ZIMSEC O Level English Language Paper 2 November 2019

The questions

Read the following

The Death of Assassin

(A jaguar is a large carnivorous member of the cat family, similar to a leopard.)

1. Jose Ramos was an outpost rider for a big cattle ranch in the Matto Grosso jungle of Brazil. He lived with his wife on a small ranch sixteen kilometres up the river from my camp. Jose looked after the herds of the big ranch and also ran his own small herd. One day, he appeared at my camp in a very distressed state. "You must come with your dogs! Assassin has begun raiding again and has killed twelve of my cattle!"

2. The name, Assassin, was well known in the region. Several years before, this enormous jaguar had been wounded by a hunter who had shot too hastily while the jaguar was in a tree. The infuriated animal had bounded down and the hunter had fled, leaving his dogs to the mercy of the large jaguar, which destroyed them.

3. Thereafter, apparently through some jungle cunning, the jaguar understood that a hunter with a rifle could not kill him in the tall thick grass. He was never again seen in a tree, but would rove through the marsh grass, killing cattle wantonly. His experience had left him with a deadly hatred of dogs. He learned to draw them in pursuit of him through the grass, then circle and crouch beside his own trail, springing at them as they ran by. One sweep of his razor claws would destroy a dog, and then the jaguar would lope on, repeating the manoeuvre on each dog that followed. It was this trick of ambushing pursuers that gave Assassin his name.

4. Jose had no trained dogs capable of tracking Assassin and bringing him to bay. Unfortunately, I had recently lost my lead dog.

5. "I am sorry, Jose," I said. "I can't risk the dogs I have left against that devil. He will kill them as fast as I send them after him".

6. "In that case", he said quietly, "I shall go after Assassin myself - without dogs. I must kill the devil or he will ruin me." He rode off towards his ranch.

7. A few days later, I saw vultures circling in the still hot air west of the river. I leashed Raivoso, Pedro and Vinte, three of my best dogs, and started across the marshes. Within a short time, the dogs found the kill, a small marsh deer. The dogs went and I followed. Soon, we found a second kill, and then two more. Suddenly, I heard Raivoso's deep bay, and knew from the sound that he was on Assassin's track. I collared the other dogs, and this probably saved them from destruction. It was useless to follow Raivoso through the marsh grass. A staccato of sharp yaps ending on a shrill, screaming note told the story: he had caught up with the jaguar and had been killed in ambush. I knew I must hunt this killer.

8. Back in my camp that night, I thought out a plan. I would use the dogs to pick up the trail and bring me within a reasonable distance of the jaguar. Then, I would leave the dogs on leash and follow the spoor alone, hoping that I would find Assassin in an open area where I could kill him with a shot or an arrow. To do this, I needed someone to watch the dogs. I decided to ride to Jose's ranch the next day.

9. The following morning, little Tupi, still a puppy, started yapping and, as I looked down the river trail, I saw Maria, Jose's wife, riding towards my camp at a gallop. As she pulled up the horse, I saw that the animals flank had two gashes which had bled freely, and there was blood on the wooden saddle.

10. Maria's eyes were wide open with terror. "Mr Siemel, Jose went after Assassin - and only the horse came back!"

11. I saddled my horse and coupled Pedro, Vinte and Leao, my best remaining dogs, to the leash. As I started away, my puppy, Tupi, set up a great yapping, and I tied him to a post near the hut. Then Maria and I rode off to pick up her husband's track into the jungle.

12. I spotted vultures circling ahead and when we broke through a patch of undergrowth into a burnt area where the grass was short, I saw a man lying on the ground. His body had been badly mangled. It was Jose. I heard a small cry behind me and turned to see Maria slipping from her horse. I ran over and caught her. She recovered quickly and, after a minute or two, agreed to ride back to her ranch.

13. Then I planned my campaign. Assassin had attacked a man on a horse once; he would do it again. I could not use a spear while in the saddle, so I tied my horse to a tree in a clearing. I took my spear, my bow and a couple of arrows. I had a pistol in my holster but no rifle, which would have been useless in the high grass. In any case, I would never count on a bullet to stop a charging jaguar.

14. My plan was to unleash the dogs and follow as fast as I could on foot. If I could stay close enough, I could force Assassin to attack me. With bow in one hand and spear in the other, I started after the dogs, running low in the grass. In perhaps ten minutes, I heard Pedro baying in the lead. Then, there was a shrill scream. When I reached the spot, Pedro was on the ground, his side ripped open. I did not stop, hoping to overtake the other dogs, but a second scream told me that the murderer had made another kill.

15. I had run perhaps a quarter of a kilometre since the first dog was killed when I found the last, Leao, lying near the edge of the clearing. I stood for a moment, sick with rage, not knowing what to do next. Suddenly, there was a yapping in the grass behind me and out bounded Tupi, barking joyously. He had chewed his tether and followed us.

16. At that moment, I heard a rustling in the heavy grass across the clearing. I had dropped my spear when I stepped forward to catch Tupi. Tupi barked and ran around in circles excitedly, totally ignorant of the danger confronting him. I dared not use my revolver, since Assassin was already gun-shy and the noise would probably frighten him into flight. I fitted an arrow silently onto my bow. There was no sound. Time stood still. All movement and sound ceased as if waiting for a conclusion to this event. Patience tested us. As soon as I saw movement, I let fly. The arrow apparently struck something, but how damaging the shot was I did not know. Tupi was still continuing his frenzied barking. I was relying on Tupi's barking to bring the beast in my direction. Now, there was commotion in the grass, and although it was so dense that I could not see two metres through it, I felt sure of my target. Silence. There was total silence. I took aim with the remaining arrow. Again, time stood still. I felt I could wait no longer. Fate would decide the outcome of this battle, an isolated skirmish in the jungle. I shot again.

17. Suddenly, a long, yellowish shape broke from the grass and streaked across the clearing. Assassin, in pain from an arrow through his shoulder, had reverted to instinct and was running for the refuge of a tree. He saw me as he neared the tree and swerved towards me. In one motion, I picked up my spear and was ready to lure the jaguar into a charge.

18. The open area in which Assassin and I faced each other was about thirty metres across. Assassin was weaving back and forth, every so often shaking his head and letting out a snarl. I edged towards him so that he would charge me. His eyes glared angrily. We must have been considering the same thing - when to make the vital move. As I moved closer, my ears caught the whirr of a vulture apparently alighting on a nearby tree. This diverted my attention and the wily Assassin chose that instant to charge.

19. I missed being killed by a single step. As the jaguar lunged, I managed to pivot and drive the spear at his neck. The spear did not pierce deeply, but the thrust was enough to throw him off balance. He was sideways to me now, his head turned, white teeth flashing, but he did not charge. I could not attack, since I would not have the strength to drive the spear home. Then, while I was desperately casting about for some way of provoking a charge, he gave a snarling roar and leaped straight at me.

20. I barely had time to lift the point of my spear and direct it. I could feel the hot breath against my face and arms as the spearhead drove into his throat high over the chest. With every ounce of strength I had, I rammed the blade in deeper. Any other jaguar I had fought would have had the life drained away by this combination of wounds, but Assassin clawed furiously, even after I had got a downward thrust on the spearhead and was literally driving the point into the ground. Then he went limp; his great, slashing claws stilled forever.

21. For a few minutes, I rested on my spear, too exhausted to draw it out of the bloody carcass. Tupi, who had retired to the edge of the clearing while the battle raged on, now came dancing madly about as if to claim the kill, an honour I was quite glad to concede.

22. Later, after I had taken the mangled remains of Jose to his home and arranged for the grief-stricken Maria and her child to be taken to the big ranch, I returned to the scene of the battle. I measured Assassin's carcass. He was almost four metres from nose to tip! I could only estimate his weight, but it must have been close to one-hundred and eighty kilogrammes.

Question 106

[1 marks]Comprehension

From paragraph 7.

What gave the author a clue that there was something dead in the area?

Answer this when you sit the paper.

[2 marks]Word choice

Choose the correct words in brackets to complete the following sentence, and rewrite it.

The grass was (to, too, two) thick (to, too, two) allow for a clear shot at Assassin.

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 402

[2 marks]Conjunctions

Choose the correct words in brackets to complete the following sentence, and rewrite it.

Mr Siemel moved quickly (so, as, that) Maria slipped off the horse (as, since, so) she would not fall to the ground and get hurt.

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 403

[1 marks]Subject-verb agreement

Choose the correct word from those in brackets to complete the text. Write the correct word only.

I started after the dogs, running low in the grass. (Their, They, There) were barking and were tracking Assassin.

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 404

[1 marks]Subject-verb agreement

Choose the correct word from those in brackets to complete the text. Write the correct word only.

I started after the dogs, running low in the grass. They were barking and (where, were, we're) tracking Assassin.

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 405

[1 marks]Spelling

Choose the correct word from those in brackets to complete the text. Write the correct word only.

After my successful fight with Assassin, I rode home in the dark. It began to rain and as (lighting, lightning, lightening) flashed, I was shocked to see two dogs lying in the road.

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 406

[1 marks]Spelling

Choose the correct word from those in brackets to complete the text. Write the correct word only.

I was shocked to see two dogs lying in the road, ripped open and obviously (dieing, dying, dyeing).

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 407

[2 marks]Punctuation

Choose the correct punctuation mark from the list below and punctuate the sentence. Rewrite the sentence.

: (colon) ; (semi-colon) , (comma)

I chose my weapons to fight Assassin ( : ; , ) a rifle, knife, spear and pistol ( : ; , ) it was time to kill the beast!

Answer this when you sit the paper.

Question 10601

[1 marks]Comprehension

Paragraph 7 says: 'I saw vultures circling in the still hot air west of the river... the dogs found the kill, a small marsh deer.' What gave the author a clue that there was something dead in the area?

Aa foul smell carried on the wind
Bthe vultures circling in the sky
Cthe barking of the dogs
Dfresh tracks in the marsh grass

Question 20101

[1 marks]Vocabulary in context

Paragraph 11 says: 'I saddled my horse and coupled Pedro, Vinte and Leao... to the leash.' What does 'coupled' mean here?

Ahe tied the dogs together on a leash
Bhe trained them to track the jaguar
Che set them loose to hunt freely
Dhe fed them before the hunt

Question 20401

[1 marks]Comprehension

Paragraph 22 says Assassin was measured and was 'almost four metres from nose to tip.' Which part of Assassin's body does 'tip' refer to?

Athe tail
Bthe front paws
Cthe ears
Dthe head

Question 20501

[1 marks]Vocabulary in context

Paragraph 3 says the jaguar 'would rove through the marsh grass, killing cattle wantonly.' What does 'rove' mean here?

Astay fixed within a single defined area
Bwander about without any fixed direction
Cmove with a low, rumbling sound
Dfeel curious or puzzled about something

Question 20601

[1 marks]Vocabulary in context

Paragraph 3 says the jaguar would rove through the marsh grass, 'killing cattle wantonly.' What does 'wantonly' mean here?

Awithout any reason or restraint
Bwith careful planning and precision
Conly occasionally, once in a while
Dout of necessity, in order to survive

Question 20701

[1 marks]Vocabulary in context

Paragraph 9 says: 'As she pulled up the horse, I saw that the animal's flank had two gashes.' What does 'pulled up' mean here?

Afell down from exhaustion
Bsped up suddenly
Cturned around and rode back
Dbrought the horse to a stop

Question 20801

[1 marks]Vocabulary in context

Paragraph 12 says: 'I saw a man lying on the ground. His body had been badly mangled.' What does 'mangled' mean here?

Aseverely torn and disfigured
Bcompletely untouched and unharmed
Cneatly and cleanly cut
Dslightly scratched and bruised

Question 20901

[1 marks]Vocabulary in context

Paragraph 7 describes 'a staccato of sharp yaps ending on a shrill, screaming note.' What does 'shrill' mean here?

Asoft and barely audible
Bslow and drawn-out
Chigh-pitched and piercing
Dlow and rumbling

Question 21001

[1 marks]Vocabulary in context

Paragraph 17 says: 'a long, yellowish shape broke from the grass and streaked across the clearing.' What does 'streaked' mean here?

Amoved with slow, deliberate steps
Bcrept along silently, out of sight
Ccircled round and round in one spot
Draced across at great speed

Question 21101

[1 marks]Vocabulary in context

Paragraph 17 says Assassin, wounded by an arrow, 'had reverted to instinct and was running for the refuge of a tree.' What does 'reverted' mean here?

Awas permanently transformed by the wound
Bfell back into his instinctive behaviour
Crebelled openly against his instincts
Dadvanced into completely new territory

Question 21201

[1 marks]Vocabulary in context

Paragraph 21 says Tupi came 'dancing madly about as if to claim the kill, an honour I was quite glad to concede.' What does 'concede' mean here?

Acompletely ignore and dismiss
Bfirmly deny and refuse
Cwillingly grant or allow
Dforcefully seize for himself

Question 40101

[1 marks]Word choice

Choose the pair of words that correctly completes this sentence, in order.

The grass was ________ thick ________ allow for a clear shot at Assassin.

Atoo, to
Bto, too
Ctwo, to
Dto, two

Question 40201

[1 marks]Conjunctions

Choose the pair of words that correctly completes this sentence, in order.

Mr Siemel moved quickly ________ Maria slipped off the horse ________ she would not fall to the ground and get hurt.

Aso, as
Bthat, so
Cas, that
Das, so

Question 40301

[1 marks]Subject-verb agreement

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

I started after the dogs, running low in the grass. ________ were barking and were tracking Assassin.

AThere
BThey
CTheirs
DTheir

Question 40401

[1 marks]Subject-verb agreement

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

They were barking and ________ tracking Assassin.

Awas
Bwhere
Cwere
Dwe're

Question 40501

[1 marks]Spelling

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

It began to rain and as ________ flashed, I was shocked to see two dogs lying in the road.

Alightening
Bbrightening
Clightning
Dlighting

Question 40601

[1 marks]Spelling

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

I was shocked to see two dogs lying in the road, ripped open and obviously ________.

Adyed
Bdying
Cdieing
Ddyeing

Question 40701

[1 marks]Punctuation

Which of the following correctly punctuates this sentence?

I chose my weapons to fight Assassin ( : ; , ) a rifle, knife, spear and pistol ( : ; , ) it was time to kill the beast!

AI chose my weapons to fight Assassin: a rifle, knife, spear and pistol, it was time to kill the beast!
BI chose my weapons to fight Assassin; a rifle, knife, spear and pistol: it was time to kill the beast!
CI chose my weapons to fight Assassin, a rifle, knife, spear and pistol, it was time to kill the beast!
DI chose my weapons to fight Assassin: a rifle, knife, spear and pistol; it was time to kill the beast!

The answers, and why they are the answers

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English Language Paper 2 November 2019

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The questions

Question 106

Question 201

Question 204

Question 205

Question 206

Question 207

Question 208

Question 209

Question 210

Question 211

Question 212

Question 401

Question 402

Question 403

Question 404

Question 405

Question 406

Question 407

Question 10601

Question 20101

Question 20401

Question 20501

Question 20601

Question 20701

Question 20801

Question 20901

Question 21001

Question 21101

Question 21201

Question 40101

Question 40201

Question 40301

Question 40401

Question 40501

Question 40601

Question 40701

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The answers, and why they are the answers

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