DEPARTMENT FOR CURRICULUM,

RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING

Directorate for Learning and Assessment
Programmes Educational Assessment Unit
Annual Examinations for Primary Schools 2018

Year 5 ENGLISH Time: 1h 15min

(Reading Comprehension, Language and Writing)

Name: Class:

Total: 60 marks

English – Reading Comprehension, Language, and Writing – Year 5 – 2018 Page 1 of 12

A. Reading Comprehension 20 marks

A.1. Read the following text carefully.

The End of the Old Park

This is your last chance to go to the Old Park. Next week it will be turned into a

car park. The beautiful 100-year-old trees will be cut down. The grass and

flower beds will be dug up. In two weeks’ time there will be space for 50 cars to

park but there will be no green space for people, birds and animals to enjoy.

1. Underline the correct answer. (2 marks)

a) A (fun, car, water) park will be built instead of the Old Park.

b) The trees will be (planted, felled, decorated).

2. Tick () to show whether these sentences are True or False. (2 marks)

True False
Example: People like to go to the Old Park. 
a) The old trees are more than 50 years old.
b) The work on the car park will start this week.
c) The car park will have space for 100 cars.
d) The car park will have some flower beds.

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A. 2. Read the following text carefully.

An Ancient Wonder

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Ancient Greek historians wrote about the

Hanging Gardens of Babylon and described
them as a wondrous sight. The gardens no
longer exist, so the only information about
them comes from those stories.

The gardens were incredible. They were stepped gardens that overlooked the
whole city. The terraces were square and stacked like a pyramid. Each terrace
was smaller than the one below it. The gardens were about 24 metres tall.
Flowers, grasses, trees and shrubs grew on each layer.

Gardeners watered the gardens by using chain pumps to raise water from the
nearby rivers.

The Story of a King’s gift

A very long time ago, Nebuchadnezzar II became King of

ancient city of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar wanted to make
Babylon a great city. He built a new royal palace,
temples, bridges, massive walls and gates.

Nebuchadnezzar wanted to make Babylon a great kingdom but

he needed the support of other kingdoms. So he married
Amytis, the daughter of the King of Media. When Amytis arrived
in Babylon, she was sad. “She just needs to get settled,”
Nebuchadnezzar thought.

Months later, Amytis was still unhappy. One day, she told him, “I am
so homesick. This land is very strange to me. Everything is flat and brown,
and
English – Reading Comprehension, Language, and Writing – Year 5 – 2018 Page 3 of 12
there’s so much sand! I miss the mountains of my homeland. I miss the trees
and the flowers and the grass.”

Nebuchadnezzar did not want Amytis to be sad. A few days later, he had an
idea. Nebuchadnezzar told his city planners, “I want to create a garden for my
wife. It must be truly amazing!”

The king showed the planners a drawing. “The garden will look like a
mountain, and you will cover it with plants – grasses, flowers, vines, cypress
trees and palms.”

Work began immediately. For months, workers hauled dirt and stone. They
made a series of terraces that looked like a mountain. They brought plants all
the way from Media. They built beautiful statues and fountains. When
Nebuchadnezzar showed his gift to Amytis, she was happy. Her gardens felt
just like home.

1. Underline the correct word. (3 marks)

a) The Hanging Gardens were in (Babylon, Media, Greece).

b) (Historians, Scientists, Architects) wrote stories about the Hanging
Gardens.
c) The terraces were (rectangular, triangular, square).

2. Match (2 marks)

terrace a tall plant with a trunk and branches

fountain a carved figure of a person or animal

tree an ornamental structure from which jets of water

are pumped into the air

statue a structure carrying a road across a river

bridge a level paved area

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3. Put the following sentences in the order events happened in the story.
(3 marks)
He married Amytis.
He showed a picture of the gardens to the city planners.
Nebuchadnezzar II became king of the city of Babylon. 1
The king gave Amytis his gift.
He built a new royal palace, temples, bridges, massive walls and gates.
Amytis spoke to her husband about her homesickness.
Workers built the gardens.

4. Name TWO types of trees the king ordered to be planted in the gardens.
(1 mark)

5. Answer the following questions.

a) Why did the gardens look like a pyramid?

(2 marks)
b) How did the gardeners water the plants?

(2 marks)
c) i) Why did the king build the gardens?

ii) Do you think he was pleased with the outcome? Why?

(3 marks)

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B. Language 10 marks

B. 1. Read the text below and fill in the gaps with the given words.
Each word can be used only ONCE. One word is an example*. (5 marks)

by under up to before from

of into with for on

Workers placed all the stones they had under* the ground to build the

foundations. they planted the trees, shrubs and other

greenery, they put soil the foundations. Babylon did not have any sources

stone to build the walls. this reason, the workers

made clay bricks mixing soil, straw and water. Then they used

tar to keep the bricks waterproof. Finally, they built a chain pump

two large wheels, a rope and buckets to deliver water the rivers

to the gardens.

Workers turned the wheels, the buckets dipped the rivers and

emerged full of water. The buckets travelled to the highest

terrace and filled a large pool. The pool had channels that supplied the water

the lower terraces.

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B. 2. Read and complete the dialogue with the correct words.
The first one is an example*. (5 marks)

Chloe: Hi, Mike. Is Alice ready?

Mike: Hi, Chloe. I think she’s playing (play) a game on her tablet.

you (wait) for her?

Chloe: Yes, please tell her that Julia and I (hang)

around Zak’s garden. We (go) to have a great

time at Zak’s party. The magician already

(perform) tricks and … you (listen)?

Mike: Wait a minute … She is on her way now. She’ll see you there, Chloe.

C. Writing 30 marks

C.1. Look at the picture and write a paragraph about it. (4 marks)

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C.2. Write a Diary Entry for ONE of your favourite characters from a
story book you have read.
Choose a day in the life of your favourite character and write about
what happened from the character’s point of view. (8 marks)

Date:

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C. 3. Composition (18 marks)

Write between 100 and 150 words on ONE of the following:

1. It was late one evening when it happened. Mark was fishing

… Complete the story.

OR

2. It was early one morning when it happened. Amy was walking the dog
… Complete the story.

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Title Number:

Plan your writing in the space below.

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Title Number:

Use your plan to write the letter.

Write between 100 and 150 words. Write neatly and correctly.

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 END OF PAPER

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