Question 1

Hui Hui hid ____ the tree while playing hide-and-seek.
(1) from
(2) among
(3) behind
(4) between

Accepted Answer

(3) behind. To hide in relation to a single object like 'the tree', the preposition 'behind' is the most appropriate, meaning at the back of. 'From' indicates separation, 'among' implies being surrounded by multiple items, and 'between' requires two distinct items.

Question 2

John ____ absent from school yesterday as he had a fever.
(1) is
(2) are
(3) was
(4) were

Accepted Answer

(3) was. The sentence refers to an event that happened 'yesterday' (past tense) and the subject 'John' is singular. Therefore, the singular past tense verb 'was' is the correct choice.

Question 3

Mr Bala and his family ____ deeply saddened when they heard the terrible news.
(1) is
(2) are
(3) was
(4) were

Accepted Answer

(4) were. The subject 'Mr Bala and his family' is plural (Mr Bala + his family members). The action 'heard the terrible news' is in the past tense, indicating the sadness also occurred in the past. Therefore, the plural past tense verb 'were' is the correct choice.

Question 4

"Listen carefully to what I ____ now. If you see a bear in the forest, do not go near," the camp instructor reminded us.
(1) am saying
(2) have said
(3) says
(4) said

Accepted Answer

(1) am saying. The camp instructor is telling the listeners to pay attention to what he is speaking 'now'. This indicates an action happening at the moment of speaking, which requires the present continuous tense 'am saying'. The subject is 'I'.

Question 5

This morning, we ____ at the airport for a long time before boarding the plane.
(1) wait
(2) waited
(3) have waited
(4) was waiting

Accepted Answer

(2) waited. The phrase 'This morning' combined with 'before boarding the plane' indicates a completed action in the past. The simple past tense 'waited' is the most suitable verb form to describe a completed action at a specific time in the past. 'Was waiting' implies an ongoing action, and 'have waited' suggests an action continuing to the present or with relevance to the present, neither of which fits the context as well as simple past.

Question 6

While Marianne ____ on stage, the audience clapped and sang along.
(1) performs
(2) is performing
(3) has performed
(4) was performing

Accepted Answer

(4) was performing. The conjunction 'While' indicates that two actions were happening concurrently in the past. 'The audience clapped and sang along' is in the simple past tense. Therefore, the continuous past tense 'was performing' is required for Marianne's action to show it was ongoing at the same time.

Question 7

"Come over here and help me carry ____ heavy bags of flour," the chef instructed.
(1) this
(2) that
(3) these
(4) those

Accepted Answer

(3) these. The noun 'bags' is plural. Therefore, a plural demonstrative pronoun is needed. 'These' refers to plural items that are near, while 'those' refers to plural items that are far. Since the chef is asking for help to 'carry' the bags, they are implied to be nearby, making 'these' the appropriate choice.

Question 8

We should clear the leftover food when we are done eating ____ it will attract unwanted pests.
(1) if
(2) or
(3) on
(4) but

Accepted Answer

(2) or. The sentence presents two clauses: 'We should clear the leftover food when we are done eating' and 'it will attract unwanted pests'. The second clause describes a negative consequence if the action in the first clause is *not* followed. The conjunction 'or' is used to introduce an alternative or a consequence if a preceding condition is not met.

Question 9

Lily has ____ toys so her mother told her to give some away.
(1) few
(2) little
(3) much
(4) many

Accepted Answer

(4) many. The noun 'toys' is a countable noun. The phrase 'give some away' implies that Lily has an excessive amount. 'Many' is used with countable nouns to indicate a large quantity, fitting the context that she has so many that she needs to give some away. 'Few' implies a small number, while 'little' and 'much' are used with uncountable nouns.

Question 10

Father had cooked too ____ rice so our family did not have enough to eat during dinner.
(1) few
(2) little
(3) much
(4) many

Accepted Answer

(2) little. The noun 'rice' is an uncountable noun. The sentence states that the family 'did not have enough to eat', meaning Father cooked a small amount. 'Little' is used with uncountable nouns to indicate a small quantity. 'Few' and 'many' are for countable nouns, and 'much' implies a large quantity, which contradicts the 'not enough' part.

Question 11

The squirrel found ____ tree trunk and used it to store its acorns.
(1) a blank
(2) an empty
(3) a hollow
(4) a vacant

Accepted Answer

(3) a hollow. A 'hollow' tree trunk specifically refers to a tree trunk that has an empty space inside, which is suitable for storing things. 'Blank' means having no marks, 'empty' means containing nothing (but 'an empty tree trunk' sounds less natural for storage), and 'vacant' implies a space that is not occupied, usually referring to a room or seat.

Question 12

The campers took a week's worth of food ____ on their camping trip.
(1) equipment
(2) supplies
(3) utensils
(4) gear

Accepted Answer

(2) supplies. 'Supplies' refers to items necessary for a particular purpose or period, such as food, which fits the context of a camping trip. 'Equipment' refers to tools or apparatus, 'utensils' are tools used for cooking or eating, and 'gear' refers to equipment for a particular activity, often implying machinery or tools rather than consumables like food.

Question 13

They desperately ____ water out of the canoe but more water kept rushing into it.
(1) poured
(2) paddled
(3) scooped
(4) squeezed

Accepted Answer

(3) scooped. To remove water from a boat, one typically 'scoops' it out with a container. 'Poured' suggests liquid coming out by itself or from another container, 'paddled' means moving a boat with a paddle, and 'squeezed' is used for extracting liquid from something compressible.

Question 14

Wei Ming got hooked reading a story about a detective trying to figure out an ____ mystery.
(1) unclear
(2) unsolved
(3) unopened
(4) unfinished

Accepted Answer

(2) unsolved. A detective's job is to figure out a 'mystery' that has not yet been resolved or explained. 'Unsolved' specifically means not having been solved or explained, which is the most fitting adjective for a mystery a detective is trying to figure out. 'Unclear' means difficult to understand, 'unopened' means not yet opened, and 'unfinished' means not completed.

Question 15

Mr Wong loves his daughter and often praises her. She is clearly ____.
(1) all ears
(2) a sweet tooth
(3) an arm and a leg
(4) the apple of his eye

Accepted Answer

(4) the apple of his eye. The idiom 'the apple of his eye' means someone or something that is cherished above all others. This fits the context of Mr Wong loving his daughter very much and praising her often. 'All ears' means listening attentively, 'a sweet tooth' means a strong liking for sweet foods, and 'an arm and a leg' means a very high cost.

Question 16

Mrs Abdullah loves her baby very much and cuddles her ____ at bedtime every day.
(1) emotionally
(2) considerately
(3) affectionately
(4) appreciatively

Accepted Answer

(3) affectionately. To 'cuddle' a baby, especially out of love, is an action performed with warmth and fondness. 'Affectionately' means in a way that shows love or fondness, which perfectly describes the manner of cuddling based on the preceding information that she loves her baby very much. 'Emotionally' is too broad, 'considerately' implies thoughtfulness, and 'appreciatively' means with appreciation.

Question 17

The main objective of this event is to ____.
(1) encourage the residents to eat as a family
(2) let the residents explore the neighbourhood
(3) discover superstars who are talented at singing
(4) foster stronger community spirit amongst the residents

Accepted Answer

(4) foster stronger community spirit amongst the residents. The poster explicitly states: "Join us for a heartwarming celebration where you can cherish special moments with your family and connect with your wonderful neighbours! It's not just about the delicious Christmas feast but also about creating fond memories and getting to know your neighbours." This overarching goal points to building community spirit. Options 1, 2, and 3 are activities offered, not the main objective. Eating as a family (1) is part of the feast. Exploring the neighbourhood (2) is part of the Treasure Hunt. Discovering talented singers (3) is part of Karaoke Delight. The main objective is clearly to 'foster stronger community spirit amongst the residents' by encouraging connection and getting to know neighbours.

Question 18

Which statement below is true of Christmas Extravaganza?
(1) All participants are welcome to join the treasure hunt.
(2) Participants can only play games with family members.
(3) Residents will be able to choose their seat for the feast.
(4) The last day to register for the event is 29 November 2023.

Accepted Answer

(1) All participants are welcome to join the treasure hunt.. Let's check each option against the poster:
(1) Treasure Hunt: "Explore the neighbourhood... discover hidden surprises that will bring smiles and laughter to young and old alike." This implies all participants are welcome, making it true.
(2) Fun-filled Games: "Get ready for friendly competitions as you pit yourself against your loved ones and neighbours." It doesn't say *only* family members, but 'loved ones and neighbours', which is broader. So, this is false.
(3) "Tickets are sold online... We will contact you for your table allocation." This implies participants do *not* choose their own seats, but seats are allocated. So, this is false.
(4) "Registration closes on 30 November 2023." This makes the statement '29 November 2023' false.

Question 19

Which word has the same meaning as 'behind closed doors'? Circle either (A) or (B). [1m]
It used to be performed privately during sacred events. However, as more tourists flock to
(A)
Bali, it is frequently performed in public.
(B)

Accepted Answer

A. The phrase 'behind closed doors' means something done in private or secretly. In the given text, 'privately' (A) is contrasted with 'in public' (B), indicating that 'privately' carries the same meaning as 'behind closed doors'.

Question 20

For question 41, write 1, 2, or 3 in the brackets.
Alek was getting away from the ____ that was affecting his country. [1m]
(1) war
(2) famine
(3) drought
()

Accepted Answer

(1) war. Paragraph 1 states, 'Boom!' Another explosion. Alek hoped his family were safe... But this war was worse.' This directly indicates that Alek was getting away from the 'war' affecting his country.

P4 English SA2 2025 — CHIJ

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