English Questions and Answers - KCPE 2023 Prediction Papers Set 2

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

There are many kinds of snakes __1__ this planet. However, not all of them are poisonous. The most common snakes __2__ sometimes be found in our gardens. __3__ harmless grass snakes vary in length from one foot to three feet. They rarely bite people and are ___4__, shy creatures. Grass snakes eat insects and small animals like frogs and chicks. They are good, __5__ the garden as they keep away pests like rats. The most poisonous __6__ of snakes are the python and viper. __7__ these snakes are seldom found in gardens. Instead, they __8__ in forests or in dense vegetation such as swampy area. They do not actively __9__ out victims, but will defend themselves __10__ potential enemies and intruders. __11__ the snake senses someone coming, it would rather glide noiselessly away __12__ confront the person. Contrary to popular belief, snakes do not __13__ with their tongue. They bite with two fangs which point backwards. The snake's tongue, which __14__
flicks in and out, is actually its 'fingers'. Its tongue __15__ nerve endings helps the snake feel the food before eating it.

For questions 16 to 18, complete the sentence with best alternative from the choices given. 

16. Dorothy is the most _________________________ girl in her class.
    1. diligent
    2. clever
    3. fastest
    4. keen
17. It was not until the match began _____________________________  we realised the opponents had an extra player.
    1. when
    2. than
    3. that
    4. then
18. Neither of the children _____________________________ been allowed to sit at that desk.
    1. was
    2. has
    3. have
    4. were

For questions 19 and 20, choose the alternative that means the same as the underlined words. 

19. I hope to call on my deskmate this weekend.
    1. check
    2. view
    3. see
    4. visit
20. It is hard to explain why they turned down the offer.
    1. refused
    2. denied
    3. rejected
    4. returned

In questions 21 to 23, choose the best alternative to complete the sentence.

21. The tycoon has _____________________________ the foundation of a new mansion.
    1. lied
    2. lay
    3. lain
    4. laid
22. Molly appeared familiar ____________________________ the places we visited.
    1. for
    2.  with
    3. to
    4. on
23. The pirates failed terribly when they tried to attack a _________________________________ of sailors.
    1. crew
    2. troupe
    3. troop
    4. pannel

For questions 24 and 25, choose the word that least fits in the group.

24.  
    1. diligent
    2. hardworking
    3. industrious
    4. cautious
25.  
    1. insolent
    2. rude
    3. impolite
    4. courteous

Read the passage below and answer questions 26 to 38.

Hen made a discovery that broke her heart. She wondered who was behind the malice. One of her eggs was missing. She made up her mind to inform Rooster who was hunting for food elsewhere. Hen fled her nest to find Rooster not knowing that she was about to lose more eggs. Just out of view of the nest, the thief patiently waited for Hen to leave her eggs again. Black Snake crept slowly and quietly up to the nest. He eyed the eggs and quickly swallowed one. Black Snake smiled to himself. His plan had been so simple and had worked so well. He swallowed another egg. It slid far down his long throat before his muscles crushed the fragile shell. "I'll be back later for another delicious egg, Hen," hissed Black Snake as he slithered away. "Thank you for another fine meal.”

Meanwhile, the frantic Hen led Rooster back to her nest. "Why would someone take one of my eggs?" she clucked. Rooster was equally at sixes and sevens at what had happened. He asked whether Hen had counted the eggs well. From the expression on Hen's face, Rooster knew he shouldn't have asked that question. She glared at him and said, "You know I can count. See for yourself. How many eggs are in my nest?"

"One, two, three," Hen began counting as Rooster watched curiously. She frowned and stopped counting out aloud. She was red with fury. Just the few minutes she had been away, another egg had been stolen. Rooster was equally infuriated. He was convinced there was a thief in their neighbourhood. Sadly, he had no idea how to discover who it was.

The next few days were just terrible for Hen. She worried constantly about her remaining eggs. She tried to stay with her eggs at all times but it was not possible to always be with them. Sometimes she had to leave to get food or take care of her other chicks. No matter why and when she left, the same thing always happened. One or two eggs disappeared each time. "Someone is watching me very closely," cried the Hen. "He knows exactly where I am at each moment of the day. I am only left with three eggs."

"Although I cannot prove anything," comforted Rooster, "I think it must be Black Snake who is stealing your eggs. He's patient enough to watch you a long time, and we all know how he loves to eat eggs." Just the thought of Black Snake eating her eggs made Hen shudder. She had heard stories of how he swallowed eggs and then crushed them further down his long slender neck. She knew Rooster was probably correct.

"I must hurry back to my nest," declared Hen, realising how long she had talked to Rooster. She rushed to her eggs, but it was too late. Two more eggs had vanished. "Rooster!" she cried. "Come help me. I only have one egg left." Rooster and Hen were fed up with the Black Snake's mischief. They decided to teach him a lesson he would never live to remember. They came up with a plan that they thought would serve the purpose. The next morning, Hen continued guarding her last egg as if everything were normal. From a distance, Black Snake watched patiently not knowing that all would go haywire for him in a short while. In line with the plan, Hen left her nest as she always did. Just then, Black Snake slithered out of hiding. In no time at all, he swallowed what he believed was final egg. It slid down his throat easily. But, when his muscles squeezed the egg, it did not break. It only became firmly lodged in his throat, cutting off his air supply. Black Snake twisted and turned trying to crush the ‘egg' or loosen it so he could breathe. It was at that point that he realised that he had been tricked into swallowing a stone. By the time Hen returned with Rooster, the struggle was over. Black Snake would steal no more eggs. He was dead.

26. The first time Hen discovered that her egg was missing, she
    1. did not take it seriously.
    2. despaired.
    3. was greatly saddened.
    4. wished to lay a trap.
27. Why did Hen decide to look for Rooster?
    1. To find out where he was.
    2. She knew Rooster had an idea who the thief was.
    3. She had nothing else.
    4. To break the news to him.
28. As the Black Snake said 'Thank you for another fine meal',
    1. was genuinely grateful.
    2. was mocking Hen.
    3. was certain to remain undiscovered.
    4. knew how worried Hen was.
29. How did Rooster react when Hen mentioned the lost egg to him? He
    1. dismissed her.
    2. became furious.
    3. got suspicious.
    4. was confused.
30. Why was Hen enraged according to the passage?
    1. She had lost another egg.
    2.  She did know the thief.
    3. She realised that the thief was in her neighbourhood.
    4. She did not know what to do.
31. It was not possible for Hen to keep her eggs secure mainly because
    1. she had no idea who the thief was.
    2. there were enemies in her neighbourhood.
    3. she had to leave her nest from time to time.
    4. the thief was very dangerous.
32. Black Snake found it easy to steal Hen's eggs because
    1. no one knew he was a thief.
    2. he watched Hen's movements closely.
    3. he found the eggs delicious.
    4. Hen was hardly ever in her nest.
33. According to the information in the passage, it is true to say that Hen
    1. knew nothing about Black Snake.
    2. doubted that Black Snake was the thief.
    3.  felt secure in her nest.
    4. knew that Black Snake liked eggs.
34. The word vanished as used in the passage means the same as
    1. disappeared
    2. lessened
    3. materialised
    4. diminished
35. The trick that Rooster came up with
    1. was meant to teach the Black Snake a lesson.
    2. left Black Snake in a lot of pain.
    3. was fatal to Black Snake.
    4. had been suggested by Hen.
36. Why did Hen leave her nest according to the last paragraph?
    1. To get food.
    2. To check on her chicks.
    3. To find Rooster.
    4. To lure Black Snake into her nest.
37. Why did Black Snake die?
    1. He had been tricked.
    2. He suffocated.
    3. He had swallowed a hard object.
    4. He was greedy.
38. What is the best title for the above passage?
    1. The frustrated Hen.
    2. Black Snake learns a lesson.
    3. Hen and her eggs.
    4. The Cruel Black Snake.

Read the passage below and then answer questions 39 to 50.

Manduli was in his mid twenties. Out of sheer adventure, he found himself smoking. In those days, starting to smoke was considered a fashionable thing to do by adults. Consequently, many a young person got attracted to it. Smoking was like a rite of passage, when one moved on from being a boy to being a man, an adult. Friendship in those days insisted on being able to do similar things together. So, if one had the bad luck of being among smokers, picking up the habit was the most natural thing to do. During those days, tobacco companies were deliberately quiet on the details of the hazards that came with smoking.

However, something unusual happened that caused serious concerns among smokers and the non-smokers alike. The 'star' of a cigarette advertisement, one that had a lovely slogan about smoking being a truly glamorous and manly thing to do, died of lung cancer. This sent shivers among a significant section of the smokers. Of course the deceased was a model smoker. The courage with which he would take puffs in the advertisement proved his passion for the habit. To rub salt in the wound, stories of other people who died of respiratory ailments after years of smoking became common news. Even non-smoking tobacco company employees developed lung cancer and other complications. Scientists were prompted to carry out research and the revelations were shocking. Tobacco companies had genetically modified tobacco plants to create faster addiction to nicotine among new smokers.

By the time this came into the public domain, Manduli had been smoking for more than ten years. The addiction was so entrenched that he never mentally accepted that he even had it.

However, he began to get seriously worried when his best friend's wife died of lung cancer despite never having smoked a cigarette all her life. It was later discovered that the fatal disease had resulted from the effects of secondary smoking. Her husband was a chain smoker. He smoked everywhere in the house. He had no idea that he was not only damaging his life but he was also killing his wife gradually. In addition, another friend of Manduli's who was a heavy smoker succumbed to cancer. The same year, another friend of his, who was a regular smoker had a heart attack. Since the man did not have close relatives in the same town, Manduli became his constant companion. He drove him to hospital regularly though the patient did not survive. His demise marked the turning point in Manduli's life. He decided to totally remove cigarettes from life. He got rid of all the ash-trays in his house and the office.

The first week was terrible for Manduli, His moods fluctuated from one extreme to the other. That not withstanding, he still remained focused on his goal. Every time that he very badly needed a cigarette, he would hold a cigarette in his hand and stare at in closely. He would build up the hatred that he had for it, for having taken over his life so viciously. He would then crush it in between his fingers, grind in up in his palm and throw it into the rubbish bin. In the long run, Manduli overcame this addictive vice.

39. Why did Manduli start smoking?
    1. He was influenced by his peers.
    2. He probably found it exciting.
    3. He needed something to keep him busy.
    4. He had always wanted to do it.
40. Which statement is true according to the first paragraph?
    1. Tobacco companies do not release useful information to the public.
    2.  Friendship used to be founded on smoking.
    3. Perhaps many people did not know the problems associated with smoking.
    4. Many people still consider smoking a rite of passage.
41. It is true to say that the 'star' of a cigarette advertisement
    1. became ill for several years.
    2. was a non-smoker
    3. knew the dangers of smoking.
    4. demonstrated to viewers how to smoke.
42. When the 'star' of a cigarette advertisement died,
    1. the number of smokers declined by half.
    2. people realised smoking was harmful.
    3. not many people associated his death with smoking.
    4. some smokers stopped the habit instantly.
43. What is the meaning of the phrase "To rub salt in the wound"? To
    1. worsen a situation.
    2. cause a lot of deaths.
    3. cause worry among people.
    4. make things appear strange.
44. Why did tobacco companies modify tobacco plants? To
    1. make cigarettes more attractive.
    2. make cigarettes less dangerous.
    3. beat their competitors in the market.
    4. enrich themselves.
45. The word fatal as used in the passage can best be replaced by
    1. dangerous
    2. deadly
    3. disastrous
    4. serious
46. Manduli's friend's wife died because
    1. she was a smoker.
    2. her husband was down with cancer.
    3. she had inhaled cigarette smoke for long.
    4. her husband had neglected her.
47. It is untrue to say that Manduli's friend who had a heart attack
    1. passed on eventually.
    2. had no relatives.
    3. needed regular medication.
    4. was a smoker.
48.  The fact that Manduli removed ash trays from his house and office shows that he
    1. sympathised with his friends.
    2. had never liked smoking.
    3. wanted to become a better person.
    4. was keen on giving up smoking.
49. When Manduli first stopped smoking, he
    1.  lived comfortably.
    2. experienced some challenges.
    3. got professional help.
    4. failed terribly.
50. The word vice as used in the passage can be classified as
    1. a noun
    2. an adjective
    3. a conjunction
    4.  a verb

COMPOSITION

You have 40 minutes to write your composition

Below is a beginning of a story, complete it making it as interesting as possible.

I could not sleep that night. I kept thinking about the event I would attend the following day.........................................

MARKING SCHEME

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