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NORTHERN EDUCATION DIVISION

2023 MALAWI SCHOOL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION

ENGLISH
Date: 21st March, 2023
Time allowed: 1h 45 mins
Time: 11:00 – 12:45 pm

PAPER Ⅱ
(60 marks)
Instructions
Question Tick Do not write in these
1. This paper contains 9 printed pages. Number questions 1 columns
Please check & 2 if
answered

2. The paper has two sections, A and B.

3. Answer all questions in both sections. 1

4. Use space provided to answer

Question in this paper 2

5. follow the instructions for each section

Carefully.

6. Fill in your names at the top of each

Page of the question paper.

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Section A (20 marks)

NOTE MAKING

1. Read the following passage carefully and afterward make a summary of it in

NOTE-FORM. In your summary:
a. Provide a suitable title for the passage.
b. Give the main points.
c. Supply supporting points for each main point.

Marks will be awarded for content, note-style, and fair-copy layout. Candidates who
simply copy the passage will be penalized.

Communication is the interaction among various communities in the world. Without

communication, some tasks would be at a standstill. Physical distance does not deter people
from talking, sharing views and interests with others due to the various forms of
communication in the world.

Periodicals are the first form of communication. These are publications which contain
current information on different issues such as advertisements and sports. Periodicals can
be newspapers. Newspapers in most cases are printed on cheap paper. This is done to make
them affordable to as many people as possible. They are either printed daily or weekly.
Periodicals can also be magazines. These contain a collection of articles, poems and
advertisements. There are different types of magazines published for particular readers.

The second form of communication in the global world is a phone. This is a device that
transmits and receives sound over a distance. The phone has been a common tool for
communication over years. There are two types of phones; mobile and ground. A mobile
phone transmits messages from phone to another. It is extra features such as messaging,
internet, camera and games. The ground phone uses ground lines for communication.

Thirdly, a television is another type of communication. It is an electronic device which

receives electrical signals. It transforms the signals into moving images and sounds.

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The last means of communication is the electronic mail or e-mail. This is a method of
exchanging messages from one person to another. E-mailing operates across network of
computers or what is commonly referred to as internet. To e-mail, one must have e-mail
address to send and receive messages from other users.

In conclusion, technological advances in communication have enabled people to exchange

and spread ideas, react to global news and involve others in decision making. People
communicate through various modes such as periodicals, phones, television and e-mail.

(Adapted from “Senior Secondary Life Skills” by Frits Kadyoma, Alice Gunyali and
Pemala Owiti)

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Section B (40 marks)

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Comprehension
2. Read the following passage below and answer the questions that follow:
Vyabudika sat on his ‘Nsungwi’ chair wondering when his wife, Nyamkolimbo, would
return to the house. It was now eight months since she left. With his arms folded and placed
on his chest, he seriously contemplated on what to do to bring her back. He had just arrived
from the garden dog-tired after the day’s work. Worse still, it was a very hot afternoon and
he was sweating profusely. Hunger was gnawing at his stomach and thirst parched his
mouth and throat. He wished he could take something to eat or drink but the house had
neither food nor water. It was the effort of Nyamkolimbo to have food at home, her going
meant no food at home. During the old good days, Vyabudika was sure to come from work
and find food already prepared. He cursed his drinking habits that had driven the wife away.

Nyamkolimbo had left in the night taking all the children and household materials along
with her. At the time, her husband had not yet come back home from drinking joint where
local beer of various types were sold. He came back, deep in the night, very drunk. In such
a state, he did not notice that something was wrong in the house. He just discovered, much
to his astonishment when he woke up that his family had vanished. People in the village
heard that Vyabudika’s wife had gone to her people. They took little interest in the matter
because everything had followed the usual pattern. On several occasions in the past, she
had run away and had always come back. Vyabudika did not make any effort to bring his
woman back. He was sure Nyamkolimbo would return on her own as she had done before.
“I am the head tree and she is just a leaf. Without me she is nothing. No matter what, she
cannot resist obeying the force of gravity.” He declared tartly and concentrated on his daily
activities.

To his utter amazement, eight months elapsed without any sign of Nyamkolimbo coming
back. It was now clear to him that if he did not do anything, the wife would not come back.
He would find out what it was that kept his wife at her father’s home. He very much needed
her to return and run the house. He had several times slept on an empty stomach because
there was nobody to cook for him. More pressing was the fact that he had completely lost

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all the groundnuts in her absence due to his failure to manage the groundnut field. He could
not continue living like that. He concluded.

Vyabudika considered going to Nyamkolimbo’s people and negotiate her return. However,
his pride did not allow him to do so. He believed asking for his wife’s return would make
her feel triumphant and would consequently make him lose face. As such, he was not
prepared to take such a step. He quickly nipped the idea in the bud.

In his village, there was an old man whom people highly regarded as a ‘Solomon’.
Vyabudika secretly called at this man’s house for advice. He explained everything and
emphasized how much he needed his wife back, “swallow your pride. Let me tell you, my
son that getting back a rebellious wife from her people is not simple in this land. I say go
to your wife’s people and ask for forgiveness”.

Throughout the conversation Vyabudika nodded, giving an impression that he was in total
agreement to the advice. When everything was over, he thanked the old man, and returned
to his house. Back at his house, Vyabudika pondered over the old man’s advice. He agreed
that the step he was advised to take would help him bring the wife back. However, he did
not accept the idea of apologizing. If he took such a step, the whole world would sooner or
later come to know about it. What would people say? He pondered.

Barely a week, it was all over his home village that Vyabudika had opened negotiations
with his wife’s people through intermediaries. Even the fact that he had been sending gifts
to the father-in-law was an open secret. Typical of village life, everyone in the village
eagerly looked forward to knowing the outcome of the negotiations.

The reply of the father-in-law was simple and to the point: “it is not my business to poke
my nose into my daughter’s marriage affairs. Moreover she is old enough to know what
she wants and what she doesn’t.”

Everyone who heard the news was left mouth agape wondering what father-in-law was up
to.

(Adapted from: Practical English Book 3 by P.A. Ogundipe and Tredidgo)

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Questions

a. How long did it take for Vyabudika to show keen interest and concern about his
rebellious wife?
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(1 mark)
b. In the passage, what is it that has been referred to as “the good old days”?
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(1 mark)
c. Explain clearly why Vyabudika was sure that Nyamkolimbo did not go to her
home village for good.
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(2 marks)
d. Describe the circumstance that led to Nyamkolimbo leave her house and go to
her home village.
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(2 marks)
e. What could Vyabudika have done to avoid his wife from going to her village?
(Mention two things).
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(2 marks)
f. Why did Vyabudika not want to go to Nyamkolimbo’s village and negotiate her
return?

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(2 marks)
g. 1. Give the meaning of each of the following words as used in the passage;
i. ‘profusely’ (paragraph 1)______________________________(1 mark)
ii. ‘vanished’ (paragraph 2)______________________________(1 mark)
iii. ‘tartly’ (paragraph 2)_________________________________(1 mark)
2. Explain the meaning of each of the following expressions as used in the
passage.
i. ‘dog-tired’ (paragraph 1)
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(2 marks)
ii. ‘the force of gravity’ (paragraph 3)
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(2 marks)
iii. ‘swallow your pride’(paragraph 8)
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(2 marks)
h. Describe the character of each of the following characters.

i. Vyabudika

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(2 mark)

ii. Nyamkolimbo

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(2 mark)
i. Give evidence in the story to show that Nyamkolimbo was providing food at
home.

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(2 marks)
j. Give one thing which Vyabudika was doing to the people of Nyamkolimbo in
order to win them that Nyamkolimbo should come back.
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(1 mark)
k. Explain the main reason that has prompted Vyabudika to open negotiations with
his wife’s people.
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(2 marks)
l. Give a suitable title for the passage.
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(2 marks)
m. Summarize the passage in your own words. Your summary should be between
70 and 100 words
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(10 marks)
END OF QUESTION PAPER

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