P6 English CA1 2014 — Nanyang | Singapore Past Year Paper

Q: The text on the previous page can most likely be found in a ____________.

D. magazine for parents. The text is an advertisement for children's plays giving age suitability, venues, dates and discounts — information aimed at parents planning family outings, so it would most likely appear in a magazine for parents.

Q: Tom wants to watch Traumatic Tudors. Which of the following statements is false?

C. Tom must be 8 years old to watch Traumatic Tudors.. Traumatic Tudors is for children aged 7 and above with their families, so the claim that Tom must be 8 years old is false. The other statements match the flyer: it is about English royalty and is staged at the Monarchs Arts Centre.

Q: Sandy has watched We're Going on a Bear Hunt. She can enjoy a 10% discount for ______________.

A. The Gruffalo. The Gruffalo entry states a 10% discount is given with ticket stubs of We're Going on a Bear Hunt, so having watched that play entitles Sandy to the discount for The Gruffalo.

Q: Where can you watch a performance by actors from two countries?

B. Apian Arts Centre. What the Ladybird Heard at the Apian Arts Centre is presented by Hair Wax Ltd (UK) and Singapore Youth Theatre — companies from two countries (the UK and Singapore). All the other venues host plays presented by UK companies only.

Q: Your cousins are 2 years old and 3 years old. Which play is suitable for the both of them?

C. What the Ladybird Heard. What the Ladybird Heard admits children 18 months and above, so both the 2-year-old and the 3-year-old can watch it. The Gruffalo and We're Going on a Bear Hunt require age 3 and above (excluding the 2-year-old), and Traumatic Tudors requires age 7 and above.

Q: Not only did Matthew go to Egypt for a month, but he also _________ to Greece for a few weeks.

C. went. The sentence is in the past tense ('did Matthew go'), so the second clause needs the simple past 'went' to stay parallel.

Q: My parents blamed my brother and _________ for our baby sister's fall.

C. me. The pronoun is the object of the verb 'blamed', so the object form 'me' is required ('blamed my brother and me').

Q: Neither you nor I _________ an expert in this field. I think we should seek help from the professionals.

A. am. With 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it — here 'I' — so the correct present-tense verb is 'am'.

Q: By signing this document, you are agreeing to abide _________ all the terms and conditions.

B. by. The fixed collocation is 'abide by' (to comply with rules, terms or decisions).

Q: Avoid _________ your vegetables for too long or most of the nutrients will be lost.

D. cooking. The verb 'avoid' is followed by a gerund, so 'cooking' is correct ('avoid cooking').

Q1 MCQ 1 mark 🖼 Visual

Visual context

Graphic stimulus: a 'KidsPlays! 2014' flyer headed 'World-class Plays for the Young and Young at Heart' listing five plays with small illustrations. (1) Private Placid (23 to 30 June): relives the life of Private Peter Placid, a young World War I soldier in a prison cell, as he looks back on his short but joyful past growing up in rural Devon; proudly presented by OKTO Theatre (UK) for young people aged 8 and above with their families at Regimented Theatre; illustrated with a soldier. (2) Traumatic Tudors (1 to 9 July): learn about the English royalty from the 1400s to the 1600s (with the nasty bits left in) in this production by The Noble Stage Company (UK) at the Monarchs Arts Centre; for children aged 7 and above with their families; enjoy a 10% discount with your ACBC credit card; illustrated with a crown. (3) The Gruffalo (22 June to 3 July): join Mouse on an adventurous journey through the dark ancient wood in this magical adaptation of the award-winning book by Julia Donaldson, with songs, laughs and fun for everyone aged 3 to 101; an irresistibly charming play by Short Stories (UK) at ACT5 Theatre; enjoy a 10% discount with ticket stubs of We're Going on a Bear Hunt; illustrated with a Gruffalo and a mouse. (4) We're Going on a Bear Hunt (20 June to 1 July): Abba Ltd (UK) proudly presents it at the Ursine Centre Theatre; children aged 3 and above will enjoy this fun-filled play as brave adventurers set off on a quest to find a bear; illustrated with a bear. (5) What the Ladybird Heard (21 to 30 June): KidsPlay's glittering family treat in which the woolly sheep, the hairy hog, the fat red hen and the dainty dog provide children 18 months and above with live music, plenty of audience participation and lots of laughs; proudly presented by Hair Wax Ltd (UK) and Singapore Youth Theatre at the Apian Arts Centre; illustrated with a ladybird.

The text on the previous page can most likely be found in a ____________.

Q2 MCQ 1 mark 🖼 Visual

Tom wants to watch Traumatic Tudors. Which of the following statements is false?

Q3 MCQ 1 mark 🖼 Visual

Sandy has watched We're Going on a Bear Hunt. She can enjoy a 10% discount for ______________.

Q4 MCQ 1 mark 🖼 Visual

Where can you watch a performance by actors from two countries?

Q5 MCQ 1 mark 🖼 Visual

Your cousins are 2 years old and 3 years old. Which play is suitable for the both of them?

Q6 MCQ 1 mark

Not only did Matthew go to Egypt for a month, but he also _________ to Greece for a few weeks.

Q7 MCQ 1 mark

My parents blamed my brother and _________ for our baby sister's fall.

Q8 MCQ 1 mark

Neither you nor I _________ an expert in this field. I think we should seek help from the professionals.

Q9 MCQ 1 mark

By signing this document, you are agreeing to abide _________ all the terms and conditions.

Q10 MCQ 1 mark

Avoid _________ your vegetables for too long or most of the nutrients will be lost.

Q11 MCQ 1 mark

As Samuel was not competent enough, he was passed _____________ for a promotion.

Q12 MCQ 1 mark

Jane, _____________ we met at the bazaar last night, used to be my brother's piano teacher.

Q13 MCQ 1 mark

Choose the correct punctuation to complete the passage (adapted from Jonathan Livingston Seagull): "Jonathan Livingston Seagull was not like most gulls. Most gulls don't bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight ____ how to get from shore to food, and from food to shore again. For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight. More than anything else, Jonathan Livingston Seagull loved to fly."

Q14 MCQ 1 mark

Choose the correct punctuation to complete the passage (adapted from Jonathan Livingston Seagull): "I don't mind being feathers and bone ____ Mum. I just want to learn what I can do in the air and what I can't, that's all. I just want to know."

Q15 MCQ 1 mark

Choose the correct punctuation to complete the passage (adapted from Jonathan Livingston Seagull): "Now," said his father, not unkindly ____ "I'm not trying to stop you from doing what you want. But winter isn't far away. If you must learn, then learn about food and how to get it."

Q16 MCQ 1 mark

The place was badly flooded and we had to _____________ through knee-deep water.

Q17 MCQ 1 mark

Candy woke up late. She was lucky to reach the airport _____________ and catch her plane.

Q18 MCQ 1 mark

The angry workers were finally _____________ when they received news that they were going to be compensated.

Q19 MCQ 1 mark

I may not recognise my ex-classmates as I can only remember _____________ how they looked like.

Q20 MCQ 1 mark

"Do you have any _____________ of what happened in the accident?" the doctor asked the patient who had just regained consciousness.

Q21 MCQ 1 mark

_____________ by the failure of his last movie, the actor made a comeback with his new movie last month.

Q22 MCQ 1 mark

Many Singaporeans were filled with _____________ for the mountaineers' successful ascent of Mount Everest.

Q23 MCQ 1 mark

The police released the suspect as she had an _____________. Her friend claimed that the suspect was with her when the crime took place.

Q24 MCQ 1 mark

Choose the word(s) closest in meaning to the underlined word(s): "More people than ever are living in areas vulnerable to natural disasters." (underlined: 'vulnerable to')

Q25 MCQ 1 mark

Choose the word(s) closest in meaning to the underlined word(s): "Accurate forecasting is the best defense against hurricanes but many hurricane warnings are unheeded." (underlined: 'unheeded')

Q26 MCQ 1 mark

Choose the word(s) closest in meaning to the underlined word(s): "However, recognising the immediate signs, such as a rapidly receding ocean, can give people precious minutes to reach safety." (underlined: 'receding')

Q27 MCQ 1 mark

Choose the word(s) closest in meaning to the underlined word(s): "The science of weather is a constantly evolving field, sparking a number of breakthroughs on how to anticipate and track superstorms or other natural disasters." (underlined: 'evolving')

Q28 MCQ 1 mark

Choose the word(s) closest in meaning to the underlined word(s): "This research translates to better preparedness when faced with the unexpected." (underlined: 'translates to')

Q29 MCQ 1 mark

Read the passage and answer questions 29 to 33 (adapted from The Use of Force): "When I arrived at the house, I was met by the mother, a big startled-looking woman who was apologetic. She let me into the house and took me to the child. As it happened, we had been having a number of cases of diphtheria in the school to which this child went to. We were all, quite apparently, thinking of that, though no one had as yet spoken of the thing. 'Well, I suppose we take a look at the throat first,' I said, smiling in my best professional manner. I asked for the child's name and said, 'Come on, Matilda, open your mouth and let's take a look at your throat.' Nothing doing. 'Such a nice man,' put in the mother. 'Look how kind he is to you. Come on, do what he tells you to do. He won't hurt you.' At that, I ground my teeth in disgust. If they didn't use the word 'hurt', I might be able to get somewhere. I did not allow myself to be hurried or disturbed but speaking quietly and slowly, I approached the child again. As I moved my chair a little nearer, she knocked my glasses flying and they fell, several feet away from me on the kitchen floor. The battle began. 'If you don't do what the doctor says, you'll have to go to the hospital,' the mother admonished her severely. 'Oh yeah?' I had to smile to myself. In the following struggle, the parents grew more and more dejected. They were at the end of their rope while Matilda rose to magnificent heights of insane fury from her terror of me. By this time, I was starting to admire the strong-willed girl. Her parents, on the other hand, I held in contempt. I tried again to get the wooden tongue depressor between her teeth. She fought desperately with clenched teeth. By now, I had also grown furious at her. Matilda came down hard on the wooden spatula and reduced it to splinters before I could get it out again. 'Get me a smooth-handled spoon of some sort. We're going through with this,' I told the mother. Matilda's tongue was cut and she was screaming in hysterical shrieks. Perhaps I should have stopped and come back in another hour or more. But I had seen two children dead from diphtheria and feeling that I must get a diagnosis now or never, I went at it again. Deep down, however, I knew that I too had got beyond reason. That child must be protected from her own ignorance, one says to one's self at such times. It is a social necessity. All these are true but what drove me then was a blind fury, a feeling of adult shame at not being obeyed. One goes on to the end. In a final assault, I overpowered the child's neck and jaws. I forced the heavy silver spoon to the back of her teeth and down her throat till she gagged. There it was—her throat was covered with membrane. Our suspicions were confirmed. She had been hiding the sore throat for at least three days and lying to her parents in order to escape just such an outcome as this." Question 29: What did Matilda do when the doctor greeted her and asked to check her throat?

Q30 MCQ 1 mark

The writer ground his teeth in disgust (line 12) because ____________________.

Q31 MCQ 1 mark

The phrase 'at the end of their rope' in line 21 tells us that Matilda's parents were ____________________.

Q32 MCQ 1 mark

What was the real reason the writer insisted on checking Matilda's throat?

Q33 MCQ 1 mark

Which of the following is true?

Q34 Open-ended 1 mark

Grammar Cloze — choose the most suitable word from the box (use each word once only). Word bank: A) as, B) and, C) before, D) by, E) even, F) for, G) from, H) in, J) it, K) the, L) to, M) was, N) were, P) whose, Q) with. Sentence: "Cochineal is a crimson-coloured dye derived from insects. This brilliant red dye which was once treasured ____________ the Spanish conquerors gives many modern foods and cosmetics an appealing blush."

Q35 Open-ended 1 mark

Grammar Cloze — choose the most suitable word from the box (use each word once only; word bank as in question 34). Sentence: "____________ a small number of people, though, it can cause swelling, rashes, or respiratory problems."

Q36 Open-ended 1 mark

Grammar Cloze — choose the most suitable word from the box (use each word once only; word bank as in question 34). Sentence: "As a result of the severe allergic reaction that it may provoke, the United States has now ordered that the colouring be identified ____________ \"cochineal extract\" or \"carmine\" on product labels."

Q37 Open-ended 1 mark

Grammar Cloze — choose the most suitable word from the box (use each word once only; word bank as in question 34). Sentence: "Previously, vague phrases such as \"natural colouring\" ____________ acceptable."

Q38 Open-ended 1 mark

Grammar Cloze — choose the most suitable word from the box (use each word once only; word bank as in question 34). Sentence: "Beginning in the 16th century, Europeans of wealth ____________ status wore clothing reddened with rare cochineal."

Q39 Open-ended 1 mark

Grammar Cloze — choose the most suitable word from the box (use each word once only; word bank as in question 34). Sentence: "The deep, durable colour was ____________ used to produce the British Army's famous red coats."

Q40 Open-ended 1 mark

Grammar Cloze — choose the most suitable word from the box (use each word once only; word bank as in question 34). Sentence: "The deep, durable colour was even used to produce the British Army's famous red coats ____________ more than 200 years."

Q41 Open-ended 1 mark

Grammar Cloze — choose the most suitable word from the box (use each word once only; word bank as in question 34). Sentence: "Cochineal harvesting declined after ____________ invention of cheap man-made dyes in the 1800s."

Q42 Open-ended 1 mark

Grammar Cloze — choose the most suitable word from the box (use each word once only; word bank as in question 34). Sentence: "However, ____________ has rebounded with the dye's use as a natural alternative to artificial colourings."

Q43 Open-ended 1 mark

Grammar Cloze — choose the most suitable word from the box (use each word once only; word bank as in question 34). Sentence: "However, it has rebounded with the dye's use as a natural alternative ____________ artificial colourings."

Q44 Open-ended 1 mark

Spelling and Grammar — correct the underlined word for grammar: "It was seventy-five-year-old Jack Fyfe's terrible nightmare come true. He awake to find the left side of his body completely lacking all sensation." (underlined word: 'awake')

Q45 Open-ended 1 mark

Spelling and Grammar — correct the word in bold for spelling: "He awoke to find the left side of his body completely lacking all sanseision." (bold word: 'sanseision')

Q46 Open-ended 1 mark

Spelling and Grammar — correct the underlined word for grammar: "With a supreme effort with will, he attempted to roll out of bed." (underlined word: the second 'with')

Q47 Open-ended 1 mark

Spelling and Grammar — correct the underlined word for grammar: "...he attempted to roll out of bed, hoped that he might drag himself to the telephone and call for help." (underlined word: 'hoped')

Q48 Open-ended 1 mark

Spelling and Grammar — correct the word in bold for spelling: "However, he was completely unable to move. That was when the horror of his pridicaman truly struck him." (bold word: 'pridicaman')

Q49 Open-ended 1 mark

Spelling and Grammar — correct the word in bold for spelling: "Jack did his best to fight back the panic that began to permieight every corner of his mind." (bold word: 'permieight')

Q50 Open-ended 1 mark

Spelling and Grammar — correct the underlined word for grammar: "He begin to scream for help but only Trixie, whining at his bedside, heard his agonized pleas for assistance." (underlined word: 'begin')

Q51 Open-ended 1 mark

Spelling and Grammar — correct the word in bold for spelling: "...only Trixie, whining at his bedside, heard his eganised pleas for assistance." (bold word: 'eganised')

Q52 Open-ended 1 mark

Spelling and Grammar — correct the underlined word for grammar: "It was very hot in the house and he was very likely to die a slow, torturous death of thirst long before anyone miss him." (underlined word: 'miss')

Q53 Open-ended 1 mark

Spelling and Grammar — correct the word in bold for spelling: "Jack drifted in and out of kontiousnes. Jack did not know it then, but his canine friend would remarkably save his life later." (bold word: 'kontiousnes')

Q54 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "The Great Wall of China was built over 2000 years ago by Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China during the Qin Dynasty, in order to keep out the nomadic Xiongnu tribes inhabiting Mongolia. ______________ then, many dynasties have maintained and renovated the wall."

Q55 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "While China's was not the first wall built to ______________ this purpose, the Great Wall is arguably one of the world's most famous and impressive man-made structures."

Q56 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "...the Great Wall is arguably one of the world's ______________ famous and impressive man-made structures."

Q57 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "Construction on the wall, which is made out of several different ______________ including bricks, stone, grass, rock and earth was done by Chinese soldiers, criminals and commoners."

Q58 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "This imposing structure did not come without a ______________, the loss of human lives."

Q59 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "It is estimated that thousands upon thousands of Chinese workers ______________ building the Great Wall."

Q60 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "So how great is it really? There has been much dispute over the ______________ of the wall and some estimate that it ranges from 2000 km to 8800 km."

Q61 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "...some estimate that it ______________ from 2000 km to 8800 km."

Q62 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "To ______________ the debate once and for all, researchers recently began to survey the dimensions of the wall."

Q63 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "Considering that the Great Wall crosses ______________ steep mountains, desert and grassland like a gigantic dragon, it is easy to see why this is no simple feat."

Q64 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "...it is easy to see why this is no simple ______________."

Q65 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "______________ to popular belief, you cannot actually see the Great Wall of China from the Moon."

Q66 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "______________ to scientists, trying to view the Great Wall from the Moon would be akin to a human trying to see a single strand of hair from a distance of three km."

Q67 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "...trying to view the Great Wall from the Moon would be ______________ to a human trying to see a single strand of hair from a distance of three km."

Q68 Open-ended 1 mark

Comprehension Cloze — fill in the blank with a suitable word: "...a human trying to see a single ______________ of hair from a distance of three km."

Q69 Open-ended 2 marks

Synthesis/Transformation — rewrite the given sentence(s) using the word(s) provided. Your answer must be in one sentence with the same meaning: "The movie was a success. Jackie Chan starred in it." Begin/include: "__________ which __________"

Q70 Open-ended 2 marks

Synthesis/Transformation — rewrite the given sentence(s) using the word(s) provided. Your answer must be in one sentence with the same meaning: "Mr Lim told the class, 'All of you have to report to me tonight before leaving the camp.'" Begin: "Mr Lim __________"

Q71 Open-ended 2 marks

Synthesis/Transformation — rewrite the given sentence(s) using the word(s) provided. Your answer must be in one sentence with the same meaning: "We could not find anything in the kitchen except for some utensils." Begin: "Apart from __________"

Q72 Open-ended 2 marks

Synthesis/Transformation — rewrite the given sentence(s) using the word(s) provided. Your answer must be in one sentence with the same meaning: "The weather was extremely cold. Adam could not head outdoors." Include: "too"

Q73 Open-ended 2 marks

Synthesis/Transformation — rewrite the given sentence(s) using the word(s) provided. Your answer must be in one sentence with the same meaning: "Andy was an arrogant man. He was not popular." Include: "because of"

Q74 Open-ended 2 marks

Synthesis/Transformation — rewrite the given sentence(s) using the word(s) provided. Your answer must be in one sentence with the same meaning: "We did not want to go to the Botanic Gardens for a picnic." Begin: "None of __________"

Q75 Open-ended 2 marks

Read the passage below carefully and answer questions 75 to 84 in complete sentences (adapted from The Conman): "Madam Rogayah had applied to buy a Housing and Development Board renovated apartment. Someone claiming to be an HDB officer came to her flat with forms for her to sign. Before that, however, he demanded in a businesslike manner that she proved her identity first. Madam Rogayah showed him her identity card and he stared at her face. 'This is really yours?' he asked severely. Madam Rogayah began to sweat. 'Yes, I swear it! I can get my neighbour over here to verify! I'll get her now!' The man stopped her at once, magnanimously deciding to believe her. Madam Rogayah naturally felt deeply indebted and ready to comply with whatever more he required. The man required two thousand dollars in cash as an additional deposit. Madam Rogayah said she had only nine hundred dollars at home. He generously said that would do. He took the money, gave her an official-looking receipt and left. Madam Rogayah never saw the man again, nor her money. The news spread through the estate. It was the topic amongst many residents. Madam Wong laughed loud and long at that naive Rogayah. She would never let herself be swindled, although she too was hoping to buy an apartment. Soon, an agent came to see Madam Wong. He gave her his card which read 'Rayson Bong, Bigtime Brokers Pte Ltd'. She did not know him or his firm so the astute housewife told him to return the next day. Meantime, she asked around and realised that some friends had used the firm. Opinions differed about their quality of service but Madam Wong felt assured. The next day, Rayson brought Madam Wong to an empty apartment. It looked good. The price looked good too. 'In fact, too good to be true,' Madam Wong said to herself. She was not going to be gullible. 'I'm no Rogayah, easy meat for swindlers,' she smirked to herself. Rayson said she had to pay $5000 as deposit the next day, otherwise she would lose the apartment as he had another buyer waiting. That night, she questioned some friends over dinner and wondered loudly if she could trust Rayson. Her uninhibited talking paid off as moments later, someone came over and drew her aside. He whispered briefly 'CID', flashing an identification card. He said that she was right about Rayson. The firm was genuine but Rayson was not. The Criminal Investigation Department had been observing him but so far, they had not been able to get any evidence on him. 'Could he be the conman who swindled Rogayah?' Madam Wong asked. 'It's possible,' replied the detective. Madam Wong was thrilled. She was assisting CID to catch that conman, what a heroine she would become! 'And you will cooperate with CID? You will hand over the deposit so that we can catch him red-handed?' asked the detective. 'Of course I will cooperate with the police!' Madam Wong enthused, nodding eagerly. The next morning, Madam Wong passed her five thousand dollars to the detective who was supposed to pretend to be her brother. The moment Rayson arrived, the detective whisked him away. Unexpectedly, Rayson returned later that day. He apologised to Madam Wong, saying he had sold the apartment to the other party since her brother told him that she would only consider a lower price. Madam Wong never saw the detective again, nor her money." Question 75: What did the man stop Madam Rogayah from doing in line 6?

Q76 Open-ended 2 marks

What does the word "that" in line 10 refer to?

Q77 Open-ended 2 marks

What was "the news" (line 13) that spread through the estate?

Q78 Open-ended 2 marks

Which word in paragraph 3 shows that Madam Wong was a sharp and clever lady?

Q79 Open-ended 2 marks

Explain fully why Madam Wong felt assured in line 19.

Q80 Open-ended 2 marks

According to paragraph four, what was Madam Wong's main concern with the apartment?

Q81 Open-ended 2 marks

Which phrase in paragraph 4 has the same meaning as 'gullible'?

Q82 Open-ended 2 marks

Why was Madam Wong so eager to cooperate with the police?

Q83 Open-ended 2 marks

Explain fully why the author said that Rayson returned "unexpectedly" in line 38.

Q84 Open-ended 2 marks

Why did Madam Wong not see the detective again?

P6 English CA1 2014 — Nanyang

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P6 English CA1 2014 — Nanyang

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