English Questions and Answers - Standard 7 Term 2 Opener 2022 Set 1

QUESTIONS

Read the following passage. It contains blank spaces numbered I to 15. For each blank space, select the best alternative.
_1_ we heard the noise, we all _2_ outside and headed to the road. _3_. we soon 4 that we were not the only ones _5_ had heard it for we were _6_ the first nor the last _7_, there was a sizeable _8_, all talking excitedly and _9_ at the same time. Being both short and young, I was unable to _10_ the centre of the crowd and see for _11_ I did not want to rely _12_ others because _13_ often than not, they too end up relying on others and the version of_14_. happened is usually far from being accurate. On this particular _15_, I had to rely on others.

1.      
   1. When
   2. As
   3. If
   4. While
2.      
   1. run
   2. ran
   3. runs
   4. running
3.      
   1.  However
   2. Moreover
   3. But
   4. Although
4.      
   1. saw
   2. discovered
   3. realized
   4. knew
5.          
   1. whom
   2. which
   3. when
   4. who
6.      
   1. then
   2. neither
   3. also
   4. either
7.    
   1. Even
   2. Also
   3. Already
   4. Because
8.    
   1. mob
   2. crowd
   3. spectators
   4. congregation
9.      
   1. just
   2. approximately
   3. exactly
   4. almost
10.      
    1. arrive
    2. reach at
    3. reach
    4. arrive in
11.    
    1. yourself
    2. myself
    3. ourself
    4. themself
12.      
    1. at
    2. with
    3. in 
    4. on
13.      
    1. much
    2. many
    3. more
    4. most
14.      
    1. whatever
    2. whenever
    3. wherever
    4. whichever
15.      
    1. ocassion
    2. ocasion
    3. occasion
    4. occassion

In questions 16 and 17, choose the words that can best replace the underlined words.

16. After being taken away by force, the parents paid a ransom. 
    1. arrested
    2. kidnapped
    3. abducted 
    4. hijacked
17. I will call on you next week.
    1. give a call
    2. pass by 
    3. visit
    4. stop briefly

For questions 18 and 19, choose the correct question tags.

18. She needs to work hard,___
    1. doesn't she 
    2. needn't she
    3. need she 
    4. does she
19. Your ought to be good, ___
    1. aren't you 
    2. shouldn't you 
    3. ought you 
    4. oughtn't you
20. Choose the most suitable ending
    Hardly had we heard the noise,___
    1. when we all fainted. 
    2. than we all fainted 
    3. and we all fainted. 
    4. as we all fainted.
21. Would you prefer milk,___ 
    1. than porridge?
    2. to porridge?
    3. or porridge?
    4. for porridge?
22. The book was so interesting,___
    1. that I could not stop reading it. 
    2. and I could not stop reading it. 
    3. but I could not stop reading it. 
    4. then I could not stop reading it.

For question 23 and 24, choose the alternative that bests completes the sentences given.

23. He read a ____ story book 
    1. big, thrilling, new 
    2. big, new, thrilling
    3. new, big, thrilling 
    4. thrilling, big, new
24. My mother bought a__bucket 
    1. green, large, plastic, circular 
    2. circular, plastic, green, large 
    3. large, circular, green, plastic
    4. green, large, circular, plastic

In question 25, choose the correctly spelt word. 25.

25.        
    1. Behaviar
    2. Continuous 
    3. Recieve
    4. Beggining

Read the following passage and then answer questions 26 to 38.
Teacher Nicholas was also our class teacher. He had a rather difficult surname and hence his request to refer to him simply as Nicholas. He was a piteous-looking, bespectacled man ever in a brown corduroy coat. After bombarding our brains with figures and formulas, he always retreated to his desk at the front of the classroom where he slumped and dozed off only to be awoken by the jingle of the bell. Of all the teachers, he was our favourite because he never administered corporal punishment
Before today's class, teacher Nicholas had mentioned that we needed to think of subjects we hoped to specialize in, in the coming year. There had followed a heated discussion about the merits of various careers.
I had no distinct talent, never felt inclined to any career There was a girl in our class who constantly dreamt of being a nurse. Two classmates had connections to make it to the armed forces. As army generals, with big guns, our homeland could rest safe and secure. A pious student behind me in class was sure of his calling. Even before finally mouthing it we had already nicknamed him .Pope', his deskmate fantasized at being a farmer, a horticulturist to be precise, planting carrots and cabbages. But my future career was just a plain plateau where the horizon was hazy and vague. A few times my mother had tried to help by compiling a list of what she considered to be distinguished professions. From this menu she had read, top to bottom, some familiar and alien names of occupations and watched keenly for a flicker of interest. After she read the last one and I remained still uninterested, she sighed and resignedly. "I guess the time will come."
As much as I did not know what I wanted to be when I grew up, there was one thing I was definite about.! knew what I never wanted to be an accountant. I lost my best friend when he dropped out of school. His father who was an accountant had used his position to embezzle funds from his employer then deserted his family.
"Well, find out what you do best and then work hard at it," the teacher was saying as his voice dragged me back to present. "Another way of finding your life's longing is to read widely: reading will open your eyes to the vasiness and wonders of life's possibilities. Do you like reading?"
I nodded after I realized that the question was directed at me..
"I can help you recognise and develop your own potential," he said. But from now on, he added, paramount in my pursuits, was to perform exemplary in class. With great firmness of purpose which he knew I possessed, I positively could count on his encouragement to improve my academic profile. Was I ready to do that? I hurriedly replied in the affirmative.
I was reminiscing on my session with Teacher Nicholas when mother arrived tired and drenched

26. How did the students come to address the teacher as Nicholas? 
    1. They were very close lo cach other. 
    2. The teacher permitted them duelo his difficult surname 
    3. They were used to cach other. 
    4. They nicknamed him so.
27. After explaining the concepts, the teacher 
    1. sat at the front and marked the books.
    2. sat at the front and told the students to discuss. 
    3. discussed with the students their future career. 
    4. sat at the front and dozed off.
28. Why was Mr. Nicholas liked by majority of the students? 
    1. He never administered corporal punishment 
    2. He did not give them a lot of work.
    3. He guided and counselled them, 
    4. He slept the whole lesson without giving work.
29. Why was there a heated debate in class? 
    1. The students were having a debate session 
    2. The teacher did not attend the lesson. 
    3. The students were discussing various possible careers. 
    4. The students were discussing arithmetic.
30. My future career was a plain plateau with a hazy horizon means 
    1. the writer had many career options. 
    2. the writer had no clear career in mind. 
    3. the writer was confused on what to do. 
    4. the writer was spoilt for choice.
31. From the career discussion we can conclude that
    1. the writer's village was yet to be safe and secure. 
    2. all the students had preferred careers,
    3. the students knew each other well. 
    4. the class had focused students.
32. Below are some of the careers chosen by the students except 
    1. farming
    2. army general. 
    3. religious leader.
    4. accountant.
33. From the passage we can say that the writer,
    1. was very sure of what he did not want to become. 
    2. was very unfocused in life. 
    3. was very stubborn, 
    4. was very sure of what he wanted to be.
34. The writer's friend must have dropped out of school because 
    1. his father was an accountant. 
    2. his father was rich and wealthy. 
    3. his father deserted them as so he could not pay his fee. 
    4. his father embezzled his employer's funds.
35. The writer dreaded being an accountani because 
    1. he wanted his children to have education. 
    2. he did not like his friend's experience. 
    3. he did not want to be jailed 
    4. he did not want to embezzie funds.
36. From the passage, we can say that reading broadly 
    1. exposes one to vericiles or opportunities.
    2. heipsone choose a good career
    3. makes one have knowledge
    4. makes one pass the exams.
37. The word exemplary has been used in the passage to mean all these except: 
    1. disappointing
    2. admired 
    3. deserving
    4. extremely good
38. From the passage, we can conclude that
    1. the writer was in school. 
    2. the writer was dreaming.
    3. the writer was in class. 
    4. the writer was at home

Read the passage below carefully and then answer questions 39 - 50
Of all the melon varieties, the watermelon is the most popular among consumers and farmers in the country
There is also the sweet melon, but the growing of this crop has not picked up partly because many farmers are not familiar with it. yet it has huge potential
Sweet melon belongs to the cucurbits family, just like watermelon. The varieties grown in Kenya include Safari F1. It is normally green, and during ripening, it turns light grey or yellow,
The fruit has several health benefits, such as reducing the anti-inflammatory properties, oxidative stress and kidney cell damage. It also has cancer preventive antioxidants. The melon seeds are rich in fat and protein. The fruits have lower sugar levels, unlike others.
Just like watermelon, sweet melon requires warm conditions with loam and sandy soil that is well drained and fertile. The melon can be planted by sowing the seeds and later transplanting direct seeding though the latter is preferred since the seeds are large.
The crop can be grown under irrigation or it can be rain-fed. The former is preferred to prevent long periods of leaf wetness that encourage fungal diseases. Soil moisture test should be done before watering to avoid water logging.
Weeding should be done during the early stages of development to prevent competition of nutrients and space. The crop later develops a cover that helps to conserve moisture and the growth of weeds.
Once the seeds have germinated, it's vital to control cutworms that cut the seedlings at the base of the plant. The crop is also affected by spider mites.
Unlike watermelons, the crop is not easily attacked by fruit flies during the early stages of growth. However, during the ripening stage, the plant is easily attacked by fruit flies which are controlled by use of cultural methods, biological methods and chemicals.

39. From the first paragraph, it is true to say that 
    1. there are only two types of melons. 
    2. watermelon is liked and enjoyed by many people. 
    3. all the different types of melons are popular. 
    4. watermelon is well known by many people.
40. According to the passage, why is sweet melon not popular? 
    1. Many farmers do not know about it. 
    2. It is not liked by many people. 
    3. Many farmers fear its lowyield. 
    4. It is very expansive to the consumer.
41. Which of the following is not true about sweet melon? 
    1. It changes colour when ripe. 
    2. It is of different types. 
    3. It is drought resistant. 
    4. It grows underground.
42. All these are benefits of sweet melon except 
    1. it is believed to prevent cancer. 
    2. it reduces kidney damage. 
    3. it cures cancer. 
    4. it reduces inflammation.
43. The main distinction between watermelon and sweet melon is that 
    1. water melon fruits do not have high sugar. 
    2. sweet melonhw...a lot of water. 
    3. water melon has a lot of water.
    4. sweet melon fruits do not have a lot of sugar.
44. Why is it advisable to plant sweet melon seeds directly? 
    1. To reduce the labour involved in transplanting.
    2. The melon seeds are very tiny. 
    3. The sweet melon seeds are large enough 
    4. Direct seeding promotes early maturity.
45. According to the passage, wetness of the leaf 
    1. reduces transpiration. 
    2. protects the crop from drying. 
    3. enables the fruits have plenty of water. 
    4. encourages the growth of disease.
46. Below are similarities between water melon and sweet melon except 
    1. they both have a similar colour. 
    2. both require fertile soil. 
    3. both need well drained soil. 
    4. they both require warm conditions for growth.
47. Why is weeding important in the early stages? 
    1. It helps conserve moisture. 
    2. It reduces competition for nutrients. 
    3. It improves the quality of the fruit. 
    4. It controls the spread of pests and diseases.
48. Cutworms are deemed dangerous because 
    1. they cut the seedlings hence killing them. 
    2. they deprive the plants of nutrients. 
    3. they infect the plant with diseases. 
    4. they produce poisonous liquids that burn the plant.
49. From the passage, we can conclude that 
    1. sweet melons are never attacked by fruit flies. 
    2. water melons are the best. 
    3. sweet melons are the best. 
    4. eventually, sweet melons are attacked by fruit flies.
50. The best title for this passage would be 
    1. Growing water melon. 
    2. Growing sweet melon. 
    3. The different types of melons, 
    4. Effects of growing melons.

COMPOSITION

You have 10 minutes to write your composition. The following is the beginning of a composition. Write it in your own words making it as interesting as possible.
The day we had all been waiting for was finally here ...

MARKING SCHEME