G.C.E.

(A/L) EXAMINATION
GENERAL ENGLISH – MODEL PAPER 1

PAPER I

Part A: Grammar & Vocabulary (35 marks)

Question 1

Fill in the blanks in the following text, using the pronouns given in the box. Use each pronoun
only once. There is one extra pronoun. ( (05 marks)

It he his she my her

An elderly mason was ready to retire and (1)……. told his boss of his plans to leave and to live
a more leisurely life with his family. He would miss the pay checks but he needed to retire. The
owner a lady , was sorry to see such a good worker go ,and( 2)……… asked the mason to build
just one house for(3)…… as a personal favour. The mason agreed, but in time it was easy to see
that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy, careless workmanship and used inferior
material. (4)…… was an unfortunate way to end a successful career. When the mason finished
his work the employer came to inspect the house. She handed the front door key to the mason.
She said. “This is your house. It is (5)…………….. gift for you.”

Question 2

Fill in each blank with the correct form of the verb given in brackets. ( 10 marks)
How do we know about people who lived in prehistoric times? These people, who(1) ………….
(live) a long time before writing (2) ………. (invent), lived in towns and cities as we do. But
they (3) ………. (leave) no written records of their history. One way in which we
(4) ………. (find) out about how they lived (5) …………. (be) by 'digging up the past. This
means digging up places where ancient cities (6) ……gradually………. (cover) by sand or dust
and finding out what the civilizations of these cities (7)…… ………..(be) like. People called
archaeologists have dug up the past scientifically and (8)……… …….. (give) us information
about people who (9)…… ……….. (live) in prehistoric times. They(10)……………..
sometimes …………. (discover) old cities buried beneath modern towns or villages or covered
by farmland.

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Question 3 .

Underline the correct word from those given within brackets to fill in the blanks in the following
text. ( 10 marks)

I went to the bank as usual last Monday to cash my pay cheque. There (1)……(is,was,were,are)
perhaps twenty people waiting in line (2) ……….(with,up,on,over) by the teller and I joined the
queue. Suddenly three men burst through the door. (3)………. (they,he,she, them) were wearing
„balaclavas‟ over their heads (4) ………. (as,and,though,but) carrying guns. They yelled at every
one to move back against (5) ………. (the,a,an,those) wall. One of them stood at the door.
Another jumped (6) ……… (through, over, against, across) the counter andforced the tellers to
put cash into a carrying bag. A third stood facing us, gun in hand. Within just a (7) ……….
(few,much,many,little) minutes they were ready to leave. Two ran out the door carrying the bag
and jumped into (8) ………. (a,an,this,that) waiting car. The third turned to run out the door.
Suddenly I jumped at him and pushed him to the floor. He dropped the gun and another customer
picked it up and threw (9) …………. (these,all,it,the) into the room. The car outside sped off
(10) ……….(as,until, although,if) the two of us sat on our captive until the police arrived to
make an arrest.

Question 4
Underline the most appropriate word from those given within brackets.( 05 marks)
1. The rich have plenty of food for them to .................(grow ,consume,throw away)throughout
the year
2. The construction of great wall of China was a.................(simple,laborious ,easy)task.
3. Mr.Perera is worried as his best friend's real appearance was................(deceptive ,fascinating,
cruel )
4. Foreigners are amazed by the...................(natural ,curative ,ancient)power of our indigenous
medicine.
5.The mischievous boy always tries to ...................his old grandma.(annoy,help,feed)

Question 5

Underline the correct word ending, selecting from those given in brackets( 5 marks)

1. Opera is a dramatic art form, which the emo ……………(tion, tionally, tional) content
is conveyed to the audience
2. Dolphins are regarded as the friend …………………… (ly, liest ,lier) creatures in the sea
3. Naval architects never claim that a ship is unsink ………………………….(able, s, ed )
4. When I got down to the din …………………(ner, ing, ed) room, I found both father and
mother there.

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 5. The horseman rode slowly towards the west, stop……………(pped, s, ping) once or
twice to examine the wide circle of the horizon
Part B – Reading & writing ( 25 marks)

Question 6

Underline the option that best expresses the meaning of each of the sentences given. ( 05 marks)
1.
i. You needn‟t tocry for that.
a. I didn‟t ask you to cry.
b. You didn‟t cry for that.
c. I never ask you to cry.
d. You don‟t have to cry for that.
ii. Mala said to Manel “Would you mind bringing me a glass of water”.
a. Mala ordered Manel to bring a glass of water.
b. Mala asked Manel whether she liked to bring a glass of water.
c. Mala requested Manel to bring a glass of water.
d. Mala wanted a glass of water.
iii. He used to smoke when he was young.
a. He doesn‟t smoke from his young age.
b. He had smoked his young age but not now.
c. He has never smoked in his life.
d. He smokes even now from his young age.
iv. You could have told the truth.
a. You did not tell the truth.
b. You told the truth.
c. You did not want to tell the truth.
d. You didn‟t know the truth.
v. If you had studied hard, you would have passed the examination.
a. You studied hard and passed the examination.
b. You did not study hard, so you didn‟t pass the examination.
c. You did not study but you passed the examination.
d. You studied hard but could not pass the exam.

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Question 7 .

Read the following four news items and answer the questions (a and b) ( 10marks)

1. Back to school with a happy smile 2. Cycling Sunday kicks off

The principal SanathPerera of Cycling Sunday is a novel idea presented by

VasanthaCollege, Maho organized an
event to cheer up the children who
restarted school this year. The aim of the
novel concept was to help students to
adapt and adjust to the physical mode of
education after spending months on
virtual education. The activities at the
event not only entertained but also
strengthened the bond and the
communication between the students and
the teachers.
the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs, Sri
Lanka Police and the Spinner Cycling Center to
encourage recreational activities among people
who live in cities and areas surrounding them
(urban areas). The pilot project started on
January 31st under the patronage of the
Minister of Youth and Sports. Every Sunday
from 4pm to 7pm a lane would be allocated for
the cyclists from Kotte to Colombo.

3. AstraZeneca COVISHIELD Vaccine 4. A minor earthquake at Walapane

comes to Sri Lanka
The AstraZeneca COVISHIELD Vaccine
which is manufactured in India was
administered at 100 hospitals across all 25
districts of the island, including Trincomalee
and Jaffna. Front line health care workers
and personnel of the Tri-Forces were among
the first to receive the vaccine.
The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau
(GSMB) said that an earthquake measuring two
units on the Richter scale was felt in the
Akiriya area in Walapane, Nuwaraeliya on
January 31st. According to the reports of the
GSMB the quake struck at 2.59 in the morning.

a. Underline the most appropriate response in each of the questions from (i – v)

i. According to the GSMB what was the measure of the earthquake on the Richter
scale?
1. 2.59 units
2. 4 units
3. 2 units
4. 4.3 units

ii. Which of the following happened from 4pm to 7pm on Sunday?

1. Administering COVISHIELD Vaccine
2. Starting the pilot project of Cycling Sunday
3. A minor earthquake
4. A cheering up programme for the students

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 iii. Which of the above news items straightly addresses the physical fitness of an
individual?
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
iv. A similar phrase for “online education” is,
1. Virtual education
2. Physical mode of education
3. Lecture based education
4. Activity based education
v. Which of the following is not mentioned in the news item number 2?
1. Cycling Sunday is a new concept presented by three authorities
2. The programme is to encourage recreational activities among the city and urban
area dwellers,
3. The Minister of the Sports participated in the inauguration of the programme.
4. Cyclists are not allowed to use the roads on week days.
b. Do the following statements agree with the information given in the above texts?
In boxes (vi – x) write True, False or Not Given.
True If the statement is correct
False If the statement is wrong
Not Given If there is no sufficient information

vi. The purpose of the cheering up programme was to

welcome students for the physical mode of education after
months of vacation
vii. Akiriya area in Walapane often experiences earthquakes
viii. COVISHIELD Vaccine is not administered at hospitals in
Trincomalee and Jaffna
ix. A lane would be allocated for the cyclists from 4am – 7am
on every Sunday
x. The vaccine to prevent COVID is manufactured in India
Question 8

Write a paragraph beginning with the given sentence. Use about 75-100 words. Do not exceed
the word limit. Do not write more than one paragraph. (10 marks)

1. English Language should be made compulsory for university

entrance……………………….

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 G.C.E.(A/L) EXAMINATION

GENERAL ENGLISH – MODEL PAPER 1

Paper 11

Part A – Reading Skills

Question 1

Read the passage given below in which some words are given in bold type. Then, underline the
meaning that is most appropriate to the context for the words given in bold type from 1-10. (10
marks)

The first batch of vaccines to be offered to Sri Lanka by the World Health Organization (WHO)
through the COVAX facility is to arrive soon, WHO sources told Daily Mirror, that the COVAX
facility is working directly with the Ministry of Health in this regard. Cabinet had this week
approved a proposal to sign the indemnification agreement submitted by the COVAX facility
in order to expedite the procurement of vaccines. Sri Lanka is expected to receive vaccines
through the COVAX facility to inoculate 27 percent of the population. Sri Lanka was earlier set
to receive vaccines from the WHO through the COVAX facility to cover 20 % of the total
population. However, the WHO is now considering increasing it to cover 27 % of the population
in Sri Lanka. Apart from the vaccines through COVAX, Sri Lanka has decided to purchase
COVID vaccines from the United Kingdom (UK). The Government will purchase 3.5 million
COVID-19 vaccines from Astrazeneca in Britain. The State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC)
of Sri Lanka has entered into an agreement with Astrazeneca to purchase the vaccines.

Daily mirror

1) Batch- collection , quantity , herd, size

2) Offered- gathered, given, secured, collected
3) Facility- gift, provision, grant, equipment
4) Working- employed, running, functioning, gathering,
5) Approved- signed, took , agreed , accepted
6) agreement- contract, opinion , bargain , settlement
7) expedite- speed up , slow down, dispatch , facility
8) expected- anticipated , hope , recover, willing
9) purchase- buy , gain, acquire , deal ,gain
10) entered- carried out , accessed, dropped in ,left

11)

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Question 02

Read the following text and answer the questions 1 and 2. (10 marks)

Causes of Floods

Floods are second only to fire as the most common of all natural disasters. They occur almost
everywhere in the world, resulting in widespread damage and even death. Consequently,
scientists have long tried to perfect their ability to predict floods. So far, the best that scientists
can do is to recognize the potential for flooding in certain conditions. There are a number of
conditions, from deep snow on the ground to human error, that cause flooding.

When deep snow melts it creates a large amount of water. Although deep snow alone rarely
causes floods, when it occurs together with heavy rain and sudden warmer weather it can lead to
serious flooding. If there is a fast snow melt on top of frozen or very wet ground, flooding is
more likely to occur than when the ground is not frozen. A frozen ground or a ground that is very
wet and already saturated with water cannot absorb the additional water created by the melting
snow. Melting snow also contributes to high water levels in rivers and streams. Whenever rivers
are already at their full capacity of water, heavy rains will result in the rivers overflowing and
flooding the surrounding land.

Rivers that are covered in ice can also lead to flooding. When ice begins to melt, the surface of
the ice cracks and breaks into large pieces. These pieces of ice move and float down the river.
They can form a dam in the river, causing the water behind the dam to rise and flood the land
upstream. If the dam breaks suddenly, then the large amount of water held behind the dam can
flood the areas downstream too.

Broken ice dams are not the only dam problems that can cause flooding. When a large human-
made dam breaks or fails to hold the water collected behind it, the results can be devastating.
Dams contain such huge amounts of water behind them that when sudden breaks occur, the
destructive force of the water is like a great tidal wave. Unleashed dam waters can travel tens of
kilometers, cover the ground in meters of mud and debris, and drown and crush everything and
creature in their path.

Although scientists cannot always predict exactly when floods will occur, they do know a great
deal about when floods are likely, or probably, going to occur. Deep snow, ice-covered rivers,
and weak dams are all strong conditions for potential flooding. Hopefully, this knowledge of
why floods happen can help us reduce the damage they cause.
(1) Do the following statements agree with the information given in the above text?

In boxes (Ⅰ)-(Ⅷ), write True or False.

True If the statement is correct

False If the statement is wrong

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 Statements

I Heavy floods can beoccurred only by sudden warmer weather and heavy
rain.
II Various human errors are also caused heavy floods.
III Frozen grounds can stop occurring heavy floods by absorbing the
additional water created by melted ice.

IV Most of the human made dams are not strong enough to face large broken
ice pieces.

V When dams fail to hold the water collected behind it that can result a
huge destruction.

VI A broken human made dam is compared to a tidal wave in the text.

VII Unleashed dam water can only travel up to 10km.

VIII Even though we are living in a world which advanced by the modern
technology scientists are still unable to recognize exact time when the
floods will occur.

(2) Underline the most appropriate response to complete the following sentences

1) Why does saturated ground contribute to flooding problems?

a) the ground cannot absorb more moisture
b) the ground is too hard, so the water runs off
c) the ground forms a kind of dam
d) it remains frozen

2) How does melting snow cause problems related to flooding?

a) it makes the rivers run too fast

b) it makes the water too cold
c) it causes pieces of ice to block the river
d) it makes the level of the river rise

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Question 03

Read the following poem and answer the questions from 1 - 4. (05 marks)

I died for beauty, but was scarce

by Emily Dickinson.
I DIED for beauty, but was scarce
Adjust in the tomb,
When one who died for truth was lain
In an adjoining room.

He questioned softly why I failed?

"For beauty," I replied.
"And I for truth, - the two are one;
We brethren are," he said.

And so, as kinsmen met a night,

We talked between the rooms,
Until the moss had reached our lips,
And covered up our names.
1.) Write true or false in the space provided.
a.) The narrator here is lying dead in a tomb. (………)
b.) The narrator here is speaking truth to the Kinsmen.(………)
2.) According to the narrator, what was scarce?
i) Dying for truth
ii) Dying for Kinsmen
iii) Dying for beauty
iv) Dying for brethren
3.) To which of the following does the word brethren refer?
i) Parents ii) Brothers
iii) Friends iv) Enemies
4.) What does the phrase "two are one" mean?
i) Truth and Beauty related to each other.
ii) Truth and Beauty are the two sides of the same coin.
iii) Truth and Beauty died at the same time.
iv) Truth and Beauty are related to one family.

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Question 04

Fill in the blanks based on the information given in the following passage. Use only one word in
each blank. (05 marks)

The history of human progress is marked by transfers of cultural advances from one
group to another and from one civilization to another. Paper and printing, for example, are today
vital parts of Western civilization but they originated in China centuries before they made their
way to Europe. So did the magnetic compass, which made possible the great ages of exploration
that put the Western Hemisphere in touch with the rest of mankind. Mathematical concepts
likewise migrated from one culture to another. Trigonometry came from ancient Egypt, and the
numbering system now used throughout the world originated among the Hindus of India, though
Europeans called this system Arabic numerals because it was the Arabs who were the
intermediaries through which these numbers reached medieval Europe. Indeed, much of the
philosophy of ancient Greece first reached Western Europe in Arabic translations, which were
then retranslated into Latin or into the vernacular languages of the Western Europeans.

Cultural advancement took place with the development of civilization. Among them 1)
…………………. and printing play a vital part. The Western 2) ………………………………..
a kept in touch with the rest of the world through 3) ……………………………….. Some concepts
related to mathematics 4) ………………….. from one culture to another. 5)
………………………….., and Arabic numerals can be mentioned as some instances for such
migration. Much philosophy also reached originally in Arabic translations later into vernacular
languages.

Question 05

Read the following text and answer the questions from 1-4. (20 marks)

1) According to the United Nations, every fifth person in the world will soon be over the age of
sixty. The world's largest international organization is trying to convince its member states to do
something to cope with this growing problem.
2) Nutrition is being constantly improved. Countries provide better health care and education for
their citizens and the populations of many nations are enjoying a higher standard of living.
Japan leads the world in the proportion of older people.
3) Populations are becoming older on all continents. However, the biggest increase will be in
developing countries where life expectancy will rise from 68 at present to 74 in 2050.
4) Asia's rise as a strong economic region is due to the fact that many countries had a young
working population in the 80s and 90s.Especially in the Asian Tiger States – Hong Kong,
Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan- the bulk of the workforce is slowly approaching retirement
age. Progress andproductivity in these countries is slowing down.

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5) In Thailand, only 3.6 percent of the population was over 65 in 1975. Now thisage group has
risen to seven percent, still much lower than in the developed countries of the western world.
Since the middle of the last century Thailand's family planning policy has reduced the number of
children per family to 1.5, down from 5 or 6. This is much too low for a country to maintain its
economic growth with its own population.
6)Family planning in India and China, the most populous countries in Asia, will lead to
disastrous long- term effects. In addition, more and more families want to determine the sex of
their children.Therefore in the next fifteen years the two countries will have 50% more men than
women in the 20 to 45 age group.
7) In Africa the situation is somewhat different. It is the only continent, in which the population
is not ageing at such a rapid rate. Thus, Africa's economy will grow fast determine over the
next decades. The UN says that Africa must use its economic growth to improve the life of
its citizens.
8) UN points out that a growing older population does not help the economy of a country.
Countries lack the younger workforce it needs to keep production rising. Older people need
more care and other forms of transportation. On the other side, having an older population can
solve,social problems. Grandparents, for example, look after children when parents are at work.

9) According to theUN, governments should invest in the health of their population so that
peoplecan stay active for a longer time. It also suggests that politicians should encourage
families to have more than one child. Education is another key factor on the road to a prosperous
society. Better educated people will bring along more productivity and strength to the nations.

1) Do the following statements agree with the information given in the above text?

In boxes (a) – (f), write True, False or Not Given.

True If the statement is correct

False If the statement is wrong
Not Given If there is no sufficient information on this

Statements
a) Ageing population has become a global problem in today‟s world.
b) Health, Education and high standard of living are the key reasons of longevity.
c) Populations in Asian continent are becoming older than in other continents.
d) Thailand has successful family planning policy.
e) Less females in future indicates rapid decrease in population in China and
India.
f) There are more advantages of having an older population than disadvantages.

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2.Match the following main ideas with the Nine stages of Ageing population by writing the
number of the stage in the space provided.

Information Number of the

paragraph
1) Why Asia rise above others‟ in fast economic development?
2) Help that can be given by the governments to keep their populations stable
3) Only country with a young population for many years to come
4) Determining sex before the birth of a child will open doors to new problems.
5) Country which has the highest proportion of old people in the world

3) Who or what do the following pronouns in bold print refer to?

i) its (paragraph 1) …………………………………….

ii) their (paragraph 2) ……………………………………..
iii) their ( paragraph 9) …………………………………….

4) Write one word in each blank, selecting from the passage, which means the same as the
following.

(i) To make somebody believe that something is true……………………………

(ii) All the time; repeatedly …………………………………………………………
(iii) Connected with the economy of a country …………………………………….
(iv) The rate of which a worker, company or country produce goods………………
(v) The process of developing something…………………………………………

Part B- Dialogues (25 marks)

Question06
How do you respond in each of the following situations? Write only one sentence or question for
each, beginning with the word/s given. (05 marks)
1. You want to talk to a stranger on the road to get to know the way to the museum. How would
you ask it?
“Excuseme……………………………………………………………………………………”
2. Your best friend has won the chess tournament. How would you wish him/her?
“I ………………………………………………………………………………………….…”
3. Accidently you have dropped someone‟s penwhile writing. What would you say then?
“I‟m……………………………………………………………………………………………”
4. Your father is going on a trip to Kataragama. You want to take your best friend with you.
Ask him/her to join you.
“I……………………………………………………………………………………………….”
5. You want to ask your teacher to come for your wedding. How would you invite your
teacher?
“Teacher, …………………………………………

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Question 07

Anushi meets one of her old friends, Kavya and has a conversation about their jobs.Complete the
missing parts of the dialogue between Anushiand Kavya. Do not use more than two sentences/
questions in each blank.

Anushi: Hello! Kavya, How are you? It‟s been a long time we have met.

Kavya: Oh, Hi! Anushi, I am doing good. What about you?

Anushi: (1)………………………………….

Kavya: Oh, really. That‟s a great company. What is your post there?

Anushi (2)…………………………………………………

Kavya: That‟s really nice to hear.

Anushi : (3)…………………………………………………

Kavya: I am a travel blogger. I used to travel to different places and explore different cultures
and varieties of food to write it in my blog. I would like to ask you also to follow my blog.

Anushi (4) ……………………………………………………………………………………

Kavya: Thanks,Anushi.
Kavya: Hey, why don‟t you join me and my family for tomorrow‟s lunch. They will also be
happy to see you.

Anushi (5)………………………………………………………………………………………

Kavya: So it‟s decided. You will come to our place tomorrow at 1 p.m. Will see you then.
Anushi: Ok Kavya. See you tomorrow then.

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Question 08

Your best friend hass met with an accident and you cannot visit him to the hospital to see him as
you are suffering from Dengue fever at the moment. Write out the telephone conversation that
takes place between your friend and you. Each one should speak at least five times.
(15 marks)

Part C- Writing Skills (65 marks)

Question 9

Select any five words from the list of nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs given below and use
each one of them in a meaningful sentence. You may use the verbs in any tense. Do not change
the form of the word. (5 marks)

Nouns permission, cultivation

Verbs improve, complete
Adjectives brilliant, ordinary, affordable
Adverbs properly, quickly, gladly

Question 10
The bar graph shows the result of Survey Conducted among 100 teenagers andhousewives in
Western Province about leisure time activities they like to do. Studythe chart and write a
description by reporting the main features and makingcomparisons where relevant. Use about 75
words.

80
70
60
50
40
Percentages of teenagers

30
Teenagers
20
10 Housewives
0
playing Watching Swimming Listening to Gardening Chatting
video games movies music with friends
Leisure Time Activities

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Question 11

Imagine that you are the secretary of Science Society of your school. The society has organized a
series of seminars for A/L students. Write a notice to be displayed on the notice board informing
the students to attend the seminars. Include relevant details. (use about 100-125 words. Do not
exceed the word limit.)(15 marks)

Question12

Imagine you are the secretary of the Animal Friends‟ Club in your school. Your club wants to do
a research on the animals kept in the zoological garden in Dehiwala. Write a letter to the Director
of the zoological garden asking permission to visit there for this purpose

Provide relevant details of your visit including;

- date and time you hope to visit
- number of students that hope to visit
- purpose
- ask them to provide you with the assistance of a guide. Use 75-100 words.

Question 13

Covid 19 is spreading rapidly all over the world. Discuss the negative effects of it and how we
can overcome the challenges of the pandemic , stating examples. Use about 200 words.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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