KCSE 2020 Comprehensive Revision Materials for English Paper Two 101/ 2- Questions and Answers

KCSE 2020 Comprehensive Revision Materials for English Paper Two 101/ 2- Questions and Answers
KCSE Oral Literature Revision Materials: Oral Narratives: Myths
Sample 2
God made a man whom he called Moon. Moon first lived at the bottom of the sea. Moon wanted to go and live on the earth, but God warned him: life on the earth is hard and you will regret it. But Moon went on the earth. In those days the earth was void and uninhabited. There were no trees, no plants, no animals. Moon was unhappy and wept. God said: I warned you but you did not listen, nevertheless I will help you. You shall have a wife who will live with you for two years.

God sent Morningstar to live with Moon. She brought fire from heaven. At night when she lay down in Moon’s hut she lit a fire and lay on the side of it. Moon lay on the other side but during the night Moon stepped through the fire and had intercourse with Morningstar.

The following morning he saw that Morningstar’s body had swollen and she gave birth to trees, grasses and all kinds of plants until the entire world was green. The trees began to grow. They grew and grew until they touched the sky. When they touched the sky, rain began to fall. Moon and Morningstar lived a life of plenty. They ate seeds and roots but when two years were up God called Morningstar away and sent her to live in the sky.

Moon wept for eight days. God then gave him a second wife, Eveningstar. He told Moon that he would live with Eveningstar for two years but at the end of that time Moon must die. Moon slept with Eveningstar who gave birth to goats, sheep and cows. On the second day, she gave birth to antelopes and birds. On the third day, she gave birth to boys and girls.

On the fourth day, Moon wanted to sleep with Eveningstar again but God said: Let be. The time of your death is near but Moon was defiant and slept with Eveningstar. On the following morning, her body had swollen and she gave birth to lions, leopards, snakes and scorpions.

Moon saw that his daughters were beautiful and went to have intercourse with them. They bore many children to Moon who became king of a large realm. Eveningstar became jealous of her daughters and sent snake to bite Moon. When Moon was bitten, he became very ill and could not recuperate. He succumbed to the poison and passed on. They buried him but Moon rose from the sea. Since that day, he pursues Morningstar across the sky, his first wife with whom he had been happy.

Questions
a. Giving reasons, classify the above genre. (2 mks)
This is a myth
Reasons: It explains the origin of creation. According to the story, it is the Moon and his wives, Morningstar and Eveningstar who gave birth to various creatures. It also explains why the Moon pursues Morningstar across the sky, because Morningstar was his first wife with whom he had been happy and it has got god, the Moon and the Stars as main characters.

b. Identify and illustrate any two features of oral narratives evident in the above narrative. (4 mks)
Fantasy: The story if full of elements of imagination for example, we can imagine that Morningstar’s body can swell and she can give birth to trees, grasses and all kinds of plants until the entire world was green. We also imagine that the trees can grow until they touch the sky.
closing formula: Since that day, he pursues Morningstar across the sky, his first wife with whom he had been happy.

c. Explain three features of the category identified in question (a) above. (6 mks)
a. It explains the origin of creation: according to the story, it is the Moon and his two wives-Morningstar and Eveningstar who gave birth to trees, birds and other animals.
b. It has got god, the Moon and Stars as main characters: god actively takes part in the development of the plot by creating the first man-Moon who later joins his two wives in creating the earth.
c. It is closely related to the religious beliefs of the Community from which this narrative is drawn: This community believes in the existence of supreme beings such as god.
d. It is set in the remote past, at the beginning of time, before creation took place.

d. Identify and illustrate one character trait for each of the following characters:
(i) Moon (2 mks)
Defiant/ disobedient: He defies god’s orders and sleeps with Eveningstar. He also fails to heed god’s warning that life on the earth is very difficult and proceeds to live on it.
stubborn/obsinate: He defies god’s orders and sleeps with Eveningstar. He also fails to heed god’s warning that life on the earth is very difficult and proceeds to live on it.
Immoral/ promiscuous/ lustful: He coveted his daughters and even went ahead to have sex with them.

(ii) Eveningstar (2 mks)

Vengeful: She sent the snake to bite her husband, the Moon after learning that he had slept with their daughters.
Jealous: She becomes jealous when Moon sleeps with their daughters and sends snake to bite him.

e. Describe one political activity evident in the community from which this narrative is drawn. (2 mks)
Kingship: Moon became King of a large realm.

f. Add a question tag. (2 mks)
Let be, will you?

g. Explain one moral lesson learnt from the above narrative. (2 mks)

We should be humble enough to listen to advice and be ready to obey: If the Moon had listened to god’s advice then he could not have braved life on earth which was very difficult.

h. Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the narrative: (3 mks)
(i) Succumbed: gave in, was overcome by the poison, was fatally overwhelmed by the poison
(ii) Defiant: disobedient
(iii) Recuperate: recover, get well

Question four: Poetry (10 mks)

Read the following poem then answer the questions that follow.

Song of a Prisoner

Where is my gold pen?
I want to write letters
To my children
And send them money.

I will not tell them
I am here
I don’t want them
To know that I am
A prisoner,
I want them to grow up
Without suffering,
I want them to pass
Their examinations
And get good jobs
And become rich as Croesus

Questions

a. Comment on the title of this poem. (2 mks)
The title of this poem is straightforward and relevant since it is directly linked to the content of the poem.
The title is “Song of a Prisoner” and the poem is talking about the wishes of a prisoner.

b. Giving relevant illustrations from the poem to support your answer identify the persona in this poem. (2 mks)
The persona is a prisoner who deeply loves and cares for his/her children. He wishes to write letters to them and send them money but he cannot since s/he is in prison.
Illustrations: “I don’t want them to know that I am a Prisoner” “Where is my gold pen? I want to write letters.To my children. And send them money.”

c. Briefly explain what this poem is talking about. (2 mks)

The poem is talking about the wishes and desires of the prisoner. S/he wishes to do the following for his or her children: write letters, send them money, pass their exams, get good jobs and become rich as Croesus.

d. In point form, list the wishes of the persona. (3 mks)
1. Write letters
2. Send his/her children money
3. Have his/ her children pass their exams
4. His/ her children to get good jobs
5. His or her children to become very rich
6. His/her children to grow up without suffering

e. Identify and illustrate one stylistic device evident in the poem above. (1 mk)

Simile: The persona wants his or her children to become rich as Croesus.
Effect: To show that the persona wants his/ her children to become very rich/ opulent
Repetition: I want them
Effectiveness: To emphasize the wishes and desires of the persona.
Rhetorical Question: Where is my gold pen?
Effect: To show the desperate state of the persona. He is in dire need of a gold pen which s/he wants to use to write letters but he cannot find it.
f. Describe the Mood of the persona
The persona’s mood is reflective: S/he is thinking of the things that he would like to happen to his/her children.
g. Describe the persona’s feeling (attitude) towards his/her children
The persona has a loving/ caring attitude towards his/ her children.
This is because s/he does not want them to suffer. S/he wants them to grow up without suffering, go to school, pass their exams, get good jobs and become rich as Croesus.
Besides, the Prisoner wishes to shield them from truths that are better not told such as the fact the s/he is in prison.