Ministry of Education 2018/2019

ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST

GRADE NINE
Semester One
First Session

Name

School Class

Write your answers on the Test Paper

Time: 2 hours Pages: 10

LISTENING 10

GRM/VCB 10

TEST READING 10
SCORES

WRITING 10

TOTAL 40
ENGLISH, GRADE 9, SEMESTER ONE, 1st SESSION 2018/2019

LISTENING 1 (Items 1–5) (5 marks)

You are going to hear five short texts about places for hanging out. Match the pictures
with the texts. For each text, shade in the bubble under the correct option.

A. B C
. .

D E F.
. .

Pictures
Text A B C D E F

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1
ENGLISH, GRADE 9, SEMESTER ONE, 1stSESSION 2018/2019

LISTENING 2 (Items 6–10) (5 marks)

You are going to hear a radio programme about Laika. For each item, shade in the
bubble next to the correct option.

6. Laika was the first animal to orbit the ……………. .

Sun Earth Moon

7. Laika was a dog from the streets of ……………. .

Moscow Paris London

8. Laika’s first trip to the space was on 3rd November ……………….

1956 1957 1975

9. Laika died within hours because of …………………….

lack of water over-heating lack of food

10. The true cause and time of her death were not made public until …………………..

2000 2001 2002

LISTENING
SCORE
10

2
ENGLISH, GRADE 9, SEMESTER ONE, 1st SESSION 2018/2019

GRAMMAR/VOCABULARY 1 (Items 1–5) (2½ marks)

Complete the text. For each item, shade in the bubble next to the correct option.

Teens love to have money. They know how money is (1) _____________for them and

that it (2) _______________ them to get things they want. Parents should (3) ________

their kids a healthy view on the three main things they can do with money. This view is

to keep three envelopes with the titles: “(4) _______”, “give,” and “save”. It is a simple

and a very effective way to explain the point for the teens. They should know also that

(5) _________money with poor people is our responsibility toward them.

1. hopeless important useless

2. helps follows shows

3. teach learn improve

4. sell stay spend

5. giving sharing donating

GRAMMAR/VOCABULARY 2 (Items 6–10) (2½ marks)

Complete each sentence with ONE word only.

6. How _____________ brothers have you got?

7. Students have to study hard _______ they have exams.

8. Ali: "Are these pens yours?" Sami: "Yes, they are ____________."

9. A doctor is a person __________ looks after patients.

10. Maha __________ prepared the breakfast before she left her house.

3
ENGLISH, GRADE 9, SEMESTER ONE, 1stSESSION 2018/2019

GRAMMAR/VOCABULARY 3 (Items 11–20) (5 marks)

For each item, shade in the bubble next to the correct option.

Ahmed Shawqi is a (11)__________ Arab poet (12) ______ a play writer. He is

considered to be one (13) _________ the most (14)_________ Arab poets in

(15)_______ 20th Century. Shawqi (16) ________born in Egypt

(17)________1870 to a family of mixed-race. Both (18) _____ parents were born

and (19)__________ up in Egypt. He (20)________ law and graduated in 1887.

11. clear famous happy big

12. through and about by

13. of with under for

14. fast good smart important

15. the a an that

16. were was are is

17. at on in of

18. her him his them

19. known taught thought brought

20. studied broke wrote reported

GRM/VCB
SCORE
10

4
ENGLISH, GRADE 9, SEMESTER ONE, 1st SESSION 2018/2019

READING 1 (Items 1–4) (4 marks)

Match the four texts on the left with the texts in the box. Shade in the bubble under
the correct option.

1. Fatma is a good writer. She wrote a A. It is the largest star in the solar
fascinating story last summer. system.

2. Many teenagers love to have fast food B. For example, Turkey and Greece made
almost every day. their currencies out of gold.

3. Sun is a very big ball of gas. It C. It was about a man who got lost in the
provides the Earth with heat and light. desert.

4. Around 2,500 years ago, other places D. All people should save money every
outside China began making coins out month in order to use it when they are
of precious metals. in need.

E. They usually get many health problems

like overweight and diabetes.

F. Ahmed’s family likes to travel abroad

every summer holiday.

A B C D E F

1.

2.

3.

4.

5
ENGLISH, GRADE 9, SEMESTER ONE, 1stSESSION 2018/2019

READING 2 (Items 5–10) (6 marks)

Read the text. Then complete the task.
Dear Amal,

I was glad to receive your email. It was interesting to hear about your last summer
holiday. I am writing to tell you about our school trip to the National Museum last
month.

I went with my classmates on a school trip to the National Museum in Muscat. This
museum is located in A’saidya street in the old Muscat city. It was opened on 30th July,
2016.

When we arrived there, the guide was waiting for us. He started to show us the different
parts of the museum. There was an interesting part that showed a sample of old coins
and bank notes of Oman through the history. The guide told us that Oman was the first
country in the region to make its own coins in the Higrah year 81. The coins were called
silver Dirhams. He added that there was no existence of paper money that time. They
used only metal to produce money such as silver, gold, copper and bronze. He also told
us that Oman became a member of the International Monetary Fund on 22nd April, 1971.
All of that information was so interesting.

After such a wonderful trip, I decided to have my own collection of the recent Omani
coins and bank notes. I will keep them in a big album so that I can show them to my
grandchildren in the future. It will be a great treasure for them.

Write to me soon,

Regards,

Nasra

6
ENGLISH, GRADE 9, SEMESTER ONE, 1st SESSION 2018/2019

READING 2 (continued)
For each item, write a short answer (not more than FOUR WORDS).

5. When did Nasra go to the National Museum?

____________________________________________

6. Who was waiting for Nasra and her friends in the museum?

_____________________________________________

7. When did Oman produce its first coins?

____________________________________________

8. What were the coins made of? (Write two)

____________________________________________

9. When did Oman join the International Monetary Fund?

___________________________________________

10. When did Nasra decide to have her own collection?

___________________________________________

READING
SCORE
10

7
ENGLISH, GRADE 9, SEMESTER ONE, 1stSESSION 2018/2019

WRITING 1 (5 marks)
Write at least 60 words on the following topic:
“It is too bad for teenagers to spend long hours on social media applications ”
-Do you agree or not? Give your reasons.

Your writing should be clear and well organized.

Marker A Marker B Average

8
ENGLISH, GRADE 9, SEMESTER ONE, 1st SESSION 2018/2019

WRITING 2 (5 marks)
Write a story of at least 75 words based on the following pictures.
You can use the words in the box to help you.
You can also put in more details to make your story lively and interesting.

visit museum moon rock wear

spacesuit watch telescope astronaut

 

 

 

9
ENGLISH, GRADE 9, SEMESTER ONE, 1stSESSION 2018/2019

WRITING 2 (continued)

Marker A Marker B Average

WRITING
SCORE
10

10
GRADE NINE — ENGLISH LANGUAGE MARKING GUIDE
SEMESTER ONE, 2018/2019, FIRST SESSION TOTAL MARKS: 40
MINISTREY OF EDUCATION page 1 of 4
***********************************************************************************************************************

LISTENING 1 (5 mks)

A B C D E F

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Notes: One mark each. Responses must be indicated clearly.

LISTENING 2 (5 mks)

6. sun Earth moon

7. Moscow Paris London

8. 1956 1957 1975

9. Lack of water over heating Lack of food

10. 2000 2001 2002

Notes: One mark each. Responses must be indicated clearly.

GRM/ VCB 1 (2.5 mks)

1. hopeless important useless

2. helps follows shows

3. teach learn form

4. sell stay spend

5. giving sharing donating

Notes: Half-a-mark each. Responses must be indicated clearly.

 Grade 9, Sem. 1, 2018/19, 1st Session: Marking Guide page 2 of 4

GRM/ VCB 2 (2.5 mks)

6. many
before/ because/ if/
7.
when
8. mine

9. who

10. had

Notes: Half-a-mark each. Spelling must be Notes: Half-a-mark each. Spelling must be correct,
correct. including grammatical endings.

GRM/ VCB 3 (5 mks)

11. clear famous happy big

12. through and about by

13. of with under for

14. fast good smart important
15. the a an un
16. were was are is

17. at on in of
18. her him his them
19. known taught thought brought

20. studied broke wrote reported

Notes: Half-a-mark each. Responses must be indicated clearly.

Grade 9, Sem. 1, 2018/19, 1st Session: Marking Guide page 3 of 4

READING 1 (4 mks) READING 2 (6 mks)

5. Last month
A B C D E F
6. Museum guide
1.
7. Higrah 81
2.
8. Gold, silver, bronze, copper (any two of
3. these)
9. on April 22nd 1971
4.
10. After the trip

Notes: One mark each. Complete accuracy

Notes: One mark each. Responses must be indicated in grammar and spelling is not required, but
clearly. answers must be clearly and convincingly
correct.

WRITING 1 (5 mks)
-Expresses opinions on topics in a lively, convincing way.
– Supports all points effectively with relevant evidence and detail.
5
– Essays are very well-organised, clear and coherent.
– A varied range of grammar and vocabulary with a very good level of accuracy.
– Expresses opinions on topics in a reasonably convincing way.
– Supports most points with relevant evidence and detail.
4
– Essays are generally well-organised and, for the most part, clear and coherent.
– A fair range of grammar and vocabulary with a good level of accuracy
– expresses opinions on topics, in a somewhat limited way.
– Is inconsistent in supporting points with relevant evidence and detail.
3
– Essays are poorly- organised, but are still reasonably clear and coherent.
– A limited range of grammar and vocabulary with a reasonable level of accuracy
_Express opinions on topics, but the results are clearly inadequate.
– Is generally weak in supporting points with relevant evidence.
2
– Essays lack organization, lacking in coherence and sometimes unclear.
– A very limited range of grammar and vocabulary with frequent errors.
-Makes only very feeble attempts to express opinions on topics.
– Fails to support points with any relevant evidence.
1
– Essays are incoherent and confusing.
– Extremely limited range of grammar and vocabulary with frequent serious errors.
No attempt at the task: EITHER Irrelevant (Completely unrelated to the topic)
0
OR Hardly any writing at all, or not written in English OR Complete nonsense
Grade 9, Sem. 1, 2018/19, 1st Session: Marking Guide page 4 of4

WRITING 2 (5 mks)
– Produces narratives which are fully successful in engaging the reader.
– Lively, effective use of appropriate detail.
5
– Writing is very well-structured, clear and coherent.
– A varied range of grammar and vocabulary with a very good level of accuracy
Produces narratives which are reasonably successful in engaging the reader.
– Generally good use of appropriate detail.
4
– Writing is generally well-structured, and mostly clear and coherent.
– A fair range of grammar and vocabulary with a good level of accuracy.
– Produces narratives which are only partially successful in engaging the reader.
– Somewhat limited use of appropriate detail.
3 – Writing is well-structured, but is still reasonably clear and coherent.
– A limited range of grammar and vocabulary with a reasonable level of
accuracy
– Produces narratives which have very limited success in engaging the reader.
– Inadequate use of appropriate detail.
2
– Writing is poorly-structured, and often unclear.
– A very limited range of grammar and vocabulary with frequent errors.
-Produces narratives which fail entirely to engage the reader.
– Little or no use of appropriate detail.
1
– Writing is incoherent and confusing.
– Extremely limited range of grammar and vocabulary with frequent serious errors.
No attempt at the task: EITHER Irrelevant (Completely unrelated to the pictures/ task/
0 instructions) OR Hardly any writing at all, or not written in English OR Complete nonsense

* NOTE: In WRITING 2, test-writers actually have two different task-options to choose from (Picture
Story or Task Instructions) when preparing the exam-paper. However, as both of these require student
to produce a narrative text, the same Rating Scale can b