1
PSLE Format 
Primary 5 
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 

Set 1
 

Total time: 1 h 50 min 

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For each question from 1 to 10, four options are given. One of them is the correct answer.
2 

(10 marks)

1. Jay, as well as his classmates, ____________ present at the prize-giving ceremony last Friday.
(1) is
(2) are
(3) was
(4) were ( )

2. Mr. Cheng left his home thirty minutes ago. He ___________ to see a doctor.
(1) goes
(2) went
(3) has gone
(4) had gone ( )

3. Our principal reminded us not to run ___________ the corridors in the school.
(1) by
(2) over
(3) along
(4) across ( )

4. During the Physics examination yesterday, I saw a student ___________ and alerted the teacher.
(1) cheat
(2) cheats
(3) cheated
(4) was cheating ( )


5. The royal wedding cost more than three million dollars, ___________?
(1) did it
(2) isn’t it
(3) didn’t it
(4) doesn’t it ( )

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6. ____________ he is present at the official opening ceremony, he will not receive a door gift.

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(1) If
(2) Unless
(3) However
(4) Although ( )

7. Neither the boys nor their sister ___________ horror movies before.
(1) watch
(2) watches
(3) has watched
(4) have watched ( )

8. We received ____________ food hampers last year.

(1) most
(2) many
(3) much
(4) a little ( )

9. Olivia could not believe her rotten luck, ___________ to babysit her brother and work on her
assignment at the same time.
(1) has
(2) had
(3) have
(4) having ( )

10. Martin ___________ the computer for three hours when the electricity supply was suddenly cut
off.
(1) used
(2) has used
(3) has been using
(4) had been using ( )

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For each question from 11 to 15, four options are given. One of them is the correct answer.
4 

(5 marks)

11. Due to the ___________ lack of crude oil, the price of petrol has soared to unimaginable levels.
(1) acute
(2) ample
(3) extreme
(4) excessive ( )

12. The pupils are seated according to their heights in the school hall. Not every pupil is contented
with this seating ___________.
(1) capacity
(2) allowance
(3) arrangement
(4) compartment ( )

13. I was looking through a magazine and ___________ an interesting article on European culture.
(1) came to
(2) came by
(3) came for
(4) came across ( )

14. Mr. Ho ___________ the situation by insulting the driver although he was obviously at fault for
driving in a reckless manner.
(1) managed
(2) provoked
(3) worsened
(4) challenged ( )

15. “After the adversity that you had been through during childhood, how can you still be
____________ to the sufferings of the children?” cried Gill.
(1) biased
(2) equitable
(3) indifferent
(4) prejudiced ( )

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For each question from 16 to 20, choose the word(s) closest in meaning to the underlined word(s).

5
(5 marks)

Madam Lim widened her eyes and stared at the present from her grandson.

She had told him that she was facing difficulty finding space to store a great quantity of
(16)
photographs and she was expecting a photo album. Hence, she was baffled when she
(17)
received this gift.

Holding the peculiar object in her hand, she deduced that it could not be a
(18)
chocolate bar since she could not seem to open it. At that moment, her grandson

showed up with a laptop and taught her how to use the gift. Her photographs could
(19)
now be stored in this miniature device. She was enthralled by the things she could do
(20)
with it. Madam Lim then decided she liked her present very much and thanked her

grandson for this marvellous gift.

16. (1) infinite

(2) multiple
(3) limitless
(4) numerous ( )

17. (1) agitated

(2) confused
(3) delighted
(4) surprised ( )

18. (1) unique

(2) unusual
(3) unfamiliar
(4) unidentified ( )

19. (1) visited

(2) appeared
(3) interfered
(4) trespassed ( )

20. (1) pleased

(2) startled
(3) fascinated
(4) preoccupied ( )

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6 

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For each question from 21 to 28, four options are given. One of them is the correct answer.
8 

(8 marks)

21. What is the purpose of the phrase “Back by Popular Demand!” in the advertisement?
(1) to suggest that Natasha’s work is captivating
(2) to prove that Natasha’s work has won awards
(3) to indicate that Natasha’s work is well-received in Singapore
(4) to confirm that Natasha’s work has been exhibited in many countries ( )

22. Based on the advertisement, which of the following is true of the exhibition?
(1) The exhibition is held for the first time in Singapore.
(2) The exhibition is sponsored by Wildlife Pictures Studio.
(3) Photographs by different photographers will be exhibited.
(4) The admission is free for infants in arms and children below the age of 6. ( )

23. Does Natasha regret not putting in more effort in studying science when she was a student,
and why?
(1) Yes, because she realised that scientific knowledge is also very important in her field of
work.
(2) Yes, because she does not know how to cope with her work in the outdoors.
(3) No, because she has already realised her dream to be a photographer.
(4) No, because she still has no interest in science. ( )

24. What does “It” in the sixth line of the second paragraph of the section “About Natasha Mayer”
refer to?
(1) a trip around the country
(2) the magnificence of nature
(3) graduation from university
(4) a career in wildlife photography ( )

25. Despite being discouraged by her relatives and friends, Natasha persisted in her job because
she ___________________________________.
(1) was excited about visiting places in the wild
(2) wanted to contribute to wildlife conservation
(3) wanted to prove her relatives and friends wrong
(4) was curious about what animals would do in the wild ( )

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26. Look at the section “About Natasha Mayer”. Which of the following is not one of the job

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demands of a wildlife photographer?
(1) having to spend long hours
(2) having to carry heavy equipment
(3) having to think of ways to photograph wildlife
(4) having to bear with uncomfortable environments ( )

27. To be a successful wildlife photographer, one must _____________________________________________.

(1) have the ability to capture unusual and extraordinary shots
(2) be willing to return to the same place a few times
(3) be extremely familiar with camera settings
(4) view photography as an art form ( )

28. Which of the following is not a way to prevent animals from detecting human presence?
(1) avoiding scented products
(2) taking up a position downwind
(3) being able to stay silent for a long time
(4) having keen senses of smell and hearing ( )

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There are 10 blanks, numbered 29 to 38, in the passage below. From the list of words given, choose
10 

the most suitable word for each blank. Write its letter (A to Q) in the blank. The letters (I) and (O)
have been omitted to avoid confusion during marking. (10 marks)

EACH WORD CAN BE USED ONLY ONCE.

(A) against (D) as (G) had (K) is (N) through

(B) although (E) by (H) has (L) of (P) to
(C) are (F) from (J) if (M) or (Q) until

It is impossible to miss the importance of social interactions to human society. We share

with others what we think and how we feel ___________ communication. Communicating with one
(29)
another is very important. Communication helps us to be aware of the thoughts and emotions of

other people ___________ we lack the ability to read minds. Controlled ___________ the brain,
(30) (31)
communication takes different forms such as spoken, written and body language.

Language ___________ allowed humans to make incredible progress over the past 10,000
(32)
years. Today, more than five thousand languages ___________ spoken throughout the world. Written
(33)
language enables us to keep records ___________ our cultures and ideas. Speech enables us to
(34)
converse with one person or many at the same time.

Body language and facial expressions provide a wide range of signals about our moods.

From a thoughtless wave of the hand ___________ an involuntary twitching of facial muscles, our body
(35)
language exhibits far more information about how we feel than is possible to articulate verbally.

The physical gestures that we make are interpreted by others. This can work for or ___________ us,
(36)
depending on the situation and the type of body language we use. Body language can be just as

revealing as spoken words. It may convey whether we are lying ___________ telling the truth. Hence,
(37)
the next time you want to check ___________ a person is telling the truth, just observe whether he is
(38)
fidgeting and looking away.

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Each of the underlined words contains either a spelling or grammatical error. Write the correct

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word in each of the boxes. (12 marks)

Have you ever wondered why you hear owls at night but hardly ever notice them

(39)
in the day? In the wild, survival can be a challenging especially when an animal is

(40)
slower or smaller than its pottencial predators. Therefore, many animal species have

(41)
develop different ways to camouflage themselves throughout the course of evolution.

(42)
Camouflage can make it extrimlly difficult to spot an animal in its natural habitat

(43)
because the animal appears to blend on its surroundings. This gives the animal a

greater chance of being able to hide from its predators. At the same time, it can also

(44) (45)
connseal an animal and allow it to be a stealthy predator. This made it easier for it to

(46)
inconspicuously hunt down its unsaspacting prey.

(47)
Background matching is probably the most commonly type of camouflage. The

animal and its surroundings are so close in colour that they appear as one. For

(48) (49)
example, fish eggs often has very little pigmentation and appear transpairant against

(50)
the blue colour of the open sea. The white fur of the polar bear provides exccellant

camouflage against an icy and snowy background.

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Fill in each blank with a suitable word. (15 marks)
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In just seconds, a tiny spark sets off an inferno in the forest. The wildfire spreads quickly,

consuming the thick, dried-out vegetation and almost everything ____________________ in its path.
(51)
What was ____________________ a forest becomes a stockpile of untapped fuel, ready to be combusted
(52)
in a disastrous manner. In a seemingly instantaneous burst, the wildfire engulfs thousands of acres

of surrounding land, threatening the homes and lives of many in the ____________________.
(53)

There are three conditions that need to be ____________________ for a wildfire to burn.
(54)
Firefighters ____________________ to them as the pillars of the fire triangle – fuel, oxygen and a heat
(55)
source. When firefighters are trying to put out a fire, they can control and ultimately

____________________ the fire if they can remove any one of the pillars of the fire triangle. Traditional
(56)
methods include dousing water and spraying fire retardants to put out existing fires. Sometimes,

firefighters also fight wildfires ____________________ deliberately starting fires in a process called
(57)
controlled burning. These prescribed fires remove undergrowth and vegetation ____________________
(58)
an area of a forest, thereby ____________________ a wildfire of fuel.
(59)

After a wildfire begins to burn, there are several factors that ____________________ how the fire
(60)
spreads. Depending on these factors, a fire can quickly fizzle out or turn into a raging blaze that

scorches thousands of acres of land. ____________________ four out of five wildfires are started by
(61)
people, nature is more than happy to ____________________ fan the flames. Wind probably has the
(62)
biggest and most unpredictable impact on the behaviour of a wildfire. The stronger the wind blows,

the faster the fire spreads. Wind can also change the direction of the fire.

While we often look at wildfires as ____________________ destructive, many wildfires actually

(63)
play an integral ____________________ in nature. By burning through thick canopies and brushy
(64)
undergrowth, they ____________________ sunlight to reach the forest floor, enabling a new generation of
(65)
seedlings to grow.

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For each of the questions 66 to 70, rewrite the given sentence(s) using the word(s) provided.

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Your answer must be in one sentence. The meaning of your sentence must be the same as the
meaning of the given sentence(s). (10 marks)

66. On seeing flames and smoke, the guard raised an alarm.

At _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

67. Sam is constantly anxious. This makes him frown all the time.

Sam’s constant ___________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

68. Jack and his expedition guide checked the supplies before scaling the mountain.

Together _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

69. “Where’s my favourite dress?” Grandma asked me.

Grandma asked me ______________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

70. Ivan locked the door. Not long after, he left for work.

Before ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Read this passage and answer questions 71 to 80. (20 marks)
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I called on the marine police to get help with crossing the Gulf of Aden. With a straight
face, the superintendent asked what I knew about that expanse of water. I told him how I
had read about the evolvement of the gulf into a hub of atrocious pirate activities. I also
expressed concern over the prevalent hijacking of fishing vessels.

“Well, we have patrol vessels maintaining the order at sea, although there is a limit to 5
what they can do at times. If you are adamant in your decision to make the trip, I’ll bring
you to one of the captains who sail in this region,” he replied. The superintendent then
introduced a captain to me. “We set sail this Friday,” the captain said.

Friday came swiftly. The weather-beaten boat steered away from the pier and we
were soon out on the high seas. Soon after the coast was out of sight, the engine of our boat 10
spluttered and choked. An engine failure seemed imminent. Trouble was upon us as we
were at risk of being stranded at sea. As we were fretting about this possibility, the engine
stopped suddenly. After a tense radio exchange between the captain and the marine police,
we were notified that help would only arrive the next morning.

At dawn, a motorboat arrived alongside our boat. Four uninvited guests scrambled 15
aboard. No one else would have the audacity to make such a forcible boarding, except for
the Somali pirates. One of them spotted me. He had not expected to see an Asian traveller.

“Can I have one?” he asked in an affable manner, pointing to the two hundred-dollar
notes in my shirt pocket. He had understood that I was a traveller and needed money at
hand. I acceded to his request. “We are friends now,” he said, extending his hand for a 20
handshake. “My name is Magan.”

“I want your coat and your gold chain,” another pirate, known as Liban, demanded
threateningly. He appeared rather antagonistic and vicious-looking. I simply smiled back,
hoping to humour Liban. “In that case, I want your watch and your boots,” I responded
with my counter-demands, still putting on my best grin. 25

By now, Liban was frowning in annoyance. “Your coat!” he bellowed, ready to strike
with his clenched fists.

“Your boots?” I asked courteously. Sensing the intensification of tension, Magan

tactfully intervened. Paying no attention to Liban’s rising hostility, he began to mimic my
words in a clearly nonsensical chant. “Your boots, your boots, your boots?” he chanted. 30

The two pirates threw their arms around me and the four of us chanted incessantly. It
was a frantic sort of spell which got more and more raucous. In a way, we were trying to
avert a tragedy, which was undoubtedly my murder at sea. It worked. Liban stared at us
with his mouth wide open, unable to comprehend the situation. The quick-witted Magan
then invited him into our group. When Liban joined us in the chanting, I felt that the 35
immediate danger was subdued.

Finally, the pirates hopped onto their boat, waved at us and sped away. We waved
back with utmost relief.

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71. Which word from lines 1-4 tells us that pirate attacks were widespread in the Gulf of Aden?

15
[1 m]

72. What was the indication that the engine of the boat was about to fail? [1 m]

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

73. Look at the table below. What do the words in the left column refer to in the passage? Write
your answers in the column on the right. [3 m]

Word(s) from the passage What the word(s) refer(s) to

they (line 6)

possibility (line 12)

uninvited guests (line 15)

74. Explain clearly how Magan showed that he understood that the writer “was a traveller and
needed money at hand” (lines 19-20). [2 m]

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

75. Choose one word from Paragraphs 4-5 which has a similar meaning to each of the following
words. [2 m]

boldness

agreed

76. Write 1, 2 and 3 in the blanks below to indicate the order in which the events occurred in the
story. [1 m]

______ The writer sought help from the marine police.

______ The writer encountered pirates.
______ The superintendent introduced a boat captain to the writer.

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77. What did the writer do which showed that he was trying very hard to humour Liban? [2 m]
16 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

78. The tension between Liban and the writer intensified when the writer made his counter-
demands. Identify two actions by Magan and one action by the other two pirates which
helped to ease the tension between them. [3 m]

Action

Magan

the other two pirates

79. Based on the story, state whether each statement in the table below is true or false, then give
one reason why you think so. [3 m]

True/ False Reason

The marine police could not

provide immediate assistance to
the boat the writer was on.

The pirates frequently

encountered Asian travellers in
the Gulf of Aden.

Liban was baffled by the

behaviour of his fellow pirates
when they started chanting.

80. What do you think made the writer feel that the “immediate danger was subdued” (line 36).
Support your answer with information from the passage. [2 m]

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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PSLE Format

1
Primary 5
English Language Paper 2
Set 1
1. 3 11. 1 16. 4 21. 3
2. 3 12. 3 17. 2 22. 2
3. 3 13. 4 18. 2 23. 1
4. 1 14. 3 19. 2 24. 2
5. 3 15. 3 20. 3 25. 2
6. 2 26. 3
7. 3 27. 3
8. 2 28. 4
9. 4
10. 4

29. N 39. challenge 51. else

30. D 40. potential 52. once
31. E 41. developed 53. vicinity/ area
32. H 42. extremely 54. present/ met
33. C 43. into 55. refer
34. L 44. conceal 56. extinguish
35. P 45. makes 57. by
36. A 46. unsuspecting 58. from
37. M 47. common 59. depriving
38. J 48. have 60. determine
49. transparent 61. Although
50. excellent 62. help
63. being
64. role
65. allow/ enable

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66. At the sight of flames and smoke, the guard raised an alarm.
2 

67. Sam’s constant anxiety makes him frown all the time.
68. Together with his expedition guide, Jack checked the supplies before scaling the mountain.
69. Grandma asked me where her favourite dress was.
70. Before leaving for work, Ivan locked the door.

71. prevalent
72. The engine spluttered and choked.
73.
Word(s) from the passage What the word(s) refer(s) to

they (line 6) patrol vessels

possibility (line 12) being stranded at sea

uninvited guests (line 15) the Somali pirates

74. Magan saw two hundred-dollar notes in the writer’s shirt pocket but asked for only one.
75.

boldness audacity

agreed acceded

76. 1, 3, 2
77. The writer simply smiled back when Liban asked for his coat and gold chain. The writer then
asked for Liban’s watch and boots.
78.
Action

mimicked the writer’s words in a

nonsensical chant

Magan

invited Liban to join them in the

chanting

threw their arms around the writer and

the other two pirates
chanted incessantly

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79.

3
True/ False Reason

The marine police could not Help from the marine police
provide immediate assistance to True could only arrive the next
the boat the writer was on. morning.

The pirates frequently

Magan had not expected to see
encountered Asian travellers in False
the writer, an Asian traveller.
the Gulf of Aden.

Liban stared at them with his

Liban was baffled by the
mouth wide open as he was
behaviour of his fellow pirates True
unable to comprehend the
when they started chanting.
situation.

80. Liban’s willingness to join them in the chanting showed that he was no longer angry, hence the
writer felt that he was no longer in immediate danger.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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