SECTION A : READING COMPREHENSION (40 MARKS)

Instruction : Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
CHESS

Chess is called the game of kings. It has been around for a long time. People have been playing it
for over 500 years. Chess is based on an even older game from India. The chess we play today is
from Europe.

Chess is a two-player game. One player uses the white pieces. The other uses the black pieces. Each
piece moves in a special way. One piece is called the king. Each player has one. The players take
turns moving their pieces. If a player lands on a piece, he or she takes it. The game ends when a
player loses his or her king. There are a few more rules, but those are the basics.

Some people think that chess is more than a game. They think that it makes the mind stronger.
Good chess players use their brains. They take their time. They think about what will happen next.
These skills are useful in life and in chess. Chess is kind of like a work out for the mind.

You don't always have lots of time to think when playing chess. There is a type of chess with short
time limits. It's called blitz chess. In blitz chess, each player gets ten minutes to use for the whole
game. Your clock runs during your turn. You hit the time clock after your move. This stops your
clock. It also starts the other player's clock. If you run out of time, you lose. Games of blitz chess
are fast-paced.

Chess is not just for people. Computers have been playing chess since the 1970s. At first they did
not play well. They made mistakes. As time went on they grew stronger. In 1997, a computer beat
the best player in the world for the first time. It was a computer called Deep Blue. Deep Blue was
big. It took up a whole room. By 2006 a cell phone could beat the best players in the world. Chess
sure has come a long way. Don't you think so?
(Adopted from Just English Magazine, 2015)

(I) Answer all the Questions. (10 Marks)

1. Why is chess called the game of kings? (2 marks)
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2. Why is chess considered as a work out for the mind? (2 marks)

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3. What is blitz chess? (2 marks)
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4. When did a computer first beat a strong human player in chess? (2 marks)
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5. What is Deep Blue from the passage above? (2 marks)

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(II) Read these sentences. Circle T (true) or F (false). (10 Marks)

1. People have not been playing chess for over 500 years. T F

2. The game can be continued still even when the player loses the king. T F

3. Games of blitz chess are speedy paced. T F

4. Deep Blue is the fastest computer in the world. T F

5. Cell Phone Chess game could sweep the best players in the world. T F

(III) Match the given synonyms with the words highlighted in the passage. (20 Marks)
1. extraordinary – _____________________________

2. beneficial – _____________________________

3. end – _____________________________

4. errors – _____________________________

5. total – _____________________________
6. powerful – _____________________________
7. restrictions – _____________________________

8. throughout – _____________________________

9. instructions – _____________________________

10. fundamentals – _____________________________

SECTION B : STRUCTURAL QUESTIONS (40 MARKS)

(I) Complete the sentences using the superlative form of the adjectives in brackets.
(10 Marks)
1. Who is the _______________________ (tall) student in your class?
2. My sister is the _______________________ (good) cook I have ever known.
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3. September is the _______________________ (cold) month of the year in Australia.
4. What's the _______________________ (dangerous) animal in the world?
5. Kellie is the _______________________ (happy) girl that I know.
6. Where are the _______________________ (nice) beaches in Malaysia?
7. She made the _______________________ (big) cake for her sister’s birthday.
8. Who is the _______________________ (famous) singer in your university?
9. Lily is the _______________________ friend of mine.
10. This is the _______________________ car that I have driven.

(II) Choose and fill in the blanks with the correct adverbs. (10 Marks)
bravely gracefully beautifully completely carefully
slowly patiently angrily extremely quietly

1. Meera danced __________________.

2. We walked very __________________.
3. The nurse __________________ removed his bandage.
4. Our room has been __________________ decorated.
5. The students __________________ sneaked into the room.
6. The worker __________________ shouted at his supervisor.
7. All the houses have been __________________ sold.
8. . The soldiers fought __________________ and so the enemy fled.
9. She was __________________ tired and exhausted.
10. He waited __________________ for his turn.

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(III) Find and circle the Supporting Detail which is not relevant to each of the given Topic
Sentence. (10 Marks)

1. I had a wonderful summer this year.

A. My aunt is a Ballet Instructor. I took Ballet lesson from her.

B. I went to see the famous San Diego Zoo with my cousins.

C. We went to the beach almost every day.

D. We stayed up late watching TV and playing cards.

2. All insects have three main body parts; the head, the thorax and the abdomen.

A. The head has a pair of antennae and a pair of compound eyes.

B. The thorax in the middle region of the body, and it bears the legs and wings.

C. The abdomen contains many body organs, such as the heart, respiratory system,

digestive system and reproductive system.

D. Even though there are many different sizes, shapes and colors of butterflies, I like the

white ones.

3. Kitty Hawks was made famous on December 17, 1903 when the Wrights Brothers made the first

airplane flights.

A. The exact location where they flew their first airplane is known as the Kill Devil Hills.

B. Kitty Hawks is my best friend.

C. It is a small coastal area in Kitty Hawk Town in Dare County, North Carolina, United

States Of America.

D. The town was established in 1700s.

4. Niagara Falls is a set of massive waterfalls located on the Niagara River.

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 A. The falls are located between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls,

New York.

B. The distance of the falls from Buffalo, New York is approximately 27 km.

C. We are going for a vacation to America next year.

D. Thousands of tourists go to visit the falls every year.

5. Alicia was very upset today.

A. She lost her favorite toy that she got on her birthday.

B. It was not an ordinary present; it was a present from her uncle.

C. Her friend’s name is Amy. She is of her age.

D. Alicia was looking for her toy since morning but did not find it.

(IV) Rewrite the given sentences in Passive Voice. (10 Marks)

1. Tommy washes his car daily.
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2. Ronita bought the reference book last week.
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3. My teacher always provides all the notes.
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4. The student did not submit his essay.
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5. We submit the journals every week.
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SECTION C : WRITING (20 MARKS)
Choose any one (1) topic from the list below and write a Descriptive Essay between 150 and
200 words.
• A camping trip
• My life goal
• A teacher who influenced my life
• First driving lesson
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