ENGLISH Language Basic 7 and Basic 8
ENGLISH Language Basic 7 and Basic 8
1. Write a letter to your cousin in the village telling him or her three things you do to
remain healthy.
2. Write a letter to your classmate informing him or her about how you celebrated a
religious festival in the course of the year.
3. Your father is angry with your sister because she is very disrespectful towards
him. Write a letter to your sister giving her at least three reasons why she should
behave well towards your father.
PART B
COMPREHENSION
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions which follow
Unlike his colleagues, Tiko was fortunate. He had parents who were just too willing
to educate him. His colleagues around him were, however, not in school and always
went to the seaports to receive fishermen who had gone to sea. Tiko’s school was
sited at a pretty far distance from home. After a few years of schooling, the daily
walks to and from school became a drudgery to Tiko. He began to desire a new king
of experience. He felt left out of the fun he thought his friends were having at the
seaports. Before long he had finished deciding against going to school without his
parent’s knowledge. So he started.
He would leave home ostensibly to go to school but instead he would go and hide
somewhere and return home after his parents had left for work. He would give one
excuse upon another to his neighbours for having returned earlier than the normal
time. His parents did not know about this. At other times when Tiko did not even
want to set off for school at all, he would feign sickness whilst in bed and would thus
succeed in staying at home. All this while, he made sure he went with his friends to
receive the fishermen.
Eventually all Tiko had been doing came to light. He was given such a sound
beating that he quickly turned over a new leaf. He became very studious and
determined with his education. One day he returned from school only to be told two
of his bosom friends he used to to go to the seaports with had drowned. Sad though
he was, he thanked God for not remaining a truant else he might have drowned too.
But more importantly, when after some years he graduated as a doctor, he realized
just what he would have lost if he had remained a truant. He was all too thankful to
his parents for their firmness and corrections which had helped him achieve that
feat.
(a. ) According to the passage, what advantage did Tiko have over his other
colleagues? 3 marks
(c. ) Why was Tiko’s truancy not known to his parents? 3 marks
(d. ) What happened to Tiko when his deplorable behaviour was eventually
discovered? 3 marks
(e. ) According to the writer, what were the two events that made Tiko to realize
later in life that it did not pay to be truant? 3 marks
(f. ) Explain the following expressions as used in the passage in your own words:
(I. ) came to light;
(II. ) feign sickness;
(iii.)turned over a new leaf. 9 marks
(g. ) For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the
same and can fit into the passage:
(I. ) drudgery
(II. ) ostensibly
(iii.) bosom. 6 marks
PART C
LITERATURE
Answer all the questions below.
10. The book you gave me was not………………than the one I had before.
A. any good
B. much better
C. any better
D. very better
SECTION B
SYNONYMS
Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to
the underlined word or expression in each of the following sentences.
17. The thieves who raided the house last night have been rounded up.
A. killed
B. beaten
C. arrested
D. wounded
SECTION C
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
In each of the following sentences, a group of words has been underlined. Choose
from the alternatives lettered A to D the one that best explains the underlined
words.
21. I don’t like Ben. He is always pulling my legs. This means Ben is always………………
A. pulling me down
B. gossiping about me
C. borrowing my shoes
D. teasing me
22. The judge turned a deaf ear to what the murderer said. This means the judge……
A. was partially deaf
B. ignored what the murderer said
C. favored the murderer when he heard his story
D. pretended that he was listening to the murderer’s story
23. If you don’t want to regret, cut your coat according to your cloth. This means……
A. live within your means
B. use the coat cut from your cloth
C. sew your own coat
D. put on your cloth and coat
24. The students were advised to stop building castles in the air. This means that
students should……………………
A. not build any more castles
B. be serious and realistic
C. not worry about castles
D. be serious and hardworking
25. Even though I don’t talk to her, I will give the devil his due. This means I
will……………….………her.
A. agree with
B. confess to
C. reward
D. be kind to
SECTION D
ANTONYMS
From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the word that is most nearly opposite
in meaning to the underlined words.
1. Write a letter to your friend in another town describing not less than two
interesting things in your hometown.
PART B
COMPREHENSION
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions which follow
Nobody wanted Ananse to succeed in drinking the cup of hot water and win
Adiefe, the Chief’s beautiful daughter. Ananse grabbed the cup of hot water, bowed
as gracefully as possible and smiled confidently. He lifted the cup and said, slowly
and calmly, ‘Nana, look………….!’ Nana Apo barked, ‘yes, it’s hot. Drink it right now!’
But Ananse kept a cool head. Then, in the full glare of all present, he shook the cup
vigourously for some time in order to cool its content. After this, he began to sip the
now-lukewarm water as if it was still hot. Between the sips, the pain he seemed to
be going through made him frown. He shut the left eye and his right eye shone
brightly. He deliberately let his left hand drop loosely by his side.
Nana Apo smiled. Queen Amola grinned. Adiefe giggled- all in happy anticipation
of Ananse’s failure. Suddenly, Ananse began to drink the warm water more quickly
and noisily. Soon, all was gone. He turned the cup upside down towards Nana and,
indeed, there was not a single drop in it. Lo and behold, Kweku Ananse, the
notorious trickster, had succeeded where all others had failed. There was a complete
silence. Even the wind seemed to have stopped blowing. The impossible had
happened and people’s expectation that Kweku Ananse would lose the contest had
failed. Eventually, Kweku Ananse’s victory had won him the hand of pretty Princess,
Adiefe. Nana Apo and Queen Amola, with great reluctance, led their daughter,
Adiefe, and handed her over to victorious Kweku Ananse.
(a. ) What was the attitude of the people present before the contest? 2 marks
(c. ) State the 3 tricks Ananse used to show that he was in pain. 3 marks
(d. ) Why did Ananse turn the cup upside down? 3 marks
(e. ) What was the mood of Nana Apo and Queen Amola in the end? 3 marks
(g. ) For each of the following words give another word or phrase that means the
same and can fit into the passage:
(I. ) grabbed
(II. ) barked
(III. ) deliberately
(IV. ) eventually
(V. ) pretty 10 marks
PART C
LITERATURE
Answer all the questions below.
SECTION B
SYNONYMS
Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to
the underlined word or expression in each of the following sentences.
18. Although the labourers agreed to do the work, they did it reluctantly.
A. leisurely
B. nervously
C. unwillingly
D. Sparingly
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
In each of the following sentences, a group of words has been underlined. Choose
from the alternatives lettered A to D the one that best explains the underlined
words.
21. I don’t like Ben. He is always pulling my legs. This means Ben is always………………
A. pulling me down
B. gossiping about me
C. borrowing my shoes
D. teasing me
22. The judge turned a deaf ear to what the murderer said. This means the judge……
A. was partially deaf
B. ignored what the murderer said
C. favored the murderer when he heard his story
D. pretended that he was listening to the murderer’s story
23. If you don’t want to regret, cut your coat according to your cloth. This means……
A.live within your means
B.use the coat cut from your cloth
C. sew your own coat
D. put on your cloth and coat
24. The students were advised to stop building castles in the air. This means that
students should……………………
A. not build any more castles
B. be serious and realistic
C. not worry about castles
D. be serious and hardworking
25. Even though I don’t talk to her, I will give the devil his due. This means I
will……………….………her.
A. agree with
B. confess to
C. reward
D. be kind to
SECTION D
ANTONYMS
From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the word that is most nearly opposite
in meaning to the underlined words.