📄 O/L English Language — 2022 / 2023

The instructions below are to be displayed at each place given. Write the correct letter of the place in the cage given against each instruction. The first one is done for you.

Places (a)–(f) shown in cartoon: (a) library; (b) post office / queue; (c) zoo / animal cage; (d) bathroom / shower; (e) computer / IT room; (f) wet kitchen-floor / slippery area.

(1) Borrow two books at a time. → a
(2) Wait in the queue for your turn. → ...
(3) Keep the classroom neat and tidy. → ...
(4) Do not smell or taste chemicals. → ...
(5) Do not bring pen drives into the computer room. → ...
(6) Do not run — the area is slippery. → ...

Fill in the blanks in the following dialogue using the words given in the box. Write the letter of the correct word in the space given. The first one is done for you.

Word box: (a) holidays · (b) early · (c) place · (d) also · (e) beach · (f) lot

Siva: Is this your album? I'm sure this is you in the first (1) ...c... .
Fathima: Yeah. That's in front of my grandparents' house on the (2) ........... . We used to spend a few days there during school (3) ........... .
Siva: Wow! I'm sure you would have enjoyed a (4) ........... !
Fathima: Yeah. We always had a great time. Every day we used to get up (5) ........... and walk along the beach collecting seashells.
Siva: Hey! I (6) ........... collected seashells. I was small.
Fathima: Really! We all have had same hobbies, haven't we?
Siva: Yes, of course. Isn't it great?

Study the picture and fill in the blanks in the paragraph using the words given in the box. Write the letter of the correct word in the blank. The first one is done for you.

Word box: (a) memorable · (b) cage · (c) meals · (d) woman · (e) head · (f) there · (g) bullock · (h) scene · (i) too · (j) carrying · (k) road

I recently visited a village and this is the picture that I drew for an art competition recollecting a scene of my visit. This is a paddy field during the harvesting (1) ...h... . Two men and a woman are working (2) ........... . Two men are (3) ........... with winnowing paddy. The (4) ........... is helping them by collecting paddy into granary bags. Another woman is bringing their (5) ........... in a reed box kept on her (6) ........... . A little girl is walking ahead of her. She is also (7) ........... a basket which seems to be (8) ........... heavy for her. A man in a (9) ........... cart is passing the paddy field along the (10) ........... nearby. It is really a (11) ........... scene. Many who came for the exhibition appreciated my drawing.

Underline the most suitable word given within brackets to fill in each blank. The first one is done for you.

In a city, there lived a girl of about five and she had only her mother. They (1) (spend, spent, spends) their life happily though they (2) ........... (have, having, had) many hardships. The mother who (3) ........... (worked, work, works) in a hospital earned only a small amount of money. Every rupee she (4) ........... (earn, earning, earned) was carefully spent to (5) ........... (fed, feed, feeds) her child and for all other needs. One day, while they (6) ........... (were travelling, was travelling, travelling) in a bus, the little girl bought a lottery ticket and wished that she would win the first prize.

Read the introduction given by a zoo keeper to a group of children. Complete the table given below with the information of the bird. The first one is done for you.

"Hello. Good Morning children! Welcome to the 'Bird Paradise'. I'm going to give you an introduction about Hyacinth Macaw.
It is the largest flying species in the world. It is a parrot native to Central and Eastern-South America. The bird is one metre long from the top of its head to the tip of its long-pointed tail. Its feathers are entirely blue. Its diet consists of nuts from specific palm species. Hyacinth Macaw has a very strong beak for eating nuts and seeds. It can live for 30-50 years. Macaws nest in hollows in trees high up from the ground from July to December. The Hyacinth Macaw is one of the most colourful and attractive birds in the world. If you are interested in finding more information about the bird, visit our information centre near the exit gate."

1. Native place → (a) Central and Eastern-South America (example)
2. Colour of the feathers → (b)
3. Diet → (c)
4. Life span → (d)
5. Nesting place → (e)
6. Nesting period → (f)

The Welfare Association of your school visits a children's home in the area every year to make some donations. Write a notice to be put up on the school notice board informing all the students about it. Use about 40–50 words.

Include: • the date of visiting • items that can be donated • to whom the items should be handed over.

Read the story given below and answer the questions.

① A young woman was travelling in Italy. She was in a street in Florence, admiring some leather handbags in a shop window. Suddenly, an old woman touched her arm and said in Italian, 'Excuse me, Miss.' 'Yes?' asked the young woman, wondering what this old woman wanted.
② 'Is there someone in your family, maybe your mother, called Jennifer?'
③ 'Yes,' said the young woman. 'My mother's name is Jennifer. Why? How did you know that?'
'Because you look exactly like the lady who taught me English when I was living in Boston in 1950,' replied the old woman.
'You look exactly like the young woman. 'I come from Boston. But no one in my family is a teacher.'
'Are you sure?' asked the stranger. 'Pretty sure,' she said, but feeling doubtful.
④ That night back at the hotel, the young woman phoned her parents' home in Boston and she told her mother what had happened that day. Her mother told her that for about five years in the 1950s she had volunteered to help foreign students to learn English. Many of them had come to America from Italy.

Underline the correct answer.
(1) What was the young woman doing in the street?
(a) talking to people (b) helping older people (c) watching handbags in shops
(2) The old woman said
(a) the old woman (b) the young woman's mother (c) the young woman
(3) The old woman was talking about her
(a) mother. (b) teacher. (c) sister.
(4) The word 'them' in line 12 refers to
(a) the young woman and her mother.
(b) foreign students.
(c) Jennifer and her students.
(5) Which sentence is correct according to the story?
(a) A young woman meets an old woman who had taught her English.
(b) The young woman's mother had taught English to the old woman in Boston.
(c) The young woman in the story looks exactly like the old woman.

Write a paragraph on any one of the following topics. Use about 50–60 words.
(a) How we should look after the elderly people
(b) A television programme I watched

Read the text and underline the most suitable word given within brackets.

You are a doctor of medicine from Sri Lanka. You are at an international meeting in Switzerland. You want to (1) (a) communication, (b) communicate, (c) communicating with a doctor from Africa. In which language would you (2) ........... ((a) speak, (b) speaker, (c) speaking) with him? The answer is most (3) ........... ((a) probable, (b) probably, (c) probability) English.
Today, nearly 1.5 billion people around the world use English for many (4) ........... ((a) differ, (b) differentiate, (c) differently) purposes.
Why is English (5) ........... ((a) use, (b) useful, (c) uses) for international communication? For one thing, many books and papers are in English. Therefore most of the people from different countries learn English for international communication.

Complete the following passage using the correct form of the verb given within each bracket.

Mrs. Jane Rita works in a language school in Sri Lanka as a senior teacher. First I asked her whether she (1) ........... (enjoy) teaching English. "Yes, I do" she replied. "How long have you been teaching here?", I asked. "Since I (2) ........... (return) from Maldives, three years ago", she continued. Then talking about her future plans she said, "Well, I'm interested in teaching young children and I (3) ........... (start) a special English Language Course next month." Then I asked her, "Are you going to stay in Sri Lanka for a few more years?" "I (4) ........... (think) I should. Of course, if someone (5) ........... (offer) me a well-paid job in another country I will accept it, but that is not very likely", she replied.

Fill in the blanks with the words given in the box. There is one extra word.

Word box: about · be · business · cage · captivity · exactly · estimated · expensive · harm · have · how · in · known · tigers · to

Animal lovers go to wildlife sanctuaries because they want to see animals up close. They believe sanctuaries are in the (1) ........... of taking care of animals that (2) ........... nowhere else to go. Nobody knows (3) ........... how many of exotic animals now live in (4) ........... in the Unites States, though it's (5) ........... that there are at least 5,000 (6) ........... roaming in the wild. What is (7) ........... is that many of these animals end up (8) ........... wildlife sanctuaries when they become too (9) ........... and too dangerous for their owners (10) ........... keep. But there is serious disagreement (11) ........... what exactly a sanctuary is and (12) ........... the animals in its care should (13) ........... treated. Some irresponsible visitors cause more (14) ........... than good by visiting the animals at irregular times. Such issues can be minimized with a proper management system.

The following is a part of Amanda's speech that she made at the end of the year, thanking the teacher-in-charge of her class. Fill in each blank in the speech selecting the most suitable word from the box.

Word box: although · because · however · whenever · while

Dear teacher, I take this opportunity on behalf of my friends to thank you for your guidance as the teacher-in-charge of our class. We all know that (1) ........... we had difficulties and problems, you were always there to help us. (2) ........... you spoke to us in a strict manner at times, we knew it was (3) ........... you loved us so much. I remember once we all cried together (4) ........... you were lying in a hospital bed for several days. (5) ........... , this will not be our final day of meeting you. We love you so much and you will be in our hearts forever! Thank you!

Read the following advertisements. Match them with the descriptions given below them. Write the correct letter of the advertisement in the box given against each description.

Advertisements:
A — Adventurer's Binoculars from MILAN'S SHOP: magnifying up to 8 times to let you see the smallest details; can be carried everywhere; perfect gift for a nature lover; free delivery for orders of three or more.
B — WANTED — Your old shoes: Rs. 250.00 reward. Take any usable old pair of shoes to HILO's Flagship Store in Bristle Street between now and 30 September. You will receive Rs. 250 off any new pair of HILO shoes. Your old shoes will go to a charity organization.
C — Lakeside Cabins: Just half an hour's drive from the glorious scenery of Kandy District. WANT TO GO SIGHTSEEING? YOU COULD NOT BE IN A BETTER PLACE. Resort with a private health and leisure complex and a gymnasium.
D — View Bolgoda Lake: Enjoy the day in the largest natural lake in Sri Lanka! Visit Bolgoda Lake View Resort in Bolgoda. Lots of activities including water sports facilities and sightseeing. Boat rides in the lake can be arranged. Ideal for bird watching for nature lovers.
E — FOLK MUSEUM: Get a glimpse into traditional Sri Lankan way of life. Visit Martin Wickramasinghe Museum in Koggala. Learn about Martin Wickramasinghe's life. Buy traditional items like masks, clothing and historical utensils. Open every day from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Descriptions:
(1) Shelani doesn't like to see her clothes or shoes for a long time. She gives her used clothes and shoes to poor people. Now, she wants to buy a new pair of shoes. → ...
(2) Yoga likes to watch wild animals in their natural habitat. She frequently visits national parks to watch wild animals. But he is unable to observe them closely as he does not have necessary equipment. → ...
(3) Gihan is always busy with his work. But he finds time to go to gymnasium to keep his fitness. His family plans to go on a trip to see the natural beauty in the hill country. But he is worried about skipping his fitness exercise. → ...
(4) Prabitha is a student of Literature. She is interested in reading about lives of well-known writers and visiting their places. She loves collecting information and objects related to their lives. → ...
(5) Fathima is a lover of natural water ways, and she likes to observe behaviour of birds and fish in wetlands. She regularly visits natural wetlands in the country. → ...

Answer (a) OR (b). Use about 100 words.

(a) You are the secretary of the Weldeniya Sports Club. Write a letter to the principal of Weldeniya Maha Vidyalaya informing that you wish to donate some sports equipment to the school. Include:
• reasons for selecting that school
• the sports equipment you donate
• request for a convenient day to visit the school

OR

(b) The following bar chart shows the different places that grade 11 students of Nilwala Central College like to visit. Write a description about it. Use about 100 words. Words: most popular, least popular, most, many, some, a few.

Bar values (No. of students): Beach 20, National parks 31, Hill country 25, Religious places 18, Any of them 6.

Read the following text and answer the questions.

'Tom!' The old lady put on her glasses and looked about for him.
'Tom!' she called out again, but there was no response. She walked up to the open door and looked out in the garden for him. Just then she heard a noise behind her and she turned around to find Tom sneaking out of the large cupboard in the room. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
'So that's where you went!' she said. 'How many times have I told you to keep your fingers out of my jam pots. I will teach you a lesson this time.'
With that she marched him over to the umbrella stand next to the door and pulled out a cane. Tom knew he was going to get it and he had to think up something very quickly.
'Look out Aunt Polly! There is a rat in the closet.' He shouted.
The old lady shrieked and let go of Tom's collar. Before she discovered the imaginary rat, Tom ran out of the door and disappeared over the fence.
'I guess, I will never learn, this boy seems to have a new trick up his sleeve each time I try to get him.'
That evening Tom got late coming home and he decided to climb through the window rather than use the front door. As he climbed through the window, he found aunt Polly waiting for him.
'Ah! So you found time to come back!' She said.
'Aunt Polly I ...............'
'No! don't answer me, I can see that you have been busy, I guess since it is past dinner time you would not be hungry, so wash yourself and go to sleep.'
With that she closed the door and walked out of the room with a firm resolve that she would teach him a lesson the next day. — Adapted from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

(1) T/F:
(1) The old lady thought that Tom was in the garden.
(2) Tom came out of the cupboard as there was a rat in it.
(3) Aunt Polly was looking for Tom to give him a jam pot.
(4) Tom knew that Aunt Polly was frightened of rats.
• Underline the correct answer for (2), (3) and (4).
(2) Aunt Polly wanted to punish Tom because he
(a) answered when she called his name.
(b) frightened her by telling about a rat.
(c) ate jam from the jar without permission.
(d) tried to escape aunt Polly by jumping over the fence.
(3) Tom was ...........
(a) eating jam, (b) hiding in the cupboard, (c) jumping over the fence) when aunt Polly was looking for him.
(4) Aunt Polly understood that Tom
(a) hid the cane. (b) lied about a rat. (c) hid in the garden. (d) couldn't find a rat in the room.
(5) Find a word/phrase from the passage that is closest in meaning to each of the following.
(a) walking out very quietly
(b) screamed or cried in a loud manner
(6) Find the most suitable sentence from the passage that gives the idea that aunt Polly was going to beat up Tom as punishment.

Write on one of the following topics. Use about 200 words.
(a) An article to a school magazine on 'Importance of outdoor activities'.
Include: a few outdoor activities (sports / games / clubs / associations); how these activities help students — to improve talents and skills, to face challenges, to build personality; outdoor activities you have participated in; benefits that you have gained from them.
(b) You have been selected to represent Sri Lanka at an International Student Conference. Write a speech you would make at the conference to introduce your country to the audience.
Include: introduction of yourself and your country; description of customs, traditions and festivals; description of attractive / historical places; an appropriate conclusion.
(c) Write an essay on 'Advantages and disadvantages in studying in a foreign country'.
• advantages — better learning opportunities; sharing experiences with people from different cultures; learning to work independently etc.
• disadvantages — being away from family; experiencing climatic changes; reluctance to return to the native country etc.
(d) You were playing cricket in your home garden with your friends and accidentally broke a window of your neighbour's house. Your neighbour wanted to complain to your parents. Describe what happened and how you apologized your neighbour and solved the problem.