English General Test /100 Marks

Reading Comprehension and vocabulary (30 Marks)

1. Read this passage and then answer the questions that follow.

Clearly if we are to participate in the society in which we live we must communicate with other

people. A great deal of communication is performed on a person-to-person basis by the simple

means of speech. If we travel in buses, stand in football match queues, or eat in restaurants, we are

likely to have conversations where we give information or opinions, receive news or comments and

very likely have our views challenged by other member of the society.

Face to face contact is by no means the only form of communication and during the last 200 years

the art of mass communication has become one of the dominating factors of contemporary society.

Two things, above others, have caused the enormous growth of the communication industry. Firstly,

inventiveness has led to advances in printing, telecommunications, the transmission and reception

of communications so that local news often takes a back seat to national news, which often is

eclipsed by international news. The Israeli raid on Entebbe Airport, Uganda, in 1976 was followed

by six books about the subject and two films within months of the events!

No longer is the possession of information confined to a privileged minority. In the last century, the

wealthy man with a library of his own was indeed fortunate, but today there are public libraries.

Forty years ago, people used to flock to the cinema, but now far more people sit at home and turn

on the television to watch a programme that is being channelled into millions of homes.

Communication is no longer merely concerned with the transmission of information. The modern

communications industry influences the way people live in society and broadens their horizons

by allowing access to information, education and entertainment. The printing, broadcasting and

advertising industries are involved with informing, educating and entertaining.

Although a great deal of the material communicated by the mass media is very valuable to the

individual and to the society of which he is a part, the vast modern network of communications is

open to abuse. However, the mass media are with us for better, for worse, and there is no turning

back.

Source: (A complete course for the new Cambridge Certificate for students (1986) by Judy GartonSpringer and Simon Greenall)

Questions:

1. Give three cases where we use person-to-person communication. 3pts
2. Explain three benefits of person-to-person communication? 6 pts
3. Give one other form of communication apart from person-to-person. 2 pts
4. Why would people go to the cinema in the past more than today? 2 pts
5. Apart from information, what other material is communicated by mass media? 4pts
6. In your own words, say what the opinion of the writer is at the end. 3 pts
7. What do the following words or phrases mean in the context of the passage? 2 pts
8. Person-to-person
9. Inventiveness

iii. Eclipsed

1. Contemporary
2. Channelled

1. Grammar and phonology
2. Rewrite each sentence according to the instructions. Do not change the meaning of the

original sentence.

1. David didn’t enjoy the film as much as Anne (Rewrite using… more…..)
2. I do not go out very often. (Begin: I seldom…)
3. The boy is three years younger than I am. You see him across the road.(Join using, whom)
4. All you needed to do was to keep quiet. He would not have found you out.(Rewrite as one

sentence using: If only)

5. It is not my fault that we failed.(Begin: I am not responsible…)
6. I found it very difficult to believe my brother’s story.(Rewrite using: …hardly….)
7. He wants to leave but he is afraid of his mother.(Begin: If…)
8. She told me that her father was ill.(Use: ….of…. instead of…that…)
9. It is a wonderful day for us all.(Begin: What)
10. Simon is handsome. John is not so handsome.(Rewrite as one sentence beginning: John.

2. Complete the sentences with the most suitable answer among the given alternatives.
3. The Biology teacher tried to dissuade John………….. offering Biology at A’ level.
4. from B. at C. in D. for
5. He leaves home in the morning and………….school after break.
6. arrives to B. reaches at C. reaches to D. arrives at
7. When the Minister visited our church, he was………. a blue suit.
8. dressing B. wearing C. putting D. dressed
9. The politician gave such……….. speech that the audience wasn’t impressed.
10. a good B. a tolerant C. an ignorant D. a boring
11. We never go there at all…………..
12. neither does she. B. she neither does C. neither she does D. she can’t either
13. Jane always takes an extra inkpot with her………… she runs of ink.
14. in case if B. in case C. if in case D. in case not
15. I………….. the play if only I had known about it at the time.
16. liked to have seen B. should like to have seen
17. should like to see D. would have liked to see
18. I was not sure………..
19. whose party was he supporting. B. of whose party he was supporting.
20. whose party he was supporting. D. the party of which was he supporting.
21. Peter showed no objection……….. us to the disco hall.
22. of accompanying B. to accompanying C. to accompany D. for accompanying
23. Change the following sentence into indirect speech: ‘’Do you have a driving licence?’’ the

policeman asked. ‘’No.’’ I replied.

1. The policeman asked me if I had a driving licence and I answered, no.
2. The policeman asked me if I have a driving licence and I said, no
3. The policeman asked me if I had a driving licence and I said I didn’t
4. The policeman asked me if I had a driving licence and I said I hadn’t.
5. Write the verb in parentheses in the past tense. (5 Marks)
6. Mukandoli (want) something exciting to happen on her street.
7. A whole week (pass) with nothing for her to do.
8. Mutoni’s friend (whisper) to her that someone was coming to visit.
9. Her friend (warn) Mutoni not to get too excited.
10. She (hope) that what she really liked would happen soon.
11. Put a circle around the noun or nouns that are spelled correctly in each row. (5 Marks)
12. a) mouses b) wolves c) womens
13. a) bluffs b) wifes c) zooes
14. a) radioes b) deers c) moose
15. a) geese b)studioes c) lifes
16. a) doeses b) oxen c) mans

Summary writing

In not more than 100 words, summarise the importance of different forms of communication.

Phonology (10 Marks)

The words below are divided into syllables. Show which syllable is stressed by underlining it.

Adjectives

1 de cide              2 thor ough        3 rem e dy           4 fic tion al          5 su rren der

Nouns

1 ta ble                 2 re ward             3 com pa ny        4 di rec tion        5 cat a ract

Composition writing

Each of your compositions should be 250 to 300 words

1. Write about a real or imaginary problem when you were short of food or water and say:
2. a) where you were,
3. b) why you were short of food or water,
4. c) How you were feeling,
5. d) what you were thinking,
6. e) what happened,
7. How can accidents on our roads be reduced?
8. Describe the role of two of following people in the family.
9. a) Father b) Mother c) Grandfather d) Grandmother               e) Aunt                 f) Uncle
10. You have been chosen by your schoolmates to write to the headmaster proposing changes

to the school regulations. Write a letter showing how such changes would be good for the

school.

5. How would you help a friend of yours who is a drunkard and takes drugs to change these

behaviours?