English Language Paper 2 November 2015

1. AThe hilly country north of the watershed was made up of sandstone and grass.
2. BThe three small springs dried up in each and every year of the reserve.
3. CEvery water course in the reserve dried up as soon as the rains stopped.
4. DNearly all the water courses dried up soon after the rains stopped.

1. ATimber
2. BConcrete
3. CEarth
4. DRock

1. Anothing daunted
2. Bsmall springs
3. Cworst years
4. Dgreat gap

1. AThe concrete added during the repair should have kept any large animal out of the dam.
2. BCrocodiles had been completely unknown in that district until the dam was finally built.
3. CThe dam had burst three times and could not have held enough water for a crocodile.
4. DThe nearest known crocodile water, the Deka River, lay at least eight kilometres away.

1. AThe hole ran below the water level, and the earth of the bank there was soft and damp.
2. BA crocodile was seen swimming in the pool, and the wall burst once the dam filled.
3. CTeeth marks scored the wall, and broken reeds were lying along the top of the breach.
4. DThe sides of the hole were worn smooth, and a crocodile's spoor lay on its muddy bottom.

1. AThe shot would have been wasted, since they still had the second crocodile to find.
2. BThe flash of the gun would have blinded them and put out the torch they carried.
3. CThe shot would have holed the bottom of the boat, and the boat would have sunk.
4. DThe noise of the shot would have drawn the four lions down to the water's edge.

1. AThe bank was crumbling and a crocodile hole ran below the water level.
2. BThe bank was steep and the shore line there was heavily wooded.
3. CThe bank was a bare gravelly beach and four lions were lying on it.
4. DThe bank was too far off and the boat was taking in water fast.

1. AThey fed on fish in the Nata drainage system until the water courses filled again.
2. BThey lay dormant through the dry months in a hidden hole near one of the springs.
3. CThey travelled downstream to the Gwaai River and returned when the rains began.
4. DThey sheltered in the deep pool that lay twenty-four kilometres below the dam wall.

1. AIt was the largest crocodile ever taken out of any dam in the whole reserve.
2. BIt dug a hole in the pan wall and caused the borehole at Shumba to fail.
3. CNobody could say where it had come from, and nobody could say where it went.
4. DIt stayed in the pan right through the dry season, when there was no water.

1. AThe rivers there flowed all year, unlike the water courses inside the reserve.
2. BThere was plenty of water there, and fish enough for crocodiles to feed on.
3. CThe local people were emphatic that the creatures used to live in the area.
4. DThe system lay close to the Deka River, where crocodiles were already known.

1. Agave way: retreated; evidently: eventually; precarious: hurried; indulging: interrupting; foundered: discovered
2. Bgave way: stood firm; evidently: doubtfully; precarious: sheltered; indulging: refusing; foundered: floated away
3. Cgave way: burst; evidently: obviously; precarious: unstable; indulging: taking pleasure in; foundered: filled with water and sank
4. Dgave way: burst; evidently: obviously; precarious: unstable; indulging: giving in to pressure; foundered: wrecked on the rocks

1. ARod shot the crocodile, we hauled it aboard, and it revived; my father jabbed it with a paddle, lions came to the beach, Rod fired over their heads, and we paddled to the far bank.
2. BWe shot both crocodiles from the bank, camped there overnight, and the lions took the carcasses; in the morning we rowed back to the dam wall and began mending the breach.
3. CGerrie shot the crocodile and held the torch, my father landed alone to drive the lions off, and we waited in the boat until the lions had roared themselves quiet and moved away.
4. DMy father shot the crocodile, Gerrie hauled it aboard, and it died at once; the lions swam out to the boat, and my father drove them off with the paddle before we landed.

1. A(i) disbelief at what he sees; (ii) admiration for the builders' skill
2. B(i) admiration for the builders; (ii) disbelief that the full story is known
3. C(i) fear of the tower's great height; (ii) boredom with the guide's account
4. D(i) pride in his own heritage; (ii) certainty that historians are correct

1. AShe may be pleased with the bride, or she may dislike the reception hall.
2. BShe may approve of the small number, or she may disapprove of it.
3. CShe may be counting the cost, or she may be checking the wedding date.
4. DShe may not have heard him, or she may be too tired to answer him.

1. A(i) disapproves of the publication; (ii) approves of the publication
2. B(i) admires the newspaper's courage; (ii) pities the musician concerned
3. C(i) is indifferent to the article; (ii) doubts that the article is true
4. D(i) approves of the publication; (ii) disapproves of the publication

1. A(i) proud and boastful; (ii) modest and humble
2. B(i) bored and impatient; (ii) grateful and polite
3. C(i) modest and humble; (ii) boastful and proud
4. D(i) shy and frightened; (ii) generous and helpful

1. A(i) thinks the increase is justified; (ii) is worried about being forced out
2. B(i) is worried about the cost; (ii) thinks the increase is quite justified
3. C(i) blames the school's teachers; (ii) welcomes the chance to change schools
4. D(i) doubts the figures are correct; (ii) is pleased the school will improve

1. AThe water in them was too salty for the game to drink
2. BThey ran only through the neighbouring Deka River valley
3. CNearly all of them dried up soon after the rains
4. DThey flowed too fast for the game to drink from safely

Answer this when you sit the paper.

1. A'main watershed'
2. B'Nothing daunted'
3. C'highest part'
4. D'rainy season'

1. AThe nearest known crocodile water lay eight kilometres away
2. BCrocodiles had been cleared out of every other dam in the reserve
3. CThe dam had been rebuilt with concrete, which crocodiles cannot dig
4. DThe Deteema dam held only a shallow pool at the time of the sighting

1. AThe hole was freshly dug, and the dam had burst before filling
2. BThe sides carried claw marks, and eggs were buried nearby
3. CThe sides were worn smooth, and its spoor lay in the mud
4. DThe hole ran below water level, and the bank was soft earth

1. AA second shot would have put a hole in the bottom of the boat
2. BThe noise would have carried right across to the camp
3. CA second shot would have driven the other crocodile away from them
4. DThe shot-gun had been emptied of its last cartridge

1. AIt was a flat gravel verge with no cover from the animals
2. BIt lay too far upstream to reach before the boat filled
3. CIt was steep and heavily wooded, with deep water up to the shore
4. DIt was crowded with lions that had already begun growling at the boat

1. AFed heavily to build up a store of fat
2. BTravelled downstream to permanent water
3. CSpent the season inactive, as if dormant
4. DBred and raised their young underground

Answer this when you sit the paper.

1. ANobody could say where it came from or where it went
2. BIt moved between all the other pans in that part
3. CIt was the largest crocodile ever seen in the reserve
4. DIt lived through the dry season inside the borehole

1. AThe system lay closer to his dams than the Deka River did
2. BThe writer had seen crocodile spoor on its banks himself
3. CThe local people had reported crocodiles there for years
4. DThere was enough water there, and enough fish to eat

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Answer this when you sit the paper.

1. AChosen carefully for a better view
2. BFixed firmly against the boat's side
3. CUnsteady and in danger of going over
4. DCramped by the weight of the catch

1. ADrifted back into deep water
2. BLost hold of the crocodile
3. CRun aground on the gravel
4. DFilled with water and sunk

1. AThe body sank, and they had to leave it behind them
2. BThe crocodile dived and swam away under the boat
3. CThey turned at once and rowed back towards camp
4. DThe body floated, and they hauled it into the boat

1. AThe lions on the shore had begun growling at them from the beach
2. BThe crocodile in the boat came back to life and grew lively
3. CThe second crocodile had started to climb over the side
4. DThe boat had begun to take in water through a shot hole

1. AA deep growl came out of the dark, and four lions were seen
2. BThe crocodile went over the side and swam for the shore
3. CThe torch failed and they had to paddle in the dark
4. DA herd of elephants came down to the water to drink there

1. AThey fired over them, and the lions ran off up the bank
2. BThey shouted, and the lions moved into thick long grass
3. CThey beat the water, and the lions waded in after them
4. DThey swung the torch, and the lions climbed the wooded slope

1. AThe smell of the dead crocodile in the bottom of the boat
2. BThe writer stepping ashore on to the gravel verge again
3. CThe crocodile thrashing and snarling after being jabbed
4. DThe sound of the shot fired over their heads by Rod

1. AThey swam out and circled the boat until it moved off
2. BThey backed away into the long grass and stayed there
3. CThey charged straight down towards the boat and the men
4. DThey were startled, but only lay down where they were

1. AThe crocodile bit clean through the side of the boat
2. BThe torch battery finally failed in Gerrie's hand
3. CA wind got up and pushed the boat across the dam
4. DTwo of the lions started up a full-throated roar

1. AIts weight went from side to side and upset their balance
2. BIt pulled a paddle out of the writer's hands and away
3. CIt jammed under the seat where nobody could reach it
4. DIt let water in over the bottom boards through a shot hole

1. AThey threw the crocodile overboard before going ashore
2. BThey waded ashore and dragged the boat up behind them
3. CRod walked along the side of the boat to safety
4. DRod jumped from the stern and pulled the boat in by hand

1. AFighting over the carcass left on the gravel verge
2. BSwimming out after the boat and gaining on it steadily
3. CFollowing along the shore line, keeping level with it
4. DRoaring every five minutes, but drawing farther off

1. AAlarm at the height of the tower
2. BAdmiration for the builders' skill
3. CDoubt that the tower is genuine
4. DImpatience with the guided tour

1. AAgreement with what guides say
2. BBoredom with the whole visit
3. CAnger at the tower's builders
4. DDisbelief in the accepted account

1. AShe may be bored, or she may want to change the subject
2. BShe may be amused, or she may be proud of her son's thrift
3. CShe may be surprised, or she may have misheard the number
4. DShe may approve of the plan, or she may disapprove of it

1. AIndifference to what the paper prints
2. BDisapproval of the paper for printing it
3. CAmusement at the fuss the paper made
4. DGratitude to the paper for printing it

1. AAgreement with what the paper printed
2. BSuspicion that the story was invented
3. CSympathy for the musician's family
4. DAnger at the paper for printing it

1. AHe is modest and unassuming
2. BHe is bored by the occasion
3. CHe is nervous of large crowds
4. DHe is angry at being named

1. AHe is generous with advice
2. BHe is boastful and proud
3. CHe is impatient to leave
4. DHe is unsure of himself

1. AAs fair, given rising prices
2. BAs a threat to his own place
3. CAs unfair on poorer families
4. DAs far too small to help much

1. AWith scorn for the other students
2. BWith worry about staying at school
3. CWith relief that fees are now fixed
4. DWith pride in the school's standards