NYAHAWA SECONDARY SCHOOL
MID-YEAR EXAM 2017
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER II
TIME: 2 HOURS
FORM ONE
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Ensure that your name is written on ALL answer sheets.
2. Answer ALL questions from Section A and Section B.
3. Write neatly and clearly.
SECTION A: COMPREHENSION WORK (25 MARKS)
Read the following passage and answer questions after it.
Mabvuto liked to day-dream. On holidays, he often sat at the edge of a large lake
near his grandfather’s house and watched the clouds. The lake was called Lake
Malawi. If Mabvuto turned his back to the lake he could see Dedza Mountain. The
mountain reminded Mabvuto of a fat man lying on his back with his big stomach
in the air.
Mabvuto used to sit and day-dream on an enormous rock. From the rock, he
could just make out Likoma Island in the distance. Some of Mabvuto’s relatives
lived on the island and Mabvuto had visited them once or twice.
Mabvuto liked dreaming better than studying. He found English Language and
playing the guitar difficult but he found playing football easy.
Mabvuto did not live in a street. There was a small road near his grandparent’s
house that was called the Lakeshore Road because it ran along the shores of Lake
Malawi. When the school holidays ended, Mabvuto travelled along this road to
get to his school in Chipota. On the way to Chipota, he passed over the Shire
River. This river flowed from the Lake and eventually emptied into the Indian
Ocean.
Mabvuto was sad because he knew that soon school would be starting and that
he would not be able to spend his time day dreaming. He looked across the blue
water and watched the dark clouds gathering near tiny islands.
Mabvuto sighed deeply. “English, Mathematics and trouble; they will start when
school starts,” he said to himself.
Questions
1. Where did Mabvuto often sit during the holidays? [1]
2. What did he do there? [1]
3. What could he see if he looked behind him? [2]
4. What did the mountain remind him of? [2]
5. Why did Mabvuto prefer day-dreaming better than studying? [2]
6. Which word from paragraph two means the same as huge? [2]
7. How many times did Mabvuto visit his relatives? [2]
8. Which river did Mabvuto pass on his way to Chipota? [1]
9. Why was the boy in the story sad? [2]
10. Write two subjects which Mabvuto did not like. [2]
11. In which area is Mabvuto’s school found? [1]
12. What did Mabvuto like to do best? [2]
[20 MARKS]
13. Briefly explain the meaning of any FIVE of the following words as they are
used in the passage. DO NOT use more than SEVEN words to explain each
word below.
a) edge – paragraph 1
b) day-dream – paragraph 1
c) enormous – paragraph 2
d) difficult – paragraph 3
e) shore – paragraph 4
f) eventually – paragraph 4
g) sad – paragraph 5
h) gathering – paragraph 5
i) trouble – paragraph 6 [5]
SECTION B: LANGUAGE STRUCTURES (25 MARKS)
Identify adjectives used in sentences below. Underline your answer.
1. The mountain reminded Mabvuto of a fat man.
2. He looked across the blue water.
3. Mabvuto’s relatives lived at the tiny island.
4. He found playing the wooden guitar easy.
5. Mabvuto’s grandfather has grey hair. [5]
Punctuate the following sentences
6. The lazy boy is fond of day-dreaming
7. mabvuto enjoys fishing day-dreaming hunting playing soccer during
school holidays
8. i don’t want to go to school said Mabvuto
9. He climbed up chipota mountain easily
10. Stop Lake Malawi is heavily infested with crocodiles [5]
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence
11. Yesterday the _________ (weather/whether) was fine for a soccer match.
12. Chipota council promised not to ________ (raise/rise) the water charges.
13. The new ________ (mill/meal) bought by Dedza villagers can grind a bucket
of maize per minute.
14. While the train was ___________ (stationery/stationary), Mabvuto and his
friends loaded the bags of sorghum.
15. “Do you have any ____________ (loose/lose) change?” asked Mabvuto’s
grandfather. [5]
Was or were? Choose the correct word
16. Many reasons _________ (were/was) given for his day-dreaming.
17. None of the teachers at our school ___________ (work/works) on Sundays.
18. The sound of guitars ___________ (was/were) heard from Dedza Mountain.
19. The crocodiles in Lake Malawi ___________ (keep/keeps) us away.
20. They __________ (was/were) eaten by five crocodiles as they tried to swim
across the river. [5]
The Present Simple Tense
21. Michael ____________ driving to Dedza village. (enjoy)
22. Mabvuto ___________ Grace. (like)
23. He _____________ his own laundry. (do)
24. Mabvuto ____________ a taxi for a living. (drive)
25. The chief _____________ everyone with good respect. (treat) [5]
***THE END***
