📄 O/L English Language — December 2017

Fill in the blanks in the following dialogue. Use the words given in the box. There is one extra word. The first one is done for you.

Word box: (a) buy · (b) meet · (c) come · (d) here · (e) time · (f) seen · (g) minutes

Kishan: Uncle Nimal, when will the train (1) ...b... ?
Nimal: In about fifteen (2) ........... .
Kishan: What's the (3) ........... now, uncle?
Nimal: It's only 7.30.
Kishan: How long will the train (4) ........... here?
Nimal: For about ten minutes.
Kishan: Oh! Can I (5) ........... a book at the bookstore?
Nimal: Sure. I'll be back (6) ........... .

Underline the correct answer. The first one is done for you.

Kaveesh: Tell me what you did after I (1) (leave, left) yesterday.
Nirmala: Well, we (2) ........... to the town. (walked, walk)
Gimhani: Yes. There was a small shop (3) ........... masks. (sold, selling)
Kaveesh: So you (4) ........... a mask. Let me see it. (will buy, bought)
Nirmala: No, the shop was closed. Ha! Ha! ha!
Gimhani: Tomorrow we (5) ........... there again. (are going, going)
Kaveesh: I wish I (6) ........... join you. (could, can)
Nirmala: You have to study.

Study the picture and fill in the blanks in the text given below. Use only one word in each blank.

This is Kamal's room. He has gone out and the door is (1) ........... . His bed is near the (2) ........... and there is a curtain partly covering it. There is a (3) ........... of Sri Lanka hanging on the (4) ........... . His bed is a very narrow one with a (5) ........... on one side. Two (6) ........... and a pair of (7) ........... are hung on the wall hanger. He has a bag (8) ........... to sit on when he is studying. On his (9) ........... are several books. His mother has placed a (10) ........... of water on it for him to drink when he is thirsty. His room is neat and clean.

Match the extracts with the headings. Write the correct letter in the blank provided. The first one is done for you.

Extracts:
(1) A tribute to all actors and actresses at the Tower Hall. (...f...)
(2) Henry Ford is famous for founding the Ford Motor Company. (.....)
(3) A doctor says being out in the mornings help to get ample amounts of vitamin D. (.....)
(4) Watch a musical show presented by the students of Central College on TV tomorrow. (.....)
(5) Drought in the dry zone has destroyed village life. (.....)
(6) Use your own cloth bag when you go shopping. (.....)

Headings:
(a) Let the sun shine on you and be well
(b) Enjoy our programme. Forget your worries
(c) Missing water; our life blood
(d) Travel made easy for all of us
(e) Be a nature lover. Say no to polythene
(f) Stars brighten a cloudless night

Read the following letter and complete the dialogue. Use only one word in each blank. The first one is done for you.

Letter (26.11.2017):
Dear Srinath,
I came to Nuwara Eliya, but it's too cold and gloomy. So I moved to a tea plantation bungalow in Thalawakele, where my uncle lives. Here it's warmer and I feel comfortable. The view is beautiful. I keep walking on the hills every morning until my feet hurt. I get tasty food to eat prepared by my uncle's cook. I'm fine here.
Sorry, I missed the match. See you next week. Give my regards to Arjuna.
— Isuru

Srinath: I received a letter from (1) ...Isuru... .
Arjuna: Isuru? Where has he gone? I didn't see him at the match yesterday.
Srinath: Well, he didn't come to the match. He is in (2) ........... staying with his (3) ........... .
Arjuna: How nice! It must be cool and nice there.
Srinath: No, not as cold as in (4) ........... he says.
Arjuna: What is he doing there?
Srinath: Something he never does here; (5) ........... .
By the way, he is sending you his (6) ........... .
Arjuna: I must thank him when I see him.

The English Club in your school has organized a workshop on 'English for Everyone' to be held in the main hall of the school. Write a notice informing about the workshop. Include the following. Use about 40–50 words.
• purpose of the workshop
• date, time and venue
• participants

Read the passage and answer the questions.

Vikum and Harsha were the best of friends until a misunderstanding made them drift apart. Their classmates Sajani, Hiruni and Lahiru wanted them to be friends again. They tried hard, but nothing worked.
One day Lahiru suggested a bike race because he knew that Vikum and Harsha loved bike racing. So he met the 'two angry birds' and asked them to take part in the race. Vikum said, "Alright I'm ready to face the challenge." They were to meet at the school playground the following Saturday.
Vikum checked his old bike to make sure everything was alright. Harsha did nothing. His bike was a brand new one. Nothing would go wrong. He wanted to defeat Vikum. After all he was his rival.
Vikum and Harsha arrived at the playground. All their friends were there. Lahiru shouted, "Ready, Steady, Go" and the two boys began to pedal. Suddenly there was a loud noise. The chain had fallen off Harsha's bike. Vikum stopped peddling and turned back to help Harsha.
Then the friends came running. Vikum and Harsha were laughing and hugging each other. "Who is the loser?" asked Hiruni giggling. "No losers. Both are winners," said Lahiru.

(1) What made the good friends drift apart?
(2) Who were the 'two angry birds'?
(3) Write the sentence which says the two boys became friends again.
(4) Underline the correct: Hearing a loud noise, Vikum
(a) fell off his bike. (b) went to help Harsha. (c) started peddling faster.
(5) The word 'challenge' means
(a) a difficult task. (b) an easy activity. (c) a tiring race.

Write on one of the following topics. Use about 50–60 words.
(a) An unforgettable day in my life
(b) An interesting person I know

Complete the sentences selecting a word. There are two extra words.

(1) management, managerial, managing, manager, manage
(a) You must learn to ........... your time efficiently.
(b) The hotel is under a new ........... now.
(c) The ........... of the company is Mr. S. Perera.
(2) participatory, participant, participate, participative, participation
(a) The rebels agreed to ........... in the peace talks.
(b) More ........... of the younger generation in community work is necessary.
(c) Ruwan is an active ........... in the Science Association.
(3) inventor, invention, inventive, invent
(a) Global communication was transformed by the ........... of the internet.
(b) He would ........... any excuse to avoid doing homework.
(4) competitor, compete, competition, competitive
(a) Her dream is to ........... in the Olympics.
(b) 'A' Level is a ........... examination.

Fill in the blanks with the following verbs.

Verb box: made up · settled down · turn back · turned off · fell into · ran into · took off · called off · make for · got up

Last Sunday was a rainy day. Mr Jayanath had to attend a meeting in school. His alarm didn't work and he (1) ........... late, dressed quickly and ran to the bus stop. When he was about ten yards away the bus (2) ........... . He began to walk, disappointed. Half way through, he (3) ........... an old friend and (4) ........... a deep conversation. All of a sudden it started to rain. Mr Jayanath wanted to (5) ........... , but he (6) ........... his mind to go because he thought it was important to (7) ........... the meeting. When he reached the main hall there was no one. The lights were on. He (8) ........... the lights and left the place. It was only then that he saw the notice on the wall, "Due to bad weather the meeting is (9) ........... ." Back at home he drank a hot cup of tea and (10) ........... to read a book.

Fill in the blanks with the words given within the box. There are three extra words.

Word box: interviewing · salesmen · say · called · pen · looked · to · rupees · in · asking · my · there · favourite · and · different · at · he

When I was the manager of a trading company in Colombo, it was my duty to interview young men and women for posts vacant in my department.
One of my (1) ........... techniques in interviewing prospective (2) ........... was to hand them (3) ........... expensive fountain pen and (4) ........... , "Try to sell this (5) ........... me."
One day after (6) ........... several applicants who used (7) ........... marketing skills, I was surprised at (8) ........... the skills of an applicant. (9) ........... picked up the pen (10) ........... looked (11) ........... his pocket, took back (12) ........... said, "Sir, for a thousand (13) ........... you can have your (14) ........... back."
I was so impressed I appointed him as an assistant manager within weeks.

A comedy show called 'Don't Look Now', is at a theatre in Colombo these days. The comments made by some newspapers and viewers are given. Report what they said.

1. "People will love it" (The Daily News) — e.g. The Daily News said that the people would love it.
2. "It's a fantastic show" (The Daily Mirror) — The Daily Mirror said that ...........
3. "It will be a great success" (The Island) — The Island said that ...........
4. "It's the funniest play I have ever seen" (An actor) — An actor said that ...........
5. "The production is perfect" (A film producer) — A film producer said that ...........
6. "I can't remember a better show" (A singer) — A singer said that ...........

Read the poem and answer the questions.

Under Ground (by James Reeves)
In the deep kingdom under ground
There is no light and little sound.
Down below the earth's green floor
The rabbit and the mole explore.
The quarrying ants run to and fro
To make their populous empires grow.
Do they, as I pass overhead,
Stop in their work to hear my tread?
Some creatures sleep and do not toil,
Secure and warm beneath the soil.
Sometimes a fork or spade intrudes
Upon their earthly solitudes.
Downward the branching tree-roots spread
Into the country of the dead.
Deep down, the buried rocks and stones
Are like the earth's gigantic bones.
In the dark kingdom under ground
How many marvellous things are found.

(1)(a) Is the kingdom under ground a quiet world or a noisy world?
(b) Which words tell you this?
(2) Find two other words/phrases in the poem which mean 'under'.
(3) The poet says 'they' stop their work to hear his walk. Who are referred to as 'they' in line 7?
(4) What two tools disturb the silence of the earth occasionally?
(i) ........... (ii) ...........
(5)(a) How do some creatures who do not work find their sleep under ground?
(b) Who seem to be the busiest creatures?

Answer (a) OR (b).

(a) You plan to visit your uncle after the examination. Write him a letter informing him about it. Include the following. Use about 100 words.
• how you feel about the exam
• when you expect to visit him, for how long
• things you like to do
• places you like to visit

OR

(b) The following table tells you where 125 students in your school like to study after their A/L Examination. Write a description based on the information given in the table. Use about 100 words.

Table (Country · Number · Percentage %):
1 America 30 24; 2 England 28 22.4; 3 Japan 25 20; 4 India 10 8; 5 Russia 10 8; 6 Australia 15 12; 7 Other countries 7 5.6. Total 125 · 100.

Read the text and answer the questions.

Back in the 16th century in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a very poor family. In order to keep food on the table for his family, Durer, the father worked almost 18 hours a day at his trade. Despite their poverty, two of Durer's sons, Albrecht the younger and Albert the elder had a dream. They both wanted to study art at the academy in Nuremberg, but they knew that their father would never be financially able to send either of them there.
After many long discussions at night, the two boys finally had a plan. They would toss a coin. The loser would go to work in the nearby mines and with his earnings support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, in four years, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, he would support the other brother at the academy with sales of his artwork.
They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning. Albrecht won the toss and went off to Nuremberg. Albert went down into the dangerous mines and for the next four years financed his brother. Albrecht's works of art were far better than those of most of his professors and by the time he graduated he was beginning to earn lots of money.
When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner to celebrate his triumphant homecoming. After the memorable meal, Albrecht rose to thank his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled him to fulfil his ambition. He said, "Albert, Blessed brother of mine, now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream and I will take care of you."
Tears streamed down Albert's pale face. He said softly, "No brother, I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed. Lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly that I cannot hold a pen or a brush to make delicate lines on parchment or canvas. No brother, for me it's too late."
More than 450 years have passed. Now, Albrecht Durer's hundreds of portraits, pen and silver-point sketches and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world. Albrecht Durer's work of art "Praying Hands" is world famous.
Some believe that Albrecht Durer drew his brother's abused hands with palms together in honour of his brother Albert. He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands", but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love, "Praying Hands".

1. Select the most suitable phrase and underline it.
(i) Both Albrecht and Albert, the two brothers
(a) were able to go to Nuremberg academy.
(b) wanted to go to Nuremberg to study art.
(c) wanted their father to finance them to study art.
(ii) Albrecht's works of art were
(a) not good as those of his teachers.
(b) not upto his professor's expectations.
(c) much better than those of his teachers.
2. According to their plan, what did the two brothers do during the four years?
(a) Albrecht — ........... (b) Albert — ...........
3. Select words from the passage to complete the sentences.
(a) To feed his family Durer ........... for long hours daily.
(b) After Albrecht's graduation, he came back to his own ........... .
4. How did Albrecht and Albert decide who should go to the academy?
5. Who was honoured by the masterpiece titled 'Praying Hands'?
6. Read paragraph 4 and find a word which has the same meaning as the following.
(a) successful and undefeated → ........... (b) cannot be forgotten → ...........
7. Write the sentence which says that Albert's hands have been damaged.
8. Underline the correct answer. The best title for the passage is,
(a) 'Sacrifice of a poor family.'
(b) 'Tribute to a loving brother.'
(c) 'How to realize a dream.'

Write on one of the following. Use about 200 words.
(a) An article to a Children's newspaper on 'Watching TV: its advantages and disadvantages'.
• form of entertainment • useful for studies • can get addicted • neglect studies and other works
(b) Imagine you have been appointed as the head prefect of your school. Write a speech you would make at the morning assembly on 'Lets make our school the best school in the district'.
• attention to studies • sports etc.
(c) Write an essay on 'Our responsibility towards preventing Dengue in our area'.
• keeping the environment clean • destroying dengue breeding places • constant supervision (you may include other information also).
(d) Write a story. Begin as follows:
As I approached the deserted house at the end of the road I saw .....