KCSE 2014 English Paper 2 Questions with Marking Scheme

QUESTIONS

1. Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
   Developers' bulldozers have been levelling thousands of acres of rain forest every day in recent years to make way for human habitation. As a result, one plant or animal species a day is added to the list of those that have become extinct on this planet. This destruction must stop. Rain forests must be protected because they offer the human race many irreplaceable resources.

   Rain forests are a special category of forests found only in the tropical region of the world, usually close to the equator. True to their name, rain averages 80 inches a year in these forests. This rain, coupled with warm tropical temperatures, creates dense lush vegetation. Little light gets through to the ground, but on the canopy and immediately below on the trees, plant and insect life abounds and is rich for benefits in humanity.

   One major use of rain forests is biomedical. The plants and animals found there are a source of many rare compounds used by pharmaceutical companies. It is the product of such companies that sufferers of Parkinson's disease and certain mental conditions have to thank. And the discoveries have just begun. Sciencists say that rain forests contain over a thousand plants that have great anticancer potential. To destroy life forms in these forests is to deprive the human race of further medical advance.

   Another reason for saving the rain forest is the crucial role they play in maintaining the global natural balance. Living organisms exist with each other, meaning that when one is eliminated, the other can another can over-multiply to the detriment of the environment. For example when developers clear forested areas, to make way for "civillization", birds lose their nesting sites and no longer eat the insects there. The insects flourish and attack farm crops. The subsequent destruction of agriculture causes a serious food shortage and as we know, a hungry nation cannot develop.

   Most important, rain forests must be protected because their trees regulate the planet's oxygen supply. They help to balance atmospheric conditions by manufacturing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide creates what is called the "greenhouse" effect, a process that is responsible for global warming which in turn could lead to the sub-merging of coastal regions and islands. Can you imagine waking up one morning to the announcement that Mombasa, Malindi, Lamu and Rusinga Islands are no more?

   Also, rain forests regulate the climate. If they are destroyed, the green house effect could change rainfall patterns so that areas formally used for agriculture become deserts. We may not be there yet, but are we not already contending with uncharacteristic long dry spells that can bring about famine.

   In future, the pressure on rain forests will become worse, no better, given that the human population keeps growing. The pessimist believes nothing can be done. The optimist, on the other hand, strongly believe that people can work together to slow, even reverse, the pace of destruction. Stand out to be counted.
   

   Adapted from Handbook for Writers by Lynn Quitman Troyka.
   Published by Prentice Hall Inc. (1987) 

   1. Referring to the first paragraph, say why the destruction of the rain forests must be stopped. (2 marks)
   2. Why are the forests described in the passage called rain forests? (2 marks)
   3. Rewrite the following sentence beginning "So close ..."
      The huge evergreen trees are so close together that their branches overlap and form an enormous towering canopy. (1 mark)
   4. How will medical advance be affected by the destruction of rain forests? (3 marks)
   5. Explain why the author has put the word "civilization" between quotation marks. (2 marks)
   6.  In not more than 40 words, summarize the effects of the greenhouse effect. (4 marks)
   7. What kind of preassure do you think the author is talking about in the last paragraph? (2 marks)
   8. Explain the meaning of the following expressions used in the passage. (4 marks)
      1. deprive; ..............................................
      2. detriment; ..........................................
      3. contending with; .................................
      4. Stand up to be counted. .......................

2.  Read the excerpt below and then answer the questions that follow.
   The day finally arrived and it was a day full of beauty as the day in which Owuor Kembo of Sakwa, in full battle regalia and a leopard skin loin piece had come to pay suit to the great Chief Odero Gogni of Yimbo for the hand of his daughter Akoko Obanda. Yet some things were different. A stone's throw away was the church with its tall steeple bearing a cross at the top - a symbol of a new and different way of life, yet in some ways reminiscent of the reverence once paid to Were - the god of the eyeof the rising sun who had guided the people. Further along was the school - the place of learning without which one was as a blind man in a strange house. All round was the evidence of the rule of white people who were goood administrators but often unjust and unheeding to the pleas and aspirations of their black subjects. Indeed in the Central Province and in Nairobi especially among the Kikuyu, there were rumours of mass uprising against the colonial powers.

   Oloo the son of Sigu, otherwise known as Mark Anthony, arrived with his entourage of six including his uncle, at mid-morning. Aware of the importance and impact of presence and carriage he arrived in his millitary fatigues, a colobus monkey headdress and a spear in his hand. He was after all a soilder. It was the intriguing combination of the old and new. Anyone else would have looked odd but Oloo looked dashing. His complexion was deceptively light and it drew questioning glances from his hosts and hostesses. Had their daughters decided to marry a ja-mwa - a foreigner? Apart from Akoko who must have left her mother's womb with a broad outlook, all of them were strictly parochial and marriage from even a Luhya from across the border was considered a catastrophe. It was therefore a relief when the suitors broke into pure Luo with the dialect of middle region of Ramogi. Their daughter was a prize, a beacon, a source of pride for the entire clan. They simply could not bear giving her away to a stranger.

   "Brothers, we greet you and bring you many greetings from the people of Seme. My nephew, Oloo, son of my late brother Sigu, came to me and said: 'Father, I have found a girl and i want to get married'. Now I am a reasonable man and I know the ways of Chik, so I asked him: 'Son, one does not just find a girl in the air. One sends a jawang'gyo to go and spy a girl and find out her antedecents and character. Is she a thief or a witch? Is she lazy or shiftless? Might there be consanguinity between you and her? Who is her mother and father?' I tell you my brothers, that I was flabbergasted to hear that none of these things had ever crossed his mind. He knew that her mother's name was Maria and her grandmother's name was Akoko and that was all. You will therefore forgive brothers because we do not know you and you do not know us. We only came because we had faith in our son who has always been a reasonable man. We therefore wish to introduce ourselves before we go on. I am Semo Rakula of Seme, our village is near thatstrange rock - upon - a - rock, Kit-Mikai. We are the descendants of that great warrior, Nyagudi Kogambi. Oloo and those young men are my sons and and nephew. Oloo is a man of learning and what is more, a soldier who has fought for the white man in distant lands. Now he is a clerk with a big Kambi (company) in Nakuru, where he gets a good salary. So should this suit be acceptable to all you need have no fear that your daughter will starve.

   I tell you all these things because there are things a jawan'gyo would have found out of you. Thank you brothers". A pot of kong'o was moved near him and he drew a long refreshing draught. Some things never change - a spokesman always needed to irrigate his throat.

   1. What role had Akoko played in preparation for this day? (2 marks)
   2. What feeling does this day arouse in Akoko? Explain your answer. (3 marks)
   3. Why was Christianity not strange after all in this community? (3 marks)
   4. How can we tell that the narrator had a positive attitude towards schools? (2 marks)
   5. Make notes on what we learn about Oloo from this excerpt. (5 marks)
   6. What concerns should be addressed before a man and a woman are allowed to marry? (3 marks)
   7. Why do you think Oloo's uncle says what he says in his speech? (3 marks)
   8. "Their daughter was a prize, a beacon, a source of pride for the entire clan".
      (Rewrite the sentence beginning with : Not only ....) (1 mark)
   9. Explain the meaning of the following expressions as they are used in the passage: (3 marks)
      1. unheeding; ................................
      2. intriguing; ................................
      3. parochial. ................................

3. Read the song below and the answer the questions that follow.

   Listen! Dear Bride

   Oh my sister, listen!
   From this day, you won't go dancing,
   From this day, you wont go to the dance,
   From this day, you won't go dancing,
   You'll dance only on the path to the river.

   My sister, will you listen?
   From this day, you won't sit chatting,
   From this day, you won't sit to chat,
   From this day, you won't sit chatting,
   You'll only chat on the path to the farm,

   Daughter of my mother listen!
   From this day, you won't enjoy teasing,
   From this day, you won't enjoy to tease,
   From this day, you won't enjoy teasing,
   You'll only tease on the baby on your lap.

   Listen, my dear sister!
   You'll only dance on the path to the river.
   You'll only chat on the path to the farm.
   You'll tease only the baby on your lap.
   From this day, life will change.

   Have you heard, daughter of my mother?
   You will not go dancing, dance today.
   You will not sit chatting, chat today.
   You will not enjoy teasing, tease today.
   From this day, life will change.

   Kenyan Wedding Song

   1. Who do you think are the singers of this song? Give a reason for your answer. (3 marks)
   2. Identify two features which qualify this text as a song? (4 mark)
   3. Briefly explain why the society's expectations of a married are, according to this song. (3 marks)
   4. Give two purposes that this song can serve. (4 marks)
   5. How do you think a bride responds when this song is sung during a wedding? (3 marks)
   6. What is the relationship between the fourth stanza and the stanzas that come before it? (2 marks)
   7. Explain the effect of using the phrase "daughter of my mother" instead of "my sister". (1 mark)
4. 1. Rewrite the following sentences as instructed. (4 marks)
      1. I would gladly have helped them were it not for the shortage of funds at the time.
         (Begin: But ...)
      2. What we need are such ideas. (Begin: It is ...)
      3. The Board of Governors has been looking into the matter. (End: ... Board of Governors.)
      4. "How often do you come here?" Mathege asked his friend.
         (Rewrite in indirect speech ... )
   2. Rewrite the following sentences, correcting the error in each. (5 marks)
      
      1. Most people prefer football than hockey.
      2. Emachar is the highest paid employee in this company.
      3. I demand to know what is this.
      4. The fact that you cannot be able to do it does not mean it is impossible.
      5. "My names are John Kamau Mwangi," the little boy murmured.
   3. Use the correct form of the word in brackets in the sentences that follow. (4 marks)
      
      1. Each category of verbs (behave) in a different way.
      2. I wonder why the bell is being (ring) this early.
      3. I could not remember the (define) of the word.
      4. The (enormous) of the crisis was shocking.
   4. Rewrite the sentences below replacing the underlined idiomatic expressions with words of similar meaning. (2 marks)
      
      1. There are some who will try to rock the boat during the meeting.
      2. Can we stop flogging a dead horse and instead move on to something more useful?

MARKING SCHEME

1.                          
   1. Because they offer the human race many irreplaceable resources/ leads to animals and plants extinction. (2 marks)
   2. - Rainforests get their name from the fact that they receive very high rainfall which averages 80 inches a year.
      - Creates dense, lush vegetation. (2 marks)
   3.  So close together are the huge evergreen trees that their branches overlap and form an enormous towering canopy. (1 mark)
   4. - Rare compounds used by pharmaceutical companies will be lost.
      - If these forests are destroyed, this research will not be possible and we may never find a cure for cancer / possibility of further medical discoveries will be hindered.
      - This will adversely affect the sufferers of Parkinson’s disease and mental conditions. (expect all the 3 points, 1 mark each)
   5. - Civilization is supposed to build, rather than destroy.
      - It is used ironically/it means the oposite/it is sarcastic (expect an explanation) eg. cililization is supposed to better life rather than destroy.
   6. Sample summary
      The greenhouse effect causes global warming which could subsequently lead to the submerging of coastal regions / islands.  It also disrupts rainfall patterns / brings long dry spells, making former agricultural areas deserts. This results in famine. 
      (32 Words) (4 marks)
      - Allow a maximum of 40 words. Answer must be in continuous prose, if not deduct 50% of candidate’s score.
   7. The pressure is about the demand for more human settlement, 1 fuel and raw materials such as wood 1 and for cultivation 1 . (any 2 1 mark each)
   8. 1. deprive - deny/disposess/rob/strip
      2. detriment - harm/damage/ destruction/disadvantage
      3. contending with - dealing with/ grappling with/ struggling with/ combating/ striving with/ facing.
      4. Stand up to be counted - make up your mind to support/ make your decision to join the struggle to (conserve rain forests)/ be part of the solution.(4 marks)
2. Compulsory Novel.
   Margaret Ogolla, The River and the Source
   1. - Convinced Maria to accept Mark Antony Oloo as an aspiring suitor.
      - Organized for the invitation/invited male relatives according to chik/traditions.
      - She did the actual preparations for the day ie. food and drinks. (2 marks)
   2. - Nostalgic / fond memories.
      - This day reminds Akoko of her own betrothal to Owuor Kembo. (identification - 2 marks,
      illustration 1 mark, illustration without identification - 0)
   3. - Christianity was not so strange because the Christian God could be compared to Were. Just as the people here had traditionally paid reverence to Were, Christianity teaches that people ought to stand in awe of God. Were provides guidance to the people and Christians believe that their God does too. (3 marks)
      or
      - Complete quote from: “A stones throw away ------ guided the people.” (2 marks) Penalize lifting.
   4. The narrator says that the school is “the place of learning without which one was as a blind man in a strange house.” The narrator implies that education brings enlightenment and broadens a person’s perspective. 
      (any one point = 2 marks)
   5. - Oloo is eager to make a lasting impression/ man of style/dressed to impress. His attire is ostentatious/dashing. He has also managed to blend tradition with modernity. Discerning/shrewd.
      - He is ignorant of some traditional practices (like making prior inquiries about the girl’s background).
      - Oloo also respects tradition (because he involves his family in the marriage negotiations).
      - He is learned.
      - He was a soldier/fought whiteman in distant land/widely travelled. - He is clerk.
      - He earns a good salary/hard working.
      - He is of light complexion.
      - He is reasonable.
      - Luo from Seme.
      - Descedant of Nyagudi Kogambi.
      - He has no father.
      - He is responsible.(5 marks)
   6. It should be established that a girl is of good character and that she comes from a respectable family. It must also be made clear whether or not there is a blood relation between the man and the woman. (3 marks)
   7. - Oloo’s uncle wants to make it clear that his nephew is beyond reproach/blameless/ good character. His objective is to convince the girl’s family that she is lucky to be chosen as Oloo’s future wife because he has good education and a good job and can therefore adequately provide for her/ to give assurance that their girl will be taken care of.
      - To impress the prospective in-laws.
      - To reveal what the spy would have told them.
      - To apologize/create rapport/create understanding between the two familes. (3 marks)
   8. Not only was their daughter a prize and a beacon, but she was also a source of pride for the entire clan. (1 mark)
   9.                                
      1. Unheeding ......................... insensitive/ deaf/showing disregard/blind. (1 mark)
      2. Intriguing ........................ puzzling/ mysterious/fascinating/interesting/ charming. (1 mark) 
      3. Parochial ........................ narrow-minded/ ignorant/conservative (1 mark) (3 marks)
3.                    
   1. The singers are unmarried people, most likely girls. This is because they focus on the things that unmarried girls enjoy./ It is sang by married women because they are the ones who know what responsibilities and restrictions a married woman faces.
      - Sisters/brothers, “Oh my sister”, “Daughter of my mother”.(3 marks)
   2.                
      • Repetition - in all the stanzas, lines two, three and four are very similar. Stanzas four and five basically repeat what is in the earlier stanzas. “from this day”. (expect a quote)
      • Regular rhythm pattern - the stanzas have five lines each, and the lines are very close in length.
      • Structure - organized/it has stanzas - made up of lines.
      • Direct address in line 1 of every stanza “Oh my sister, listen!”
      • Alliteration, “Have you heard”.
      • Rhetorical quesetion, “Have you heard”.
      • Direct translation, “Daughter of my mother”.
        (any 2 for 2 marks each) = (4 marks)
   3. The society expects married women to:
      • Fetch water
      • Work on the farm
      • Have babies and take care of them
      • Not to spend time idling/chatting
        (Any 3, 1 mark each) = (3 marks)
   4.                    
      • Communicate the reality of marriage to the bride/educate/ready/advise. 
      • Entertainment during a wedding
      • Communicate the society’s expectations to the bride/caution/warm.
      • Tease the bride
        (Any 2 for 2 marks each) = (4 marks)
   5.                      
      • Laughs/be amused/smile - Perhaps she has done it to many other brides in the past.
      • Weep/cry - It brings to realization the seriousness of the step she is taking.
      • Act defiantly to mean that what they are saying will not be her experience / she is ready for whatever lies ahead of her.
      • Expressing doubt/uncertainity/fear apprehension, “From this day, life will change”.(3 marks)
   6. The 4th stanza summarises 1 the significant content in the first three stanzas; 1 emphasises/concludes the message of the song. (2 marks)
   7. The phrase “daughter of my mother” is more endearing/shows the closeness between the singers and the bride. (1 mark)
4.                          
   1.                                          
      1. But for the shortage of funds at the time, I would gladly have helped them/ I would have gladly helped them.
      2. It is such ideas (that) we need.
      3.  The matter has been being looked into by the Board of Governors. 
      4. Mathenge asked his friend how often he went there.(4 marks)
         Comma missing = 0
   2.                        
      1. Most people prefer playing football to hockey.
      2. Emachar is the highest paid employee in this company./ Emachar is the most highly paid employee in this company.
      3. I demand to know what this is.
      4. The fact that you cannot do it does not mean (that) it is impossible./ The fact that you are not able/unable to do it does not mean it is impossible.
      5. “My name is John Kamau Mwangi,” the little boy murmured. (5 marks)
   3.                  
      1. Each category of verbs behaves in a different way.
      2.  I wonder why the bell is being rung this early.
      3.  I could not remember the definition of the word.
      4. The enormity of the crisis was shocking.(4 marks)
         Wrong spelling = 0
   4.                    
      1.  There are some who will try to cause trouble/conflict/disagreements during the meeting.
      2. Can we stop wasting time on something that is not working/doing the impossible/engaging in futility and instead move on to something more useful? (2 marks)