KCSE 2012 English Paper 1 with Marking Scheme

1. Read the advertisement below and answer the questions that follow.
   
   The Electoral Commission of is currently seeking to recruit 800 clerical officers, who will work closely with the commission for two months to register voters in preparation for elections. The clerks will be expected to prepare a voters register.
   
   Applicants must be:
   -Citizens of Kenya
   -18 years and above
   -In possession of a national identification card
   -Fluent in English and Kiswahili
   -In possession of a KCSE grade C and above computer literate
   -Able to work with little or no supervision.
   
   Interested candidates are required to send their application to the following address so as to reach to the commission by 30th November 2015. The Chief Executive Officer, Electoral Commission, P.O Box 679439-010 NAIROBI.
   
   
   1. Write an application letter in response to the advertisement. (10 marks)
   2. Write an accompanying Curriculum Vitae (CV). (10 marks)
      
      
      
2. Read the passage below and fill in ach blank space with the appropriate word. (10 marks)
   
   It is an indisputable fact that agriculture ………1……….the backbone of the economy. It is therefore………2…………that we stop over-relying on the rain-fed agriculture. Israel is a classic ……3…………..of a country that has reclaimed its deserts and put them …4…………use. Land which has ……5………’useless’ has been turned around and ………6……. useful. Egypt which solely depends on ……7………River Nile is a leading exporter of fruits and cereals. For our country to ……8…………..self sufficiency in food production and to get a …………9………..for export land should be utilized to the ………10…..This is only possible with irrigation.
   
   
3. 1. Read the poem below and then answer the questions that follow
      
      If we must die-Claude Mckay
      
      If we must die –let it not be like hogs
      Haunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
      While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
      Making their mock in our occurred lot,
      If we must die-oh let us nobly die
      So that our precious blood may not be shed
      In vain; then even the monsters we defy
      Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!
      Oh kinsmen! We must meet the common foe;
      Though far outnumbered, let us show our brave
      And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow
      What though before us lies the open grave?
      Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack
      Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!
      
      
      1. Describe the rhyme scheme of this poem. (2 marks)
      2. Which words would you stress in the last line of this poem and why? (3 marks)
      3. Apart from rhyme, how else has the poet achieved rhythm? (4 marks)
         
         
   2. Your former school has invited you as a guest speaker to give a talk on discipline. At the end of the speech, the students comment that the talk was well delivered. Suggest reasons why they commented so. ( 4 marks)
      
      
   3. Which expressions would you use in each of the following situations. ( 4 marks)
      1. You are revising for the end of year examinations at home. Your neighbours are playing very loud music. You go over to their house to request them to reduce the volume of their radio.
         
         
      2. A friend of yours comes to your house to invite you to accompany him or her to watch a film/video show. You are unable to accompany him/her because you have not finished your chores in the house. You decide to turn down the invitation.
         
         
   4. For each of the words given below , write down another word with a similar pronunciation. (4 marks)
      Maid………………..
      Plum………………..
      Hire……………………
      Guest…………………..
      
      
   5. 1. You have been invited to a very important interview. Explain briefly what you would need to do before the occasion to ensure that you look presentable. (3 marks)
      2. What else would you need to do before and during the interview to ensure success. (6 marks)

 MARKING SCHEME

1. POINTS OF INTERPRETATION WHICH WILL AFFECT CONTENT:
   All prose letter - TL script
   Mixed format - 1AD - CV application
   If the letter is written through somebody deduct 1mk AD
   1. Must be a letter - a formal letter.
      If the format is correct but the content is irrelevant
      Inviting people to the party
      Give no mark (0)
      Even for lg (0)
      Letter Format (3marks)            Underline the name and ignore
      1. Senders Address - ½
      2. Date ½
      3. Recipient address ½
         (it must be addressed to the CEO to earn a mark)
      4. Salutation ½
      5. Reference ½
      6. Yours faithfully
         name + signature - ½
         Total = 3mks
         If not a formal letter deny 1mks for tone = TL Script
         Content 3mks
         Language 4mks
   2. Must be a curriculum vitae (CV)
      CV Format
      Bio - data                                  2mks
      Academic history & qualifications 2mks
      Experience                                 2mks
      Interests                                    2 mks
      References & contacts                 2mks
                                                     10mks
      The CV is prose from beginning end, get extract item then deduct
      Content
      1. Citizenship (C)                                   ½mks
      2. Age (A)                                             ½mks
      3. Possession of ID                                 ½mks
      4. Fluency in English & Kiswahili (F)         ½mks
      5. Possession KCSE grade (E) education    ½mks
      6. Computer Literate (IT)                          ½mks
      7. Little or no supervision (s)                    ½mks
         TOTAL                                                  6 mks
         NB: If the CV is within the
         1. Application letter i.e if yours faithfully comes at the end the CV= 1AD
         2. If CV is continuous Prose from beginning to end - ! AD TL Script (Mixed format
         Language (L)
         A=4 B= 3 C= 2 D=1
         Referees (2 mks)
         Referees, names and contacts
         Must be more than one to earn two marks one referee (1mk) written witnesses = 0
         It not referees.
         Bio -Data (B 2marks)
         1. Name ½mks
         2. Age/date of birth ½mks
            Any other two from ½mksx2
            1. Nationality
            2. ID
            3. Contact
            4. Gender
         3. Academic History and Qualification Education (E) 2 mks
            Mention at least 2 institutions and grade attained must be shown if no grade shown or KCPE mark no mark
            Experience (Ex-2mks)
         4. Working experience - can be one company
            the name of the place has to be there
         5. Interest / Hobbies (in) 2mks
            At least two interest or hobbies to earn 2 marks . If one in the award 1mks.
2. Cloze Test
   1. Forms / constitutes /is
   2. necessary /essential
   3. example / case
   4. into / to / into (productive)/ to(productive)
   5. apparently / seemingly
   6. rendered / made
   7. the
   8. achieve / attain
   9. surplus
   10. Maximum / optimum
3.  
   1.  
      1. ab ab cd cd ef ef gg
         Accept rhyming pairs
      2. Pressed, wall, dying, fighting back
         • At least two words
         • Don’t accept if the whole line is copied
         • Accept fighting or fighting back but not back
         • If a new word is introduce in the four no mark
           Explanation :
           • These are the content words. They bring out the person’s determination to fight on without giving up
           • The line summarizes the argument of the poem. 2mks
             (identification 1 mark explanation 2 marks = 3marks)
      3.  
         • By use of repetition. The poet repeats the line: If we must die to show how much they (poet and his people) do not want to be killed by the enemy yet they have to.
         • By use of assonance - dying but fighting back.
         • By use of alliteration - making mock / must meet / deal death blow.
         • By use of lines which are almost of the same length
         • By use of consonance
         • Punctuation also brings out rhythm - dashes, commas
           ( any two features, 1 mark for identification 1 mark for illustration = 4 marks)
   2. Must have used
      • effective voice projection/ audibility.
      • a captivating introduction and conclusion.
      • effective tonal variation.
      • appropriate choice of words.
      • effective non-verbal cues.
      • had good mastery of his / her content
      • been neat and composed.
      • Involved students, for example by asking question s at the end.
      • effective use of dramatic pauses
      • Eye contact
      • Humour NB not jokes
      • gestures , app. body, mouths, facial expressions, accept one of these but not all
        (Any five , 1 mark each = 5 marks)
   3.  
      1. Excuse me please - could you lower the volume of your radio . I am revising for my end of year examination.
      2. Thank you very much for the invitation, but I am sorry I cannot accompany you because I have to prepare lunch for my siblings.
         Appreciate and decline
         If only either is accommodated = 1 mk
         If both = = 2mks
   4.  
      1. maid - made
      2. plum - plumb
      3. hire - higher
      4. guest - guessed
   5.  
      1.  
         • Grooming - good skin care / modest make up
         • neat combed / styled hair
         • Good oral hygiene / brushed teeth
         • Be sober
         • Documents neatly arranged
         • Be smartly dressed - well fitting, ironed clothes/ be decently dressed / well polished shoes
         • Be formal - clothes that fit the occasion.
         • Grooming - what you do to your body , when all alone (2mks)
         • Dressed - What you do after you are groomed (1mk)
         • Voice modulation X - for choir
         • Voice Projection V - for speech
         • Repetition V Poetry
         • Refrain - Song x
      2.  
         1. Before
            • I will pray before outering the room.
            • Psyche oneself about the interview
            • Revise the areas likely to be covered by/ in the interview
            • Consult people who have done interview before /dress rehearsals
            • Read widely on current affairs / professional line
            • Learn about the organization and what they do, especially in one’s area of interest
            • Pre visit the area of interview
            • Knock at the door and wait
            • Arrive slightly before time
            • I will visit the toilet first.
         2. During
            • Greet the panel / interviewer
            • Present one’s best personality
            • Be courteous
            • Be attentive / listen well
            • Think before answering questions
            • Be concise and precise
            • Remain calm
            • Smile
            • Appreciate
            • Say Good Bye
            • Sitting in the right posture
            • When invited, quietly enter and wait don’t sit before you are told to sit.
              NB, Answer, should not be in the negative
            • (Any six points. Must have at least two points before and during = 6 marks
              NB the items are not divided into before and during, the first 3 are for before mark and then underline and mark the rest for during