English Questions And Answers - Class 8 End of Term 2 2021 Set 2

ENGLISH
STD 8
END TERM 2 

Fill in the blank spaces numbered 1 to 15 with the best alternative from the choices given

Doubtlessly,   1     of us    2     ourselves patriots. And we have    3     to prove it; we cheer our Harambee Stars    4    when they are playing international      5    What's more, when our    6    are competing in foreign capitals, we    7    them   8      all the enthusiasm we     9     muster. Actually, some of us     10     been observed to heave and pant     11     rhythm with our fellow Kenyan competitors as we    12     them on television Wonderful and    13    t hough it is to identify with, and celebrate the    14     of our countrymen and women, we need to do    15   more to earn the label 'patriot'.

1. A few              B. much                C. many          D. none
2. A. consider     B. considers         C. think           D. thinks
3. A details         B. information       C. news           D. evidence
4. A. horse          B. hoarse             C. even           D. deaf 
5. A world cup     B. matches          C. champions  D. leagues
6. A. athletees     B. athletics          C. athletes       D. runners
7. A. route for      B.root for             C. route at        D. root at
8. A with              B. in                      C. and             D. by
9. A. could           B. would              C. should         D. can
10. A. were           B. had                  C. have            D. has
11. A. by               B. off                    C. on                D.in
12. A. look             B. watch              C. observe       D. stare
13. A. noble          B. nobble             C. vain              D. absurd
14. A exports        B exploits             C. exploit          D. exploitation
15. A. many          B. alot                  C. a lot              D. most

For questions 16 to 18. choose the correct form of the verb to fill in the blanks.

16. The terrorist was arrested and             the following day
    1. hang
    2. hunged
    3. hung
    4. hanged
17. I was advised to stop in the hot sun due to my healthy.
    1. laying
    2. lie 
    3. lying
    4. lieing
    5. Several good songs were yesterday
    6. sung
    7. sang
    8. singing
    9. to sing

For questions 19 to 21. choose the most suitable preposition to fill the blanks.

19. I was congratulated being the top student last year.
    1. on
    2. for
    3. by
    4. with
20. All the players practised prior the final match
    1. for
    2. to
    3. with
    4. of
21. The headmaster asked me to write to him           confidence
    1. with 
    2. for
    3. on
    4. in

For questions 22 and 23. choose the word closest in meaning to the one underlined.

22. We hardly go on trips in this school.
    1. always
    2. never
    3. frequentl
    4. rarely 
23. My friend proved to be very cunning
    1. shy
    2. stupid
    3. foolish
    4. bright

For questions 24 and 25. choose the correctly spelt words. 

24.       
    1. Fullscap
    2. Recieve
    3. Definite
    4. Embarassment
25.         
    1. Occured
    2. Occasion
    3. Fourty
    4. Until

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

Jacob started smoking and taking alcohol when he was in Form Three, after having been influenced by his peers. He was introduced to drugs by a "friend who lived in the same dormitory with him. At first he was reluctant, but later he started to feel it wasn't a bad idea af been a very bright student, but now his performance had deteriorated markedly. And because of this new lifestyle, he narrowly made it to one of our public universities.

By the time he joined the university, Jacob had become clinically a drug addict. The addiction was so severe that he would even steal money from his colleagues to buy drugs. In the meantime, he was barely making it in his studies. He would skip lectures and tutorials; and he even missed an examination. The university doctors reported that he was suffering from drug dependency, and he was subsequently discontinued.

After being sent away from the university, Jacob became a destitute. For a while he kept away from his family: he didn't know how to explain to them what had happened. And being cut off from family and relatives meant he didn't have anybody to help, nay, to feed him, on a regular basis. He, therefore, went on the streets and became a beggar. But being a beggar in the streets of Nairobi is a step away from being a pickpocket and a shoplifter, and that is exactly what he became.

The inevitable happened. The law caught up with him, and the poor fellow was locked up for two years.

Jacob was released from jail last year, and as I write this essay, he is trying to recover from his drug addiction. He sees a counsellor regularly, and tries to interact with his family, relatives and friends. At one time, his parents had given up on their son, but after counselling, they have taken the view that Jacob was sick and is now recovering. The fact that the sickness was selfinduced is neither here nor there.

During the period of his addiction, this young man was always withdrawn and uncommunicative. It was as if he lived in a world of his own. Occasionally, he would be violent and abusive. But now he is warmer and more personable. He talks more openly with members of his family, and he also tries to reach out to his friends.

In order to fully recover, Jacob must do three things.

First, he must completely come out of the stage of being in denial. He needs to face the unpleasant fact that he was addicted to drugs and drug addiction which is an emotional as well as a medical condition. Being in denial is tantamount to refusing to accept the reality. It is refusing to accept the truth, to swallow the bitter pill; and as they say, truth shall set us free.

26.  According to the first paragraph, it is true to  say that Jacob.
    1. took to drugs in Form Three.
    2. was not yet a teenager when he started smoking and taking alcohol.
    3. had a friend who was already an addict 
    4. knew from the beginning that drugs were good.
27. His performance in school
    
    1. remained above average
    2. was not affected in any way
    3. went down drastically
    4.  allowed him very good grades.
28. In the final exam, Jacob
    
    1. narrowly made it
    2. narrowly misused the marks
    3. was exemplary
    4.  failed. 
29. To sustain his drug addiction, Jacob
    
    1. was clinically a drug addict
    2. stole money from friends
    3. stole valuables from kith and Kin
    4. barely made it in his studies.
30. Why was Jacob discontinued with his university education?
    1. He become a thief.
    2. He failed in his exams.
    3. He was diagnosed with drug dependency
    4. He skipped lectures
31. The phrase "Jacob became a destitute' means that he
    1. was now an orphan
    2. was now an illegitimate child
    3. was now a destroyed character
    4. had no means to provide for himself.
32. On the streets, Jacob did all the following except
    1. banditry
    2. pick pocketing
    3. shoplifting
    4. begging
33. The phrase "the inevitable happened means tha
    1. the unavoidable came to pass
    2. the unknown caught up with him
    3. the worst came to pass
    4. the unexpected came to pass
34. After his two year-jail term, Jacob
    1. continued with his drugs use
    2. was rejected by all
    3. got support from his family
    4. started a rehabilitation centre.
35. All the following describe Jacob during his addiction except
    1. affable
    2. withdrawn
    3. rude
    4. violent.
36. The word "personable' as used in the passage is a
    1. noun
    2. adjective
    3. adverb
    4. verb.
37. Being in denial means that Jacob
    1. knows he is addicted to drugs
    2.   thinks he is not addicted to drugs
    3. has denied his family members
    4. is not sick at all. 
38. Jacob's predicament can be summed up as
    1. a fool and his money are soon parted
    2. all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
    3. every dog has its day
    4. a small leak will sink a great ship.

Read the passage below and answer questions 39 to 50.

Some people imagine that life would be much more interesting if they were allowed to do exactly what they wanted. But in my view, such thinking is mistaken because behaviour that is not controlled would lead to anarchy. Just imagine what would happen if every motorist drove on the right or the left or in the middle of the road, and ignored traffic lights or speed limits. In a city like Nairobi, one would probably be stuck in a jam for a month, covering a distance of a hundred metres on a good day. When everybody observes the rules, things run smoothly.

Obedience is not a sign of weakness or cowardice. Rather, it is the recognition of the fact that respecting lawful authority leads to social order and harmony. Obedience means doing what is expected. It is also the acknowledgement that the common good transcends individual interests. Of course we must carefully think about what others tell us to do. We must not blindly. follow every instruction. For example, if someone tells you to commit a crime, you have an obligation to defy such an order however senior the person is. What we should obey are rules or instructions that are reasonable; in other words, those that are meant to promote the common good.

Now, why do some people find it difficult to obey parents, teachers or other authorities? The main reason is that they are self-centred. Their primary motivation is to pursue only those things. that benefit them, those that advance their private interests. And because obedience involves doing what others tell them, and frequently having to sacrifice their own desires, their spirits rebel. However, if they would consider the benefits of obedience, they would want to nurture this virtue.

In our everyday existence, we unconsciously obey many rules. No one, for instance, forces us to eat a balanced diet or obey a doctor's instruction. Many of us also report to school or places of work when we are supposed to. If you own a car, no one forces you to take it for service. Why do we do these things almost automatically? Obviously, it is because any act of disobedience would have grave consequences. So, obedience leads to a harmonious, stress-free life

Young people often find it difficult to accept rules and regulations because they think they are unfair or old-fashioned. It is true that some requirements may be illogical, but it pays to consider the motive behind the requirement before dismissing it offhand. Moreover, people we regard as old-fashioned may have a lot of experience and insight. Many have defied their parents' instructions and suffered much heartache later. It should be encouraging to know that even when some parents and teachers appear harsh and uncompromising, they have the best of intentions

39. According to the author, uncontrolled behaviour would lead to
    1. interesting life
    2. lawlessness
    3. ignorance
    4.  freedom.
40. If there was anarchy on the roads in Nairob
    
    1. traffic snarl ups would be endless
    2. traffic would flow smoothly 
    3. people would only travel for a hundred kilometres
    4. many cars would break down.
41. Which one of the following would not lead to clogged traffic in Nairobi?
    1. Driving on the wrong side.
    2. Disregarding speed limits.
    3. Covering a distance of a hundred metres,
    4. Ignoring traffic lights
42. All the following define obedience except
    
    1. respecting lawful authority
    2. doing as expected of you
    3. as a sign of weakness or cowardice
    4. the common good overrides self interest 43. 'We must not blindly follow every instruction' means that
43. all that glitters is not gold
    1. one should look before leaping
    2. birds of a feather flock together
    3. every dog has its day. 
    4. The writer, in paragraph two, advises us to
44. obey all rules and instructions
    1. obey all rules but not all instructions
    2. disregard all fair rules
    3. obey rules and instructions that promote the common good.
    4. Why do some people disobey?
45. They are egocentric. 
    1. They are tactful.
    2. They are kind
    3. They are sensitive 
    4. Obedience is a virtue.
46. What is the opposite of virtue?
    1. Vice
    2. Fortitude 
    3. Prudence
    4. Rectitude 
47. The phrase 'grave consequences' as used in the passage would mean
    1. deadly results
    2. serious results
    3. ultimate results
    4. obvious results
48. Obedience leads to
    1. stressed free life
    2. a harmonious life with stress
    3. stress-free life and harmony
    4. automatic stress free life
49. According to the last paragraph, it is true to say that
    1. when all leaders appear harsh, they have the best of intention
    2. some parents may appear uncompromising but they have very good intentions 
    3. young people disobey rules because they are old fashioned
    4. many of the requirements are illogical 
50. Which one of the following would be the best title for the passage?
    1. Obedience as a sign of weakness
    2. The old fashioned.
    3. Anarchy in the streets.
    4. The sweet fruits of obedience.

MARKING SCHEME

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