Search
Free School Management System
Free School Management System for Kenya

Free School Management System

Learn More

KCSE CLUSTER TESTS 15

English Paper 2

1. COMPREHENSION (20 Marks)

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow it.
1.

With the Bird flu cloud still hovering over the globe, swine flu has truck in Mexico and parts of the US, claiming over 70 lives in just a week, and throwing the whole world into a panic.

Health authorities have confessed that focus on Bird flu distracted their attention from swine flu as the potential source of an influenza pandemic, giving the virus ample time to establish itself in human populations. German, Australia, Canada, Israel, Spain, and UK have confirmed through diagnosis the presence of the disease but have not reported any cases of human deaths.


Many countries have put several precautionary measures in place. A total ban on pork and pork products imports has been effected in many countries. Others have put their veterinary and public health authorities on high alert.


Swine flu is endemic in pig stock with very high infection rates, but very low mortality rates. This is in stark contrast with human populations where it has relatively high infection and fatality rates.


The virus that causes the swine flu is a very close cousin of the bird flu virus, which scientists believe is still making, its rounds in the wild birds.


News of swine flu has caused panic around the world. This fear is occasioned by several factors. The causative viral agent of the disease, influenza type A virus HINI, mutates constantly, posing a major challenge to the timely production of a vaccine. The pig can host swine flu and bird flu, providing a biological mixing vessel for genetic re-assortments that can potentially yield a new strain whose virulence and ease to spread between human beings can be catastrophic


Third, so far, very weak links or none have been found between pigs and the human victims of swine flu. strongly suggesting that the virus must have undergone change in human beings, leading to transmission between humans. This presents a major control challenge considering the great mobility of human beings. This is unlike the case of bird flu where there was a strong likelihood that the disease would originate from birds, a situation that made it easy to restrict the movement of or contact with birds.


Another revelation about swine flu is the speed at which the disease progresses from one stage to another. In Mexico and parts of the USA. the disease has already bypassed the first four phases of epidemic classification to the fifth called pandemic phase, which is characterized by large numbers of human transmissions. This is despite the general observation that swine flu does not normally infect human, but only occasionally in persons with direct exposure to infected pigs.


The greatest worry posed by swine flu is that the HINI subtype of influenza A virus is closely linked to a variant that caused the infamous Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 - 1919 that killed 100 million people worldwide. The Spanish flu, despite claiming many lives, had about 2.5 per cent fatality rate compared to the current swine flu which in Mexico stands at 7.1 per cent.


However, with technological advances, research and effective communication strategies, the world should not panic, because the disease will he brought under control very soon. Authorities have the advantage of putting to use with slight alterations the measures that had been put in place to counter bird flu. utilizing the lessons learnt during that period.


Proper public education on the various aspects of the disease is desirable in the meantime in order to minimize the panic that is caused by misinformation and the good news is that the disease is not spread through pork or pork products.
[Daily Nation Wednesday 6th May 2009 ]


QUESTIONS;
i. Why was the swine flu able to establish itself in human population unnoticed? (1mk) ............................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

ii. Which evidence is given in the passage to show that swine flu is indeed a fatal pandemic? (2mks) ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

iii. In not more than 60 words, summarize the reasons why the swine flu has caused panic around the world. (6mks)

Rough draft

........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

Fair copy

........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

iv. Explain why it is difficult to produce a vaccine for the swine flu causative agent (1mk) ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

v. Many countries have put several precautionary measures in place [Rewrite beginning;

Several precautionary..................................................... (1mk)

........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

vi. Why is the writer confident that man will overcome the swine flu? (3mks) ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

vii. Explain the meaning of the words and phrases as used in the passage a) distracted ........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

b) virulent

........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

c) fatality rate

........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................
d) cloud still hovering over the globe

........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

viii. What is the tone of this passage? (2mks)

........................................................................................................................................................... ...........................................................................................................................................................

20 marks

2. EXCERPT (25 Marks)

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow it
2.

When she got back home, Akoko found the plunder of her cattle had reached major proportions, the chief having taken advantage of her heaven sent absence. Her first impulse was to storm out and do murder and be done with it but reason soon reasserted itself. There was no advantage in knocking ones head against a tree trunk, at best one may chip off a bark but in return get a large bruise on the head. If you want to cut a tree, take time to sharpen an axe. So she bided her time.


The DO kept his word and within twelve days, his messengers arrived. They came so unobtrusively that even Akoko did not get wind of their presence until two days later and the careless chief four days later for most people did not bother to keep him informed due to his extreme arrogance. By the time the chief heard that there were people nosing around his affairs, they were on their way out. Having no sense of dignity of his position, he went in search of her and stood fuming and frothing at the door of her hut. "Are you behind all this you stupid woman? Are you? Tell me, are you? I will kill you. 1 will whip you and send you back to your village!" "Go away, you fool." answered she, quite calmly. "Are you the village chief or the village fool? All the same if you want to fight 1 am willing to oblige. You may be twice my size, but I have three times your courage."


The chief had never gotten over his fear of his brother's terrible wife. He believed that she had the powers, else how did she hold such sway with his brother? He retreated yet again, still frothing at the mouth. Who knows, he might yet do everybody a favor by having a fit and dying! She smiled enigmatically at the retreating back.


QUESTIONS

a) “When she got back home.................”where had Akoko gone to? Briefly explain the purpose of her visit. (3mks) ..................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................

b) Common on any two thematic concerns raised in the excerpt. (4mks) ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................
c) “The chief had never gotten over his fears of his brother’s terrible wife.”

Explain one incident from the rest of the story when Akoko and Otieno have another conflict. (3mks)

..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................

d) Contrast the character of Otieno and Akoko as brought out in the excerpt. (6mks) ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................

e) Identify and illustrate any three features of style used in the excerpt. (6mks) ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................

f) What happens immediately after this excerpt? (3mks)

.................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................

25 marks

3. POEM (20 Marks)

Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow.
3.


ONCE UPON A TIME

Once upon a time, son,

They used to laugh with their hearts.

And laugh with their eyes:

But now they only laugh with their teeth.

While their ice-block-cold eyes Search behind my shadow.


There was a time indeed

T hey used to shake hands with their hearts.

But that's gone, son.

Now they shake hands without hearts

While their left hands search

My empty pockets.


'Feel at home'! 'Come again';

They say, and when 1 come

Again and feel at home, once, twice,

There will be no thrice-

For then I find doors shut on me


So I have learned many things, son

1 have learned to wear many faces

Like dresses-home face.

Officeface, streetface. hostface

Cocktailface, with all their conforming smiles.



And I have learned, too.

To laugh with only my teeth.

And shake hands without my heart.

1 have also learned to say. "Goodbye,"

When I mean 'Good-riddance'.

To say 'Glad to meet you,"

Without being glad; and to say ’It's been

Nice talking to you,' after being bored.


But believe me, Son I want to be what I used to be

When 1 was like you. 1 want

To unlearn all these muting things.


Most of all, I want to relearn

How to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror

Shows only my teeth like a snake's bare fangs!


So show me, son

How to laugh: show me how

I used to laugh and smile


Once upon a time when I was like you.

Gabriel Okara.


a) Who is the persona in the above poem? (2mks) ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................................................

b) Explain the use of oral tradition as a feature of style in poem. (3mks) ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................................................

c) What is the poem about? (4mks) ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................................................

d) Comment on the use of imagery in the poem. (6mks) ..................................................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................................................

e) Explain the meaning of the following line;

To laugh with only my teeth (1mk)

..................................................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................................................

f) What is the mood of this poem? (2mks)

..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................................................

g) Describe the personas attitude towards “they”. (2mks) ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................................................

20 marks

4. GRAMMAR (15 Marks)

4.

a) Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Do not change the meaning. (4mks)

I) The president is not attending the meeting. The cabinet secretaries are not attending either. (combine into one sentence beginning: Neither......) ................................................................................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................................................................

II) The children ate their lunch . They went to play. (combine into one sentence beginning: Having..............) ...................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................

III) The teacher tried his best to explain the concept but no student understood him. (rewrite the sentence using ‘nevertheless’ instead of ‘but’) ................................................................................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................................................................

IV) Appropriately punctuate the following sentence. Do not change the word order. I am going to buy a tractor said the farmer because the price has come down. ................................................................................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................................................................

b) Complete the following sentences by filling the blank spaces with the correct form of the word in brackets. (3mks)

1) Aoro and Tony had________________(swim) in the river many times.

2) Alice decorated her room_______________(beauty)

3) The accident victims were_____________(fly) to Nairobi for specialized treatment.

c) Use one word from the two in brackets to complete the following sentences. (3mks)

1) One of the wheels____________(wobble/ wobbles)

2) Mother did not object to ____________(me / my) attending the party.

3) The good news_________________(was/ were) received with jubilation

d) Complete the following sentences by filling the blanks with the most appropriate word. (3mks)

(i) people who live in glass houses should not throw _________________________________

(ii)Elizabeth prepared supper while______________________________husband played with the baby.

(iii)We cannot prepare supper. There is hardly____________________flour left.

(iv) Construct two sentences to bring out the two meanings of the word ‘bow’. (2mks

15 marks

Back Top