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Secondary 3 English Semestral Assessment 2 (End of Year) Paper 3
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Questions
TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper – English Secondary 3
TuitionGoWhere Secondary School (AI)
Semestral Assessment 2 (SA2) – Version 3
Subject: English
Level: Secondary 3
Paper: Paper 2 – Comprehension
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Marks: 50
Name: _________________________
Class: _________________________
Date: _________________________
Instructions to Candidates
- This paper consists of three sections: Section A, Section B, and Section C.
- Answer all questions.
- Write your answers in the spaces provided.
- Read the passages carefully before answering the questions.
- For summary writing, use your own words as far as possible and write in continuous prose (not note form).
Section A: Comprehension of Visual and Short Texts (5 marks)
Text 1 is a poster from a community library promoting a new reading programme for teenagers.
Text 2 is a short online review of the programme by a participant.
Text 1
TEEN READERS UNITE!
Join our new "Pages & Pixels" reading programme at Woodlands Community Library.
Designed for readers aged 13–16, this programme blends traditional books with digital storytelling.
What we offer:
- Weekly book club discussions (every Saturday, 2–4 pm)
- Access to our e-book and audiobook collection
- Creative writing workshops with published authors
- A chance to contribute to our online literary magazine, Inkwell
Why join?
- Discover new genres and authors
- Make friends who love reading as much as you do
- Build skills for school and beyond
- It's completely free!
Sign up at the library counter or scan the QR code below.
Registration closes 15 March. Limited to 30 participants.
Text 2
Review by @bookworm_janelle (posted 28 March)
honestly, i wasn't sure about joining at first because i thought it might be boring, but pages & pixels turned out to be the highlight of my week. the book club discussions are really lively — everyone gets a chance to talk, and the librarians don't make you feel silly if you didn't understand something. the creative writing workshop with author melissa tan was amazing; she actually read my story and gave me feedback! the only downside is that 30 spots fill up fast, so some of my friends couldn't get in. if you're thinking about it for next term, sign up early!
Questions 1–5
1. According to Text 1, what is one benefit of joining the "Pages & Pixels" programme? [1 mark]
2. What does the phrase "the highlight of my week" (Text 2) tell us about Janelle's experience of the programme? [1 mark]
3. Identify one similarity between the information in Text 1 and Janelle's review in Text 2. [1 mark]
4. Janelle mentions a "downside" to the programme. What is it, and why is it a problem? [1 mark]
5. Based on both texts, would you recommend this programme to a friend who is a reluctant reader? Explain your answer with reference to the texts. [1 mark]
Section B: Comprehension of a Narrative Text (20 marks)
Text 3 is an extract from a short story about a teenager learning to play the guzheng, a traditional Chinese string instrument.
Text 3
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The guzheng sat in the corner of my grandmother's flat like a sleeping dragon, its twenty-one strings gleaming dully under a layer of dust. I had walked past it a hundred times without really seeing it, but that Saturday afternoon, something made me stop.
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"Ah Ma, why do you keep this old thing?" I asked, running a finger along the smooth wooden body. The instrument was easily one and a half metres long, its surface decorated with faded mother-of-pearl inlays of cranes and clouds.
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My grandmother looked up from her newspaper, her eyes softening. "That 'old thing' was my companion for forty years," she said quietly. "I played it at your grandfather's funeral. I played it the day your mother was born."
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I felt a sudden, unexpected shame. To me, the guzheng had been nothing more than a piece of furniture, something that took up space in an already cluttered flat. To Ah Ma, it was a vessel of memory.
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"Can you still play?" I asked.
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She hesitated, then rose slowly from her chair. Her fingers, knotted with arthritis, hovered over the strings. When she began to play, the sound that emerged was nothing like I had expected. It was not the delicate, tinkling music I had heard in Chinese restaurants. This was something rawer — a cascade of notes that seemed to pull at something deep inside my chest. The melody was ancient and sad, and yet it made the air in the room feel more alive.
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When she finished, neither of us spoke for a long moment.
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"Teach me," I said. It was not a question.
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The lessons began the following week. I had assumed, with the arrogance of a fifteen-year-old who could type at seventy words per minute, that my fingers would adapt quickly. I was wrong. The guzheng demanded a precision that my texting-thumb reflexes could not provide. The finger picks felt alien on my hands, and the strings cut into my fingertips until they blistered.
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"You are fighting the instrument," Ah Ma observed one afternoon, as I struggled through a simple scale for the tenth time. "The guzheng is not a keyboard. You cannot rush it. You must breathe with it."
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I wanted to give up. The thought whispered to me every time I sat down to practise, especially when I could hear my friends laughing outside the window, their voices carrying up from the void deck. But something kept me returning to that corner of the flat — perhaps the memory of Ah Ma's playing, or perhaps the way her face lit up when I finally managed to play a full phrase without stumbling.
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Three months later, I performed at my school's cultural night. My hands shook as I sat behind the instrument, the stage lights hot on my face. I thought of Ah Ma's fingers, bent and painful, and how they had still found the music. I took a breath, and I played.
Questions 6–15
6. From Paragraph 1, what made the narrator stop and notice the guzheng that particular Saturday? [1 mark]
7. "That 'old thing' was my companion for forty years" (lines 8–9). What does the word "companion" suggest about the grandmother's relationship with the guzheng? [1 mark]
8. In Paragraph 4, the narrator says she felt "a sudden, unexpected shame." Explain fully why she felt this way. [2 marks]
9. Explain how the language used in Paragraph 6 conveys the power of the grandmother's playing. Support your ideas with three details. [3 marks]
10. "Teach me," I said. It was not a question. (lines 19–20). What does this sentence tell us about the narrator's attitude at this moment? [1 mark]
11. In Paragraph 9, the narrator describes her initial attempts at playing the guzheng. Using your own words, explain two difficulties she faced. [2 marks]
12. What do you think the italicised word "it" (line 30) refers to? [1 mark]
13. "You are fighting the instrument" (line 29). Explain in your own words what Ah Ma meant by this. [2 marks]
14. The narrator says "something kept me returning" (line 33) to practise. What two possible reasons does she give for this? [2 marks]
15. Based on the final paragraph, what impression do you get of the narrator's feelings as she prepares to perform? Support your answer with evidence from the text. [2 marks]
Section C: Comprehension of a Non-Narrative Text and Summary (25 marks)
Text 4 is an article about the rise of "slow hobbies" among young people.
Text 4
The Slow Hobby Movement: Why Young People Are Choosing Patience
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In an age of instant gratification — where meals arrive in twenty minutes, films stream in seconds, and conversations happen in real time across continents — a quiet counter-movement is gaining ground. Increasing numbers of young people are turning to "slow hobbies": activities that demand time, patience, and a willingness to be imperfect.
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Slow hobbies encompass a wide range of pursuits. They include traditional crafts such as knitting, embroidery, and woodworking; nature-based activities like gardening and birdwatching; and artistic practices such as watercolour painting, calligraphy, and playing musical instruments. What unites them is not the specific activity but the approach: these are hobbies that cannot be rushed. A hand-knitted sweater takes weeks to complete. A bonsai tree requires years of careful tending. A musical instrument demands months of practice before the first recognisable melody emerges.
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Psychologists suggest several reasons for the growing appeal of slow hobbies. Dr. Priya Menon, a researcher at the National University of Singapore, explains: "In a world that constantly demands our attention, slow hobbies offer a form of focused relaxation. When you are knitting or painting, you enter a state that psychologists call 'flow' — a state of deep absorption where time seems to disappear. This has measurable benefits for mental well-being, including reduced anxiety and improved mood."
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Furthermore, slow hobbies provide a counterbalance to the digital lives that many young people lead. "We spend so much of our day looking at screens," says Dr. Menon. "A slow hobby engages your hands and your senses in the physical world. There is something deeply satisfying about creating a tangible object — something you can hold, wear, or display — in an era when so much of what we produce is digital and ephemeral."
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The social dimension of slow hobbies should not be underestimated. While the activities themselves are often solitary, communities have sprung up around them. Knitting circles, gardening clubs, and calligraphy workshops provide spaces for face-to-face interaction that many young people find lacking in their online social lives. These communities are notably intergenerational, bringing together people of different ages who share a common passion.
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However, the slow hobby movement is not without its critics. Some argue that it is a luxury available only to those with disposable time and income. Quality materials for crafts can be expensive, and many young people juggling studies, part-time work, and family responsibilities simply do not have hours to devote to learning embroidery. Others point out that the movement has been commercialised, with "slow hobby kits" marketed at premium prices, undermining the very simplicity that the movement claims to champion.
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Despite these criticisms, the trend shows no sign of slowing down. Craft supply shops report increased sales among customers under thirty. Community centres have expanded their offerings of traditional craft classes to meet demand. And on social media — ironically, the very space that slow hobbies seek to escape — videos of pottery-throwing and bread-baking attract millions of views.
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Perhaps the appeal of slow hobbies lies in something more fundamental than trend or therapy. In a world that often measures worth by speed and productivity, choosing to do something slowly is a quiet act of resistance. It is a declaration that not everything valuable can be measured in minutes and megabytes. As one young woodworker put it: "When I'm in my workshop, I'm not trying to get anywhere. I'm already there."
Questions 16–20
16. From Paragraph 1, what is meant by "instant gratification"? [1 mark]
17. According to Paragraph 2, what characteristic do all slow hobbies share? [1 mark]
18. Using your own words as far as possible, explain two benefits of slow hobbies described by Dr. Priya Menon in Paragraphs 3 and 4. [2 marks]
19. In Paragraph 6, the writer presents criticisms of the slow hobby movement. Summarise two criticisms mentioned. [2 marks]
20. Summary Question
Using your own words as far as possible, summarise the reasons why slow hobbies have become popular among young people, as described in Text 4. Use only information from Paragraphs 3, 4, and 5. Your summary must be in continuous writing (not note form) and must not exceed 80 words. [8 marks]
You may use the space below for planning. Your final summary should be written in the answer box.
Planning Space:
Final Summary:
— End of Paper —
Answers
TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper – English Secondary 3
Semestral Assessment 2 (SA2) – Version 3
Answer Key and Marking Scheme
Total Marks: 50
Section A: Comprehension of Visual and Short Texts (5 marks)
| Question | Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Any one of the following: Discover new genres and authors / Make friends who love reading / Build skills for school and beyond / It is completely free / Access to e-book and audiobook collection / Creative writing workshops / Chance to contribute to online magazine. | 1 | Accept any benefit explicitly stated in Text 1. Must be a benefit, not a feature (e.g., "weekly book club discussions" alone is a feature; "make friends" is the benefit). |
| 2 | It tells us that Janelle found the programme extremely enjoyable / that it was the best or most enjoyable part of her week / that she looked forward to it greatly. | 1 | Award mark for explaining the phrase's meaning in context, not just paraphrasing. "Highlight" implies something that stands out as especially positive. |
| 3 | Both texts mention the book club discussions / Both texts mention the creative writing workshops / Both texts mention that the programme is for teenagers / Both texts mention the limited number of participants (30 spots). | 1 | Accept any valid similarity that is present in both texts. |
| 4 | The downside is that there are only 30 spots available, so some of Janelle's friends could not join. This is a problem because it limits access to the programme. | 1 | Award 1 mark for identifying the limited spots and explaining why it is a problem. Must reference Janelle's friends being unable to join. |
| 5 | Yes, I would recommend it because: Text 1 shows it is free and offers varied activities (book club, workshops, magazine) that could appeal to a reluctant reader. Text 2 shows that Janelle, who was initially unsure, found it enjoyable and not boring. The lively discussions and supportive environment (librarians don't make you feel silly) could help a reluctant reader feel comfortable. / No, I would not recommend it because: [valid reason with textual reference]. | 1 | Award mark for a reasoned answer that references both texts. Accept either "yes" or "no" as long as it is supported by evidence from the texts. |
Section B: Comprehension of a Narrative Text (20 marks)
| Question | Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | The narrator says "something made me stop" — it was an unexplained impulse or sudden curiosity that particular Saturday. (Accept: She suddenly noticed it / Something drew her attention to it.) | 1 | Award mark for recognising that the text does not give a specific reason; it was an unexplained impulse. |
| 7 | The word "companion" suggests that the guzheng was like a close friend to the grandmother / that it was a constant presence in her life / that she had a deep, personal, and enduring relationship with it. | 1 | Award mark for explaining the emotional weight of "companion" — more than just an object; something that accompanied her through life. |
| 8 | The narrator felt ashamed because she had always viewed the guzheng as merely "a piece of furniture" or "something that took up space," but she now realised it held deep emotional significance for her grandmother — it was "a vessel of memory" connected to important life events (her grandfather's funeral, her mother's birth). Her shame came from recognising how dismissive and thoughtless her previous attitude had been. | 2 | Award 1 mark for identifying her previous dismissive attitude. Award 1 mark for explaining why this realisation caused shame (the contrast between her view and the grandmother's). |
| 9 | Three details required. Accept any three of the following (or other valid examples with explanation): <br>1. "The sound that emerged was nothing like I had expected" — this creates surprise and suggests the music was extraordinary / defied expectations. <br>2. "It was not the delicate, tinkling music I had heard in Chinese restaurants" — the contrast emphasises that this was something more powerful and authentic. <br>3. "This was something rawer — a cascade of notes" — the word "rawer" suggests emotional intensity and lack of artificiality; "cascade" suggests an overwhelming, powerful flow of music. <br>4. "Seemed to pull at something deep inside my chest" — this metaphor conveys that the music had a profound emotional and physical effect on the narrator. <br>5. "The melody was ancient and sad, and yet it made the air in the room feel more alive" — the contrast between "ancient and sad" and "more alive" shows the music's ability to transform the atmosphere / evoke complex emotions. | 3 | Award 1 mark for each valid language feature identified with a clear explanation of its effect. The explanation must link the language to the power/impact of the playing. Do not award marks for identifying features without explaining their effect. |
| 10 | It tells us that the narrator was determined / resolute / had made up her mind. She was not asking for permission; she was stating her intention. | 1 | Award mark for recognising the narrator's firm, determined attitude. |
| 11 | Two difficulties required: <br>1. The guzheng required precision that her fingers (used to typing/texting) could not provide. <br>2. The finger picks felt alien/uncomfortable on her hands. <br>3. The strings cut into her fingertips until they blistered. | 2 | Award 1 mark for each difficulty explained in own words. Accept paraphrased versions of any two difficulties from Paragraph 9. |
| 12 | "It" refers to the guzheng. | 1 | Award mark for correct referent identification. |
| 13 | Ah Ma meant that the narrator was trying to play the guzheng too forcefully or impatiently / was treating it like a machine (keyboard) to be controlled rather than an instrument to be played with sensitivity and rhythm. The narrator needed to relax, be patient, and work with the instrument rather than against it. | 2 | Award 1 mark for explaining the idea of "fighting" (impatience, force, treating it like a keyboard). Award 1 mark for explaining what Ah Ma wanted instead (breathing with it, being patient, working with it). |
| 14 | Two reasons: <br>1. The memory of Ah Ma's playing. <br>2. The way Ah Ma's face lit up when the narrator managed to play a full phrase without stumbling. | 2 | Award 1 mark for each reason correctly identified from Paragraph 11. |
| 15 | The narrator feels nervous/anxious ("My hands shook") but also determined and inspired. She thinks of her grandmother's painful fingers that "had still found the music," which gives her courage. The final sentence — "I took a breath, and I played" — suggests she has gathered her resolve and is ready to perform despite her fear. | 2 | Award 1 mark for identifying nervousness/anxiety (with evidence). Award 1 mark for identifying determination/courage/inspiration (with evidence). |
Section C: Comprehension of a Non-Narrative Text and Summary (25 marks)
| Question | Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | "Instant gratification" means the immediate satisfaction of desires or needs / getting what you want very quickly without having to wait. | 1 | Award mark for explaining the phrase in context. Accept: immediate satisfaction, getting things instantly, not having to wait. |
| 17 | All slow hobbies share the characteristic that they cannot be rushed / they demand time and patience. | 1 | Award mark for identifying the unifying characteristic from Paragraph 2. |
| 18 | Two benefits required (in own words): <br>1. Slow hobbies provide focused relaxation / help people enter a state of "flow" (deep absorption) which reduces anxiety and improves mood / benefits mental well-being. <br>2. Slow hobbies provide a counterbalance to digital/screen-based lives / engage hands and senses in the physical world / provide the satisfaction of creating tangible objects. | 2 | Award 1 mark for each benefit explained in own words. Must paraphrase, not copy directly. Benefits must be from Paragraphs 3 and 4. |
| 19 | Two criticisms required: <br>1. Slow hobbies are a luxury available only to those with disposable time and income / quality materials are expensive / many young people lack the time due to studies, work, and family responsibilities. <br>2. The movement has been commercialised / "slow hobby kits" are marketed at premium prices, undermining the simplicity the movement claims to champion. | 2 | Award 1 mark for each criticism correctly summarised from Paragraph 6. |
| 20 | Summary Marking Scheme (8 marks) | 8 | See detailed rubric below. |
Question 20: Summary Marking Rubric
Content Points (up to 5 marks)
Award 1 mark for each content point from Paragraphs 3, 4, and 5, expressed in the candidate's own words:
| Point | Content | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slow hobbies offer focused relaxation / a state of "flow" / deep absorption | Para 3 |
| 2 | They have benefits for mental well-being / reduce anxiety / improve mood | Para 3 |
| 3 | They provide a counterbalance to digital/screen-based lives | Para 4 |
| 4 | They engage hands and senses in the physical world / provide satisfaction of creating tangible objects | Para 4 |
| 5 | They offer face-to-face social interaction through communities (knitting circles, gardening clubs, workshops) | Para 5 |
| 6 | These communities are intergenerational / bring together people of different ages | Para 5 |
Maximum 5 content points. If more than 5 points are included, mark the first 5 only.
Language Marks (up to 3 marks)
| Band | Marks | Descriptor |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | Excellent use of own words throughout. Ideas are well-organised and linked. Meaning is clear and precise. Continuous prose with no note form. |
| 2 | 2 | Good use of own words with occasional lifting. Ideas are organised with some linking. Meaning is generally clear. Continuous prose maintained. |
| 1 | 1 | Some attempt to use own words but substantial lifting from the text. Organisation is weak. Meaning may be unclear in places. May include some note form. |
| 0 | 0 | Mostly lifted from the text. No organisation. Meaning is unclear. Note form throughout. |
Word Limit: If the summary exceeds 80 words, count only the first 80 words for content and language assessment.
Sample Model Answer (76 words):
Slow hobbies have become popular because they provide focused relaxation and a state of deep absorption that improves mental well-being by reducing anxiety. They also offer a break from digital life by engaging people's hands and senses in the physical world, giving the satisfaction of making real objects. Additionally, these hobbies create opportunities for face-to-face social interaction through communities like knitting circles and gardening clubs, which bring together people of different ages who share a common interest.
— End of Answer Key —