Name: __________________________ Register No: _______ Class: ______

MID-YEAR EXAMINATION 2012

Secondary Three Express
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
1128/02
Paper 2 Comprehension
INSERT
This question paper consists of 3 printed pages excluding the cover page.

HAI SING CATHOLIC 2012

[Turn over]
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1 Page 1

Section B [20 marks]

Text 2
(When he was a young man, the writer travelled across Spain. The passage describ
es a journey he
made from the port of Vigo to the town of Zamora during his first few days in th
at country.)
1 It was early and still dark when we reached the harbour and the soothingly rhy
thmic rocking
of the ship stopped. I was awakened by the noise of the rattling anchor going ov
er the side. I
didn t want to move at first, because I had enjoyed the voyage, my very first expe
rience of the
sea. So I lay for a while in the silence of Vigo harbour and listened to the fir
st faint sounds of
Spain
a howling dog and the sharp cry of a cockerel. I had at last reached my de
stination, 5
and so I went up onto the deck and for the first time in my life I saw, looped r
ound the bay like
a sparkling necklace, the shape of a foreign city. There was no movement among t
he houses,
but lights were coming on and twinkling as people got up for the new day.
2 I was in Spain and a new life was beginning. I had a few coins in my pocket an
d no return
ticket; I had a rucksack, a tent, some spare clothes, a blanket, a violin and on
ly enough words 10
to ask for a glass of water. The sun rose, and people started appearing on the s
treet. I cut my
last connection with home by changing my coins into local currency, bought some
bread and
fruit and headed straight for the open country.
3 I spent the rest of the day on the long, arduous climb up from the coast, and
then decided to
put up my tent for the night on a craggy hilltop. A primitive instinct had force
d me to leave the 15
road and climb to this rocky tower, which gave me an eagle s view of the distant h
arbour I had
recently left. I could see where I had been that day and much of the country sti
ll to come,
which rolled desolately away, white and silent. Faced with its alien magnificenc
e, I felt a pang
of homesickness, but nevertheless a twinge of excitement.
4 Night fell quickly and the valleys filled with heavy shadows which took on str
ange and eerie 20
shapes. The jagged coastline looked menacing, like fragments of broken glass. As
the sun
went down, Vigo became cold and dim, smothered in the blue dusk. I couldn t help b
ut feel
abandoned, even though it was foolish of me, when I saw the small white ship on
which I had
arrived sail off in the gloom. I sat on the hilltop, my teeth chattering as the
night wind rose. I
found a little hollow out of the wind, ate some bread and fruit and put up my sm
all tent. 25
Because I had only a bed of stones to lie on, sleep eluded me. Moreover, I was t
roubled by
wild dogs which howled in the distance. Not until dawn did their yelping and sna
rling stop and

I fell asleep at last.

5 When I woke next morning it was already light; I looked at my watch and saw th
at it was six
o clock. Realising that I was uncomfortably drenched in dew, I wriggled out of my
blanket and 30
lay in the rising sun, inhaling the pleasant smell of drying bushes and wild her
bs. I felt the
warm earth beneath my stiff limbs and forgot the dew on the hillside as I looked
out on a new
world, alone and without a plan, in a place that was totally unfamiliar to me.
6 The next day I followed the track through the hills, giving in to a feeling of
loneliness when I
saw occasional signs of life
sometimes a shepherd s hut, or a boy with a flock of
goat. The 35
track climbed higher into the clear, cold air, and I followed it, frequently con
vinced that I had
lost my way. That night I took shelter in a ruined castle. The remains of fires
and the skeleton
of a sheep, propped in one corner, sent shivers of apprehension down my spine. T
his place
was, I thought, an obvious refuge for bandits. But I slept well enough, in spite
of the rustlings
in the walls and the sighing of the mountain wind. On the following day, I finis
hed my bread 40
and fruit, and was glad to find some wild grapes to eat. After that, all I remem
ber about those
days is a steadily sharpening hunger, which made me lose all track of time, I wa
s aware of
nothing but a shifting pattern of sun and shadow, hunger and sleep.
7 I came down at last to the rich plain around the town of Zamora, where crops g
rew in
abundance in the Spanish summer. My head thumped in the blindingly bright light
and I 45
screwed up my eyes, which in itself was painful because my face had been burned
by the
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1 Page 2

sun. I stood there, covered in road dust, and looked at Zamora

somewhat decrepit
now, but
still retaining something of its splendid past. The nearby river was like a leat
hery arm of
wrinkled mud, with a vein down the middle of green, stagnant water. I padded int
o the town
square and sat down under a tree. After the long day s walk my back was soaked wit
h sweat. 50
I slipped my bag to the ground; it had felt like a load of stones and I was glad
to be free to it.
Adapted from As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1 Page 3

by Laurie Lee

Section C [25 marks]

Text 3
The article below explains how humans are affecting the population of sharks.
1
Faced with drastically changed environments or catastrophically reduced populati
on sizes,
many species may change and evolve, become rare, or even go extinct. The changes
humans make and continue to make, through the effects of our technology and our
sheer
numbers are gravely affecting their habitats and numbers. Every environmental ch
ange we
make: spilling of oil into the sea, silting of reefs, clearing of forests and ev
en the flushing of a
toilet eventually affects the sea and the animals that live in it.
2
Overfishing of sharks is of growing international concern. Repeated catches of c
artilaginous
fishes currently exceed 700,000 tons a year and few shark fisheries have any kin
d of
enforced management control in place. In the 1930s and 1940s, demand for shark l
iver oil
stimulated rapid growth of fisheries for sharks all over the world. Although sha
rks are no
longer in great demand today for its liver oil, the shark population has never r
ecovered due to
the depletion of its juveniles. In addition to such specialised fisheries, trawl
ing and tuna
fishing operating over wide areas take significant numbers of sharks as by-catch
. Much of this
accidental catch from bottom trawling on the continental shelves and continental
slopes of the
world is not adequately reported but instead discarded dead at sea. These factor
s, combined
with the shark s low reproductive rates, further contribute to the rapid decline i
n their
population.
3
Biologists and conservation groups recommend immediate measures to reduce fishin
g to
sustainable levels, to stop wasteful fishing practices, and to protect fragile h
abitats, such as
inshore breeding grounds. Humans have the power to change the world. Of course,
so do
many other species. Birds transport seeds to newly created islands and forests a
re born.
Corals and algae build reefs and islands. But the power humans possess is in man
y ways
unique. We can make changes by accident or by design. We can try to understand t
he
consequences of our acts or we can act in ignorance and carelessness and destroy
the
environment.

4
The greatest difference, however, is in impact. Like every species, we interact
with and
depend upon a multitude of other species with which we share the land and ocean.
But unlike
other species, our power to change the environment is greatly magnified by our t
echnology
and by our overwhelming numbers. Hence the responsibility of saving the environm
ent
rightfully lies with us.
5
We can act individually or in concert to save the environment. Consider joining
one of the
societies or conservation groups which are working toward having effective marin
e park areas
and no-take zones declared. Subscribe to natural history and diving magazines an
d add your
vote to campaigns orchestrated for the protection of the environment. Work with
the public
aquarium in your area to learn about local and global marine issues and ways to
act. The
Internet and the World Wide Web are also great tools for learning and sharing yo
ur
observations and ideas for solving problems.
6
Sharks and all other creatures will remain in jeopardy unless we truly understan
d how nature
works and modify our actions to have minimal consequences. We need to help our f
uture
generation recognise the power we have to change the environment, but we should
not
oversimplify the matter or preach stridently or we risk losing our credibility.
Adapted from

Sharks and Us

National Geographic, Sept 2000

5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1
Page 4

MID-YEAR EXAMINATION 2012

Secondary Three Express
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
1128/02
Paper 2 Comprehension
ANSWER BOOKLET
This question paper consists of 6 printed pages excluding the cover page.
HAI SING CATHOLIC 2012 [Turn over]
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1 Page 5

Section B [20 marks]

Refer to Text 2 on pages 1 and 2 of the Insert for Questions 1
1.
In paragraph 1, the writer tells us that Vigo resembled
hat two [2]
ways did Vigo resemble a sparkling necklace ?
Number your answers (i) and (ii).

11.

a sparkling necklace . In w

i)
_________________________________________________________________
ii)
2.
Apart from a shortage of money, what other evidence is there to suggest that the
writer [1]
might have difficulty settling in this new country?
3.
a new life was beginning . What two pieces of evidence in paragraph 2 tell you that
[2]
the writer had no intention to return to his old life?
Evidence 1 -_______________________________________________________
Evidence 2 -_______________________________________________________
4.
In paragraph 3, the writer said he had an eagle s view (line 16). What kind of view
does [1]
the writer have from his perch on the hilltop?
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1
Page 6

5. In paragraph 4, the writer felt threatened. What two specific descriptions of

the [2]
landscape in this paragraph create this feeling?
Number your answers i) and ii)
i) ______________________________________________________________
ii) ______________________________________________________________
The writer was
carefree and
excited when
he woke up
that morning.
Oh, but I
think he
was also
lonely and
anxious that
morning.
Ben Alice
i) How did Ben arrive at the conclusion that the writer was carefree and excited
?
a: Carefree: ________________________________________________________
b. Excited: _________________________________________________________
ii) How would Alice support her claim that the writer was lonely and anxious?
a. Lonely : _________________________________________________________
b. Anxious: ________________________________________________________
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1 Page 7
6. Here is part of the conversation between two students, Alice and Ben who have
read [4]
paragraph 5.

7. In paragraph 6, the writer felt lonely when he saw occasional signs of life.
Why would the [1]
signs of life make him feel lonely?
8.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Explain fully why the writer was apprehensive when he took shelter in the ruined
castle. [2]
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
9. Why did the writer describe the plain in the town of Zamora as rich (line 44)?
[1]
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
10. My head thumped in the blindingly bright light . (line 45) In your own words de
scribe [1]
the effect of the sun on the writer at this point of his journey.
11. a. The writer compared the nearby river to a leathery arm of wrinkled mud (lin
es 48 -[2]
49). Why did the writer make this comparison?
b. Besides the condition that the river was in, what other evidence is there tha
t Zamora [1]
did not get much rainfall?
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1 Page 8

Section C [25 marks]

Refer to Text 3 on page 2 of the Insert for Questions 12

19.

12.
How do many species cope when their existence is threatened? [1]
13.
State the factors that allow humans to change the environment rapidly. [1]
14.
The writer states that every environmental change we make affects the earth. How
[1]
does he emphasise this point?
15.
In paragraph 3, the writer mentions two differences in the way that we humans [2
]
change the world compared to other species. What are these two differences?
First difference ________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Second
difference
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
16.
Quote the word in paragraph 4 that the writer uses to show that other species ha
ve a
right to earth too.
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1
Page 9

17. But unlike other species, our power to change the environment is greatly magn
ified
by our technology and by our overwhelming numbers.
In your own words explain what led the writer to the conclusion that the
responsibility of saving the world rightfully lies with us.
[2]
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
18 we should not oversimplify the matter or preach stridently or we risk losing ou
r
credibility. (line 39)
Explain in your own words what the writer feels we should not do if we do not wa
nt
to lose our credibility.
[2]
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
19. Shark population has been falling. The passage deals with the reasons for th
is trend
and the various actions that can be taken to address this problem.
Using your own words as far as possible, summarise the factors which contribute
to the reduction in the number of sharks and what we, as individuals, can do to
improve the situation.
[15]
Use only information from paragraph 2 to 5.
Your summary which should be in continuous writing (not note form), must not be
longer than 80 words (not counting the words given to help you begin).
Begin your summary as follows: Overfishing of sharks has depleted shark juvenile
s,
making it difficult
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1 Page 10

Total number of words : (________)

HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1 Page 11

MID-YEAR EXAMINATION 2012

Secondary Three Express
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
1128/02
Paper 2 Comprehension
ANSWERS
This question paper consists of 5 printed pages excluding the cover page.
HAI SING CATHOLIC 2012
[Turn over]
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1 Page 12

1.
In paragraph 1, the writer tells us that Vigo resembled
hat two [2]
ways did Vigo resemble a sparkling necklace ?
Number your answers (i) and (ii).

a sparkling necklace . In w

i)
Note: Key ideas are i) shape and ii) light
It/Vigo was looped round the bay / was circular/ curved/ went round the bay /coa
st/
land/ sea
(Note: Accept lift of line 7 (looped round the bay (like a sparkling necklace)
Excess denies and shape of foreign city = 0)
ii)
The lights in the city were bright/ twinkling/ sparkling / coming on/ flashing/
shining/shiny.
Or
Vigo was bright/ lit up/ illuminated/ bright
(Note: Accept lift of line)
2.
Apart from a shortage of money, what other evidence is there to suggest that the
writer [1]
might have difficulty settling in this new country?
He only knew enough words to ask for a glass of water.
Note: He could not/could hardly speak the language / didn t speak the language well
does not merit mark as no
evidence has been supplied.
.
Accept the lift of lines 11
12 ( only enough words to ask for a glass of water.) b
ut had enough words to ask for a glass of
water = 0 -doesn t answer question.
3.
a new life was beginning . What two pieces of evidence in paragraph 2 tell you that
[2]
the writer had no intention to return to his old life?
He had no return ticket (1)
He had changed whatever little money he has into the local currency.(1)
Note: Do not accept lift of lines 10
11 (I had a few coins
and no return ticket )
Any reference to rucksack, tent, clothes, blanket, violin = 0
4. In paragraph 3, the writer had an eagle s view (line 17). What kind of view does
the [1]
writer have from his perch on the hilltop?
He had a panoramic view.
He could see the area that was spread out below and behind him.
Note: aerial view = 0 as the writer is not in the air. Students have to extract
the relevant part of bird eye view but not to
take it literally.
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1 Page 13

5. In paragraph 4, the writer felt threatened. What

landscape in this paragraph create this feeling?
two specific descriptions of the [2]
Number your answers i) and ii)
i. heavy shadows which took on strange and eerie shapes
6.
ii. the jagged coastline looked menacing like broken fragments of glass
Note that the students are to provide the detailed description like broken fragm
ents of glass .
Here is part of the conversation between two students, Alice and Ben who have re
ad
paragraph 5.
[4]
The writer was
carefree and
excited when
he woke up
that morning.
Oh, but I
think he
was also
lonely and
anxious that
morning.
Ben
Alice
iii) How did Ben arrive at the conclusion that the writer was carefree and excit
ed?
a.
Carefree: He had no plan for the day
no schedule to adhere to so is
carefree.
b.
Excited: He sees the world as a new place so there is excitement in
exploring it.
iv) How would Alice support her claim that the writer was lonely and anxious?
a.
Lonely: The writer had used the word alone . He has no company and
therefore could be expected to feel lonely.
b.
Anxious: The place is unfamiliar to him and that could give rise to anxiety.
The lack of plan could also give rise to anxiety.
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1
Page 14

7.
In paragraph 6, the writer felt lonely when he saw occasional signs of life. Why
would the [1]
signs of life make him feel lonely?
The signs of life could remind him that he had no friends in this country.
8.
Explain fully why the writer was apprehensive when he took shelter in the ruined
castle. [2]
The presence of the skeleton made him realise that the place was a hideout for
bandits [1]
and that he might run into them / they might cause him harm if they find him the
re.
[1]
for the consequence.
9.
Why did the writer describe the plain in the town of Zamora as

rich

(line 47)? [1]

Because crops grew in abundance here.

10.
My head thumped in the blindingly bright light . (line 48) In your own words descri
be [1]
the effect of the sun on the writer at this point of his journey.
It gave him a headache.
11.
a. The writer compared the nearby river to a leathery arm of wrinkled mud (lines [
2]
50 -51). Why did the writer make this comparison?
a.
He wanted to emphasise how dry the river was. [1]
b.
Even the river bed was exposed and the mud in it drying up as well. [1]
b.
Besides the condition that the river was in, what other evidence is there that Z
amora [1]
did not get much rainfall?
He was coated with dust.
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1
Page 15

Section C [25 marks]

Refer to Text 3 on page 2 of the Insert for Questions 12

19.

12.
How do many species cope when their existence is threatened? [1]
They change and evolve.
Note: Both points must be included to score 1 mark
Inclusion of become rare, or even go extinct = 0
13.
State the factors that allow humans to change the environment rapidly. [1]
Our technology [ ] and our sheer numbers [ ].
14.
The writer states that every environmental change we make affects the earth. How
[1]
does he emphasise this point?
By telling us that even the simple act of flushing the toilet effects the
environment.
15
In paragraph 3, the writer mentions two differences in the way that we humans [2
]
change the world compared to other species. What are these two differences?
First difference Animals change the world through
unconsciously [ ]
Man have a choice of affecting the world through
[ ]
Second
difference
Animals change the world through acts that result
positive effects [ ] whereas the effects humans
the world can be both positive and negative [ ]

acts that are done

design

in
have on

16.
In paragraph 3, quote a word that the writer used to show that animals like huma
ns [1]
have a right to the earth.
share
17.
In your own words explain what led the writer to the conclusion that the [2]
responsibility of saving the world rightfully lies with us.
Because of technology and our huge population [1], the impact we have on the
environment is very much greater compared to the impact that other species
make [1].
Note: Comparison must be made to earn the second mark.
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1
Page 16

18
we should not oversimplify the matter or preach stridently or we risk losing our [
2]
credibility. (line 39)
Explain in your own words what the writer feels we should not do if we do not wa
nt
to lose our credibility.
We should not make light of the situation/ make it seem like it is an easy
problem to solve. [1]
and
We should not push too hard/ be too persistent or insistent in getting people to
see their role in saving the environment. [1]
19.
Shark population has been falling. The passage deals with the reasons for this t
rend [15]
and the various actions that can be taken to address this problem.
Using your own words as far as possible, summarise the factors which contribute
to the reduction in the number of sharks and what we, as individuals, can do to
improve the situation.
Use only information from paragraphs 2 to 5.
Your summary which should be in continuous writing (not note form), must not be
longer than 80 words (not counting the words given to help you begin).
Begin your summary as follows: Overfishing of sharks has depleted shark juvenile
s,
making it difficult
1. for its population to recover even today.
2. Few shark fisheries have any kind of enforced management control
3. Sharks are also victims of by-catches
4. They also have low reproductive rates
Individual effort:
5. We must try and understand the consequences of our actions
6. Try and understand how nature works
7. By subscribing to natural history or diving magazines
8. Or working with the local aquarium to learn about marine issues
9. Use the Internet to learn and share observation and ideas for solving problem
s.
10. we can join a conservation group
11. Add our votes to campaigns to protect the environment.
(maximum of 5 points for this factor)
has depleted juveniles making it difficult for shark population to recover.
Furthermore, few fisheries enforce any form of control. Sharks also become bycatches, victims of tuna trawling. Their very low reproductive rates also make i
t
difficult for their numbers to grow. As individuals, we can help by reading up
on how nature works in magazines or the internet. We must also try and
understand the consequences of our actions. Lastly, we can join conservation

groups and vote to protect the environment.

Total number of words : (80)
HaiSingCatholicSchool/MYE/2012/Paper1
Page 17