NAME:………………..…………………………………………… INDEX NO:………….…….

CANDIDATE’S SIGNATURE: ……………………………………….

DATE: …………………………………

101/2
ENGLISH
PAPER 2
(Comprehension, Literary Appreciation
and Grammar)
Feb-March 2025
2 ½ HOURS

MID TERM ONE TRIAL EVALUATION TEST 2025

Pre-Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

 Write your name and index in the spaces provided above. Sign and write the date of
examination in the spaces provided above.
 Answer ALL the questions in this question paper.
 ALL your answers must be written in the spaces provided in the question paper.

For Examiner’s Use Only

Question Maximum Score
1 20
2 25
3 20
4 15
Total score

This paper consists of 12 printed pages. Candidates should check the question paper to ensure that all the pages are printed as indicates and no
questions are missing.

Page 1 of 10
Question 1
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:
A growing number of people are being afflicted with a condition christened “ Cyberchondria” – the
techies’ term for patients who use the internet for self-diagnosis, and then present “misinformation”
to their doctor.
Many of those who result to internet for solutions to their health problems say they want information
on a medically diagnosed disease or illness, or to find alternative treatments.
Others seek support from fellow sufferers. There are those who turn to online diagnosis because of the
state of government health services in the country. Our health service is itself not entirely healthy, and
it barely survives with shoe-string budgets, low staffing levels and long queues of patients praying for
help.
Internet statistics show that sites offering information on issues related to skin disorders, HIV and
Aids, diabetes, cancer and sexually transmitted infections register more hits than other health
information searches on the internet.
Self-diagnosis using medical websites is tricky, especially because these websites cover specific
medical conditions. For example, if you type the symptom ‘stomach pain into the search engine of a
general health and medical website, it may offer gastritis, appendicitis, irritable bowel syndrome or
gastoententis for further information.
It would be a mistake to consider these suggestions as possible diagnoses, because your stomach pain
could be caused by a build-up of gas following the baked beans and eggs you had for lunch! The same
goes for physical pains, such as pain in the lower back, or neurological symptoms. You can’t rely on a
website for self-diagnosis because it is going to spit out the most common reason for your symptoms,
which may not be accurate.
It is better to present your aching stomach or back to your physician or health care professional for a
more informed diagnosis. Otherwise, you may be wasting time, prayers, money and emotional energy
taking care of a disease that you don’t actually have. Whereas internet information can be valuable, the
online health consumer should be wary because medical misinformation or ‘ cyberquackery’ is rife on
the internet. It is important to know how to recognize a reputable site.
You also can’t use the Internet as the gospel truth to determine health problems because not all
diseases and disorders are going to be catalogued on websites.
Even a seemingly thorough site like WebMD.com is going to miss something, and you don’t want to
rely on incomplete information.
Furthermore, you have no way of guaranteeing that the health information found on the Internet is
accurate, I’m a public health technician, with bias in monitoring and evaluation, but I can start a
website that says just about anything notwithstanding. I don’t have to have a medical degree to give
faulty advice.
Online diagnosis may breed panic and apprehension. Many people look up their symptoms on the
internet and discover that they could have any number of terminal or serious illnesses when they really
have nothing to worry about at all.
Why put those types of thought in your head? Generally speaking, doctors advise that one should ask a
few questions about the information collected from an internet site before deciding whether to trust it.
You need to find out who is responsible for the content, and whether the website is owned or
sponsored by reputable organization. Every affiliation should be clearly shown on the website. Look
for credentials and qualifications of the professionals presenting the information. Be especially
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cautions if they are anonymous. Can you contact the owners of the website via email, telephone and
regular mail? Be vigilant, if the owners don’t offer any means of communication.
(Adapted from the Daily Nation March 2008)

Questions
1. (a) According to the passage, what is cyberchondria? (1mk)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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(b) Why do patients resort to internet for solution to their health problems?(2mks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
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……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(c) What picture does the writer paint about government health services? (2mks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
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(d) Describe how one can access a medical solution from the internet. (2mks)

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(e) What caution does the writer give in paragraph six? (2mks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………............

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………............................................................................................................…

(f) Why does the writer prefer health care professionals to the website? (2mks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
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(g) You also can’t use the internet as the gospel truth to determine health problems.
(Paraphrase the above statement) (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(h) What is the attitude of the writer towards looking for medical solutions from the
Internet, illustrate. (2mks)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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(i) Online diagnosis may breed panic and apprehension
(Rewrite the sentence in the passive) (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………...............................................................................................…
(j) Make notes on the precautions to be taken if one wishes to get credible
diagnosis from the internet. (3mks)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………….....................................................................................................…
…………………………………………………………………………………………….......
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(k) Explain the meaning of the following expressions as used in the passage:
Shoe string budget
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
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 Hits
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
........................................................................................................................................................

2. Read the excerpt below and then answer the questions that follow:

Mossi: Far from the truth! Take the issue of development, for example. Everywhere in The Samaritan,
I am being accused of inflating the cost of projects and presiding over shoddy Municipal works. Am I
indeed responsible for that?
Nicole: Maybe it is because you are the overall leader. The buck stops with you, as they say.
Mossi: Oh, yes, it's easy to think so because I am the overall custodian of the public good in our
Municipality. But take any project, such as the construction and maintenance of secondary roads in our
town. Are any roads ever constructed? I will tell you what happens. Only a few kilometres of road are
usually dug up and then levelled. Then the contractor pours old black oil and claims the road is
tarmacked. Today, our secondary roads look like part of an abandoned battlefield where bombs were
detonated. Even tractors can get stuck in those roads! Yet, the Council pays top dollar for these roads
each year! Am I responsible?
Nicole: Tell me, Your Worship.
Mossi :(Standing up and pacing about at the boardroom) It is my Deputy! That irredeemable gossip
and broker! As you know, he doubles up as our Municipal Secretary for the Department of Physical
infrastructure. He uses this position to ensure only his companies or those of his relatives win tenders
for road construction in our Municipality. The same happens with regard to tenders for the
construction of bridges, pavements, drains and. watercourses. Sadly, they don't do any meaningful
work! They simply misappropriate the funds!
Nicole i: So what does that have to do with the people?
Mossi : Doesn't bother you that the people overwhelmingly voted for this kind of a person knowing
very well he has never accomplished anything in his life other than swindle the people?
Nicole: Oh, did they know?
Mossi: Of course, they did! There is hardly any person he has not conned in this town! You always
find him leaning on the street poles in our town's backstteets, gazing vacantly into empty spaces like
an evil Spirit — waiting for fake title deeds to be printed. He prints ten title deeds for the same plot,
and then sells the same plot to ten different people. Yet the people went ahead and voted for him! Why
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do the people glorify evil and mediocrity, and then turn and whine when it hurts them? And you know
what?
Place this excerpt in its immediate context. (4 marks)

Mayor Mossi claims that Hon. Ramdaye has conned almost everyone in their town. Mention
one Council leader who has been conned and explain how. (2 marks)

Discuss two themes raised in the excerpt. (4 marks)

Identify two-character traits of Hon. Ramdaye brought out in the excerpt. (4 marks)
What two stylistic techniques the writer has employed in the excerpt? (4 marks)
They simply misappropriate the funds! (Rewrite in the passive) (l mark)
Only a few kilometres of road are usually dug up and then levelled. (Rewrite in the active
voice) (1 mark)
Maybe it is because you are the overall leader. (Rewrite replacing "may be" with another word)
The buck stops with you, as they say. (Rewrite adding a question tag) (1 mark)
Everywhere in The Samaritan, I am being aaccused of inflating the cost of projects and
presiding over shoddy Municipal works. Rewrite replacing the underlined word with a phrasal
verb) (l mark)
Explain the meanings of the following words used in the excerpt. (2 marks)
Inflating
Misappropriate

Q3. Read the oral Narrative below and answer the questions that follow. (20 marks)
THE WARRIOR WHO HAD EIGHT LOVERS
A long time ago there was a warrior whose bravery and handsome looks made the girls of the village
fall in love with him. Eight girls, at least, were known to want to marry the young warrior, for they
had composed many songs in his praise.

Page 6 of 10
Now, this warrior was one time getting ready to go on alone raid in faraway country. Before he set off
for the raid, he called the youngest of his eight lovers and told her to put fresh milk in a small guard.
He also instructed her to keep checking on the colour of the milk every day. “Should the milk turn
red,” the warrior told the girl, “it would mean that I have been killed or I am seriously wounded.”

The young girl was so touched by the departure of her lover that she composed the following song for
him.
My warrior whom I love
For whom I open the sweet curdled
Milk of my father’s herd,
And to whom I give fat rams
Of my father to slaughter,
To whom I give my slender
Thighs to lie on,
With whom are you going on a raid next?

It happened that many days after the departure of the warrior, the girl noticed that the milk was turning
red. She wept bitterly, for she knew that her lover was either dead or dying in a faraway country.
Without telling anyone, the girl set off to look for her dying lover.

For many days she traveled, and as she walked through plains and forests she sang the song she had
composed for her warrior. She travelled on and as she travelled she checked the colour of the milk in
the gourd. Each day that she saw the milk turn a little more red, she traveled faster. And each day she
hoped that she would find her lover alive.

On the ninth day the girl sang louder and louder as she travelled. Each time she sang she would listen
to hear if there was any reply. And as she listened at one time, she heard a faint voice. There was no
mistake about it. It was her lover’s voice. She ran and ran and after a while she found her lover. He
was extremely weak and badly wounded. When the dying warrior saw her, he told her, “When I am
finished, you take my attire and weapons home. When you get a son give them to him and with that
the warrior seemed to be dying.

But the girl did not listen to him she quickly looked for water and washed his wounds. And after that
she began to look for food for him. It did not take long before she saw a deer passing by. With her
lover’s spear she killed it, and wasted the meat for her lover. For many months the young women
washed the wounds of her lover and fed him until he was well again.

Back at home everybody thought that the young woman and her lover were dead, and they insisted
that their death rites be performed. However, the father of the warrior kept postponing the death rites.
But at last the old man agreed to perform the rites because his youngest son was to be circumcised,
and could not be circumcised before the rites were performed.

So preparations for the death rites for the lost warrior were made. But on the morning of the day that
the rites were to be performed, and as people were gathering, one of the people in the gathering heard
a war song coming from the other side of the valley. He asked other people to listen. The father of the
warrior could not mistake his son’s voice. He was almost crying as he gazed on the other side of the
valley. The singing voice became clearer and before long the warrior and his lover emerged, driving a
large herd of cattle. The bells that were tied around the necks of the oxen played to the tune of the war
song.

Page 7 of 10
There was great rejoicing as people ran to meet the lost warrior and his young lover. On their arrival
back home a big bull was slaughtered and there was a great feast. People ate and drank. And the
warrior and his lover were married. The two became man and wife and lived happily. And my story
ends.

From Oral Literature. A Junior Course

By A. Bukenya and M. Gachanja,
Longhorn Kenya.

Questions
1. With appropriate illustrations, classify the oral narrative above (2mks)
........................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................

2. Identify two instances of repetition in the passage (2mks)

..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
3. Identify and illustrate one character traits of:
(i) The warrior (2mks)
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................

(ii) The youngest lover (2mks)

..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................

4. Give two functions of the song. (2mks)

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5. Identify instances of irony in the passage (2mks)
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Page 8 of 10
 6. Name and explain one economic activity of this community. (2mks)
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................

i. Which devices have been used to start and end this story? What are their functions? (4mks)
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................

ii. Using a proverb, summarize the moral lesson in the story. (2mks)
..............................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................................

4. GRAMMAR
(a) Rewrite the following sentences as instructed. (5mks)

(i) The young man did not join a public university. He did not pass the exam.
(Rewrite as one sentence beginning: If ...)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) I waited until it was my turn to see the doctor. I was sitting on the couch.( Rewrite as
one sentence beginning: Sitting

………………………………………………………………………………………………........
………………………………………………………………………………………………........

(iii) I never thought I would ever be a minister. (Begin: Not once.........)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

iv) Come with me. (Add a question tag)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

v) Most students benefit when they read in the morning. (Rewrite the sentence beginning with
a gerund)
Page 9 of 10
 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………................................................................................................…

b) Replace the underlined words with suitable phrasal verbs. (3mks)

i)The girl had to raise her siblings after the mother passed on.
……………………………………………………………………………………………

ii) Telcom Kenya sacked most of its workers.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

iii)The government has abolished certain taxes.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

c)Use the correct form of the word given in brackets to fill in the gap in each
sentence. (4mks)

(i) The police said it was a strange................................ ( occur)

(ii) The .....................of his speech was appreciated by many.(clear)
(iii) The baby had.............. in the cot for hours when the mother returned. (lie)
(iv) Your ...................................of words should be clear for people to understand you. (pronounce)

d) Fill the blank spaces with correct prepositions.(3mks)

i) He also came home to congratulate me ................ my graduation.

ii) As a businessman, Ole Kaelo deals.............. agricultural products.
iii) The thief was oblivious ................ the trap.

THE END

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