KNEC KCSE English Paper 3 Question Paper / 2015 KCSE Gem Sub-County Joint Evaluation

Write a composition beginning with the words.
“You will serve as an example to the rest of the student in this school,” the principal said as he pushed me into his office….

Write a composition on the following statement:
“Technological advancement has impacted negatively on the society, especially the youth.”

The compulsory set text
THE NOVEL: The River and the Source By Margaret Ogola.
‘Change is inevitable but it has shortcomings.” Write an essay to show the truth of the above statement, drawing your illustration from the novel, ‘The River and the Source. “By Margaret Ogola.

The short story: Loghorn (Ed): When the sun goes down and other stories from African and Beyond.
“True beauty lies in our natural environment. “Examine this statement with close reference to the short story,
‘Sandra Street’ by Michael Anthony.

Drama: Betrayal in the city-Francis Imbuga
Referring to Francis Imbuga’s play “Betrayal in the city,” write an essay to validate the statement: “Corruption retards development.”

The Novel: The whale Rider-Witi Ihimaera
‘In a chauvinistic society women need to be assertive in order to survive,’ Using Nani flower as an example, write an essay to show the truth of the above statement as brought out in Witi Ihimaera’s novel. ‘The Whale Rider.”

Points of interpretation
• It must be a story if not deduct 4 marks
• Must begin with the given statement if not deduct 2 marks
• The statement must be relevant to the story, if not deduct upto 4 marks for tagging

Points of interpretation
• The composition must be argumentative, candidate can argue for/ against the statement. If not deduct upto 4 marks
• Candidate must take a stand/ position. If not deduct upto 4 marks
• Must be in continous prose
NB: Maximum deduction for both 1a and 1b is 4 marks

Essay based on compulsory set text
Introduction
Shows that the candidate has interprtted and understands the question and its constituent parts. Changes take place
day in day out and cannot be avoided. Changes are beneficial but can also come with shortcomings
The introduction can be general or specific
Body
i. Change from traditional leadership to colonial administration. Traditionally, the people of Ramogi were led by a chief assisted by the council of Joddongo. The arrival of the white man brings new leadership where there is DO and DC
Shortcomings: Obura and Ambere Kongoso die in a war of the whiteman in Tanganyika. They knew nothing about the war. Nyaroche Silwal becomes a beggar in kisumu as a result of injuries sustained in the war.
ii. Change from traditional education to western/ modern education. Akoko teaches Opiya and Odongo about the origin of the people of Ramogi. That is Were created Ramogi and gave him wife Nyarnam they had many children including Sakwa, Yimbo, Uyoma, Gem, Seme, and Ugenya. They gave rise to the legends eg Lwanda Magera.
This changes when the white man introduces the western education. For example, the clerk had four years education. Akoko’s host in kisumu had gone to a mission school for one year.
Shortcoming: change in education denied the young information about their cultural background.
iii. Change from traditional way of marrisge to the modern way. In traditional setting of marriage to take place, Jawangyo would spy on a girl and report her on qualities then a delegation would go to the girl’s home to negotiate bride price. The bride price was paid before the girl could move to the husbands home. For example Akoko’s marriage. However, this changed when Awiti meets her husband mark ANTHONY Oloo sigu while in teacher training college then introduces him to Nyabera and Akoko in Alour. Bride price is not paid.
Shortcoming: the change do not forge the great war and good neighbourliness that the traditional marrisge forged.
iv. Change from the traditional religion to the new one (christianity) . the Luo people worship Were the god of the rising sun who created Ramogi and Nyar Nam. Were was agreat spirit and giver of life. Wiyh the coming of Christianity those who converted worship God through jesus Christ. They also undergo catechism to learn the ten commandments of the new religion.
Shortcoming: the new religion doesn’t allow for polygamy and as a result, Nyabera a widow cant find a husband for herself yet she desires bring forth children
v. Any other relevant point
Conclusion (2 marks)
Restates the central idea of the essay or emphasizes the essential parts of the essay. In short, in as many as changes take place, with or without our effort, they bring about undesirable effects as demonstrated in the essay
Change must be clearly demonstrated and limitation of the change shown
Consider any four points then mark
3: 3: 3:3
Total 12 marks
Marks awarded for the conclusion depend on the score in the body of the essay
1-5 mk= 1 mark
6- 12 mks= 2 marks
Language score

1-5 mks= 1 mk
6- 7 mks= 2 mks
8- 9 mks= 3 mks
10- 12= 4 marks

Essay based on optional set text
The short story
a) Illieva when the sun goes down and other stories
“true beauty lies in our natural environment”
Introduction
Man can create or develop many structures and settlements but the God given creation still remains to be of greater aesthetic value. This is according to the short story, Sandra street by Michael Anthony.
Body
i) Sandra street is so different from the other streets beyond- it is quiet and runs straight up to the forests. The other side of the town is noisy with the horiible noises of steel bands.
ii) Good friendly. Women come out of shops and do not pass each other without stopping to talk. During the day, all was very quite except perharps for the voice of one neighbor calling to another. The other side of town has high walls cramping the imagination.
iii) Overcrowding. Sandra street stood away from the profussion of houses. Sandra street means so much to the narrator. The other side out of town is made up of gaudy houses with gates like prisons. The milling crowd with faces impersonal as stone.
iv) Natural environment is productive/ peaceful/ products mangoes. Fowls lie in the shadows of the houses. The river and the hills. The leaves of the cocoa gleam with the moisture of the rains. There are bananas.
v) Any other relevant point
Conclusion 2 mkls
A recap of the points discussed

Reffering to Francis Imbuga’s play “betrayal in the city” write an essay to validate the statement “corruption
retards development”
Introduction
The play exposes several instances of corruption. This hinders the economic progress of the state. Some of these instances are discussed below.
i) Boss uses state rsources to award his confidants. Mulili, his cousin is a soldier, but iis promised many acres of land and grade cattle upoun retirement. He is set to be a big farmer with state resources. (p. 13, 51). This form of corruption drags down the state economy
ii) Boss influences university tender for supply of milk. The tender initially awarded Kabito is cancelled and awared Mulili since he’s a counsin to Boss. (p 51, 54- 55) besides boss ensures that he is put in the entertainment committee, though he knows nothing (p 51- 52). This kind of corruption leaves the state economy in the hands of a few people (relative to boss) while the rest of the citizens remain poor.
iii) The government officers charged with various responsibilotioes are more interested in “the potato” they get, rather than the services they render. Kabito, Nicodemo, Tombo and mulili show this in their state visit entertainment committee. They ask for what they would be paid per day before any serious issue is discussed. (p 53) they want more working days (p 53). This system of less work and more pay results in low production thus retardation of development.
iv) Tumbo, the chairman of state visit entertainment committee declares Jusper the winner of the play wtiting competition but the actual competition is never held. (p 48- 49) he promises Jusper and Regina one third of the money allocated for the competition while the other two thirds would be used to put the records straight. (p 49).
This action denies other bpossible contestants the opportunity to participate the benefit leaving chances to a few individuals
v) The government employs expatriates. Boss brings three hundred more expatriate personnel when the university students protets (p68). Most of the available opportunities are therefore taken up by foreigners. The influx of expatriate personnel has resulted in umeployment of the citizens. The state produces professionals but they cannot get employment.
vi) Accept any other relevant point
Conclusion
Corruption as depicted in the play has resulted in efficiency, unemployment and low production, thus a major retardation to development. It is therefore a vice that should be avoided in leadership.
Introduction 2 mks
Content – any 4 well illustrated points
Conclusion 2 mks​

Grammar/ presentation 4 marks
Total 20 mks

“In a chauvinistic society, women needs to be assertive in order to survive,” using Nani flowers as an example write an essay to show the truth of the above statement as brought out in Witi Ihimaera’s novel “the whale rider”
Introduction
The society in “the whale rider” is a male dominated one. There is hereditary chiefdom based on the first son. The girl child is like Kahu, is therefore seen to be of no use, thus discriminated against. Nani flowers however comes out strongly in several occasions to challenge this bias, thus enduring her survival and of her great grand daughter, Kahu
Content
i) When Kahu is born, koro Apirana is disgusted that she is a girl. In his anger decides to take his row boat to row in the middle of the sea so as to avoid Nani flowers ignoring her calls. In reaction, Nani takes Rawiri’s dinghy and races him in the sea. Eventually she ties the boat to hers and pulls him back to the beach (p 11-12) . nani in this case empowers Koro who is indifferent about the girl child Kahu.
ii) While Koro Apirana cannot reconcile the maori hereditary leadership with the birth of the girl child kahu, Nani constantly reminds him of her ancestor, Muriwai. This is a woman who has saved her community from wrecking in a canoe, thus becoming a powerful chief. This is a constant reminder to the chauvinistic society that women are able to lead.( p12, 13,13)
iii) Koro strongly opposes bringing Kahu’s afterbirths to be buried in Whangara. In her reaction, Nani tells him” she is Porourang’s blood and yours. It is her right to have her birth cords here, in this ground.”(p 16) she then takes the initiative with the help of Rawiri and other boys, to go to town, bring afterbirths and buries them. A duty that should have been performed by a man )p 17)
iv) When koro complains of Porourangi’s remains cold her. She then reacts to koro’s indifference by telling Kahu.
“never mind Kahu, he’ll come around;”(p 26). This is to be fulfilled later when Koro realizes that Kahu is the whale rider. At this point he confesses to Nani: “I blame myself for this. Its all my fault” (p 117)
v) Nani insists that women should assist men in pulling the whales back to the sea. This is inspite of Koro’s stand that, that is sacred work, not for women. But Nani remains persistent and says: “if I need you need the help, well I shall change myself into a man. Just like Muriwai.”( p 91). Later at the beach, she leads other women to help pulling the bull whale back to the sea.(p 98-99)
vi) Accept any other relevant point
Conclusion
Nani Flowers has remains bold and assertive and this enables her and her great grand daughter Kahu, to survive against gender bias seen in koro. It is therefore important that people especially women, be assertive in order to survive chauvinistic society
Introduction 2 mks
Content – any 4 well illustrated points
Conclusion 2 mks
Grammar/ presentation 4 marks
Total 20 mks​