- COMPREHENSION:
Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow;
Education is perhaps one of the greatest assets children can inherit from their parents. Indeed, parents are known to incur huge debts to help their children get education. The drive to make these sacrifices and our population growth, have created a huge demand for education.
This demand is reciprocated by mismatched supply that is not focused on developing “employable” skills and the output is more jobless graduates into the already full market place. Ironically, whereas this is the scenario in emerging economies the world over, it is in the same economies that skilled workers are in high demand, according to a human capital study done by PWC. Indeed , emerging economies are no longer relying on cheap labour to fuel exports- driven economies , but rather fouls on skilled labour because their economic models have shifted to exporting value - added goods. The demand for workers capable of doing talent intensive jobs that require quality qualifications is growing steadily. Studies have shown that no country in the world can achieve major socio – economic transformation without the contribution of skilled
manpower. Kenya seems to be cognizant of this fact going by the massive budget allocation made in education each year.
There is a strong case for standardization and regulatory framework that will ensure delivery of high quality teaching and research whose end product are work- ready students. This is therefore a call to the government and the private sector to work hard in glove to address the prevailing challenges in higher education that impact the quality of graduates produced.
Lack of adequate resources, poor training infrastructure and facilities as well as an emphasis on “cramming” – reproduction of class notes in the exam papers compromise the quality of education. The result has been a yawning gap between the quality of students released into the job market and the needs of the employers. If we are able to turn our institutions of higher learning into factories of talent that is readily marketable locally and to other countries, human capital development would become a key economic driver in our country. The Government needs to partner with all stakeholders and come up with “out of the box”, holistic policy interventions that make use of best practices in order to promote practical skills and make education more effective in the short and long term. This also calls for accrediting and streamlining the requirements
of new and existing education should look beyond profits and priorities equipping of students with knowledge , skills and competencies that enhance their employability both locally and internationally. While Kenya boasts of high literacy levels, it should now priorities the development and implementation of a long – term growth strategy that focuses on quality, not quantity.
QUESTIONS- What has created a huge demand for education according to the passage? (2 marks)
- What do the emerging economics rely on, and why? (3marks)
- Indeed, emerging economies are no longer relying on cheap labour. (Add a question tag) (1mark)
- What advise is given to those investing in education (3 marks)
- Why is there an emphasis on standardization in education? (2 marks)
- In a paragraph of not more than 40 words, summarize the reason why the Government and other sectors should partner in education.
(5 marks) - Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions as used in the passage (4 marks)
- Employable skills......................................................................................................
- Cognisant..................................................................................................................
- Reciprocated...........................................................................................................
- Out of the box.........................................................................................................
- Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow
Krogstad: Are you sure of that?
Mrs. Linde: Quite sure, but-
Krogstad: (with a searching look at her)Is that what it all means?-that you want to save your friend at any cost? Tell me frankly. Is that it?
Mrs Linde: Nils, a woman who has once sold herself for another’s sake doesn’t do it a second time.
Krogstad: I will ask for my letter back.
Mrs linde: No, no.
Krogstad: Yes, of course I will. I will wait here until Helmer comes; I will tell him he must give me my letter back-that it only concerns my dismissal-that he is not to read it-
Mrs. Linde: No Nils, you must not recall your letter.
Krogstad: But, tell me wasn’t it for that very purpose that you asked me to meet you here?
Mrs Linde: In my first moment of fright, it was. But twenty-four hours have elapsed since then, and in that time I have witnessed incredible things in this house. Helmer must know all about it. This unhappy secret must be disclosed; they must have a complete understanding between them which is impossible with all this concealment and falsehood going on.
Krogstad: Very well, if you take the responsibility. But there is one thing I can do in any case and I shall do it at once.
Mrs Linde: (listening)You must be quick and go! The dance is over; we are not safe a moment longer.
Krogstad: I will wait for you below.
Mrs Linde: Yes, do. You must see me back to my door-
Krogstad: I have never had such an amazing piece of good fortune in my life!
Questions- Explain what has happened before this excerpt. (4 marks)
- Why does Krogstad say he would ask for his letter back? Explain (3 marks)
- “Nils, a woman who has once sold herself for another’s sake doesn’t do it a second time.”
Briefly explain what makes Mrs. Linde saythis? (3 marks) - Identify one-character trait of Mrs. Linde in this extract (2 marks)
- What is so surprising in this extract? Explain. ( 2 marks)
- “But there is one thing I can do in any case and I shall do it at once.” What is it that Krogstad does and how does it affect the rest of the play? (4 marks)
- “I have never had such an amazing piece of good fortune in my life!” Rewrite beginning Never: (1mark)
- What makes Krogstad say that he has never had such good fortune in his life? (2 marks)
- Explain the meaning of the following words and phrases as used in the excerpt. (4 marks)
- At any cost...............................................................................................................
- Recall.......................................................................................................................
- Elapsed ..................................................................................................................
- Incredible things...........................................................................................................
- ORAL LITERATURE (20 marks)
Read the narrative below and answer the questions that follow.
Long ago, there was famine in Gikuyu land. This famine had made the cows and goats to die. Only human beings were left and even them, it could be seen that they were not going to live much longer. Now the people asked themselves, “What shall we do?” It was decided that the most beautiful girl, one called Wanjiru should be sacrificed to god so that the rain could fall. She was brought to a place where there was a big river. She started to sing:
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
My father said I should be lost. I should be lost
My mother said I should be lost. I should be lost
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
She went down on her knee, she sang:
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
My father said I should be lost, I should be lost
Rain fall and make this ridge green\
Make this ridge green
The water reached the waist, she sang
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
My father said I should be lost, I should be lost
My mother said I should be lost, I should be lost
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
The water reached the neck, she sang
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
My father said I should be lost, I should be lost
My mother said I should be lost, I should be lost
Rain fall and make this ridge green
Make this ridge green
The head went in
Very heavy rains fell on this land. The grass grew, a lot of food and the people began to feel better. Now where Wanjiru went she found her people who had died before her. These people had a lot of cows and goats. Now they asked her what she would like. She said she wanted cows and goats. She was given many goats and cows and then she was told to lie down in a place. When she woke up she found that she had returned back to her people. She woke up at a place where there was a river and she had her cows and goats. Now when the people saw her they rejoiced greatly.
The story ends there.
Adapted from: The Oral Literature of the Gikuyu by Wanjiku Kabira and Karega Mutahi.- Why do you think this community makes the choice of a beautiful girl such as Wanjiru to sacrifice to god so as to receive rain? (1 mark)
- Which functions does this song serve in this narrative? (2mark)
- Describe one character trait of the villagers in this narrative. (2 marks)
- In point form, list how events follow each other in this story. (3 marks)
- Identify and explain two features of oral narration employed in this narrative. (4 marks)
- Identify two elements of fantasy in this story. (2 marks)
- Describe Wanjiru’stone in the song. ( 2 marks)
- Which social/cultural practices of the Agikuyu are brought out in this narrative. (2 marks)
- What does this phrase mean? “My father said I should be lost.” (1 mark)
- Answer the following question according to the instructions given in brackets. (1 mark)
Very heavy rains fell on this land. (Write in the passive form).
- Grammar
- Replace the underlined words in the sentences below with their antonyms (2mks)
- The sea was rough
- She gave an intelligent answer
- Replace the phrasal verbs underlined in these sentences with one word that means the same. (3mks)
- It is wrong to look down on students from other schools.
- Teachers should not give in to their students’ unreasonable demands.
- The delegates came up with ten rules to guide our response to globalizatio
- Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each without changing the meaning.
- Neither Peter nor Michael prefers coffee to tea
(Rewrite to begin with Peter and end with Michael) - He was the Chairman of the society, and therefore he couldn’t tolerate anybody’s impudence
(Begin As............) - Joseph and his sister came out of the bus accident unhurt.
(Begin Neither Joseph and end with hurt in the bus accident) - When the guests arrived, the function begun.
(Begin No sooner...)
- Neither Peter nor Michael prefers coffee to tea
- Fill in the blank spaces with the correct form of the given adjectives comparative or superlative, whichever completes the sentence correctly.
- The patient says he feels_______________________ this morning (good)
- Who is the ____________________ writer in the world? (famous)
- Explain the difference in meaning between the following pair (2mks)
A Mr. Gitau came to see you when you were out.
Mr. Gitau came to see you when you were out.
- Replace the underlined words in the sentences below with their antonyms (2mks)
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