English Questions and Answers - KCPE 2023 Prediction Papers Set 1

Read the passage below. It contains blank spaces numbered 1 to 15. For each blank space, choose the best alternative from the choices given.

No one can __1__ that they have never felt hungry. Hunger __2__ gradually and when it __3__ climax, it is not possible to hide it at all. If you were asleep, it automatically wakes you up. This happens __4__ you have taken a long time before __5__ a meal. There could be __6__ reasons for this, for example, when you are travelling __7__ a bus to a far place and __8__, if it stopped for the passengers to cat, the __9__ could make them reach their destinations very late. __10__,  the worst one is when the __11__ mealtime reaches and there is no sign of either food or indication that someone could be cooking any time soon.

Hunger affects people differently. For me, my leg muscles __12__, I develop some mild headache and yawn for abnormally a long time.
__13__ such times, I don't seem to see well and my hearing too somehow gets __14__. The most interesting thing is that I __15__ my temper without any provocation. The moment I eat, I feel normal.

For questions 16 and 17, choose the alternative that best completes the statements given.

16. You didn't have to run across the road, _________________________? 
    1. did you
    2. had you
    3. didn't you
    4. haven't you
17. She rarely fails to complete her work, _________________________?A
    1. did she
    2. . isn't it
    3. does she
    4. is it

For questions 18 and 19, choose the alternative that means the same as the underlined words.

18. The salt Jane bought had very fine particles.
    1. bright
    2. tiny
    3. light
    4. white
19. The boy made noise exactly like that of the crow.
    1. twitter
    2. sing
    3. crow
    4. caw

For questions 20 to 21, choose the best alternative that is pronounced in the same way as the underlined one.

20. The wind blew down the big tree. 
    1. blow
    2. drown
    3. blue
    4. few
21. The lost purse was finally recovered.
    1. pass
    2. curse
    3. bus
    4. past 

For questions 22 and 23, re-arrange the given sentences in order to form a sensible paragraph.

23.  
    1. She told of how people first came onto the earth.
    2. We really enjoyed listening to her.
    3. She also told stories about giants and strange creatures.
    4. Mela's grandmother liked to tell stories.
       1. (iv), (iii), (ii); (i)
       2. (iv), (ii), (i), (iii)
       3. (iv), (ii), (iii), (i) 
       4. (iv), (i), (iii), (ii)
24.  
    1. Some of the material can be borrowed for a short period of timc.
    2. Large volumes of written and unwritten materials are stored there.
    3. There is usually some space for one to sit and read what cannot be borrowed.
    4. A library is one of the richest sources of information.
       1. (iii), (iv), (i), (ii)
       2. (iii), (ii), (i), (iv) 
       3. (iii), (i), (ii), (iv)
       4. (iii), (ii), (iv), (i)

For questions 24 and 25, choose the sentence which means the same as the underlined sentence.

24. Had the ball not got punctured, would have played.
    1. We have played though the ball got punctured.
    2. Though the ball got punctured, we can still play.
    3. We are not playing since the.ball got punctured.
    4. We wished the ball had not got punctured so that we play.
25. Neither Rehema nor Rita was punished for lateness.
    1. None of them was punished for lateness.
    2. Only Rita was punished for lateness.
    3. Both Rehema and Rita were punished for lateness.
    4. Rita perhaps was punished for lateness.

Read the passage below and then answer questions 26 to 38.

The men were happy. Their plan to help one of them had worked out very well. They had agreed to rebuilt a house for Ruka whose house had got burnt down without the proper cause being established. He was at a neighbour's house, late in the evening when they heard people screaming about a fire. Little did he know that he was the victim. He heard them screaming that he was being burnt to death in the house that was already being consumed by flames. They rushed out to his compound but by the time they reached, no one could go near the burning house as it was too dangerous. They waited until it died down then the men sat down and Ruka told them that indeed, he had left a pot of beans boiling and it was not the first time. To him that could not have caused the fire but even if they knew, it wouldn't help much. The resolution was that all the villagers would assemble at Ruka's home the following morning and help construct him a new house.

Many sympathisers turned up with personal equipment and materials for the task ahead. Women came along with buckets, crockery, utensils and food items. They were also at hand to assist here and there as they waited for their main task of the day; mudding. Everybody was busy and jolly. By around three o'clock, the mudding was done and the door fixed. The men sat in groups to take a well-deserved rest and meal which was served by the women.

When the eating was over, the people started leaving in groups of twos and threes. Only a few neighbours were still around, keeping Ruka company next to his new house. It was then that they saw Kasai staggering towards them. At first, they felt uncomfortable because he had failed to heed to the call to assist a neighbour as expected. However, retaliation was not acceptable in the society. He approached them and mumbled a greeting to which they responded. No one asked him to apologise for the omission but he humbly did it and blamed his greed for alcohol. They laughed out loudly and since the pots of food were still lying next to them, they advised him to wash his hands and eat. Refusal to eat communal food offered would be taken in bad faith so he served himself and ate.

They were talking about life generally when Kasai told them he was seriously considering stopping consumption of alcohol. He explained that he had planned to join the rest that morning but when Tawa called on him and offered to buy him some drink, he changed his mind. Tawa seemed to have a lot of money which was not usual. It was while they were drinking that Tawa confided in him that he had caused the fire at Ruka's home accidentally.

He explained that he knew Ruka kept some money in the house and the exact location so he waited till he saw Ruka move to his neighbour's compound. He prowled into the room and as he was taking the money from the box, he realised the man had many nice clothes that he never wore. He decided to pick them too but when he reached near the fire place, he heard a movement that scared him stiff. The clothes dropped and he was already in flight through the door when he realised it was the cat that had scared him. He kept going and never looked back. The clothes must have caught fire and spread it to the firewood that was lying near the fireplace.

Kasai said he would report this to the elder so that his conscience could be clear. Dumb-founded by the revelation, the others watched as he stood up to go but Ruka asked him to sit down briefly. "Please tell your friend that the money he stole belongs to the village elder. He sold off some of his livestock and asked me to keep the money for him. Since he didn't burn the house intentionally, we shall forgive him for that but he must bring back all the money, including what the two of you have spent. You can now go."

Without saying a word, Kasai rose and started staggering away in the same fashion he had come.

26. Why do you think did the men's plan work out well?
    1. Building a new house had never been an issue to them.
    2. It w as the first time they wereperforming such a task.
    3. Ruka's house had got burnt down suddenly.
    4. There was positive response from the villagers.
27. Why was it difficult to tell what had caused the fire?
    1.  Ruka's house was close to that of his neighbour.
    2. Ruka had left everything in order before he left.
    3. The house got burnt late in the evening.
    4. The food had not cooked for a long time.
28. Those who were screaming that Ruka was dying in the house
    1. did so through imagination.
    2. had heard so many others screaming.
    3. simply wanted swift action taken.
    4. remembered a burning house usually trapped people inside.
29. Which of the four words below means the same as dangerous' as used in the first paragraph?
    
    1. Fatal
    2. Fierce
    3. Scaring
    4. Risky
30. Knowing the cause of the fire wouldn't help much because
    1. the screaming had already stopped. 
    2. the house wasn't an expensive one.
    3. the damage was irreversible.
    4. all the villagers were willing to give help.
31. The women had come with food items to
    1. demonstrate that they knew how to cook very well.
    2. make work flow for the volunteers.
    3. ensure that all those who ate did the work expected.
    4. show how food could keep people working for such time.
32. Why did some men remain behind after eating?
    1. Their homes were the nearest to Ruka's.
    2. They wanted Ruka to confirm if he was happy with the house.
    3. They felt too exhausted to start walking way immediately.
    4. They didn't seem to be in any hurry.
33. The main reason why Kasai mumbled a greeting was because he
    1. was not in the right state of mind.
    2. believed they suspected him.
    3. knew they would not welcome him.
    4. had been hungry for long time.
34. Kasai was considering stopping drinking alcohol because
    1. it was making him keep wrong company.
    2. it made him fail to join the others.
    3. he was getting uncomfortable.with its results.
    4. being consistently drunk was affecting his health.
35. The relationship between Ruka and Tawa before the theft is likely to have been
    1. cordial
    2. unfortunate
    3. suspicious
    4. hostile
36. How did Tawa cause the fire that burnt down the house?
    1. He noticed that some food was cooking as he was leaving hurriedly.
    2. He was attracted to steal clothes. 
    3. The cat stopped him from moving fast enough.
    4. He realised he had carried too many things at ago.
37. Ruka can best be described as
    1. short-tempered
    2. unpredictable
    3. social but suspicious.
    4. calm and reasonable.
38. What would be the best summary.for this passage?
    1. You should not put too much trust in others.
    2. People should always help the less fortunate in the society.
    3. A tragedy can make people change behaviour completely.
    4. Drinking alcohol can change. people's character.

Read the passage below and then answer questions 39 to 50

Itchy skin can be irritating and annoying, especially when you cannot pinpoint the cause. One day, you might feel fine but the very next one, you are ceaselessly scratching your arms, legs and body. There are many reasons that lead to these.

Itching all over is just an indication of dry, dehydrated skin. The lack of enough sebum (an oily and waxy material produced by the body's sebaceous glands) and natural oils cause the skin to become dry. When the skin's barrier is damaged, receptors in the skin respond by changing the type of signal being sent, resulting in the sensation of itchiness.

The problem, however, has a solution. Always rinse your skin with a gentle body wash to remove any irritants. Afterwards, apply a soothing moisturising lotion or oil, which will help your skin retain moisture. More importantly, focus on moisturising from the inside out. Make sure you drink around eight glasses of water a day and eat a healthy, balanced diet. It is also important to steer clear of hot shower- they strip your skin of natural oils and irritate it.

If you feel itchy after spending a lot of time outdoors, it is possible your skin is recovering from a sunburn. Skin that has been sunburned is dry and tight, which can cause itching. Sunburn causes your skin to become irritated and itchy by releasing inflammatory messengers that make your skin have uncomfortable itchy sensation.

You can control this by wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day. This will prevent your skin from further sun damage. To treat sun burns, apply an aloc vera lotion. You can also cut a fresh aloe vera leaf and apply the juice and rinse off after ten minutes.

While your skin is healing, take care to stay out of direct sunlight. Wear clothes that cover your arms, chest and legs. It is also good idea to wear a hat and sunglasses whenever you need to go outside.

If you notice itchiness after a long workout session, or after just being outdoors, sweat may be the culprit. Sweating, especially when it is more than usual, has been linked to acute itching. Luckily, this type is very rare. Those who suffer from it, at times, do not even suspect its cause.

Combined with water contact, perspiration such as while showering, swimming. or simply getting caught in the rain, can cause itching. This condition is known as aqua genic urticarial. This is immune-related reaction that can cause spots to appear on your skin after it comes into contact with water

39. If your skin irritates and itches, you should
    1. get medication before it spreads fast. 
    2. try to find out what causes it. 
    3. review the type of food you eat.
    4. check the oils you use after showering.
40. The main issue with skin problems is that it
    1. is difficult to predict.
    2. can affect any part of the body.
    3. makes you scratch for long hours.
    4. makes everyone know you are unwell.
41. To keep your skin moist, it could be good to
    1. avoid excess exposure to the sun. 
    2. all the food you cat should contain water.
    3. ensure your sebaceous glands function well.
    4. regulate the quantity of water you take daily. 
42. The main cause of the skin barrier damage is
    1. failure iucntify your skin problem.
    2. excessively scratching for too long.
    3. irritation of the skin.
    4. when the skin has inadequate sebum.
43. What is the main function of moisturiser?
    1. Retention of the moisture.
    2. Keeping the skin bright and soft.
    3. Allowing sweat to flow out when it is hot.
    4. Stops any feeling of itchiness.
44. By focusing on moisturising from the inside out, the writer suggests that
    1. you should consistently drink a lot of water daily.
    2. what you eat or drink can heip moisturise your skin.
    3. taking more time indoors than being outside is important.
    4. you sould avoid excessive intake of liquids.
45. Why should we avoid hot showers?
    1. The heat causes the expansion of the skin.
    2. The skin gets irritated when it cools down.
    3. Hot water affects the natural skin cover.
    4. The temperature of the water can burn the skin.
46. The eight glasses of water mentioned in the passage is
    1. what cures any skin ailment.
    2. the recommended quantity.
    3. what many people find difficult to drink.
    4. the highest number one should take. 
47. Rinsing aloe vera juice after ten minutes 
    1. stops its further effect on the skin.
    2. gives the skin the clean look it deserves.
    3. shows that it has started treating the skin.
    4. clears off any healing effect it has.
48. If one wears clothes that cover the arms legs and the chest, it is because
    1. the skin changes resistance continuously.
    2. it is difficult to treat skin problems. 
    3. clothes can control the skin temperature.
    4. direct sunlight affects the skin..
49. How can one tell if he or she has aqua genic urticarial?
    1. Itching when one has taken shower.
    2. Failure to tell what your skin problem is.
    3. Presence of any change of colour on the skin.
    4. If you itch after a long work out session.
50. The best title for this passage would be:
    1. Different types of human skin.
    2. What makes your skin feel itchy.
    3. Effects of the wrong skin treatment. 
    4. Changes that take place to your skin.

COMPOSITION

You have 40 minutes to write yor composition. Below is the beginning of a story. Complete it in your own words, making it as interesting as you can.

We left home earlier than usual because we had a good reason to reach school before the others. As we were approaching the school gate, however, we noticed somethig unusual. ...................................................................................

MARKING SCHEME

1. A
2. D
3. C
4. D
5. B
6. A
7. C
8. B
9. D
10. B
11. A
12. C
13. A
14. B
15. D
16. A
17. C
18. B
19. D
20. C
21. A
22. D
23. C
24. C
25. A
26. D
27. B
28. A
29. D
30. C
31. B
32. D
33. A
34. C
35. A
36. B
37. D
38. C
39. B
40. A
41. C
42. D
43. A
44. B
45. C
46. B
47. A
48. D
49. C
50. B