BECE Past Questions & Answers – 2015 (English)

JUNE 2015 (First Sitting)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE 2
1 hour

Answer two questions in all; one question from Part A and all the questions in Part B.
Your composition should be about 250 words long.

PART A
ESSAY WRITING
[30 MARKS]

Answer one question only from this part

1. You have won a scholarship to study abroad. Write a letter to your friend telling him or her at least two things that you will miss away.

2. Write an article for publication in your school magazine suggesting at least two ways by which cheating in the BECE can be stopped.

3. Write a story that ends, This is why our friendship came to an end.

PART B
COMPREHENSION
[30 marks]

4. Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow

In the Western world, the family is simply made up of the husband, wife and children. This is called the nuclear family. In Africa, the family includes relatives from both the maternal and paternal sides. This is known as the extended family.
This relationship binds every member whose origin can be traced to the same ancestor. This has developed into such complex groups as clans among the Akans and kinship relations in other parts of Ghana and Africa.
Wherever the extended family is practiced, its benefits seem greater than its disadvantages. In Ghana, at the small community level, it brings unity among people. They share everything among themselves – wealth or problems. The system even binds and caters for others who may be separated by social factors such as marriage.
However, it often makes people look up to others for help when they could solve problems themselves. It also makes some members become lazy. In the long run the only well-to-do person in the family is made to shoulder the responsibilities of more people than he can really cope with.
Now, the question to ask is, has the extended family system any chance of continuing when the nuclear family is now gaining so much ground? Whether the extended family will continue or die out will depend on how strong the nuclear family becomes.

(a) What does the word ‘family’ mean to:
(i) the people in the Western world?
(ii) the African?

(b) What links people in the extended family system?

(c) Mention two advantages of the extended family system.

(d) Give two reasons why you would support the nuclear family system.

(e) Explain the following expressions in your own words.
(i) look up to
(ii) made to shoulder
(iii) gaining so much ground

(f) For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the same, and can fit into the passage:
(i) binds;
(ii) origin;
(iii) caters for;
(iv) in the long run;
(v) cope with.

JUNE 2015 (2nd Sitting)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE 2
1 hour

Answer two questions in all; one question from Part A and all the questions in Part B.
Your composition should be about 250 words long.

PART A
ESSAY WRITING
[30 MARKS]

Answer one question only from this part

1. Write a letter to the Presiding Member of your district assembly telling him or her about two of the achievements of your community over the last five years and the plans for the future.

2. Your friend has informed you that his or her uncle has decided not to look after him or her in school anymore. Write to your friend’s uncle giving him at least two reasons why he should change his mind.

3. Write arguments for or against the topic: It is more advantageous to live in the village than in the city.

PART B
COMPREHENSION
[30 marks]

4. Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow

The dry season was very long. The people waited anxiously for the rains to plant their seeds. The rain clouds that appeared occasionally were deceptive. To while away the time, they wove baskets and kente; others carved stools or sat under trees, playing games and drinking palm wine.

Sentu and his family were on the verge of starvation. They had just one cassava farm left to feed on. The maize in the barn was all gone. In fact, they had started eating the seed maize. Sentu kept wondering how he would get seeds to plant when the rainy season eventually started. He went to inspect the traps he had set for the rodents that had been feasting on the cassava. If the traps caught any animals, it would be a double blessing; he would get meat and reduce the population of ‘his enemies’, the pests. While inspecting his traps, he saw some smoke. He dashed towards it. He tried to put out the fire but could not. He shouted for help. In a twinkling of an eye, the whole farm had been destroyed. Sentu wept uncontrollably.

When he reached the village, his neighbours rushed to his house to console him. They gave him foodstuff and promised to help him get back on his feet. Tutu, the palm-wine tapper, visited Sentu that evening. He was accompanied by two elderly and highly respected men in the village. Their task was simple. Tutu had asked them to apologise to Sentu on his behalf. It was the fire from Tutu’s torch that had caused the havoc and brought such agony to Sentu’s family. What could Sentu do or say?

(a) (i) What was the main occupation of the people?
(ii) State two other things they did that could earn them an income.

(b) (i) What does ‘pests’ refer to?
(ii) Why did the writer refer to the pests as ‘his enemies’?

(c) (i) How did Sentu feel when his farm was burnt?
(ii) Why did he feel that way?

(d) For what two reasons did Tutu choose the elderly and highly respected men to accompany him to visit Sentu?

(e) Explain the following expressions in your own words.
(i) a double blessing
(ii) wept uncontrollably
(iii) get back on his feet

(f) For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the same, and can fit into the passage:
(i) anxiously;
(ii) deceptive;
(iii) dashed;
(iv) mission;
(v) agony.

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