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PSS 2016 SA1 EL 1E P2 Comprehension QuestionBooklet
PSS 2016 SA1 EL 1E P2 Comprehension QuestionBooklet
Candidate Name
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Paper 2 Comprehension
1 hour 50 minutes
QUESTION BOOKLET
Candidates answer on the booklet
Additional Materials:
INSERT
Write your name, class and register number on all the work you hand in.
Write in dark blue or black pen on the booklet.
Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
Parent’s signature:
Carefully read the text below, consisting of 12 lines, about the writer and his mother. The first and last lines
are correct. For eight of the lines, there is one grammatical error in each line. There are two more lines
with no errors.
Examples:
her second job. To bring my sisters and me up, she is forced to take on two 1
jobs after my father died. I tried to help out with the household chores but 2
she would not allow me. She was a tradition woman who felt that boys did 3
not had to do any chores at home. I vividly remember arguing with her and 4
told her how I could not bear to see her working so hard. Her emaciated body 5
was a sign that she was not getting a rest and nutrition she needed. The 6
friends whom I played with had mothers with bright eyes and rosy colour in their 7
cheeks. I could not bear to see my mother suffer. She looked pale and weak. 8
not have been possible. I am indebt to her. To provide for my mother in her 10
Peirce Secondary School | SA1 | EL(P2) | 1E | 2016 | Question Booklet | Mrs Neo BJ
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Peirce Secondary School | SA1 | EL(P2) | 1E | 2016 | Question Booklet | Mrs Neo BJ
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1 In paragraph 1, which word in the paragraph suggests much speed and intensity?
[1]
2 In paragraph 2, why did the writer watch the foot trimming team for a minute or so? Answer in
your own words.
[2]
3 In paragraph 3, why do you think Mohan’s demeanour changed by the time he needed a trim
under anaesthesia?
[2]
4 What word in the same paragraph has the same meaning as ‘demeanour’?
[1]
5 Give two pieces of evidence to show that Mohan was badly affected by his infected feet.
[2]
[1]
(ii) Why did the writer use ‘this strategy’ on the rhino? Answer in your own words.
[2]
7 ‘I couldn’t resist giving his neck a light pat. His rough skin felt like concrete with a little flex,
reminding me of Rudyard Kipling’s description: bumpy plates of armour. I also touched his
crescent-shaped horn, a highly-priced and much sought-after commodity like gold.’ (lines
32−35)
Peirce Secondary School | SA1 | EL(P2) | 1E | 2016 | Question Booklet | Mrs Neo BJ
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What do the following descriptions tell you about the skin and horn of the rhino?
[2]
8 In paragraph 6, why do you think the writer and the other staff members backed out of the stall
after they had removed the ear gauze and the blindfold from the rhino?
[2]
9 What does the writer mean by the rhino ‘had sailed through the anaesthesia’ (line 42)?
[1]
10 The structure of the text reflects the main events in the recount.
Complete the flow chart by choosing the phrases from the box to show the flow of the events in
the recount. There are some extra phrases in the box that you do not need to use.
Peirce Secondary School | SA1 | EL(P2) | 1E | 2016 | Question Booklet | Mrs Neo BJ
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Main focus
Flow chart
Paragraph 3: Mohan had skin growing under his feet. His feet became infected
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
pushed to the other side for the vets to work on. His feet (iv) ………………………
[4]
11 Which two phrases in paragraph 1 suggest that Old Grandmother felt uncomfortable when she
Peirce Secondary School | SA1 | EL(P2) | 1E | 2016 | Question Booklet | Mrs Neo BJ
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[2]
[1]
13 What does the expression ‘willing to bet all the coffee money’ (line 6) tell us about the way Old
grandmother felt about Karen?
[2]
14 In paragraph 2, what does the word ‘stabbed’ suggest about the effect of her realisation?
[1]
15 ‘Alone and helpless, she recollected the grief in her life, first in choking agony, and gradually,
as the sobs subsided, in a kind of mournful sing-song’ (lines 10–11). ‘Old grandmother’s eyes
welled up as she sucked in her breath, willing herself not to cry’ (lines 14–15).
16 In paragraph 2, what is the effect of the series of questions asked by the Old grandmother?
[2]
Peirce Secondary School | SA1 | EL(P2) | 1E | 2016 | Question Booklet | Mrs Neo BJ
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17 In paragraph 3, what two reasons did Karen give to convince her husband to persuade the Old
grandmother in giving up her old bed and other old furniture?
[2]
18 ‘To her friends at the office, Karen could be freer in the expression of her feelings’ (line 30).
State one way in which Karen was freer in expressing her feelings.
[1]
[1]
[1]
20 Paragraphs 3–6 of the text reflect the attitudes and feelings of Karen towards Old grandmother‘s
bed.
Complete the flow chart by choosing one phrase from the box to summarise the attitudes and
feelings revealed in selected lines of the text. There are some extra phrases in the box that you do
not need to use.
Peirce Secondary School | SA1 | EL(P2) | 1E | 2016 | Question Booklet | Mrs Neo BJ
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Flow chart
[4]
Copyright Acknowledgement:
Text 1 Adapted from The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes by Lucy H. Spelman, DVM
Text 2 Adapted from Monster in Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore by Catherine Lim
Peirce Secondary School | SA1 | EL(P2) | 1E | 2016 | Question Booklet | Mrs Neo BJ