KNEC KCSE English Paper 1 Question Paper / 2016 KCSE 4MCK Joint Exam

There have been increased cases of examination cheating in the country. The cabinet secretary
for Education has appointed a committee of six members drawn from all the stakeholders in
education to look into the causes of the problem and suggest possible solutions. A s the secretary
to the committee write the report that you will submit to the cabinet secretary after two months.

Good conversationalists are not born that way. They develop their (1)………………….
through patience, preparation and practice (2) ……………………a long period of time. Some
people find it (3) ………………………… to talk than others, but, do not confuse talk with
conversation; that is, good conversation.
There are all kinds of conversation, (4) ……………………………..from poor to
excellent. Unfortunately, some of the worst conversations come from those who find it easiest to
talk (5) ……………………………the very easy way in which some people talk may make
(6) …………………………………. indifferent to what they say and unaware that they may say
(7)…………………………… much.
It lies (8) ………………………… the power of each of us to deliver quality in our
conversational ability. However, (9) ……………………………………. has to take some
initiative. Never let a day go (10) ……………………………… without learning something new:
talk more to people, read, listen to the radio, watch television, be more observant of everything
and everybody around you.

Against idleness and mischief
How doth the little busy Bee
Improve each shinning Hour,
And gather Honey all the day
From every opening Flower!
How skillfully she builds her cells!
How neat she spreads the wax!
And labors hard to store it well.
With the sweet food she makes.
In works of labour or of skill
I would be busy too.
For Satan finds some Mischief still,
For idle Hands too do.
In Books, or healthful play
Let my first years be past,
That I may give for every Day
Some good account at last.
(i) Identify and comment on the use of alliteration and assonance in the poem.(4 marks)
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(ii) Explain how you would perform the following lines. (2 marks)
And gather Honey all the day
From every opening Flower!
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(iii) I identify the words you would stress in the following line and say why.(3 marks)
In Works of labour or of skill
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(iv) From the above poem, identify ten words that belong to the following categories of
sounds. An example has been provided below each symbol. (5 marks)

Scene you gate
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Describe two situations in which it would be necessary for one to bow or curtsy.
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Identify the silent letter(s) in the following words.
i) Plough
ii) Handsome
iii) Psyche
iv) Sudden
v) Useful

Explain the difference in meaning between the following point of sentences.
i) Here comes the teacher
ii) The teacher comes here
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Explain five ways that makes a speaker confident when giving a speech.
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