Section A: Grammar

I. Complete the dialogue with the correct words chosen from those in the brackets.

Kingue: Good morning, Ronnie. How is the family?

Ronnie: Fine, thanks. I am enjoying this neighbourhood. Community life is fun and Chief Nkonda makes this community very interesting.

Kingue: I agree with you. We should share in our neighbours’ joy or sorrow. All the people living in a community should be kind to (1)____________________(themselves, one another, each other)

Ronnie: Exactly! Yesterday, I saw the neighbours’ child (2)____________________(who, which, whose) won a prize in her school. I congratulated her. She makes our community proud.

Kingue: That’s what we should all do but (3)____________________ Elvis nor his wife attends any occasion in this community. (either, neither, although)

Ronnie: I have talked to them about that. This time, the Christmas presents are (4)____________________in front of their house. I hope they will be part of us. (exchanged, exchanging, exchange)

Kingue: Chief Nkonda (5)____________________will be supervising the ceremony. (himself, his, him)

II. Rewrite the sentences below following the instructions in the brackets.

1. Kitcha and Myriam went to the same school. (Change into the negative form).

2. They first met at a birthday ceremony. (Ask a question. Begin with “Where?”)

3. Is this Kitcha? You saw Kitcha on television last night. (Join the two sentences using a suitable relative pronoun)

4. They celebrated the traditional marriage in Myriam’s village. (Change into the passive voice).

5. They ate ____________________ the food during the celebration. They kept no food for the next day. (quantifier)

SECTION B: VOCABULARY

I. Complete the passage with expressions from the box.

Bilingual, legal, youth, legislative, youngest, happy, speech

Cameroon is a country of rules and laws. We must obey the laws of the country. You cannot sign a (1)____________________document without a fiscal stamp and sometimes a communal stamp. We celebrate the (2)____________________day on 11th February every year. The Head of States reads a (3)____________________on that day. This is translated in English because Cameroon is a (4)____________________country. Everyone understands the message. We are all (5)____________________and we go out to rejoice with friends.

II. Fill the blanks following instructions in the brackets and write the answers in the space provided.

1. Next year, I will plant a lot of crops because I do no longer want to sell food____________________(antonym).

2. It is possible to say that when you live in a village. I live in a city. Here, we don’t have farms so it is difficult____________________(synonym).

3. They do not eat fruits that are not ripe____________________(Add a prefix).

4. During festivals, they eat a lot of bread, plantains, fruits, vegetables. ____________________(pick out an uncountable noun).

5. The children of this younger generation need to look up to the elders for a bright tomorrow____________________(Comparative).

SECTION C: READING COMPREHENSION

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions below it. Use complete English sentences and your own words as far as possible.

It was a hot and dusty afternoon. Kwabena sat at his desk and looked out of the classroom over the playground. Kwabena was uneasy in his chair. Wasn’t it time for the bell to go? He thought of his mother at home. She must be preparing the evening meal. Something was wrong with his mother. She was so sad and silent these days. His father too was sad. He continued looking outside.

“Kwabena, what’s the matter with you?” Kwabena turned his eyes back to his exercise-book. “You’ve only done one exercise and it is even wrong” said Mr Adu, the teacher. “Is anything the matter?”

Kwabena shook his head.

“The world is upside-down today children,” said Mr Adu. Solace has got the sum right and Kwabena has got it wrong. Everybody laughed because Kwabena was usually the best boy in the class and Solace was always at the bottom. Mensa continued laughing after the others.

Mensa was always second in the class and he hated Kwabena for being first. The two boys had never been friends. “Kwabena, Mensa will beat you this term if you are not careful. You’ll have to stay here after school. I want to talk to you”, said the teacher. The bell rang and the other children began to leave the classroom.

“Kwabena, I’m sorry to learn of your father’s decision to take you away from school at the end of the term, very sorry indeed. Your father came to see me this morning. He said you were leaving school and going to live with your uncle in Accra. You will learn his trade, said Mr Adu.”

“No sir, my father has never said anything about my leaving school. He wants me to stay at school. I know he does. It is a mistake. My uncle in Accra? I don’t know him. I have never seen him.”

“I’m afraid there’s no mistake. You must go home now. Your father and mother will tell you about it. We will be sorry to miss you. You have been top boy in the class for a long time. Kwabena stood outside the dusty playground and looked around him. Everything seemed strange to him. Not far was Mensa. “What’s the matter?” He asked. “What’s wrong?” Mensa had hid himself behind a tree to listen to what Mr Adu was saying to Kwabena. Mensa laughed. “Did the teacher say who is top of the class this term?” Mensa asked.

“You will be top of the class next term” said Kwabena sadly. Mensa stood smiling to himself as Kwabena walked silently home. When Kwabena reached the house, he could hear the sound of his mother’s machine.

“Hello my son!” she looked up and greeted him with a smile.

“Mother, is it true that I must leave school and go to my uncle’s?” She didn’t reply. The answer was clear from her face.

Questions

1. The story begins on a hot and dusty afternoon. Which time of the year is it? (Tick the correct answer).

a. In the rainy season

b. In the dry season

c. In the planting season

2. Who is Mr Adu?

4. From the passage, how do you know Kwabena is a brilliant boy who likes school?

5. Where did the teacher say Kwabena is going to?

6. Why do you think Kwabena said Mensa will be top of this class?

7. Would you like to leave school in order to learn a trade? Why?

SECTION D: COMPOSITION

(Write a composition of between 150–200 words on one of the following topics).

1. Many young people nowadays are imitating celebrities in sports and movies. Is this good or bad? Write an essay in which you express your opinion. Support your point of view with reasons and examples from your own experience with celebrities.

2. Students have many teachers. They prefer some teachers to others. Write an essay describing your favourite teacher. What is the subject he/she teaches? Describe the physical appearance of the teacher. What are the qualities of this teacher that make him/her special to you?

3. You and your friends attended a surprise birthday party. Whose birthday was it? When and where did it take place? Who organised the birthday? What activities took place? What impressions did you have?