PART A

ESSAY WRITING[30 marks]

Answer one question only from this part Your composition should be about 250 words long.
1. Your teachers have complained about acts of indiscipline being practiced in your
school. As Senior Prefect, write a letter to the headmaster, describing two of such
acts and suggesting ways of correcting them.
2. You have been offered admission to a Senior High School to pursue a programme
which you do not like. Write to the headmaster of the school stating at least two
reasons why you want the programme changed.
3. Write a story which ends with the sentence, “we were lucky that night”.
PART B
COMPREHENSION [30 marks]
Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow.
Nobody wanted Ananse to succeed in drinking the cup of hot water and win, Adiefe, the
Chief’s beautiful daughter. Ananse grabbed the cup of hot water, bowed as gracefully as
possible, and smiled confidently. He lifted the cup and said, slowly and calmly. “Nana,
look!” Nana Apo barked, “Yes, it’s hot. Drink it right now!” But Ananse kept a cool head.
Then, in the full glare of all present, he shook the cup vigorously for some time in order to
cool its content. After this, he began to sip the now lukewarm water as if it was still hot.
Between the sips, the pain he seemed to be going through made him frown. He shut his left
eye and his right eye shone brightly. He deliberately let his left hand drop loosely by his side.
Nana Apo smiled. Queen Amola grinned. Adiefe giggled – all in happy anticipation of
Ananse’s failure. Suddenly, Ananse began to drink the warm water more quickly and noisily.
Soon, all was gone. He turned the cup upside down towards Nana and, indeed, there was not
a single drop in it. Lo and behold, Kweku Ananse, the notorious trickster, had succeeded
where all others had failed. There was complete silence. Even the wind seemed to have
stopped blowing. The impossible had happened and people’s expectation that Kweku Ananse
would lose the contest had failed. Eventually, Kweku Ananse’s victory won him the hand of
the pretty Princess, Adiefe. Nana Apo and Queen Amola, with great reluctance, led their
daughter, Adiefe, and handed her over to victorious Kweku Ananse.

(a) What was the attitude of the people present before the contest?
(b) Why do you think Ananse shook the cup?
(c) State the three tricks Ananse used to show that he was in pain.
(d) (i) Why did Ananse turn the cup upside down? (ii) What was the mood of Nana Apo and
Queen Amola in the end?
(e) Explain the following expressions in your own words:
(i) ‘Ananse kept a cool head’
(ii) ‘all was gone’
(iii) ‘The impossible had happened’
(f) For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the same and can
fit into the passage:
(i) grabbed
(ii) barked
(iii) deliberately
(iv) Eventually
(v) pretty
PART B
LEXIS AND STRUCTURE
SECTION A
From the alternative lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each
sentence.

1. Sammy was sad when he lost his mother but he will soon get …………. it.
A. by B. on C. along D. over
2. The manager was late to office because he …………a flat tire.
A. had B. will have C. is having D. has

3. The school band …….. twice a week.

A. practice B. are practising C. practices D. were practising

4. The law was passed according to strict legal…………

A. cases B. principles C. rules D. issues
5. The booking clerk made him ………… a deposit.
A. paying B. paid C. to be paying D. pay
6. Although all the dresses were beautiful, she liked …………of them.
A. any B. none C. neither D. both
7. It is ………to attempt in one day.
A. too long and difficult a journey. B. the journey too long and difficult.
C. long and difficult too a journey D. too long and difficult the journey

8. The rain shouldn’t deter you ……… going out.

A. for B. on C. by D. from

9. Does anyone ………..how many people are likely to come to the function?
A. know B. knew C. knows D. known

10. No sooner had the minister opened the bank ………….it was filled to capacity.
A. when B. for C. as D. than

11. Will someone please ………..that running tap ?

A. switch off B. turn out C. turn off D. turn close
12. Her work is always not attractive, ………?
A. does she B. doesn’t she C. is it D. isn’t it

13. You’ll definitely be late to school; ………….. you?

A. won’t B. will C. aren’t D. can

14. Her teacher congratulated her …………. her excellent performance in the examination.
A. in B. on C. for D. to

15. We would not have known the woman’s identity if you …………us.
A. have not told B. did no tell C. told D. had reported

Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the
underlined word in each sentence.
16. Aminu’s bushy eyebrows gave him a very severe look.
A. bad B. deadly C. serious D. unpleasant

17. My father had the benefit of good education.

A. luck B. advantage C. quality D. value

18. Kwame was too scared to be left alone in the house.

A. afraid B. anxious C. uneasy D. unhappy

19. The new school is ideal for Mr. Mensah’s children.

A. good B. perfect C. satisfactory D. suitable

20. The internet is of enormous benefit to education.

A. enviable B. great C. much D. suitable

SECTION C
In each of the following sentences a group of words has been underlined. Choose from the
alternatives lettered A to D the one that best explains the underlined group of words.

21. Afua celebrates her birthday today but I cannot make it. This means that the speaker
A. does not want to be there B. feels it is not necessary to attend
C. has no birthday gift for her friend D. will not be able to attend
22. The interview was conducted to separate the sheep from the goats. This means that the
interview aimed at
A. finding people who could rear sheep B. keeping the sheep in a different pen
C. selecting only the humble candidates D. selecting the best candidates

23. Being the eldest child of the family, Joojo claimed the lion’s share of the father’s
property. This means that Joojo had
A. all the property B. half of the property
C. the best part D. the largest part
24. The students were all ears during the presentation. This means that the students
A. did not enjoy the presentation B. had big ears
C. listened attentively D. were very happy

25. Dallies is the pick of the bunch. This means that Dallies
A. is a farmer B. is an athlete
C. is preferred to all the others D. works on a banana plantation
SECTION D
From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning
to the word underlined in each sentence.

26. The headteacher asked the pupils to disperse.

A. assemble B. come C. meet D. stay

27. The current is slow downhill.

A. abrupt B. fresh C. running D. swift

28. The bread is stale.

A. burnt B. delicious C. fresh D. mouldy
29. Akos has nothing to be boastful of.
A. afraid B. anxious C. ashamed D. nervous
30. The pupils are confident of passing the examination.
A. determined B. doubtless C. uncertain D. uneasy

PART C
LITERATURE[10 MARKS]
Answer all the questions in this part
SACKEY J.A. and DARMANI L. (COMP.): The Cockrow
5. Question 5(a) to 5(c) are based on the abridged and simplified version of Charles Dickens’
Oliver Twist
CHARLES DICKENS: Oliver Twist
“Oliver walked 70 miles to London. In such a big city, no one would ever find him!
It was chilly and his feet hurt but he was happy to leave his old, miserable life behind”
(Page 107)
(a) Two of the people who treated Oliver badly, making him run away to London are ……..
……and ……….…..
(b) An example of the use of contrast in the extract is ………
“I robbed her. Before her body was cold,
I robbed her of the one item she had.
She could have sold it for food or shelter
but she kept it safe, ……..” (Page 117)
(c) “ ……the one item she had” was ………
Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 5(d) and 5(e)
MERRILL CORNEY: Debbie, Sandy and Pepe
“Well, we’ll just have to look after him ourselves then”, she said.
“We’ll make a soft nest for him and feed him and when he grows up, he will stay in our
garden.” (Page 8)
(d) What did they choose for a nest for Pepe?
(e) Which figure of speech is mainly used in the extract?
Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 5(f) to 5(h)
AMA ATA AIDOO: The Dilemma of a Ghost
My spirit Mother ought to have come for me earlier.
Now, what shall I tell them who are gone?
The daughter of slaves who come from the white man’s land.
Someone should advise me on how to tell my story.
My children, I am dreading my arrival there.
Where they will ask me news of home.
Shall I tell them or shall I not?
(Page 37)
(f) Who is the speaker?
(g) What do the following expressions in the extract refer to?
(i) “……..who are gone?”
(ii) “………….there”.
Read the following extract carefully and answer Question 5(h) and 5(i)
LAWRENCE DARMANI: Scribbler’s Dream
Scribbler,
The dream in your mind fills the shelf.
When upon the shelf you gaze,
vacuum stares at you.
There is your quill and parchment
but heavy are your hands.
Why?
Because disuse numbs the wrist.
(Page 98)
(h) What does “Scribbler” refer to?
(i) What does “The dream in your mind” refer to?