St Benedict College Middle School
Half-Yearly Examinations – February 2017
Year 7
Level
5-6-7
English
Marking Scheme
SECTION A – LANGUAGE
15 MARKS
A. Read the following passage and underline the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
10 x ½ mark = 5 marks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
called
am calling
Are you waiting
is
am talking
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
are making
is
sleep
talking
scribble
B. Read the following passage and underline the correct alternative of the words in brackets.
10 x ½ mark = 5 marks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
any
a
some
any
an
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
a
how many
A
a
how much
C. Read the following passage and fill each blank with ONE suitable word.
10 x ½ mark = 5 mark
Accept any other possible answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
unusual
length
afraid/scared
However
which
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
allow
reach/put
feel
filled
such
English – Main Paper Marking Scheme – Yr 7 – L 5-6-7 - Feb 2017
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SECTION B – READING COMPREHENSION
20 MARKS
Note:
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Markers are reminded not to penalise language errors unless what is written is
unintelligible.
Answers do not have to be in full sentences.
Unless otherwise indicated, award marks for answers which include the following content,
which may also be rephrased.
1. State whether the following statements are True or False
4 x ½ mark = 2 marks
a. TRUE
b.
FALSE
c. FALSE
d. FALSE
2. What is the reason for celebrating The Calgary Stampede?
2 x ½ mark = 1 mark
This festival celebrates the memory of Native American Indians and the cowboys of the
Old West.
3. What do people wear for this event?
Jeans, bandanas and cowboy boots.
1 mark
4. List down four things that are prepared in the city before the festival.
a.
b.
c.
d.
4 x ½ mark = 2 marks
Streets decorated with old-fashioned wooden fences;
Streets decorated with bales of hay;
People build fantastic floats;
Marching bands.
5. Find two adjectives from the text which describe the nice atmosphere during the Stampede
festival.
2 x 1 mark = 2 marks
a. happy
b. noisy
6. Underline the correct word.
a. rodeo
b. most famous
4 x ½ mark = 2 marks
c. skilled
7. Underline the two correct answers
b. The quality of the horse or bulls;
c. The talent of the rodeo.
d. tickets
2 x 1 mark = 2 marks
8. List four things that visitors can do at the Stampede Midway.
Accept any four of the following:
4 x ½ mark = 2 marks
Throw axes, shoot paintballs, theme park rides, Ferris wheel, pedal tractor pull,
music concerts.
English – Main Paper Marking Scheme – Yr 7 – L 5-6-7 - Feb 2017
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9. What type of music is played?
Various types of music, in particular Country music.
1 mark
10. What do the following words refer to:
a. You (Line 1): the reader.
b. They (Line 9): people/ film directors.
c. Their (Line 10): marching bands.
d .It (Line 14): the atmosphere at the festival/ the festival.
4 x ½ mark = 2 marks
11. Match the meanings to the words:
4 x ½ mark = 2 marks
a. outstanding
d
talented
b. to buy
c
brave
c. fearless
a
spectacular
d. very good at doing something
b
purchase
12. Why does the author tell us that it ‘is a must’ to try ‘new food’ available at the Stampede
festival?
1 mark
It is an important part of the Stampede Festival experience.
SECTION C – LITERATURE
20 MARKS
PART I – POETRY: UNPREPARED TEXT
10 marks
1. The poem is about: i) An old house.
1mark
2. The poem is written in five stanzas of four verses each.
3a. Quote a pair of rhyming words:
eave – perceived,
2 x ½ mark = 1mark
Accept any of the following pairs:
clones – drones,
mind – blind.
2 x ½ mark = 1mark
3b. Give the rhyming scheme of the third stanza.
1mark
abcb
4. “A row of postage stamp, box homes.” (Stanza 3) is an example of metaphor. It means that the
new houses were small in size.
2 x 1 mark = 2 marks
5. From the poem, quote an example of:
2 x 1 mark = 2 marks
a. a simile: “group that looked like clones”
b. a personification : Accept any one of the following:
“The old house awoke”, “stretched from eave to eave”, “He looked about his neighbourhood” or
“But the old house was happy”.
English – Main Paper Marking Scheme – Yr 7 – L 5-6-7 - Feb 2017
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6. “Sensed warmth behind his blinds.” (Stanza 5) gives us the impression
1 mark
that the house was a welcoming place to live in.
7. The use of personification in this poem helps us imagine the old house as being a friendly
person while the new houses seem emotionless.
2 x ½ mark = 1mark
PART II – PROSE: UNPREPARED TEXT
10 marks
1. In which season does the story take place?
1 mark
d. Winter
2a. Underline the correct answer.
“His heartbeats sounded in his ears” shows that the man was feeling:
b. scared
1 mark
2b. Find another word in the first paragraph which shows the same feeling.
1 mark
desperation
3. Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word.
2 x 1 mark =2 marks
“hardly caring for his safety” reveals that the man preferred to risk his life rather than remain out in
the street.
4. Underline the correct answer.
1 mark
“He looked and sounded like an angel” is
c. a simile
5. In the phrase “a woollen scarf as white as snow”, the driver’s scarf is compared to snow.
2 x 1 mark =2 marks
6. Underline the correct answer.
“The driver’s kind voice was music to his ears” is an example of:
a. metaphor
1 mark
7. Underline the correct answer.
“sweet smooth” is an example of:
c. alliteration
English – Main Paper Marking Scheme – Yr 7 – L 5-6-7 - Feb 2017
1 mark
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SECTION D – COMPOSITION
25 MARKS
MARKING CRITERIA

Irrelevant content should initially be marked according to the marking grid (below) and then up
to 6 marks are to be deducted.

Format of Informal letter: 3 marks should be deducted if candidates do not observe the
correct format of letter writing – marks to be deducted as laid out below.
salutation
closing remarks
name
20-25 marks
Excellent
15-19 marks
Very Good
10-14 marks
Pass
5-9 marks
Weak
1-4 marks
Very Poor
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1 mark
your address
½ mark
date
½ mark
½ mark
½ mark
Hardly any language problems.
A very wide range and precision of vocabulary.
Idiomatic expressions and shows an ability to communicate subtleties of
language.
Appropriate style.
A good choice and range of vocabulary.
Reasonably appropriate style.
Correct sentence structures.
Fluency and coherence.
Few spelling errors.
Adequate vocabulary.
A fair accuracy in structures and spelling.
Competence in communication.
Limited in style.
Coherence.
Limited vocabulary.
Lack of communication except in the simplest of terms.
Poor spelling.
Confused and incoherent structures.
Very limited vocabulary.
Sentences that are almost meaningless with no structure and very poor
spelling.
Very little communication.
English – Main Paper Marking Scheme – Yr 7 – L 5-6-7 - Feb 2017
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