Kenya Class 8 English Revision

Welcome to Kenya Class 8 English Revision. This revision test contains revision questions for all the topics for Grade 8 English.

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1. You haven’t been on holiday, _______ .

have you?

haven't?

are you?

do you?

is you?

2. The child ______ the door.

opening

closed

was

down

3. You can only fail the National Exam if you study hard.

aren't

don't

are

will

4. Read the following passage and then answer the questionA long time ago communication was very difficult. People had to travel long distances to convey messages. Roads were quite impassable and there were no reliable means of transport. It took a long time for one to travel from one part of the country to another. Whenever one heard the beating of a drum or saw smoke, they would tell there was need for them to gather.

Travelling from Nairobi to Kisumu would take a number of days. Imagine you were admitted to a school of your choice but all vehicles went on strike on opening day and yet you had only that day or you would be replaced, or that someone fell sick and needed to see a doctor!

Owing to this and many other reasons, a group of companies came up with an interesting idea. With the increased movement of people, there was need to connect people to the existing telephone networks in better ways. They scrutinized the existing telephone networks and developed a small handset or mobile phone that offers nearly everything you need. This has proved to be very useful to many people. However, in order to avoid offending others, we need to keep the following suggestions in mind.

First of all, unless your call is urgent, make it at a time that is convenient for the other person. In most cases avoid making calls early in the morning, late at night, or at meal-times. It is quite expensive using a telephone; therefore, it is necessary to avoid irrelevant information such as, 'It is now raining heavily, our cow has calved or my aunt has a new hairstyle.'

Check the number you are calling and be sure to touch or dial carefully. If you do not recognize the voice that answers the phone, give the number you are calling and ask if you have reached it. lf you have made a mistake, apologize for the inconvenience caused. Allow time for someone to answer tbe phone, probably let the phone ring at least six to ten times. This gives the receiver about eighteen seconds to reach the phone.

When someone answers, identify yourself and state your purpose, as many people become anxious when a caller does not give his or her name. Speak clearly, pronounce words carefully and vary your pitch and loudness, as it is difficult to distinguish between some sounds on the phone than it is in person. Avoid monopolizing the phone as this may inconvenience the person you are talking to.

Just as there are procedures to follow when making a social call, so are there when receiving it. Answer appropriately by saying 'hallo' and wait for the caller to speak. If the caller is unknown, be cautious about disclosing personal information. You might ask, 'Who is speaking, please?' or 'What number are you calling?' Respond to the situation. If the person whom the caller wishes to speak to is not available, offer to take the message. Record it and post it where it can be seen. If a person seems confused, or demands your name or number, ask, 'What number are you dialling?' If misdialled, say, 'I'm sorry, you've reached the wrong number.'

Finally be honest but courteous. If you are short of time or are expecting another call, tell your caller. To avoid being rude, you might provide a brief explanation such as, 'Juma. I have just sat down to eat dinner, can I call you back in about an hour?' or 'Mary, l have enjoyed talking to you but I need to go now. My brother wants to use the phone to get some information about an assignment.' With this information, l'mn sure you'll enjoy using your phone. (Adapted from Special Speech/or Effective Communication. Second Edition, 1994, Holt Renebart and Winstein Inc.)

According to the passage, 'a social call' implies

a friendly call

an official call

an urgent call

an important call

5. “Did you hear what I ?'

say

says

I sayed

is say

said

6. he was annoyed, he listened to me patiently.

Although

Yet

Even

7. This time next year, I in form one.

am being

was being

will being

shall being

will be

8. Read the passage below carefully and then answer questions:

Harvests came and went. They had been good; people rejoiced. Such rich harvests had not been seen for years. Old men came sighed and with inner fear as they witnessed the hubbub of excitement throbbing through the ridges, making things tremble. Had they not seen such happenings before in their days of youth? The elders then offered many burnt sacrifices to God. Who did not know what such unusual harvests portended? Who could not remember the great famine that swept through the hills after the great harvest.

The sacrifices went hand in hand with preparations for the coming circumcision. Everywhere candidates for the initiation were gathering. They went from house to house, singing and dancing the ritual songs, the same that had been sung from the old times, when Demi and Mathathi were on the land.

Loli was one of the candidates. He was now a young man with long straight limbs. He did not like the dances very much mainly because he could not do them as well as his fellow candidates, who had been practicing them for years. After all, it was soon after his second birth that he had gone to Namulungu, and he had lived there for all those years, although he normally came home during the holidays. Loli was often surprised at his father, who in some way seemed to defy age. His voice, however, thin and tremulous betrayed him. Loli often remembered by he was sent to Namulungu. But with years, the dream had grown less vivid and less real. He saw it mainly as an illusion, an old man's dream. Yet he worked hard in school. He was now in the senior class in Namulungu Secondary School and he was able to meet boys from all over Kenya.

Loli's absence from the hills had kept him out of touch with those things that most mattered to the tribe. Besides, however he resisted it, he could not help gathering and absorbing ideas and notions that prevented him from responding spontaneously to the dances and celebrations. But he knew that he had to go through the initiation. And he did not want to disappoint his father. For Loli knew that the old man would die in that dream of the future which had probably been a real, essential part of his life. Not that Loli disliked the idea of circumcision, on the contrary, he looked forward to it. It was every boy's ambition to test his courage at the ceremony. In fact, he considered the missionary a little dense in attacking a custom whose real significance in the tribe he did not understand and probably would never understand.

Above the beating of drums and jingles, shouts rose from hill to hill to keep awake those who might want to go sleep. Tonight was the eve of the initiation day; it would see the biggest of all dances.