thought Mutua had drowned.
36. Why do you think Mutua was embarrassed?
    1. The writer wanted to laugh.
    2. The writer felt sorry for him.
    3. He was wet and frightened. 
    4. Mutua had failed to jump across.
37. The writer could not openly rejoice because
    1. it was still dark and dangerous near the river.
    2. he needed Mutua's company as home was still far.
    3. Mutua was a bigger boy and could easily beat him up.
    4. it is not good to rejoice at other people's bad luck.
38. Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
    1. The unfortunate experience. 
    2. The lonely footpath.
    3. Mutua falls into the river.
    4. Memories of my childhood.

Read the passage below and then answer questions 39-50.

Nature has supplied every animal except man with some covering for his body such as fur, feathers, hair, scales, shells or thick hide. But man has nothing but a thin skin, and for thousands of years human beings must have wandered about the world with no covering - though the earliest men may perhaps have been hairier than modern man.

If someone were to ask us, "Why did human beings start to cover their bodies with clothes?" Most of us would answer, "To keep themselves warm, of course."
It is only when we begin to think about it a little deeper that we realize clothes are worn for a great many reasons that have nothing to do with the climate, or with our need for warmth, at all.

For instance, we wear clothes to some extent in order to decorate ourselves - to make ourselves, if possible, look more dignified or graceful or striking than we are. Even the plainest clothes worn by civilized people have their buttons, belts, collars and so forth arranged in such a way that they form a kind of decoration, and the material itself is of a kind and colour that we think suits us, and is cut or arranged in a way that we think looks nice - though ideas about what looks nice change from time to time.

Besides decorating us our clothes have to link us up with the people amongst whom we live. We feel uncomfortable if they do not 'look right' - if they are not similar to those which other people of our age, sex, country and period are wearing.

Clothes of a specific kind are often worn to show that the wearer has authority or power. The individual wearing them is treated with respect because he occupies a certain office. The judge on the bench, for instance, might look very ordinary and unimpressive figure without his wig and gown. Clothes are an essential part of all ceremonial occasions, whether they are connected with religion, the law, parliament, royalty, the fighting force, the state, or some less important body.

Sometimes, even in civilized countries, people wear some article of clothing, or some jewel or charm, because they believe that it will bring them luck or protect them from evil or illness, or because it is connected with their religious beliefs. None of these reasons for wearing clothes to decorate ourselves, to show our position in the world, for ceremonial purposes, for "luck', to give ourselves dignity and authority - have anything to do with our need for warmth and protection from the weather. And it is possible that prehistoric man worried even less about keeping his body warmer than we do, because civilized people, after having worn clothes for thousands of years, are probably much more sensitive to cold than the men of the Stone Age were.

We know that primitive people who are living now, or were until quite recently, in conditions similar to those in which men lived many thousands of years ago, do not seem to feel the cold as we do.

39. You would expect to find scales on
    1. a tortoise
    2. a bird
    3. an elephant
    4. a fish
40. It is suggested in the first paragraph that at one time man may have had
    1. more hair
    2. less hair
    3. softer skin
    4. a harder skin
41. What is the main idea in the fourth paragraph?
    1. People wear clothes to look different from other people.
    2. People wear clothes to improve their appearance.
    3. People wear clothes to set new trends in fashions.
    4. People wear clothes to keep themselves warm.
42. The word extent printed in bold in the fourth paragraph, can be best replaced by
    1. degree
    2. range
    3. manner
    4. space
43. The expression suits us as used in the fourth paragraph, means that the material
    1. is the right choice for us.
    2. fits us well.
    3. keeps us warm.
    4. is the right price for us.
44. We feel uncomfortable if they do not look right. This sentence means that our clothes should
    
    1. be similar to those of other people
    2. be different from those of other people
    3. be striking
    4. not look comfortable
45. According to the passage, special clothes were often worn by
    1. farmers.
    2. common people.
    3. people holding important official positions.
    4. traders and shopkeepers
46. The writer thinks that special clothes
    1. must be worn on ceremonial occasions.
    2. need not be worn on ceremonial occasions.
    3. must be worn on all occasions.
    4. make less important ceremonial occasions more impressive.
47. According to the passage prehistoric people
    1. did not feel the cold as much as we do 
    2. felt the cold as much as we do
    3. felt the cold much more than we do
    4. did not feel the cold at all
48. The most important reason for wearing clothes is
    1. to bring us luck and protect us from evil. 
    2. to decorate ourselves on ceremonial occasions.
    3. to let other people realize what positions of authority we hold.
    4. to keep ourselves warm and protected from the weather.
49. The phrase for thousands of years can be replaced by all the following except
    1. for ages.
    2. for years on end.
    3. for many years.
    4. for several years.
50. The best title for the passage above would be
    1. Why humans have no body coverings.
    2. The origin of clothes.
    3. Why human beings wear clothes.
    4. Animals and the law of nature.

COMPOSITION

Below is the beginning of a composition. Write and complete making it as interesting as possible.

The evening was dull with rain falling ang lightning flashing. Father had not returned home ...............................................................

MARKING SCHEME

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