📄 O/L English Language — 2023 / 2024

Match the following pictures with the descriptions given below. Write the letter of the most suitable picture in the box given against each description. The first one is done for you.

Pictures (a)–(f): (a) a lake/pond; (b) a rainbow; (c) flowers; (d) an umbrella; (e) a thermometer; (f) rain drops.

(1) A lake full of flowers → c (example)
(2) An instrument for measuring temperature → ...
(3) The star that warms the earth → ...
(4) Drops of fresh water that fall from the sky → ...
(5) Dark eyewear that protects you from the sun → ...
(6) Something that is held over one's head for protection → ...

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 bank: (a) reach · (b) trip · (c) here · (d) sounds · (e) when · (f) that

Arun : I want to do something interesting this weekend.
Chamila: Lovely! We can do something together.
Arun : Yes, that (1) ...d (sounds)... good. What are you planning to do?
Chamila: Well, I have arranged to go on a (2) ........... to Kandy with some friends. Do you want to come with us?
Arun : Great! (3) ........... are you leaving?
Chamila: Well, we have decided to start early in the morning on Sunday, and we are hoping to (4) ........... Kandy by lunch time.
Arun : Oh, in (5) ........... case I have to come very early.
Chamila: Yes, you must meet me (6) ........... at six thirty in the morning.
Arun : OK, good. I won't be late.

Study the picture and fill in the blanks 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 bank: (a) with · (b) seven · (c) games · (d) drawing · (e) seated · (f) distance · (g) plucking · (h) guitar · (i) holding · (j) branch · (k) book

This is a beautiful scene of a children's park. Children (1) ...e... doing different things here. There are (2) ........... of them. Some are boys and some are girls. One child is sitting on a (3) ........... of a large tree (4) ........... fruit. Another child can be seen (5) ........... under the tree reading a (6) ........... The child standing in front of a white board is (7) ........... a picture. At a (8) ........... a boy is playing a (9) ........... A girl with curly hair is (10) ........... a kite. Another child is seen playing (11) ........... a ball. The children are enjoying themselves.

Fill in the blanks in the following text with the words given in the box. The first one is done for you.

Word bank: of · at · up · by · to · for

A young man was driving to work. Suddenly he was surrounded (1) ...by... flashing lights and four police cars. One officer told him to get out of the car. The young man followed his orders not knowing why that was happening. He ended (2) ........... in handcuffs in the back of the police car. A witness claimed she had seen him (3) ........... a murder scene. But what if this man isn't guilty (4) ........... murder? What if he is completely innocent? Perhaps he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he has a similar body build or hair colour (5) ........... that of the actual murderer. Now imagine your brother, your best friend or even yourself in this man's position. How difficult it would be (6) ........... you and your family to experience this! However, the police have no option other than arresting a suspect.

Read the text and complete the table. The first one is done for you.

The Blue Whale

The world's largest mammal is the blue whale. Although they can breathe air, blue whales are most at ease in the ocean, where their ability to float supports their amazing size. These marine animals can be found in every ocean on Earth, and they frequently swim alone or in tiny groups.

A blue whale calf is born weighing two tons (approximately 1814 kg) and during its first year, it gains an additional 200 pounds (approximately 91 kg) every day. These enormous animals consume krill, which are tiny organisms that resemble shrimp.

It is estimated that just a small number of blue whales inhabit the oceans worldwide. They were nearly driven to extinction because of years of hunting for their oil and blubber. Although they were shielded from extinction by the 1966 International Whaling Convention, they are currently listed as endangered.

(1) A swimming style of whales → (a) alone or in tiny groups (example)
(2) A common prey of whales → (b) ...
(3) What hunters seek in whales other than oil → (c) ...
(4) The extra weight a calf gains every day in its first year → (d) ...
(5) The weight of a calf at birth → (e) ...
(6) The year that ensured the safety of whales → (f) ...

You are the officer in charge of making railway announcements at the Colombo Fort Railway Station. Write the announcement to inform passengers about the delay of the Udarata Menike Express Train to Badulla. Use about 40–50 words.

Include:
• Name of the train: The Udarata Menike Express Train
• Time of departure: 9.30 a.m.
• Platform: No. 3
• Scheduled arrival: Badulla Railway Station at 3.30 p.m.
• Duration of delay: One hour
• New departure time: 10.30 a.m.

Read the text and answer the questions.

In a village far away from the city lived a young girl named Pinky. She was an adventurous girl, always seeking new experiences. One sunny day, Pinky found a mysterious map in her grandfather's bookshelf. She, then, decided to go on a treasure hunt.

Following the clues of the map, Pinky journeyed through a forest crossing a bubbling stream. Along the way, she met many animals who supported her. A wise owl guided her through a dark forest, and a playful squirrel pointed towards a hidden cave.

As Pinky reached the cave, she found a glittering chest filled with gold. She was not interested in it. Excitement filled her heart as she realized the true wealth was the journey itself. She returned to the village with newfound friends and stories to share. Everyone in the village celebrated her adventurous spirit, and Pinky learned that sometimes the greatest treasures are the memories we create and the friends we make along the way.

Underline the correct answer:
(1) What made Pinky go on a treasure hunt was
(a) the mysterious map (b) the surroundings of the village (c) her grandfather's bookshelf
(2) The animals that she met in the forest were
(a) rude (b) friendly (c) indifferent
(3) The word that best explains the meaning of "glittering" can be
(a) valuable (b) shiny (c) old
(4) The animals who supported Pinky at the forest
(a) refused to come to the village (b) visited the village with her (c) stayed where they were
(5) The people in the village
(a) liked her treasure hunt (b) disliked it (c) were not bothered

Write a paragraph on any one of the following topics. Use about 50 to 60 words.
(a) How to use a library
(b) The best gift I have received

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

New technology often creates serious problems. Vehicles, for example, provide (1) ........... ((a) a little (b) numerous (c) much) benefits, but they also (2) ........... ((a) pollute (b) destroy (c) ruin) the air and pose severe health risks to people and damage (3) ........... ((a) energy (b) waste (c) property). It is difficult to imagine life (4) ........... ((a) with (b) without (c) within) electricity and heat. Jet planes, while helping us in many ways, cause air pollution (5) ........... ((a) refreshing (b) releasing (c) exchanging) hydrocarbons. The challenge, however, is to minimize the harmful effects of new technology on the environment.

Read Ganesh Ramalingam's letter to Sarala and fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb given within brackets.

Dear Sarala,

Hope you are doing well. I would like to know how you are getting on. I am thinking about you and your well-being, especially during these difficult times.

Also, it (1) ........... (be) a pleasure for me to hear how you are (2) ........... (progress) in your studies. Are there any subjects or topics that you find particularly challenging? (3) ........... (remember) it's perfectly normal to encounter difficulties along the way, and I'm here to help you overcome any problems you are likely to (4) ........... (face).

I would also like to discuss what you plan for your future. Have you thought about what you'd like to pursue after (5) ........... (complete) the G.C.E. O/L examination?

Wishing you all the best,
Ganesh Ramalingam

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

Word box: puddles · know · form · ever · comes · that · to · it · disappear · rainwater · somewhere · the · sometimes · cannot · what

Rain is a very unpredictable natural process. Sometimes it rains. It rains and drains. The rain (1) ........... down in heavy sheets. (2) ........... it rains so hard (3) ........... it makes it difficult (4) ........... see. We all know (5) ........... it is like when (6) ........... rains. But have you (7) ........... wondered where all the (8) ........... goes? Does it just (9) ........... ? We all know that it (10) ........... just disappear. As we (11) ........... it has to go (12) ........... Raindrops fall to (13) ........... ground, join together to (14) ........... rain puddles. The rain puddles get bigger and bigger. Finally, they overflow.

Read the text and underline the correct form given within each bracket.

As Rajini walked into the classroom, she noticed her friend Jaleel sitting alone, looking upset.
"Hi, Jaleel, what's wrong?" Rajini asked.

Jaleel sighed and replied, "Well, yesterday my brother told me that (1) ........... ((a) he lost his job (b) he had lost his job (c) he will lose his job)."

"Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that," Rajini said sympathetically and asked, (2) ........... ((a) "How would he react?" (b) how he reacted. (c) how he could react.)

"He seemed really upset," Jaleel reported. My brother also told me that he (3) ........... ((a) had worked (b) worked (c) having to work) there for five years and didn't know what to do next.

"That must have been tough for him," Rajini remarked. "Did he say anything else?"

"Yeah, he mentioned that (4) ........... ((a) he is going to (b) he was going to (c) he were to) start looking for a new job right away," Jaleel continued. "But he also said he's worried about finding something as good as (5) ........... ((a) what he was (b) what he had been (c) what he had)."

Read the following extracts. Select the most suitable caption for each and write the letter. There is one extra caption.

Captions:
A — Garbage disposal
B — Time you should meet a doctor
C — Feel free to talk
D — Be a wise parent
E — Use it well, it is not an enemy
F — Tips to minimize environmental pollution

(1) When settlements were very small, leftovers were simply thrown outdoors, where they finally decayed. But as communities grew, pigs and other animals helped clear away the stuff eating them. The animals, in turn, recycled the waste and thus created an even less appealing waste problem.

(2) Many people are strangely passive when they visit a doctor. First of all, they often fail to provide the doctor with complete information about their medical problem. Secondly, many people fail to ask their doctor for a full and clear explanation of their condition.

(3) Swollen glands in the body can be uncomfortable, but they are a welcome sign that your body is working to defend itself. They are often associated with an illness such as mumps, German measles, a cold, or flu. Still if swollen glands last more than a few days, it can be a sign of a serious illness, such as Hodgkin's disease.

(4) Here are some tips to discourage TV watching and encourage reading. For one thing, have only one television set, and place it in the family room. Secondly, connect eating with reading. Put a bookcase rather than a TV in the kitchen.

(5) Children in Finland are the highest-scoring young readers in the world, but they spend more time watching TV than reading. Finnish national research has pointed out a key relationship between reading and Finnish TV. Many programmes have captions and watching these programmes seems to motivate and enhance reading among young readers.

Write on one of the following. Use about 100 words.

(a) You have invited your best friend to have lunch at home. Due to unavoidable circumstances you had to cancel the lunch. Write a letter to your friend informing him/her of the cancellation.
Include:
• express your regret for cancellation
• give reasons for it
• give any future arrangements

OR

(b) The following bar chart displays the results of a survey on the reasons for Grade 11 students being late to school at Vidyakara Maha Vidyalaya.

Excuses:
(a) Buses stuck in traffic — ~15 students
(b) Family member got ill — ~5 students
(c) Rain in the morning — ~25 students
(d) Forgot to set alarm clock — ~20 students
(e) Headache/stomachache — ~10 students

Words/phrases to help: many, some, a few, most, more than, less than

Read the text and answer the questions.

Choosing one's fate

[1] Many years ago, there lived a man who was capable of loving and forgiving everyone he came across. Because of this, God sent an angel to talk to him.

[2] "God asked me to come and visit you and tell you that he wishes to reward you for your goodness," said the angel. "You may have any gift you wish for. Would you like the gift of healing sick people?"

[3] "Certainly not," said the man. "I would prefer God to choose those who should be healed." "And what about leading wrong-doers back to the path of goodness?" asked the angel. "That's a job for angels like you. I don't want to be worshipped by anyone or to serve as an example for perfect living," replied the man.

[4] "Look, I can't go back to Heaven without having given you a gift. If you don't choose, I'll have to choose one for you," said the angel.

[5] The man thought for a moment and then said: "All right. I would like good to be done through me, but no one should notice it. Even I do not want to know it. Otherwise I might commit the offence of becoming a proud person."

[6] So the angel arranged for the man's shadow to have the power of healing, but only when the sun was shining on the man's face. In this way, wherever he went, the sick were healed, the earth grew fertile again, and sad people rediscovered happiness. The man travelled the Earth for many years, oblivious of the healing he was doing because when he was facing the sun, his shadow was always behind him.

(1) True or False (½ × 4 = 2 marks):
(a) God sent an angel to earth to give the man the ability of loving and forgiving. → ...
(b) The man believed that it is God's responsibility to select those who deserve healing. → ...
(c) The power of healing was active when the shadow was behind the man. → ...
(d) The man was unaware of the healings he was doing as God did not allow him to see them. → ...

(2) What does 'one' in line 11 refer to? (1 mark)

(3) Underline the phrase closest in meaning to:
(a) 'commit' — (i) to give up completely (ii) to do something wrong (iii) to hand over (iv) to change for the better (1 mark)
(b) 'oblivious' — (i) not aware of something (ii) having no education (iii) showing neglect (iv) not to accept as accurate (1 mark)

(4) One good quality of the man that attracted God was:
(a) his ability to heal (b) his ability to lead bad people to goodness (c) his readiness to love and forgive everyone (d) his refusal to accept healing power (1 mark)

(5) The man accepted the gift:
(a) willingly (b) happily (c) enthusiastically (d) hesitantly (1 mark)

(6) Why didn't the man want to know about his own good deeds?
(a) He thought it was God's duty to heal (b) Making bad people good is angels' work (c) His miracles would make him a better person (d) He didn't want to be worshipped or become proud (1 mark)

Write on one of the following topics. Use about 200 words.

(a) Write an article to a local newspaper on The Role of Advertising in Media.
Include: what advertising is · why it is necessary · how it influences the public · its adverse effects

(b) Write an essay on The Importance of Regular Exercise for Our Health.
Include: types of regular exercise · advantages · steps to make it popular

(c) A speech on The Need of an Efficient Public Transport System for a Developing Country.
Include: modes of public transport · benefits · disadvantages of an inefficient system

(d) Complete the story: "I noticed a parcel on the road as I continued to stroll along the road. When I went there and glanced around, nobody was in sight..."