📄 O/L English Language — December 2015

Complete the dialogue between Sujee and Rasika. Underline the most suitable word given within brackets. The first one is done for you.

Sujee: Rasika, have you (1) (sent, written) your essay on 'Computers'?
Rasika: No, not (2) ........... (still, yet).
Sujee: I will (3) ........... paragraph. (other, another)
Sujee: I will do it (4) ........... (tonight, night).
Rasika: Have you finished writing yours?
Sujee: Yes, Rasika. Can you read my essay and (5) ........... the mistakes? (correct, make)
Rasika: (6) ........... it now. (Sure, Certain)
Sujee: Thank you very much.

Read what the class teacher of Grade eleven said about her pupils. Complete the sentences. The first one is done for you.

Chanura is a clever boy. He (1) ...c... .
Mamuri is a wonderful storyteller. Her (2) ........... .
Gayan is an excellent artist. His (3) ........... .
Robina has a great talent for singing. It (4) ........... .
Lahiru is a fluent speaker. His (5) ........... .
Pramoda is kind and understanding. She (6) ........... .

(a) stories are very interesting
(b) paintings are beautiful
(c) is very good at mathematics
(d) speeches attract the audience
(e) is always ready to help others
(f) is a pleasure to listen to her

Complete the sentences by putting the words within brackets in the right order. The first one is done for you.

My Ambition
(1) My ambition is ...to be a musician... . (a / musician / be / to)
(2) I have already ........... . (following / course / a / started)
(3) I started learning music ........... . (when / young / was / I)
(4) I can play a violin ........... . (and / too / a / guitar)
(5) I think music is ........... . (way / good / relax / to)
(6) My music teacher tells me to ........... . (with / music / my / continue)

The following pictures show what Saliya did last Sunday. Write a sentence about each picture. Use the words given below the picture. Each sentence must have at least five words. The first one is done for you.

(1) (drink, milk, morning) → Saliya drank a glass of milk in the morning.
(2) (go, fair, mother) → ...........
(3) (walk, fish stall, mother) → ...........
(4) (take, ice cream, mother) → ...........
(5) (carry, bags, bus stop) → ...........
(6) (help, man, cross) → ...........

You received the following messages last Monday. They are not given in the order they were received. Read them and answer the questions.

10.00 p.m. — Debate is at 3.30 p.m. on Friday. I'll be there. Please practise with the team. — Kamal
8.15 a.m. — Going to see a movie tomorrow — 'My Fair Lady'. Join us. — Ravi and Kanu
6.20 p.m. — Come to my office in Kandy on Friday. Bring your bio-data. — Mr. Perera (Chief Clerk)
7.10 a.m. — Can I borrow your bike for two days? Have to take part in a bicycle race. — Sujitha
9.16 a.m. — Got to know you are not well. Take care. See you soon. — Amila

(1) When was the first message received?
(2) Who is concerned about your health?
(3) What is the film you are invited to watch?
(4) According to the last message received what must you do?
(5) Where should you go on Friday?

You received the following note from your friend, Mevan.

"Dear friend, We are moving to a new house. I need you. Please meet me. — Mevan"

Mevan's note doesn't tell you anything much. You need to ask some questions. Write your reply. Include the following:
• thank him for the note
• ask questions about — leaving the old house / the new house
• express willingness to meet, give a date.
Use about 40–50 words.

Read the following text and answer the questions.

"We have visitors this morning," the teacher said. "A journalist and a photographer from a newspaper are coming. They are going to write an article about our school and take some photos. Some of you will be in them."
"Dasun shouldn't be in the photos. We would need a magnifying glass to see him." Chatu said when the teacher went out of the class for a second.
Dasun is small in size. His classmates always make jokes about his size.
Dasun grinned even though Chatu's comment was painful. He always grinned when people made jokes like that. He understood that Chatu didn't mean to hurt his feelings.
The people from the newspaper arrived. "Call me Salika". The journalist said. She had long hair and looked very pretty. "I'm Senaka". The photographer, said. He carried a camera with a huge lens. While chatting with the students Salika said that a journalist has to write clearly and truthfully. She invited the students to ask questions.
Kavinda asked, "Who is the most amazing person you have interviewed?"
"Oh, the most amazing person? A 100 year old lady who was learning to use a computer." She answered.
Then Senaka told the children to get ready for a photograph. He told Dasun to come forward and focused the camera on him. The children were surprised. "Is it because he is short?" asked Nalina.
"No it's because he has got a smile which is a mile long and he is the happiest kid here." Senaka said.

(1) What do the visitors to Dasun's school hope to do?
(2) Write the sentence which says that Chatu's rude comment was hurtful.
(3) According to Salika what is the duty of a journalist?
(4) What four words describe the 100 year old lady?
(5) 'A smile which is a mile long' means to smile ........... .
(a) good naturedly (b) all the time (c) meaninglessly

Write a short paragraph on one of the following. Use about 50 to 60 words.
1. The importance of water
2. Trees are our friends
3. What are good habits?

The following notice has been written by Suleka for the class noticeboard. There is a mistake in each sentence. Rewrite the sentences correcting the mistake. The first one is done for you.

Notice for Grade Nine students
(1) Drama practices begins tomorrow → Drama practices begin tomorrow.
(2) Be prepare to stay after school.
(3) Parent's letter of permission are needed.
(4) Lunch is providing at the hostel.
(5) Meet on the main hall at 2.00 p.m.
(6) The principle will address the students.

Select a word from the box which has a similar meaning to the phrases given within brackets and write it in the space given. There are three extra words.

Word box: beliefs · healing · moral · diagnose · treatment · examining · unethical · remedies

Hippocrates was a teacher of medicine. He learnt traditional methods of (1) ........... (the process of making a sick person healthy). But his (2) ........... (things that he thought to be right) were quite different from his father's. He believed that a patient should be thoroughly examined in order to (3) ........... (identify the nature of) his illness. He taught his pupils to keep a record of a patient's progress and the (4) ........... (medical care) given. He also laid down rules to guide his pupils' (5) ........... (right and correct) conduct.

Study the following extract from a dictionary page and answer the questions.

bankruptcy /'bæŋkrʌptsi/ noun [U] a situation in which a person or business becomes bankrupt.
banner /'bænə(r)/ noun [C] 1 a long piece of cloth with a message on it, often stretched between two poles. 2 the principles or aims of a group.
banns /bænz/ noun [pl] an official announcement in church that two people intend to get married.
banquet /'bæŋkwɪt/ noun [C] a formal meal for a large number of people on an important occasion: a state banquet
banquetting hall /'bæŋkwɪtɪŋ hɔːl/ noun [C] a very large room used for banquets.
banshee /'bænʃiː/ noun [C] Scottish a flat noise made from cars.
banyan /'bænjən/ noun [C] an Indian tropical tree from whose roots new tree-trunks grow.
bantam /'bæntəm/ noun [C] a small chicken.
baptism /'bæptɪzəm/ noun [C/U] a ceremony in which someone is touched or covered with water to welcome them into the Christian religion.
Baptist /'bæptɪst/ noun [C] a member of a Protestant religious group that believes that only adults should be baptised.
baptize /'bæptaɪz/ verb [T] (esp passive) 1 to welcome someone into the Baptist religion. 2 to give a name to a child when it is baptised. He was baptized Samuel Andrew.

(1) Find a word for the following phrase 'A wide piece of cloth with a message on it'.
(2) Write the name of an English food item.
(3) What is the meaning of the following phrase, 'howl like a banshee'?
(4) Write a word which can be used both as a noun and an adjective.
(5) Find the word for a group of languages spoken in certain parts of Africa.

Fill in the blanks in the following text using the words given in the box.

Word box: astonished · world · replied · your · honesty · ordered · is · the · but · water · that · me · stepped · dishonesty

One evening, when Sudara went to fetch water he saw the wisest old man in his village, meditating near the river. Sudara sat close by and watched him. When he saw Sudara he asked, "Son, what do you want?"
"There is so much (1) ........... and evil in this (2) ........... . Where shall I find (3) ........... path to truth?" asked Sudara.
The man (4) ........... into the river and (5) ..........., "Bring some water for (6) ........... to bathe." Sudara was (7) ........... . "You're immersed in water (8) ........... you still want more (9) ........... to bathe. How strange (10) ........... that!"
The wise man (11) ..........., "You are right. (12) ........... gives the answer to (13) ........... question. Truth and (14) ........... are inside the heart of a man. Look within yourself and you will find them."

Use the correct form of the verb to complete the dialogue. The first one is done for you.

Dinith: Good morning. I'm Dinith Liyanage.
Sumadu: Good morning. I'm Sumadu. So you run a fund raising campaign for poverty alleviation. Your name (1) ...was mentioned... (mention) several times at the meeting yesterday.
Dinith: Oh, really! I'm here to discuss a new project we (2) ........... (launch) very soon.
Sumadu: I'm curious. Tell me about what you (3) ........... (do) so far.
Dinith: Well, the unemployed youth in our area (4) ........... (provide) with opportunities to be self-employed. I'm happy to say, most of them (5) ........... (earn) a living now and are settled in life. Women too (6) ........... (give) a helping hand last year to begin a cottage industry of their liking.
Sumadu: Well done! Let's discuss this further after a cup of tea.

Answer (a) OR (b).

(a) A programme to promote the saving habit among school children, organized by the Commerce Society of your school was held last month. Write a letter to your friend in Australia giving information about the programme. Use about 100 words.
• Organizers — Commerce society
• Date — 25.11.2015
• Guest speaker — Manager of 'Surakum' bank
• Participants — Grade 10–13 students
• Activities: 1. A speech on value of saving; 2. A drama titled 'My little saving till'.

OR
(b) The following bar chart shows the sale of five different items available at your school bookshop. Study the bar chart and write a description about it. Use about 100 words.
Items: Ball-point pens · Story books · Pencil boxes · Colouring pencils · Exercise books.
Use the following words: equal amounts, minimum number, maximum number, lowest sale, highest sale.

Read the text and answer the questions.

This story tells us about a circle of joy. One day a poor man in the village knocked hard on the gate of a rich man's house. When the security guard opened the gate, he was given a magnificent bunch of grapes.
"Friend, these are the finest grapes my vineyard has produced this year. I have come to give them to you as a gift." "Thank you. I will take them to my boss immediately, he will be delighted with this offering."
"No, I brought them for you. For, whenever I knock on the gate, it is you who opens it. When I needed help because my crop was destroyed by drought, you gave me a lot of support every day."
The guard held the bunch of grapes and spent the entire morning admiring it. Then he decided to give the gift to his boss, who was a good man.
The boss was very pleased with the grapes and thought of giving it to his sick brother who was in the same house. He said to himself, "Who knows they may bring some joy to his life." And that is what he did. But the grapes didn't stay in the sick man's room for long, for he reflected,
"The nurse has looked after me for so long. Feeding me the best meals and caring for me with gentleness and a lot of patience. She certainly will enjoy these."
The nurse was amazed at the beauty of the grapes; so perfect that no one would appreciate them more than the kind doctor who looked after the sick without expecting any financial benefits. Many in the village regarded him with love and respect. He would be the best qualified to value this marvel of nature.
The doctor in turn gave the grapes to his intern, a young man learning to take his place. When the intern received them he thought of the guard at the rich mansion, who always opened the gate for him and carried his bag when he went to see the sick person lying there. So just before nightfall he took them to the guard.
"Eat and enjoy them, for you spend most of your time alone here and you deserve these grapes." The guard understood that the grapes were really destined for him and ate each of the grapes.
Thus the circle was closed: the circle of happiness and joy which always shines brightly so around generous people.

1. Say whether the following statements are true or false by writing 'T' or 'F' against each of them. This story tells us :
(a) how a sick person recovered as the grapes brought some joy to his life.
(b) how a bunch of grapes found its way back to the person who deserved it.
(c) about a gatekeeper who ate the grapes without any consideration for others.
(d) about a circle of joy and happiness which people who are generous can create.
(½ × 4 = 02 marks)
2. Complete the sentence using three words from the text. The kind hearted doctor served people, but didn't expect ........... ........... ........... . (01 mark)
3. Why did the guard give the grapes to his boss? (01 mark)
4. When did the intern hand over the grapes to the guard? (01 mark)
5. Write two things that the guard did for the young doctor. (01 mark)
6. Find two phrases from the passage that describe the grapes. (01 mark)
7. What do the following words in the passage refer to?
(a) 'my' in line four
(b) 'you' in line eight
(01 mark)

Write on one of the following. Use about 200 words.
(a) An article to a newspaper on the topic 'Value of Reading'.
Include: wide variety of reading material; provides information / knowledge; gives pleasure / interesting hobby.
(b) A speech you would make at the School Literary Association meeting on 'If I could go back in time'.
(c) An essay on 'Computers: do we need them?'
Include: uses of computers — for information / education, for an easier life; bad things about computers — getting addicted, effects on health.
(d) Complete the following dialogue.
Nadeesha: What a lovely garden! You have many flowers and plants here. Have you planted any vegetables?
Thamara: ...........
Nadeesha: ...........