KALYA JUNIOR SCHOOL

GRADE 8 END TERM 1 2025

ENGLISH
HOLIDAY ASSIGNMENT

Learner’s Name: _____________________________________________________

Assessment No: _________________________ Grade: ______________________

Date: _______________________________________________________________

FOR EXAMINERS USE ONLY.

Score Range Performance Level Tick OUT OF 40 MARKS

80-100 Exceeding Expectation Learners
Score.
60-79 Meeting Expectations
Learners
40-59 Approaching Expectations
%
Below 40 Below Expectations

Higher Everyday
Instructions to Learners.
Answer all the Questions in the spaces provided after each question.

QUESTIONS.
Read the dialogue below and answer questions 1-5.

Student: Good morning, Sir.

Teacher: Good morning.
Student: Sir, my examination is around the corner. Can you give me some instructions as to
how I should prepare?
Teacher: Certainly! But first, get rid of your mobile phone. That is a major distraction.
Student: ok sir.
Teacher: Read your texts thoroughly, for you must have all the information while you study.
Student: Sir, I have a problem in memorizing.
Teacher: Instead of learning, try to understand. Try to concentrate on one major theme at a
time until you grasp it well.
Student: Sir, a few of my friends were planning to do group study. Will it be useful? Teacher:
Yes, definitely. You also must solve old question papers because those will help you get
acquainted with the format of the questions.
Student: Thank you, sir.
Teacher: If you need anything else, let me know.
Student: Sure sir.

1. According to the above dialogue, what is a major distraction of the student’s

preparation? (1mk)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Identify an adverb of manner from the dialogue above. (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. The word grasp has been underlined. What does it mean? (1mk)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Mention a polite expression used in the conversation. (1mk)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Identify a preposition from the above dialogue. (1mk)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Higher Everyday
 POEM
Read the following poem and answer questions 6-11
School life is truly a bliss,
Learning in classes that we would never want to miss,
Each led by the dedicated teachers we know so well,
Teaching us to paint, speak, write and even spell.
With each day comes a new lesson, we lean so much, From
our educator’s knowledge and their human touch, Like
parents our teachers educate us with all they have got,
Maximizing their effort within their teaching time slot.

But that does not mean recess is any less fun,

When we can have our meals, play with friends and run,
Socializing with friends from different walks of life,
All raised lovingly by every dedicated father and wife.
The special events and competitions in school are entertaining too,
Getting prizes for storytelling, spelling and the pictures we drew,
Fun activities to strengthen bonds and priceless friendships.
School life is simply so joyful that it truly is bliss,
And I know that in adulthood all these moments I will miss, But
for now in my youth I shall cherish these moments of joy, In my
classroom of teachers with every young girl and boy.
Daya Nandan.

6. What according to the poem, would the writer never want to miss? (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. According to the writer, on special events and competitions learners are awarded for?
(1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. What strengthens bond and priceless friendships according to the poem? (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. Identify a pair of rhyming words from the poem in stanza five. (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. Which are the fun events mentioned by the writer in the poem? (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
11. Identify the poet of the above poem (1mk)

Higher Everyday
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

BROKEN PASSAGE

Read the passage below. It contains blank spaces numbered 17-14. For each blank space,
use the best word from the brackets.
Pupils ……………………………… Elimika Primary School thrilled.......................... …parents
recently when they acted,………………….….and danced at the ……………….. prize-giving
Day. ……………………………..performed traditional songs, ………………………a choral
verse and a short play ………………………………urged people to conserve
…………………………….., wildlife and educate their daughters. (8mks)

(of, sung, annually, sang, their, annual, the, that, they, environment, environment)

PASSAGE 1
For questions 30-34, read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

Once upon a time, fish used to live on land. However, he was always nuisance to the residents of
the animal kingdom. Whenever there was theft, fish was to blame. And there was nothing
anyone would do as fish was judge Owl’s friend. Whenever fish was brought before him, Owl
would gladly accept a bribe from him and he would be set free allegedly for lack of sufficient
evidence. Thus, fish became bolder and graduated into more serious crimes as armed robbery.
One day, Owl’s daughter was taking a walk through the forest when fish saw her. And he could
not take his eyes off her colourful coat and golden necklace. He decided to way lay her by the
river and rob her, but owl’s daughter was not going to let go of her prized coat and necklace
without a fight.
Fish dragged her to the river and drowned her before robbing her. However, a little bird saw
this and shouted for help. Animals picked their weapons and came running but when fish saw
them, he dived into the river to hide from the mob.
Judge owl came to the scene and ordered fish to come out of the water for judgement. But fish
refused. The judge went ahead and sentenced him, ‘Since you think you are smart and refuse to
come out of water. I declare that is where you will live forever. If you ever come to the surface
and if you are ever caught you will be killed for food.”

30. According to the passage, why was fish termed as a nuisance? (1mk) ………………………
31. The word “sufficient” has been underlined. What does it mean? (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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32. What did the fish want to rob off owl’s daughter? (1mk)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
33. Who rescued the owl’s daughter according to the passage? (1mk)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
34. Identify a personal pronoun from the first paragraph. (1mk)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

GRAMMAR
For questions 35-37, identify the ‘subject’ and ‘object’ from the sentences.
35. She cooked a delicious meal. (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
36. It barked at the thief. (1mk)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
37. The farmers were preparing the farm. (1mk)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

For questions 38-40, use the correct form of adjectives to fill in the gaps.
38. He is the ………………………………….of the twins. (tall) (1mk)
39. She was identified as the……………………………………player. (good) (1mk)
40. Karimi is…………………………………….than Murimi. (clever) (1mk)

For question 41-43, put the correct question tags to the sentences below. 41.
I am the winner,…………………………………………………….(1mk) 42.
We shall go home, ………………………………………(1mk)
43. Let’s work hard, ………………………………………… (1mk)

Use the correct verb to fill in the blank spaces for questions 44-46. (3mks)
44. Each of the guests…………………………….given a piece of cake. (were, was)
45. Neither the teacher nor the pupils ………………………………….awarded. (is,are)
46. Leah, as well as Joan,…………………………….a doll. (have, has)

Higher Everyday
For questions 47-50, fill in the gaps with correct articles. (4mks)
47. He celebrates his birthday once ………………………………………..year.
48. She is ………………………………………honest student.
49. Mueni is …………………………………………university learner.
50. He wore………………………………uniform yesterday.

PASSAGE 2
Read the passage below and answer questions 1-5

Our school values need to be kept on check at all times. As the saying goes, ‘Charity begins at
home. It is therefore crucial that both parents and children work together to see to it that the
young ones grow morally upright. This will help in the absence of parents when children join
boarding high schools. They will not get carried away by the storms of peer pressure.
The children should stand the test of time if they had been trained to love others. They need to
work hard, be polite, respect others and their property and have some self-control. Disciplined
children should be able to express themselves honestly. They should show politeness and accord
respect to other people and their property. If parents admitted the need for children to attain
integrity and trained them so, our society would be better.

1. Identify a proverb from the passage. (1mk)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. What will enhance the young ones to grow morally upright? (1mk)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. The phrase ‘peer pressure” has been underlined. What does it entail? (1mk)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Identify three virtues from the passage. (1mk)
a) ………………………………………………
b) ……………………………………………
c) ………………………………………………

5. What should disciplined children be able to do? (1mk)

Higher Everyday