KCSE 2014 English Paper 1 Questions with Marking Scheme

QUESTIONS

1. You have recently visited a schoolmate during the holidays and thoroughly enjoyed yourself. Write a letter to your schoolmate, thanking him or her for the invitation. Describe the experiences that made your stay memorable. (20 marks)
   
   
   
2.  Read the passage below and fill in each blank spacewith an appropriate word. (10 marks)
   
         An outline is an organized list of what you plan to write about. It is a sketch of what your essay will (1) .............like. It is also a guide which will keep you on the right (2) ....................when you are writing your first draft. In the (3) .................stages, your outlne should be a changing, working outline; in (4) .................final form, your outline should be a "table of contents" of what you have "said" (5) ...............your essay.
   
        (6) .................., for instance, you were assigned to write an essay about trees, you might choose to write about "Trees used for fuel". In the planning of your paper you might decide to (7) .............. your topic into "Trees for firewood" (8) ...................... "Trees used for charcoal". You might then (9) ................. divide your subtopics into the different kinds of trees (10) ..........................for each purpose.
   
   

   Adapted from: Write Source 2000 compiled by
   Patrick Sebranek, Verne Meyer, and Dave Kempler (1995).
   
   

3. 1. Read the oral narrative below and then answer the questions that follow. 

      The Cowtail Swish
           

      Once upon a time, there lived a much loved village chief. He loved hunting and he would share the meat with the entire village. One day, he went hunting as usual but didn't return. His people became very worried. They searched and searched for him. As they searched, they kept singing his favourite song, hoping that he'd sing back in response. The song echoed throughout the forest:

      
      Mother nature, mother nature
      You have enough for all
      Mother nature, may my arrow find much meat
      Meat to feed all my people

      After along fruitless search, the chief was presumed dead. Shortly afterwards, his wife gave birth to their seventh son. With his first breath, he asked, "What happened to my father?"

      "Have you ever seen anything like this?" the villagers whispered among themselves in amazement.

      "Never ever!" was the soft reply all round. Immediately, the newborn's question prompted his six elder brothers to embark on another search for their father. It was with sadness that they discovered that he'd be swallowed by a python. Luckily, each of them was endowed with special talents and powers which they combined to retore their father's life. The whole village danced and danced, the joyful pata pata of their feet resounding throughout the village.

      Now, a big, big problem arose; who among the sons will become heir one day and receive the Cowtail swish which was the symbol of authority? Each of the six sons claimed that it was his magical powers that had brought their father back from the land of the spirits. Each claim sounded as valid and as potent as the next. In confusion, the villagers scratched their heads like chickens scratching the ground.

      "Well, our land has many rivers, each with its source. Likewise, the search of that eventually led to the restoration my life had a source," the chief said in the tone of finality. All the eyes of the villagers turned on the infant son. They remembered a proverb that says: a man is only truly dead when he is not remembered.

      
      
      1. Illustrate any four features that show that this is an oral narrative. (4 marks)
      2. Which gesture would you use while saying the words: "With the entire village" in the first paragraph? (1 mark)
      3. Which is the main sound feature used in the song? (2 marks)
      4. Identify an ideophone in the story. (1 mark)
         
         
      1. For every word in the sentence below, provide another that is identical in pronunciation . 
         Aren't you here for eight days? (6 marks)
         
         
      2. Which intonation would you use for each of the underlined words? (5marks)
         
         Malusu: Omenda, what time is the meeting tomorrow?..............................
         
         Omenda: (Surprised) Tomorrow!.....................................................
         
         Malusu: You didn't forget, did you? ...................................................
         
         Omenda: I'm afraid i did.........................................................
         
         
      3.  Imagine that one afternoon you see one of your classmates sneak out of the school compound and get into a waiting car. You decide to report the matter to the teacher on duty. What three details must you include in your oral report? (3 marks)
         
         
      4. Fill in the gaps in the following conversation so that it flows naturally.
         
         Mark: Martha, I would like to invite you to a football game at Kasarani stadium tomorrow afternoon.
         
         Martha:...................................................................................................................................................................................................(1 mark)
         
         Mark: Oh! Why is it that many girls are not football fans? Anyway, even if you don't enjoy the game, you might enjoy my company.
         
         Martha: .................................................................................(1 mark)
         
         Mark: Thank you. That's nice of you to say. Then its a deal then?
         
         Martha: ......................................................................................(1 mark)
         
         Mark: And what conditon is that?
         
         Martha: .....................................................................................(1 mark)
         
         Mark: But i dont like watching movies. ...................................................................................................(1 mark)
         
         Martha: Boring? In that case ..........................................................(1 mark)
         
         Mark: Wait. Wait. .................................................................(1 mark)
         
         Martha: I don't think you are being selfish; all the same, i accept your apology.
         
         Mark: ................................................... I agree with your suggestion.
         A football game followed by a movie it shall be. (1 mark)

MARKING SCHEME

1. Award marks as follows:
   • Format - (5 marks)
     
     This is a friendly letter
     Address (1 mark)
     Date (1 mark)
     Salutation (1 mark)
     Closing (1 mark)
     Name ( 1 mark)
     • If four of the items are wrong deduct. 2 marks
     • Deduct upto 3 marks for mixed format.
   • Content - (8 marks)
     • greetings.
     • expressing thanks.
     • describing the most memorable experiences 
     • at least 3 experiences. No marks for merely mentioning. Award for vivid and interesting description.
     • If the writer is the one being visited deduct 2 marks for irrelevancy.
   • Language use and mechanics of writing (7 marks)
     • correctness of expression
     • word choice (diction)
     • variety of vocabulary and sentence structure
     • spelling
     • punctuation
     • paragraphing
2.                           
   1. look
   2. path/track
   3. early/initial
   4. its
   5. in
   6. it
   7. divide/sub-divide
   8. and
   9. further
   10. suitable
3.                            
   1.                      
      1.                        
         • The beginning - Once upon a time.
         • repetition - e.g. searched and searched, danced and danced, Mother nature, big, big.
         • conversational words - e.g. now, well/dialogue/contracting/direct address.
         • use of a proverb - a man is truly dead when he is not remembered.
         • use of a song - Mother nature ... my people.
         • reference to magical powers/fantasy.
         • Timelessness - once upon a time.
         • Hyperbole - scratching heads like children.
         • Use of ideophone - patapata.
           (Any 4 well illustrated points for 4 marks each, no mark if an illustration is not given)
      2. a hand motion that sweeps over the whole audience. (1 mark) 
         an outward opening of arms.
      3. Alliteration in - mother nature, may my arrow find much meat. Sound /m/ is repeated. (2 marks)
      4. pata pata
   2. aunt, ewe, hear, four/fore, ate, daze. (6 marks)
   3. Malusu: Omenda ... tomorrow - falling
      Omenda: Tomorrow - rising - falling
      Malusu: forget - falling. You - rising
      Omenda: I’m ... did. - falling (5 marks)
   4.                      
      • Name of the classmate (mandatory)
      • Time of the incident (mandatory)
      • Details of the car i.e., any detail about the car e.g. registration/colour/make/ occupants. Both the student and the car must be described. (mandatory) (3 marks)
   5. Mark: Martha, I would like to invite you to a football game at Kasarani Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
      Martha: Thank you but I’m not a football fan. (1 mark)
      Mark: Oh. Why is it that many girls are not football fans? Anyway, even if you don’t enjoy the game, you might enjoy my company.
      Martha: I always enjoy your company. (1 mark)
      Mark: Thank you. That is nice of you to say. So, is it a deal then?
      Martha: Yes, but on one condition. (1 mark)
      Mark: And what condition is that?
      Martha: That we watch a movie after the football game. (1 mark)
      Mark: But I don’t like watching movies. I find them so boring! (1 mark)
      Martha: Boring? In that case, I won’t accompany you to the game. (1 mark)
      Mark: Wait. Wait. I’m very sorry for being selfish. (1 mark)
      Martha: I don’t think you’re being selfish; all the same, I accept your apology.
      Mark: Thank you. I agree with your suggestion. A football game followed by a movie it shall be. (1 mark)