KNEC KCSE English Paper 1 Question Paper / 2015 KCSE Gem Sub-County Joint Evaluation

You are the principla of Boresha Secondary school. Your former student has indicated you as his referee in his application for a job at Utumishi organization to be employed as a clerk. Write a reference letter to the Human Resource manager about the suitability of the applicant.

Read the passage below and fill in each of the blank spaces with an appropriate word.
Corruption (1)_______________one of the country,s(2) _____________serious governance issues. In November 2014,through one of its quarterly survey,IPSOS polled Kenyans(3)_____________various socio-economic, cultural and political issues.(4)____________________them was an evaluation of the Jubilee government on 13 policy areas compared to be(5)____________________coalition government’s performance. It (6)_____________that whereas more than half of Kenyans(7)____________that the current government is doing better in (8)______________of health services and education 59 per cent thought it
is(9)________________in(10)______________________.

Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow in the spaces provided.
MY TRAIN JOURNEY TO MOMBASA
Kurukuru kakara kukuru kakara,
The train moves
Roaring and racing on the ridge.
Kukuru kakara kukuru kakara,
Crawling,criss-crossing beautiful plains
I sit staring at scenic scenes
Observing the wild animals.
Kukuru kakara kukuru kakara,
I feel the heat
I see the Swahili houses
Thriving thatched homestead.
Kukuru kakara kukuru kakara,
I see the bright ocean.
The train grinds to a hault.
I am in Mombasa.
By Egara Kabaji
i) Describe the rhyme scheme of this poem. (2 marks)
ii) Describe how rhythm has been achieved in this poem. (4 marks)
iii) How would you make this poem interesting if you were to recite it to audience. (3 marks)
iv) If the words ‘kukuru kakara kukuru kakara ‘are translated into English, what would happen? (1 mark)

Your school has invited a bank manager to come and address form four students on banking as a career. During the discussion the students on banking as a career. During the discussion the students seemed not to be concerning. Suggest what could be the manager’s shortcomings.

In these sentences the stressed word is underlined. Explain their meanings.
i) Is Mary going to Nairobi?
ii) Is Mary going to Nairobi?
iii) Are you happy with him?
iv) Are you happy with him?

Identify the odd one out of the following. (4 marks)
i) One walk work
ii) Send ten weak
iii) Debt Debut prompt
iv) Rock mock cost

In the telephone conservation below, Mercy calls Toyota Kenya Limited Company to book an appointment with the managing director. Complete their conversation. (6 marks)
Mercy: __________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)
Telephone operator: Yes,it is .How can I help you ?
Mercy: __________________________________________________________________________ (1 mark)
Telephone: Please hold on as I put you through the managing director’s secretary.
Secretary: ________________________________________________________________________ (2 marks)
Mercy: I am Mercy Mapendo.I would like to book an appointment with managing Director on Wednesday at 2pm.
Secretary: (2 marks)
Mercy: Friday, 12:45 p.m. is fine with me.
Secretary: That’s fine thank you for calling and keep time.
Mercy: (1 mark)
Secretary: You’re welcome.

Functional writing
Format 6mks
Content 8 mks
Language 4 mks
Tone 2mks
Total 20 mks
Format
i) Addresses (sender’s) 1mk
ii) Date ½ mark
iii) Recipient’s address 1 mark
iv) Salutation ½ mark
v) Subject must be REF 1 mk
vi) Signing off
Yours faithfully 1mk
Sign 1mk
Name/ designation
Content
i) Should acknowledge the identity of the student
ii) Should mention positive attributes I the following
a) Conduct/ displine
b) Academic performance
c) Leadership position held in school
d) Participation in co- curriculum at least 3 attributes
iii) Should recommend the student to HRM
NB
It must be a confidential report if not 2 mks AD
Mixed format deduct upto 1AD

1. is
2. most
3. on
4. among
5. grand
6. revealed
7. thought
8. terms
9. worse
10. handling

i) Abcadefaghiaejk
identify and illustrate
irregular rhyme scheme
ii) – through repetition kukuru kakara
– idiophone- kukuru kakara
– onomatopoeia- roaring , racing
criss –crossing, halt
crawling
– rhyme- wriggling rumbling
– alliteration- thriving, thatch
iii) I would use- tonal variation
Dramatization and body movement
Facial expression

Any well identified word
iv) Lose the musicality
Lose the meaning
Lose the originality and authenticity
1 mk

Must be about the manager
– Did not do thorough research
– Could be misleading the students
– Poorly groomed
– Being inaudible
– The pace slow/ fast speaker
– Poor articulation/ fluency
– Shy/ timid
– Poor eye contact
@1 mk= 6 mks
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i) The speaker is asking if mary and not somebody else was going to Nairobi
ii) The focus is on the destination and the question is to find a clarification of the destination which is Nairobi.
iii) The focus is on the object (him) not anybody else
iv) The focus is on feelings of the addresses not any other feeling

i) Walk
ii) Weak
iii) Debut
iv) Rock

Mercy: Hello, is this Toyota Kenya Ltd.
Mercy: may I speak to MD Toyota Kenya please
Secretary: hello, this is Toyota Kenya ltd. Who am I speaking to and may I help you
Secretary: sorry the manager wont be in on Wednesday, until Friday 12:45 pm, will that be fine with you?
Mercy: thank you for your time. Goodbye