Graphic Stimulus (5 x 1 mark = 5 marks)

Study the following text and answer questions 1 to 5.

For each question from 1 to 5,four options are given. One of them is the correct answer.
Make your choice (1,2,3 or 4). Shade the correct oval (1,2,3 or 4) on the Optical Answer
Sheet.

1. The advertisement promotes ___________________________.

1. free drama classes for children.

2. drama as an effective learning tool for children
3. the teaching of communication abilities of children.
4. English lessons for children who sign up for drama classes.

2. Drama lessons commence ________________________ .

1. in the first week of April

2. in the last week of April
3. only in selected centres.
4. immediately after registration

3. The drama classes are conducted for _____________________.

1. both parents and children

2. secondary students only
3. all students who are interested in drama
4. only residents in the eastern, western and central parts of Singapore

4. The Children’s Drama Centre claims that drama _________________.

1. will develop children to become more confident.

2. will make children become professional actors
3. is only useful for children between the ages of 5 and 17
4. is taught free of charge on weekends

5. Which of the following statements of Helen O’Grady’s Drama Centre is False?

1. The programme is catered for children who are between 5 and 17 years of age.
2. Free trial classes are conducted for children only this weekend.
3. They have branch offices in the central, western and eastern parts of Singapore.
4. They do not entertain telephone queries.
Grammar (7 x 1 mark = 7 marks)
For each question from 6 to 12, four options are given. One of them is the correct answer.
Make your choice (1,2,3 or 4). Shade the correct oval (1,2,3 or 4) on the Optical Answer
Sheet.

6 Joshua used to _________________ the guitar to entertain us.

1) strum
2) strums
3) strummed
4) strumming

7. Ramu, ________________ pet dog was killed in the accident, was very sad.

1) who
2) which
3) whom
4) whose

8. ____________ young, I have always wanted to be a veterinarian and care for

animals.

1) Until
2) Since
3) When
4) While

9. While the train ____________________, the man jumped off.

1) moves
2) moved
3) is moving
4) was moving

10. Siti stopped _________________ the store to buy a birthday gift for her
mother.

1) by
2) in
3) on
4) off
11. After three years of fighting with cancer, she managed to ________________
and is living healthily now.

1) pull up
2) pull off
3) pull away
4) pull through

12. These problem sums are ____________________ than the ones that we did
yesterday.

1) challenging
2) as challenging as
3) most challenging
4) more challenging
Punctuation (3 x 1 = 3 marks)
For each question from 13 to 15, choose the correct punctuation to complete passage.
Shade the correct oval (1, 2, 3 or 4) on the Optical Answer Sheet.

“Goodnight (13) I said to my parents, still feeling sore about being sent to bed
early. Reluctantly, I entered my room and clambered into my bed (14) I fell asleep
as soon as my head touched the pillow.
Suddenly, I found myself in front of an eerie, dilapidated house. The moment I
stepped inside (15) I was engulfed in total darkness.

13. (1) [ “] inverted commas

(2) [ ,” ] comma and inverted commas

(3) [ .“ ] full stop and inverted commas

(4) [ ?” ] question mark and inverted commas

14. (1) [ ,] comma

(2) [ .] full stop

(3) [?] question mark

(4) [ !] exclamation mark

15. (1) [ ,] comma

(2) [ .] full stop

(3) [ ;] semi-colon

(4) [ “] inverted commas

Vocabulary (5 x 1 mark = 5 marks)

For each question from 16 to 20, four options are given. One of them is the correct
answer. Make your choice (1, 2, 3 or 4). Shade the correct oval (1, 2, 3 or 4) on the
Optical Answer Sheet.

16. The doctor handed Li Ning her _______________ so that she could buy the
medicine at the pharmacy.
(1) meditation
(2) medication
(3) prescription
(4) subscription

17. The accused was released as there was inadequate _______________ to convict
him.
(1) news
(2) details
(3) verdict
(4) evidence

18. When Ali saw the house on fire, he _______________ woke everybody up.

(1) reluctantly
(2) leisurely
(3) promptly
(4) hesitantly

19. The Lees _____________ happily with their guests during the private function.
(1) fused
(2) mingled
(3) combined
(4) associated

20. Weather satellites are able to provide advance ________________ of storms and
hurricanes.
(1) signs
(2) advice
(3) symptoms
(4) warnings
Vocabulary Cloze (5 x 1 mark = 5 marks)

For each question from 21 to 25, choose the word(s) closest in meaning to the underlined
word. Shade the correct oval (1, 2, 3 or 4) on the Optical Answer Sheet.

Sandy looked into the gloom. It was hard to see where her dog was, but she could
(21)
pick out his white tail. Suddenly, she saw an animal on the roof. It was looking intently at

her dog, now smelling things in the corner of the yard. It moved forward stealthily to the
(22) (23)
edge of the slope and jumped from the roof.

The two animals fought very hard. They were about the same size, so neither had
(24)
the upper hand. Sandy snatched a rake quickly and brought it down between the two

animals. Both yelped and the other animal ran away.

(25)

21. (1) glanced

(2) peered
(3) scanned
(4) observed

22. (1) biting

(2) eyeing
(3) chewing
(4) sniffing

23. (1) crept

(2) glided
(3) dawdled
(4) scampered

24. (1) harshly

(2) unkindly
(3) viciously
(4) persistently

25. (1) fled

(2) detoured
(3) emigrated
(4) relinquished
Comprehension MCQ (5 x 1 mark = 5 marks)

Read the passage below and answer questions 26 to 30.

The condition in the dark cell was terrible. Carlos, a young soldier, who had been
locked up in it for years, made plans to escape. One night, the prison guards who kept
watch over him got drunk. Carlos seized the golden opportunity and escaped from the
enemy’s camp with little difficulty.

5
However, the real challenge began after Carlos had escaped from the ‘burning
hell’. He realised that his only chance of being rescued by his own people was to find his
way to the coast. He estimated that the distance from the camp to the coast was a few
hundred kilometres and between them were the Alps.

Carlos was determined to make it over the Alps to his long-awaited freedom. He
was on a constant lookout for wolves and man-killing sheepdogs. Since he was without a 10

compass, the soldier had to rely on the stars to find his way. Very soon, he was weak
from hunger, thirst and exhaustion.

On one occasion while Carlos was walking, he thought he saw the sea in the
distance. However, just when he thought he had reached his final destination, he
collapsed a few seconds later. When he regained consciousness, he found himself locked 15
up in his cell again, with his limps all chained up.

Carlos’ hope for freedom was completely dashed. He could blame no one except
his wretched fate for letting his one and only chance to freedom slip away.
For each question from 26 to 30, four options are given. One of them is the correct answer.
Make your choice (1, 2, 3 or 4). Shade the correct oval (1, 2, 3 or 4) on the Optical Answer
Sheet.

26. Carlos managed to escape from the cell _____________________________.

(1) with a great deal of difficulty
(2) after being locked up for a year
(3) with the help from the prison guards
(4) when the guards were negligent during their duty

27. Between the enemy camp and Carlos’ freedom was a _______________________.

(1) coast
(2) mountain
(3) deep valley
(4) winding road spanning a few hundred kilometres

28. From the way Carlos found his way, we know that he __________________.

(1) was walking in the night

(2) travelled in broad daylight
(3) used a reliable compass to help him find the way
(4) was on a constant lookout for wild animals

29. The young soldier finally collapsed because he _________________________.

(1) was attacked by the enemies

(2) was suffering from an illness
(3) was worn out physically
(4) was at his final destination

30. What does ‘letting his one and only chance to freedom slip away’ in line 18 tell
you about Carlos’ future escape?

(1) He had to use a compass on his next escape.

(2) He had almost no chance of escaping again.
(3) He had to plan his future escape more carefully.
(4) He had not given up hope on escaping from the cell.

Grammar Cloze (10 x 1 = 10 marks)

There are 10 blanks, numbered 31 to 40, in the passage below. From the list of words
given, choose the most suitable word for each blank. Write its letter (A to Q) in the blank.
The letters (I) and (O) have been omitted to avoid confusion during marking.

EACH WORD CAN BE USED ONLY ONCE

(A) by (D) to (G) of (K) the (N) between

(B) in (E) be (H) across (L) after (P) with
(C) that (F) while (J) were (M) it (Q) beside

The only area in Singapore where one can witness some of

the destruction of World War II during the Japanese invasion, was opened to the

public. ________________ two tunnels at Labrador Park and the jagged metal pieces
(31)
________________ jut out from the tunnels’ brick walls are signs of the
(32)
explosion that occurred during the war.

The National Parks Board (NParks) installed lights and smoothed out part

of the floor to make _________________ safe for visitors. The tunnels were built in
(33)
the1880s. ________________ Singapore fell to the Japanese __________________
(34) (35)
1942, they were forgotten and hidden ________________ vegetation. NPark officials
(36)
stumbled __________________ them in 2001 and they are now part of the history trail
(37)
at the park. To encourage people to visit the place, local transport company SBS Transit

will operate_________________ Harbour Front and Labrador Park on weekends and

(38)
public holidays. Guided tours of the tunnels will also ___________________ conducted
(39)
daily.

Labrador Park, off Pasir Panjang Road was officially declared as a nature reserve

in 2002 ____________________ preserve the plants, birds and insects there. From the
(40)
start, the place has served as a defence site to protect Singapore’s harbour.

Editing for Spelling and Grammar (10 x 1 = 10 marks)

Correct each word in bold for spelling and each underlined word for grammar. Write the
correct word in the relevant box.

Wee Seng stared at the stuffed animals in the glass showcases. Despite

(41)

been warned to keep quiet, he could not resist mimicking the elephant. He tried
(42)

to trumpet like an elephant but it sounded more like a lion roaring. Went Wee
(43)

Seng heard the hurried footsteps of the security guard, he quickly sneecked

behind the pillar.

(44)

When he was sure that the tall, burly man had left, Wee Seng imerjed
(45)

from his hiding place. He was alarmed to find the building eceptionaly quiet

(46)

but with no visitors around. He became frightened when he realized that the
(47)

doors were bolted and the lights turned away. He checked his watch. It was way

(48)
past the closing hour and he was locked inside the muzeuim! Wee Seng could
(49)

heard his heart thumping wildly. The stuffed animals that had seemed funny a

while ago now appeared scary with their glassy eyes. Wee Seng started crying and

(50)
regrreted what he had done earlier

Comprehension Cloze (15 x 1 mark = 15 marks)

Fill in each blank with a suitable word.

The hiker had been wandering in the thick jungle for many days. He was

hopelessly (51) _____________ with no compass and he knew his (52) _____________ of

leaving the place alive were very slim. He was also sick with malaria, a deadly disease

(53)_____________ by mosquitoes. He had a high fever, his throat was terribly dry and his

tongue was swollen. He yearned for (54) _____________.

His spirits rose when he (55) _____________ a small pond partially concealed by

several trees. There was some water in it and he eagerly (56) _____________ a handful and

tasted it. Immediately, he (57) _____________ it out. The water was bitter. He

(58) __________________ the water was contaminated and a brief look around provided him

the answer. There were several cinchona trees at the edge of the (59) _____________ and

their roots apparently reached into water. He had been (60) _____________ by the villagers a

few weeks ago that the trees were poisonous.

Although he knew the water was not (61) _____________ for consumption, the

hiker’s thirst was so great that he gave no thought to the (62) _____________. He continued

to drink (63) _____________ he felt he was going to throw up. Then he leaned

(64)__________________ a tree and waited for the poison to take effect. Strangely, he felt

stronger after a while and his (65) _____________ subsided. After several days, he recovered

fully and managed to find his way out of the jungle. Some of the villagers who were sick

with malaria were amazed when they heard of his experience.

Synthesis / Transformation (5 x 2 marks = 10 marks)

For each of the questions from 66 to 70, rewrite the given sentence(s) using the word(s)
provided. Your answer must be in one sentence. The meaning of your sentence must be
the same as the meaning of the given sentence(s).

66. Darren is only four years old. He can play the violin very well.
__________________________________________________________ although
_________________________________________________________________.

67. “Did any of you see the shooting star last night?” Trisha asked her classmates.

Trisha asked _______________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________.

68. Mr Osman does not like swimming. Mrs Osman also does not like swimming.

Both _____________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

69. Kelvin said he will only forgive you if you apologise to him.

Unless ___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

70. The outdoor concert of the rock band was cancelled. It was raining heavily.

____________________________________________________________ due to
_________________________________________________________________.

Comprehension OE (10 x 2 = 20 marks)

Read the passage below and answer the questions 71 to 80.

The woman lived in a little hut at the heart of the dense forest. It was an area
avoided by most, as there had always been rumours that wild, man-eating beasts lived
there. The appearance of the forest did little to persuade people otherwise. The large,
mangled trees seemed to have a life of their own. Some people swore that the trees
5
moved, that they tried to reach out to passers-by and catch them in their crooked
branches. The woman had chosen this place for her home precisely because of the
rumours, as the rumours kept people away. She knew there were no ferocious beasts or
wicked trees there, and all she wanted for the rest of her lifetime was solitude.
The people in the villages beyond the forest called her many names. The more
fearful called her ‘crazy’ for choosing a home among the ‘ferocious beasts’ and the 10
‘wicked trees’; the more compassionate called her ‘poor, sad soul’ as she was all alone
without a family. However, those who knew more about her knew her as a healer. The
woman knew how to use the wild herbs and plants of the forest to make potions that
could heal a variety of ailments.
15
“Well, Tinkle,” she said to her little black cat. “It’s time to go to the forest’s
edge.”
No matter how much some of the villagers valued her healing abilities, they still
refused to set foot in the forest. So, every week, the woman would meet them at a place
they felt more comfortable in.
As soon as she had settled herself down, a string of ‘patients’ approached her. 20

“Ma’am, please help my son. He’s burnt his hand.”

“I’ve had a fever for three days and it won’t go away.”
“Look at my skin, it’s so dry it’s peeling off!”
The woman had remedies for them all. So far, the villages were happy with the
25
healing service she provided. In return, they gave her food and an occasional blanket or
sweater. Yet, the woman feared that a day might come when one of her potions would
hurt instead of heal. If that happened, the villagers would point a finger at her and stop
treating her with kindness. Until then, at least, she had their kind words and wishes.
ALL ANSWERS MUST BE IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.

71. Why did the woman choose to live in the forest?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

72. What rumours kept the villagers away from the forest?
_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

73. Why did the woman and her cat go to the edge of the forest?
_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

__

74. Who do you think are her ‘string of patients’?

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

__

75. What did the woman use for healing ailments?

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

76. What does the phrase ‘to set foot in’ (line 18) mean?
 _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

__

77. Which word in the passage has the same meaning as ‘sympathetic’?
_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

78. What does the word ‘them’ in line 24 refer to?

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

79. How do the villagers reward the woman for her services?

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

80. What would be the likely reason for villagers to ‘stop treating her with
kindness’?
_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
END OF PAPER