📝 Unit 1: Our Responsibilities
Vandalism · 4 past tenses · word-class suffixes · informal letter · civic essay
Task 1 — Past tense practice (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in
brackets — past simple, past continuous, past perfect or past perfect
continuous.
(1) Mr. Bandara (sell) ........... his car last week.
(2) Suwimali (sweep) ........... the classroom by the time the teacher
started the lesson.
(3) She (wait) ........... at the bus stop for an hour when I saw her.
(4) When the bell (ring) ..........., the children were already in line.
(5) By 2020, our village (build) ........... two new playgrounds.
brackets — past simple, past continuous, past perfect or past perfect
continuous.
(1) Mr. Bandara (sell) ........... his car last week.
(2) Suwimali (sweep) ........... the classroom by the time the teacher
started the lesson.
(3) She (wait) ........... at the bus stop for an hour when I saw her.
(4) When the bell (ring) ..........., the children were already in line.
(5) By 2020, our village (build) ........... two new playgrounds.
(1) sold
(2) had swept (or had been sweeping)
(3) had been waiting
(4) rang
(5) had built
5 marks.
(2) had swept (or had been sweeping)
(3) had been waiting
(4) rang
(5) had built
5 marks.
Task 2 — Word-class suffixes (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Form the word required in each blank by adding a suffix to the
word in brackets.
(1) Vandalism is a (CRIME) ........... act in our country.
(2) The principal asked us to (DISCIPLINE) ........... ourselves.
(3) Travelling without a ticket is a (PUNISH) ........... offence.
(4) Her (KIND) ........... towards stray dogs is well-known.
(5) Citizens must take (RESPONSIBLE) ........... for their actions.
word in brackets.
(1) Vandalism is a (CRIME) ........... act in our country.
(2) The principal asked us to (DISCIPLINE) ........... ourselves.
(3) Travelling without a ticket is a (PUNISH) ........... offence.
(4) Her (KIND) ........... towards stray dogs is well-known.
(5) Citizens must take (RESPONSIBLE) ........... for their actions.
(1) criminal
(2) discipline (use the verb form)
(3) punishable
(4) kindness
(5) responsibility
5 marks.
(2) discipline (use the verb form)
(3) punishable
(4) kindness
(5) responsibility
5 marks.
Task 3 — Rewrite the notice (5 marks)
(5 marks)
The following notice has been written by Suleka for the class
notice board. There is a mistake in each sentence. Rewrite each sentence
correctly. The first one is done for you.
Notice for Grade Nine students
(1) Drama practices begins tomorrow → Drama practices begin tomorrow. (example)
(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.
notice board. There is a mistake in each sentence. Rewrite each sentence
correctly. The first one is done for you.
Notice for Grade Nine students
(1) Drama practices begins tomorrow → Drama practices begin tomorrow. (example)
(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.
(2) Be prepared to stay after school.
(3) Parents' letters of permission are needed.
(4) Lunch is provided at the hostel.
(5) Meet in the main hall at 2.00 p.m.
(6) The principal will address the students.
5 marks.
(3) Parents' letters of permission are needed.
(4) Lunch is provided at the hostel.
(5) Meet in the main hall at 2.00 p.m.
(6) The principal will address the students.
5 marks.
Task 4 — Comprehension: Vandalism (5 marks)
(5 marks)
Read the passage on vandalism (above) and answer the questions.
(1) Give the dictionary definition of vandalism.
(2) Name THREE causes of vandalism mentioned in the text.
(3) Write the sentence that lists the punishments for vandalism.
(4) Find a word in paragraph 2 that means 'lack of interest or excitement'.
(5) Underline the correct answer. According to the passage, most vandals
(a) have a clear plan.
(b) do it for political reasons.
(c) do it without a clear motive, often as fun or art.
(1) Give the dictionary definition of vandalism.
(2) Name THREE causes of vandalism mentioned in the text.
(3) Write the sentence that lists the punishments for vandalism.
(4) Find a word in paragraph 2 that means 'lack of interest or excitement'.
(5) Underline the correct answer. According to the passage, most vandals
(a) have a clear plan.
(b) do it for political reasons.
(c) do it without a clear motive, often as fun or art.
(1) An offence caused when a person deliberately destroys, alters or defaces someone else's property without permission.
(2) Any three: lack of meaningful activities, disciplinary problems, revenge, boredom, anger, frustration, peer-group pressure, playfulness, curiosity, pleasure.
(3) "It is a punishable crime with imprisonment, monetary fines, or both as laws exist in a country to prevent vandalism."
(4) boredom.
(5) (c) do it without a clear motive, often as fun or art.
5 marks.
(2) Any three: lack of meaningful activities, disciplinary problems, revenge, boredom, anger, frustration, peer-group pressure, playfulness, curiosity, pleasure.
(3) "It is a punishable crime with imprisonment, monetary fines, or both as laws exist in a country to prevent vandalism."
(4) boredom.
(5) (c) do it without a clear motive, often as fun or art.
5 marks.
Task 5 — Notice (40–50 words)
(5 marks)
You are the secretary of the Civic Awareness Club. Write a
notice for the school notice board about a poster competition titled
'Respecting Public Property'. Use about 40–50 words.
Include:
• topic and theme
• size of the poster
• closing date
• prize.
notice for the school notice board about a poster competition titled
'Respecting Public Property'. Use about 40–50 words.
Include:
• topic and theme
• size of the poster
• closing date
• prize.
CIVIC AWARENESS CLUB — POSTER COMPETITION
Grade 9 to 11 students are invited to enter a poster competition titled
'Respecting Public Property'. Posters must be on A3-size art paper, in any
medium. Hand entries to Mr. Perera by Friday, 11th March 2027. Winning
poster receives a Rs. 5,000 book token.
— Secretary.
50 words. 5 marks.
Grade 9 to 11 students are invited to enter a poster competition titled
'Respecting Public Property'. Posters must be on A3-size art paper, in any
medium. Hand entries to Mr. Perera by Friday, 11th March 2027. Winning
poster receives a Rs. 5,000 book token.
— Secretary.
50 words. 5 marks.
Task 6 — Short paragraph (50–60 words)
(5 marks)
Write a paragraph on ONE of the following. Use about 50–60 words.
(a) Why I respect public property
(b) My duty as a citizen
(c) Vandalism in my neighbourhood
(a) Why I respect public property
(b) My duty as a citizen
(c) Vandalism in my neighbourhood
MODEL — Why I respect public property (60 words)
Public property belongs to all of us. The bench at the bus stop, the wall at
the park and the desk at school were paid for by my parents' taxes — and
mine, one day. Scratching my name on them is scratching my own future. So I
carry my litter, hold my voice down in the library, and ask politely before
I touch anything that is shared.
5 marks.
Public property belongs to all of us. The bench at the bus stop, the wall at
the park and the desk at school were paid for by my parents' taxes — and
mine, one day. Scratching my name on them is scratching my own future. So I
carry my litter, hold my voice down in the library, and ask politely before
I touch anything that is shared.
5 marks.
Task 7 — Letter to a friend (~100 words, 10 marks)
(10 marks)
Write a letter to your best friend telling her about a community
service you took part in. Use about 100 words.
Include:
• address, date, salutation
• what the community activity was
• who organised it / how many took part
• what you learnt
• closing wish.
service you took part in. Use about 100 words.
Include:
• address, date, salutation
• what the community activity was
• who organised it / how many took part
• what you learnt
• closing wish.
12, Lake Road,
Maharagama.
6th March 2027.
Dear Sajini,
Last Saturday morning our Youth Society organised a community clean-up day
in our lane. Forty households turned out, armed with brooms, sacks and a
shared determination. By noon we had cleared two truckloads of polythene
and cut back the overgrown drains.
More than the rubbish, I came away with two new lessons. First, work goes
faster when everybody pitches in. Second, the neighbours I had never spoken
to now wave hello.
Why don't you start something similar on your lane?
Love,
Tharindu.
108 words. 10 marks — full layout, three short paragraphs, two clear
lessons, closing question.
Maharagama.
6th March 2027.
Dear Sajini,
Last Saturday morning our Youth Society organised a community clean-up day
in our lane. Forty households turned out, armed with brooms, sacks and a
shared determination. By noon we had cleared two truckloads of polythene
and cut back the overgrown drains.
More than the rubbish, I came away with two new lessons. First, work goes
faster when everybody pitches in. Second, the neighbours I had never spoken
to now wave hello.
Why don't you start something similar on your lane?
Love,
Tharindu.
108 words. 10 marks — full layout, three short paragraphs, two clear
lessons, closing question.
Task 8 — Article / speech (~200 words, 15 marks)
(15 marks)
Write on ONE of the following. Use about 200 words.
(a) An article: 'Public property belongs to all of us'.
(b) A speech on 'Our responsibilities as good citizens'.
(c) An essay on 'How to stop vandalism in our area'.
(a) An article: 'Public property belongs to all of us'.
(b) A speech on 'Our responsibilities as good citizens'.
(c) An essay on 'How to stop vandalism in our area'.
(a) MODEL — Public property belongs to all of us (216 words)
If you walked through the bus stand at Maharagama yesterday, you would have
noticed three things: a half-broken signboard, a fresh marker scrawl across
the shelter wall, and a child's school bag left behind on a bench. The first
two are vandalism. The third is the simple fact that all of us — even the
youngest — depend on what is public.
Public property is everything that does not belong to one person but to all
of us together: schools, hospitals, buses, parks, streetlights, water taps,
post-boxes. We use them daily. They were built with our parents' tax money
and ours too, one day. When someone scratches a name on a wall, breaks a
bus seat or smashes a streetlight, they damage what we have already paid for.
There are three steps every student can take. First, awareness — teach a
younger student why it matters. Second, example — pick up litter even when
no one is watching. Third, courage — politely ask a vandal to stop, or
report the act to a prefect or the police.
Public property belongs to all of us. To respect it is to respect ourselves
and the country we want to live in.
Thank you.
15 marks — opening hook, clear definition, three-step action plan, warm
close.
If you walked through the bus stand at Maharagama yesterday, you would have
noticed three things: a half-broken signboard, a fresh marker scrawl across
the shelter wall, and a child's school bag left behind on a bench. The first
two are vandalism. The third is the simple fact that all of us — even the
youngest — depend on what is public.
Public property is everything that does not belong to one person but to all
of us together: schools, hospitals, buses, parks, streetlights, water taps,
post-boxes. We use them daily. They were built with our parents' tax money
and ours too, one day. When someone scratches a name on a wall, breaks a
bus seat or smashes a streetlight, they damage what we have already paid for.
There are three steps every student can take. First, awareness — teach a
younger student why it matters. Second, example — pick up litter even when
no one is watching. Third, courage — politely ask a vandal to stop, or
report the act to a prefect or the police.
Public property belongs to all of us. To respect it is to respect ourselves
and the country we want to live in.
Thank you.
15 marks — opening hook, clear definition, three-step action plan, warm
close.