SECTION A [20 MARKS]
You are advised to spend not more than 50 minutes on this section.
Write on one of the following topics (250–350 words):
- Write a story ending: I then realised that sometimes one has to fight in order to survive.
- Describe anything that is not appealing in your area.
- Explain how you rescued yourself from a case of mistaken identity.
- Write a story with one of these titles: (a) Honesty is a Virtue Worth Living or (b) Words Matter.
- Lack of entertainment has led to inappropriate behaviour among the youth. Discuss.
- It is more painful to be hurt by someone you love than by someone you do not love. Argue for or against this statement.
Question 1: model answer
It was the last week of the school term when my father lost his job at the mine. Overnight, our comfortable life in Kitwe collapsed. The car was sold, the rent fell behind and, within two months, we moved into a single rented room in Chamboli Township.
My mother began selling vegetables at the market while my father searched for work every day. As the eldest child, I was expected to help. Every morning before school, I carried a heavy basket of tomatoes and rape to the roadside and sold as much as I could before the bell rang.
At school, things were not easy either. Some classmates who had once been my friends now laughed at my torn shoes and patched uniform. One boy, Mwape, called me “the tomato boy” in front of the whole class. I wanted to disappear. Many times, I thought of dropping out of school since my parents could barely afford the fees.
One evening, I sat on the doorstep feeling sorry for myself. My grandmother, who had come to visit, sat beside me. “Crying will not pay your fees, my child,” she said gently. “A river does not stop because there is a rock in its way. It goes around it.” Her words stayed with me. I decided that I would not give up. I woke up earlier, sold more vegetables and saved every ngwee I could. At night, I studied by candlelight while my siblings slept. When Mwape laughed at me, I simply smiled and worked harder.
At the end of the year, the results were announced at assembly. I had come first in my class. The head teacher called me to the front and announced that I had been awarded a full bursary for the rest of my secondary education. As the pupils clapped, I saw my mother wiping tears from her eyes.
I then realised that sometimes one has to fight in order to survive.
(328 words)
Why this story scores well
- The ending is used exactly as given. The final sentence is copied word for word and comes last. Changing it, or adding anything after it, loses marks.
- A clear problem, struggle and resolution. The father’s job loss creates the problem, the mockery and fees raise the pressure, and the bursary resolves it, so the ending sentence feels earned.
- Real, local detail. Kitwe, Chamboli, tomatoes and rape, “every ngwee”: specific details make the story believable.
- One turning point. The grandmother’s proverb is the moment the narrator changes. A single strong turning point is better than several weak ones.
- Varied sentences and correct tenses. Short sentences (“I wanted to disappear.”) add impact, and the story stays in the past tense throughout.
Questions 2 to 6: answer plans
- 2 (descriptive): choose one unappealing thing, such as an illegal dumpsite near the market. Organise by the senses: what you see, smell and hear. Close with how it affects people. Describe; do not tell a story.
- 3 (explanatory): explain the steps you took. Set the scene (why you were mistaken for someone else), then explain clearly how you proved who you were (documents, witnesses, staying calm), and what you learnt.
- 4 (narrative with a title): the story must prove the title. For Words Matter, show one hurtful or kind remark that changes a character’s life.
- 5 (discussion): give both sides. Paragraphs on how idleness leads to beer drinking, drug abuse and early relationships, then paragraphs on other causes (peer pressure, poverty, weak parenting), and a balanced conclusion.
- 6 (argument): choose one side and keep to it. Three paragraphs, each with a clear reason and an example, then a conclusion that restates your stand.
SECTION B [20 MARKS]
You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this section.
Your area has an unusual swarm of mosquitoes. Your Member of Parliament has asked the District Health Team to write a speech for him to deliver to residents. Using relevant notes only, write the speech (250–350 words).
Notes: good rain this year · too many mosquitoes everywhere · cars not locked and misused · no mosquito nets available · District Health Team to do its work · stay indoors in the evening · too many backyard maize fields · spray insecticides, use mosquito repellent · wash beddings regularly · keep windows closed · houses not well ventilated · keep surroundings clean · pray all the time · avoid moving at night
Step 1: choose the relevant notes
| Use (relevant) | Leave out (irrelevant) |
|---|---|
| good rain this year | cars not locked and misused |
| too many mosquitoes everywhere | wash beddings regularly |
| no mosquito nets available | houses not well ventilated |
| District Health Team to do its work | pray all the time |
| too many backyard maize fields | |
| spray insecticides, use repellent | |
| keep windows closed | |
| stay indoors in the evening; avoid moving at night | |
| keep surroundings clean |
Ask of each note: does it explain the mosquito problem or help to solve it? Unlocked cars have nothing to do with mosquitoes. Washing bedding and ventilation are general hygiene points that do not stop mosquitoes, and praying is not a practical health measure. Including irrelevant notes loses marks.
Model speech
Honourable guests, officials from the District Health Team, fellow residents, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
I stand before you today to speak about a serious problem that is threatening the health of our community: the unusual swarm of mosquitoes that has invaded our area.
This year, we have been blessed with good rain, which has given us a good harvest. However, the same rain has left behind many pools of stagnant water where mosquitoes breed. As a result, there are too many mosquitoes everywhere: in our homes, schools, markets and even churches. This puts all of us, especially children and pregnant women, at great risk of malaria.
Another cause of this problem is the large number of backyard maize fields in our residential areas. The tall maize provides cool and shady hiding places for mosquitoes close to our homes. I therefore urge you to stop growing maize near your houses.
I am also aware that there are currently no mosquito nets available in our clinics and shops. I have therefore asked the District Health Team to do its work by distributing nets, spraying homes and draining stagnant water as soon as possible. I appeal to all of you to cooperate with the officers when they visit your homes.
In the meantime, there are simple steps that each one of us can take to protect ourselves and our families. Firstly, spray insecticides in your houses and use mosquito repellent on your skin. Secondly, keep your windows closed, especially from late afternoon. Thirdly, stay indoors in the evening, when mosquitoes are most active, and avoid moving at night unless it is necessary. Lastly, keep your surroundings clean by cutting tall grass, clearing rubbish and filling up puddles.
Ladies and gentlemen, malaria is preventable, but only if we all play our part. Let us work together with the District Health Team to drive these mosquitoes out of our community.
Thank you for your attention, and may God bless you all.
(333 words)
Why this speech scores well
- Correct format: it opens by greeting the audience in order of importance and closes by thanking them. No title or address is needed, as it would be in a letter.
- Written for the speaker: the MP speaks in the first person (“I have asked …”, “I urge you …”) and talks directly to the audience (“you”, “let us”).
- Every relevant note is used, and expanded. “Good rain” becomes the cause (stagnant water), and “keep surroundings clean” becomes specific actions (cutting grass, filling puddles).
- Clear organisation: the problem and its causes come first, then what the authorities will do, then what residents can do, signposted with Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, Lastly.
Keep practising
Try another paper under timed conditions, then check your work against the solutions.