San Ġorġ Preca College Secondary School, Blata l-bajda Half-Yearly Examinations - February 2015 English Language Track 2 Form: 4 Time: 2hrs Name & Surname: Class: Index No: Teacher: Language 20 marks [ ] A. Fill in the blanks with a word formed from the one in brackets. The first one has been done for you. 5 marks [ ] This TV (0) documentary (document) follows a family who live in America. Set in (1) (spectacle) scenery the programme gives us insight into their life and social (2) (action). (3) (appear) they are related to the royal family and they get invited to a lot of high society events and (4) (receive). (5) (understood), the documentary focuses a lot on the their extravagant lifestyle and their (6) (expense) clothes and (7) (value) jewellery. They have three personal (8) (assist) too who are very (friend) and cause a lot of drama! Make sure you set aside an hour to watch this. The (9) (geography) splendour of the location and mansion they live in makes this programme worthwhile viewing. B. Fill in the appropriate verb forms in the following paragraph. 5 marks [ ] 1. I usually (get up) late on Saturday. 2. It (be) the beginning of the week-end and I like to (relax). 3. But on that particular Saturday two months ago I (have to) get out of bed at 6:00 AM. 4. Terrible sounds of sirens and horns (come) from the street straight into my room. 5. I (walk) over to the English Language, Form 3, Track 2 Page 1 of 8
window to see what (happen). 6. Two cars (crash) on the corner near the bakery. 7. Lots of angry people (scream) and (shout) at each other. 8. The baker (try) to calm everybody. 9. So he (bring) out coffee and cookies for everyone. 10. What a nice neighbour!, I (think). 11. I (smile) to myself and (go) back to bed. C. Fill in the blanks with much / many/ a few / few / a little / little. 5 marks [ ] Our front garden looks awful this summer. I didn t use much fertiliser last spring and now there are too (1) weeds. Also, I ve paid very (2) attention to how (3) rain we ve had. I m afraid it has rained (4) times this summer, and that is why the grass is turning brown and (5) of the plants have died. I think that (6) help to pull out the weeds would be nice. I need to start watering the plants (7) times a week, adding (8) spoons of fertiliser each time. We need to be (9) more careful next year, so that there won t be too (10) damage. D. Fill in the blanks with a suitable word. 5 marks [ ] Nina and Ian are on. They are staying in Hawaii for seven. They rented a hotel on the beach in Maui. They have planned to go on a submarine tour and see the in the Pacific Ocean. They also want to go on a of the island. They have planned the week well and have a for each and day. They are both very. Hawaii is an amazing with plenty to see and do. They are definitely not going to get. English Language, Form 3, Track 2 Page 2 of 8
E. Comprehension 20 marks [ ] Read this passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The First Road Trip 1. One morning in August 1888, Bertha Benz and her two sons, Eugen (15), and Richard (13), woke up early. They got dressed very quietly, so as not to waken the head of the family, Karl Benz. They left a note that said, We are going to visit Grandma. They crept out to Mr. Benz s workshop, opened the door, and pushed out a three-wheeled vehicle. It was the fruit of Mr. Benz s long and hard work - the first engine car. Imagine it: a wooden construction more similar to a horse carriage than to the cars we have now: no roof, no hood, two wheels in the back but only one wheel in the front, a kind of handle instead of a steering wheel, leather-covered seats, and, the most important part, a 2.5 horsepower single-cylinder fourstroke engine. 2. The car that Mrs. Benz and her sons rolled out of the workshop had gone through a great deal of development since its registration (no. DRP 37435) two years before, but Mr. Benz felt it needed even more work and improvement. He believed that most people would not trust such a new thing enough to be willing to buy it, and so it seemed to him that the prospects for any success on the market were not good. In contrast, his loving and energetic wife believed immensely in his abilities, and was more than certain that the fruit was ripe enough to be picked. Her plan was to make a long-distance journey in her husband s invention, which would persuade everyone of the benefits and reliability of the new horseless carriage. 3. The trio jumped in and set off on their trip. It was a long and troublesome journey, 65 miles from Mannheim over the hills of the German Black Forest to Pforzheim. There were no petrol stations, no repair workshops, and no shops with spare parts. The adventurous technical pioneers were dedicated to their cause. When the engine needed water for cooling, they took it from village wells and puddles along the roads. When the brake lining English Language, Form 3, Track 2 Page 3 of 8
became worn, they went to a shoemaker to have new pieces of leather nailed to the brake blocks. When the chains broke, they found a blacksmith who was able to fix them. When they were short of fuel, they visited a pharmacy. Fuel was quite expensive at that time. People would buy it at the pharmacy in little bottles, and use it only for removing stains from clothes. Imagine the pharmacist s surprise when he saw a strange machine carrying a woman and two teenagers who then came in and bought a half-gallon of fuel all the remaining stock. He probably didn t realize it, but he had just become the owner of the first petrol station in the world. 4. Despite enough fuel in the tank, the car suddenly coughed and stopped. After some examination, they discovered that the carburettor fuel pipe was clogged. After a bit of thought, Mrs. Benz pulled out a kind of needle, called a hat pin, which, as was the fashion, was holding her hat onto her hair, and used it to clean the carburettor. When the car stopped a second time, Mrs. Benz found a solution. She reached under her long skirt and pulled out a piece of her garter belt (a piece of elastic which was used to hold her stockings up) and they were able to fix the cable. Now, they had one last difficult problem to solve: the engine was too weak to drive the car up the last and steepest slope of their trip. With the help of a farmer, they managed to reach the top of the hill, and all of their problems were behind them. It was already dark as they arrived in Pforzheim, tired and covered with dust, but happy and proud. They had managed to make the first long distance journey by car. The reliability of the horseless carriage had been proven. 1. When does this story take place? 1 mark [ ] a. in the late 1800s b. at the end of the 19th century c. in August d. all of the above 2. What do these words refer to in the passage? 3 marks [ ] a. they (para.1 line 2) English Language, Form 3, Track 2 Page 4 of 8
b. it (para.1 line 5) c. it (para. 2 line 3) d. him (para. 2 line 5) e. it (para. 3 line 1) f. it (para. 4 line 4) 3. List, in point form, in what ways Mr. Benz s invention was different from cars we drive today. 4 marks [ ] 4. Say whether the following statements are TRUE (T) or FALSE (F) and give one reason from the passage for every answer. 2 marks [ ] a. Mr. Benz had got the car registered in 1888. because b. When they had problems with the brake lining, they went to the repair shop. because 5. Match the words on the left with their meanings on the right: 4 marks [ ] a. trio worrying b. immensely inside layer c. troublesome trustworthiness d. lining hill e. blacksmith greatly f. clogged a group of three g. slope someone who works in iron h. reliability blocked 6. Who drove the car? 1 mark [ ] English Language, Form 3, Track 2 Page 5 of 8
7. Who invented the car? 1 mark [ ] 8. Who went on the trip? 1 mark [ ] 9. Where does the story take place? 1 mark [ ] 10. How long was the trip? 2 marks [ ] Section C Literature 20 marks [ ] A. POETRY (10 marks) Answer the following questions about a poem you have done in class. Title of poem: (1/2 mark) Name of poet: (1/2 mark) In about 30 words say what the poem is about: (4 marks) In about 30 words say why you have chosen this poem: (3 marks) Name and quote two figures of speech found in this poem: (2 marks) B. PROSE / DRAMA (10 marks) Answer the following questions about a novel or play you have done with your teacher this year. Title: (1/2 marks) English Language, Form 3, Track 2 Page 6 of 8
Name of writer: (1/2 marks) In about 50 words, write about what the novel / play is about: (5 marks) In about 50 words, write about the character you like best and say why (4 marks) Section D Composition 20 marks [ ] Choose ONE of the following titles and write about 200 words: 1. Susan: Mum, my friends are going for a weekend in Gozo. Can I go with them please? Mother: I don t think that s a good idea Continue the conversation. 2. Write a diary entry about a day you spent out with your best friend. 3. Write a story entitled: The worst party of my life. 5. Write a review of your favourite film/tv show. This will appear in your monthly school magazine. Comment on the film, say why you like it and why you encourage the other students in your school to watch it. Composition number: English Language, Form 3, Track 2 Page 7 of 8
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