ORAL SKILLS/ORAL LITERATURE

2006 Q3

Read the oral narrative below and then answer the questions that follow.

Nyasaye (God) wanted to put a stop to the rampages of death-death which claims the lives

of everyone

Young and old

Boys and girls

Men and women

Strangers and kinsmen;

Death which kills

The innocent and the guilty

Chiefs and their subjects

The healthy and the sick

The wise and the foolish.

So one day he sent a servant to earth with a message for all his people. “send me an offering of fresh, untainted fat,” he ordered. “It should be as clean and sparkling as the moon.” Hearing this, the people slaughtered a goat, removed its pure white fat, and placed it in a clay dish overspread with fine fresh leaves.

Now they summoned Ngo’ngruok, also known as Haniafu the Chameleon, and ordered him to take their offering to Nyasaye. They also fashioned a long pole that reached up to heaven where Nyasaye dwells in his glory. This was the path Ng’ongruok would follow when carrying their offering.

But Ng’onguruok accidentally soiled the fat with his clumsy feet, and on his arrival before Nyasaye, presented a dirty and unsightly offering. Nyasaye was furious and rejected it, shouting: “tell the people of earth that because of this insult they must continue to die, just as their ancestors have done!”

Ng’ongruok descended from heaven delivered Nyasaye’s message, and returned the offering to the people. Ever since then, alas death has continued to ravage human beings. For his clumsiness, Ngo’ngruok was cursed by the people. Hence, he must always walk on all fours, and his steps must be hesitant and slow. That is why you will always see him carrying one leg raised from the ground as he tries to decide exactly where to tread. (Adapted from: keep my words by B. Onyange-gutu and A.A Roscoe)

i) What would you do in order to capture the audience’s attention before you

begin to tell this story? (2marks)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

ii) Explain two ways in which you would make the narration of lines 20 to 23 of

the story effective (4marks)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

iii) Mention two ways in which you would know that you audience in this story is

fully participating in the performance. (4marks)

b) For each of the words below write another word that is pronounced in the same way.

Heir…………………………………………………

Weather…………………………………………….

Base………………………………………………..

Mourning………………………………………….

You have lost your luggage on your way back to school. You decide to report the matter to the nearest police station. Below is part of the conversation between you and the police officer at the reporting desk. Fill in the other part. (Read through the conversation first before writing your responses).

You:………………………………………………………………………………………………… (2marks)

Police Office: (Interrupting) Easy. I am sorry about what happened but before you go into the lost items, please give me your full name and address.

You:………………………………………………………………………………………………… (2marks)

Police Officer: That is good. Now go ahead and tell me what happened, without leaving out any important details.

You:………………………………………………………………………………………………… (3marks)

Police Officer: From which schools are the students who alighted before you? You see, it is possible that your box was off loaded from the bus by mistake especially because another box that nearly resembles yours was left behind.

You:………………………………………………………………………………………………… (2marks)

Police Officer: Good. At least that is a starting point; we will get the box from the bus then go to that school to make enquiries.

You:……………………………………………………………………………… (1mark)

2. 2007

(a) Read the story below and answer the questions that follow

Once upon a time, there lived a young woman who ran away from home to secretly marry her warrior lover out in the wilderness. The warrior directed the young woman to a place in the forest where he would meet her. He said to her, “When you get to a fork along the path take the right path.” Then the warrior went ahead to await her arrival in the forest.

The young woman took off, and when she got to the fork that the warrior had mentioned, she followed the left path, forgetting which path the warrior had instructed her to follow.

As the girl walked on, she came upon an ogre who said to her, “ hey, young woman where are going? Do you have anything to say now that I’m going to eat you?” the girl answered in song

Not here my dear

Let us go to the water hole

Where you can eat me

And have a drink

Oh my dear warrior, where was it?

And so it happened that this was very bushy country. The ogre led the young woman on, and when they got to another spot, he said to her, “I am now going to eat you here.” The girl broke into song, urging him not to eat her.

They went further, and the young woman kept hoping that the warrior would hear her voice. As they walked on, the ogre asked the young girl: “ shall I eat you hear” The girl sang again

Not here my dear

Let us go to the water hole

Where you can eat me

And have a drink

Oh dear warrior, where was it?

But the warrior had still not heard her. When they got to a cave by a river, the ogre collected branches and leaves on which to place the young woman’s flesh after he had slaughtered her. When he brought one type of leaf, the girl objected to having her flesh laid on ordinary leaves preferring the sweet- scented leaves of the Matasia plant. The ogre brought another kind of leaf nut the girl also rejected it, until eventually the sweet- smelling leaves of Matassia plant were brought. When the ogre asked the girl whether those were the right type of leaves, she said: Yes, these are the ones.” The ogre then laid the leaves down on the ground and lit a big fire. All this while, the girl was continuously singing the same song.

Just when the ogre was about to jump on the young woman, the warrior suddenly emerged from the bush. The young woman said to the ogre, “It is now your skinny flesh that will be laid on those leaves.” The warrior killed the ogre and placed him on the bed of leaves and took the girl away. And that is the end of the story.

(Adopted from “a young woman and an ogre” in Oral Literature of the Maasai, by

Naomi Kipury. Nairobi: EAEP 1983)

If you were performing this story, how would you say the words of the warrior? (1 mark)

What could the warrior lover have done to improve on his giving of directions (1 mark)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

How would you deliver the first speech of the ogre? (2 marks)

The song is sung for both the ogre and the warrior lover. How would you perform it to show this? (2 marks)

As the story teller, how would you say the sentence: “ just when the ogre was about to jump on the young woman, the warrior suddenly emerged from the bush.” (2 marks)

How do you think the audience would react when the warrior lover arrivers? (1 mark)

(b) Identify and number any five pairs of words that are pronounced the same

Plane Mad Plain Mourn

Burrow cat Berry Mud

Bury You Bred cut

Pull Father Pool Ewe

Bread Moan Fool Farther

Further See Full Sea (5 marks)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

suc.cess
chal.lenge
ad.vice
ap.proach

(d) Suppose you were asked to make a speech at a friend’s graduation party. What would you do to capture the audience attention? (4 marks)

(e) The following is a conversation between a father and his daughter. Identify eight shortcomings in the father’s listening skills (8 marks)

DAUGHTER: (shortly having arrived home from school) Good afternoon,

Daddy

FATHER: (Sitting complacently in the sofa, reading a newspaper. Looking up…..) Good afternoon (Resumes reading)

DAUGHTER: (Holding out her school report form) Daddy, I’m excited. My teacher said I was the best improved. I was………..

FATHER: Oh, you were? Me, I used to be number one. I was absolutely unbeatable.

DAUGHTER: Chemistry has been a particular headache ( now looking at the report form which she thought her father would want to see), but this time…….

FATHER: (Stretching his arms, looking preoccupied)

Chemistry for me was particular easy.

I never scored anything less than 90%

DAUGHTER: Dad, I was going to tell you that this time…….

FATHER: (Absent minded) by the way, where is your mum?

DAUGHTER: Mum is in the garden picking vegetables. But dad, you’re not listening to my story. I was telling you about Chemistry

FATHER: You mean you have a story about chemistry? Chemistry is not about stories. It is hard science.

DAUGHTER: It’s about my improvement……..

FATHER: (laughing) me, it wasn’t matter of improvement. I was always at the top of the class

DAUGHTER: Daddy, I give up. You’re not listening

FATHER: ( looking surprised) Listening? I heard you: you were talking about improvement in chemistry, weren’t you?

DAUGHTER: anyway, Dad. Thank you for paying attention. Enjoy your newspaper.

FATHER: Oh yes, I’m reading an interesting story about politics

3. 2008

Provide a word which sounds the same as each of the following (5marks)

i) Male…………………………

ii) Queue………………………..

iii) Hire………………………….

iv) Blue………………………….

v) Ate………………………….

c) Consider the situation below and then answer the question that follows.

You are part of an audience that is listening to a speech. You look around and notice that some people are looking at their watches, a few are yawning, and one or two are shifting in their seats.

i) What would be the likely cause of such behaviour? (3marks)

ii) What would you do to ensure you continue listening effectively? (3marks)

d) Consider the following conversation between a seller and a buyer of chickens and then answer the questions that follow.

BUYER: How are you this morning?

SELLER: I’m okay

BUYER: I’m looking for good chickens, but yours don’t look too good.

I’m going to have visitors, and this being the Christmas season, I really must give them a feast.

SELLER: These are the right kind of chickens for your visitors. They’re healthy and well fed.

BUYER: On the contrary, they look underfed. Anyway, what is your price?

SELLER: It depends I charge more for cocks; they have more meat, you know (pointing at a red cock). This one, for instance, goes for sh 400.00. as for the hens, I charge sh. 250.00

BUYER: You’re not serious! Much of the weight is a bundle of bones. I’m giving you sh. 150. 00 for each hen and sh. 300.00 for each cock. I’m buying three of each-three hens for Sh. 450.00 and three cocks for sh. 900.00. this will give us a total of sh. 1,350.00.

SELLER: You know, I buy and sell. I don’t get them from my shamba.

Your figure doesn’t give me any profit at all.

BUYER: But you also know money is hard to come by, and especially during this Christmas season. Give me a reasonable price, unless you prefer I go to another seller.

SELLER: Let me make it Sh. 225.00 for a hen and sh. 375.00 for a cock

BUYER: It looks like you’re not interested in selling your chickens

SELLER: No, I’m. why would I be here? My children’s fees come from this business.

BUYER: Okay, take sh. 175.00 for each hen and sh. 325.00 for each cock

SELLER: No, there would be no profit for me. You can do better than that

You can surely promote my small business. Give me Sh. 350.00 per cock and sh. 225.00 per hen. This would be sh. 675.00 for the three hens and sh. 1,050.00 for the cocks.

BUYER: (During his mental arithmetic) That’s a total of sh. 1,725.00. Okay, at least I’ll be able to feed may visitors. (Handing over the money) Here you are.

SELLER: Thank you. (As the seller ties them together) You’re good customer. Please come again. My name is Musimbi.

BUYER: And I’m Karani, See you then.

SELLER: See you.

i) What is the purpose of the greetings in this situation? (1mark)

ii) Identify and explain the negotiation skills of the buyer. (3marks)

iii) What does this business transaction reveal about the nature of negotiations? (4marks)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. 2009

(a) Read the following oral chant and then answer the questions that follow.

Rain Making Litany

(Reciter) (Responders)

We overcome this wind We overcome

We desire the rain to fall, that it may be poured in showers

quickly Be poured

Ah! True rain, I adjure thee fall, if thou rainest, it is well It is well

A drizzling confusion Confusion

If it rains and our food ripens, it is well It is well

If the children rejoice, I t is well It is well

If it rains, it is well, if our women rejoice, it is well It is well

If young men sing, it is well It is well

A drizzling confusion Confusion

If our grains ripens, it is well It is well

If our women rejoice, It is well

If the children rejoice It is well

If the young men sing It is well

If the aged rejoice It is well

An overflowing in the granary Overflowing

May our grain fill granaries May it fill

A torrent in flow A torrent

If the wind veers to the south, it is well It is well

If the rain veers to the south, it is well It is well

(i) Identify three aspects of oral performance that make this chant easy to remember.

(3marks)

(ii) In what ways would this chant be made interesting to listen to. (3marks)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(iii) What preparations do you think a narrator would make to ensure that the audience

listens to and participates in the performance ofthe chant (4 marks)

(b) You are going to take part in a debate. Explain how you would deal with the fear and

anxiety associated with public speaking of this kind. (6. marks)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

      of each of the sound represented has been given.                                                (3 marks)
      bench                        chore                    chandelier
      charisma                   parachute             trachoma
      chauvinism               choral                    church
       champagne               charm                    chrysalis
         /tf/                     /f/                               /k/

Church champagne trachoma

(d) The underlining indicates the stressedword in the sentences below. Briefly explain what

each sentence means (3 marks)

Iwrote the love poem for you.

I wrote the love poem for you.

(iii) I wrote the love poem for you

(e) Shouting and screaming from your class disrupted the other students during study time. As the class monitor, you have been called by the teacher on duty to her office to give an explanation.
Complete the conversation below by filling in the blank spaces

Teacher: You are the class monitor of form Two East aren’t you?
You: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Teacher: Why was your class shouting and screaming?You: i not sure madam, the noise started at the back of the classroom

Teacher: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

                                                                                                                                    (1mark)
You: You see madam I sit at the front of the classroom and by the time I turned to look, the
         boys at the back were already on top of the desks and some were trying to jump out of
         the window.
Teacher :…………………………………………………………………………………           (1mark)

You: I ran out, madam!
Teacher…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

You I am sorry madam, but seemed like there was great danger in the middle of the class. I had to run for my life.
Teacher: When the noise subsided, what did you find out?
You: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………(1 mark)

Teacher : A Snake?
You : ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(1mark)

Teacher: Whosetoy snake was it?
You: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(1mark)
Teach: You can go now, but iwill need to know whose toy snake it was
You: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(1mark)

2010

(a) Read the passage below and then answer the question that follows.

It’s a cold, misty December morning. You hear the sharp screeching of brakes followed by a loud bang, then screams. You rush to the scene of the crash, where you find a car overturned with a young woman and two small boys inside. The woman and one of the boys climb from the wreckage unhurt; but the other boy is pinned between the dashboard and the roof of the car, groaning in pain. Kru, kru, km, you scratch your scalp as you try to remember your lessons in first aid.

(a) Identify any four instances of onomatopoeia in the passage. (4 marks)

(b) For each of the following five words, write another word that is pronounced the same.

(i) past ……………………………………………………

(ii) aren’t …………………………………………………

(iii) hole ……………………………………………………

(iv)what………………………………………………

(v) male ………………………………………………….. (5 marks)

(c)For each of the following letters, provide a word in which the letter is silent. (i)

(I)p…………………………………………………………..

(ii) b …………………………………………………………..

(iii)1 …………………………………………………………..

(iv) n…………………………………………………………..

(v) t ………………………………………………………….. (5 marks)

(d)Your school choir is rehearsing a choral verse for the school’s music festival. They are making a presentation for the rest of the school so as to get some feedback.

Give four things that the listeners need to pay attention to and explain why. (8 marks)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. 2012 Q3b-e P2

(b) Your former school has invited you as a guest speaker to give a talk on discipline. At the end of the speech, the students comment that the talk was well delivered. Suggest reasons why they commended so. (4 marks)

(c).Which expressions would you use in each of the following situations(4 marks)

(i) You are revising for the end of year examination at home. Your neighbours are playing very loud music. You decide to go over to their house to request them to reduce the volume of their radio.

(ii) A friend of yours comes to your house to invite you to accompany him or her to watch a film/video show. You are unable to accompany him/her because you have not finished your chores in the house. You decide to turn down the invitation.

(d) For each of the words given below. Write down another word with a

similar pronunciation (4 marks)

(e) (i) You have been invited to a very important interview. Explain briefly what you would need to do before the occasion to ensure that you look presentable. (3 marks)

(ii) What else would you need to do before and during the interview to ensure

success (6 marks)

KCSE ENGLISH ORAL LITERATURE QUESTIONS

ORAL SKILLS/ORAL LITERATURE

By Elimu Assistant Team

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KCSE ENGLISH ORAL LITERATURE QUESTIONS

ORAL SKILLS/ORAL LITERATURE

By Elimu Assistant Team

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