Let the work begin: This is for both grade 8 and grade 9 

And I would walk 1 000 miles...

October 31 2008

Racine, Wisconsin - A Maltese dog named Max is headed home to Florida after he was spotted in Chicago - 1 000 miles (about 1 600km) from where he vanished.

Richard Gonzalez had reported a pet theft after Max dissappeared several months ago from his daughter's yard in Brandon, Florida, The Journal Times reported.

Gonzalez says he thought that Max would never get far. But the pooch was identified in Chicago by an implanted microchip.

Gonzalez contacted the Northcentral Maltese Rescue to retreive Max. Rescue director Mary Palmer had the dog taken to Racine, Wisconsin, and he will be flown on Saturday to Florida.

Gonzalez says he has no idea how his dog got so far away. He says he was so thrilled about the find that he almost asked Palmer to put Max on the phone. - Sapa-AP

Questions

1.         Explain the use of the dash after Chicago (para. 1).                                                                                                                                                                                                (1)

2.1       Write out km in full.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   (1)

2.2       Is this an abbreviation or an acronym?  Explain your answer.                                                                                                                                                                                (2)

3.         Find and correct TWO spelling mistakes in the article.                                                                                                                                                                                            (2)

4.1       Why is The Journal Times printed in italics?                                                                                                                                                                                                             (1)

4.2       How would you show this in a written piece?                                                                                                                                                                                                            (1)

5.         Discuss the humour in the last sentence.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  (2)

[10]

Comprehension 1

Read the letter below and then answer the questions.

Take up the challenge

Fellow Teachers,

Your profession is so precious, as your children you teach. As it is so fragile, guard it and protect it. It can be broken, but - could be safeguarded by you. If only you could love it and care for it.

Beware; the world is alert on behalf of you. You are never, ever neglected or unwanted. While you are in your wonderful profession, the attention of the people of the world is surely on you. Careful, be careful. There is no choice for you to pretend that you are asleep or unaware of these curious eyes and minds.

As you get hold of the future, of the future leaders, the expectations towards you are also so valid.

Although the nature of the future generation is being polluted by this artificial world, you, the pillars of the wisdom, should take the challenge into your hearts and minds and work towards the goal. It is a difficult task – but one which has been entrusted to you. So you, the pillars of wisdom, consider this matter as it is, your own duty given by God.

Count your Blessings that you are filled with, maybe not here in this earthly world, but there in Heaven where you will be – one day.

Barbara Chelliah

Questions

1.1       What is the profession of the writer of the letter?                                                                                                                                                                                                     (1)

1.2       Find a word in the text to support your answer.                                                                                                                                                                                                       (1)

2.         Does the speaker value teaching?  Justify your answer by referring to paragraph 1.                                                                                                                                             (4)

3.         How does the writer believe that other people regard teachers? (para. 2)                                                                                                                                                              (2)

4.         Why, according to the writer, must teachers be careful?                                                                                                                                                                                        (1)

5.1       What expectations are there of teachers? (para. 4)                                                                                                                                                                                                 (2)

5.2       Identify the figure of speech in “pillars of wisdom”.                                                                                                                                                                                                  (1)

5.3       Discuss its effectiveness.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (2)

6.         How does the writer conclude the letter?                                                                                                                                                                                                                 (1)

7.         Would you consider becoming a teacher?  Write a paragraph of 50 words, expressing

your view.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     (5)

           

                                                                                                                                          [20]

2015 is here! Have you started using the blog, Grade 9's? I hope so. Remember revision is key.

i before e

Remember the rule: i before e except after c

Solution: Conjunctions

Suggested Solutions

ACTIVITY 1

1.         When lunch has ended, we shall go to swimming practice. 

2.         Since we saw our grandfather on Friday, we shall not visit again this week.

3.         The pigeons are cooing on the balcony, although we have tried to chase them away.

4.         The child is crying because she dropped her doll.

5.         We are going away on holiday, if my father can get the time off work.

6.         The teacher is giving extra lessons, so that the learners can get good marks.

7.         He ran so fast that he fell.

8.         Before I can go home,   I must finish my work. 

9.         Whenever there is a birthday in the family, the Stuarts like to go out for a meal.

10.       Although he is coughing, the patient feels better today.

                                                                                                                                                [10]

ACTIVITY 2

1.         The park about which my neighbour complained has been cleaned up.

2.         The truck has delivered the bread which the spaza shop ordered.

3.         The supporters, who will attend the World Cup, will blow their vuvuzelas.

4.         The washing which my mother did this morning is hanging on the line.

5.         Sipho for whim you bought a gift is celebrating his 18^th birthday. 

6.         My cousin who is getting married on Saturday has finally decided on a wedding

            dress.

7.         Granny whose hands are so cold needs a hot water bottle.

8.         The garbage collectors whom I hear in the street whistle and call.

9.         The refugees who arrived from Zambia last week have been sent to a camp. 

10.       The children whose mother has come to fetch them cannot be found.       

                                                                                                                                              [10]

ACTIVITY 3

1.         The person who has just phoned is my colleague.

2.         The cricketer hit the ball which was lost

3.         The boy dropped the colddrink which is fizzy.

4.         The children are visiting their mother who is in hospital.

5.         The children whose mother is in hospital are sad.

6.         The painter who has sold his first work is delighted. 

7.         The phonebook for next year for which we have been waiting next year has just been delivered. 

8.         The chicken which will be bought by the grandmother will be eaten by the family. 

9.         The box of tissues for which I am looking might have vanished.     

10.       The boy’s whose tie had been stolen was very upset.          

                                                                                                                                            [10]

Solution: Parts of Speech

Suggested Solutions

ACTIVITY 1

WORD	PART OF SPEECH	WORD	PART OF SPEECH
yesterday	adverb (of time)	speed	abstract noun
went	finite verb	and	(co-ordinating) conjunction
to	preposition	they	(personal) pronoun
zoo	common noun	to enjoy	infinitive
enjoyed	finite verb	themselves	(reflexive) pronoun
there	adverb (of place)	pygmy	(descriptive) adjective
monkeys	common noun	was	finite verb
charming	(descriptive) adjective	were fighting	finite verb
camels	common noun	over	Preposition
bored	(descriptive) adjective	their	(possessive) adjective
we	(personal) pronoun	wild	(descriptive) adjective
watched	finite verb	the	definite article
oh	interjection

                                                                                                                                                [25]

ACTIVITY 2

1.         We could study tonight: implies that there are alternatives; this is only one of them; the suggestion is that the speaker is about to suggest something else – probably more exciting and amusing.

2.         We must study tonight: this is a duty; they have to study; there is some compulsion, such as a time constraint; there is no choice.

3.         We shall study tonight: this is future tense; this is a statement of something that is definitely going to happen.

4.         We would study tonight: the implication is that they are not going to; the next word is “but”.

5.         We ought to study tonight.: this suggests that there might be another alternative; the speaker is aware of a duty or an obligation but is reluctant to fulfil it.                        [10]

ACTIVITY 3

1.         If we decide to go to a movie, will you come with us?        

2.         I have read the story to my little sister but she is now tired and wants to go to bed.

3.         The teachers congratulated the learners on their top achievements in the exam. which/that was written nationally.

4.         After the formula 1 driver crashed his car into the barrier, he was taken from the scene of the accident.

5.         The plane flew over the sea on its journey to/from the Far East.

6.         Please excuse me from class because/but I am not feeling at all well.

7.         The learner arrived in class by the skin of her teeth as the teacher was about to start the lesson.

8.         The children sat side by side, listening to the story read by the teacher.

9.         He asked me to fetch the parcel on his behalf because he has been kept late at    school.

10.       I was filled with fear when I heard the police siren.

11.       My mother is annoyed with me because I cannot cope with my schoolwork.       [30]

ACTIVITY 4

1.         to

2.         on

3.         to

4.         during

5.         in

6.         at

7.         of Taiwan

8.         from

9.         for

10.       to                                                                                                                               [10]

Solutions: Punctuation Marks

Suggested Solutions

1.1       hyphens (para. 1): to create a compound adjective

1.2       commas (para. 2): to enclose extra information/a noun phrase in apposition

1.3       capital B (para. 2): proper noun, name of the city

1.4       apostrophe (para. 2): singular possession

1.5       comma (para. 3): separating an adverbial phrase from the rest of the sentence at the beginning of the sentence

1.6       full stop (para. 3): end of a statement

1.7       comma after mark (para. 4): separating an adverbial phrase from the rest of the sentence at the beginning of the sentence

1.8       the rest of the commas (para. 4): separating items in a list

1.9       capital letters in Guinness World Record (para. 5): proper nouns, name of the company or competition

1.10     first comma (para. 6): separating an adverb from the rest of the sentence at the beginning of the sentence

1.11 second comma (para. 6): separating an adverbial phrase from the rest of the sentence

1.12     apostrophe (para 8): singular possession

1.13     capital in Russian (para. 8): proper noun used in its adjectival form

1.14     capital in Scotland (para. 8): proper noun, name of country

1.15     comma after Scotland (para. 8): separating an adverbial phrase from the rest of the sentence at the end of the sentence                                                                           (15)

2.         Everything that he had been on had been a fascinating experience, he told the Western Daily Press newspaper in southwest England. He said that he had been surprised by the wide variety of transport he had found when he had started to look into it.

            NO marks if the inverted commas are left in.

            -½ for every error until you get to 0.                                                                           (5)

                                                                                   

Message to grade 8's

Grade 8's

The answers to the Revision pages will be published on Saturday morning. Please ensure that you have completed the relevant sections and then check your answers against my memo. The onus is on you to complete as many exercises as possible and not merely copy the answers that I supply.  Remember the key to success in English is revise, revise and REVISE. There is no shortcut when it comes to grasping the complexities of the language.

I wish each one of you great success in the upcoming examinations. Good luck Grade 8's and God bless.

Love
Mr Hi Hi