MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

CENTRAL PROVINCE COMMON MOCK

English Language 101/2

Paper 2

GRADE NINE - 2023

TIME: 1 Hour 30 Minutes MARKS: 60

Additional material: Answer paper.

INSTRUCTIONS TO PUPILS

1. Write your names on the answer sheets.

2. There are two sections in this question paper. Answer both sections.

3. Read the questions carefully and understand them before answering. The
questions must be numbered fully on the left side of the margin, e.g. 1. (a).

4. Write your answers on the separate answer paper provided.

5. If you use more than one sheet of paper, fasten them together.

6. Marks will be lost for any untidy work.

7. Mistakes in spelling, punctuation or grammar in any part of this paper will be

penalised.

INFORMATION FOR PUPILS

1. You are advised to read carefully through the whole paper before answering the
questions.

2. You are advised to spend an equal amount of time on each section.

Page 1 of 10
DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO!
This Examination Paper has 7 Printed Pages.
SECTION A. CONTEXTUAL COMMUNICATION AND STRUCTURE (30 MARKS).

PART 1 - Contextual Communication (10 Marks)

Read the following questions and circle the letter of the best answer.
1. You and your friend have broken a glass pane and have been summoned by
your headteacher. What would you say? The headteacher would like to
see…[1]
A. I and you

B. me and you

C. you and I
D. you and me.

2. You are good at chess but your friend doesn’t believe you can defeat him. What
would you say? If you think you can ……………., let’s play. [1]
A. beat me

B. be beaten

C. be won
D. win me

3. Your friend claims his phone and yours are the same, you disagree. What
would you say? My phone is different ………………… yours. [1]
A. from

B. like
C. than
D. with

4. You are alone at home. Your house catches fire. You need help from your
neighbours. What would you say? Please help me to put............... the fire. [1]
A. down.
B. off.
C. out.
D. the.

Page 2 of 10
5. You are about to write an English exercise when you realize there is no space
in your exercise book where to write the exercise. What would you say to your
teacher of English? [1]
A. Madam, my exercise book is finished.
B. Madam, my exercise book is filled up.
C. Madam, my exercise book has no pages left.
D. Madam, my exercise book has no paper.

6. You are standing near the head teacher’s office. One of the teachers asks,
“Where is the head teacher?” What would you say? [1]
A. I saw him going that side, sir.
B. I saw him going that way, sir.
C. I saw him going within this school, sir.
D. I saw him going towards the school, sir.

7. You are from a dentist. Someone asks you what you went to do there.
What would you say? [1]
A. I went to have one of my tooth extracted.
B. I went to have one of my teeth extracted.
C. I went to remove tooth.
D. I went to remove a teeth.

8. A friend of yours wants you to escort him to buy soap. You do not have your
shoes on. What would you say? [1]
A. Wait, let me wear my shoes.
B. Wait, let me dress my shoes.
C. Wait, let me put on my shoes
D. Wait, let me have my shoes.

9. You meet a friend and she complains that you haven’t visited her in a long time.
What would you say? [1]
A. I called at your home on Saturday but you were not there.
B. I passed through your home last Saturday but you were not there.
C. I passed over your home last Saturday but you were not there.
D. I passed by your home last Saturday but you were not there.

10. Your friend tells you that she has just won an Essay Writing Competition. What
would be your response? Congratulations……………your triumph! [1]
A. at
B. by

Page 3 of 10
C. for
D. on

PART 2 – GRAMMAR (5 Marks)

Read the following sentences and then circle the letter of the correctly written
sentence.

1. A. I am writting a letter to my uncle. (1/2)

B. I am writing a letter to my uncle.

2. A. The dog is wagging its tail. (1/2)

B. the dog is wagging it’s tail.

3. A. We are now all here, isn’t it? (1/2)

B. We are now all here, aren’t we?

4. A. Although you are strong, you cannot beat me. (1/2)

B. Although you are strong, but you cannot beat me.

5. A. She told me that I had stolen her pen but I refused. (1/2)
B. She told me that I had stolen her pen but I denied.

6. A. William is so weak to lift the box. (1/2)

B. William is too weak to lift the box.

7. A. Your shirt is the same like mine. (1/2)

B. Your shirt is the same as mine.

8. A. The seating arrangement was very good. (1/2)

B. The sitting arrangement was very good.

9. A. There are many pupils in the school. (1/2)

B. Their are many pupils in the school.

Page 4 of 10
10. A. Unless you study hard, you will not pass the examination. (1/2)
B. Unless you study hard, you will pass the examination.

PART 3 – REWRITES (5 MARKS)

Rewrite each of the following sentences according to the instructions given. Do not
change the meaning of the sentences. Write your answers in the given space.

1. Joana asked what offence she had committed. (1)

(Rewrite as a direct speech)

Begin: Joana asked, “………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………..….”

2. Zambia qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament because

Daka scored a goal. [1]
Begin: If Daka had ……………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
.
3. I would rather be alone than being in a noisy place. [1]
Begin: I prefer ……………………………………………………………….………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

4. The boy is John. He broke the window last week. [1]

Begin: John is ……………….………………………………..………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. They didn’t ask the teacher, …………………………? (Add a question tag). [1]

PART 4 – CLOSE PASSAGE. (10 MARKS)

Read the following passage and then fill each blank with only one word. Write the
word in the blank space.

Page 5 of 10
The drought has not hit Zambia (example: alone) but also other countries south
of the equator. The (1. __________) are quite devastating to say the least. In Zambia,
in particular, people have received the drought (2. _______________) awe and
desperation.
Just what is this drought about?

Go to Shang’ombo. You won’t (3. _____________) a research, but the results

are there. In Luano Valley (4._______________) instance, chickens, dogs and human
beings rush for a Lisau that drops (5._______________) a tree at alarming
spontaneity. The story is the same in the Gwembe Valley where both animals’ and
people’s (6.________________) are at stake. Man sells his animals in
(7._________________) to survive, just as animals travel long distances to look for
water. Has the drought come at the (8. ______________) time? What has so far
(9._______________) done to alleviate the scourge? Who is responsible
(10.______________) whatever going on?
It is true to say that the government has seen through the drought and
(11______________) taken drastic measures to contain (12.______________)
effects. The leaders have spread (13.______________) political and economic
tentacles all over the world in search of aid, in the form of finance and food. Yes,
search indeed, and (14._____________) does it bring?

Yellow maize or chips as it is referred (15._______________) by the

marketers? So far, we are surviving, otherwise the alternatives would be gustily
(16.____________) contemplate. But who (17.____________) important man’s
second need to air-water? We are landlocked. One man suggested a mediocre
approach to say that we should (18.______________) our country to a nearby ocean.
What (19.__________) thinking!
Our school is (20.________________) an exception in this calamity. Shifting it
near the river will not the problem as the river has damned in several places.

SECTION B: READING COMPREHENSION (30 MARKS)

DO NOT write on this question paper.

Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow.
Page 6 of 10
Write your answers in the SEPARATE ANSWER BOOKLET provide.

1. On my way to work I paused at the gate to the office and glanced at the boys
standing nearby. I knew that most of them were homeless, either by choice or
by circumstances they couldn’t control. Some had run away from abusive
homes or from unending poverty. I wondered if they missed their mother. I
turned and walked nervously over to them.
2. “Hello,” I greeted them with a smile. They looked at me strangely, wondering
what I was going to do next. I knew that many of these boys were addicted to
drugs and alcohol. I was sure that they were hungry. They needed a family, at
least a mother, to look out from them and teach them right from wrong. I was
impressed to get to know these young boys and share my love with them. “I’m
your mother,” I said bravely. “I’d like to get to know you.”
3. The boys were shy, and I was nervous. I knew that even though they were
young, they far outnumbered me and could easily steal my bag or hurt me if
they wanted to. I kept smiling and talking. I talked to them for a few minutes
until we both felt more ease. Then, I invited them to come and sit under a tree
with me so we could talk some more.
4. They hesitated, but eventually they came and sat down. I told them a little about
myself, then, I told them how God loves each one of them. They warmed up to
me and began to tell me how they survived on handouts they received from
begging and leftovers from the bakeries.
5. The next Monday, I brought food with me. I knew that boys were always hungry,
especially homeless ones who probably hadn’t had a home-cooked meal for a
very long time. They ate hungrily, and again we talked.
6. Soon, the boys were treating me like a mother, confiding in me and trusting me.
Some of them told me about their desire to get rid of their drug habits or about
things they had stolen. I listened and counseled them about how to live a happy,
honest life instead. I told them about the joys of hard work and honest labour.
The boys listened and were inspired and trusted that it was possible to change
their ways of life. I encouraged the ones who had parents to return home to
their families. It took a lot of talking, but eventually some decided to go back
home.

Page 7 of 10
7. One boy, Pierre, had run away from home when he was only seven years old.
He had lost some money he was supposed to take to his mother, and he was
afraid of being punished. So he ran away. Eventually, he arrived in the capital
city, where he lived on the streets for the next eight years. After, I told him the
story of the prodigal son, Pierre agreed to return home. Somehow, he was
afraid to go by himself. So I agreed to go with him.
8. We went to the bus station together and bought tickets to his hometown. When
we arrived, we walked down almost forgotten streets until he found his house.
His mother stared at the tall young man standing in front of her, unable to tell
that this was the little boy she had lost so long ago. She thought her son was
dead. She stared at Pierre for a long time. When her mind at last grasped whom
she was seeing, she threw her arms around her and hugged him tightly,
weeping for joy. Then, she began calling her neighbour to see her son, who
had been lost but had come home. That night there was joy in one home over
a lost child who had returned.
Now, answer the following questions.
Write your answers on the SEPARATE ANSWER SHEET provided.
1. According to Paragraph 1 Being homeless is …
A. so challenging
B. encouraging
C. interesting
D. less difficult
2. (Paragraph 2) When boys run away from their homes, they become…
A. used to life
B. useful in life.
C. harding working.
D. addicted to drugs and alcohol.
3. (Paragraph 3) I knew that even though they were young, they far outnumbered me.
The word “me” refers to …
A. everybody
B. the woman who was attending to their needs.
C. the boys.
D. the mother to Pierre.
4. (Paragraph 4) The boys survived on…

Page 8 of 10
A. leftover from the markets.
B. handouts and chips.
C. nshima and vegetables.
D. handouts and leftovers from the bakeries.
(Paragraph 5) The next Monday I brought food with me because I knew that…
A. boys by nature are hungry.
B. boys were always hungry.
C. homeless boys are probably hungry.
D. boys like my food.
6. (Paragraph 6) Soon the boys were treating me like a mother by…
A. confiding and trusting in me.
B. confiding and believing in me.
C. believing and trusting in me.
D. honouring and trusting in me.
7. (Paragraph 7) What do you think could have been the reason for Pierre to run away
from home?
A. He wanted to visit the capital city.
B. The mother gave him some money.
C. He had lost some money he was supposed to take to his mother.
D. He was afraid of being punished.
8. (Paragraph 8) Who stared at Pierre for a long time?
A. His mother.
B. The aunty.
C. Mrs Pierre.
D. The adoptive mother.
9. According to the passage, which THREE of the following statements are TRUE?
Write the letters of the THREE true statements in the boxes.
A. Homeless children are also called street kids.
B. The boys were school going pupils.
C. The boys were visited by their family members.
D. Soon the boys treated me like a mother.
E. I encouraged the ones who had no parents to return home to their families.
F. They far outnumbered me.

Page 9 of 10
10 (Paragraph 6) Complete the following sentence by filling in ONE WORD each
blank space.
The mother (i) ……………………….. and (ii) ……………………………them
concerning leading a normal life.
1. Write the following words in alphabetical order.
Unable alcohol outnumbered homeless
Prodigal grasp child neighbor
12.………………………………………….
13.………………………………………….
14.………………………………………….
15.………………………………………….
16.………………………………………….
17.………………………………………….
18.………………………………………….
19.………………………………………….
20. Find the words from the passage that have the same or nearby the same meaning
as the following. You must spell them correctly.
MEANING WORD (ONE WORD ONLY)
A. Food that has not been eaten at the end of a meal. (Para.4) ……………………….
B. Something that you do regularly or usually. (Para. 2) ………………………………..
C. Someone who leaves their family and home without approval of their family.
(Para.7) ……………………………
D. Ability to understand a complicated idea. (Para.8) …………………………………….
E. To pause before or doing something because you are nervous. (Para.1) ………….

END OF EXAMINATION!

Check Your Work Carefully.

Page 10 of 10