New Curriculum Second Term English Language examination for SS 1

Class: SS 1
Term: Second Term
Subject: English Language
Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Marks: 70

SECTION A: OBJECTIVES (50 Marks)
Instruction: Answer all 50 questions. Each question carries 1 mark.

READING COMPREHENSION — Questions 1–12

Read the passage carefully before answering the questions. Use evidence from the text where relevant.

At first, the school enterprise club intended to sell exercise books at a modest profit and use the proceeds to repair damaged desks. The club borrowed a small amount of capital, negotiated with a printer and produced a sample booklet. Their first cost estimate included paper and printing, but omitted transport, packaging and the small fee charged for each electronic payment. When the treasurer added these expenses, the expected profit became much smaller.

The club members disagreed about the next step. Some proposed raising the selling price immediately. Others believed that customers would simply purchase books elsewhere. Their teacher challenged both groups to provide evidence. Rather than rely on guesses, the students asked prospective buyers what features mattered: price, durability, paper quality and convenience. The responses were revealing. Many customers would accept a slightly higher price if the covers lasted longer, but few would pay more merely for attractive advertising.

A local journalist visited while the club prepared its publicity campaign. One student offered the claim, “Our books are the best in the whole state!” The journalist asked how the club intended to prove it. The club had compared neither the durability nor the prices of competing products across the state. In the final advertisement, the extravagant claim was replaced by a specific description of the pages, binding and price. The change seemed less exciting, but it was also more defensible.

When a supplier failed to deliver on the agreed date, the secretary drafted an angry email accusing the company of dishonesty. A colleague suggested a more professional response: state the order reference, explain the missed deadline, request a revised delivery date and ask for a refund if the goods could not arrive before the launch. The revised message was firm without being insulting.

The club eventually sold most of its stock. Yet its summary report did not treat the number of books sold as sufficient proof of success. It distinguished sales revenue from profit, recorded unsold stock and included complaints about two poorly bound copies. The treasurer argued that a business could appear busy while losing money if it ignored its full costs. Another member added that complaints were not simply obstacles; carefully analysed, they showed where the product could improve.

At the next meeting, the club agreed to keep accurate records, test claims before publishing them and prepare short summaries that separated major findings from minor details. The project had become more than an exercise in trading. It was a lesson in the value of precise language and evidence-based decisions.

1. The enterprise club’s initial profit estimate was unreliable because … (a) some operating costs had been omitted   (b) customers preferred durable covers   (c) the journalist visited before the launch   (d) the club had negotiated with a printer
2. A rise in the selling price was not immediately accepted because … (a) the treasurer refused to record any payments   (b) the books could never be made more durable   (c) the school banned all profit-making activities   (d) demand at the higher price had not been investigated
3. The buyers’ responses indicate that the club should prioritise … (a) extravagant slogans without testing   (b) durability supported by reasonable pricing   (c) decorative advertising above useful features   (d) avoiding questions from customers
4. Which assertion in the proposed advertisement lacked adequate evidence? (a) “The booklet has a stitched binding.”   (b) “The sample contains ruled pages.”   (c) “The price is displayed on the label.”   (d) “Our books are the best in the whole state!”
5. The secretary’s improved email achieves its purpose through … (a) unexplained abbreviations and slang   (b) threats that conceal the order number   (c) a personal accusation against the supplier   (d) precise facts, a clear request and professional tone
6. Why does the treasurer distinguish revenue from profit? (a) Unsold stock automatically increases profit   (b) Profit is identical to the number of goods sold   (c) Sales may be substantial while costs exceed receipts   (d) Revenue must always be less than profit
7. The writer’s treatment of customer complaints implies that feedback can … (a) reveal defects that inform future decisions   (b) replace accurate financial records entirely   (c) guarantee that every sale earns a profit   (d) serve only as a reason to close the business
8. The phrase “more defensible” describes an advertisement whose claims … (a) had been hidden from prospective buyers   (b) could be supported by specific evidence   (c) were more sensational than the first draft   (d) relied on attacking rival companies
9. Which summary accurately captures the passage’s central idea? (a) Price increases are always harmful to business   (b) Advertising quality depends mainly on exaggerated language   (c) Sustainable enterprise requires evidence, accurate costs and responsible communication   (d) Customer preferences cannot be researched
10. All these actions are examples of sound enterprise practice except … (a) keeping records of unsold stock   (b) handling supplier disputes professionally   (c) excluding transport costs from the profit calculation   (d) checking statements before advertising
11. The tone of the last paragraph is chiefly … (a) mocking and dismissive   (b) fearful of all commercial activity   (c) hostile and threatening   (d) reflective and instructive
12. What would most strengthen the club’s next report? (a) A list of unrelated school sporting results   (b) A table separating sales, expenses, unsold stock and customer complaints   (c) A repetition of the original unsupported slogan   (d) The secretary’s private guesses about customers
13. In the sentence “The club carried out a survey,” “carried out” means … (a) rejected   (b) conducted   (c) concealed   (d) postponed
14. A supplier who “backs out of” an agreement … (a) withdraws from it   (b) completes it ahead of schedule   (c) signs it for the first time   (d) files it alphabetically
15. Which phrasal verb can be separated by an object, as in “turn the offer down”? (a) get over   (b) turn down   (c) run into   (d) look after
16. The phrasal verb ________ correctly completes “The team will ___ the complaints.” (a) put across with   (b) get off into   (c) look into   (d) look after for
17. Which sentence places an object correctly with a separable phrasal verb? (a) “The secretary wrote the figures down.”   (b) “The secretary looked the figures after.”   (c) “The secretary wrote down them.”   (d) “The secretary put them away of.”
18. A business that has just entered a market is commonly called a … (a) shareholder register   (b) circulation audit   (c) start-up   (d) stock exchange
19. ________ is the amount invested to begin or expand an enterprise. (a) capital   (b) dividend   (c) byline   (d) headline
20. Which term belongs most directly to a capital-market report? (a) recipe card   (b) equity shares   (c) filing cabinet   (d) customer invoice
21. A company’s dividend is best described as … (a) a distribution of profits to shareholders   (b) a compulsory deduction from every sale   (c) the original cost of office furniture   (d) the amount printed on an advertisement
22. The difference between “publisher” and “editor” is that … (a) the editor reviews content while the publisher arranges its release   (b) the publisher writes every reported interview   (c) the editor alone determines an author’s royalties   (d) both terms always mean the same occupation
23. A newspaper report identifying the source of a quotation demonstrates … (a) packaging   (b) attribution   (c) depreciation   (d) subscription
24. Which line is appropriately factual for a news report? (a) “According to the treasurer, sales reached 120 books by Friday.”   (b) “Everyone knows our club is the greatest.”   (c) “Only foolish people would question these prices.”   (d) “Our sales must be the highest anywhere.”
25. The initial /str/ in “street” contains … (a) two independent syllables   (b) a silent consonant followed by two vowels   (c) three consonant sounds in one syllable onset   (d) three vowel sounds
26. The pronunciation of “spring” may be distorted if a speaker … (a) keeps the consonants in one onset   (b) begins with a voiceless /s/   (c) inserts an extra vowel within /spr/   (d) retains its final velar nasal
27. Which word begins with the same two-consonant cluster as “clean”? (a) crane   (b) clock   (c) glass   (d) keen
28. The sounds /w/ and /j/ are classified as semi-vowels because … (a) both require complete closure at the lips   (b) neither can appear at a word’s beginning   (c) they are always syllable nuclei   (d) they resemble vowels in articulation but function as consonants
29. Which pair illustrates a contrast between /w/ and /j/? (a) kite and kind   (b) wet and yet   (c) shop and ship   (d) pen and pan
30. The primary stress in the noun “record” (as commonly spoken in English) normally falls on … (a) the final consonant   (b) both syllables equally in every context   (c) the first syllable   (d) an additional third syllable
31. The verb “record” differs in stress from the noun chiefly by … (a) removing its second vowel completely   (b) stressing its final consonant alone   (c) placing primary stress on the second syllable   (d) adding a silent first syllable
32. Select the adjunct of time in “The secretary checked the accounts yesterday at school.” (a) checked   (b) the secretary   (c) the accounts   (d) yesterday
33. The phrase “at the printing shop” functions as an adjunct of … (a) possession   (b) reason   (c) place   (d) direct address
34. In “She revised the email carefully to avoid confusion,” “carefully” expresses … (a) place   (b) manner   (c) time   (d) source of capital
35. Which revised sentence correctly orders two adjuncts without ambiguity? (a) “Quietly school the in met team after library.”   (b) “The team met when library after quietly.”   (c) “The team after quietly in met library school.”   (d) “The team met quietly in the library after school.”
36. A complex sentence must contain … (a) at least one independent and one dependent clause   (b) two unrelated simple sentences joined only by a full stop   (c) a noun phrase with no finite verb   (d) more than four paragraphs
37. The ________ in “Although costs increased, sales remained steady” cannot stand alone as a full sentence. (a) topic sentence   (b) main clause   (c) direct quotation   (d) dependent clause
38. Which sentence is complex rather than compound? (a) “The printer worked, but the pages tore.”   (b) “The team sold books, and the club kept records.”   (c) “The product arrived; the meeting began.”   (d) “Because the supplier delayed delivery, the team revised its plan.”
39. The main reason for summarising a report is to … (a) preserve the key ideas in a shorter, accurate form   (b) remove the author’s principal conclusion   (c) replace evidence with unsupported opinion   (d) reproduce every example word for word
40. When preparing a summary, the correct first step is to … (a) rewrite all figures as imaginary estimates   (b) copy the longest sentence without reading   (c) introduce unrelated views to add length   (d) identify the writer’s main point and supporting structure
41. A paragraph contains a main claim followed by three illustrations. A good summary should … (a) add a new advertisement not in the original   (b) state the claim and combine the illustrations where appropriate   (c) reproduce all illustrations at equal length   (d) discard the claim and keep minor details
42. All of the following support accuracy in a summary except ________. (a) avoiding unsupported information   (b) preserving the author’s central qualification   (c) changing a reported possibility into a certainty   (d) distinguishing findings from examples
43. Which choice best combines “The club surveyed buyers. It changed its binding.”? (a) “The club surveyed because binding buyers changed.”   (b) “The club, however it, changed surveyed.”   (c) “After surveying buyers, the club changed its binding.”   (d) “The binding club buyers surveyed after was.”
44. For a formal complaint to a supplier, the register should be … (a) firm, factual and courteous   (b) casual and filled with private jokes   (c) insulting and deliberately vague   (d) sensational and detached from the order
45. A persuasive advertisement becomes misleading when it … (a) reports an independently checked feature   (b) displays a clearly stated price   (c) describes the material used in a product   (d) presents an unverified comparison as established fact
46. Which clause can stand alone in “When the payment arrived, we released the order”? (a) When the payment arrived   (b) we released the order   (c) When the payment   (d) arrived, we
47. The stress pattern of the two-syllable noun “present” contrasts with the verb “present” because the noun usually … (a) stresses the first syllable while the verb stresses the second   (b) stresses neither syllable   (c) has three syllables   (d) contains a consonant cluster at the end
48. A report states “Costs rose by 15%; nevertheless, sales improved.” The connective indicates … (a) the chronological order of two unrelated dates   (b) the repetition of an identical fact   (c) a cause that guarantees the second outcome   (d) contrast between the two findings
49. A journalist avoids calling a new product “perfect” without evidence chiefly to … (a) protect the accuracy and credibility of the report   (b) avoid printing the product’s name   (c) increase the length of the article   (d) use only capital-market vocabulary
50. Which sentence uses “issue” as a publishing term? (a) “The supplier had an issue with the invoice.”   (b) “The new issue of the magazine appears on Monday.”   (c) “The account was issued a password.”   (d) “The teacher issued a correction to the club.”

SECTION B: WRITING (20 Marks)
Instruction: Answer ONE question only. Your answer should suit its stated purpose, audience and register.

Question 1. As secretary of a student enterprise, write a formal email to a supplier explaining a delayed delivery, the consequences for your launch and two reasonable remedies.

Question 2. Write a 350–450 word narrative about a school enterprise that nearly failed because of a mistaken assumption. Show a turning point and a reflective ending.

Objective Marking Scheme

Question 1 – ✅ (a) some operating costs had been omitted
Question 2 – ✅ (d) demand at the higher price had not been investigated
Question 3 – ✅ (b) durability supported by reasonable pricing
Question 4 – ✅ (d) “Our books are the best in the whole state!”
Question 5 – ✅ (d) precise facts, a clear request and professional tone
Question 6 – ✅ (c) Sales may be substantial while costs exceed receipts
Question 7 – ✅ (a) reveal defects that inform future decisions
Question 8 – ✅ (b) could be supported by specific evidence
Question 9 – ✅ (c) Sustainable enterprise requires evidence, accurate costs and responsible communication
Question 10 – ✅ (c) excluding transport costs from the profit calculation
Question 11 – ✅ (d) reflective and instructive
Question 12 – ✅ (b) A table separating sales, expenses, unsold stock and customer complaints
Question 13 – ✅ (b) conducted
Question 14 – ✅ (a) withdraws from it
Question 15 – ✅ (b) turn down
Question 16 – ✅ (c) look into
Question 17 – ✅ (a) “The secretary wrote the figures down.”
Question 18 – ✅ (c) start-up
Question 19 – ✅ (a) capital
Question 20 – ✅ (b) equity shares
Question 21 – ✅ (a) a distribution of profits to shareholders
Question 22 – ✅ (a) the editor reviews content while the publisher arranges its release
Question 23 – ✅ (b) attribution
Question 24 – ✅ (a) “According to the treasurer, sales reached 120 books by Friday.”
Question 25 – ✅ (c) three consonant sounds in one syllable onset
Question 26 – ✅ (c) inserts an extra vowel within /spr/
Question 27 – ✅ (b) clock
Question 28 – ✅ (d) they resemble vowels in articulation but function as consonants
Question 29 – ✅ (b) wet and yet
Question 30 – ✅ (c) the first syllable
Question 31 – ✅ (c) placing primary stress on the second syllable
Question 32 – ✅ (d) yesterday
Question 33 – ✅ (c) place
Question 34 – ✅ (b) manner
Question 35 – ✅ (d) “The team met quietly in the library after school.”
Question 36 – ✅ (a) at least one independent and one dependent clause
Question 37 – ✅ (d) dependent clause
Question 38 – ✅ (d) “Because the supplier delayed delivery, the team revised its plan.”
Question 39 – ✅ (a) preserve the key ideas in a shorter, accurate form
Question 40 – ✅ (d) identify the writer’s main point and supporting structure
Question 41 – ✅ (b) state the claim and combine the illustrations where appropriate
Question 42 – ✅ (c) changing a reported possibility into a certainty
Question 43 – ✅ (c) “After surveying buyers, the club changed its binding.”
Question 44 – ✅ (a) firm, factual and courteous
Question 45 – ✅ (d) presents an unverified comparison as established fact
Question 46 – ✅ (b) we released the order
Question 47 – ✅ (a) stresses the first syllable while the verb stresses the second
Question 48 – ✅ (d) contrast between the two findings
Question 49 – ✅ (a) protect the accuracy and credibility of the report
Question 50 – ✅ (b) “The new issue of the magazine appears on Monday.”

English Writing Marking Scheme (20 Marks)
Content and development of relevant ideas: 8 marks; Organisation, coherence and paragraphing: 5 marks; Expression, register and vocabulary: 5 marks; Spelling, grammar and punctuation: 2 marks. Award credit for sustained argument, appropriate evidence, effective narrative structure or clear formal document conventions, as demanded by the chosen task.

VERBAL APTITUDE — SEPARATE ASSESSMENT (10 Marks)
Instruction: Answer all 10 questions. These marks are assessed separately and are NOT part of English Language’s 70 marks.

1. Capital : enterprise :: evidence : … (a) argument   (b) notebook   (c) profit   (d) transport
2. Prospectus : investor :: report : … (a) sponsor only   (b) reader   (c) shareholder only   (d) printer only
3. Which word does NOT belong with “revenue, expense, profit”? (a) balance   (b) cost   (c) stanza   (d) margin
4. The closest meaning of “viable” in “a viable enterprise” is … (a) legally prohibited   (b) capable of succeeding   (c) already bankrupt   (d) impossible to operate
5. If all discounts reduce the listed price, and a transaction includes a discount, then … (a) the listed price has no relevance   (b) the item was necessarily sold at a loss   (c) its net price must be double the listed price   (d) its net price is below the original listed price
6. Editorial : publication :: rehearsal : … (a) performance   (b) taxation   (c) insurance   (d) invoice
7. Complete the analogy: concise : wordy :: accurate : … (a) precise   (b) exact   (c) correct   (d) misleading
8. A firm doubled sales but tripled expenses. Which inference is safest? (a) A loss must have been avoided   (b) Profit cannot be inferred without actual revenue and cost amounts   (c) Every unit sold at twice its price   (d) Profit must have tripled
9. Place in the logical order: proofread, draft, publish, plan. (a) publish, plan, proofread, draft   (b) proofread, draft, plan, publish   (c) plan, draft, proofread, publish   (d) draft, publish, plan, proofread
10. In “The report was candid, though uncomfortable,” candid most nearly means … (a) frank   (b) flattering   (c) evasively written   (d) evasive

Verbal Aptitude Marking Scheme — Separate (10 Marks)

Question 1 – ✅ (a) argument
Question 2 – ✅ (b) reader
Question 3 – ✅ (c) stanza
Question 4 – ✅ (b) capable of succeeding
Question 5 – ✅ (d) its net price is below the original listed price
Question 6 – ✅ (a) performance
Question 7 – ✅ (d) misleading
Question 8 – ✅ (b) Profit cannot be inferred without actual revenue and cost amounts
Question 9 – ✅ (c) plan, draft, proofread, publish
Question 10 – ✅ (a) frank