English

Cluster A

Advanced

Ahmed Bin Hanbal Independent Secondary School

Listening

Read the questions, then listen to lecture about the poet Sylvia Plath. Answer the questions as you
listen or immediately after. You will be given a second playing of the audio and a final opportunity
to answer the questions. You will be asked 7 multiple choice questions and 2 constructed response
questions.
Resource: Sylvia plath.mp3
1. What is the lecture mainly about?
A) Policy
B) Science
C) Economy
D) Literature
2. Who is the target audience?
A) Doctors
B) Students
C) Scientists
D) Teachers
3. What was The Bell Jar mainly about?
A) her father
B) her last poem
C) her first novel
D) a very successful collection of poems
4. What is special about Sylvias Plaths Collected Poems?
A) were never published
B) won the Pulitzers Prize in 1982
C) were written during the last year of her life
D) won Pulitzers prize twenty years after it was published
5. Which of the following details best describes Sylvias husband?
A) He died in 2003.
B) He made movies.
C) He was also a poet.
D) He had a movie made about him.
6. What did Suzan Bassentt think of Sylvias work?
A) That it wasnt very good
B) That it was about work life
C) That it was about her husband
D) That it was of great interest to women

7. When was Sylvias brother born?

A) in 1982
B) in 1963
C) two years after Sylvia
D) two years before Sylvia
8. Was Sylvia Plath a successful poet? Provide your answer with two details from the text.

9. Did the family background help Sylvia Plath in her career as a poet? Give two details to
support your answer.

Directions
In this section you will read a passage and answer 7 multiple choice questions and 2 constructed
response question.
Being a poor student is frustrating, but it is everyones responsibility to make efforts to cope with
difficult situations. Read how a girl decided to be thankful to her mother with her own means.

The Black Umbrella

1
Sally had been studying at an art college for a year and, like most students, she did not have
much money. It was going to be her mother's birthday soon, and she wondered what she could buy
her as a present that would be nice and useful hut not too expensive.
2
Sally's college was in London, but she had been living in the country for many years, so every
day she had an hour's journey by train in the morning and the same in the evening.
3
At lunch time one day, a week before her mother's birthday, she decided to have a quick
sandwich and a cup of coffee instead of her usual meal in the college hall, and then go shopping near
her college to try to find her mother a nice present. When she had been looking for half an hour, she
came across a shop that was selling umbrellas cheap, and decided that one of those would solve her
problem, since her mother had lost hers the month before.
4
'Now which colour shall I choose?' she thought 'Well, I think a black one would be the most
useful really. You can carry that when you are wearing clothes of any colour, cant you?' So having
made up her mind, she bought a lovely black umbrella and took it back to the college with her until
her classes had finished.
5
On her way back home in the train that evening she felt hungry because she had had such a
small lunch, so she went along to the buffet car for another sandwich and cup of coffee. She had left
the black umbrella above her seat in the compartment, but when she got back, it had gone! When
she had left the compartment, there had been no other passengers in it, but now there were three.
6
Sally burst into tears when she saw that the umbrella was no longer there. The other
passengers felt very sorry for her and asked what the matter was. When she explained that the black
umbrella she had bought for her mother had disappeared, and that she had to get out at the next
station, the three other passengers asked her for her mothers address, in order to be able to send
the umbrella on to her in case someone had removed it by mistake and not on purpose, and brought
it back after Sally had got out of the train.
7
The next week, Sally heard from her mother. Her letter said, Thank you very much for your
lovely presents, but why did you send me three black umbrellas?

10. What is the authors purpose?

A. to persuade.
B. to entertain.
C. to express opinion.
D. to explain the disappearance of the umbrella.
11. What did Sally want to buy?
A. A train ticket.
B. A present for her birthday.
C. A new dress for her mother.
D. A present for her mother's birthday.
12. How does the characters of the story feel towards Sally?
A. grateful
B. annoyed
C. sympathetic
D. disinterested
13. How does the third person point of view help the story?
A. It makes the story less fictional.
B. It adds to Sallys positive character.
C. It creates a sense of humour to the story.
D. It reveals more about all the characters actions and sayings.
14. Which idea is the most important to the theme of the story?
A. Being innocent
B. Being ambitious
C. Making an effort
D. Believing in miracles
15. Read the following sentence from paragraph 3:
her mother had lost hers the month before.
What does the underlined word refer to?
A.
B.
C.
D.

Sally
the shop
her problem
one of the umbrellas

16. Read the following sentence from paragraph 5:

Sally burst into tears when she saw that the umbrella was no longer there.
Which technique does the writer use in the underlined phrase?
A. simile
B. metaphor
C. alliteration
D. personification

17. What was the authors purpose in starting the story by telling that Sally did not have much
money? Provide details from the story to support your answer.

18. What lesson should the readers learn from Sallys story? Support your answer with
reference to the story.

Writing
Directions
Writing: In this section you will answer 10 multiple choice writing questions and respond to 2
writing prompts. Your writing will receive three scores: idea development, planning, and writing
conventions.
19. Read the following sentence:
While Alice ____ the rabbit, she saw a hole.
Which item goes in the blank?
A. followed
B. has followed
C. had followed
D. was following
20. Read the sentence.
The school principle walked into the lunchroom, his eyes flashing fiercely.
Which word is misspelled?
A. fiercely
B. flashing
C. principle
D. lunchroom
21. Read the sentence:
He ____be from the UK. He does not speak English.
Which modal goes in the blank?
A. must
B. cant
C. could
D. may
22. Read the sentence:
Jennifer was just about to start walking home. _____________her mom showed up.
Which word best completes the sentence?
A. So
B. Then
C. Next
D. In conclusion
23. Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly?
A. Hector said, "that he wants a puppy for his birthday."
B. Hector, said, that he wants a puppy for his birthday.
C. Hector said: "that he wants a puppy for his birthday".
D. Hector said that he wants a puppy for his birthday.

24. Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.
Grandma and Grandpa ____________ to visit us next week.
A.
B.
C.
D.

was coming
have come
are coming
were coming

25. Which sentence is written correctly?

A. Where is mrs. gordon?
B. chester loves vegetables.
C. Why is Chester in the garden!
D. Mrs. Gordon loves vegetables.
26. Read the following paragraph then answer the questions 26 to 27:
(1)
__________________________________________________. (2) She had been visiting
her best friend Maxine for the past week and they had travelled throughout the
expansive city. (3) Cynthia found Chinatown enchanting, with its busy streets and
exquisite shops. (4)The weather was exclusively charming. (5) Every time they entered a
new boutique, Cynthia felt she was walking into a foreign land.
Which of the following would be the most effective topic sentence?
A. Cynthia wanted to travel.
B. Maxine counted the days until Cynthia arrived.
C. Cynthia spent more money than she had planned to.
D. Cynthia had picked the perfect place to spend her vacation.
27. Which sentence is off topic and should be deleted?
A. Sentence 2
B. Sentence 3
C. Sentence 4
D. Sentence 5

Writing Prompt 1

Long Topics ADVANCED

Writing
Directions: Choose ONE of the topics below to talk about.
You will be scored on:
-

how well you develop your ideas

( 3 points )

your grammar, punctuation and spelling

( 2 points )

your planning for your writing

( 1 point )

Topic A: Personal writing

Situation: You went through a terrible travel experience.
Task: In not less than 120 words, tell us what happened.

OR
Topic B: Narrative writing
Situation: Your English teacher has asked you to write a story for the school magazine about an
important event that happened to you or to one of your friends. It could be a holiday, a trip or an
accident.

Task: Write an account of what happened. Give enough details that your reader will understand
the events and your feelings.

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11

Short Topics
Writing
Directions: Choose ONE of the topics to talk about:
Your score will be based on:
-

how well you develop your ideas

( 2 Points )

your grammar, spelling and punctuation

( 1 Points )

Topic A: A friendly letter

Situation: Qatar is celebrating the National Day on December18 .
Task: Write a letter to your pen friend Dave asking him to come to Doha to attend the
National Day Celebrations. Your name is Salem and your address is: P.O Box 100, Doha,
Qatar.

OR
Topic B: An email of complaint
Situation: You bought a new laptop computer from General Electronics LTD. Unfortunately it did
not start. When you returned it to the customer service the assistant was rude and refused to
replace it with a new one..

Task: Write an email to the company manager to complain about what happened. Ask for a
replacement or a full refund. Your name is Ali Ahmed.

12

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15

Test Map
Item # or Task
Oral Presentation
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Writing Prompt

*under consideration

16

Strand
Speaking
Listening
Listening
Listening
Listening
Listening
Listening
Listening
Listening
Listening
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing
Writing

Standard
5.2 5.4
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3

DOK
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

Response
Performance
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
CR
CR
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
CR
CR
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
Idea dev.
Conventions
Planning

Key
-D
B
C
B
C
D
C
B
D
C
B
C
D
B
D
C
B
B
D
C
D
D
C

Points
18
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
2
1
60

Speaking Scoring Guide

Student score is one-half the total. Fractions round up.
3

Approaching Standard

Below Standard

Overall Impact
(Content/Ideas)

Meets Grade 12
Advanced Standards
Engages audience interest
through a variety of means

Sometimes engages
audience interest through
1 or 2 means.

Shows limited awareness of

audience.

__ x 2 =
/6

Overall Impact
(Presentation/
Style/ non-verbal
skills

Engages audience interest

through a variety of
means: eye contact and
body language

Sometimes engages
audience interest through
1 or 2 means.

Shows limited awareness of

audience.

__ x 3 =

Time

8- 10 minutes

5 to 7 minutes

Less than 5 minutes

__ x 1 =

Aspect

Total

/9

/3
Organization

Uses a consistent structure

appropriate to topic and
audience

Structure is mainly
appropriate to topic and
audience but with some
lapses

Some attempt to structure

the presentation but with
lapses which affect audience
understanding

__ x 1 =

Language use and

fluency

Language is mainly
appropriate for topic and
audience with no pauses
or hesitation

Language is mainly
appropriate to topic and
audience but with some
lapses and little hesitation
or few pauses

Attempts to use language

which is appropriate to topic
and audience but with
intrusive lapses ,some pauses
and hesitations

__ x 2 =

Feedback

Handles anticipated and

unanticipated questions
posed by audience,
engaging in further
dialogue as appropriate.

Attempts to handle
anticipated and
unanticipated questions
posed by audience

With support, begins to

answer questions from the
audience

__ x 2=

Pronunciation is clear
enough to be easily
understood with no
interference with
meaning. almost no
difficulties with intonation
& stress patterns

Pronunciation is mostly
clear & understood with
little interference with
.
meaning

Pronunciation is unclear and

difficult to understand,
interfering with meaning L1
accent often makes message
incomprehensible

__ x 1=

Pronunciation
including
intonation &
stress

TOTAL

17

/3

/6

/6

/3

Some use of appropriate

stress and intonation.
/36