Passage a Addendum A

PASSAGE A ADDENDUM A

PASSAGE FOR QUESTION 1 (COMPREHENSION)

Our earth is one of the smaller planets around our sun. The sun itself is a small star in a galaxy of millions of stars, one of them so large that if it were placed centre-to-centre with the sun the earth would fall inside it. There are millions of such galaxies, each consisting of millions of stars, some of them millions of light-years away, all of them moving at colossal speeds through endless time and endless space.

The mystery of the universe is unfathomable. Its secrets are excruciatingly elusive. There are those who say that it is dynamic dust going it blind, speaking for myself, I am persuaded that there is a Power abroad in it that is beyond human comprehension; that there is a Plan that pervades it; and that there is a meaningful destiny in it for all mankind if only man would attune his mind to the grand design of the Creator and bring himself to make a proper contribution to the shaping of his apportioned part in it.

Man has come a long way since the days when he was presumptuous enough to believe that he was at the centre of the universe and that the skies revolved around him. He has been awakened from his age-long dream and his mind has been staggered by a new perspective which has revealed his world as a tiny pebble in the vastness of the heavens and himself as but a tiny mite on it. Nevertheless he is a mite of some significance. There is no doubt about his abilities and his achievements. They proclaim the ample measure of his skill and ingenuity.

He has discovered the laws of nature and has used them to foretell the times for years ahead of the eclipses, of the tides, and of the rising and the setting of the sun. With their aid he has mapped the heavens; he has plumbed the depths of space, plotted the paths of comets and placed human beings on the moon. More amazingly, he has brought them safely back to earth again. One of these intrepid men, as he viewed the earth from that uniquely favoured point of vantage, used these words to express his thoughts:

`There was our world; a tiny jewel of an ornament floating in a black velvet sky. It looked so majestic, harmonious and peaceful, the way we would like to think our planet should be.'

We all know how vain his musings were. Man has torn his world apart with discord and strife; he has laid it waste with war and violence; he is rapidly squandering the riches of his heritage; soon he will no longer be able to feed. Wherever we look we see power that mark the tragic shattering of the harmony and the dream. Surely it is an impertinence that such tiny creatures on one of the smallest bodies in the gigantic universe should behave in so iniquitous and intolerably a manner.

This damning picture of man's stewardship lends colour to the belief often expressed that human nature is fundamentally evil, but to this gloomy view I would not readily subscribe.

On the contrary, it has been a constant trait in human character to show compassion for the helpless, the stricken and the aged; even a willingness to recognize in others their common desires for security, respect and happiness. There is in man's nature a keen sense of fair play and justice and an earnest regard for law and order, which have given rise to a mounting feeling of frustration at the futility of strife and an intense abhorrence of the ghastliness of war.

QUESTION 1

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions which follow.

Use the mark allocation for each question as a guide to the amount of detail required for each answer. USE YOUR OWN WORDS WHEREVER POSSIBLE.

PLEASE NOTE

+ If you do not heed the instruction `USE YOUR OWN WORDS', you will be penalised.

1.1 Refer to paragraph 1.

Explain briefly what the writer means by `moving at colossal speeds". (2)

1.2 Refer to paragraph 2

1.2.1 Say what you think the writer means with the words `dynamic dust going it blind'. (3)

1.2.2 Why are the words `Plan', `Power', and `Creator', written with capital letters. (1)

1.3 Refer to paragraph 3.

1.3.1 Supply the missing word:

The word `mite' suggests that human beings should rather feel ... than superior to the universe. (1)

1.3.2 What is the `presumptuous believe' the writer talks about.

(2)

1.4 Refer to paragraph 4.

1.4.1 Which `intrepid' man does the writer refer to?

(1)

1.4.2 [*]

Choose the most appropriate meaning of `intrepid men':

(a) understanding

(b) impressive

(d) meek

(1)

1.5 [*]

Refer to paragraph 5.

`Laid it waste' means

(a) destroyed all plants

(b) opened up the countries

(d) put humanity aside

(1)

1.6 Refer to paragraph 6.

Quote two adjectives from this paragraph that describe the terrible condition the world is in. (1)

1.7 Refer to paragraph 1.

1.7.1 Why is the writer repeatedly using the word `millions'?

(2)

1.7.2 What is the intention of the writer for referring to `time' and `space' as `endless'? (2)

1.8 Refer to paragraph 1.

1.8.1 What is the function of the semi-colon used in these lines?

(1)

1.8.2 [*]

The word `grand design', as used in this context, has connotations of:

(a) rank

(b) principal

(d) style

(1)

1.8.3 What does the words `proper contribution' suggests about our involvement with the earth currently?

(1)

1.9 [*]

Refer to paragraph 3.

Choose the phrase closest in meaning to `presumptuous' as used in the context:

(a) take the liberty

(b) took for granted

(d) right of inheritance

(1)

1.10 [*]

Refer to paragraph 7.

It is expressed in this line that the writer would not subscribe `to this gloomy view'. Is the gloomy view he talks about the:

(a) squandering of the riches?

(b) war and violence?

(d) strife of man?

(1)

1.11 Write a suitable title for this passage which will give you the main idea of the passage. (2)

1.12 Refer to paragraph 6.

Add a last sentence to this paragraph beginning with the following words:

`Friends, it is up to us ...'.

(1)

/25/

QUESTION 2

2.1 Study the dictionary entry for `work' printed below and then answer the questions based upon it.

work (wˆrk) n. 1. expenditure of energy, striving,

application of effort or exertion to a purpose,

engaged in work, operating, exertion of force overcoming

resistance or producing molecular change, task

undertaken, materials to be used in a task, thing done by

work, result of action, achievement, made thing; book or

piece of literature, employment, piece of fortification.

workday, day on which work is usu. done; workforce,

(number of) workers engaged or available in an industry

etc.; workhorse, horse that performs arduous labour;

workload, amount of work to be done by a particular

employee etc; workmanship, person's relative skill in

doing task, relative finish or execution seen in

manufactured article or work of art, thing made;

workstudy, system of examining performance of jobs so

that they can produce the best results for employees and

employers. workbag another word for

Choose from the entry given, the word or phrase (NOT a derivative) that best expresses the meaning of `work' as used in each of the following contexts:

(a) Yesterday afternoon I read a nice work about the love and life of Heathcliff Earnshaw.

(b) The work I had to do on that old vintage car took me exactly nine years.

(c) You have to work your arms otherwise you will never be able to make up two extra seconds when you are running in the straight.

(3)

2.2 Write down a compound word formed from `work'.

(1)

2.3 The phonetic spelling of `work' is given as `w rk'. Read the following appropriate extract from the detailed chart of pronunciation printed at the beginning of the dictionary, and then write down any TWO words of your OWN that rhyme with `work'

as in burn, fern, lurk, word (2)

2.4 Supply the missing prepositions:

2.4.1 He had his work cut out ... Him.

(1)

2.4.2 That painting is really a work ... Art.

(1)

2.4.3 They were hard ... work on the broken ship.

(1)

2.4.4 ... next week on the ironworks will be closed.

(1)

2.4.5 ... work they can never drink any tea.

(1)

2.5 Write down two compound nouns formed from `work'.

(1)

/12/

QUESTION 3 (VISUAL)

3.1 What does Flo mean when she says: “I couldn’t talk him round”?

(2)

3.2 Describe Flo’s expression in frame 1.

(1)

3.3 Rube’s word in frame 2 convey a feeling of disbelief/anger/resentment?

Give a reason for your answer.

(3)

3.4 Andy’s tone as reported by Flo in frame three is patronising/sarcastic/envious?

(1)

3.5 What style is employed in the cartoon? Support your answer.

(2)

3.6 Rewrite “I couldn’t talk him round” in standard English.

(2)

3.7 Describe Rube’s tone in frame two.

(2)

[25]

Total: 50

3.8 Which word creates the confusion?

(1)

3.9 Which meaning does the woman intend the Fool to understand in frame 1?

(2)

3.10 What is wrong with the Fool in frame 2? How does the picture convey this state?

(2)

3.11 Rewrite frame 1 in reported speech.

(3)