CAMI Education (Pty) Ltd
Reg. No. 1996/017609/07
CAMI House
Fir Drive, Northcliff
P.O. Box 1260
CRESTA, 2118
Tel: +27 (11) 476-2020
Fax: 086 601 4400
Web: www.camiweb.com
E-mail: [email protected]
CAMI EDUCATION
English
Comprehension and Language Paper - Memo
Grade 7
Total: 80
Time: 90 min.
Name:_______________________________
COMPREHENSION
The dark raincoat hung wet and glistening from the wall.
When the wind stirred and rustled, its limp folds might have been some raindrenched bird that had taken refuge there. Yarak, who had come to investigate,
stayed to conquer. He attacked the raincoat furiously, grunting and muttering as he
tore the rustling thing to shreds with beak and talons. It fell limply from the nail
during the tugging and Yarak leapt on to it, stamping and trampling the wet folds,
shredding it almost to a pulp before he got tired of it and stumped off with an air of
lofty triumph, leaving the untidy heap on the veranda.
When Lanny came looking for his bird he saw the sodden mass on the boards
before he saw Yarak’s strong white feet pounding along the veranda to greet him.
Lanny’s heart sank, he picked up the mutilated shreds of raincoat, put his bird on
his shoulder and went inside.
Tom, whose conscience had been troubling him over his killing of Hunter, brought
home to him every time he saw Lanny, refused to listen to an apology saying it was
a very old coat anyhow, and he was just about to get another.
Lanny, greatly relieved, took the pieces to the rubbish heap.
The Proud Eagles, Mary Patchett
QUESTIONS
1. What is Yarak?
Yarak is an eagle.
Suggest ½ mark for bird of prey, falcon etc.
(1)
2. Find two words in the text to support your answer in Question 1.
beak
talons
(1/2 x 2 = 1)
3. Who looks after Yarak?
Lanny
(1)
4. Describe the weather that was being experienced.
It was raining and windy; raining
(1)
5. Who did the raincoat belong to?
Tom
(1)
6. In your own words explain the owner of the raincoat’s reaction when he saw that
his raincoat was shredded.
(Any two of the possibilities below.)
He was distracted, preoccupied .
He didn’t want to hear the apology .
He brushed it off as unimportant.
He didn’t care.
He was more concerned about Hunter and Lanny than his raincoat.
7.
(2)
Why was Lanny relieved?
He thought that Tom would be angry, upset etc.
(1)
8. Explain the following expressions:
8.1 “come to investigate, stayed to conquer”
Yarak was first just curious and then once he had inspected the
raincoat, he decided to destroy it, not let it get the better of him or
win.
(2)
8.2 “stumped off with an air of lofty triumph”
stumped off – walked off stiffly, noisily
with an air – with an attitude, manner, stance, frame of mind
lofty triumph – grand, dignified, noble; victory, success, achievement
(3)
8.3 “conscience had been troubling him”
Tom was feeling guilty, anxious, agitated, burdened, distressed etc.
Tom had done something wrong and was regretting it.
Tom’s mind was worrying him, preoccupied.
(2)
9. Explain what you think happened which upset Tom so much and why do you think
seeing Lanny would remind him of this.
1 mark = who or what is Hunter : a bird of prey, a pet, an eagle etc.
1 mark = the scenario of what Tom did
(3)
1 mark = Hunter was cared for, loved by, belonged to Lanny
10. What emotion was Lanny feeling when his “heart sank”?
Despondent, downhearted, discouraged, defeated, dejected etc.
Suggest only ½ mark for sad, unhappy etc.
(1)
11. Supply an antonym and a synonym for the word “limp”.
Antonym: stiff, rigid, hard, solid, tense, inflexible, unbending, firm
Synonym: loose, slack, pliant, flexible, soft, flabby
(1/2 x 2 =1)
COMPREHENSION TOTAL
(20)
LANGUAGE SECTION
Question 1
Punctuate this paragraph. Use a bright colour that shows up well.
One hot noon, while Lanny and Tom leaned sleepily against a nearby tree trunk, the
three big birds came flying back to the nesting tree. Aquila and Girinda landed on a
branch. Trailing in their rear, Coora homed upon them as she always did. Today it
was different with fierce screams. Girinda set upon her and the alarmed Coora
took off and swept above the nesting tree in agitated circles, while Aquila and
Girinda settled down again.
(1/2 x 20 = 10)
Question 2
Look back at the Comprehension and find one example of each of the following:
Common noun:
raincoat, wall, wind, folds, bird, veranda etc.
Proper noun:
Yarak, Lanny, Tom, Hunter
Abstract noun:
triumph, conscience
Pronoun:
it, he, him, his
Action verb:
hung, stirred, rustled, taken, investigate etc.
Auxiliary verb:
might, have, had been, had come to, on to, home to etc.
Adjective:
dark, wet, glistening, limp, rain-drenched etc.
Adverb:
from the wall, limply, furiously, greatly etc.
Conjunction:
and, as, before
Preposition:
before, on, from, along etc.
(10)
Question 3
Rewrite the following in direct speech. Remember all the necessary punctuation.
Kerry: Please can I phone Jessica, Mum?
Mother: Yes you may, but please don’t talk for too long.
1 mark = Correct inverted commas for Kerry’s sentence.
1 mark= Correct inverted commas for Mother’s sentence.
1 mark = for writing “asked Kerry” and “replied Mum” or similar.
1 mark = for writing Mother’s sentence on a new line.
1 mark = 2 full stops and comma after “long”.
“Please can I phone Jessica, Mum?” asked Kerry.
“Yes you may, but please don’t talk for too long,” replied Mum.
(5)
Question 4
Fill in the correct collective noun.
4.1 a staff of teachers
4.2 a bunch / bouquet of flowers
4.3 a troop of chimpanzees
4.4 a rookery of penguins
4.5 a library / shelf / pile of books
(5)
Question 5
Identify the subject and predicate in each sentence.
5.1 Good friends are loyal people.
Subject: Good friends
Predicate: are loyal people
(2)
5.2 The U.N. has donated millions to relief organizations in Africa.
Subject: The U.N.
Predicate: has donated millions to relief organizations in Africa
(2)
5.3 Blue and green are Jack’s favourite colours.
Subject: Blue and green
Predicate: are Jack’s favourite colours.
(2)
Question 6
Complete each word with the suffix “tion” or “sion”.
6.1 competition
6.2 population
6.3 division
6.4 extortion
6.5 expression
6.6 mansion
6.7 evolution
6.8 emulsion
(8)
Question 7
Which figure of speech is evident in each of these sentences.
7.1 The broom stood at attention in the corner of the room.
7.2 My teacher is a witch.
Personification
Metaphor
7.3 When will windy winter wane?
Alliteration
7.4 My brother is as stubborn as a mule.
Simile
7.5 The pot fell, with a clang, to the floor.
Onomatopoeia
(5)
Question 8
What do these abbreviations stand for?
8.1 adj. - adjective
8.2 Prof. - Professor
8.3 BP - blood pressure
8.4 CBD - Central Business District
8.5 Ltd - Limited
8.6 i.e.
-
that is
(6)
Question 9
Write two homophones for each of these words.
9.1 to
9.2 flew
9.3 rain
too
flu
rein
two
flue
reign
(6)
Question 10
Explain the meaning of these proverbs.
10.1 All that glitters is not gold.
What look good on the outside may not be so in reality.
10.2 However long the night, the dawn will break.
Bad things don't last forever.
10.3 It never rains but it pours.
Misfortunes usually come in large numbers.
10.4 Love is blind.
A person in love does not see the faults of the person he/she loves.
LANGUAGE TOTAL
(4)
(60)