English Paper 1 Questions and Answers - Meru Central Cluster Exam 2020

ENGLISH
PAPER 1
FUNCTIONAL SKILLS
TIME: 2  HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS

• Answer all the questions in this paper.
• Candidates must answer the questions in English.

1. FUNCTIONAL WRITING (20MRKS)
   
   Imagine you are the secretary of the wildlife club in your school. Your club is meeting for the second time this term. Six members attended but two could not and gave apologies. The patron is invited and is attending as well. Agenda include: registration of new members, club elections and club prefects for 2021. AOB include invitation of guest speakers and end of the year party.
   
   Write minutes of the proceedings of the meeting.
   
   
2. CLOZE TEST  (10MKS)
   Read the following passage and fill in the blank spaces with the most suitable word.
   
   Precise writing is a very fine exercise in reading. Most people (i) ……………….carelessly and retain only a vague idea of what they have read. You can easily test the (ii)……………….of your reading. Read in your usual way a chapter or even a page of a book and (iii)…………………having closed your book, try to put down briefly the (iv)………………..of what you have read. You will probably find that your memory of it is (v)…………………and muddled. Is this because your memory is (vi)…………………………? No, it is because your attention was not fully (vii) …………………..on the passage while you were reading. The memory cannot (viii)………………..what was never given to hold; you did not remember the passage properly because you did not properly (ix)………………….it as you read it. Now precise writing forces you (x)………………………..pay attention to what your read; for one cannot write a summary of any page unless he has clearly grasped its meaning.
   
   
3. ORAL SKILL – 30MKS)
   1. Read the oral narrative and the answer the questions that follow. (9mks)
      The Chameleon and The Hare
      Chameleon and the hare had always misunderstandings. They always quarrelled over who between them could run faster than the other.
      “Chameleon, you are the slowest animal on earth,” laughed the hare. “you cannot compete in any race, even among the slowest animals,, including the snail.”
      “My friend hare, please avoid blowing your own trumpet. I am certain you cannot defeat me in a race. I will finish the race and have enough time to take a meal and a nap before you arrive.
      And the great competition was set. Then the day came.
      “On your marks, set, goo!”The elephant started off the race.
      No sooner had the race started than the chameleon jumped on the hare’s tail. The hare ran like he had never run before. At the finishing line, he started celebrating but when he attempted to sit down and wait for the chameleon, the chameleon shouted, “wooii! Please do not sit on me! I arrived long enough to have a meal and a nap. You can never defeat me in a race! Shame on you!”
      
      Questions
      1. State two ways in which you would capture the attention of the audience before starting the performance of this narrative. (2mk)
      2. If you were the narrator of the story, explain three ways in which you would know that you had captured and retained the attention of the audience. (3mks)
      3. Identify two possible cues that the audience was not listening to you keenly. (2mks)
      4. “Wooi!...” comment on the narrative style of this statement. (2mks)
   2. Identify the silent letters in the following words. (6 marks)
      1. Practically
      2. Ballet
      3. Bristle
      4. Guilt
      5. Baguette
      6. Psychotic
   3. Pick out the word in which the underlined part is pronounced differently (3mks)
      1. Leisure, measure, pressure, pleasure
      2. Arch, March, search, monarch
      3. Trough, dough, tough cough
   4. Underline the stressed syllables in the following words. (3 marks)
      1. Palatial
      2. Rejuvenation
      3. Police
   5. You have arrived late for work and you are talking to your boss. Fill up the blanks. (9mks)
      You:…………………………………………………………………………………(1mk)
      Boss: Good morning Albert. Why have you come late?
      You: …………………………………………………………………......................(1mk)
      Boss: It must been really a huge traffic jam. You are two hours late.
      You: …………………………………………………..............................................(1mk)
      Boss: But on often come late, it’s your habit.
      You:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………(2mks)
      Boss: (Interrupting) I think you should resign and look for another job.
      You:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………(2mks)
      Boss: You have already got many chances. How will this office run if the staff come late?
      You:………………………………………………………………………………….(1mk)
      Boss: I will give you the last chance. Now, get up and go to your work.
      You: …………………………………………………………………………………(1mk)

MARKING SCHEME

1. Functional writing.
   • If should be minute- if not deduct ( 2mrk)
     1. FORMAT
        1. Clear heading-
           • ‘ minutes,’ Name of the group
           • Meeting, date, venue, time.
        2. Attendance
           • six present ½
           • Two absent with apologies ½
           • One in attendance (patron)
        3. Preliminaries ½
        4. Reading and confirmation of the previous minutes ½
        5. Matters arising ½
        6. AOB ½
        7. Adjournment ½
        8. Sign off – compiled by secretary½ confirmed by chairman ½
     2. CONTENT
        • Registration of new members ( 1 mk)
        •  Election of officials (Names of new officials. Should be (given) (2mrk)
        • Club activities for 2021 (2mrk)
     3. LANGUAGE – 4MRKS
2. CLOZE TEST
   1. Read
   2. Accuracy /value
   3. then
   4. Gist/summary /substance
   5. Vague/hazy
   6. Weak
   7. Focused /centered
   8. Retain/grasp /grip
   9. Comprehend /understand /grasp
   10. To
3. Oral skills
   
   1. 
      
      1.  
         • Use a riddle
         • clapping
         • whistling
         • drumming
         • clearing the throat
         • sing a short song
           any two = 2x1=2mks
      2.      
         • audience kept eye contact
         • emotional response at the end of the story eg sighing
         • laughing as you narrated the story
         • clapping
         • Upright sitting posture.
           Any 3x1= 3mks
      3. •  dozing
         • yawning
         • blank facial expressions
         • poor body posture
         • kept looking at their watches
         • fidgeting
         • playing with items around them.
           Any 2x1==2mks
      4. Ideophone – brings out the unexpected situation that the chameleon was about to be sat on. 1x2=2mks
   2. Silent letters in the following words (6 marks
      1. Practically
      2. Ballet
      3. Bristle
      4. Guilt
      5. Baguette
      6. Psychotic
   3.       
      1. pressure
      2. monarc
      3. dough
   4. Stressed syllables in the following words (3 marks)
      1. Palatial
      2. Rejuvenation
      3. Police
   5. You : Good morning Mr. Koech (or any other- title must be indicated) 1mk
      You : It was the traffic jam sir. (1mk)
      You : It was only for today. (1mk)
      You : The route I use experiences terrible traffic jam…..(2mks)
      NB: Please sir, I really need this job. Give me a chance sir. (2mks)
      You : Please forgive me, it won’t happen again. (1mk)
      You : Thank you very much sir. (1mk)