Secondary 3 English Semestral Assessment 2 (End of Year) Paper 1

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TuitionGoWhere Exam Practice (AI)

TuitionGoWhere Secondary School (AI)

Subject: English Language
Level: Secondary 3
Paper: SA2 (Version 1)
Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes
Total Marks: 50

Name: ___________________________ Class: ___________ Date: ___________

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Instructions to Candidates

1. Write your name, class, and date in the spaces provided.
2. Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
3. For Section A, refer to the provided visual and short texts.
4. For Section B and C, refer to the passages provided.
5. Use a blue or black pen.

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Section A: Visual and Short Text Comprehension (5 marks)

Refer to the provided advertisement for "Eco-Stride Sustainable Footwear" and the accompanying customer testimonial.

1. Based on the visual, what is the primary material used in the soles of Eco-Stride shoes? [1]

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2. What does the phrase "tread lightly on the earth" (line 4) suggest about the company's mission? [1]

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3. According to the testimonial, how did the customer's perception of sustainable shoes change after using Eco-Stride? [1]

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4. Identify one piece of evidence from the advertisement that suggests the shoes are durable. [1]

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5. What is the purpose of the italicised word "revolutionary" in the headline? [1]

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Section B: Narrative Comprehension (20 marks)

Read the passage about a young man, Elias, returning to his ancestral village after many years.

6. According to Paragraph 1, why had Elias avoided returning to the village for a decade? [1]

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7. What does the phrase "a ghost of his former self" (line 12) tell us about Elias's state of mind upon arrival? [1]

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8. Explain in your own words why Elias felt a "sharp pang of guilt" when he saw the dilapidated state of his grandfather's house (line 22). [2]

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9. In Paragraph 3, the writer describes the village square as "a skeletal remains of a once-vibrant hub." How does this language convey the atmosphere of the village? Support your ideas with three details. [3]

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10. What do you think the italicised word "this" refers to in the sentence: "He looked at the rusted gate; this was the threshold of his childhood fears" (line 35)? [1]

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11. What does the sentence "He sighed, the sound lost in the oppressive silence of the valley" (line 40) reveal about Elias's attitude towards his surroundings? [1]

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12. Explain fully why Elias decided to stay in the village despite his initial desire to leave immediately (Paragraph 5). [2]

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13. How does the writer emphasize the contrast between Elias's memories and the current reality of the village? Support your ideas with three details. [3]

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14. "The wind howled like a wounded beast" (line 52). What effect does this simile create for the reader? [2]

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15. Based on the final paragraph, what is the most likely outcome of Elias's visit? [2]

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16. Which word in Paragraph 6 suggests that Elias's resolution to help the village was sudden? [1]

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Section C: Non-Narrative Comprehension & Summary (25 marks)

Read the article regarding the impact of Artificial Intelligence on Modern Education.

17. According to Paragraph 2, what is one significant benefit of AI-driven personalized learning? [1]

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18. Explain in your own words why the author claims that "the human element remains irreplaceable" (line 18). [2]

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19. What does the phrase "double-edged sword" (line 25) tell us about the author's view on AI integration in classrooms? [1]

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20. Explain how the language used in Paragraph 4 conveys the urgency of updating teacher training. Support your ideas with three details. [3]

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Summary Task Using your own words as far as possible, summarise the challenges and risks associated with the use of AI in education. Use only information from paragraphs 3 to 6. Your summary must be in continuous writing (not note form) and not exceed 80 words. [18 marks for content/language]

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Answer Key & Marking Scheme - SA2 English Secondary 3 (Version 1)

Section A: Visual and Short Text (5 marks)

1. Literal Recall: Recycled rubber/Ocean plastic (as per visual). [1]
2. Phrase Meaning: Suggests the company aims to minimize environmental impact/carbon footprint. [1]
3. Literal Recall: They previously thought sustainable shoes were uncomfortable/unfashionable, but found Eco-Stride to be both. [1]
4. Evidence Selection: "Reinforced stitching" or "Wear-tested for 1000 miles." [1]
5. Language Effect: To emphasize that the technology is groundbreaking/completely new and superior to previous methods. [1]

Section B: Narrative Comprehension (20 marks)

6. Literal Recall: He felt ashamed of his failure in the city / He wanted to forget his past. [1]
7. Phrase Meaning: He felt diminished, empty, or lacked the confidence/vitality he once had. [1]
8. Own Words/Inference: He felt responsible for the decay because he had neglected his heritage/family home for ten years. [2]
9. Language Analysis (3 marks):
   • "Skeletal remains" $\rightarrow$ suggests death/decay.
   • "Once-vibrant" $\rightarrow$ emphasizes the loss of life/energy.
   • "Hub" $\rightarrow$ shows it was previously a center of activity, making the current emptiness more stark.
   • Award 1 mark per detail + explanation.
10. Referent: The rusted gate. [1]
11. Attitude: He feels overwhelmed, insignificant, or isolated. [1]
12. Full Explanation: He realized that the village's decay mirrored his own internal emptiness and felt a moral obligation to restore his roots. [2]
13. Contrast Analysis (3 marks):
    • Use of "remembered [X]" vs "now [Y]".
    • Adjectives of brightness (past) vs adjectives of grey/dust (present).
    • Comparison of sounds (laughter vs silence).
    • Award 1 mark per detail + explanation.
14. Language Effect: Creates a sense of hostility, pain, or danger in the environment; suggests the nature is suffering or aggressive. [2]
15. Inference: He will likely stay to renovate the house and help revive the village. [2]
16. Vocabulary: "Abruptly" / "Suddenly" / "Instinctively". [1]

Section C: Non-Narrative Comprehension & Summary (25 marks)

17. Literal Recall: Ability to adapt to a student's individual pace/learning style. [1]
18. Own Words: AI cannot provide emotional support, mentorship, or the moral guidance that a human teacher offers. [2]
19. Phrase Meaning: AI has both significant advantages and dangerous drawbacks. [1]
20. Language Analysis (3 marks):
    • Words like "critical," "imperative," or "dire."
    • Phrases like "cannot afford to wait."
    • Exclamation or strong modal verbs ("must").
    • Award 1 mark per detail + explanation.

Summary Marking (18 marks):

• Content (10 marks): 2 marks per valid point.
  • Potential points: Data privacy concerns, loss of critical thinking, over-reliance on technology, widening digital divide, risk of plagiarism/academic dishonesty, erosion of teacher-student bond.
• Language (8 marks):
  • Band 1 (7-8): Excellent paraphrasing, cohesive, fluent.
  • Band 2 (4-6): Mostly own words, some cohesive devices.
  • Band 3 (1-3): Heavy lifting/copying, fragmented.
• Penalty: Deduct marks for exceeding 80 words or using bullet points.