APPENDIX I I

SAMPLE ENGLISH PAPER

YEAR 7 ENTRANCE EXAMINATION

READING BOOKLET
READING COMPREHENSION PAPER
WRITING PAPER

SAMPLE ENGLISH PAPER

YEAR 7 ENTRANCE EXAMINATION
READING BOOKLET

Reading 1:

The Great Mouse Plot from Boy by

Roald Dahl

Reading 2:

Poem: Follower
by
Seamus Heaney

READING1:
ThefollowingisashortchapterfromtheautobiographyofRoaldDahlin
whichherecallsanepisodeinasweetshop.Heandhisfriendsdislikethe
shopkeeperwhoisanunpleasantoldwomanandtheywonderhowtheycan
gettheirownbackonher.Aplotemerges!

TheGreatMousePlot

MyfourfriendsandIhadcomeacrossaloosefloorboardatthebackofthe
classroom,andwhenwepriseditupwiththebladeofapocketknife,we
discoveredabighollowspaceunderneath.Thiswedecided,wouldbeour
secrethidingplaceforsweetsandothersmalltreasuressuchasconkersand
monkeynutsandbirdseggs.Everyafternoonwhenthelastlessonwasover,
thefiveofuswouldwaituntiltheclassroomhademptied,thenwewouldlift
upthefloorboardandexamineoursecrethoard,perhapsaddingtoitor

[Line8]
takingsomethingaway.

Onedaywhenwelifteditup,wefoundadeadmouselyingamongour
treasures.Itwasanexcitingdiscovery.Thwaitestookitoutbyitstailand
waveditinfrontofourfaces,Whatshallwedowithit?hecried.
Itstinks!someoneshouted.Throwitoutofthewindowquick!
Holdonatick,Isaid,Dontthrowitaway.
Thwaiteshesitated.Theyalllookedatme.
Whenwritingaboutoneself,onemuststrivetobetruthful.
Truthismoreimportantthanmodesty.Imusttellyoutherefore,thatitwasI
andIalonewhohadtheideaforthegreatanddaringMousePlot.Weall
haveourmomentsofbrillianceandgloryandthiswasmine.
[Line18]

Whydontwe,IsaidslipitintooneofMrsPratchettsjarofsweets?Then
whensheputsherdirtyhandintograbahandful,shellgrabastinkydead
mouseinstead.
Theotherfourstaredatmeinwonder.Then,asthesheergeniusoftheplot
begantosinkin,theyallstartedgrinning.Theyslappedmeontheback.They
cheeredmeanddancedaroundtheclassroom.Welldoittoday!theycried.
Welldoitonthewayhome.Youhadtheidea,theysaidtome,soyou
canbetheonetoputthemouseinthejar!

[Line26]

Thwaiteshandedmethemouse.Iputitintomytrouserpocket.Thenthe
fiveofuslefttheschool,crossedthevillagegreenandheadedforthesweet
shop.Weweretremendouslyjazzedup.Wefeltlikeagangofdesperados
settingouttorobatrainorblowupthesheriffsoffice.
Makesureyouputitintoajarwhichisusedoften,somebodysaid.
ImputtingitinGobstoppers,Isaid,TheGobstopperjarisneverbehind
thecounter.
Ivegotapenny,Thwaitessaid,soIllaskforoneSherbetSuckerandone
Bootlace.Andwhilesheturnsawaytogetthem,youslipthemousein
quicklywiththeGobstoppers.

[Line36]

Thuseverythingwasarranged.Wewerestruttingalittleasweenteredthe
shop.WewerethevictorsnowandMrsPratchettwasthevictim.Shestood
behindthecounterandhersmallmalignantpigeyeswatchedussuspiciously
aswecameforward.
OneSherbetSucker,pleaseThwaitessaidtoher,holdingouthispenny.[Line41]

Ikepttotherearofthegroup,andwhenIsawMrsPratchettturnherhead
awayforacoupleofsecondstofishaSherbetSuckeroutofthebox,Ilifted
theheavyglasslidoftheGobstopperjaranddroppedthemousein.ThenI
replacedthelidassilentlyaspossible.Myheartwasthumpinglikemadand
myhandshadgoneallsweaty.
AndoneBootlaceplease,IheardThwaitessaying.WhenIturnedaround,I
sawMrsPratchettholdingoutthebootlaceinherfilthyfingers.
Idontwantallthelotofyoutroopininereifonlyoneofyouisbuyin,
shescreamedatus.Nowbeatit!Goon,getout!
Assoonaswewereoutside,webrokeintoarun.Didyoudoit?they
shoutedatme.

[Line52]
OfcourseIdid!,Isaid.
Welldoneyou!theycried.Whatasupershow!
Ifeltlikeahero.Iwasahero.Itwasmarvelloustobesopopular. [Line55]

READING2:

bySeamusHeaney
Follower

Myfatherworkedwithahorseplough
Hisshouldersglobedlikeafullsailstrung
Betweentheshaftsandthefurrow.
Thehorsesstrainedathisclickingtongue.

Anexpert.Hewouldsetthewing
Andfitthebrightsteelpointedsock.
Thesodrolledoverwithoutbreaking.
Attheheadrig,withasinglepluck

Ofreinsthesweatingteamturnedround
Andbackintotheland.Hiseye
Narrowedandangledattheground,
Mappingthefurrowexactly.

Istumbledinhishobnailedwake,
Fellsometimesonhispolishedsod;
Sometimesherodemeonhisback
Dippingandrisingtohisplod.

Iwantedtogrowupandplough
Tocloseoneeye,stiffenmyarm.
AllIeverdidwasfollow
Inhisbroadshadowroundthefarm.

Iwasanuisance,tripping,falling,
Yappingalways.Buttoday
Itismyfatherwhokeepsstumbling
Behindme,andwillnotgoaway.

SAMPLE ENGLISH PAPER

YEAR 7 ENTRANCE EXAMINATION
READING COMPREHENSION PAPER

Name: ..........

You have 45 minutes for this test.

SECTION 1 uses an extract from Boy by Roald Dahl.
Read the extract and answer the questions in the spaces provided.
SECTION 2 uses the poem Follower by Seamus Heaney.
Read the poem and answer the questions in the spaces provided.

SECTION1

ThesequestionsarefromtheextractfromBoybyRoaldDahl.

Choosethebestwordorgroupofwordsthatanswerthequestionandputaringaroundyour
choice.

1.HowmanyboysareinvolvedinTheGreatMousePlot?

four
five
three
1mark

2. Themouse

ranaway
jumpedupanddown
wasdead

1mark

3. Itwas

exciting
disgusting
thrownoutofthewindow

1mark

4. Thewriterseems

scared
pleasedwithhimself
concernedwithbeingtruthful

1mark

5. Whichlinetellsusthattheauthorisnotbeingmodest?

2marks

6. IdentifyfouradjectivesthatdescribeMrsPratchett.

4marks

1.

2.

3.

4.


Forthefollowingquestions,youshouldwriteyouranswersinFULLSENTENCES.

7. Explainwhatishappeninginlines126.

2marks

8. Whatdowefindoutaboutthewriterandhisfriends?Quotefromtheextracttheevidenceyou
areusingtoformyourideas.

3marks

9. WhatplansdothefriendshaveandwhyisitcalledTheGreatMousePlot?Whatevidencedoyou
haveforyourideas?

3marks

10. Fromwhosepointofviewistheextractwrittenandhowdoyouknow?

2marks

11.FindtwoSIMILESfromtheextract:

1.

2.

2marks

12.FindoneMETAPHORfromtheextract:

1mark

13.Describethewritersfeelingsthroughouttheextract.Giveevidencetosupportyourviews.

3marks


14.Howcanyoutellthatthisstoryisanautobiography?
Ticktwostatements

itisamemoryfromchildhood

itisastoryaboutamouse

itistoldinfirstperson

ithasanastycharacterinit

2marks

15.Matchtheeventsbelowtoshowwhatpurposetheyhaveinthestory.Thefirstonehasbeen
doneforyou.

Showsthereader
Event

Wefoundadeadmouse.
Itisgoingtobeimportant

[Itwasanexcitingdiscovery.]

Momentsofbrillianceandglory

Knowingthattheyweredoingsomething

wrong.

Feelinglikeagangofdesperados

Hefeelsveryproudofhimself

Truthismoreimportantthanmodesty

Nobodyknewwheretheyfoundthemouse

Theotherfourstaredinwonder

Thewriterdoesntalwaysoffergoodideas

4marks

SECTION2

POETRYASSESSMENT

Readthepoemthenanswerthefollowingquestions.

1. Findthreeexamples(quotationsorbitsfromthepoem)toshowthatthespeakerisproudofwhat
hisfatherusedtobe.

a)

b)

c)

3marks

2.

IdentifyaSIMILEanexpressionthatlikenssomethingtosomethingelseandexplainitseffect.

2marks

3.Howdoesthepoetfeelattheendofthelaststanza[verse]?

4marks

4.LONGERANSWER
ExplainhowSeamusHeaneyexplainshisfeelingsabouthisfather:

Thewayheuseswords.
Examplesofwellwrittenlines,wordsorphrases.

9marks

SAMPLE ENGLISH PAPER

YEAR 7 ENTRANCE EXAMINATION
WRITING PAPER

Name: ..........

You have 45 minutes for this test.

Choose one task from the two suggestions.
Spend 10 minutes planning you can use the boxes to put your ideas.
Spend the rest of the time writing your essay on the blank paper and checking it.

WRITING
You have 45 minutes for this test.
The time includes 10 minutes planning time.

Choose one of the following tasks:

1. Remind yourself of the story of the Great Mouse Plot. Imagine
that you have played a trick on someone who you dont like.
This could be a teacher, a shopkeeper, a fellow student or a
neighbour. Tell the story.
or
2. Describe a very good friend or group of friends.

This should help you.

Start with a strong sentence that will attract your audience.

Remember to organise your sentences to create variety and interest.
Remember shorter sentences speed things up whilst longer sentences slow
the pace and add interest.
Vary your words.

For the story:

think about the order of events and how the paragraphs will be linked

think about creating anticipation in your reader by hinting at what will happen

ensure that you manage to finish the story

For the description:

you might want to describe a person by explaining what they do, maybe
create a story that involves them

remember that it is not just about what they wear, but the way they speak, the
way they move and their language

You can use the following boxes for your planning and then write up your essay on
the blank pages.
Start with a strong opening sentence to your story or a punchy opening sentence to grab
your readers attention

Ideas for your writing ( for example, sequence of events for your story and good words and
phrases that describe the scene, create mood and atmosphere OR good words and
phrases to describe your friends.)

Finish with a strong final sentence to the piece.

Name: ..
Title: ..