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KCSE CLUSTER TESTS 23

English Paper 2

1. PASSAGE (20 Marks)

1.

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Since 2014, the Kenyan government has stepped up its security responses to terrorist threats. A
month ago, the government held a regional conference on countering violent extremism, a followup
to the White House meeting in February.
Kenya and the US have collaborated in the fight against this scourge that has affected many
countries. President Obama has pointed out that his administration is keen to work with Kenya
around the fight against Al-Shabaab.


As an institution, we have improved massively from where we were. This is as a result of
investing in intelligence, modernization of security institutions and personnel, inter-agency
coordination in fighting crime, mobility on the ground, and digitization of major towns.
We are also in the process of launching a modern police service and I promise that security
organs will have all that they require to secure citizens of this country.
Many countries want to learn from us while others want to support us. Our borders make us
prone to attack, but we have defied this intimidation to secure the country and the region. Kenya
and the United States share collective concerns in terms of regional security dynamics within the
Horn of Africa.


The increased terrorist attacks in Kenya have called for more co-operation with the United States
in combating the threat. Intelligence gathering and sharing are at the core of this cooperation.
We recognize that corruption is still a major hindrance to achieving maximum security; hence we
will not tire from speaking against this vice. We also acknowledge that the terrorist threats are
now more diverse than ever before, dispersed across a wider geographical area.

Whether we are able to effectually deal with the new security challenges depends on how quickly
we revolutionize and adapt our security strategies in partnership with global partners.


That Kenya is among six African countries that the US government has chosen to work with in a
new Sh.6.3 billion security partnerships is proof that our country’s efforts to reach out to global
partners are significant. The government is committed to ensuring that the anti-radicalization
strategy is implemented. Secondly, Kenya has granted immunity to returnees from Somalia and
the government is working on rehabilitating them. Thirdly, Kenyans need to appreciate that the
nyumba kumi initiative is one of the best ways to win against terrorist threats and general
insecurity.
(Adapted from Daily Nation, July 2015)

a) What evidence is given in paragraph one to show that Kenya has stepped up its security response
to terrorism? (2 marks)
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b) Explain how the US government has tried to collaborate with Kenya in the fight against terrorism.
(2 marks)

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c) In about 40 words, summarize the writer’s argument for Kenya’s improvement in the fight
against terrorism. (6 marks)
Rough draft
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Final draft
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d) I promise that security organs will have all that they require to secure citizens of this country.
(add a question tag) (1 mark)
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e) How does the author intend to deal with the problem of corruption in fighting terrorism?
(1 mark)
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f) Explain the writer’s attitude towards terrorism as revealed in the passage. (2 marks)
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g) What reasons account for the US choice to work with Kenya as a global partner in fighting
terrorism? (3 marks)

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h) Explain the meaning of the following expressions as used in the passage. (3 marks)
i. scourge …………………………………………………………………………………………
ii. launching ………………………………………………………………………………………
iii. prone to attack ………………………………………………………………………………….

Read the excerpt below and then answer the questions that follow.
“Look Becky. You are an adult. Surely you can face your own father and mother and tell them
that this is the man you have chosen. They won’t kill you. They can’t tie you down.
They may or may not give their blessings but at least they will know that you are safe and happy.
I don’t have a child, but if I did, I’d hate to be permanently guessing about her whereabouts and
welfare. Besides I think they are damned good parents-if you ask me. If they say no, it is only
because they are thinking of your own good. Have you stopped to think how difficult it is going to
be for you –and your children? Where will you live? Where does he come from anyway?”
“He is Canadian. We might live in Canada or here in Kenya-we have not decided. He really likes
the country and its people, you know. He is a nice man-too nice for his own good. The fact that
someone is white does not mean that he is automatically bad and looks down on Africans.”


“I didn’t suggest that at all! But you have to care deeply about each other to survive that
ostracism, the loneliness that a mixed marriage brings with it. Other people won’t understand at
all; and some will think that you only married him for his money; others will hold their breath to
see how soon he discards you for another pretty face”.
“Might you be one of them?”


“I will take that as a joke. In fact I like him, I think he really loves you; but I have known you all
your life and I don’t trust your reasons for entering this marriage. To put it plainly do you love
him?”

“How sweet of you. Whatever I say, you’ll never believe I love him. Of course I like money and
all it can buy, but there have been richer men-who are not only black but have offered me more
than he can. Why am I defending myself to you anyway? I am not that bad and you are not that
good,”

Questions
a. Describe the events that lead to the above discussion. (3 marks)

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b. Who is the “He” in the excerpt? (1 mark)
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c. Identify and illustrate any two themes dealt with in this excerpt. (4 marks)
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d. Give one character trait of each of the following characters as revealed in this excerpt.(4 marks)
i. Becky……………………………………………………………………………………………
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ii. Vera……………………………………………………………………………………………...
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e. Make notes on the reasons Vera gives for ostracism over mixed marriages. (3 marks)
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f. Why has the author chosen to use dialogue in this excerpt? (2 marks)
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g. “I don’t trust your reasons for entering this marriage.” (Re-write in reported speech). (1 mark)
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h. Why do you think Vera does not trust Becky’s reasons for entering the marriage referred to in the
extract? (2 marks)
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i. From your knowledge of the rest of the story, for how long has Becky been away from home and
why? (2 marks)
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j. What is the meaning of the following expressions as used in the excerpt? (2 marks)
i. Discards………………………………………………………………………………………….
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ii. Hold their breath…………………………………………………………………………….......
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20 marks

2.POETRY (40 Marks)

2.

IN THE ORTHOPAEDIC WARD (BY TEJAMI)
There in the corner he sits
Naked to the waist
The shrunk haunches flattened.
Against earth.


A hand stretches
His fingers ambling along
the twisted back-bone,
Gungerly tasting the raw flesh.
Dark face of ape-man


Carved from the anthropoid face
Scraggy hair of grass-ashen
the liquid eyes
Sickled of all intelligence.


He too a man of my race,
My ward,
Very much the first on the queue.
The recognition of which
Gleams in the eye.

questions

Who is the persona in the poem? (2 marks)
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b. What is the prevailing theme of the poem? (2 marks)

f. Describe the condition of the “he” in the poem. (2 marks)
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g. What is the significance of the following line. (2marks)
“He too a man of my race my ward?”
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c. Identify, illustrate and show the effectiveness of any two elements of style found in the poem.
(6 marks)
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d. What is the mood of the poem? (2 marks)
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e. Give two character traits of the speaker in the poem. (4 marks)
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20 marks

3. GRAMMAR (15 Marks)

3.

a) Rewrite the following sentences according to instructions given after each. Do not change
the meaning. (3 marks)

i. Funds have been set aside by the government for the disabled in the society.
(Re-write in the active voice).
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ii. I did not suspect that he was an inciter. (Begin: Little………).
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The men are constructing the road; one of them is here (Begin: Here………).
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b) Complete the sentences below using the correct form of the word in brackets. (3 marks)
i. Richard was dogged by ………………………..(fail)throughought his carrier.
ii. The…………………...... (clear) of Obama’s speech was appreciated by all.
iii. Swiss matches are known for their ……………..............(precise)
c) Replace the underlines words with appropriate phrasal verbs formed from the words in
brackets (3 marks)
i. After learning for a long time, James finally discontinued his studies.(give)
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ii. The bus which had an accident was completely destroyed.(write)
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iii. The new house help could not tolerate the notorious child.(put)
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d) Correct the errors in the following sentences. (3 marks)
i. I am the one who did the mistake of letting him in.
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ii. She completed her work to the latter.
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iii. The whole class have not done the punishment.
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e) Replace the underlined words with a gender sensitive word. (2 marks)
i. The scandal attracted very many pressmen.
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ii. The policemen arrested the thief.
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f) Replace the underlined word with one word that means the same. (1 mark)
i. The person who designed this building did some excellent work.
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15 marks

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