English

Grade 7
Learner’s Book

Esther Mushaninga

SECONDARY BOOK PRESS

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PlusOne English | Grade 7 - Learner’s Book

ISBN: 978-0-7974-8180-0 First

Published in 2021

Copyright © Esther Mushaninga

Editor in Chief: Munyaradzi Gunduza
Development Editor: Munyaradzi Gunduza
Text layout and cover design: Parsons P. Makombore
Illustrations: Praise Foya and Oscar Lwalwe
Cover image: Eastridge Primary School

Printed by: Secondary Book Press

Acknowledgements
Encyclopaedia Zimbabwe Second Edition, Vumba Mountains Worcester Alington Corporation. Archaeological surveys in Zimunya, Bvumba valley,
Vumba and Tsetsera Mountains, central eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe January 2007 Authors: Seke Katsamudanga University of Zimbabwe.
www.zimbabwetourism.net. Lake Kariba: Madzudzo E Chilufya L, Mudenda H.G. Ratner B.D. (Books google.co.zw.>books). The trees Society of
Zimbabwe: treesoiety.org.zw. Trees K. Gerharat 2006. Zimbabwe National tree survey - Forestry Commission. Traditional agroforests practices
in Zimbabwe/SpringerLink by B.M Campbell 1991. Link; springer.com.articles. Making Traditional Musical instruments in Zimbabwe by Music in
Africa. Available from www.zambuko. org Music in Africa Innocent T. Mutero 20 January 2015 Available from www.musicinafrica. Asante K.W
(2000) Zimbabwe dance: Rhythmic forces. Rise of the robot Jet Club Magazine March 2020 edition. Jetclub.co.za. Author is unknown. Robots
latest technology November 1994 pdf on 24 December 2012. Environmental degradation; ISDR: Terminology, The International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction 2004-03-31. Retrieved 2010-06-09. Tsunamis adapted from Super Teacher Worksheets. Available from:
https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/4th-comprehension.html accessed (28.07.20). A scarecrow: Adapted from “A Treasury of
superstitions” by Claudia de Lys, New York; Philosophical Library, Inc., 1957. A holiday with a foreigner adapted from Zimsec past Grade 7
examination papers. Zoom, the Cat adapted from Zimsec October 2014 English paper 1 examination. Hopes of harvest lost adapted from: The
Sunday Mail, 13 - 19 March 2011 (Zimpapers 1980 Limited). Why leaves change colour adapted from Super Teacher Worksheets. Available from:
https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/4th-comprehension.html accessed (28.07.20). The Two Boys Help Solve A Case adapted from Zimsec
October 2011 English Paper 1 Examination. The storm, Thiga’s success and Joe the street child adapted from Zimsec past Grade 7 English Paper
1s Examinations. Chikwende excited adapted from: H-Metro Sport by Blessing Malinganiza (Zimpapers 1980 Limited).

Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders. In the event of unintentional omissions or errors, any
information that would enable the publisher to make the proper arrangements will be appreciated.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the
copyright owner.

UNIT 1: TIME FLIES ..................................1 Common nouns ...........................................5 E.

Singular and plural nouns ........................6 F.
A. Comprehension ...........................................2
Verbs: The present tense ..........................7 G.
B. Summary writing ........................................3 C.
Punctuation: Using capital letters ........8
Narrative composition ..............................4 D.
H. Homophones ...............................................9 D. Listening and speaking: Phonics ..........29 E.
I. Sharpen your skills: Word search ........... 10 Articles: Using a, an and the ...................29 F. The
past tense ..............................................30
UNIT 2: SETTING GOALS ........................11
G. Using although, though or because .....31
A. Comprehension ...........................................12 H. Using ‘high, tall and long’ ........................32I.
B. Summary writing Contractions
........................................13C. Narrative ...................................................33
composition ..............................13
UNIT 5: THE DOWNPOUR ......................34
D. Collective nouns ..........................................14
A. Comprehension ...........................................35
E. Abstract nouns ............................................15
F. Articles: Using a and an ............................15 B. Summary writing
G. P unctuation: The exclamation mark....16 ........................................36C. Composition:
H. Phonics Report writing ..................36

..........................................................16I. D. Verbs: The past tense ...............................37

E. Irregular verbs ..............................................38
Spelling quiz
F. Proper nouns
...................................................17
.................................................38
UNIT 3: GROWING UP .............................18 G. Listening and speaking: Games ............39
H. Phonics
A. Comprehension ..........................................18
..........................................................40I.
B. Summary writing ........................................20
Interjections
C. Composition: Friendly letter ....................21
....................................................40
D. Proper nouns ................................................22
J. Using was or were .......................................41
E. Conjunctions: Using ‘and’ .........................23F. K. Punctuation: Using the comma .............42
Using expressions .......................................23
UNIT 6: WISE GRANDPARENTS ...........43
G. Phonics: Diphthongs .................................24
H. Prepositions with abstract nouns ........25 A. Comprehension ...........................................44
I. Homophones B. Summary writing ........................................46
..................................................25UNIT 4: C. Composition: The most interesting person in
FOLK STORY ...............................26 my community. ........................................46
D. Using antonyms or opposites ................46
A. Comprehension ...........................................26
E. Using prefixes such as dis-, mis- and un ...
B. Summary writing
........................................28C. Composition: ...........................................................................
Folk story ............................28 47
F. Plural nouns D. Using ‘if’
...................................................47 .........................................................75E.
G. C onjunctions: Using ‘although, because Adjectives
and or when’ ................................................48
......................................................75
UNIT 7: THE UNWELCOME VISITOR ....49
F. Punctuation: Apostrophe ( ’ ) ..................76 G.
A. Comprehension ...........................................49
Verbs and prepositions ............................76
B. Summary writing ........................................51
H. Spelling and dictation ...............................77
C. Descriptive composition ...........................52D. UNIT 11: FINDING DIRECTIONS ............78
Personal nouns ............................................52
A. Comprehension ...........................................78
E. Joining ideas using so – that ...................52
B. Summary writing
F. Adjectives .......................................................53
........................................80C. Composition:
G. Self-pronouns ..............................................53
The day I got lost .............80
H. Prepositions .................................................54
D. Singular and plural nouns .......................81
I. Punctuation: End marks .............................54
E. Irregular verbs ..............................................82
UNIT 8: OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY F. Using the dictionary ...................................83G.
ZIMBABWE .................................56
Prepositions ..................................................83
A. Comprehension ...........................................57 H. Listening and speaking: Road signs ....83
B. Listening and speaking ............................59 C.
UNIT 12: KACHE, MUSA AND THE
Composition: A letter of complain ........59 DONKEY ....................................85
D. Punctuation: Colon (:) ................................61
A. Comprehension ..........................................86
E. Spelling and dictation................................62
B. Summary writing ........................................88
F. Determiners
C. Composition: Friendly or informal letter ....
...................................................62G. Using
have or has ......................................62 H. ..........................................................................8
9
Verbs: The past participle .......................63
D. Compound nouns .......................................89E.
UNIT 9: TEST I ...........................................64
Using ‘too, to – to and too much’ ...........90
Paper 1: ........................................................64 F. Prepositions used with adjectives .........91
Paper 2: ........................................................68
G. D irect speech: Using inverted commas .....
UNIT 10: RISE OF THE ROBOT ..............70
..........................................................................9
A. Comprehension ...........................................71 1
B. Composition: Email ....................................73
C. Listening and speaking ............................74
H. Synonyms UNIT 16: THERE IS A TIME FOR
.....................................................92I. Future EVERYTHING ............................ 115
tense ...................................................92 A. Comprehension ...........................................
J. Listening and speaking: Debate .............93 116 B. Summary writing ........................................
UNIT 13: THE FAMOUS STORYTELLER .... 117 C. Composition: Report writing ..................
...................................................................... 94 117
A. Comprehension ......................................... 95 D. Prepositions of place ................................. 118
B. Summary writing ...................................... 96 C. E. Using ‘some or many’ ................................
Descriptive composition ......................... 96 D. A
dverbial clauses: Using ‘since, not until or 119F. Verbs: The present participle ..................
certainly’ ................................................. 97 119
E. Using ‘either...or’ or ‘neither...nor’ ........ 98 G. Animal sounds and their homes ........... 120
F. The simple present tense: Using ‘am, is or are’ H. Collective nouns ..........................................
.................................................................. 98 121
G. L istening and speaking .......................... 99 I. Similes ..............................................................
H. Spellings 122
........................................................99UNIT 14: J. Speech writing ..............................................
THE LOVELY LAKE KARIBA ...100 122

A. Comprehension ......................................... 101 UNIT 17: CLEAN THE ENVIRONMENT .124

B. Summary writing ...................................... 103
A. Comprehension
C. Composition: The animal I like most .. 103 ...........................................125
D. Diaries .......................................................... B. Summary writing ........................................
104
127C. Composition: Friendly letter
E. Commands, questions and exclamations .
.................... 127
.........................................................................
105 D. Adverbs ..........................................................
128
F. Verbs: Simple present tense .................. 105
E. Prepositional phrases ................................ 129
G. Synonyms....................................................
106 F. Proper and comparative adjectives ...... 130
G. Idioms .............................................................
H. Adverbs of manner ....................................
131
107I. Using all, both, each and every ............... H. Abbreviations ..............................................
108 132

UNIT 15: TEST 2 ....................................... 109 UNIT 18: TREES ARE LIFE ....................... 133

Paper 1: ..................................................... 109 A. Comprehension ...........................................

Paper 2: ...................................................... 113 134
B. Summary writing ........................................ G. Collective nouns .........................................
135C. Compound nouns 155H. Practise using modals ..............................
....................................... 135 155
D. Spelling and dictation ............................... 136 I. Sharpen your skills: Crossword puzzle . 156 UNIT
E. Subjects and predicates ........................... 136 F. 21: CANCER IS A THREAT TO LIFE ..
..................................................... 157
Personal and possessive pronouns ....... 136
G. Arranging jumbled sentences ................ 137 A. Comprehension ...........................................
158
UNIT 19: MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, OUR
B. Summary writing ........................................
CULTURAL HERITAGE ............ 138
160C. Composition
A. Comprehension ........................................... ................................................. 160 D.
139
Interpreting graphs .................................... 160
B. Summary writing ........................................ 142
E. Punctuation: Statements and questions ...
C. Descriptive composition ........................... 143
D. P unctuation: Full stop, comma and ...........................................................................
question mark .............................................. 143 161
E. Verbs: Verb phrase with by ..................... 144 F. Comparisons .................................................
F. The past participle ...................................... 145 162
G. Using ‘should and would’ ........................ 147H. G. Spelling and dictation ...............................
Verbs and verb phrases ........................... 147 164H. Indefinite pronouns
I. S harpen your skills: Word search puzzle .... .................................... 164
I. Comparisons
............................................................................1 ..................................................165
48 J. Sharpen your skills: Jigsaw puzzle ......... 165
UNIT 20: THE NATIONAL HEROES ACRE . UNIT 22: SHATTERED DREAMS ............ 166
..................................................... 149
A. Comprehension ........................................... 166
A. Comprehension ...........................................
B. Summary writing ........................................ 168
150
C. Composition: Formal letter ...................... 169
B. Summary writing ........................................ 151
D. Reported speech ........................................ 169
C. Composition an email ...............................
E. Proverbs .........................................................
152D. Making words using suffixes..................
170
152
F. Interogative pronouns ................................ 171
E. Conjunctions .................................................
G. Adverbs ..........................................................
154
172H. Confusing words
F. Direct speech: Using inverted commas 154
 ........................................ 173 I. Subject-verb REVISION EXERCISES ............................194 UNIT
agreement ............................ 173
25: TEST 3 .......................................196
UNIT 23: YOUR BACKGROUND DOES NOT DEFINE
Paper 1: .....................................................196
WHO YOU ARE .........174
Paper 2: .....................................................200
A. Comprehension ........................................... UNIT 26: TEST 4 .......................................202
175
Paper 1: .....................................................202
B. Summary writing ........................................ 176
Paper 2: .....................................................206
C. Composition: Advertisements ................ 177
D. Listening and speaking: Poem ............... 179 UNIT 27: TEST 5 .......................................208

E. Quantifiers and quantities ....................... 180 Paper 1: .....................................................208

F. Punctuation: Using the comma .............. 181 Paper 2: .....................................................213
G. Comparisons ................................................ UNIT 28: TEST 6 .......................................215
182H. Verbs and
Paper 1: .....................................................215
adverbs..................................... 182
Paper 2: .....................................................219
H. Subject-verb agreement ......................... 183
J. Subject pronouns ......................................... 184 UNIT 29: TEST 7 .......................................221
UNIT 24: ENVIRONMENTAL
Paper 1: .....................................................221
DEGRADATION ........................ 185
Paper 2: .....................................................225
A. Comprehension ...........................................
UNIT 30: TEST 8 .......................................227
186
B. Summary writing ........................................ Paper 1: .....................................................227
Paper 2: .....................................................232
187C. Composition: Report writing ..................
187
D. U sing ‘so, very much and too much’ .... 188
E. Prefixes and suffixes ................................. 189
F. Spelling and dictation ................................ 191
G. O pposites formed by prefixes and
suffixes ........................................................... 191
H. Using ‘even though, in spite of or despite’
..........................................................................
191
I. Confusing words ...........................................
192
 Unit

Talk about your school year and challenges. Try to answer the questions below in pairs.
(a) Do you enjoy a new school year?
(b) Talk about what you like in a new school year.
(c) Do you have a new teacher this year?
(d) Are there some new comers in your class?

The words below are in the passage you are going to read. Find the meaning of the words and try to
use them in sentences.
time-wasters advise serious
responsibilities budget complain abuse
precious chores criticise

1
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
It is a new year and a new term already. We are now in Grade Seven and we will soon be writing our
examinations. If we do not make use of our precious time, we will fail. The time to study is now. We
have to work very hard to pass and go to secondary school.
Ruvimbo and Tadiwanashe are very hard-working girls. They help their parents in doing household
chores and they study hard to attain high grades in school. They have a lazy friend who always criticise
them each time they do good. Nobuhle tells them that helping parents at times is like abuse. She tells
them that they have to exercise their rights. Our teacher taught the girls about rights and
responsibilities. I am happy that Ruvimbo and Tadiwanashe know that they ought to budget their time
well. They set aside time for house chores and time for study.

Nobuhle is lazy. She likes to sleep and play. She always complain when instructed to work. She does not
pay attention even during lesson time. Ruvimbo advises her friend to stop playing and complaining
during work time and to be serious with school work.
If we work hard, we get the results of our toil. Hard work pays. We must be careful of friends who are
time wasters. They take up our study time while the clock ticks away. What we do now can catch up
with us tomorrow. If we play and do not work hard, we will fail. Comprehension questions 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. How many girls are mentioned in the passage?
A. two B. five C. three D. four
2. Nobuhle was known for her________________.
A. weakness B. laziness C. hardwork D. time
3. According to the writer, the time for study is________.
A. now B. toil C. later D. precious
4. Ruvimbo and Tadiwanashe had time to___________.
A. sit and criticise B. talk and help C. waste time D. work and study
5. Learners were taught about rights and_________.
A. play B. responsibilities C. abuse D. work
6. It is ___________ to use time properly
2
 A. neatly B. bad C. lazy D. wise
7. Nobuhle always _____________ when instructed to do some house chores.
A. enjoy B. complain C. play D. crie
8. Ruvimbo __________ her friend to stop wasting precious time.
A. advised B. kept C. instruct D. teach

Comprehension questions 2
Answer the questions in full sentences. Write your sentences in good grammar and punctuate them
correctly.
1. Give the two names of the girls who work hard in the passage.
2. What is Nobuhle’s weakness?
3. How does Nobuhle react to given instructions?
4. What are the results of hardwork?
5. What are the effects of wasting time?
6. How can one handle time wasters?
7. How does Ruvimbo and Tadiwanashe manage to do their tasks?
8. Which word in the passage tells us that the Tadiwanashe and Ruvimbo want to work extremely
hard?
9. What were the girls taught at school?

A summary is a brief statement of the main points. A summary does not include many details. It is only
a way of highlighting the main points in a story or any given topic.
Here are some points to follow when writing a summary:
(a) Read the passage again and pick out only the important facts from each paragraph.
(b) Place the facts in order of occurence.
(c) Write a paragraph from the whole passage using the facts you have picked.
(d) Your sentences must be short and to the point.
(e) Look at the number of words stipulated in terms of the length of the summary.(f) Do not change the
meaning of the original text.
We can summarise long sentences by using one word for phrases or a list of things.
Examples:
(a) Tiffany, Ruvimbo, Tadiwa and Mable were busy with their homework.
The girls were busy with their homework.
The names of the girls have been replaced by the word girls to shorten the sentence.
(b) At our school we have enough chairs, tables, cupboards and desks. At our school we have
enough furniture.

Exercise 1.1

3
Shorten the following sentences by using one word or phrases given below.
parents the facilitator do house chores her friends cutlery vehicles
learners stationery bed linen grocery
1. Mother washed some blankets, pillow cases, bed sheets and bed covers.
2. Father helped mother to buy milk, sugar, rice, meat, eggs and bread.
3. Nobhle forgot to take her pen, ruler, rubber and pencil to school.
4. Tadiwa had to wash the plate, iron her uniform and sweep the house after school.
5. The man who was teaching Grade Seven helped the learners.
6. Boys and girls at the school were disciplined.
7. The spoons, forks and knives were dirty.
8. Fathers and mothers must encourage their children to work hard.
9. There were many cars, lorries, bicycles, buses and motor cycles on the road.
10. Ruvimbo was playing with Thabiso, Thandiwe, Sisa and Chengetai.

In the previous grades, you learnt about narrative compositions. A narrative composition explains
experiences or events. In a narrative composition, there is the order in which things happen or
happened.
Steps to follow when writing a composition:
Before writing a composition, make sure you understand the question very well.
1. Read the topic carefully and understand it properly.
2. Make sure you know what you are required to write about.
3. Write down some points you think are related to the topic.
4. Write the topic in one sentence.
5. Select good points and drop the bad ones.
6. Arrange the good ideas in a plan.
7. Write a draft of the composition.
8. Carefully revise the draft.
9. Rewrite the revised draft.
10. Proof read the draft correcting grammar and spellings.
Exercise 1.2
Write a composition on how you wish to use your time purposefully. Your composition must be between
80 and 120 words in length. Your composition must have the following:
(a) An introduction: Tells us about what you are going to write about. The introduction must make the
reader want to read your story more. It should be interesting.
(b) A body: Explains everything about your story or topic. More detail on the composition is found in
the body of the composition.
(c) Paragraphs: It helps to separate ideas.
(d) A conclusion: In a conclusion, you wrap up your story or composition.

4
Include the following points in your composition and others which you may think of:
• How the term started
• What you wish to do during the term
• How you will use your time
• What you will do to avoid time wasters

Common nouns are names of things, people and ideas. They are generally not written in capital letters.
Examples of common nouns are names of:
(a) people like brother, sister, nurse, miller
(b) places such as parks, shops, hotels, stations(c) ideas like religion
Here are some sentences with common nouns:
(a) My father is a scientist.
(b) Musuwanhowe is a mountain in Mrewa.
(c) Chipo and Sibusiso were at the baker’s shop.
(d) My brother is a Catholic. Exercise 1.3
Underline common nouns in the sentences below.
1. There were four daughters in the family.
2. Many girls plant flowers.
3. Tafadzwa visited the monuments.
4. The cakes were yummy.
5. Big rivers are now dry due to the drought.
6. Slaves were transported from Africa in big ships.
7. The sea had salty water.
8. Duduzile prepared good food.
9. We enjoyed ourselves at the party.
10. Emmah attended the ceremony.

1. T here are singular nouns. These are nouns referring to only one thing. Plural nouns refer to more
than one item. Some plural nouns have an –s added at the end like: door – doors cat – cats chair –
chairs truck – trucks
(a) Father bought a truck.
Father bought many trucks.
(b) She needs a chair for her friend.
She needs some chairs for her friends.
The singular nouns in bold have an ‘s’ added at the end to make them plural nouns.

5
Make a list of plural nouns with –s at the end. Write the plural nouns with your friend or in your group.
Read the words you have written to your class.
2. There are some plural nouns which end with ‘-es’. Here are examples:
watch – watches potato – potatoes
(a) He is selling a watch. He is selling some watches.
(b) I have a potato. I have a bag of potatoes.
(c) Rungano missed the bus. Rungano missed the buses.
Discuss in your group or class and write more plurals ending with ‘-es’
Some plural nouns change f to – ves as in thief – thieves, knife – knives, calf – calves.
(a) Mrs Kaguri has a new knife. Mrs Kaguri has some new knives.
(b) The farmer sold a calf. The farmer sold some calves.
(c) A thief broke into the shop last night. Some thieves broke into the shop last night.
Write more plural nouns with -ves at the end. Read the nouns you have written to the class.
Exercise 1.4
In the table below, there are some singular nouns. Follow the examples given above to complete the
table. The first one has been done for you.
Singular noun Plural noun

1. Calf calves

2. Pain

3. Voice

4. Family

5. Parent

6. Loaf

7. Judge

8. Office

9. Shelf

10. Tomato

Exercise 1.5
Change the singular nouns in bold in the sentences below to plural nouns.
1. Muswerokuenda had many axe.
6
2. Nyembesi had many witness.
3. All the villager were angry with Muswerokuenda.
4. The woman in the village sympathised with Nyembesi.
5. The dog were barking at the fox.
6. Bryne constructed many house.
7. Nyembesi’s relative advised her to leave her husband.
8. The child watched helplessly while their father beat their mother.
9. The policeman had to arrest her for murder.
10. Tear trickled down her face as she cried bitterly.

Tenses are any form of a verb which shows the time an action happens. Verbs are words which tell us
about an action. They are doing words. Every sentence has a verb.
The present tense tells us of what is happening now. These are actions taking place at present. For
example:
(a) Tadiwa is a doctor.
(b) I am hungry.
(c) We sweep the floor.
The present tense can be used for actions we perform every day. For example:
(a) Ruvimbo drives to work every day.
(b) Kudzanai sits in the board of managers. (c) Rutendo smiles at the children
happily.
Present tense verbs can be used for something that is fixed for the future. For example:
(a) Tendai writes examinations next week.
(b) Tafadzwa builds good houses.
(c) Fadzai works from home.
(d) Father creates employment for the young boys and girls. Exercise 1.6
Change the following sentences into the present tense.
1. She planned her time well.
2. Nobuhle played during time for work.
3. He mixed pleasure and work.
4. Shepherd liked his new job.
5. Mukudzei played with his toys.
6. Florence sat on a chair reading a story.
7. Paidamoyo bought some goods for her shop.
8. Robson fought hard to make ends meet.
9. Tinotenda lived a miserable life.
10. Sharon feared the gamblers and robbers she met in South Africa. Exercise 1.7

7
Complete the exercise below by choosing the correct form of the verb from the words in brackets. For
example:
(a) Nobuhle is (visit / visiting) her friends.
Nobuhle is visiting her friends.
(b) Our teacher (telling / tells) us to study hard. Our teacher tells us to study
hard.
Choose the correct form of the verb from the words in brackets.
1. We will (made / make) good use of our time.
2. Time will not (waiting / wait) for anyone.
3. Nobuhle (is / were) very naughty.
4. Mother (instructed / instruct) the children to do the house chores first.
5. Time wasters (take / takes) our time if we are not careful.
6. Nobuhle likes to (criticises / criticise) others even when they have done well.
7. Ruvimbo (advising / advised) her friend to work hard.
8. Children must (know / knew) the importance of using time wisely.
9. Tadiwanashe is (budgeting / budgets) her time well.
10. She (scores / scoring) high marks in every test.

G Punctuation: Using capital letters

1. We use capital letters when writing the first letter in a sentence or question. For example:
(a) My favourite food is meat.
(b) Where do we find gum plantations?
(c) She watched the soccer match quietly.
2. We also use capital letters for names of people and places. The first letter in a name is written
in capital.
(a) Names of people: Esther, Nesbert, Mr. Mushaninga, Miss Moyo
(b) Names of places: Lake Kariba, Mazowe Dam, Harare, Rusape, South Africa Here are some
examples of names of people and places in sentences:
(a) Zimbabwe is a country in Africa.
(b) Mary, Atidaishe and Joseph are playing a game.
(c) Paidamoyo lives in South Africa.
(d) I wish to visit the Victoria Falls and the Great Zimbabwe monuments.
3. Capital letters are also used when writing names of days of the week and months of the year.
For example:
(a) T he first letter in the days of the week like Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday and Saturday.

8
 (b) The first letter in the months of the year such as January, April, June, September to December.
Exercise 1.8
Punctuate the sentences below using capital letters.
1. nyasha and moses were playing near the river.
2. The capital city of zimbabwe is harare.
3. zambezi river is very big.
4. We were climbing up mount nyanga when we met a nigerian man.
5. kudzanai kaguri works at the national bank.
6. chipo enjoyed her trip to dubai.
7. he is a very strong supporter of dynamos football club.
8. lake shire is a very big lake found in Malawi.
9. ruvimbo and Tadiwanashe advised nobuhle to be serious with her work.
10. rutendo visited her aunt nyarai in mhondoro communal lands.

Homophones are words that have the same sound but different meaning and spelling.
Exercise 1.9
1. Which one is short for ‘it is’? (it’s / its)
2. Which one can you eat? (meat / meet)
3. Which one is part of a shoe? (heel / heal)
4. Which one is a fruit? (pair / pear)
5. Which one is to do with making clothes? (so / sew)
6. Which one is metal? (steel / steal)
7. Which one is another word for expensive? (dear / deer)
8. Which one is used to make bread and cakes’? (flower / flour)
9. Which one is on your head? (hair / hare)
10. Which one is half of four? (too / two)

I Sharpen your skills: Word search

The table below is a game. You can search for words from the table.
responsible study complain precious attain time
chores criticise read house toil
budget advice
R P E S T U D Y T T

E R E A D S L H A C

S E B T I M E R T R

9
Unit

P C H O R E S C T I

O I O I F G S A A T

N O U L I V O B I I

S U S E H B N U N C

I S E R I O U S M I

B U D G E T A E B S

L K D H A D V I C E

E C O M P L A I N N

10
Facilitator: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Portia: I want to be a nurse. I want to be like my aunt. She is a nurse.
Tinashe: I want to be a mechanic.
Nyasha: I want to be a pilot. I want to fly the aeroplane.
Musawenkhosi: I want to be an engineer.
Dumisani: I want to be a farmer. I will go to the university to study about crops.

Find the meanings of the words below and use them in sentences. Here are some examples:
(a) A pigsty is a place where pigs are kept.
(b) I did my primary education at a local school.
hillside motives visions dreams setting inquisitive goals rear attained marvel local fulfilled
piggery effort raised prominent maximum achievements

11
Answer the questions in full sentences. Write your sentences in good grammar and punctuate them
correctly.
It’s a pretty good thing to have people who have good motives around you. There are people who have
visions or dreams for the greatest achievements in life.
Munoshamisa grew up in the countryside. He was a very inquisitive boy. When heading cattle, he would
marvel at the sites in the hillside near his village. He used to pass through a pig farm. He was inspired
by what he saw. All the time he passed through, he told himself, “One day I am going to own my own
place and rear pigs of my own. I will sell the pigs to the biggest supermarkets in town and hotels.” This
was his dream. He thought about being a great business man with a great name in town.
Munoshamisa moved to the city just after
completing his Ordinary Level examinations.
He got very good grades and was very
happy. It did not take him long to find a
course to do. He went to a College of
Agriculture where he studied about keeping
pigs.
Munoshamisa had always told himself that
he wanted to own a piggery and also be a
prominent businessman. After completing
his course, he went back to his rural home in
Mrewa. He used the knowledge he gained
at the college and built some pigsties.
He worked hard and raised some pigs. Munoshamisa sold the first lot of the pigs to a local businessman.
This is when his dream came true. He continued to rear more pigs selling them locally and in the city.
He soon became a prominent businessman. He then married a very beautiful woman called Florence.
Munoshamisa’s secret was working hard to achieve his dream. We can all work hard like Munoshamisa
and have our visions and dreams come true. Lazy people cannot have good or the best things whilst
they watch others work. Big dreams come true only when we put our maximum effort to everything we
do. Comprehension questions
Answer the questions in full sentences. You are advised to write your sentences in good grammar and
punctuate them correctly.
1. Where did Munoshamisa grow up?
2. Where did he herd the cattle?
3. When did Munoshamisa go to the city?
4. What was his dream?
5. Where did Munoshamisa study about pigs?
6. Why did Munoshamisa went to Mrewa after his course?
7. What name is given to a pig project?
8. Which word in the passage refers to an enclosure for pigs?
9. What is Munoshamisa known for?

12
10. How can one achieve his or her dreams?

Previously, you learnt how to write a summary. You learnt that after reading a text, you ought to find
the main points of the story first. Look for only the important points from every paragraph. Write down
the main points from each paragraph. Shorten some sentences. Make a rough draft of your summary.
Read to your friend correcting mistakes. Use correct grammar and spelling. Punctuate your sentences
properly. Do not give your own opinion, stick to the main points of the story. Exercise 2.1
Read the story of Munoshamisa again and write a summary which is 80 words in length. Think about
the following:
1. What do you think is the main idea of the story?
2. What did Munoshamisa admire as he was growing up?
3. Where did the story take place?
4. How did he manage to make his dream come true?

Munoshamisa always dreamt of keeping pigs. He admired the pig projects around his rural home. He
pursed his dream after completing a degree at an Agricultural College. Think about what you desire to
do in future and find out how you will be able to achieve your dreams.
Discuss with your friend. Write down some points about your dreams.
Follow the steps on composition writing taught in Unit One.
1. Identify your topic first.
2. Plan your composition.
3. Draw some points from the topic and write them down.
4. Write a rough draft of the composition.
5. Read the draft and write a second draft.
6. Read and check errors for grammar and spellings.

Exercise 2.2
Write a composition about what you want to be. Include the following points in your composition and
any other points you may think of:
• Introduction
• The type of work you wish to do
• Where you will do the work
• Why you want to do that kind of work
• Conclusion

13
Collective nouns are names of groups of things, people or animals put together as a whole. For example:
(a) A bouquet of flowers.
(b) A gang of thieves.
(c) A board of directors.
(d) An audience of listeners.

Exercise 2.3
Find collective nouns for the following:
1. A ____________ of baboons destroyed the crops in the field.
2. Ndabe took care of the ____________ of pigs in the sty.
3. There was a ____________ of dogs at the dip tank.
4. A ____________ of bees buzzed over our heads.
5. Matipa was afraid of the ____________ of birds which rested on the roof-top.
6. A ____________ of wolves moved near the village at night.
7. Sihle also had a ____________ of goats on his farm.
8. Bongani was the shepherd of the big ____________ of sheep.
9. I did not like the ____________ of kittens which I saw at his place.
10. The ____________ of thieves attacked a man coming from work.

Abstract nouns are names of feelings which cannot be seen or touched.

Talk about abstract nouns in pairs. Make sentences using abstract nouns such as peace, anger, joy, love.
Here are the examples:
(a) He expressed his anger by beating the thief.
(b) Mother had peace after paying school fees. Exercise 2.4
Choose the correct abstract noun to complete the sentences below.
peace fever excitement coward pride fear
hatred love joy
courage
1. Ngulube had a lot of _________ towards his nephew.
2. John is a man of true_________.
3. Muzanenhamo showed lots of _________ as he walked through the thick forest.
4. I can feel the_________ of God.
5. Atidaishe slept in _________.
6. Rumbidzai is a _________ she fails to do even simple things.
7. Everyone could see the _________ in Tendai’s eyes after a dog barked at him.
8. Thabani had a _________, he felt weak.
9. Mangoma was full of _____since he was going to play the drum at the concert.
10. Kalulu the hare had so much ________ that he kept boasting in front of other animals.

14
An article is a type of a determiner. It is a word used before a noun that shows whether you are referring
to a particular thing or to a general example of something. The indefinite article is ‘a’ or ‘an’
a e i o u are vowels
1. We use an before vowels for example:
(a) An apple
(b) An empty bottle.
(b) I saw an eagle.
(c) Grandmother is an old woman.
2. All other letters of the alphabet are consonants. We use a before a consonant for example:
(a) A bottle, a lamp, a mode of transport.
(b) That is a house.
(c) We built a flat together.

Exercise 2.5
Complete the sentences below using a or an.
1. He has _________ good motive.
2. Abraham is_________ great man.
3. If he was _________ adult, he would go and live in the city.
4. He started _________ piggery project after the course.
5. The service station is near _________ Agricultural College.
6. The man became _________ prominent businessman.
7. He gained _________ lot of knowledge about pigs.
8. Comfort had _________ idea which he shared.
9. All the villagers said, “That is _________ achievement which will benefit us all.” 10. _________ pig
project is very profitable.

G Punctuation: The exclamation mark ( ! )

An exclamation mark is a punctuation mark used at the end of the word or sentence when a speaker or
writer is surprised, shocked, frightened, yelling or shouting.
Examples:
(a) Come on, run fast! Catch that thief!
(b) I got the culprit!
Exercise 2.6
Punctuate the following sentences correctly. Remember to use quotation and exclamation marks
where necessary.

15
1. Rudo said I am not feeling well
2. Help There is a thief in the house shouted Musa
3. Thief thief all the people in the crowd shouted
4. Oh my God I forgot to take my medicine
5. Stop that man shouted the police officer
6. Kick the ball to Daryl
7. Kakuyo said thieves must be hanged
8. Hey that’s wrong
9. Are you sure Tendai asked Tafadzwa
10. Come here now yelled Yeukai

Long vowel and short vowel sounds -i-, -ee- and -ea-. Look at the following words; bin, been, bean. The
words sound the same but are different in meaning.
(a) We put rubbish in a bin.
(b) She has been very naughty.
(c) I planted a bean seed. Exercise 2.7
Choose the correct word from the brackets to complete the sentence.
1. Munoshamisa got a (sit / seat) in the meeting.
2. Florence wanted to (sit / seat) next to her husband.
3. His shoes did not (fit / feet) well.
4. He had sores on the soles of his (fit / feet).
5. Munoshamisa did not want to rear (ship / sheep).
6. The boys were cruising on a big (ship / sheep).
7. The dog (bit / beat) one of the pigs on the leg.
8. The villagers (bit / beat) the thief.
9. He licked his lower (leap / lip).
10. A deadly disease struck during the (lip / leap) year.

Exercise 2.8
Choose the correct spelling from the following list of words.
1. A. tommorow B. tomorrow C. tommorrow
2. A. beginning B. begginning C. begining
3. A. arguement B. arguament C. argument
4. A. occurrence B. occurence C. occurance
5. A. receive B. recieve C. receave

16
Discuss the physical changes in teenagers during adolescence.

Unit

Answer these questions in pairs or in a group.

1. What are the advantages of growing up?
2. What problems do young people face as they grow up?
3. What do you think are the causes of these problems?
4. How can we solve problems of growing up?

Identify the following words in the story below and give their meanings.
experience growing up issues strict teenager sharing well-behaved treats responsible proud
delivered associate peer pressure negative sneaked dashed
Make your own sentences using the words.

A Comprehension: Peer pressure

Read the dialogue below and answer the questions that follow.
Buhle’s mother expects her daughter to be a well-behaved girl. Buhle does not like the way her mother
treats her although she means well. She thinks her mother is very strict.
Mother: “My daughter, I want you to grow to be a responsible woman. Be careful of your friends. You
must stop associating yourself with bad company especially Judith.”
Buhle: “ Oh no! Mummy I cannot stop playing with my friend Judith. She is my best friend.
She likes me and I like her too.”
Mother: “You must listen to me Buhle. You have to tell your friend that I do not want to see
her here again.”
Buhle: “But mother you cannot do that please!”
Mother: “Buhle! Quiet! It is what it is. You have to do as I say.”
(Buhle starts crying and gets offended by the rebuke from her mother. She goes out of the house. She is
angry and does not want to listen to her mother. Buhle continues to visit her friend even after her
mother’s disapproval.)
17
Buhle: “ I am not going to take long. I just sneaked out without telling anyone. I have to go
back soon.”
Judith: “I am happy you are here. I was missing you. I have a message for you.”
Buhle: “Go ahead Judie. Tell me the message.”
Judith: “ Nesbert said he wants to see you. He told me he loves you. Can I call him to meet
you?”
Buhle: “Oh no, my mother will be angry with me Judie.”
Judith: “ Hahaha! Buhle, you are very backward. You are old enough to have a boyfriend. I
will call Nesbert for you.”
(Buhle’s mother arrives at Judith’s place at the same time with Nesbert who had come to check if Judith
had delivered his message to Buhle. Nesbert had not noticed Buhle’s mother and he shouted.)
Nesbert: “Judie! Is my angel here? Tell her I am here to see her. I love Buhle very much.”
Mother: (Mother was very angry and shouted loudly.) “Buhle! Did I not warn you not to play with
Judith? Go home now!”
(Buhle nearly froze with fear on hearing the voice of her mother. She quickly dashed out and ran as fast
as her thin legs could take her. She got home before her mother and sat quietly. She didn’t know what to
do.)
Mother: “Buhle my daughter, Judith is not a good friend. She will teach you bad behaviour. You have
to stop your association.
Buhle: “Mother I’m very sorry for not listening to your advice. I promise to stop playing with Judith.
(Mother calmed down and sat close to her daughter. She explained the dangers of having premature
love affairs. She also talked about unwanted pregnancies and how they occur. Mother also told Buhle to
have a good choice of friends.)

18
Mother: “Buhle my dear, I want you to know that there is negative peer pressure. Some friends are
bad friends. Bad friends give bad advice. You must watch out my daughter.”
Buhle: “ Thank you mother. I will always listen to all your good teachings. I will stop playing with bad
friends.”

Comprehension questions
Answer the following questions in full. Use correct punctuation in your answers.
1. Who was Buhle’s friend?
2. What do Buhle and her friends talk about?
3. What advice did Buhle’s mother give to her daughter?
4. Why didn’t Buhle listen to her mother’s advise for the first time?
5. Why didn’t Buhle’s mother like her daughter to befriend Judith?
6. What must teenagers guard against from peers?
7. Explain the meaning of the words “bad company”.
8. Which phrase in the passage refers to the quickest speed that one can run?

Exercise 3.1
Read the dialogue above in pairs and pick out important facts from the story. Write down the important
facts as they appear in the story. In one paragraph, write a summary of the dialogue bringing out what
Buhle’s mother wanted her daughter to do and how she perceived it. Your summary should not exceed
80 words in length, including the given sentence below.
Begin your summary as follows:
Be careful of your friends. You must stop associating yourself with...

C Composition: Friendly letter

A letter written to a friend or relative is called an informal or a friendly letter. When you write a friendly
letter, you are free to write about your interests or share any news you wish.
Here are the contents of a friendly letter:
• A friendly letter consists of one address. This is the address of the writer.
• It has a date which shows the time that the letter was written.
• It also has the name of the recipient of the letter.
• At the end of the letter, there must be the name of the writer. The recipient already knows you,
therefore there is no need to write your surname. Write only your first name.
Below is a friendly letter. Study the letter carefully.
Plot 56 Oakfield Road (Your address)
Hillside
Bulawayo
19
Skip a line
23 January 2020 (Date when the letter was written)
Skip a line
Dear Sharon (Name of recipient. The person you are writing to.)
Skip a line
I know you were looking forward to hearing from me since I had promised to write you as soon as I
got back home.
I arrived safely and am enjoying the new term. I have a new friend called Judith, but mother is against
our friendship. Sharon dear, I do not understand why my mother is being hard on me. I have tried to
explain to her about my friend but she won’t listen. I love my friend very much.
Skip a line in between paragraphs
Sharon dear, how can I make my mother understand? Let me hope you respond soon. I do not want
my mother to choose friends for me. I feel I have a right to choose my own friends.
Skip a line
Kindly pass my regards to Taboka and your mother.
Skip a line
Your loving friend (Ending)
Skip a line
Buhle (Your first name only)
Exercise 3.2
Read the letter above and answer the following questions correctly.
1. Where does the writer stay?
2. Who is the writer of the letter?
3. When was the letter written?
4. To whom was the letter written?
5. What had the writer promised in the letter?
6. Who was Judith?
7. According to the letter, what problem did the writer have?
8. What does the writer think about her mother?
9. Whom did the writer ask the recipient to greet?
10. What is another word for ‘regards’ as used in ending the letter?

Buhle’s mother was once a girl. She knew the problems which teenagers face and she wanted to help
her daughter. Teenagers face some problems which they think are not known by adults. Write a letter
to your friend telling him / her about problems which young people face. In your letter, include the
points below and what you may think of:

20
 • State the problems
• The causes of the problems
• Write what you think can be done to solve the problems

You have learnt that a noun is a name of anything. This includes names of places, people, objects or
materials. Examples of nouns are hill, star, farm, bridge, truck, plastic or bag.
Identify names of places around your home and school. List names of the places. Make sentences using
the names you have written. Exercise 3.3
Underline the names of places in the sentences below.
1. The river is infested with crocodiles.
2. Mago was standing on the hill top.
3. Mambo, the chief, lived in a palace.
4. Nesbert found the girls sitting inside the hut.
5. We planted some beans in the garden.
6. There was a very good view down the valley.
7. Learners swept the classroom to make it tidy.
8. The bullies sat on a bridge teasing and insulting people.
9. The teacher stood at assembly to teach about good choice of friends.
10. Kuitakwashe sneaked out of the house.

Words used to join sentences are called conjunctions. One of these words is and.
Here are some examples:
(a) Kuitakwashe was a teenager. Judith was a teenager.
These two sentences can be joined using and as follows:
Kuitakwashe and Judith were teenagers.
(b) Nesbert talked about Kuitakwashe. Judith talked about Kuitakwashe.
Nesbert and Judith talked about Kuitakwashe.

Exercise 3.4
Follow the examples above and join the sentences below using and
1. Premature love affairs can be avoided. Unwanted pregnancies can be avoided.
2. Our parents give us good advice. Our teachers give us good advice.
3. Boys must exercise caution when choosing their friends. Girls must exercise caution when choosing
their friends.
4. Tamuda always focuses on her school work. Chikondi always focuses on his school work.

21
5. Mother aimed at raising obedient children. Father aimed at raising obedient children.
6. The counsellor visited our school recently. The school inspector visited our school recently.
7. Fadzai advised Kuitakwashe to stay away from bad company. Her husband advised Kuitakwashe to
stay away from bad company.
8. Nesbert had a very bad influence on other teenagers. Judith had very bad influence on other
teenagers.
9. Kuitakwashe was afraid of mother. Judith was afraid of mother.
10. Negative peer pressure is bad. Bad company is bad.

Idiomatic expressions are used to enrich the English language. They capture ideas in an elevated and
effective way. These expressions are effective in composition writing.
Here are examples of some expressions and what they mean:
(a) Munoshamisa had to test the waters using a small number of pigs.
To test the waters means to try and see if his plan worked before getting into serious business.
(b) His uncle always gave him a shoulder to cry on.
A shoulder to cry on means listening with sympathy. This means his uncle listened to him and also
felt for him.
Exercise 3.5
Find the meaning of the expressions in the sentences below.
1. Kuitakwashe had a bitter pill to swallow after the discussion with her parents.
2. Munoshamisa was good at building castles in the air.
3. The old man was good at picking holes in every conversation.
4. She was a naughty girl full of crocodile tears all the time.
5. The young man was a bookworm.
6. Ruvimbo told her friend to pull up her socks in order to pass.
7. Kuitakwashe ran as fast as her thin legs could carry her.
8. I sensed that there was a bolt from the blue by the way she looked at me.
9. The angry boy was armed to the teeth when he sought revenge.
10. We have to put our heads together to come up with valid solutions.

Here are some phonic sounds with a similar sound. They sound similar but have a different meaning in
words. Identify and say the sounds of the words.
–ea– and –ee– as in;
hear, near, fear feel,
meet, see

22
In pairs write down the words with –ea- sound.
Complete the words below using –ea- or –ee- and make sentences using the words.
1. b __ n 6. n__d
2. s__l 7. w__d
3. b__r 8. str __ t
4. g__r 9. b__t
5. sh__p 10. st__l
Exercise 3.6
Read the following sentences and sound the words in brackets correctly. Choose the correct word
from the words in brackets.
1. I am (not / naught) going to buy bread today.
2. She fell into the (pull / pool) and drowned.
3. Maguma needed to (need / knead) the dough before baking.
4. It (seams / seems) as if it is going to rain.
5. Mr Banda, the baker, has to walk down the (hill / heal) to supply bread and cakes.
6. Police found the (corps / corpse) of the missing man.
7. I can (here / hear) the sound of a big truck coming.
8. Traffic is usually busy during (pick / peak) hour.
9. I had so much (piece / peace) that I had a sound sleep.
10. It is time we (leave / live) or else we will not catch the bus.

H Prepositions with abstract nouns

Prepositions may be used with abstract nouns. Abstract nouns are nouns which name feelings such as
peace, joy, love and desire.
Examples of prepositions used with abstract nouns are; confusion about, hunger for, desire for, belief
in,
(a) There is confusion about the change of seasons.
(b) There is joy in singing for God.
(c) She has a desire for great achievements.
(d) Many people have a belief in the Supreme Being of God. Exercise 3.7
Choose the correct preposition to fill in the blank spaces in the sentences below.
for of to from towards between with in
1. Fadzai had anger _________ her daughter who could not listen to her.
2. There is an increase _________ teenage pregnancies.
3. Teachers have every reason _________ give counselling to learners.
4. We have an invitation _________ a counselling session tomorrow.
5. The demand _________ durable goods is high.
6. Judith is an example_________a bad friend.

23
7. Kuitakwashe was getting bad influence _________ Judith.

Unit

8. Parents must find some solutions _________ teenage problems 9. The cause _________
the rising teenage problems has to be identified.
10. There is a wide generation gap _________ parents and teenagers.

Exercise 3.8
Fill in the blank spaces using the right choice given in brackets.
1. He skidded because he did not ________ (brake / break).
2. We must try our best to ________ (caste / cast) away all prejudices.
3. I did not have the ________ (hart / heart) to tell you.
4. The ________ (hair / hare) has a short tail.
5. The flesh of Kangaroo sells very ________ (deer / dear).
6. What is the _______ (prize / price) for it.
7. He told me the ________ (tail / tale) of a fox.
8. The travellers had a terrible journey through the _____ (torturous / tortuous) road.

1. Have you ever heard of some folk stories?

2. What are the most common stories you know?
3. What do you think is the reason for storytelling?
4. Take turns to tell your group some stories you know and say what each story teaches.
5. Discuss with learners in your class the lessons you have learnt from the stories.

assurance excited approval delighted entertain commenced suggested compound

addressed comfortable

A Comprehension: Why the Sun and the Moon live in the sky?

24
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
A long time ago, the Sun and the Water were great friends. They both lived together on earth. Sun often
visited Water, but Water never returned the visits. Finally, Sun asked why Water never came to see him.
Water replied that the space in the Sun’s house was not big enough to accommodate his people. He
told Sun that if he came with his people he would drive Sun and his people out since his people were
numerous.
“My friend Sun, you have to build a very big compound because my people will take up a lot of room.”
Sun responded, “My friend, it is well. I will do my best to build a big home.”

Sun went to share his story with Moon. He met Moon with a broad smile and told him that he loved
visitors and needed to please Water and his people. Moon suggested that they help each other. “Thank
you very much Moon. Team work is very good.” Sun and Moon agreed to help each other build a very
big compound. It did not take them long to build a huge compound since they had asked their people
to help. Star was one of the people asked to come and help. She also worked very hard together with
Sun and Moon. Soon the compound was complete and it looked very beautiful. Sun was delighted. He
sought advice from Moon on how to make Water happier than he thought and he got the best advice.
Sun asked Water to visit. The visiting day commenced and Water asked if Sun was ready for him and his
people. Sun was very sure that all was set. He also had the assurance of Moon and Star who kept telling
him everything looked very beautiful and on dot. Water asked again, “Sun are you sure you are ready
for me and my people to visit your compound?” “Oh yes! Why not? I will be the happiest person to see
you and your people in my homestead. Please come! I cannot wait to see you.”
Water told his people about the invitation. Everyone in Water’s family was excited to visit Sun. Water
sent word that they were on their way. Sun was waiting, ready to entertain Water and his people. Moon
wore a broad smile on hearing the news. Water was approaching slowly but covering huge space in the

25
compound. Sun and Moon started moving upward. Water kept flowing accompanied by fish, crocodiles,
dolphins and all the other water-living animals.
Water got knee deep. He asked if Sun was comfortable with the level. Sun did not want to disappoint
Water. He said, “Yes my friend.” More water came flowing heavily. When the water came to the level
of a tall man’s head, he asked Sun, “Do you still want more of my people?” Sun looked at Moon to seek
approval and both agreed that all was well. Sun and Moon kept moving upward. The water kept flowing
until Sun and Moon perched themselves on roof tops. Water addressed Sun again and got the same
answer. Water kept flowing and more of his people flowed in. Soon Water covered roof tops. Sun, Moon
and Star decided to go up the sky since Water kept moving them upward. They remained in the sky up
to date. Comprehension questions
Answer the following questions in full correct sentences.
1. What is the title of the folk story?
2. What request did the Sun give to the Water?
3. Why didn’t Water visit the Sun?
4. Which word in the passage tells us that everyone who is in Water’s family was happy to visit Sun?
5. Who helped the Moon to build the compound?
6. What happened after the Sun had built the compound?
7. Who visited together with Water?
8. Where did Sun and Moon rest when Water kept flowing until it was knee deep?
9. Why did Sun keep inviting Water even after water level was unbearable?
10. What does the word ‘comfortable’ in the last paragraph refer to?

Exercise 4.1
Read again the folk story about the sun, the moon and the water. In a paragraph, write a summary of
the reasons why the sun, the moon, the star and the water are found at the locations they are today.
Your summary should not be more than 80 words.

Folk stories are meant to teach us some lessons. Read the folk story of the Moon, the Sun and Water
again. What lessons did you learn? Talk about any other folk story you know. Write a folk story of your
choice following the example of the story you read. Remember to follow the steps you have already
been taught about composition writing in previous units. Make sure you read and understand the topic
first. Exercise 4.2
Write a folk story of your choice. Your story must be between 80 and 120 words in length.
Include the following points and any you may think of:
• The title of the story.
• What the story is all about.
• The body of the story must have paragraphs showing different ideas in each paragraph.

26
 • What lessons do you learn from the story?

D Listening and speaking: Phonics

-ow- and –ou- sound the same but have different meanings. Say the sound in pairs or in your group.
Example: now how town house found drought
Exercise 4.3
Choose the correct sound to complete the following words.
1. cr_ _ wn
2. dr_ _ ght
3. w_ _nd
4. b_ _
5. sur_ _ _nd
6. kn_ _
7. gr_ _p
8. s_ _nd
9. f_ _ntain
10. m_ _rn

Use the words you have written in correctly punctuated sentences.

E Articles: Using a, an and the

Articles are put before nouns to show which thing or item is being referred to. Articles are also called
determiners. These are words like a, an or the.
The indefinite article is ‘a’ or ‘an’.
The definite article is ‘the’.
Read the following sentences and see the use of the articles a, an or the
(a) The doctor came at the right time.
(b) A seriously ill patient was waiting at his surgery.
(c) There was an old lady who was wriggling with stomach pains.
(d) A friend of the old lady and a young man kept convincing her she will be well.

Exercise 4.4
Use a, an or the to complete the following sentences.
1. Nkululeko wore __________ jacket and __________ woollen hat.
2. Doctor Mushaninga saw __________ most seriously ill patient first.
3. Tendai had spent __________ day studying for ________ examination.
4. Mazambani had _______ cup of tea and ________ slice of bread for breakfast.

27
5. Thandiwe has __________ set of twin girls.
6. __________ sun sought approval from __________ moon.
7. __________ eagle has sharp eyes.
8. We saw __________ ugly bull dog.
9. __________ visitors filled __________ whole compound.
10. Grandmother wore __________ old tattered dress.

Verbs in the past tense are action words which show that something has already been done.
Most verbs which end with a consonant are changed from the present tense to the past tense by adding
–ed at the end of the verb.
Here are some examples:
• walk – walked
• talk – talked
• help – helped
• shock – shocked
(a) Ruvimbo was (shock) when she heard about the death of her uncle. -ed is added
to the verb shock
Ruvimbo was shocked when she heard about the death of her uncle.
Exercise 4.5
Change the following sentences to the past tense by adding ‘-ed’ to the verbs in brackets.
1. The moon (suggest) that they help each other.
2. The sun (visit) the water on several occasions
3. The water never (return) the visits to the sun.
4. The sun was very (delight) to hear the news of water’s visit.
5. The visiting day (arrive) and they were all happy.
6. The moon and the star (help) the sun to build a compound.
7. The sun (wait) for the water and his family patiently.
8. The water (address) his family before visiting the sun.
9. The sun, the moon and the star (remain) in the sky.
10. The water (cover) the whole surface leaving no space for the sun and the moon.

Exercise 4.6
We add –d to most verbs ending with the vowel –e
Examples are: arrive – arrived confuse – confused revise – revised
Use –ed or –d to change the verbs in the following sentences.
1. Ashirai was call by the police to identify her stolen goods.

28
2. The scout dive into the river. He save the drowning boy.
3. Kulekani save money to marry the girl he love.
4. Martha watch a movie until it was late at night.
5. Father solve the problem which disturb his son.
6. Kumbulani gather his facts well before he answer questions from the angry woman.
7. The reckless driver change his route. He avoid traffic officers on the road.
8. Nompilo smile when she look at her mother.
9. Garikai arrive at the airport this morning.
10. Emma work in a company she like most.

G Using although, though or because

We use although and though to show something that is unusual, unexpected or surprising. Look at the
examples below:
(a) Although the sun visited the water, the water never visited back.
It was unusual that the water never paid a visit to his friend yet the friend continued to visit him.
(b) Although the sun had provided bigger space for the water and his people, they could still not fit in
well.
The space provided by the sun was vast as far as he was concerned but surprisingly it was not enough
for the water and his people.
The above sentences can be written using though. They will still have the same meaning.
(a) Though the sun visited the water, the water never visited back.
(b) Though the sun had provided bigger space for the water and his people, they could still not fit in
well.
Because is used to give reason.
(a) The water could not visit the sun because his people were too many to fit in the space provided by
the sun.
The water had a reason for not visiting the sun.
(b) The moon had to help the sun to create more space because they wanted to please the water and
his people.
Exercise 4.7
Use although, though or because to complete the sentences below.
1. __________ the water was friendly to the sun, the water did not visit the sun.
2. The water kept calling for more of his people _______ the space was not big enough to
accommodate them all.
3. The sun never stopped visiting the water __________ he did not pay back the visits.
4. Peter ate all the food __________ he was very hungry.
5. Nosizi advised her friend to do good __________ she did not listen.

29
6. Bridget worked hard __________ she wanted to pass with distinctions.
7. Mr Muringai rebuked bad behaviour in his students __________ he wanted to maintain discipline
in the school.
8. Thabani was very strong __________ she faced many challenges.
9. Siphelani did not help his grandfather to weed the field _________ he was very lazy.
10. The sun, the moon and the star had to find a place to stay on the roof top __________ all the space
had been covered by water and his people.

1. High is used when talking about things that are a long way from the ground or things whose top
parts are a long way from the ground. For example:
(a) A high shelf.
(b) A high window.
(c) Vumba is a high mountain.
2. Tall is used for people or things that measure more than usual from their bottom to their top. For
example:
(a) A tall person.
(b) A tall tree.
(c) A tall building.
(d) That is a tall building.
(e) You always use tall when describing a person. (f) My brother is tall.
3. Long is used to measure distance, time or measuring a large amount from one end to another. For
example:
(a) A long way.
(b) A long time.
(c) A long dress.
(d) He walked a long distance from the road.
(e) The meeting was too long.
(f) She has a long dress with long sleeves.

Exercise 4.8
Use long, high or tall in the correct sentence following the examples given above.
1. The river was very ___________ and deep.
2. Anodiswa tried to test the depth of the water using a___________stick.
3. A ___________man got into the river.
4. He held onto a branch on a ___________ tree which was in the river.
5. A life-saver was climbing on a ___________ wall.
6. The plants grown alongside the river bed were about one metre ___________.
7. Nqobani stood on a ladder to thatch the ___________ roof.

30
8. Anenyasha was not ___________ enough to get a cup from the cupboard.
9. The skyscraper was very ___________.
10. Thabo measured the flower beds using a ___________ rope.

A word can be shortened by dropping one of its letters. Such words are called contractions. Below are
some of the contractions.
(a) did not – didn’t
(b) are not – aren’t
(c) have not – haven’tExercise 4.9
Shorten the words below and use them to write meaningful sentences.
1. can not 6. will not
2. might not 7. was not
3. were not 8. could not
4. is not 9. must not
5. does not 10. do not
Exercise 4.10
Change the words in bold into contractions.
1. The police will not rest hunting for the thieves.
2. Garikai was not amongst the robbers.
3. Nobuhle did not come to school.
4. Mugove has not written his homework.
5. The villagers must not live in fear.
6. The miners were not using the old mine anymore.
7. We cannot hold the police responsible for the thefts and assaults.
8. Sekuru Kaguri might not come to the city soon.
9. Kudiwa is not feeling well.
10. Tichaona could not make it to hospital.

31
 Unit

Look at the picture above. What can you see in the picture?
1. What do you do during your free time?
2. Do you like to play games?
3. What is your favourite game?
4. List the names of the different games you know.

Read the words below which you will encounter in the passage. Find the meaning of the words and
try to use them in sentences.
chatted breeze ignoring vacation sniffing dribbled
eagerly opponent struggle whistling hesitate goose-pimples
celebrate abandoning disappeared yelling regretted subsided

32
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Daryl felt the first drops of the rain on his arms and wondered if he should run home quickly before
there was a downpour. He shivered briefly. His teeth chattered for a moment as the cold breeze blew
and then stopped. “How cold it has become”, he thought. He watched the other boys as they chased
the ball, ignoring the weather. They felt no rain and no cold. Daryl watched the teams playing street
soccer. It has been always the norm that during vacation time the boys spent time playing. They created
some teams from amongst them and had fun playing soccer.

When Daryl noticed that all his friends never minded the rain and the chilly weather, he decided to play
on. His team was winning. He looked up at the sky and smelled the air. He remembered how his
grandmother had told him that one can tell if it was going to rain by merely sniffing at the sky. Daryl
tried sniffing but could not tell since all he could sense was the dust that the soccer players kicked up in
the air. He could tell that the sky had grown darker.
While he was still deciding whether he should run home or play on, Anodiswa, his friend, passed the ball
to him. Joyfully Daryl stopped the ball and dribbled a little before passing to Atidaishe who was eagerly
waiting and shouting, “Pass!” Atidaishe was swept into the action as he dribbled his way past one
opponent of his team. As he dribbled further away from the first opponent to the other, one fellow took
the ball from him. Atidaishe simply gave it up without a struggle. It had been a quick thrill for Daryl who
had felt no rain and no cold. He told himself, “The trick is to keep playing.”
The boys kept playing and were all enjoying the game shouting with joy. Finally, Daryl’s team scored a
goal. It was Anodiswa who had scored the goal. All the boys jumped up and down. Some were yelling
whilst others whistled joyfully. Some lifted Anodiswa who had scored and others danced whilst jogging
back to the centre with thumbs raised. They were going to restart the game. Daryl checked his arms and
saw some tiny rain drops looking like goose- pimples on his skin. He ignored and joined his teammates
in celebrating the scored goal.
Soon the rain poured down. All the players ran home abandoning their match. Their goal posts on either
side were marked by shoes from the players. These goal posts disappeared as each player picked his
pair running back home. Daryl’s home was far from the play area. He hesitated to run home and
followed some boys who sought shelter at a nearby market place. The rain fell heavily and Daryl felt

33
colder and regretted why he had not ran home earlier when he saw dark clouds forming. He had to wait
until the rain had subsided. Comprehension questions
Answer all the questions in full and correct sentences.
1. Which sport were the boys playing?
2. Where were the boys playing?
3. According to the story, how can one tell if it is going to rain?
4. The story tells us that some boys were jogging to the centre with their thumbs raised.
Why did they raise their thumbs?
5. What does the word ‘vacation’ in the first paragraph refer to?
6. Why did the other boys ignore the raindrops which fell?
7. Why Daryl failed to realise that a downpour was coming?
8. What is meant by the phrase ‘abandoning their match’?
9. What stopped Daryl from running home?
10. How did Daryl feel when the rains got heavier?

Exercise 5.1
When writing a summary, you can focus on the action taken by someone or the main character in the
story. In the story you read there are many players mentioned. Find out the most outstanding player or
players in pairs. Talk about the actions of the player or players you have chosen. Write a summary of
the story you read. The summary should not be more than 80 words long. Include some of the notes
below:
• Who were the outstanding players?
• Actions done by the outstanding players.
• Write down the important ideas from every paragraph.
• Shorten long sentences.
Begin your summary as follows: The boys were playing street soccer. The most outstanding players…

C Composition: Report writing

The main idea of a report is to present facts about a specific topic, situation or event. Writing a report
is not about making arguments and supporting ideas. The information must be presented in a clear,
concise and objective way. That is why a report writing format is essential.

Format of a report
To: [The full name or professional title of the recipient]. For example:
To: The Head / The Teacher-In-Charge
From: [Writer’s full name or title]. For example:
From: Jabulani Nkomo / Sales Manager
Date: [The writer writes the date on which the report was compiled]. For example:

34
Date: 21 November 2020
Topic/Title: [A short description for the report or a heading which shows the purpose of the report]. For
example:
Topic: A report on the soccer competitions held at Chidiya Primary School
Key aspects in report writing
• In the first paragraph, write the purpose of the report and your authority in compiling such a
report.
• Points given in the question must be followed with clear explanations, suggestions, comments,
situations or conditions depending on the nature of the question.
• Points or notes given in the question must be addressed in the way they appear.
• Limit yourself to one idea per sentence. Short, straight-forward sentences are easy to read.
• Use good and simple language that is easy to follow and understand.
• Give some recommendations and a conclusion.
Exercise 5.2
You are the soccer captain of your senior school team and you recently travelled to a neighbouring
school for provincial competitions. Write a report to your school head informing him/her on what took
place during the sports event. Your report should be between 80 - 120 words in length. Use the following
notes and any other you may think of to write your report:
• when did the competitions take place
• how did you get at the sports venue
• what was the starting time
• who accompanied you to the sports event
• what happened there
• what challenges did you face and suggested solutions

Verbs ending in –y
1. There are some verbs which end in –y after a consonant, we drop y and add –ied
Examples: try – tried fry – fried
2. There are also some verbs which end in –y after a vowel, we add –ed Examples: delay – delayed
pray – prayed
Exercise 5.3
Change the verbs in bold to the past tense.
1. Tariro buy the ingredients for the cake.
2. He pray for three days while he was fasting for his family.
3. Bryne carry the poles for roofing his new house.
4. The baby cry throughout the night.
5. Dumisani try to enrol at the local technical college.

35
6. Nesbert stay in Botswana for several years.
7. Panashe dry his clothes in the sun.
8. I am worry about the shortage of water in our community.
9. They bury the cholera victim at his rural home.
10. The government play a major role in feeding orphans and the vulnerable people countrywide.

Irregular verbs are verbs which do not form their past tense and past participles by adding ‘ed’ to the
verb stem.
Look at the following sentences carefully.
(a) I kneel down to show respect to elders. I knelt down to show respect to elders.
(b) The bully stands in the way to block the students. The bully stood in the way to block the students.
Exercise 5.4
Change the verbs in brackets to irregular verbs.
1. Tadiwanashe ____________ her diary in her desk. (find)
2. Mr Pujara ____________ a letter to the manager. (write)
3. They ____________their friends a story. (tell)
4. Tendai ____________a good time at college. (have)
5. Ruvimbo____________to grow flowers in the garden. (begin)
6. John ____________ he wanted to join the army. (say)
7. The class ____________ Mr Mago was a very good teacher. (think)
8. We all ____________ down and paid attention. (sit)
9. Father ____________ home in such a hurry. (leave)
10. He ____________ a helmet for protection. (wear)

You have already learnt about proper nouns from previous units. Proper nouns are names of places,
people, rivers, festivals, events and holidays.
In the sentences below, examples of proper nouns are in bold:
(a) Robson travelled from South Africa to Malawi by air.
(b) Machipisa Police Station is located in Highfield.
(c) Lake Kariba is along the Zambezi River. Exercise 5.5
Copy the work in your exercise book and underline proper nouns.
1. Daryl and Atidaishe were friends.
2. On Heroes Day, the two went to watch a soccer match at Rufaro Stadium.
3. Every Wednesday the boys play street soccer.
4. The downpour occurred during summer.
5. Anodiswa scored a goal for his team.
36
6. People cross the Limpopo River to come and watch different sports in our country.
7. Soccer is also played on Independence Day to entertain the audience in the stadium.
8. The referee who handled the game came from Bulawayo.
9. Hockey is an interesting game.

Identify the games being played in the pictures.

Name a game that you like and talk about tools or materials used in playing the game.
Discuss about uniforms and sports shoes suitable for the game you have chosen.

Some words sound the same though they have different meanings. There are also some words that
sound the same but are confusing in spelling.
Examples:
Swift and sift: these two words may have a similar sound but they are different both in spelling and in
meaning.
(a) The eagle was very swift.
(b) She must sift the ingredients together properly.
37
Exercise 5.6
The words in brackets sound the same but have different meanings. Choose the correct word to
complete these sentences.
1. The football (march / match) was played by boys.
2. The game was played on a (weakly / weekly) basis.
3. Anodiswa (mad / made) his team happy.
4. He kicked a (short / shot) that gave them a goal.
5. Daryl did not (here / hear) the sound of the downpour.
6. The boys do not (were / wear) uniforms.
7. Atidaishe enjoys his (spot / sport).
8. The referee had to (barn / ban) the bully from playing the game.
9. It (rained / reigned) heavily.
10. The clouds were very (duck / dark).

Interjections are words or phrases which are used to express feelings or emotions like joy, pain, shock
or pleasure.
An exclamation mark or comma is used after an interjection. Interjections are mostly used in in dialogue.
Examples of interjections
Oh, ah, ouch, yeah, wow, hey, oops
(a) “Oh! My God. You lost it.”
(b) “Hey! come with me.”
(c) “Ouch! My head is aching.”
(d) “Oh, no! Please stop that.”
Exercise 5.7
Use interjections in the sentences below and punctuate them correctly.
1. Hey Stop those lies.
2. Ah It looks like a great idea.
3. Umm The food is yummy.
4. Oh yes That’s my favourite game.
5. Hooray It’s a score.
6. Wow it is amazing.
7. Ah That was bad luck.
8. Ouch My stomach is rumbling.
9. Whew The aeroplane flew over the rooftop.
10. Woo I’m feeling blessed.

38
1. We use was when talking about single people or things. For example:

(a) He was climbing a tree when he was hurt on the leg. There is one person spoken about.
(b) The donkey was angry and it kicked a boy standing nearby. It’s one donkey and one boy
(c) There was a long queue at the filling station. At the filling station people were in one queue.
The queue is only one.
2. We use were when talking about two or more things or people. For example:
(a) We were busy cleaning the yard. Many people were cleaning the yard.
(b) The village boys were not aware that they were going to be sold. Many village boys are being
mentioned here.
(c) All the trees were looking green because the rain had watered them well. All means many trees.
(d) The queues at most bus stations were very long and tiresome. Many bus stations have many
queues. Exercise 5.8
Use the correct word to complete the sentences below.
1. The twins _____________ among the boys who joined Senior.
2. Kennedy’s mother_____________a widow.
3. The white farmers _____________cruel people who only needed cheap labourers.
4. The musical instruments _____________played majestically.
5. The sound of the guitar _____________loud enough to invite Matonjere’s fans.
6. Many reasons _____________given for the land degradation taking place.
7. One of the orphans _____________abducted.
8. The gang of thieves_____________arrested at a nearby farm.
9. The pair of shoes_____________ missing because it _____________ stolen.
10. The infants _____________vaccinated against measles.

K Punctuation: Using the comma (,)

1. Commas are used to separate lists of things or items such as people, animals or other things. Here
are examples:
(a) Boys, girls, men and women watched the match.
(b) We saw lions, cheaters, giraffes, leopards and baboons at the game park. (c) The shop
sells pots, plates, cups and cutlery.
2. Commas are also used to separate direct speech from other words in sentences when writing. Here
are examples: (a) Daryl shouted, “It’s a score!”
(b) He said, “I wish I had gone home before it rained.” (c) “Come
let’s run home. The rain has subsided,” he said.
3. Commas can also be used at the end of a sentence to show a pause such as: please, sir, madam,
well done. Here are examples:
(a) Excuse me madam, can I join you? (b) Moana, well done.

39
4. Commas can also be used to separate some words which appear at the beginning of the sentences
such as: well, yes, oh, ah, hey, oops (a) Phew, the bird flew above the roof.
(b) Yes, we did it.
(c) Ouch, it feels sour.

Exercise 5.9
Rewrite the following sentences using commas where necessary.
1. Zambezi Save Limpopo and Mtirikwi are names of rivers.
2. The farmer grows beans peas carrots tomatoes and cabbages.
3. Oh I missed the match.
4. Tito that was excellent.
5. Kudiwa answered “I’m coming soon.” 6. Oops Ben fell from the tall tree.
7. Mother said “You ought to be careful you will break the cup.”
8. “The match has already started” said Muzamba.
9. Buhle Rutendo Mike Thamsanqa and Joseph support the same team.
10. Well done Thuba.

40
Talk about old people in your community. Identify them by their names. Share the good things they

Unit

teach you. Discuss the advantages of having old people in the community.

Match the words in the table below with the correct meaning.
Word Meaning

1. Prominent Guidance

2. Appreciate Famous

3. Inherit Amusing state of mind.

4. Counsel Something handed over by a predecessor.

5. Legacy Recognise the value of something.

6. Advice Being left with something from someone.

7. Humour Give advice

8. Utilise A group of people born at the same time.

9. Generation Wearing glasses for seeing.

10. Spectacled Use something.

A Comprehension: Magogorosi family

Read the following passage very carefully before you attempt any questions.
Families enjoy the presence of old people who teach and help them in many things. Our grandparents
have lived to see and know a lot that the young generation has to be taught today.
Once upon a time, there lived an old couple in a village that lay in the valley of Musuwanhowe Mountain.
Sekuru Magogorosi was an old spectacled man who was well known for his wisdom and love. He was
given the name because of the spectacles. He had a very hardworking wife who was very generous to
41
people. The two had very big family comprising of many boys and a few girls. Sekuru and Mbuya
Magogorosi were able to take care of their big family because they worked hard.

Mbuya Magogorosi was old but very strong. She woke up during the very early hours of the day to work
in the fields. The family had a very big piece of land which they utilised well. Mbuya Magogorosi used
to encourage her family to wake up early just like her and work in the fields or at the homestead. She
grew a variety of crops in the fields. The couple also lived with grandchildren whom they took great care
of. They taught them many life skills.
Heading cattle was also part of the work that Sekuru Magogorosi taught the children. At times, strong
Mbuya Magogorosi would climb the mountain to look for firewood, mushroom and grass for thatching
houses.
Sekuru Magogorosi would sit in the counsel of chiefs giving advice and sharing advice with the elders of
the village. He was full of humour. He made people enjoy his meetings by sharing some jokes during the
meetings. In the evenings they sat together roasting maize and enjoying lessons and stories told by
Sekuru Magogorosi. All his sons take after him. They are very good at telling funny stories. They are all
very cheerful.
Sekuru Magogorosi also owned some shops at the local township. Many people liked to visit his shop
and buy because he gave some sweets as a token of appreciation to his customers. He also was the first
man in the community to own some buses, lorries and cars.
When he died, Mbuya Magogorosi found it very hard to run the businesses because of old age and the
eldest son inherited them. A few years later she also died. This wonderful couple left a great legacy and
people still talk about them till now.

Comprehension questions 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Sekuru Magogorosi lived near __________.
A. a river B. a rock C. a mountain D. a town
2. Sekuru Magogorosi wore _____________ on his face
A. spectacles B. a floppy hat C. a skirt D. a ring
3. Mbuya Magogorosi was old but_____________.
42
 A. big B. strong C. lazy D. greedy
4. Mbuya Magogorosi climbed up the mountain to_____________.
A. play B. hunt C. fetch for firewood D. enjoy
5. Sekuru Magogorosi owned some shops. He was a_____________.
A. businessman B. driver C. counsel D. elder
6. He gave his _____________ some gifts for shopping from his store.
A. friends B. customers C. village D. wife
7. Sekuru Magogorosi was full of_____________.
A. humour B. pride C. joke D. laughter
8. Mbuya Magogorosi gave the people in her community a lot of things. She was very___.
A. smart B. hardworking C. generous D. great
9. Sekuru Magogorosi was the __________ man to own some buses in the community.
A. one B. only C. good D. first
10. Mbuya and Sekuru Magogorosi were a _____________ couple.
A. lazy B. weak C. true D. wonderful

Comprehension questions 2
Answer the questions below in full. Punctuate and use correct grammar and spelling.
1. Why was Sekuru Magogorosi given such a name?
2. Where did Sekuru Magogorosi teach the elders?
3. How did he teach the people at his meetings?
4. Where was Sekuru Magogorosi’s shop?
5. What else did Mbuya Magogorosi fetch from the mountains instead of firewood?
6. Who inherited Sekuru Magogorosi’s businesses when he died?
7. Explain the phrase, “all his sons take after him”.
8. What are the sons of Sekuru and Mbuya Magogorosi known for?
9. “Mbuya Magogorosi was generous.” What kind of a person was she?
10. What did the Magogorosi family do during the evenings?

Exercise 6.1
We have learnt in previous units what to consider before writing a summary. Follow the steps you have
learnt from the previous units to write a summary. In a single paragraph, write a summary of the things
that Sekuru and Mbuya Magogorosi did to show that they were wise and hardworking grandparents.
Your summary should not be more than 80 words in length.

C Composition: The most interesting person in my community

In every community, there are some people who are very interesting. In the community you have read
about, it looks like the old couple were an interesting people. Exercise 6.2

43
Write a composition about the interesting person in your community. Your composition must be
between 80 and 120 words in length. Use the following notes and any other that you may think of to
write your story.
• Name of person
• Where the person lives
• What the person looks like
• What makes the person interesting
• What you think about the person

D Using antonyms or opposites

Words which are opposite to one another are called antonyms. Examples of opposites:
(a) beautiful ugly
(b) weak strong
Exercise 6.3
Match these words with the correct opposite.
overdue humble hostile empty amateur reckless contract plain ancient busy
1. professional _______. 6. full _____________.
2. premature ________. 7. elder _____________.
3. cheerful __________. 8. proud ____________.
4. modern __________. 9. mountain _________.
5. idle _____________. 10. careful ___________.
E Using prefixes such as dis-, mis- and un-
Some opposites are formed by using prefixes such as dis-, mis- and un- Examples are:
(a) like dislike respect disrespect
(b) manage mismanage print misprint
(c) true untrue happy unhappy
Exercise 6.4
Use the correct prefix to form the opposite of the words in bold.
1. The professional driver did not have a licence.
2. Chido was able to control his temper.
3. His face showed belief in the news she heard.
4. It is a sign of honesty to abscond from lessons.
5. The referee qualified the rude player.
6. Portia was fortunate. She lost her husband at a tender age.
7. Ambuya Magogorosi did not pick mushroom she was familiar with.
8. The boys agreed with the rules set for them.

44
9. It is not safe to drink water from protected sources.
10. The young woman had a carriage.

We can form plurals by adding suffix –es to some nouns. Here are some of the examples:
(a) dress – dresses
(b) bus – buses
Exercise 6.5
Change the words in bold to plurals.
1. The bag of potato was heavy.
2. Sekuru Magogorosi owned a fleet of bus.
3. Mbuya Magogorosi could not run the various business after the death of her husband.
4. The old couple grew tomato on a large scale.
5. They carried the tomato in huge box to the market.
6. In the orchard were a lot of mango.
7. Fox roamed the mountain plains every day.
8. There were no buffalo in the Musuwanhowe area.
9. Mosquito were breeding in the tall grass and swampy ponds.
10. Sekuru Magogorosi and his friends were considered as true hero of the village.

G Conjunctions: Using because, although, and or when

Sentences can be joined by using words called conjunctions. The above words, because, although, and
or when are conjunctions. Check the examples below:
(a) Grandparents like to teach young people because it is one of their roles.
(b) Although Mbuya Magogorosi was old, she still worked hard in her field. (c) Sekuru
Magogorosi was very wise and humorous. Exercise 6.6
Join the following sentences using the correct word.
1. Grandparents are very important people ___ they know many things in the community.
2. People liked to buy from Sekuru Magogorosi’s shop_________he gave his customers some gifts.
3. People still bought from his shop_________the prices were up a little.
4. The road got slippery _________ it rained.
5. Mbuya Magogorosi could not run the businesses _________she was very old.
6. All the people at the elders meeting laughed _________ Sekuru Magogorosi cracked a joke.
7. The elder brother was not the owner of the family businesses _________he took over the running.
8. He had to let the businesses move _________his father died.
9. She picked some mushroom _________she had gone to fetch firewood.
10. The old couple left a legacy _________of their personality.

45
 Unit

Relatives and friends do visit our homes. Let us talk about visitors.
1. Do you live in a home were people visit a lot?
2. Do you welcome all the visitors?
3. Are there some visitors whom you wish they could stay away from your home? Why?
4. Tell your friends what you would do if someone you do not like visit your place.

The words below are in the passage you are going to read. Find the meaning of the words and try to
use them in sentences.
desist strict raised disobedient rebellious ruin befriend company echoed attentive
harsh nonsense tolerate mischief sight regularly belly bragging respond accompany
boarded privately probed unwelcome

A Comprehension: Uncle Gutsa

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Kakuyo and his wife raised their children well. Kakuyo disliked boys and girls who drank beer and smoked
cigarettes or drugs. He would tell his children to desist from such bad behaviour. He was strict on his
rules because he did not want to raise disobedient or rebellious children.
“My children, we live in a very cruel world where many children ruin their future by drinking beer, taking
drugs and smoking. Be careful not to befriend such kinds of people,” said Kakuyo softly. “I will never
play with such kinds of friends my father,” said Rutendo. Tafadzwa and Shepherd echoed the same. The
children listened attentively as their father spoke. Both parents did not tolerate any mischief from their
children.
Uncle Gutsa lived in Domboshava. He used to visit his brother regularly. The children liked him. They
made fun out of his big belly, short legs and a big head. Uncle was proud of his body although people

46
laughed at him. He moved boastfully, bragging that he was smart and very handsome. This made the
children laugh more.

Tafadzwa and Shepherd acted in a weird manner when their uncle visited. They wore low faces and did
not want to sit next to him like they usually do. No one could make out why they behaved like that.
Kakuyo and his wife entertained Uncle Gutsa and shared lots of stories from home while they ate food.
It was when he was about to leave that Kakuyo called the boys to the dining room. The boys took time
to respond. He had to send Rutendo to call them again. They came in with very low faces and their
father was quick to ask why. They both said nothing but looked very afraid and no one knew why.
“Let’s accompany Uncle Gutsa to the bus stop,” said Kakuyo to the boys. They both told their father
they were busy with the homework but he insisted. They did as their father had asked. When uncle
boarded the bus, Rutendo said, “Father the boys were afraid of uncle Gutsa.” “Oh! Why?” “Rutendo
you are lying. Stop your lies,” said Shepherd angrily. Fear ran through Rutendo’s body and she kept
quiet.
Later in the evening, Kakuyo asked Rutendo privately, why the boys looked afraid when their uncle
came. He kept probing until Rutendo told him that uncle Gutsa had seen the boys in the company of
some bullies who drank beer and they were afraid that he would report this to their father which he did
not. He did not even know that the boys were bullies but he saw that they were drunk and had asked
the boys if they had also started drinking.
Uncle Gutsa was an unwelcomed visitor because the boys feared he would tell their parents the
company he found them in.

Comprehension questions
Answer the following questions in full. Use correct grammar and spellings.
1. How did Kakuyo and his wife raise their children?
2. What did Kakuyo tell his children?
3. Who visited the family?
4. Where did the visitor stay?
5. Why was Kakuyo strict on rules?

47
6. What did uncle Gutsa say about his body?
7. Why were the boys acting weird?
8. Did their uncle know of the bullies?
9. Why did Rutendo not continue to talk when Shepherd stopped her?
10. What does the word ‘unwelcome’ in the passage refer to?

A summary is written to shorten a sentence, a paragraph or a story. Read the story of the unwelcomed
visitor again. Exercise 7.1
Retell the story to your group members. Now draw some points from each paragraph. Write down the
points and discuss together. Find some long sentences and shorten them. Choice of words
You can shorten the sentences by using one word for a group of words or phrases. Here is an example:
(a) The father and mother did not like their boys and girls to play with bullies. Words in
bold can be replaced with one word to make the sentence shorter. (b) The parents did
not like their children to play with bullies. Exercise 7.2
Choose the word or phrase which best shortens all the words in bold.
substance abuse regularly vegetables builder tools children youths fruits appearance people
1. They raised their little boys and girls well.
2. They dislike some boys and girls aged between thirteen and nineteen years old who drink beer.
3. Kakuyo does not like man and women who drink beer.
4. Taking alcohol, drinking beer, smoking cigarettes and taking drugs must stop.
5. The children made fun of uncle’s small head, big belly and thin legs.
6. He had a plastic bag with apples, oranges, pears, lemons and bananas.
7. The tables and chairs in the hall were not enough.
8. She grows rape, cabbages, carrots, onions and tomatoes.
9. Uncle Gutsa needed a garden fork, a rake, a spade and a shovel.
10. He visited his young brother time after time.

A descriptive composition explains a person, object or an event. The information you write will describe
the noun, giving details about the noun. When uncle Gutsa visited his brother, the children were very
uncomfortable. The boys did not like the visitor. Exercise 7.3
Write a descriptive composition about an event that made you feel uncomfortable. Use the following
points to write your composition:
• What was the event that made you feel uncomfortable?
• What happened?
• Where did this happen?
• How did it happen?

48
 • What lesson did you learn from what happened?
• Conclusion

We have learnt about personal pronouns from the previous unit. These are pronouns used instead of
the name of a person. Exercise 7.4
Complete the following sentences using the correct personal pronoun.
me you she they them he we her him I us
1. The boys pretended _____________ were very busy.
2. Rutendo chose to keep quiet because _____________ was afraid of her brother.
3. _____________ waited for uncle to finish his meal
4. Uncle Gutsa did not like the bullies_____________ saw that __________ were drunk.
5. Mother was busy in the kitchen, _____________ was cooking.
6. The boys thought their uncle had reported _____________ to their father.
7. _____________ do not like bullies_____________frighten people.
8. _____________worked as a team and finished our work earlier than expected.
9. _____________will travel to the village tomorrow morning.
10. My aunt died last week. _____________ attended the funeral.

E Joining ideas using so…that

Examples:
(a) The leopard was so swift that it caught the poor zebra before it got very far.
(b) Rutendo washed the plates so quickly that she left some unclean marks on them.
Exercise 7.5
Follow the examples given above and complete the sentences below.
1. The oranges were so juicy that ____. 6. The filthy sluggard was so drunk that___.
2. Rutendo was so afraid that _____. 7. Bullies are so rude that_______.
3. The boys were so quiet that ____. 8. The children were so attentive that____.
4. The bully was so harsh that ______. 9. Kakuyo was so strict that__________.
5. Uncle Gutsa was so angry that_____. 10. Shepherd was so harsh that________.

Adjectives tell us about nouns. They describe the nouns. Some adjectives describe the qualities of nouns.
For example:
(a) Kakuyo had a beautiful wife.
(b) Esther prepared a very delicious meal. Exercise 7.6
Complete the following sentences using these adjectives.

49
handsome cruel clever wicked thin angry weird ugly big delicious kind
1. Many people thought Gutsa was an __________ man.
2. The boys acted in a __________ manner.
3. Rutendo had __________ legs.
4. Kakuyo told his children that they were living in a __________ world.
5. Gutsa told people he was a __________ man.
6. The bullies were very __________ boys.
7. Shepherd was an __________ boy.
8. Mother was a very __________ woman.
9. Mother prepared a __________ meal.
10. Gutsa had a __________ belly.

Pronouns can be used instead of names. For example:

(a) Phatisani encouraged himself and gathered more strength to climb the
mountain.
(b) She sat by herself reading a book. Exercise 7.7
Choose the correct pronoun to complete the sentences below.
herself myself themselves himself ourselves yourselves itself
1. I sat by __________ at the waiting area.
2. Uncle Gutsa was talking to__________.
3. Mother prepared the meal__________.
4. You have to work hard to improve __________.
5. The lion fought the leopard by__________.
6. They kept exercising to keep __________ fit.
7. The bully destroyed __________ by taking drugs.
8. We helped __________ to the delicious lunch.
9. The boys were worrying __________while uncle was happy with his brother.
10. The greedy dog fooled __________ when it saw its reflection in the water.

Prepositions are words like, on, in, at, of, for, inside, outside, across and many more. We use them
before a noun or a pronoun. They give us information about time and place. For example:
(a) Time: On the first day I was excited.
(b) Place: He walked across the bridge. Exercise 7.8
Choose the correct preposition to complete the following sentences.
with by of about in from at on to

50
1. Uncle Gutsa was proud _________ his body.
2. Rutendo was afraid _________ the bullies.
3. He came _________ bus.
4. Shepherd was angry _________ his sister.
5. The boys were very sorry _________ their mistake.
6. Mother was very worried _________ the boys’ behaviour.
7. Kuitakwashe was keen _________ learn new ideas.
8. She was interested _________ cooking lessons.
9. The boys were playing _________ some bullies.
10. Bullies are capable _________ killing people.

We have learnt about punctuation marks before. Study the following sentences.

1. Full stop ( . )
The full stop is also called a period. It is put at the end of a sentence. It expresses a complete idea. It is
an end mark. For example:
(a) Kennedy is very hardworking.
(b) Janet fought hard to provide for the children.
These are complete sentences with a full stop or period at the end.
2. Question mark ( ? )
The question mark is put at the end of a question or a statement which shows that there is a question
asked. A question mark is an end mark. It is put at the end of a question. For example:
(a) Did Messi leave Barcelona?
(b) How was your journey?
Exercise 7.9
Use the correct punctuation in the following sentences. Use capital letters where applicable.
1. Jacob was a Malawian soldier working in the republic of congo
2. Rose had a funny dream
3. The journey by road was tiresome wasn’t it
4. Minizhu kept long grey and gold beard
5. Nesbert was always in the company of beautiful girls
6. When did victor fly to Namibia
7. Chiratidzo is determined to win the raffle
8. During the colonial era farmers in Zimbabwe were treated badly
9. Are you sure you want to work as a slave in America
10. Why do you need to study hard Exercise 7.10
Correct the paragraph by adding appropriate punctuation and capital letters.

51
lebo is one of the most laid-back people i know he is tall and slim with black hair and he always wears a
t-shirt and black jeans his jeans have holes in them and his baseball boots are scruffy too he usually sits
at the back of the class and he often seems to be asleep however when the exam results are given out
he always gets “A’s” i don’t think hes as lazy as he appears to be

OUR BEAUTIFUL Unit

8 COUNTRY ZIMBABWE

This is a map of Zimbabwe. Study it carefully.

1. Locate and name the places in Matabeleland South, Midlands and Mashonaland East.
2. Identify tourist destination areas and the provinces they are found.
3. Have you ever visited some tourist places in Zimbabwe?

Read the following words and use them to practise sentence construction.

52
Civil Engineer construction integrity prominent industry
balance heed tourists vast
extinction ranging sculpture basketry overseas
tour guide sacred straying clinging photographs
camera
foreign currency

A Comprehension: Vumba Mountains

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Bryne Tafadzwa is a Civil Engineer who owns a construction company. He is a man of integrity who is
well known by most prominent people in the construction industry. He works very hard and does his
work perfectly well.
As a man who works hard, he also needs some time for rest. He has to balance between work and family.
He has a wife and three children. Recently, Bryne and his family visited the Vumba Mountains in the
Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe.

A view of the Vumba Mountains

Zimbabwe is a blessed country. It is full of beautiful mountains, rivers, trees and wild animals. Many
people come from all over the world to see the wonders in this beautiful country. At the Vumba
Mountains tourists bring in foreign currency. There are very beautiful hotels for visitors to stay as they
spend their time viewing surrounding places. The tourists buy different kinds of goods sold by
Zimbabwean people. Zimbabweans are very creative. They make different art and crafts ranging from
wood carvings and stone sculpture, basketry, clay models and also iron craft. All these goods are bought
using foreign currency by those coming from overseas.

53
Tourists like viewing the places around, therefore tour guides help them. They go around the places
explaining to them more about the place. There are wild animals around the places and people have to
be very careful and follow instructions given by the tour guides especially in the mountains. In
Zimbabwe, there are some very sacred places especially in the mountains. Tourists have to take heed
of given instructions lest they get lost in the thicket of the mountains. A lot of stories are told of people
who could not find their way back to the hotels after straying in the beautiful mountains. The huge
forests around are a habitat for many animals including elephants, lions and leopards. Some animals
are facing vast extinction.
Bryne and his family had a chance to visit the game park and the children enjoyed a lot. They had seen
some animals on pictures but now they had time to see real animals. Tanicia shouted, “Daryl! Look at
the giraffe.” “Oh yes I see it. It has that very long neck. I will tell my teacher and my friends about all
these animals.” Kudiwa the youngest was afraid of all the animals. She was clinging to her mother.
Bryne took some pictures at the Leopard Rock and surrounding places using his camera. They had a very
beautiful weekend and birthday celebrations and drove back to Harare. Comprehension questions
1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Bryne was an ___________.
A. family B. engineer C. worker D. worker
2. The family visited the___________.
A. place B. thicket C. tourists D. Vumba mountains
3. Tourists use ___________ to buy goods.
A. sculpture B. foreign currency C. tour guides D. wood
4. ___________ help tourists to view different places around the Vumba Mountain.
A. Tour guides B. Vendors C. People D. Tourists
5. Some tourists who do not follow instructions from tour guides may ____ in the forests.
A. sell B. stray C. guide D. cling
6. Bryne took pictures of the ___________
A. road B. walls C. cars D. Leopard Rock Hotel
7. The children enjoyed seeing ___________.
A. people B. books C. pictures D. real animals
8. ___________ kept clinging to her mother.
A. Tanicia B. Fadzai C. Kudiwa D. Daryl
9. Another word which means straying is ___________.
A. lost B. cling C. guide D. help
10. Some ___________ are also found in the mountain.
A. vegetables B. people C. sacred places D. extinction
Comprehension questions 2
Answer all questions in full sentences. Write your sentences in good grammar and punctuate them
correctly.
1. What kind of work does Bryne do?
2. Where do we find the Vumba Mountains?

54
3. What is the work done by tour guides?
4. What are some of the items sold by people at different tourist attractions?
5. What can people expect to see at the Vumba Mountains?
6. What is the name of the hotel mentioned in the passage?
7. What does the words, “take heed” tell about the conduct of tourists?
8. In one paragraph, write a summary of the activities and other things that take place at Vumba
Mountains. Your summary should not be more than 80 words.

Exercise 8.1
Identify and discuss some good and bad things which people may face after visiting tourist destinations.
Talk about ways of solving the bad things with your group members. Write the points you discussed and
share with others.
For example, there may be too many people on entertainment points, there may be a shortage of tour
guides to help tourists and also attitude of the workers may be negative to tourists.

C Composition: A letter of complaint

A formal letter can be called a business letter. This kind of a letter contains two addresses. A formal
letter is mainly about business. There are no greetings or some stories of interest but strictly business
issues. This means the letter carries the following:
• two addresses
• a reference
• the body of the letter and
• an ending with your full names
Below is an example of a formal letter.
Bhamala Primary School (Writer’s address)
P.O. Box 127
Silobela
Skip a line
29 March 2020 (Date when the letter was written)

Skip a line
The Member of Parliament
P.O. Box 15 (Address to where the letter is being written)
Silobela
Skip a line

55
Dear Sir (Salutation)
Skip a line
RE: Request for the construction of bridges across Gwembezi river. (Reference - when reference is in
small letters [Re/Ref] it should be underlined. When it is in capital letters [RE/REF] it is not underlined.
‘Re’ is written when you are starting a letter on your own whereas ‘Ref’ is used when responding to a
prior publicity like an advert.)
Skip a line
I would like to congratulate you for being elected to the post you have. I am happy that as a constituency
we now have a great representative who will attend to our issues.
Skip a line between paragraphs
I would like to bring the problem of bridges across Gwembezi river. There are no bridges to facilitate
easy access by road transport from the major road leading to Silobela. Villagers across the river are only
accessible through some dangerous suspension bridges. These bridges cannot be crossed during the
rainy seasons when the river usually gets flooded. Villagers can hardly use scotchcarts on these
suspension bridges. I also feel that the upgrading of roads will help farmers to transport their produce
to bigger markets.
Skip a line
Your services to solve this urgent need will be greatly appreciated.
Skip a line
Yours faithfully / Yours sincerely (Yours faithfully is a formula for ending a formal letter in which the
recipient is not addressed by name. Yours sincerely is a formula used to end a letter, typically a formal
one in which the recipient is addressed by name.) Skip a line
Siphiwe Moyo (Write your full names.)

Exercise 8.2
Study the letter above in pairs or groups and answer the questions below.
1. Who wrote the letter?
2. Who is the recipient of the letter?
3. Where does the writer stay?
4. What is the reference of the letter?
5. Why did the writer put a request?
6. Where must the bridge be constructed?
7. Which name of the river is mentioned in the letter?
8. What kind of bridges are used by villagers to cross the river? Exercise 8.3
You visited one of the tourist destinations in the country. You discovered something you did not like and
you want to make a complaint to the manager of the place. Write a letter to the manager stating the
nature of displeasure you have and suggest solutions to fix the problems.

56
 • Where is the tourist destination?
• When did you go there?
• What annoyed you?
• What should be done to solve the problem?
• How do the solutions improve the tourist destination’s image?

1. The colon is used to start a list of things that follow. For example:
(a) We need the following utensils for cooking: pots, plates, spoons and pans.
2. The colon is also used in a dialogue or play script. It separates the names of the speakers from what
they say. For example:
Mihla: Are you busy today?
Judith: Yes, dear. I have lots of work to do.
3. The colon is used when defining something or introducing an explanation. For example: (a)
Punctuation: Capital letters.

Exercise 8.4
Punctuate the following exercise correctly. Use capital letters, the comma and the colon.
1. The doctors need the following things: protective clothing, enough medicines and an attractive
salary.
2. he celebrated his birthday during the easter holidays.
3. there were many tourists climbing the mountain riding horses and viewing animals.
4. the manager mr rukodzi told the tourists that leopard rock hotel was open for business.
5. Speaker of Parliament silence please.
6. We caught him he is the thief.
7. Zimbabwe is blessed with tourist attractions such as mountains, waterfalls and rivers
8. people from countries like Germany Britain America and New Zealand like to buy some sculpture
and basketry from Zimbabwe.
9. traditional dancers also perform dances to entertain visitors from different countries.
10. A poem entitled All things bright and beautiful is very interesting.

Exercise 8.5
Your teacher will read the paragraph below. Listen carefully. Write every sentence dictated correctly.
Vumba Mountain is found in the Eastern Highlands. There are huge forests which surround the
mountain and provide habitation for many animals. Tourists view the beautiful mountain with the
assistance of tour guides. They have to take heed of instructions lest they get lost in the thicket of trees.
There are some sacred places on the mountain too.

57
Determiners are words such as this, those, my, their, which, that, what, whose. Determiners are special
adjectives that are used before nouns. For example:
(a) Kudiwa is the girl who cried loudly.
(b) Janet saw the eagle which flew above the tall tree. Exercise 8.6
1. Bryne is an engineer ___________ owns a company.
2. ____________ is the lady _____________handbag was stolen.
3. I left _____________ note book on the table.
4. The boys were looking for _____________ dog.
5. Tom was amazed by _____________ he saw on the hilltop.
6. _____________ animals grazing in the valley are happy.
7. The bag _____________ was lost has been found.
8. I like _____________ beautiful view.
9. The children liked _____________ they saw at the game park.
10. Tanicia kept saying, “_____________ bird is huge.”

1. Has is used when we talk, read or write about one thing or person.
(a) Wendy has travelled to the village. (b) He has a puppy.
2. We use have when talking about more than one person, you, we, and I (a) I have three brothers.
(b) You have many children.
3. We use has and have in the past participle tense.
(a) She has kicked the ball.
(b) They have worked hard.
Exercise 8.7
Choose the right word has or have to complete the following sentences.
1. The children ______________ some gifts for their parents.
2. Bryne ______________a construction company.
3. The aeroplane ______________ landed at the local airport.
4. Mamoyo ______________ love for her family.
5. We ______________ some tasks to carry out.
6. The twins ______________ new shoes.
7. The bullies ______________ wrong motives.
8. Father and I ______________ a meeting to attend.
9. The lion ______________ a cub.
10. Children ______________ a right to education.

58
The past participle is a form of verb used in the present perfect and perfect tense. These tenses are

Unit

formed by adding has/have/had and the past participle. For example:

(a) The cows have drawn the cart.
(b) Tanicia has shouted excitedly. Exercise 8.8
Use the correct form of verb in the following sentences.
1. I have ______________ the new plate. (break)
2. Mother has ______________her purse. (lose)
3. Daryl has______________ a goal. (score)
4. She has ______________ a beautiful car. (buy)
5. Fadzai has ______________ the new car. (drive)
6. The children have ______________ the drive. (enjoy)
7. The manager has______________ the keys for the lodge. (find)
8. Daryl has ______________ a picture of the lion. (draw)
9. Tanicia and Kutewa have ______________ all the juice. (drink)
10. Some wild animals have______________ from the game park. (escape)
1 Hour 30 Minutes
There are 40 questions in this paper. Answer all questions on a separate answer sheet.

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Thembani lived in Bulawayo in a flat. She was fourteen years old. Her parents spent their day at work.
Thembani was usually alone at home during the day after school. At the flats they had not much space
to play. She played only in the corridors. The space for playing was very limited. Children were also not
allowed to make as much noise as they do at school. Anyone found making noise would be in trouble.
Thembani liked going to the shops. It is where she met some friends to play with. Whenever her mother
sent her to the shops, she would look for her friends and take time to play before doing the shopping.
It became a habit that Thembani would go to the shops to play every day after school even when she
did not want to buy anything. She never gave herself time to study and her school work dived
downwards. Her parents had no time for her. They never checked either on her activities or school work.

59
This worried her teacher who went on to probe why she was performing poorly. The teacher asked her
parents to come to school. They agreed. He asked them to check on her homework on daily basis and
monitor the progress. This helped Thembani to improve and also be involved in making decisions in the
home. Both of her parents kept an eye on her movements.
Comprehension questions
1. Thembani lived in a ________________.
A. Bulawayo B. flat C. house D. Harare
2. Children had limited space to play on the________________.
A. playground B. street C. shops D. corridors
3. During the day, her parents were at work. Thembani spent most of her time__ at home.
A. everyday B. alone C. friendly D. crying
4. Thembani liked to play at the________________.
A. shops B. corridors C. floor D. school
5. At the shops she played with _____________.
A. boys B. girls C. friends D. strangers
6. Thembani did not consider her ____________ important anymore because of play.
A. mother B. teacher C. schoolwork D. home
Choose the correct word to complete the following sentences.
7. _________ Thembani attended her lessons, she did not have time for study at home.
A. Unless B. Although C. While D. But
8. Thembani’s parents ________________ monitor their child’s work.
A. do not B. didnt C. did not D. didnt’
9. ___________ parents have to help their child.
A. Both B. All C. Their D. And
10. ____________ parents involve their children in making some decisions in the home.
A. Little B. Couple C. Almost D. Most
11. The teacher was________________concerned about Thembani’s work.
A. very B. much C. well D. too
12. The parents ________________ their child’s work on daily basis.
A. monitoring B. monitors C. monitored D. monit
13. The teacher had to ___________ further in order to get the truth about Thembani.
A. probed B. probe C. probing D. will probe
14. Choose the correct spelling.
A. cemetary B. cemetery C. semetary D. cemitary
Find the meaning of the word in bold.
15. The space for play was limited.
A. space was very small in size B. a lot of space
C. space was big enough D. huge space
Read the following passage and answer questions 16 to 20 correctly.

60
Once upon a time there was a narrow bridge over a river. Two goats from the opposite side wanted to
cross the river using the bridge. The goats met just at the middle of the bridge. There was no room for
each of the goats to pass. Each of the goats was determined to proceed without fail.
First goat: “Please go back, I want to pass first.”
Second goat: “I will pass first.”
First goat: “ If you think you are very strong and you want to pass first, I’m going to teach you a
lesson.”
Second goat: “ Hey! Wait if you are up for a fight. What makes you think you are strong enough to
fight me.”
First goat: “Oh yes I’m strong and able to fight you.” The first goat
put his horns down to fight.
Second goat: “ I’m not in the mood for a fight but just want to pass to the other side. If we start fighting,
we are both going to fall into the river. The bridge is very narrow. There is no room
for us to fight.”
First goat: “What do you want now? Go back I want to pass.”
Second goat: “Stop it! We will fall into the river and drown. Instead I have a plan. I shall lie down and
you walk over me.”
The wise goat lay down and the first goat walked lightly over him. Finally, they passed each other and
went on their ways.
16. The opposite of narrow is________________.
A. big B. space C. wide D. room
17. The bridge was________________the river.
A. on B. near C. along D. over
18. Neither of the goats ________________ able to pass to the other side of the bridge.
A. were B. are C. was D. will
19. The first goat put his horns down________________ he wanted to fight.
A. because B. though C. until D. but
20. ___________ the goats fought, they would fall into the river.
A. When B. If C. While D. Unless
Choose the most suitable answer.
21. The second goat ___________ up to fighting.
A. was not B. were C. are D. has
22. The flow of water in the river was so _________ that the goats would drown.
A. forceful B. big C. much D. flowing
23. The second goat ___________ down to let the first goat walk over it.
A. lie B. lays C. lay D. lain
24. The goats met ___________of the river.
A. at the river B. at the surface C. opposite sides D. at the middle
25. The second goat was not in the mood for fighting. This means __________ A. the goat wanted to
pass. B. the goat wanted to fight.
C. the goat did not want to fight. D. the goat was fighting.

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26. The first goat put his horns down. This showed that he was___________.
A. happy B. friendly C. grateful D. angry
27. The second goat came up ___________ a better plan.
A. at B. on C. off D. with
28. The story teaches us to solve problems in___________.
A. piece B. peace C. pierce D. pease
Choose the correct sentence.
29. A. There is no room to pass enough.B. There is room enough to pass.
C. There was no room to pass enough. D.
There was no enough room to pass.
30. Each goat ___________ its way after the second goat lay down for the first goat to pass.
A. went B. goes C. going D. gone
Read the following passage and answer questions that follow.
Betty was born in a family of six and was the only girl. According to the Shona traditional customs, girls
were not given a place in the home. They were supposed to take the back seat in everything. Girls were
not given the right to better education. As soon as they were able to write a letter, they were supposed
to drop out of school. Boys were considered more special. Parents would save for the boys’ education.
Some would sell herds trying to keep the boy child in school.
Betty had some ambitions. She had always wanted to be a doctor. Her father begged to differ from the
rest of the fathers in the community. He supported his girl child. She worked hard to achieve her goal.
Some elders in the community would say, “Never save for a girl. She will spend your money and marry
a man who will benefit from your toil.”
Betty unlike the boys did all the house chores alone. Boys were given a lot of respect and were identified
by their totem Gono. Despite all the pressures she had at home, she achieved her goals. The whole
community celebrated Betty’s success and found the importance of educating the girl child as well as
the boy child. They all learnt a very good lesson from Betty’s father.
Comprehension questions
31. What was the totem for Betty’s family?
A. Mrehwa B. Gono C. Respect D. Shonga
32. What was Betty’s ambition?
A. House chores B. Cleaning C. Study D. Becoming a doctor
33. Girls take the back seat means___________.A. they do not make decisions B.
speak out C. they sit on the bus D. they work
34. Why were girls not given much education?
A. It was not cultural. B. People believed it was useless.
C. They married. D. It was not good.
35. Betty’s father was different ___________ other men in the community.
A. from B. for C. away D. on
36. Betty___________her goal.
A. achieved B. archieved C. acheived D. achierved

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37. The boys in the community celebrated the _______ success.
A. girl B. girls’ C. girl’s D. girls
38. ___________were against the idea of educating a girl child.
A. They B. Their C. The D. There
Choose the correct sentence.
39. A. Betty works very hard and became a doctorB. Betty will work hard and became a doctor.
C. Betty worked hard and became a doctor.
D. Betty have worked hard and became a doctor.
40. Which statement is true about the people in Betty’s community?A. Educating girls was not very
important.
B. Girls must sweep and eat.
C. Girls will marry early.
D. Girls are smaller than boys.

PAPER 2: COMPOSITION, COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Section A: Composition (20 marks)
You are advised to spend 1 hour on this section.
1. Answer either (a) or (b).
Either (a)
Write a letter thanking your relative who sent you some money. The body of the letter must be
between 80 and 120 words in length. Here are some points you can include:
• amount of money sent
• when you received the money
• how you felt on receiving the money
• how you used the money
• your gratitude to the relative

Or (b)
Write a composition about a competition you participated in. Your composition must be between
80 and 120 words in length. Use the following and any other notes you may think of:
• type of competition
• number of schools involved in the competition
• what exactly happened during the competition
• results of the competition
• prizes awarded to winners

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Section B: Comprehension and Summary (15 marks)
2. Read the following passage very carefully before you attempt any questions.
Answer all the questions in full sentences. You are advised to write your sentences in good grammar
and punctuate them correctly.
Winter is the best season of the year. During the winter months, temperatures are usually colder
and there are fewer hours of daylight. The winter months in Zimbabwe are June and July. Cold
winter temperatures are caused by the tilting of the earth.
When earth’s Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, there are fewer hours of daylight
and the temperature is colder. When the Southern Hemisphere tilts towards the sun, there is more
daylight time and the temperatures are warmer. The tilting of the earth as it spins causes the
seasons to change.
Animals have special ways of preparing themselves for winter. Some animals, like birds and
butterflies travel long distances or migrate to warmer temperatures during the winter months.
Other animals go to sleep or hibernate during the winter. Bears, snakes and bats hibernate.
Squirrels and raccoons don’t migrate or hibernate. Instead, they gather extra food during the
autumn months and store it away so they have plenty to eat during the winter.
In some areas, winter is a time when snow falls and gathers on the ground. People who live in these
places can enjoy special winter activities like skiing, sliding or snowboarding. They can also build
snowmen and snow castles. When the water in lakes and ponds freeze, people can ice skate or play
ice hockey. Some people even cut a hole in the ice and go ice fishing!
Questions
(a) How are the temperatures during the winter?
[1] (b) What causes the change in temperatures during winter?
[1]
(c) When does the winter season start and probably end in Zimbabwe? [1]
(d) Zimbabwe is in which hemisphere?
[1]
(e) What happens in Zimbabwe if the earth faces the sun?
[1]
(f) How do birds and butterflies adapt during the winter season? [1]
(g) How do squirrels adapt to weather changing conditions of winter? [1]
(h) What are the two activities that people who live in snow areas do during winter? [1]
(i) What does the word “hibernate” mean as used in the passage? [2]
(j) I n one paragraph, write a summary of the weather conditions, the activities popular during
winter season and how some animals adapt to winter. Your
summary should not be more than 80 words, including the given ten opening
words. [5]
Begin your summary as follows:
During the winter months, temperatures are usually colder and there…

64
 Unit

The picture above shows learners busy working with computers. Due to the coronavirus disease
outbreak, many students were learning from home. Talk about the tools we use while learning from
home.
Have a discussion based on the questions below.
1. How are computers useful in education?
2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of computers and other electronic gadgets in education.

Read the words below and find their meanings. Use the words in your own sentences. For example:
(a) Nowadays people can search for information from the internet.
(b) The car had a very minor problem.
(c) The woman ruffled her hair and scratched her scalp.
careers internet digital smartphones technology
tablets connect performed oversee professionally
logical granted minor skills systematically
recommended fake opinions navigate complex

65
sensitivity empathy creativity ruffled feathers

Read the following passage very carefully before you attempt any questions.
We are living in a world of change. Life has never been the same in the world of careers. Smartphones,
televisions and tablets connect people to the internet. This is all about digital technology. A lot of tasks
are being performed by robots. Many people are afraid their jobs will be taken over by robots. It is true
that digital technologies and robots can perform different tasks but they will always need human effort.
Humans will need to manage, oversee and solve problems when things go wrong.
Humans will need to develop some skills essential for the work place. In order to compete professionally
in this age, one has to be willing to be a student again and invest time in developing skills that are
needed in the evolving workplace.
There are top five skills recommended by the World Economic Forum. Firstly, it is the ability to solve
complex problems. This means humans must be able to identify and solve problems as they arise.
People have to think on their feet. They have to be able to identify, find out and fix problems. The fixing
must be a permanent solution in order for the problem not to resurface.

The second skill is to think critically. Thinking critically is an essential part of problem solving. People
who think critically are very observant and are able to think independently, objectively and logically.
These people think ahead, as a result they are able to fix some minor problems before they become
serious. These are people who will not let their personal feelings or opinions affect their judgement but
think things through systematically. They constantly question, rather than taking anything for granted.
They also keep an open mind. A very important function of critical thinking is the ability to tell the
difference between fake news and the truth.
The third skill is to be able to think out of the box. This means one has to be very creative. These people
must not accept failure but rather decide for problems to be solved. The fourth skill is that of people
management. This takes sensitivity, empathy and creative thinking as well as developing a thick skin

66
when necessary. Good people managers are able to defuse tensions, smooth ruffled feathers and make
their co-workers feel good about themselves and their work. They are able to navigate to calm waters.
The fifth skill needed is being able to co-ordinate with others. This is closely linked to people
management. For all businesses to function properly, effective communication is vital. People who are
good at coordinating processes are skilled in the other four skills. These people are highly valued at
work places. When technological breakdowns cause power failures or delays in delivery, people with
coordinating skills are the people who communicate effectively with everyone involved and find
solutions.
Artificial intelligence and automation are taking over workplaces but people equipped with the five
skills above will be able to connect, interpret and imagine concepts in a way machines cannot. This
means humans need to upgrade themselves through continuous learning.

Comprehension questions 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Careers are___________.
A. robots B. occupations C. movements D. office
2. The phrase “thinking critically” means to___________.
A. think wisely B. see things
C. assess failure or success of work D. praise
3. Humans must be able to fix___________. A. problems as they arise B.
robots
C. people D. materials
4. To think on your feet means to___________.
A. act fast B. have brain on your feet
C. work D. apply a system
5. To defuse tension is to___________.
A. make a situation less difficult B. worsen things
C. add more work D. give mental strain Comprehension questions 2
Answer the questions below in full and correct sentences.
1. What do you understand by the term robots?
2. What fear do humans have concerning robots?
3. What happens when people think systematically?
4. What should people do to secure jobs so that they are not replaced by technology?
5. How do people with effective communication skills help in work places?
6. In one paragraph, write a summary of the story above addressing all the key lessons you learnt from
it. Your summary should not be more than 80 words.

An email is a system for sending messages from one computer to another. It is short for electronic mail.
A message written by email is also called an email.

67
In order for people to send an email, they ought to have an email address of both the sender and the
recipient. An email address is a name and address that is used to send and receive an email on the
internet.
How to write an email
When writing an email, you have to format your work properly. First of all, you have to know what you
want your recipient to do after reading the email. This is called identifying your goal: knowing why you
have to make an email.
(a) Have a subject line. A subject line is a short phrase that summarises the reason for your message or
the goal of your communication. A subject line is very important when making a professional email.
It helps the recipient to know what exactly you are writing about and also to locate the email when
needed. For example; an email may be needed for follow up.
(b) Show the date on your email.
(c) The next thing is the salutation. A salutation is the first line of your email which generally acts as a
greeting.
(d) An email, just like an ordinary letter has a body. You share all the information you want known in
the body of the email. Make your message brief. Do not address too many subjects at once.
(e) The last line of an email is the conclusion. It should wrap up your message.
Example: I look forward to your response. Thanks once again.
(f) The last thing is the signature. This is where you identify yourself by name, title and any other
information relevant to your communications.

Here is an example of an email:

To Bridget (Recipient)
08 March 2020 (Date)
Subject line: Marketing meeting cancelled (Subject)
Hi Bridget (Salutation)
The marketing strategy meeting scheduled for this afternoon has been cancelled.

I apologise for the late notice and regret any inconveniences caused. We will reconvene at our regularly
scheduled time next Tuesday.
I look forward to see you in the next meeting. (Ending)
Sincerely
Tendai Tyronne (Signature) Senior
Marketing Manager

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Exercise 10.1
Write an email to the head of your computer club informing her about some electronic gadgets in the
laboratory which are not properly functioning and suggest solutions. Follow the information given above
correctly. Your teacher will help you. Use the following notes and any other you may think of to write
your email:
• name the type of electronic gadgets not working
• how many are they
• how have they affected learning at the school
• what can be done to solve the faults

Listen very attentively as your teacher reads the poem below. Our world

Our work is here. Let’s do it.

Today is ours. Let’s live it.
And love is strong. Let’s give it A
song can help. Let’s sing it Peace is
clear. Let’s bring it.
The past is gone. Don’t rue it.
The world is wrong. Let’s right it.
The battle is hard. Let’s fight it.
The road is rough. Let’s clear it.
The future is vast. Don’t fear it.
Is faith asleep? Let’s wake it.
Because today is ours. Let’s take it.
Exercise 10.2
Recite the poem above. Discuss with your friends the changes taking place in our everyday life.

1. If is used in a possible or imagined situation. It is used to introduce a situation which may happen
or may be real especially when talking about its results. If something happens, it will cause
something else to happen. Look at the examples below:
(a) If she eats a lot of food, she will vomit.
(b) If I wake up late, I will not catch the bus.
2. If can be used to introduce a situation or condition that must exist before something else happens.
Here are some examples:
(a) Alright, I will come with you, if you do not walk too fast.
(b) The workforce will have to be increased, if only they are computer literate.

69
3. If is used to introduce a situation that does not exist now and is unlikely or impossible, especially
when talking about its imaginary results. Look at the example below:
If my mother was alive, she would have baked a cake for everyone celebrating a birthday.
Exercise 10.3
Make ten sentences from the table below using if

workers are skilled humans

do study hard people think they can tell the truth from fake
they compete effectively they find
If critically solutions coordination is good they
humans communicate effectively humans can use new technology
think out of the box

An adjective is a describing word. It describes the noun or gives information about the noun.
Here are examples of adjectives;
complex permanent continuous creative logical essential artificial skillful professional
evolving

Example: People must have a professional conduct to operate machines. Exercise 10.4
Use the correct adjective from the ones given as examples to complete these sentences.
1. There is need for _____________ learning to manage new technology.
2. Only the _____________people can be able to work with robots.
3. The _____________ workplace requires skilled manpower.
4. Technology requires solving of _____________ problems.
5. _____________ solutions must be sought to deal with problems.
6. People need to have _____________ ideas to manage the robots.
7. A _____________ mind helps to think fast.
8. It is very important to identify _____________ news and the truth.
9. _____________intelligence and automation are taking over work places.
10. We ought to fight hard to develop_____________ skills.

F Punctuation: Apostrophe ( ’ )

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used in writing to show possession. Add –’s if the thing belongs to
a single owner. For example:
(a) The chief’s house is big.
(b) The boy’s story was not true. (c) The cat’s tail is long.
Add -s’ if there are several owners. For example:

70
(a) The chiefs’ houses are big.
(b) The boys’ stories are not true. (c) The cats’ tails are long.
For nouns which are plurals and do not end with s, we add ’s. For example:
(a) It was women’s day yesterday.
(b) The children’s toys were missing. Exercise 10.5
Add an apostrophe to the correct word and underline it.
1. The computers keyboard is not functioning well.
2. The womens soccer team won their first match.
3. Musas shirt is too big for him.
4. The villagers fields had a lot of maize.
5. The drivers assistant was looking for petrol.
6. Mrs Maloyas dresses were neat.
7. The childrens home was established by the first lady.
8. The magistrates court is now open.
9. The lorries trailers were properly fastened with chains.
10. The dresses seams were not properly sewn.

Verbs may be followed by prepositions immediately. Here are some examples:

(a) There is need for him to improve.
(b) Humans go through skills training.

Exercise 10.6
Use the correct verb for the given prepositions in the sentences below.
sat apply came kicked rely shout take marched go look
1. Robots will ___________ over many jobs.
2. Managers ___________ through some critical thinking to solve problems.
3. We have to ___________ over every situation carefully.
4. The secretary ___________ behind a desk.
5. Tendai ___________ across the information he wanted on his smartphone.
6. The ball was ___________ into the net by Daryl.
7. You have to ___________ for the job.
8. Workplaces have to ___________ on new technology.
9. The students ___________ past the computer laboratory.
10. Managers must not ___________ at workers.

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Exercise 10.7

Unit

Study the following paragraph carefully. Your teacher will dictate the passage to you while you are
writing. Make sure you spell every word correctly and punctuate the sentences properly.
Every workplace needs skilled workers. Humans need to upgrade themselves in order for them to
understand robots. Digital technologies and robots can perform many jobs previously performed by
people, but the human race is still needed.

Have you ever lost direction in an area which you are not familiar with? If yes, talk about your
experience. How did you finally get to the place? Discuss in pairs or groups.

The words below are in the passage you are going to read. Find the meaning of the words and try to
use them in sentences.
compass directions application jungle magnetic
north smartphone flat diagram junction map
instrument gadgets searching puzzled locate
gripped dual carriage sign post pavement traffic
A Comprehension: Navigating places

Read the story below and answer the questions that follow.

72
The picture besides is a compass. Study the picture carefully. People use
a compass to find directions. A compass is an instrument
containing a pointer which shows the directions of
magnetic north. It has a needle which will always turn to
the north and south.
One can use a compass in the middle of a jungle or in a
desert. A compass can help anyone to find direction
anywhere. People can use a compass and a map. A map is
a flat diagram of an area showing places and roads. A map
shows positions and not pictures.
Here is a map of Zimbabwe below. Read the map and try
to find some towns and cities on the map.

Nowadays people have maps on their gadgets like smartphones. One can easily use an application for
searching on the smartphone and find directions on maps. All they need is to find the map on the
smartphone and search using the application. It is very easy to find directions using a map on a
smartphone.
Stranger: Good morning young man.
Kumbirayi: Good morning madam.
(Kumbirayi is not sure if he has once met the woman greeting him. He looks at the lady in a puzzled
manner).
Stranger: Young man I need your help. I’m a stranger to you. I’m lost.
Kumbirayi: Go ahead madam. I will see if I can help.
Stranger: I’m looking for a shop in Fourth Street but I’m failing to locate the place.
Kumbirayi: I’m also new in the town but I think I can help you.
(Kumbirayi takes his smartphone out of his pocket. The old lady watches as Kumbirayi looks at his
smartphone. She asks.)

73
Stranger: Young man who are you trying to call? I’m just looking for a place and not trying to call
someone. If you can’t help, let me find someone else to do so.
(Fear gripped her and she was feeling very uncomfortable but still needed the young man to help her.)
Kumbirayi: W ait madam. I will help you. My phone has an application called google. I will find
the place you are looking for using google on this smartphone.
(Kumbirayi moves closer to the lady and shows her how to look for a place using the application on his
phone.)
Kumbirayi: H ere you are madam. There is the shop you are looking for. Fourth Street is here and
the place you are looking for is just after the junction. You have to go straight. It is
about two kilometres from here. Turn left into the next road which will take you to
Fourth Street. Walk about one hundred metres to the junction that is where you get
the shop you are looking for.
Stranger: Oh great! Thank you very much. I did not know that one can find directions using a
smartphone. I have to write the directions down and go.
Kumbirai: You are most welcome madam. Go well.
Stranger: Thank you once again. Have a good day.
(The old lady walked following the directions given by Kumbirayi. She was afraid of heavy traffic on the
roads. A fleet of cars moved on the dual carriageway. It was a very busy road. Suddenly she saw a
signpost in front of her. It was written Fourth Street. There was a leap of joy deep inside her. She knew
she was closer to the shop she was looking for. She ran across the road as fast as her thin legs could take
her and safely landed on the shop pavement.)
Comprehension questions
Answer the following questions in full sentences.
1. How can people identify the north when looking for directions?
2. What is the use of a map?
3. Name two features that people see on a map.
4. What can people use to find directions nowadays?
5. What does the word “stranger” mean as used in the passage?
6. Why did the stranger stop to talk to Kumbirayi?
7. Did Kumbirayi know the place which was asked for, why do you say so?
8. How did Kumbirayi help the stranger?
9. What frightened the old lady most?
10. Explain the meaning of the phrase “a leap of joy”.

Read the story of directions again. Pick up some major points of the story. Discuss your points in groups.
Exercise 11.1
Write a summary of the passage which should not be more than 80 words.

74
C Composition: The day I got lost
The old lady in the dialogue we read got lost in the city. She was new to the city. She did not know what
to do. She found someone to help her. Imagine you got lost somewhere.

Exercise 11.2
Write a composition explaining how you got lost. Your composition must be between 80
and 120 words. Include the following points in your composition. You can add more points you can think
of:
• when you got lost
• where it happened
• how you got lost
• what you did next

Nouns that name one person or one place or thing are singular nouns. Nouns that name people, places
and things are plural nouns.
1. We add –s to singular nouns to make them plural nouns. For example:
(a) ball – balls
(b) shoe – shoes
2. We add –es for nouns ending with –s, –sh, –ch or –x. For example:
(a) bus – buses
(b) dress – dresses
3. Plurals for nouns ending in -y are formed by adding -s or –ies. For instance:
(a) bay – bays toy – toys boy – boys
(b) lorry – lorries family – families diary – diaries
4. Some nouns ending with –f, form their plural by changing –f to –v and adding –es. For example:
(a) thief – thieves
(b) knife – knives
(c) shelf – shelves
Exercise 11.3
Change the nouns in the table below to the plural form.
-s -es -ies -evs -fs
Singular Plural

1. compass

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 2. puppy

3. valley

4. junction

5. sheriff

6. chief

7. dwarf

8. giraffe

9. country

10. family
There are nouns which form their plurals by changing their vowels. Many nouns form their plural by
changing the vowels, usually from oo to ee, and an to en. For example: man – men Exercise 11.4
Change the following words to the plural form.
1. tooth
2. foot
3. goose
4. mouse
5. woman

Some verbs do not form their past tense by adding –ed. Such verbs are called irregular verbs. Below are
examples of irregular verbs:
(a) speak – spoke
(b) take – took(c) run – ran
Exercise 11.5
Change the verbs in the brackets to irregular verbs.
1. Kumbirayi ____________ a stranger who needed help. (meet)
2. Cyclists ____________bicycles on cycle tracks. (ride)
3. Some drivers____________hooters to alert pedestrians. (blow)
4. Kumbirayi ____________ the old lady how to use a smartphone to find directions. (teach)
5. The old lady ____________ the shop she was looking for. (find)
6. She ____________ across the busy road. (run)
7. The young man____________politely. (speak)
8. It ____________ a lot of courage for the old lady to cross the busy road. (take)
9. Kumbirayi ____________ that the old lady was a stranger. (see)
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10. The old lady ____________ the explanation. (understand)

The words below are in the passage you read, ‘Navigating places’. Use a dictionary to find the meanings
of words. Here is an example:
(a) A stranger means someone I do not know. The old woman was a stranger to Kumbirai.

Exercise 11.6
Find the meanings of the words below and use them to write ten sentences.
stranger direction dual carriage search compass location junction traffic desert pavement

Exercise 11.7
Use the following prepositions to complete the sentences below.
in the middle of next to a long out of in front of far from
across over near away from with into
1. Kumbirayi was walking ____________ the street when she met a stranger.
2. A pavement was ____________ the shop.
3. The old lady walked ____________ the heavy traffic.
4. There was a sign post ____________ the name of the road.
5. Kumbirayi took a smartphone ____________ his pocket.
6. She had to turn left to get ____________ the next road.
7. We can use a compass ____________ a jungle or a desert.
8. The shop was just ____________the junction.
9. A police officer was standing far ____________ the corner.
10. A foot bridge was built ____________ the busiest road.

H Listening and speaking: Road signs

Road users must know the rules of the road and the signs. This enables them to use the road properly
eliminating unnecessary accidents. A highway code is a book which informs or educates people about
road rules. In this book there are rules and regulations stipulated for every road user. Road signs are
also well explained in the highway code.
Do you know some road signs and rules of the road? Look for road signs in the Highway Code. Identify
and discuss the different types of road signs. Search for road signs on electronic gadgets and discuss
with others.

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Exercise 11.8
Below are some road signs. Discuss with your group and find out the meaning of each sign.

What does this sign mean? Name the colours on the robot and what they mean.

A hump. Cars slow down when they approach a hump. A give way sign means____. Exercise 11.9
Name and discuss more road signs. Use the highway code to check for more road signs.

KACHE, MUSA AND THE

Unit 12 DONKEY

Read the dialogue below and have a discussion with your friend.
Mrs Nyathi: Hello dear.
Mrs Banda: How are Mrs Nyathi. Hey, long time. Where were you hiding?
Mrs Nyathi: Oh, very true. I was away doing business.
Mrs Banda: Woo, that’s lovely. What kind of business is viable these days? I thought things are tough
and nothing sells well these days.

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Mrs Kuvheya: S top discouraging her. Let her see for herself. You cannot stop someone from working
for her family.
Mrs Banda: Ah, it’s ok. We will see.
Mrs Nyathi: It is well ladies. Let me go. I have to go and meet some clients who need some items from
my stuff.
Mrs Banda: It’s alright. We are disturbing you. Is it so? Ah, you can go.
Mrs Kuvheya: O h, please dear. Don’t talk like that. Are you feeling jealousy of our friend? Actually, we
must seek ideas from her. She can advise us on how to start our own businesses.
Some friends are very discouraging, whilst others encourage one another to do good.
1. What do you think about the dialogue you read?
2. If you were Mrs Nyathi what would you say in response to Mrs Banda’s comments?
3. Talk about when to give advice and encouragement to others. In your groups, discuss where you
get your advice and who you listen to.

Match the words in the table with the correct meaning.

Word Meaning

embark large in appearance or seemingly ugly and frightening.

trudged rude laughter or comments.

vulnerable a very young child.

scoffing someone who comes from the same country with you.

hulking someone going past you.

amid to start a journey or an activity.

jeered someone who is weak or easy to hurt physically or mentally.

infant while something is still happening.

countryman walk slowly with some heavy steps.

passers-by laughter which shows that someone is stupid.

A Comprehension: The story of Kache, his son and the donkey

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

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Kache and his son Musa were travelling to a market in the next village. They embarked on their journey
before dawn. They were walking along by the side of a donkey. A countryman passed them and queried
why they did not ride on the donkey. The countryman said, “You fools, why can’t you ride on the
donkey? Is that donkey not for riding upon?” The man helped his son get on the donkey and went on
their way.
Soon they passed a crowd watching football. Some men shouted at them. “Hey! Lazy youngster! Why
can’t you respect your father? You ride on a donkey while he walks. Don’t be lazy. Get off and let your
father ride.” Kache helped Musa to get off the donkey and he rode himself. They continued with their
journey. Without going any far, they met two women who felt pity for the boy who trudged along. The
women shouted, “Cruel man! How dare you ride on that donkey whilst that vulnerable boy struggles
to keep up pace? Come on man, get off that donkey and help the infant.”
The man was confused. He got off the donkey back and helped his son back onto the donkey and both
of them rode on the donkey. They met some passers-by who jeered and pointed to them shouting.
Kache stopped to listen to the jeering. He asked, “What are you scoffing at? What’s the problem?” The
people shouted louder, “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself overloading that donkey? Lazy lout and your
hulking son have pity on that donkey. Get off and be a man of substance.”

Confusion got worse on Kache. He had no idea what to do. He thought to himself. An idea struck him
and he shared with his little boy. “Musa my son, we are going to carry the donkey. We must feel pity for
it.” Musa asked his father, “How are we going to do that dad?” “I’m going to think of a plan. Wait a little.
I have to make a plan.” Kache cut a pole from a tree and tied the donkey’s feet to it. He asked Musa to
help him raise the pole and the donkey to their shoulders. They continued their journey and went along
amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to the Market Bridge. The donkey got one of his
feet loose, kicked out and caused Musa to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle to find balance and
get the donkey back on the pole, it fell into the river with its fore-feet tied to the pole and it drowned.
A wise man who was following behind shouted, “Kache! That will teach you. Please all and you will
please none.”

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Comprehension questions 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Kache and Musa embarked on their journey ________________.
A. early in the morning B. at night
C. mid-morning D. at noon
2. The people who saw Musa riding on the donkey alone thought that_________.
A. Kache was lazy B. he was lazy
C. the donkey was lazy D. Kache and Musa were lazy
3. Kache rode on the donkey while Musa was___________ behind.
A. trudging B. smiling C. keeping pace D. help
4. A crowd watching football ________________ at Kache.
A. waved B. smiled C. walked D. shouted
5. Some people felt _________ for the donkey when both Kache and his son rode it.
A. poor B. vulnerable C. pity D. happy
Comprehension questions 2
Answer all questions in full sentences. Write your sentences in good grammar and punctuate them
correctly.
1. How many people were travelling with Kache?
2. Where were they going?
3. Why did the countryman think Kache was foolish?
4. Who rode on the donkey first?
5. What did the crowd who saw Kache riding on the donkey say?
6. What were the people in the crowd doing?
7. What was Kache’s plan after the people they met complained about the two of them riding on the
donkey?
8. How many people must Kache please?
9. Explain the meaning of the words “some passers-by who jeered”.
10. Who followed Kache and his son when they were travelling?

We have learnt about summary writing from previous units. Read the story of Kache again. Pick the
important points from the paragraphs in the passage. Jot them down as phrases. Discuss the points in
pairs or groups. Make sure you shorten your sentences. You can shorten your sentences by using a few
words instead of long phrases. See the examples below.
(a) Kache saw a group of men, boys, girls and women on his way to the market.
Kache saw a crowd of people on his way to the market.
(b) Kache could not understand or decide on what he should do. Kache was confused.
The words in bold are replacing those in colour. Exercise 12.1
Replace the words in bold with one word from the list below.

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stationery birds body tools learners clothes animals people vegetables food
1. All the goats, pigs, horses, donkeys and cattle were sold.
2. Musa’s head, chest, back, legs and hands were aching.
3. We enjoyed the meat, rice, sadza, potatoes, cabbages and drinks at the party.
4. Boys, girls, men, women and little children jeered at Kache and Sam.
5. We need pencils, rulers, books, pens and rubbers for the examination.
6. All the chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys were in a cage.
7. There are spades, shovels, hoes, wheelbarrows, garden forks and rakes in the storeroom.
8. Kache wanted to buy rape, tomatoes, cabbages, spinach, onions and beetroot at the market.
9. Hats, shoes, dresses, shirts and jackets are sold in the shop near the market.
10. Philani, Tendai, Lebo, Mxolisi, Thabiso and Daryl were sitting in the classroom.

C Composition: Friendly or informal letter

A friendly letter is a type of letter written to people who are your relatives, friends or anyone with whom
you have a relationship. It is not a requirement that the recipient has to be your friend; it can be anyone
with whom you are friendly to. That person can be anyone whom you know well enough to correspond
with.
Friendly letters come under informal writing because there are no hard and fast rules for writing them.
There is ‘nothing official’ about them.
Write a letter to your father telling him about activities taking place at school during the second term.
Remember this is a friendly or informal letter bearing;
1. One address: which is the writer’s address Skip a line after the address
2. Date: when the letter was written Skip a line
3. Recipient or salutation: that is the name of the person you are writing to Skip a line
4. The body of the letter which consists of one or more paragraphs containing details of the
letter.
Skip a line after every paragraph.
5. Greeting in a friendly letter.
6. It ends with the first name only because the writer and the recipient know each other.

Exercise 12.2
Write a letter to your father telling him about the activities taking place at your school during this term.
The body of your letter must be between 80 and 120 words. In your letter include the following:
• When the term started?
• Some class activities at the school
• Sporting activities that you do
• Your favourite activities and state why you love the activities

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Compound nouns are words or ideas made up of two or more words. They may be names of people,
places, animals or things. These words can be written with a hyphen or separately.
Examples are: classroom, cupboard, cross roads, green house, mother-in-law.
Look at the story of Kache and find compound nouns. Write them down. Exercise 12.3
Create compound nouns by matching the words in the columns below.
Column A Column B

1. fowl cleaner

2. ware place

3. home top

4. stove house

5. market office

6. baby work

7. desk run

8. head spoon

9. social wear

10. tea industry

E Using ‘ too, too …….to’ and too much

1. Too is used as an ordinary adverb before an adjective or adverb. It explains so much of a particular
quality that something is not possible. For example:
(a) too old to walk: Grandfather is too old to walk without a stick. (b) too cold to play: The weather
is too cold to play chess.
2. Too much is used to explain that something is more than necessary or acceptable. For example:
Too much
(a) There is too much sugar in my coffee.
(b) Kache was told not to eat too much of the ice cream.
3. Too can be used after mentioning an additional person, thing or fact to show that they were
included in what is being said. For example:

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 (a) Kache did not know what to do. He was impatient too.
(b) Sam is going to the market and me too.
Exercise 12.4
Complete the sentences below using too, too---to or too much.
1. Sam can ride a bicycle. Nothando can ___________.
2. Muzaya drinks __________ beer.
3. The donkey was tired. It was angry__________.
4. I was __________ excited __________ sleep.
5. Mr Sibanda joined the club__________.
6. I do not trust Tsuro. He is __________ clever.
7. Our customers complain__________but we __________have our problems.
8. Taking bribes is immoral. It’s a bad practice __________.
9. The table was __________ heavy for one person __________ carry.
10. She is getting __________professional for dangerous sports.

F Prepositions used with adjectives

Particular prepositions can be used after an adjective. Here are some examples;
shouted at jeered at proud of interested in scared of
short of afraid of tired of worried about
excited of confused of famous about guilty of
Sometimes prepostions are used with adjectives to construct sentences. For example:
(a) I am very proud of my work.
(b) Kimberly was fond of the game of netball. Exercise 12.5
Write the correct preposition and adjective in the sentences below.
1. Kache was worried __________ what the people said.
2. People jeered__________Kache and Sam.
3. Most people watching the game were__________the best player.
4. The women who saw Kache__________at him.
5. The donkey was__________of the water in the river.
6. I am sick and __________ of your lies.
7. His opinion was different __________ his friend’s.
8. Mother was very __________ the food items at the market.
9. We are running __________ of building materials.
10. The thief was __________ his offenses.

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G Direct speech: Using inverted commas

Direct speech are the exact words spoken by someone. Inverted commas are used to show the actual
words spoken. Inverted commas are also called quotation marks. They quote or indicate the actual
words spoken by a speaker. For example:
(a) “Are you going to the market today?” Saneliso asked.
(b) Mother said, “Wait for me.” Exercise 12.6
Punctuate the sentences below correctly.
1. The women said foolish man how can you abuse that donkey
2. Are you angry with me asked Kuzivakwashe.
3. Vimbai bought some vegetables said Tinashe
4. Stop right there the Police Officer shouted at the thief.
5. This is a bad year said grandmother looking at the few clouds in the sky.
6. I cannot swim across the river said Tadiwa
7. The coach said You must kick the ball into the nets
8. Why is everyone advising you Kache asked the old, wise man
9. Stop taking advice from everyone mother told her daughter.
10. I will visit you soon said Uncle Gutsa.

Words which have the same meaning are called synonyms.

Examples
(a) scared – afraid
(b) disagree – opposeExercise 12.7
Find a word that means the same as the one in bold below.
1. People thought that Sam was a vulnerable boy.
2. Some men felt sympathy for the boy.
3. There was no harm in riding the donkey.
4. They usually shut down the market during public holidays.
5. They all queried why Kache could not ride on his donkey.
6. He denied that he abused the donkey.
7. Kache replied that he could not please everyone he met.
8. They began their journey early in the morning.
9. The argument was meaningful.
10. The donkey was drowned in the river.

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Auxiliary verbs will be or shall be are added to verbs making them continuous future tense. The verbs
will end in –ing
Examples:
(a) I will be travelling to Zambia tomorrow.
(b) They shall be having a practice session soon.
(c) Parents will be monitoring learners’ progress.

Exercise 12.8
Change the sentences below to the progressive future tense. Make sure your sentences are
grammatically correct.
1. Kennedy is preparing for his journey.
2. The employers are paying their workers.
3. Musa is leading the villagers.
4. The farmers are buying inputs at the shop.
5. The tour guide is guiding the tourists. 6. Tom is studying for the examination
7. Tendai is performing at the concert.
8. Anenyasha is watching her favourite film.
9. Kudiwa is travelling to Kariba.
10. Grade seven learners are visiting the ruins.

J Listening and speaking: Debate

A debate is an organised argument or contest of ideas in which the participants discuss a topic from two
opposing sides. Those who agree with the statement or idea are on the “pro” side. Those who will not
agree with the statement or idea are on the “con” side. Each side will show in an organised and clever
way why they believe to have the right answers. They will use examples and evidence to support their
ideas while working towards a conclusion.
The aim of a debate is to convince the opposition that you are right. When the two sides agree on the
subject or when one side’s arguments are more convincing than the other side that is when the debate
comes to a close. Exercise 12.9
Conduct a debate on the topic: “We must listen to what everyone says about us.”

1. Are there musicians or actors in your local community?

2. Name the people who act and those who sing or dance.

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3. All the people who act dramas, sing and dance are called artists. They perform acts to entertain

Unit

people. Take turns to imitate the artists of your choice.

Match each word with the correct meaning.

Column A Column B

1. art to have high regard for something.

2. performing doing something in front of people in order to entertain them.

3. famous a group of people gathered to see or hear a performance.

4. rocky impressive action.

5. magician weak or easy to hurt.

6. cheered special skills.

7. admired to have wide public attention.

8. majestically covered with rocks.

9. vulnerable someone who entertains people by using magic to make impossible things.

10. audience shouted excitedly to encourage.

A Comprehension: The famous Matonjere

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Many people like to listen to stories. Some act dramas about the stories or sing related songs while
dancing. All that is called performing art.
A long time ago, there lived a famous storyteller called Matonjere. He lived in the rocky hills of
Zimbabwe. He was both an actor and a storyteller. He went around the country acting, singing and

87
dancing. He also performed magician acts. People gathered in different places such as halls and
stadiums to watch him performing.
While Matonjere performed his acts, people threw money and gifts to his feet. They admired the way
he performed his acts. In his plays, he could use his magic to make rain or live animals appear wherever
possible. He could also change the shape of his body. He could play the drums majestically. Men and
women cheered him. They came in crowds. He was able to satisfy his audience.

After performing his acts, he would collect the money and gifts brought by his audience. He gave all the
gifts to needy people. Matonjere would also buy food for the needy.
All the poor people in his community liked him. He also took care of orphans and less privileged people.
There are vulnerable people who need help in our different societies. Matonjere had a big heart of love
to meet the needs of such people. Comprehension questions 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Acting and singing can be identified as ____________.
A. acting B. performing arts C. music D. performing
2. Matonjere was a____________artist.
A. famous B. foolish C. vulnerable D. crowd
3. Matonjere got some gifts from his____________ during performance.
A. stones B. sticks C. audience D. streets
4. Matonjere played his drums____________.
A. majestically B. quickly C. softly C. badly
5. Who got help from Matonjere?
A. Orphans B. Public C. Teenagers D. Crowd Comprehension questions 2
Answer the following questions in full and correct sentences.
1. Name any form of performing arts mentioned in the passage.
2. What acts of kindness did Matonjere do?
3. What kind of magic did Matonjere perform on stage?

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4. Explain the meaning of the words “men and women cheered him”.
5. What does the word “majestically” mean as used in the passage?

Remember to summarise the text you have read. Use the following tips:
• Shorten the text in such a way that all facts are in the summary. Leave out examples, evaluations
and interpretations.
• Skim the text. You should know what is the main content of it. Read the headline carefully.
• Read the text again to understand more details.
• Make notes (use key words). Underline important words in the text.
• Form sentences with the help of your key words. These sentences should reflect the main
content of the text.
• Connect the sentences using suitable conjunctions. The first sentence should describe the main
content of the text.
• Use simple present or simple past. Write sentences in reported speech.
• Sometimes you have to change the persons.
• Check your summary. Watch out for spelling mistakes.

Exercise 13.1
In one paragraph, write a summary of Matonjere’s actions that made him famous. Your summary should
not be more than 80 words, including the given ten opening words. Begin your summary as follows:
Matonjere was a popular storyteller who lived in rocky hills....

Matonjere was a popular artist. Some people liked him whilst others regarded him as a boring artist.
Everyone has a favourite artist. Talk about your favourite artist with your friend. Discuss what your artist
does.
Exercise 13.2
Write a composition about your favourite artist
Remember the steps you learnt from the previous units on composition writing. Firstly, you have to read
the topic of the composition carefully. Understand the topic before you write. Include the following
points and what you may think of:
• The name of the artist
• Describe his appearance and dressing
• The type of art done by your favourite artist • Describe some of the acts done by the artist • Why
do you like the artist?

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D Adverbial clauses: Using since, not…until, certainly

1. An adverbial clause is a group of words that describe a noun. Some adverbial clauses describe
duration like since. For example:
(a) I have been a teacher since 1982.
(b) My father has never been well since he had a mild stroke.
2. Some adverbial clauses can involve imposing a condition dependent upon time like not… until. For
example:
(a) Do not take your medicine until I give you.
(b) They will not perform their acts until the audience arrive.
3. Some adverbial clauses are used to express plans and intentions indicating how certain or uncertain
you are like: possibly, probably, certainly, definitely. For example:
(a) She will certainly pass the test.
(b) Our aunt will probably visit the family.
(c) Tendai will definitely release a music album by end of year. (d) Bryne will possibly fund Tendai
for the big event.
Exercise 13.3
Identify and underline adverbial clauses used in each sentence below.
1. School will be closed until the head of state announces the opening dates.
2. There has been a great improvement since the change of administration at the company.
3. The bus will definitely proceed to its destination.
4. Khathele could not walk until he got a walking stick.
5. Matonjere will certainly perform at the large city hall tomorrow.
6. They will probably get a pay rise next month.
7. The orphans will possibly be taken to the local orphanage.
8. I have worked at the company since I was twenty-five years old.
9. They will not wed until they raise enough money.
10. The children do not eat until their mother tells them to do so.
E Using either...or or neither...nor

We use either when we want to make a choice of two things. For the second option we use or.
Either…or… is used in a positive form. See the examples below:
(a) Matonjere either acted or sang some songs.
(b) Bryne was either at work or on a holiday outing.
(c) The car has either a puncture or a mechanical problem.
Neither…nor… is used to join two negative ideas. For example:
(a) Matonjere is not going to perform the show tonight. Thomas Mapfumo is
also not going to perform a show tonight. To join the two sentences, we use

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neither…nor as follows; Neither Matonjere nor Thomas Mapfumo is performing
tonight.
(b) It is not a holiday today. Today is not also a weekend. It is neither a
holiday nor a weekend.

Exercise 13.4
Complete the sentences below using either…or and neither…nor
1. People can gather inside a hall to see him perform. People can also gather in a stadium to watch
him perform.
2. He can sing in English. He can also sing in Ndebele.
3. Thoko is not literate. Thoko is also not intelligent.
4. Grandmother cannot hear well. Grandmother cannot also see well.
5. Ngoni failed the test dismally. Jacob also failed the test dismally.
6. Farmworkers were picking cotton from the fields. Farmworkers were selecting seed for planting.
7. Chido does not play netball. Chido does not play tennis.
8. Kenny can sing very well. Kenny can play marimba very well.
9. Jabulani does not enjoy school. Jabulani does not enjoy sport.
10. Esther can fly to the city. Esther can board a bus to the city.

F The simple present tense: Using am, is or are

Exercise 13.5
Use the correct verb (am, is or are) to complete the sentences below.
1. There _________ many artists who entertain people in our country.
2. Matonjere _________ the artist who travelled to many places.
3. Many vulnerable people _________ in need of help.
4. She said, “I_________from Bulawayo”.
5. The old man _________sitting in the crowd.
6. I_________going to visit the ancient rocks.
7. All the orphans _________appreciating the good work done by Matonjere.
8. Matonjere _________also an actor.
9. We _________ going to ask the artist to sing for us.
10. All the people in the audience _________clapping their hands.

Matonjere collected money which was thrown at his feet. He used the money for caring for needy
people and orphans. This artist was very kind. Exercise 13.6
Identify the basic needs for orphans and vulnerable children in your society. How can you and other
learners assist the less privileged in your area. Talk about this and find ways to assist others.

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Exercise 13.7
Choose the word that is correctly spelt to fill in the blank spaces.
1. We will meet at our summer _____ for the wedding.
A. rasidence B. residenke C. residence D. rezidence
2. The lamb _____ is nearly done cooking.
A. shank B. chank C. shenk D. zhank
3. He had a charming and _____ smile.
A. whinsome B. wensome C. winzome D. winsome
4. Pass the _____ to me so that I can take my medicine.
A. syringe B. syrenge C. syringa D. cyringe
5. My father studied _____ .
A. podietry B. podiatry C. podiatri D. podiatree
6. The economic _____ appears to be working.
A. ztimulus B. stimolus C. stemulus D. stimulus
7. I’ve always wanted to play the _____ .
A. xylaphone B. xylophone C. xylaphonee D. xylofone
8. The doctor told my grandma to take only one _____ a day.
A. vitamin B. vitemin C. vitemine D. viteminee
9. The governor has _____ new ideas for the state.
A. radikale B. redical C. radikal D. radical
10. The _____ of the donors came as a surprise.
A. generocity B. generosity C. generocitye D. generosety

Study the picture below and discuss what you see in pairs or groups.

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 The picture shows tourists viewing the Lake Kariba.

Unit

1. Have you ever visited any tourist place?

2. In groups, talk about tourist attractions and their purposes.
3. Talk about the revenue they bring to the nation.
4. Name some of the tourist places which you know.
5. What are the places you mentioned known for?

The words below are in the passage you are going to read. Find the meaning of the words and try to
use them in sentences.
tourist attraction revenue hydro-electric power trapped
located paradise designate
shoreline controversial rescued

A Comprehension: Kariba Dam, a tourism destination

Read the passage below carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Lake Kariba is a special place of incredible beauty. This lake is located along the Zambezi River. It was
created when a dam was built across the Zambezi River. Lake Kariba was created to provide hydro-
electric power.
There are several stories which are told about the origins of the name of the lake. Some elders in the
area note that close to the dam walls, lies a rock that resembles a traditional stone trap called riva,
hence Kariva literally meaning “little trap” Kariva was later mispronounced by Europeans to Kariba.
Others say the rock was Kariva due to the fact that when the river flooded the rock, it trapped water
thereby making it difficult for locals who often crossed the Zambezi River from either side.

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The building of the dam caused loss of homes for many people. It was very controversial. Thousands of
animals had to be rescued. This process of rescuing the animals was called Operation Noah which was
organised by a man called Rupert Fothergill.
The lake covers 5 000 square kilometres. It is a wild life paradise both on land and in water. There is a
variety of fish in the lake, some crocodiles and hippopotamuses. The tiger fish is also found there. On
the shore of the lake are a lot of lions. The number of lions in this area are believed to be the highest in
Africa. Fish eagles sit on the fossilised trees in the lake, hunting for fish. Fishermen are also found fishing
on the lake.
Lake Kariba is Zimbabwe’s major tourist attractions. The Zimbabwe side of the lake has about 1 000
kilometres of shoreline with sun-baked African hills placid backwaters and numerous islands. The
portion of the lake which falls within Zimbabwe has been designated a recreational park within the
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Estate. Game viewing on foot or by safari vehicles is offered around the
lake by several operators. Viewing may be done using boats.

Some of the animals that people view on the shores of the lake.

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People who visit Lake Kariba stay in lodges around the mouth of the Ume River on the eastern lake
shore. Some stay on houseboats.
Temperatures are generally very high in summer, averaging at 38 degrees Celsius. Average rainfall is 660
millimetres. Winters are usually warm with an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. It is best to
visit this lake in winter.

Comprehension questions 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Lake Kariba is located _______________.
A. in the Zambezi lake B. at Zambia C. along the Zambezi river
D. out of the river
2. The lake was built to create ________.
A. powers B. hydro-electric power
C. dam wall D. elders
3. Close to the dam walls lies a ________ which looks like a trap.
A. net B. hill C. cap D. stone
4. ________was trapped making it difficult for people to cross the river.
A. Water B. Fish C. Stones D. Boats
5. The process of ________ was called Operation Noah.
A. rescuing animals B. building the dam C. loss of homes D. Kariva
6. Local elders ________ like the idea of building the dam.
A. did B. dint’ C. didnt’ D. didn’t
7. The lake is a wild life paradise ________ on land and in water.
A. both B. all C. but D. because
8. The opposite of major is________.
A. wonderful B. senior C. minor D. reduced
Comprehension questions 2
Answer all questions in full sentences. Write your sentences in good grammar and punctuate them
correctly.
1. In which province is Lake Kariba?
2. Who organised the Operation Noah?
3. What is the meaning of the word “Kariva” as used in the passage?
4. What was lost due to the building of the dam?
5. What can be seen on the fossilised trees of the lake?
6. Where do tourists at the lake stay?
7. What is the average rainfall in Kariba?
8. Give two names of rivers mentioned in the passage.
9. When is it best to visit the lake?
10. Name two methods used for viewing the area around Lake Kariba.

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The best summaries are usually only a paragraph long. See if you can develop your own favourite format
for organising summary information in a paragraph. Remember that readers of summaries will usually
be skimming for factual information. They won’t take time to read carefully. This means you will have
to be clear and to the point. You can practice writing summaries about almost anything. Exercise 14.1
In one paragraph, write a summary of the facts surrounding the great Kariba Dam. Your summary should
not be more than 80 words.

C Composition: An animal I like most

People love viewing animals in most tourist attractions. Some use different gadgets to capture the
animal views well. People take photographs of animals they like. Discuss with your friend or your group
about an animal you like most. Exercise 14.2
Write a composition about an animal you like most. Write about the following points and any other
points you may think of:
• What is the animal you like most?
• What does the animal look like?
• Where is the animal found?
• What does it feed on?
• Is there anything the animal is well-known for?
• Explain why you like the animal.

A diary is a book in which you keep a daily record of events and experiences or future appointments.
There is space provided for each day of the year. There is also space for some important events such as
meetings.
Here is an example of a diary page.
Week 22 May 2013 Wednesday
Week 22 May 2013 29. Wednesday

0700: Morning devotions and house chores

0800: Bath time and breakfast

0900: Appointment with doctor

1000: Meeting with church ladies

1100: Shopping at the market and lunch

1500: Preparations for supper

1800: Serving supper

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 1900: Bible reading, prayer and bed-time
This is a page from a diary belonging to someone. There is the week, date and day of the week on this
page. All other pages have space provided to write the day’s activities. Exercise 14.3
Study the page of a dairy above carefully. Discuss the activities written on the page with others in your
group. Answer the questions below using the diary page.
1. What is the purpose of a diary?
2. In which week of the year was this day in the diary?
3. What day was it?
4. What was the owner of the diary to do after meeting the doctor?
5. What time was the person going to serve supper?
6. What time did the owner of the diary want to meet the doctor?
7. Which year was it?
8. When was bed time according to the page of the diary?
9. What time was the owner going to meet church ladies?
10. What was the first activity of the day?

Exercise 14.4
Create your own diary and write some activities you are going to carry out in a week. Write down only
the most important activities you will do during one week.

E Commands, questions and exclamations

1. A command is a sentence that gives an order to someone to do something. For example:

(a) Follow the correct route.(b) Do not take shortcuts.
(c) Answer these questions.
These are commands. They give instructions.
2. Questions are sentences which ask something. We have learnt about questions previously. We
know that questions end with a question mark. For example:
(a) How did the couple go to Kariba?
(b) Where did they stay?
(c) Did they find time for cruising?
3. An exclamation is a sentence which shows a strong feeling such as anger, surprise, excitement or
fear. Below are examples of exclamations:
(a) It’s beautiful!
(b) That’s too furious!
(c) Catch the thief!
Exercise 14.5
(i) A command has a full stop at the end. (.)
(ii) A question has a question mark at the end. (?)
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(iii) An exclamation has an exclamation mark at the end. (!)
Punctuate the sentences below correctly using the following marks (!) (.) (?)
1. Who can help me 6. Do you have the answers to our questions
2. Somebody help me 7. How far from the shore must we stay
3. You have to help me 8. The lake is deep
4. There you are 9. That’s lovely
5. Come on run faster 10. Board the first bus

The simple present tense

The simple present tense is used to describe present activities. The tense can talk about the events
which we cannot change. The simple present tense is also used in narrations and sports commentary.
This is the most basic tense in the English language which can be used to express the future. The
following are some of the examples:
(a) Christine bakes cakes.
(b) We are living in a cruel world.
(c) He is a good athlete. (d) You are amazing.
The simple past tense
The simple past tense is used to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in
the past.
(a) Last week I sold some beautiful clothes.
(b) Zoro travelled to South Africa last week.
(c) Rufaro admired her baby an hour after birth.
(d) He had an accident last year.
The simple future tense
The future tense verb shows action which will happen. The verbs in the future tense use the helping
verb will. For example:
(a) I will go to Lake Kariba for my holiday.
(b) They will find a better place to live.
(c) She will give birth to a son.
(d) We will write our examinations soon. Exercise 14.6
Use the correct form of verb in the brackets.
1. They (view) the mountains as they (sit) on the balcony of the lodge.
2. The elders were (surprise) in the change of name from Kariva to Kariba.
3. Fishermen (fish) tonight because there is a full moon.
4. Gamuchirai (join) the other girls to fetch water at the well.
5. Tourists (bring) foreign currency into our country.

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6. Rutendo (celebrate) her wedding anniversary next month.
7. Loyce (teach) the class with the best learners.
8. The villagers (ask) for help from the government.
9. The government (assist) the villagers in due course.
10. The family usually (visit) their rural home every holiday.

Synonyms are words with different spelling and pronunciation but have the same meaning. There are
some words which have several synonyms like: big – large – huge – great – enormous You can use the
words in sentences as follows:
(a) The lake is very huge.
(b) The lake is very big.
(c) The lake is very large.
(d) The lake is great.
(e) The lake is enormous.
The sentences mean the same. All the words in bold mean the same. Exercise 14.7
Use another word which means the same with the one in bold.
1. It was a very hard task to move the animals from the lake during Operation Noah.
2. Coronavirus was a very fatal disease which killed many people.
3. The pretty girl smiled as she viewed the vegetation around the lake.
4. The old woman was known for her bad deeds.
5. The tour guide was a highly educated man.
6. Many tourists inquired about the water levels and how animals were affected.
7. Our daughter is very intelligent.
8. There was an enormous ship on the lake.
9. Tony deserted his wife and children.
10. The exterior of the house was painted.

You have learnt from previous units that adverbs are words which describe or give information about
verbs. They describe how actions are done. Adverbs tell us how, when, where and to what extend
something has been done or is being done.
Adverbs of manner give information on how something has been done or is being done. These adverbs
end with –ly. There are some which do not follow this rule like; fast, well and others. For example:
(a) John celebrated his birthday happily.
(b) He ran very fast. Exercise 14.8
Change the words in brackets in the sentences below to the correct adverbs.

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1. The birds on the lake flew very (swift).
2. The tourists shouted (joy).
3. The animals on the lake were moved by the rescuers (skill).
4. The constructors of the dam asked for permission from the elders (wise).
5. The tourists waited for the tour guide (anxious).
6. The hunter fought against the fierce leopard (brave).
7. The children at the party screamed (noise).
8. After the guest speaker gave his speech, the audience clapped (excited).
9. The driver of the bus drove on the rocky areas of the sea shore (care).
10. Tadiwa’s parents hugged their daughter (proud).
I Using all, both, each and every

(a) Both Zimbabwe and Mozambique were affected by the liberation struggle.
(c) Each country had to plan ways to cease the war.
(d) Every family deported was resettled.
(e) All the war victims in the camps were fed by the government. Exercise 14.9
Use the correct word to fill the blank spaces.
1. ________ the children in the camp were properly fed.
2. ________ family had a good place to sleep.
3. ________ the Zimbabwean army and the British had to agree to cease fire.
4. ________ head of the army had to sign the agreement.
5. ________ member of the army had to report to assembly points.
6. ________ country has its own government.
7. ________ countries were asked to prevent diseases.
8. ________ day people were deported from neighbouring countries.
9. ________ men and women fought in the liberation war.
10. ________ year Zimbabweans celebrate their independence in April.

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Paper 1: Multiple Choice Questions

Unit

Instructions to candidates
A. Read all instructions carefully.
B. Answer all questions.
C. Choose one correct answer from the suggested answers.
D. There are 40 questions in this test.

Read the letter below and answer the questions that follow.
3674 Bogota Crescent
Glen Norah A Harare
15 June 2020
Dear Ruvimbo
It has been long since I heard from you. I trust you and everyone else are well.
On 12 July 2020 I will be having a birthday party at our home. I am inviting you to attend the party.
The party will start at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. I am eagerly looking forward to your coming.
Preparations for the party are now at an advanced stage. Everyone is expecting the party to be a
very joyful moment. Sweet music will be played and Ajigija the clown will be there to entertain the
guests. A variety of food and drinks will be served at the party.
Our church leader will be coming to bless the event and give us some devotions and teachings relevant
for the youth. Your parents are free to come and join us too. Your friend,
Taboka
Comprehension questions
1. The letter was addressed to______________.
A. Taboka B. church leader C. Ruvimbo D. Ajigija
2. Who wrote the letter?
A. The writer B. Ruvimbo C. Taboka D. Friend
3. Who will entertain the guests?
A. Ruvimbo B. Taboka C. Parents D. Ajigija
4. Who is Ajigija?

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 A. A clown B. Church elder C. Music D. Friend
5. What is being expected at the party?
A. Everyone B. A joyful moment C. Variety D. Cake
6. The church leader will_____________.
A. eat B. entertain
C. bless and teach the youth D. shout
7. The word “variety” means___________.
A. different types B. a few types C. no types D. selected
8. When was the letter written?
A. 12 July 2020 B. Saturday 20 May C. 15 June 2020 D. 2 o’clock

Choose the correct word to complete the sentences below.

9. Ajigija is the clown______________entertained the guests.
A. which B. that C. whose D. who
10. The driver drove ________ the bridge.
A. with B. over C. to D. at
11. Tafadzwa is either coming today______________ tomorrow.
A. neither B. or C. nor D. and
12. I am inviting you ______________ my birthday party.
A. to B. at C. on D. for
13. Our church elder will join ______________ at the party.
A. we B. ourselves C. us D. ours
14. Mary did not come to the party _________ she was ill.
A. unless B. until C. although D. because
15. Everyone is _________ you to attend the party.
A. suspecting B. expecting C. respecting D. mistaking
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
A narrow escape
There are times when people are left speechless due to uncertain circumstances which occur in life. A
young driver of a motor van had to jump for safety when flames suddenly shot up through the floor
boards in the cabin of his truck.
After delivering his load at a city warehouse, he had entered the van and switched on the engine.
Immediately the fire started and the driver jumped clear and ran to the telephone booth to call for help.
It is not known what exactly caused the fire. Fumes of flames were flaring on the truck. The fire brigade
did not take long to sound a siren in the direction of the fire. Despite the efforts of the firemen, the van
was totally destroyed.
People gathered watching helplessly. The young driver was trembling with fear. He was not even able
to explain what happened. All people could see on his face, were unexplained tears. It was obvious that
he was in deep shock.
Comprehension questions
16. When the fire started, the driver was_________.
A. at the back of the van B. in the warehouse
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 C. in the train D. in the van
17. The van caught fire when_________.
A. the driver switched on the engine. B. the driver went in the warehouse.
C. he ran to the telephone booth. D. he destroyed the car.
18. The driver called the_________.
A. council B. police station C. firemen D. cabin
19. The driver was going to deliver goods at a_________.
A. community hall B. market C. city centre D. warehouse
20. When the driver ran to the telephone booth, he intended to_________.
A. catch the fire B. call for help C. drive the van D. call some friends

Choose the correct word to complete the sentences below.

21. _________the firemen’s efforts, the van was destroyed.
A. Although B. Because C. Despite D. According to
22. The driver was careless.
A. Was he? B. Wasn’t he? C. Were he? D. Weren’t he?
23. The _________ came to repair the water pipes at the warehouse.
A. mechanic B. engineer C. plumber D. builder
24. The car was badly damaged and _________ seats were completely burnt.
A. its B. it’s C. it D. it is
25. The driver wished he _________ checked the van after parking.
A. has B. have C. were D. had
26. The driver was _________ brave to fight the fire.
A. very B. much C. too D. most
27. _________the firemen tried their best to put out the fire, the van had already been damaged.
A. Unless B. Although C. While D. But
28. There were _________ people watching the fire helplessly.
A. many B. most C. lot D. much
29. All the workers had to get_________of the warehouse.
A. away B. afraid C. interested D. out
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Tendai spent a long-time watching television. He was now feeling bored and tired. He decided to take a
walk and his dog Bingo, trotted behind him. A cool breeze blew from east to west.
There was a sudden shift in the blowing of the wind. It blew with much force. There were dark clouds
gathering from a distance. The echo of thunder could be heard from the mountains. Flashes of lightening
lit the sky. The sky became darker bit by bit.
Everything happened so fast and Tendai was shocked. He decided to run home. The skies opened and
heavy drops of rain began to pour down pounding on his head and the ground. Tendai got soaked to
the skin. Strong icy wind continued to blow and thunder filled the air. The wind tore leaves from trees
and pulled down branches. It grew darker and objects became almost invisible through the rain.

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Tendai was disturbed and very terrified by the state of the weather. He looked for his pet but it was
nowhere to be found. He finally sought shelter amongst the rocks until the rain subsided. His mind was
not settled because of his dog. He was not sure whether it was safe or not.
Comprehension questions
30. Tendai spent most of the day_________.
A. busy B. reading C. playing D. watching television
31. He took a walk because he was_________.
A. bored B. strong C. cool D. worried
32. Dark clouds gathered_________.
A. far away B. closer C. too close D. by the trees
33. The_________echoed the rumble of thunder.
A. lightening B. wind C. clouds D. mountains
34. It grew dark because_________.
A. the clouds were violent B. dark clouds covered the sky
C. the rain drops fell D. lightning struck
35. The word rumble refers to_________made by the thunder.
A. noise B. breeze C. violence D. lightening
36. Tendai was shocked because_________.A. rocks were dark
B. he ran home
C. there was a sudden change in the weather
D. his dog trudged behind him
Choose the correct word to complete the sentences which follow.
37. As the wind blew strongly, Tendai _________ disturbed.
A. became B. becomes C. is becoming D. becoming
38. The _________ looks as if it is going to rain.
A. whither B. weather C. whether D. wither
39. I wish I had _________ Tendai not to go for a walk.
A. tell B. telling C. told D. tolded
40. “My mother does the cleaning,” said Nobulelo. If her statement is changed to reported speech it
reads:
A. Nobulelo said that, “My mother does the cleaning.”
B. Nobulelo said that her mother did the cleaning.
C. Nobulelo says her mother will do the cleaning.
D. Nobulelo said, “her mother does the cleaning everytime”.

PAPER 2: COMPOSITION, COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY

Section A: Composition (20 marks)
You are advised to spend 1 hour on this section.
1. Answer either (a) or (b)
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 Either (a)
Write a composition about a trip you have taken to a place of interest in Zimbabwe. Your
composition should be between 80 and 120 words in length. Use the following points and any other
you may think of to write the composition:
• The name of the place you visited
• When you visited
• Mode of transport you used
• The people whom you travelled with • Interesting things you saw
• What you learnt.

Or (b)
You have had a narrow escape from drowning while swimming. Write a report to your sports master
on the encounter. The body of your report should be between 80 and 120 words. Use the following
points and any other you may think of to write the report:
• When the incident happened
• Where it took place
• What lead to the drowning
• How you managed to escape
• Kind of help you got
• Your suggestions to prevent such incidents in future

Section B: Comprehension and Summary (15 marks)

You are advised to spend 30 minutes on this section.

2. Read the following passage very carefully before you attempt any questions.
Answer all the questions in full sentences. You are advised to write your sentences in good grammar
and punctuate them correctly.
Wetlands are any land that is flooded with shallow water all or most of the time. They are a natural
water holding system. If it rains a lot and rivers flood or water runs off; the wetlands are there to
soak up the extra water like a big, natural sponge. There are three main types of wetlands: bogs,
marshes and swamps.
Bogs are low-lying areas covered with a thick layer of partly decomposed plants. They are common
in cool, wet climates like England. The most common plant that grows in a bog is peat moss. It
covers the ground like a carpet. It can be hard to walk on, like trying to walk on a lumpy mattress.
Marshes can be seen near ponds, lakes and coasts. They stay under water most of the time.
Bulrushes and reeds are the most common plants in a marsh. Marshes vary greatly in size. One of
the largest marshes in the world is Everglades National Park, in Florida.
A swamp is a forest whose ground is underwater all or most of the time. Unlike bogs or marshes, a
swamp is full of trees and bushes. It might not be under water all the time, only flooding during

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 certain seasons of the year. It’s not a good idea to go exploring a swamp without a guide. There are
hidden pools of water, thick mud and sometimes big crocodiles looking for their next meal.
Hungry crocodiles aren’t the only animals that make the wetlands their home. Turtles, frogs and
snakes do too. The air is full of insects like mosquitos. The water is home to crayfish, wood ducks
and many other fish and crabs.
We didn’t always know how important the wetlands are. Long ago, people used to think wetlands
were unusable and wastelands. People filled them in and they even dumped pollutants in them.
Today, people realise that wetlands are important because they provide habitats for animals; they
prevent flooding in many towns and cities; and they act like a filter that cleans water for lakes.
Questions
(a) What is a wetland?
[1]
(b) Why does the write refer to the wetlands as ‘natural sponge’? [1]
(c) State the three types of wetlands.
[1] (d) Bogs are mostly found in which European country?
[1] (e) Which places do marshes usually occur?
[1] (f) Where is the biggest marsh in the world
located? [1]
(g) Why is it not encouraged to visit a swamp without a guide? [1]
(h) What are the two creatures that stay in swamps?
[2]
(i) What did long ago people do to show their misunderstandings of the wetlands? [1]
(j) I n one paragraph, write a summary of the three different types of wetlands and the
importance of wetlands. Your summary should not be more than 80 words,
including the given ten opening words.
[5] Begin your summary as follows:
There are three types of wetlands that include bogs, marshes….

THERE IS A TIME FOR

Unit 16 EVERYTHING

Look at the pictures below and study them carefully. Discuss what you see in groups.

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1. What can you see in the pictures?
2. Talk about the different activities happening in each picture.
3. Identify the days of the week and order them properly.
4. Name the months of the year.
5. Name the seasons of the year and order the months into appropriate seasons.
6. Talk about the activities done during the different seasons.
7. Match the seasons with the pictures above.

Read the following words and use them to practise sentence construction.
design occur crickets influenza heatwave vegetation veld fires pounding
moonlight shelling harvest

A Comprehension: Seasons of the year in Zimbabwe

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Different activities happen at different times. God designed seasons to occur differently. A season is a
division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology and the number of daylight hours in a given
region. Months of the year fall into different seasons. Summer is the rainy season. It covers mid-
November, December, January, February to mid-March. People carry out a variety of activities like
ploughing, planting and weeding. A lot of small creatures like crickets are found in large numbers. A
variety of fruits are also plenty. Grass grows tall and healthy to give good pastures. Trees have bright
and beautiful leaves.
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After the rainy season, comes autumn. This is the post-rain season. It is the time which covers mid-
March, April up to mid-May. People harvest their crops from the fields. Some construct maize cribs.
Some hunt for mice because during this time they are commonly found. Many families in rural areas do
not buy food from the market because they have plenty in the fields. This food includes pumpkins,
groundnuts, maize and fruits.
The cold weather comes after autumn. Weather temperatures are low. This season is called winter. This
period covers mid-May, June, July to mid-August. Shelling of maize and pounding of rapoko are some
of the common activities during winter. Most of the trees shed off leaves and grass dries up. Many
people suffer from cold and influenza in winter. They must wear warm clothes and eat hot or warm
food.
The hot dry season comes after winter. It is called spring. Spring covers mid-August, September, October
to mid-November. In spring the weather is very hot. Plants grow new shoots and trees grow new leaves.
During this hot season, children play in the moonlight. They gather together, sing and dance. We also
experience some heatwaves during spring. Temperatures are very high during this season. People feel
a lot of discomfort due to the hot weather. People are advised to drink lots of water to cool down
temperature. During this season, a lot of veld fires are experienced.
Comprehension questions
Answer the questions in full. Use correct punctuation and grammar.
1. How many seasons of the year are there in Zimbabwe?
2. How is the weather in the eighth month of the year?
3. Name the season which falls in the post-rain season.
4. What is the name given to the cold season?
5. Which creatures are commonly found during the rainy season?
6. What are the major activities done during the post-rain season?
7. Which month is very windy and dusty?
8. What time of the year should people protect themselves from heatwave?

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9. In your own words, give the meaning of the word “discomfort”.

It is far more effective to keep a summary short - people are always eager to read something short. The
longer your summary is, the greater the chance of making mistakes or misinformation within a piece of
writing.
When writing a summary, you should focus on the facts. Keep your own reflections out of your summary,
aiming to share information instead of opinions.
Creativity in a summary can be a good way to introduce new ideas and topics but that should not be
your main focus. It is more important to give accurate information than creative opinions and fillers.

Exercise 16.1
In one paragraph, write a summary of the weather conditions and activities that characterise each
season in Zimbabwe. Your summary should not be more than 80 words in length, including the given
ten opening words. Begin your summary as follows: Months of the year fall into different seasons.
Summer is...

C Composition: Report writing

Have you ever witnessed a veld fire? Discuss with your group about what happens in a veld fire. Now
report to the whole class. Do not leave out some important details of the report.
When you write a report, you have to consider the points you were taught in the previous lessons.
Remember that a report narrates the following:
(a) What one has seen
(b) What one has heard
(c) What one has observed
(d) What one has done

Exercise 16.2
Write a report to the Director of Environmental Management Agency about a veld fire you witnessed.
Your report must be between 80 and 120 words. In your report include some points below and any you
can think of:
• when the incident happened
• where it happened
• how the fire started
• damage caused
• how the fire was put out or any other activities which happened

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There are prepositions which show where something happens. Such prepositions are called
prepositions of place. For example:
(a) He waited at the bus-station for a long time.
(b) Senior sat on a boat together with the slave boys. (c) They travelled to the
border during the night.
The prepositions in bold are prepositions of place.
Exercise 16.3
Use the following prepositions to complete the sentences below
in the middle of under in front of over on top of beside into at underneath through
1. Fat cattle were sold _____________ the border.
2. Thobeka had to walk _________ of the team because he knew the road to the border.
3. Kennedy’s mother put a mat _____________ the blanket she slept on.
4. They jumped _____________ the boat quickly.
5. Mayibongwe led the young men _____________ the thick bushes and tall trees.
6. They walked _____________ the bridge to the next village.
7. The leaves were floating _____________ the water.
8. Bekithemba walked_____________ the tall man.
9. The boat capsized _____________ of the river.
10. The young men put their luggage _____________ the big tree as they rested.
Exercise 16.4
Fill in the correct preposition in the paragraph below.
Mxolisi and his friends were happy ______ travel away _______home. They did not know they were
going to be victims of human trafficking_________a foreign land. Khumbulani paid __________ the
transport and food. Sometimes they travelled_________bus and _________foot when they could not
catch a bus. They slept ____________big trees. They needed some rest__________they travelled long
distances during the night. They swam ____________the Zambezi river though it was infested
___________crocodiles and many dangerous animals. There were some people who rowed some boats
______ wanted to be paid for the service. The journey was very dangerous. Only brave people would
think of undertaking such a dangerous adventure.

1. Some is used when the speaker cannot say a number or an exact amount. It is used in positive
sentences. Here are some examples:
(a) Some plants grow in summer.
(b) The thief stole some blankets.
(c) We had some time to play.
(d) The lockdown is going to take some time before it ends.
2. Many is used with plural nouns. For example:

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 (a) There are many dangers associated with the heatwave.
(b) Many people attended the show.
(c) How many activities are done in winter?
Exercise 16.5
Complete the following sentences with the correct word between some or many.
1. Kakuyo planted ______________ more trees.
2. Rutendo is taking ______________more tea.
3. How ______________people were affected by influenza?
4. There were ______________boys ploughing the field.
5. There are ______________activities not suitable for winter.
6. ______________men were fighting after drinking beer.
7. Kennedy and ______________village boys went to town.
8. The boys asked too ______________ questions.

F Verbs: The present participle

The present participle can be part of a verb that has many parts. It can function as an adjective or a
noun. It combines auxiliary verbs to form a variety of tenses.
1. The present participle verbs always end with -ing.
Add –ing to given verbs to form the present participle. Here are examples:
(a) pass – passing
(b) walk – walking (c) cry – crying
2. If the verb ends with a consonant except w, x and y double the last letter and add –ing. For example:
(a) get – getting
(b) run – running(c) sit – sitting
3. If the verb ends in silent e, drop the silent e adding -ing. Here are examples:
(a) make – making
(b) come – coming
(c) care – caringExercise 16.6
Change the verbs given below to the present participle.
1. shell 6. fight
2. rain 7. wake
3. begin 8. debate
4. wait 9. spin
5. sit 10. dig
Exercise 16.7

1. It is _____________. (rain)
2. They are _____________about the seasonal changes. (debate)

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3. The clothes are _____________wet. (get)
4. The boys are _____________the weather. (study)
5. It’s summer and we are_____________the fields. (plough)
6. They are_____________an examination. (write)
7. Fire is____________ the veld. (burn)
8. We are_____________the long grass. (cut)
9. He is _____________with cancer. (battle)
10. They are _____________ the field. (weed)

G Animal sounds and animal homes

Every animal has a habitat. For instance:

(a) Bees live in a hive. Bees also make some sounds. Bees buzz.
(b) Cats live in a cattery. Cats mew.

Exercise 16.8
In the table below fill in the name of the home and sound of animals provided in the first column. The
first one has been done for you.
Animal Sound Home

1. cow moos kraal

2. elephant _________________ _________________

3. lion _________________ _________________

4. pig _________________ _________________

5. bee _________________ _________________

6. horse _________________ _________________

7. sheep _________________ _________________

8. eagle _________________ _________________

9. dog _________________ _________________

10. hen _________________ _________________

Exercise 16.9
Complete the blank spaces using the correct sound.
1. Dogs were _____ in the night raising an alarm that something was happening outside.
2. We heard the ____________of some owls from the near-by jungle.
3. A lion was heard____________near the village after it strayed from the game park.

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4. Goats were ____________fearing the straying lion.
5. The cock ____________to mark the beginning of a new day.
6. A herd of elephants ____________daily as they go to the river before sunset.
7. Tafadzwa heard a snake ____________near the fowl-run.
8. Monkeys were____________whilst swinging from one branch to another.
9. After the rains we heard the____________of frogs.
10. Ducks are ____________while swimming in the river.

One word can be used for a group of things. Here are the examples:
(a) A bunch of leaves. There are many leaves forming a bunch.
(b) A fleet of ship. Many ships are a fleet.
(c) A gang of thieves. Many thieves for a gang.
The words bunch, fleet and gang are called collective nouns. They are names of many things of the same
kind put together.
Exercise 16.10
Choose the correct collective noun from the list below to complete the sentences.
battalion pack crew shoal pride congregation audience swarm flock
herd paddling troop choir bouquet
1. The ________ of baboons ravaged the maize crops.
2. The pastor stood in front of the________to preach.
3. There was a ____ of soldiers on most roadblocks in search of the notorious murderer.
4. A _________of ducks was swimming in the dam.
5. Loud barking was heard from a _____________ of dogs in the neighbourhood.
6. Sweet music came from the church _____________.
7. The learners gave their facilitator a _____________ of flowers.
8. The _____________ of ship sailed to the sea shore swiftly.
9. Villagers feared a _____________ of lions which had strayed from the game park.
10. A _____________ of locusts invaded our maize field.

Similes are figure speeches in which a thing or person is compared to another. This means a thing or
person is likened to something. Look at some of the examples below.
(a) Our son is as wise as King Solomon.
The wisdom of the son is being likened to that of King Solomon.
(b) The new knife is as sharp as a razor blade.
The new knife is being likened to a razor blade. The
words in bold are similes. Exercise 16.11

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Complete the following sentences correctly.
1. My neighbour is as proud as a________________.
2. The farmer felt as fit as a________________.
3. Grandmother walks as slowly as a________________.
4. He wore a shirt which was as light as a________________.
5. Everything happened as quick as a________________.
6. Nobuhle is as playful as a ________________.
7. Sekuru Magogorosi was as wise as ________________. Speech writing

Structure or format of a speech

To structure a speech and make it easy for the audience to understand your point, split it into three
sections: Introduction, main body and conclusion. In each section you are trying to achieve a different
aim:
Introduction
In the introduction, your aim is to tell your audience who you are and what you are talking about. Then,
you want to grab their attention. In fact, your introduction is an opportunity to show your examiners
that you can adapt to introduce yourself to any audience. Here is an example of an audience and how
you could introduce yourself appropriately:
You are giving a speech to your teachers. Since you are talking to your teachers, in this example, your
introduction must be formal. For instance; “Hello, and thank you for taking the time to listen. My name
is Sibongile Moyo, and I’m here today to talk to you about…”
The main body
The main body of your speech is where you make your arguments. Divide this main body into 2-3 points
and separate each point into different paragraphs. Begin every paragraph with a topic sentence - since
you are dividing your speech into separate paragraphs, it is important to make it clear what each section
is about.
Use very good English - this is essential for your examiner to give you good marks. Avoid long sentences.
Write short sentences instead. By keeping things short, you limit the amount of complex punctuation
you need to use. However, bear in mind that for the top marks, examiners are looking for a range of
sentence structures and punctuation.
Express your opinion - the most common mistake students make when writing a speech is that they do
not express an opinion. Opinions are the elements that make a speech interesting. Whatever you are
writing a speech about, express yourself. Do not just write about your topic, write what you think about
it.
Write from the first person and engage your audience - when writing your speech, always ensure that
you write using the first person. This means, use “I” as you write. By doing this, your audience will
recognise that what you are saying is your opinion. Address your audience directly as if you were actually
talking to them. Use “we” and “you” in your writing. The conclusion

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At the end, comes the conclusion. A good conclusion takes everything you said and sums it up. The ideal
ending is highly memorable. You want it to live on in the minds of your listeners long after your speech
is finished. Often it combines a call to action with a summary of major points.
Exercise 16.12
Imagine that you are the Headboy or Headgirl at your school. In the school, cases of bullying are on the
rise. Write a speech you would give at the school assembly addressing issues of bullying taking place at
the school. Use the following notes and any other you may think of to write your speech:
• Introduce yourself and the issue at hand
• Who are the perpetrators
• What is the nature of bullying
• How can this bad behaviour be addressed
• Give your last remarks or conclusion

We live in different environments. Some people dispose litter carelessly. It is everyone’s responsibility
to make the environment clean. Let’s talk about ways of making our environment clean. Talk about tools
for cleaning and methods of disposing rubbish. Discuss areas which needs attention in your own
community. Suggest ways in which you can help to clean up and dispose rubbish.

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Recite the poem below.

Unit

Litter all around us

Litter in the playground
Litter on the pavements
Litter on the streets
Big rubbish heaps
Causing diseases to us
Rubbish in the streams and
Rubbish in our rivers
Clean up clean up
And make us safe from sickness
Clean up clean up Dispose all
the dirt.
Burn the papers
Bury some rubbish
Use it in the garden
Sort it for reuse
Recycle all the plastic
And make a clean environment
Clean up. Clean up.

The words below are in the passage you are going to read. Find the meaning of the words and try to
use them in sentences.
environment disposing pollute stream introduced
involved clean-up dispose usable recycle
recyclable dumped converted citizen production
terminuses encouraged unnecessarily department prohibits
deforestation destroying arrest permission measures
implement

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A Comprehension: Save the environment
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Zimbabwe is a very beautiful country. God blessed this country with rivers, mountains, trees, wild
animals and a variety of birds. People pollute the land in different ways. It is not good to pollute our
environment. An unclean environment attracts diseases. Some throw litter everywhere, others cause
siltation by depositing different items into streams and rivers.

The president of Zimbabwe introduced a national day of cleaning the environment. Every first Friday of
the month is set aside for cleaning places around us. Everyone is involved in the clean-up exercise.
Learners and adults gather together to sweep and dispose rubbish. There is rubbish which can be used
again and rubbish which must be burnt or disposed using other means. This means that rubbish is sorted
before disposal. Usable rubbish will be recycled. Recyclable materials includes plastic bottles and
metals. Many people go around collecting plastic bags and bottles. Others collect metal objects. Plastic
materials will be dumped at some factories where they are recycled. Some of the plastics are converted
into fertiliser production. Metals are also taken to factories where they will be used purposefully.

The picture is showing the pollution of water bodies

Learners clean their school environment including local shopping areas, market places and bus
terminuses. Every citizen is encouraged to keep the environment neat. People are also discouraged
from cutting down trees in the environment unnecessarily. Cutting down trees causes deforestation.
The department of the Environmental Management Agency prohibits people from destroying our
environment. They put measures in place to arrest those who do not seek permission from the Forestry
Commission. Citizens must try their best to implement rules and laws of the country. Comprehension
questions
Answer the following questions in full and correct sentences.
1. In which continent is our country Zimbabwe found?

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2. Name two natural land marks of Zimbabwe mentioned in the passage.
3. Who introduced the clean-up exercise in Zimbabwe?
4. When is the clean-up exercise carried out?
5. Who is involved in the clean-up exercise?
6. Which organisation mentioned in the passage deals with environmental issues?
7. What measures were put in place to control cleanliness in the environment?
8. How is plastic disposed?
9. What is the meaning of the word ‘recycle’ as used in the passage?
10. What is the cause of deforestation?

You can write a summary by linking pairs of sentences using words like and, so or but etc. Here are
examples:
(a) People threw litter everywhere. The president introduced a clean-up campaign.
People threw litter everywhere so the president introduced a clean-up campaign.
(b) People saw many plastic bottles. They picked them up.
People saw many plastic bottles and picked them up.
(c) The plastic bottles were very dirty. They could be recycled.
The plastic bottles were very dirty but could be recycled.
Exercise 17.1
Link the pairs of sentences taken from the passage you read using so, and or but.
1. People in different environments face problems. They have to solve the problems.
2. Zimbabwe is a beautiful country. It is blessed with rivers, mountains and trees.
3. Every first Friday of the month is set aside for cleaning the environment. Everyone must take part
in cleaning the environment.
4. An unclean environment attracts germs. It can cause diseases like cholera and diarrhoea.
5. Many people throw litter everywhere. Others create rubbish heaps everywhere.
6. Learners sweep the environment. They pick up litter.
7. Citizens are encouraged to keep the environment clean. Some are so untidy that they throw it
anywhere.
8. Some people throw litter into rivers. Litter can result in siltation.
9. Litter is put in separate places. It will be sorted according to recyclable and nonrecyclable matter.
10. Rubbish must be disposed properly. It helps to prevent the spread of diseases.

C Composition: Friendly letter

We have learnt before that a friendly letter is a letter in which we share anything pleasing or displeasing.
We write friendly letters to relatives and friends. This kind of letter is also known as an informal letter.
Remember this kind of letter bears the following:

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(a) The address of the writer. (This kind of letter has only one address.) (b) Date
when the letter was written.
(c) The salutation showing the name of the recipient.
(d) The body - is where you write content of the letter including greetings. You skip lines between
paragraphs and two lines between the end of the body and complimentary close.
(e) Complimentary close - let the reader know that you are finished with your letter; usually ends with
Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Thank you, and so on. Note that there is a comma at the end of it and
only the first word in the complimentary close is capitalised.
(f) Write your first name because the recipient is someone who already knows you well.
Here is another example of an informal / friendly letter.
Stand Number 1289 Sandton
Mount Humpden
Westgate Harare
Leave a line
15 June 2020
Leave a line
Dear________ (Salutation/Greeting)
Leave a line
Introduction of your letter bearing reasons why you are writing the letter.
Leave a line
The body of the letter. (Write ideas in paragraphs). The body carries the most details of the letter.
Leave a line after each paragraph
Conclusion
Leave a line
End your letter (Signing off)
Leave a line
Write your name

Exercise 17.2
Write a friendly letter to your brother who lives in a neighbouring country. Inform him about a clean-up
campaign which will be taking place in the country on a date announced by the president. The body of
the letter must be between 80 and 120 words long. Use the following points and any other you may
think of to write your letter:
• When is the clean-up campaign
• Where is it going to take place
• What is the starting time
• Who is leading the campaign
• Who is invited

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 • What are the benefits of the campaign

Adverbs are words which give more information about an adjective, verb, another adverb, a phrase or
a clause. These words usually end in –ly.
Here are some examples:
(a) Nomvula sat quietly.
(b) Learners cleaned the environment neatly.
Exercise 17.3
Make adverbs using words in column A and write the adverb in column B. Construct sentences of your
own using the adverbs.
Column A Column B

1. tight

2. beautiful

3. quick

4. soft

5. cheerful

6. bad

7. weak

8. smooth

9. sad

10. loud

Exercise 17.4
Copy the exercise below in your books and underline the adverbs.
1. The rubbish heap grew bigger slowly.
2. People cut down trees carelessly.
3. She sat comfortably selling her vegetables near a rubbish heap.
4. The president spoke softly about the clean-up exercise.
5. All citizens must be friendly to the environment.
6. Old plastic bottles can be used purposefully.
7. Rubbish must be disposed carefully.
8. Citizens must have a clean-up exercise on a monthly basis.

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9. Diseases spread rapidly if the environment is dirty.
10. The teachers assisted the learners wisely.

A prepositional phrase is a group of words containing a preposition and its object (a noun or a pronoun).
Look at the examples below.
near the river, in the night, under the big tree, behind the door
The table below shows prepositional phrases and the object.
Prepositional phrase Preposition Object

(a) near the river near the river

(b) in the night in the night

(c) under the big tree under the big tree

(d) behind the door behind the door

We can write an ordinary sentence like this; there are many trees near the river. In this sentence, a
prepositional phrase is at the end.
We can also write the same sentence starting with a prepositional phrase as follows; Near the river,
there are many trees.
Thieves broke the door in the night. We can change the sentence to this; In the night, thieves broke the
door. Exercise 17.5
Underline the prepositional phrases in each sentence. Rewrite the sentences starting with the
prepositional phrase.
1. People must plant fruit trees in their orchards.
2. There are many people who go up the mountain.
3. The alarm went off at half past six.
4. Joseph and Irene watched their children from a distance.
5. Nancy lay quietly on her bed.
6. My father sends money out of the country.
7. Francis cheered his team standing on the side-lines.
8. A very vicious dog was roaming around the orchard.
9. A drunkard staggered back home along the road.
10. There were loud voices outside the house.

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F Proper and comparative adjectives

Adjectives are words used to describe or give information about nouns. There are different kinds of
adjectives. Some describe feelings, shapes, sizes, colours, quantities, qualities, time, temperature and
others materials. Proper adjectives
Proper adjectives are formed from nouns. These are adjectives written in capital letters. For example:
(a) Malawi is a proper noun. The adjective from the proper noun is Malawian.
(b) Kennedy is a Malawian foreigner living in Zimbabwe.
Comparative adjectives
These adjectives compare nouns for example: The ball is big. This noun is compared on its own. It’s a
ball which is big.
Some adjectives are used to compare two or more nouns like this:
(a) Kennedy was wiser than his friend senior.
(b) He was the luckiest guy among the village boys. Exercise 17.6
Form adjectives from words in brackets and fill in the blank spaces provided.
1. ___________ citizens also work in most farms around Zimbabwe. (Mozambique)
2. Japan sells its___________cars all over the world. (Japan)
3. Migrants took any job. They were not___________. (choose)
4. Peter has a___________wife. (beauty)
5. Some workers are very___________. (mischief)
6. Yeukai met some ___________ characters at her work place. (fun)
7. The rooms at Shawasha hostels were ___________ enough to accommodate a few workers. (space)
8. Mduduzi was not a ___________ man. (boast)
9. During weekends, Uratile watched various games for___________. (excite)
10. Managers at Katsa’s workplace were not ____ because they trusted him. (suspect)

Words or phrases used to mean something in a roundabout way are called idioms. Idioms are a way of
expressing thoughts. Below are examples:
(a) George was armed to the teeth.
Armed to the teeth is an idiom. It means George had all the necessary equipment.
(b) He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He is dangerous yet he seems gentle and harmless.
Exercise 17.7
Complete the following idioms correctly.
1. All work and no play make Jack a ____________.
2. A bird’s ____________.
3. Variety is the spice of____________.

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4. A storm in a ____________.
5. Better late than____________.
6. Let the cat out of____________.
7. Mind your own____________.
8. Make a mountain out of____________.
9. The ball is in your____________.
10. You can lead a horse to water but _________.
Exercise 17.8
Match the following idioms with the correct meaning.
Idiom Meaning

1. Leave a nasty taste in the mouth It’s a secrete

2. Stand the taste of time One who does not stay long in one place

3. Mark my words Piece of advice

4. My lips are sealed To survive

5. Vanish into thin air Clean and tidy

6. A rolling stone Getting angry

7. A word to the wise Leave someone with unpleasant memories

8. Spick and span Something that is past and must be forgotten

9. Get all steamed up Take note of what I said

10. Water under bridge Disappear

A shortened form of words is called an abbreviation.

(a) NY stands for New Yolk
(b) BBC British Broadcasting Cooperation Exercise 17.9
Find out the meaning of the following abbreviations.
1. ILO ________________ 6. ZBC _______________
2. ZRP ________________ 7. USA _______________
3. EMA ________________ 8. UNICEF _____________
4. AU _________________ 9. WHO _______________
5. SADC _______________ 10. www. _______________

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 Unit

Talk about names of trees.

Why should we plant trees?
What is a tree planting day?
What should be done to avoid tree cutting?

You will come across the words below in the passage. Find the meaning of the words and try to use
them in sentences.
orchards oxygen inhale breathe generation
plantations shrubs toxic habitat carbon dioxide timber
employment exotic indigenous construction industry earn a living

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A Comprehension: Trees are good for the environment

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Trees and plants are very important in life. People and animals need trees. A national tree planting day
was set for the people of Zimbabwe. People plant trees in their different environments. Learners plant
trees in the school environment and at their homes. Everyone is encouraged to plant at least one tree
every year. It is also very important to seek advice from experts before planting trees in orchards or in
plantations.

Trees give us life. The oxygen we inhale comes from plants. Without plants, there is no oxygen
generation. It is important that we have plantations around us. We breathe out carbon dioxide which
is absorbed by the trees. Carbon dioxide becomes toxic if it is not absorbed by the trees. We do not
need to inhale carbon dioxide. Trees need the carbon dioxide. Trees and shrubs also make our
environment beautiful. We get fruits and medicines from some trees. Trees are a habitat. Some animals
find shelter in tree branches. Small insects live on the leaves of some trees.
In the construction industry, people need roofing poles. Trees provide the poles. In the Eastern
Highlands, there are large plantations of trees to provide timber for sale. Different types of both
indigenous and exotic trees are grown in that area on a large scale. This creates employment for the
people. People earn a living by growing trees. This means it is also a source of income.
Deforestation must be discouraged. People must desist from cutting down trees without permission.
Planting trees helps us to restore and replace those cut down. A species of trees facing extinction will
also be in existence again. It is very important to plant both indigenous and exotic trees. Plant a tree to
help future generations.
Comprehension questions
Answer the following questions in full. Use correct grammar and spelling.

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1. Which gas is released by people?
2. What is the name of the gas mentioned in the passage which is used by humans and is generated
by trees?
3. According to the passage what is to face extinction?
4. When does carbon dioxide become a danger to people?
5. What does the word ‘inhale’ in the second paragraph refer to?
6. How do people earn a living from trees?
7. How do some of the insects find shelter in trees?
8. What are the other uses of trees mentioned in the passage?
9. How does deforestation affect people?
10. How do people provide a solution to deforestation?

• When writing a summary, remember that it should be in the form of a paragraph.

• A summary is written in your own words.
• A summary contains only the ideas of the original text. Do not insert any of your own opinions,
interpretations, deductions or comments into a summary.
Exercise 18.1
Read the passage again. In one paragraph, write a summary of the importance of trees. Your summary
should not be more than 40 words, including the given ten opening words. Begin your summary as
follows: Trees are important in the life of people and animals ....

Compound nouns are words written for people, places or things. These words are made up of two or
more words. They can be written as one hyphened word or separate words. For example: classmate,
sunrise, mother-in-law, cleaning-exercise. Exercise 18.2
Complete the following sentences using the correct compound noun. grandmother game park
tree-planting-ceremony pancakes greenhouse lunch-boxes
tree leaves toothache workmates book case construction
company
1. During breaktime they eat food from their _____________.
2. We visited the _____________ near the plantation.
3. Some plants were grown in the _____________.
4. _____________ is a little deaf.
5. Mother prepared some _____________ for the children.
6. After work, Tafadzwa hangs around with his_____________.
7. Tendai’s cheek was swollen due to a _____________.
8. Some insects find habitation from _____________.
9. The _____________ needs timber from trees.
10. The _____________ started at eight o’clock in the morning.
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Listen carefully as your facilitator reads this paragraph to you. Write the dictated work. Make sure you
spell the words correctly and punctuate properly. Exercise 18.3
Trees are cut down by people for firewood and other purposes. This results in deforestation. In order to
address this situation, a national tree planting day was set in Zimbabwe. People gather together to plant
trees to avoid extinction of some tree species.

Subject refers to the person, idea or thing being talked about in a group of words. A group of words is
called a sentence.
The predicate is what comes after the subject of a sentence so as to complete it. The predicate makes
a sentence meaningful. It contains the verb and the object. The predicate gives more information about
the subject. For example:
Subject Predicate

(a) Father planted some trees.

(b) The environment must not be degraded

Exercise 18.4
Discuss in pairs and make ten sentences with a subject and a predicate. Underline the subject and the
predicate in every sentence you write.

F Personal and possessive pronouns

A personal pronoun is a short word we use as a simple substitute for the proper name of a person.
Personal pronouns shows us gender, number and case of the noun it replaces. I, you, he, she, it, we
they, me, him, her, us and them are all personal pronouns. For example:
(a) The cat was hungry. It ate all the food bits on the floor.
(b) Ratile bought a new dress. She wore it at the wedding.
(c) We saw him driving a new car.
(d) I need to rest.

Exercise 18.5
In the table below, there are personal and possessive pronouns. Look at the differences between
them. Write five correct sentences using the personal pronouns and the other five correct sentences
using possessive pronouns.
Personal pronoun Possessive pronoun

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 (a) I mine

(b) We ours

(c) Us ours

(d) She hers

(e) He his

(f) They theirs

(g) It its

(h) Them theirs

(i) You yours

G Arranging jumbled sentences

Jumbled sentences are sentences not written in the correct order. Check the example below.
Rainfall causes poor drought. (jumbled)
The correct sentence is: Poor rainfall causes drought. Exercise 18.6
Read the sentences and arrange them correctly. Remember to punctuate correctly.
1. deforestation by caused unnecessarily is down trees cutting
2. from trees fall autumn leaves in
3. some get medicine we from trees
4. marula trees are indigenous baobab and
5. like children climb to trees
6. habitat provide a animals many trees for
7. and fire trees destroys animals veld
8. is because are planting important tree made ceremony speeches there
9. poachers Zambia arrested police some from
10. animals fire rescued from were fierce small the

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, Unit

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 19 OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE

Study the pictures of musical instruments below.

1. Name the musical instruments.

2. Talk about the types of musical instruments you know.
3. Discuss how the instruments are played.
4. Are there traditional instruments at your school?
5. Observe the instruments closely and compare them with modern musical instruments.
6. Take time to hold and play instruments in your classroom.

Read the words below which you will encounter in the passage. Find their meaning and construct good
sentences using them.
instruments flute pipe rattles wind instrument percussion striking logs drilled sticks and bow
hollow stretched produced plucked string instruments gourd trumpet drilled xylophone wooden
clappers amplifier leg rattles locations fibre

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A Comprehension: Indigenous musical instruments
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
I am going to write about some traditional musical instruments. A long time ago people played some
musical instruments to enjoy themselves. They had some social gathering where they sang and danced
to the music.
There are four types of traditional musical instruments which I am going to write about. These are string
instruments, wind instruments, percussion instruments and drums. String instruments are played by
moving string using fingers, sticks or a bow. Wind instruments produce sound when air is blown into
them. These include flutes, pipes, whistles and animal horns. Percussion instruments make sounds by
striking some part of the item. These instruments include rattles, wooden clappers, mbira and
marimba. Traditional drums are called ngoma in Shona. These are made from logs of wood. The logs
are hollowed in the middle to form an opening. An animal skin is stretched on top of the hollowed log
covering the opening. Sound is produced by beating the stretched animal skin.

A mouth bow (chipendani) is a traditional string instrument.

There is also a traditional musical instrument found amongst the Shona and Ndebele called a mouth
bow. The Shona name for the instrument is chipendani. It is an instrument made from a curved stick
with a piece of string or a thin piece of wire attached to the ends of the curved stick. The wooden part
is placed against the mouth to act as an amplifier to the stringed instrument.
A gourd flute made out of the shell of a traditional fruit called damba. It is a wind instrument played by
blowing air into the big hole.

Another instrument is a gourd flute. It is an instrument which is made out of a round gourd from a fruit
called damba. The gourd is drilled at the top to create a large hole. On each side of the big hole, two

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holes to fit two fingers are made. The big hole is the middle hole. It is the mouth hole. The instrument
is played by blowing air into the mouth hole while opening and closing the finger holes. The Venda call
this instrument chipotoliyo. The Ndau call it gorwe and the Shona call it chigufe. The Ndau sometimes
play it in pairs. They sometimes make this instrument out of clay.

Marimba known as the xylophone is also a traditional musical instrument. This instrument is said to be
the oldest musical instrument in this country. It is made of a strong frame, a set of between ten and
twenty-two keys and a variety of gourds which are made from pumpkin shells.

Here is an animal horn named hwamanda being blown to make music.

Hwamanda is a trumpet made from large antelope or kudu horns. A hole is made close to the tip of the
horn to create a mouth piece. Air is blown into the mouth piece to produce sound.

There are instruments called leg rattles. These are made out of dried matamba or mapudzi fruits. They
are arranged in a series of six or eight and joined together with bark fibre. Inside the gourds are seeds

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or small stones to produce sound. These are tied on the ankles of dancers. Leg rattles are worn around
the legs by tying wood fibre around the legs. Sound is produced when the performers dance.
Sound is produced as the dancers make movements. Leg rattles are very common among the Shona
people and are called magavhu. Two pieces of blocks of wood make an instrument called woodblock
clappers. These are played by striking the blocks of wood. People who play the Jerusarema and Shangara
dance usually play these instruments. In Africa, there are many other traditional musical instruments
depending on different locations. Comprehension questions 1
Answer all questions in full sentences. Write your sentences in good grammar and punctuate them
correctly.
1. Which instrument is made from animal horns?
2. How is a mouth piece created on a trumpet (hwamanda)?
3. Which dance group uses leg rattles?
4. What are wood clappers used for?
5. How is a mouth bow made?
6. How is sound from percussion instruments made?
7. What is the Ndau name for the gourd flute?
8. What is the meaning of the word “amplifier” as used in the passage? Comprehension questions
2
Choose the correct answer.
1. Animal horns are ___________ instruments.
A. flute B. wind C. finger D. string
2. String instruments produce sound when a ___________ is moved on the strings.
A. bow B. string C. hole D. rattle
3. The wooden part on a chipendani acts as ___________.
A. an instrument B. a gourd C. a flute D. an amplifier
4. Leg rattles are joined using___________.
A. ropes B. tree bark C. seeds D. ankles
5. ___________ make sounds when they are struck together.
A. Rattles B. Whistles C. Wood clappers D. Drums
6. The animal skin on a drum is ___________ when covering the hollow part.
A. curved B. moulded C. played D. stretched
7. Sound on ___________ instruments is made by striking.
A. percussion B. string C. drums D. traditional
8. The mouth bow was founded among the___________.
A. Sotho B. Venda C. Ndau D. Shona
and Ndebele
9. A___________is made near the tip of the horn on a trumpet for blowing.
A. finger B. curve C. mouth hole D. gourd
10. Gourds with different ________ on the marimba help to produce sound when struck.
A. keys B. pumpkin shells C. flutes D. strings

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A summary helps you understand what you have read. From what you have learnt from previous units,
you can shorten sentences. You can use one word to describe many things.
Read the example below.
Matonjere was able to play the guitar, marimba, piano, rattles and the drum.
We can shorten the above sentence as follows;
Matonjere was able to play many instruments.
The drum, marimba, piano, rattles and the drum have been shortened by one name. They are
instruments.
This means we can summarise by using one word for a list of things.

Exercise 19.1
The underlined words can be shortened using one word from the list below. Choose the words that
best explains the underlined words or phrases.
artists needy wild animals widow clothes deaf villagers orphans clothes wind instruments social
gatherings
1. People played instruments during rain making ceremonies, to appease the spirits, to help one
another and to pray.
2. Whistles, flutes, pipes and animal horns sound when air is blown into them.
3. Mother had a busy day washing shirts, socks, dresses, skirts, hats and gloves.
4. People who do poetry, sing, dance and play instruments entertain others.
5. When we visited the game park, we saw lions, cheaters, leopards, hippopotamuses, snakes and
crocodiles.
6. Men, women, boys, girls and children from the village came to witness the death of
Muswerokuenda.
7. The woman whose husband died needed help.
8. Children whose father and mother died were remembered.
9. The people who were suffering from lack of food and resources gathered to cry for help.
10. Marwei was old and could not hear.

Write a composition about your favourite musical instrument. Your composition must be between 80
and 120 words in length.
1. First read and understand the topic of the composition.
2. Gather ideas of the composition.

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3. Organise your ideas into paragraphs. A paragraph consists of sentences which talk about one idea.
In a paragraph there are three main parts:
(a) The topic sentence is the most important idea of the paragraph.
(b) Sentences which say more about the topic follow the main sentence to support.
(c) There also has to be a conclusion to the paragraph.

Exercise 19.2
Write a composition describing your favourite musical instrument. Include some of the following points
in your composition.
• Name of instrument
• What it looks like
• When it is played
• How it is played
• Why you like the instrument

D Punctuation: Full stop, comma and question mark

Punctuation marks are used to separate words, clauses and sentences when writing in order to make
the meaning clear. You have learnt about some punctuation marks from previous grades and previous
units in this book.
(a) ( . ) A full stop is used to end a sentence and gives a complete thought or idea.
(b) ( , ) A comma separates lists of things and is also used to mark the start of direct speech. It can also
be used to separate words at the beginning of a sentence and to indicate a pause.
(c) ( ? ) Question marks are used at the end of a question.
Exercise 19.3
Punctuate the following sentences correctly. Use capital letters, full stops and commas appropriately.
1. wind instruments include flutes pipes whistles and animal horns
2. a large hole is drilled at the top for the mouth and two-hole fingers are made on each side of the
mouth hole
3. marimba became extinct in Zimbabwe in the nineteenth century
4. the mouth bow is a common traditional musical instrument among the shona and ndebele people
5. different sizes of drums can be made from dry logs
6. leg rattles are made from empty dried matamba and mapudzi fruits
7. the shona name for wood block clappers is makwa
8. barks of mupfuti tree produce fibre used for tying the instrument to the ankles
9. fingers are moved to make sound on some traditional musical instruments
10. most african countries have societies which enjoy music

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E Verbs: Verb phrase with by

This is usually done when explaining how something is done. For example:
(a) A drum is played by beating the animal skin with hands or drum beaters. (b) By
beating explains how the drum is played. Exercise 19.4
Make sentences with by using the following verbs from the passage you read above.
1. blow 6. sing
2. strike 7. drill
3. lift 8. join
4. move 9. play
5. dance 10. shake
Exercise 19.5
Complete the following sentences using the words below.
vaccinating erecting exercising disposing scoring holding
locking shaking driving beating
1. The bag is carried by _____________ the handles
2. Sound is made by_____________the instrument.
3. Rattles are played by_____________them.
4. Houses are protected by_____________burglar bars.
5. Thieves are punished by_____________them in prisons.
6. Children are protected from diseases by_____________them.
7. The environment is kept clean by _____________rubbish and litter properly.
8. Road accidents can be prevented by _____________safely.
9. Bad temper can be avoided by _____________self-control.
10. A team can win by _____________ some goals.

The past participle is the form of a verb that is used in the present perfect and past perfect tense. These
tenses are formed by using has or have or had. For instance:
(a) Mangoma has beaten the drum majestically. (b) He
has given the audience a treat.
The past participle is also used in the passive voice. The passive voice is formed by adding an auxiliary
verb and past participle. Here are the examples:
(a) Maria was given the best award. Was is the auxiliary verb and given is the past participle verb.
(b) Minizhu was beaten by thieves.
The table below illustrates the flow of tenses from present to past and then to past participle.
Present tense Past tense Past participle tense

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 1. take took taken

2. put put put

3. rise rose risen

4. break broke broken

5. write wrote written

6. leave left left

7. buy bought bought

8. fit fit fit

9. wet wet wet

10. blow blew blown

Some words do not change from the past tense to the past participle as you can see in the table above.

Exercise 19.6
Complete the table below by filling in the correct form of verb. The first one has been done for you.
Present tense Past tense Past participle tense

1. ride rode ridden

2. fall

3. climb

4. drive

5. fight

6. play

7. shake

8. dry

9. hide

10. swear

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Exercise 19.7
As said above, the past participle verb needs a supporting word such as: was, were, has, have, had,
having, are, been, am, being and is. Here are some examples:
(a) Nyembesi beat her daughter. The daughter was beaten by Nyembesi. (b) The cup
broke. The cup was broken.
(c) The villagers witnessed the death of Muswerokuenda. The death of Muswerokuenda was witnessed
by the villagers.
The verbs in bold are in the past tense. These verbs have been changed to the past participle. See the
underlined verbs. The order of the words changes to preserve meaning. Sometimes the object becomes
the subject and the subject becomes the object. Exercise 19.8
Change the sentences below to the past participle.
1. Tendai has (take) a bath.
2. The thief was (beat) by people from the crowd.
3. Alex has (explain) the accident to his wife.
4. Changamire has (call) for a meeting.
5. We have (know) each other for a long time.
6. Mapani’s brothers were (give) a herd of cattle as a bride price.
7. The cake was (eat) by the children at the party.
8. Nesbert has (forget) his mobile phone home.
9. Thomas has (get) a new pair of spectacles.
10. Robson had (settle) the matter amicably.

1. Should is used for talking what is right, sensible or correct. For example:
(a) Parents should supervise their children’s homework. (b) There should be a law
against spreading rumours.
2. Should can be used in questions. For example: (a) Should I buy a new book?
3. Should is used for saying polite requests. For example: (a) I should introduce our
guest.
4. Should can be used as a past tense for shall. For example:
(a) We realised that we should have paid before we saw the doctor.
Would can be used in polite requests just like should. When ‘I’ or ‘we’ is used as the subject of the modal
verb either would or should can be used in polite requests, for describing the results of imagined
situations or for talking about the past intentions or plans. For instance:
(a) I would like to discuss this matter with you.
(b) If I had enough money, I would buy a house.
Exercise 19.9
Rewrite the following sentences using should or would. The first one has been done for you.
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1. Music ______ be joyful and entertaining. (Music should be joyful and entertaining.)
2. Artists_____________play the drums and rattles to make the music sweeter.
3. _____________ you like some tea?
4. We _____________be willing to help.
5. Other group members_____________clap their hands in rhythm to the drum beat.
6. I _____________like to attend the musical festival.
7. He promise he _____________not be late for supper.
8. We_____________greet the elders politely.
9. The dancers_____________dance all night without resting.
10. My father_____________like to see you.

Verbs and verb phrases

Making verbs from adjectives

We can make verbs from adjectives by adding –en. Here is an example:
tight – tighten. Tight is the adjective. By adding –en it is now tighten which is a verb. The strings on the
guitar are tight. You must tighten the strings on the guitar.
Exercise 19.10
Make a verb from the word in bold and fill in the blank spaces correctly.
1. The workers made the road wide. They ____________ the road.
2. The man made his tie loose. He____________the tie.
3. The music made him deaf. It ____________him.
4. The dog gave her a fright. The dog____________her.
5. The news made her sad. The news____________her.
6. The weather made the fruits ripe. The weather____________the fruits.
7. The sun made the day bright. The sun____________the day.
8. Honey makes my tea sweet. Honey ____________my tea.
9. The medication makes him weak. The medication____________him.
10. Shouting at him makes the situation worse. Shouting ____________the situation.

I Sharpen your skills: Word search puzzle

Search for the words below in the puzzle.

D R I L L E D A L T

A K F O O N R L N R

N P B G U D U E B U

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 C L A P D W M G T M

E U H G O U R D M P

R C N L R A T T L E

T K L T E A T T L T

T O S M F L U T E T

H N A M P L I F Y R

I F I B R E P I P E

P E R C U S S I O N

percussion fibre pipe flute drilled trumpet dancer hip gourd drum clap rattle pluck
loud end log due amplify

• Have you heard about the heroes of our country?

• Do you know about the history of some of the heroes?
• Have you ever heard about the burial places for the heroes who died in the struggle for the
freedom of our nation?

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 • Talk about the Heroes Acre and say what you know about the shrine.

Unit

The words below are in the passage you are going to read. Find the meaning of the words and try to
use them in sentences.
reserved bush war dedication contemporary commitment
shrine ridge monument granite aerial
quarried museum construction barrel butt
artefacts statue murals adorned commemorates
rebellion tomb flagpole gallant liberation struggle
A Comprehension: The National Shrine

Read the passage below and answer questions that follow.

Zimbabwe has a national burial ground specially reserved for heroes and heroines who fought for the
liberation of the country. There are a lot of Zimbabweans who died during the Rhodesian Bush War and
contemporary Zimbabweans whose dedication or commitment to the country justify their burial at the
shrine. It is a fifty-seven acres site situated on a ridge seven kilometres from the Central Business Centre
along the Harare–Bulawayo Road.
The shrine is a national monument of Zimbabwe. This national monument was built in 1981 soon after
the Independence of Zimbabwe. Seven artists from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and ten
Zimbabweans did the design and artwork of the site. Black granite stone quarried from Mutoko was
used for the main construction. Mutoko is a rural area in the North East of Harare.
The National Heroes Acre is a place protected under the Natural Resources Act. It is designed in the
format of an AK-47 rifle split in two along its length from the barrel to the butt and can be seen on an
aerial view of the area. Close to the entrance of the site is a small museum that contains a brief history
of the liberation struggle, along with artefacts, photographs, documents and other equipment from the
war and the period shortly after independence.
There is a statue of the unknown soldier. This statue commemorates the many Zimbabweans who died
in the rebellion against the Rhodesian government. The statue is bronze sculptured and consists of
three figures; one woman and two men, a flagpole with the Zimbabwe National flag and a tomb for the
unknown-soldier.

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 The artwork done by Koreans and Zimbabweans at the National Heroes Acre

There is also an eternal flame that is on a forty metre high tower. This eternal flame was lit on
Independence Day. It depicts the spirit of independence. The tower is at the highest point of the site
and can be seen from many parts of Harare. It was built at the top of the southern hill and is accessible
through a flight of stairs extending from the foot of the hill.
There are two walls on either side of the monument adorned with murals that tell the story of Zimbabwe
from before the first Chimurenga, through the second Chimurenga to independence.
On Heroes Day, Zimbabweans commemorate the commitment of their sons and daughters in the
struggle for independence. Thousands of gallant sons and daughters died, hundreds disappeared and
countless others were injured fighting for the country’s freedom. There are some heroes and heroines
who are also buried in some Provincial Heroes Acres in different provinces of Zimbabwe.
Comprehension questions
Answer all questions in full sentences. Write your sentences in good grammar and punctuate them
correctly.
1. Where is the National Heroes Acre situated?
2. When was the National Heroes Acre constructed?
3. Who built this monument?
4. Where was the granite used in the construction found?
5. Where exactly is the flagpole situated at the Heroes Acre?
6. What does the word ‘depicts’ in the passage refer to?
7. What are the murals used for at the National Heroes Acre?
8. When are the fallen heroes remembered in Zimbabwe?
9. What is the purpose of the eternal flame?
10. Where are other heroes and heroines buried in Zimbabwe besides the National Heroes Acre?

Summary writing

Qualities of a summary
A good summary should be comprehensive, concise, coherent and independent. These qualities are
explained below:

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 • A summary must be comprehensive: You should isolate all the important points in the original
passage and note them down in a list. Review all the ideas on your list and include in your
summary all the ones that are important to the story.
• A summary must be concise: Eliminate repetitions in your list, even if the author repeats the
same points. Your summary should be considerably shorter than the source. You are hoping to
create an overview; therefore, you need not include every repetition of a point or every
supporting detail.
• A summary must be coherent: It should make sense as a piece of writing in its own right; it should
not merely be taken directly from your list of notes or sound like a disjointed collection of points.
• A summary must be independent: You are not being asked to imitate the author of the text you
are writing about. On the contrary, you are expected to maintain your own voice throughout the
summary. Do not simply quote the author; instead use your own words to express your
understanding of what you have read. After all, your summary is based on your interpretation of
the writer’s points or ideas. However, you should be careful not to create any misrepresentation
or distortion by introducing comments or criticisms of your own.
Exercise 20.1
In one paragraph, write a summary of the importance of the National Heroes Acre to the people of
Zimbabwe. Your summary should not be more than 80 words.

An email is a way of communication. It is a way of sending electronic messages using a network.

You have learnt that an email must have an email address of the sender and that of the recipient. It
must also have a date. Check for more details about emails in Unit 10. Exercise 20.2
Imagine you visited the Provincial Heroes Acre located in your province. Create an email to your head
telling him or her what happened during the trip. Your email should be between 80 and 120 words in
length. Use the following notes and any other you may think of to write your email:
• when did you visit
• name of the place you visited
• where is the place located
• who accompanied you
• what did you see
• what did you learn

D Making words using suffixes

A suffix is a group of letters added at the end of a word to create a new word with a new meaning or
use.
Here are examples:

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(a) -able is a suffix.
-able means can be done.
Words which can be formed by adding able are capable, usable, manageable.
(b) –ion is another suffix It means process.
Here are examples:
Words which can be formed: application, motivation, action, radiation
Here is a list of some common suffixes: -less, -ful, -ive, -or, -ion, -able, -ed, -er, -es, -en
(a) -less means without
Words which can be formed are effortless, harmless, powerless, careless
(b) -ful means ‘full of’
Words which can be formed are wonderful, powerful, grateful, tearful, beautiful
(c) -ive is an adjective ending
Words from the suffix are positive, fugitive, expensive, negative, talkative
(d) -or / -er meaning one who
Words are baker, teacher, worker, farmer, sower, reader, learner, actor, doctor
(e) -ed is the past tense
Words which can be formed are played, carried, worked, helped, died, shouted, moved
(f) -s / -es plural
Words which can be formed are boys, mountains, cars, lorries, buses, families, dresses
(g) -en means from
Words which can be formed are wooden, golden, spoken

Exercise 20.3
Attach suffixes to some base words of your choice to form words. Write meaningful sentences out of
those words.
-less -ed -ion -ive -ation -en -ed -ful -or -ly Base word
You can make as many words as you can from one base word. For example:
(a) work – worker, worked
(b) fear – fearful, fearless, feared

Exercise 20.4
Use the base words given below to make words using the suffixes above.
suggest suggested suggestion
1. act
2. talk
3. listen
4. village

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5. hero
6. music
7. decide
8. invite
9. defend
10. compete

Exercise 25.5
Make sentences using 10 of the words you made. For example:
(a) The boy’s face looked very fearful.
(b) Ruvimbo gave a good suggestion to solve a problem.

Words which join together two words, phrases or sentences are called conjunctions. The following
conjunctions can be used to refer to people, animals and things: that, which, whose, who and whom.
For example:
(a) This is the site. It is used for the burial of heroes.
This is the site which is used for the burial of heroes. The word
which is used to join two sentences.
(b) These are men and women. They fought for our freedom.
These are the men and women who fought for our freedom. Exercise 20.6
Use the correct conjunction to join the sentences below.
1. Josiah Tongogara was a hero. His body was buried at the National Heroes Acre.
2. We saw a tomb. It has an unknown soldier.
3. There are many people. They survived in the gruesome liberation struggle.
4. There is a museum. It has information about the liberation war.
5. There are many parents. They lost their sons and daughters.
6. We saw a brave soldier. He was maimed in the war.
7. There is a flagpole. It is on a high hill.
8. Sally Mugabe was the first heroine. She was buried at the national monument.
9. We saw the eternal flame. It was lit on Independence Day.
10. We met a teacher. We respected very much.

F Direct speech: Using inverted commas (“ ”)

Inverted commas are used to show the actual words spoken in direct speech. They are also called
quotation marks. They quote the actual words spoken by a speaker. For example:
(a) Tinashe said, “I will be travelling to Nyamapanda tomorrow.” (b) “I lost
my keys,” said mother.
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(c) Rufaro exclaimed, “What a lovely baby!”
Exercise 20.7
Use inverted commas and other punctuation marks to punctuate the sentences below correctly.
1. The governor announced to the people we have printed new notes
2. Stop stealing from people said the police officer
3. The president said Tongogara was a gallant son of Zimbabwe
4. The cancer patient is responding well to counselling sessions said the doctor
5. All the soldiers gathered at the heroes acre to hear him say people must be united
6. The freedom fighters said we need to fight for our land
7. Muzanenhamo works hard remarked the manager
8. Why are you not joining us to the refugee camp asked Muzvida
9. The learners are having problems with the computers said Mr Mako
10. Albert asked Simon when do you celebrate independence in your country

A collective noun refers to a group of people, animals or things. It is a collection of things taken as a
whole. For example:
(a) team – The football team flew to South Africa for the Olympic games.
(b) family – She comes from a poor family.
(c) fleet – Thabiso has a fleet of buses.
(d) pride – A pride of lions was seen near the lake. Exercise 20.8
Use the collective nouns below correctly.
panel plantation bale bouquet host litter troop chest board crowd
1. A _____________ of directors sat in a meeting in the boardroom.
2. He opened the_____________of drawers searching for a file.
3. The _____________of puppies was running after their mother.
4. A _____________of judges were battling to choose the best performer.
5. They put a _____________of cotton on the big truck.
6. She saw a _____________of angels in her dream.
7. Anenyasha presented a_____________of flowers to the guest speaker.
8. The _____________of baboons got into the field.
9. A_____________of people stood watching the game of rugby.
10. The _____________of gumtrees was planted last season.

Exercise 20.9
Choose the most suitable answer to fill in the blank space.

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1. You are late. You ……………….. hurry.
(a) can (b) must (c) will (d) may
2. “……………….. I have a piece of cake, please?” I asked.
(a) Shall (b) May (c) Will (d) Must
3. The little boy ……………….. speak very well.
(a) would (b) can (c) shall (d) need
4. We didn’t have a car before. Now that we have a car, we ………….. drive to many places.
(a) need (b) may (c) might (d) can
5. You ……………….. keep the scissors away from the baby.
(a) should (b) will (c) need (d) may
6. You ……………….. go home if you have completed your work.
(a) shall (b) may (c) need (d) might
7. That plug is faulty. You ……………….. touch it.
(a) mustn’t (b) needn’t (c) couldn’t (d) won’t
8. The two boys .………………. do well in the examinations. They are studying very hard.
(a) must (b) will (c) shall (d) need
9. That man ……………….. be Mr Bonga. Mr Bonga is overseas.
(a) shan’t (b) needn’t (c) can’t (d) won’t
10 Don’t listen to everything he says. He ……………….. be wrong.
(a) shall (b) can (c) must (d) need

I Sharpen your skills: Crossword puzzle

Below is a crossword puzzle. Complete the puzzle by following the clues given below.

1 8 9 DOWN
1. This province has the same name as its provincial
capital.
11. Opposite of take.
2 10 3
8. We will __________ the flag when school is over.
7
9. Opposites of light.
10. Can you __________ your shoe laces?
4 11 5 12 11. My sister __________ her dress on the fence
yesterday.
12. Have you _______ your homework yet?

Read the
clues
carefully to
complete the puzzle.
ACROSS
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1. The province in the east of Zimbabwe.

Unit

2. Opposite of north.
3. What do you do with clothes?
4. Stay in bed if you want to ______ better.
5. A bright colour.
7. Please give it back to ________ tomorrow.

Rutendo: Hello Nyarai. How are you?

Chipo: Rutendo, why were you absent from school last week?
Rutendo: It’s a long story Chipo.
Nyarai: Oh, what is it? Tell us.
Rutendo: Aunt Maria died of liver cancer. I had to go to our rural home for the funeral.
Chipo: Oh, shame. Very sorry Rue.
Rutendo: Thank you, guys. It’s painful though.
Talk about some deadly diseases you know with your friends. Discuss the dangers of the common deadly
diseases. How can they be prevented? What do you understand about cancer? Can it be prevented? If
yes, discuss how.

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The words below are in the passage you are going to read. Find the meaning of the words and try to
use them in sentences.
cancer chronic disease diagnosis prostate cancer life threatening lump panicked cervix
cancer infected cancer survivor undergo chemo-therapy A Comprehension: Cancer

awareness
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Cancer is a disease that is feared by many people of different races and tribes. It is caused by an
uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in any part of the body. It is a disease on the rise. There are
different types of cancers which include; blood cancer, breast, cervix, prostate cancer and others. Many
do not know what to do after being diagnosed of the disease. A lot of counselling is done to help cancer
patients to be strong and live hopefully.
Mrs Maloya is an old lady who was struggling with breast cancer for a long time. She was diagnosed
with cancer in 2008. She discovered a lump in her right breast. It was life threatening according to her.
She was afraid of dying. She would talk about death on a daily basis. At times she would cry especially
when she felt pain. Christine, her granddaughter would comfort her during times of great pain.

The nurses and counsellors at the hospital started some counselling sessions to help Mrs Maloya
understand more about her illness. They taught her a lot which revived her hope. Mrs Maloya had to
undergo a life-saving surgery to remove the infected breast. After hearing the news, she never
panicked. She felt very strong because of the counselling. Instead of showing a sad face feeling sorry for
herself, she was actually happy that all the pain would vanish after the surgery. She knew it was not a
train smash but a blessing. She said that she was happy because she was not going to live in fear
anymore.
Mrs Maloya had her first surgery to remove the lump. It was very successful but she was told the lump
might resurface which it did. A second surgery was done but this time to remove the whole breast. This
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process of removing the breast is called mastectomy. Mrs Maloya had this mastectomy done perfectly
well. She now lives without one breast. The pain she had is gone.
Mrs Maloya is a survivor who encourages other cancer patients to be strong. She no longer lives in fear.
She has seen how useful it is to follow instructions and advice from knowledgeable people. She always
tell people that cancer has taken away the fear of death from her. She helps in bringing awareness to
other people living or not living with cancer. She can preach in her church and do anything other women
do. She tells her friends and family that nothing can stop her from doing what others can do.
Comprehension questions 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Cancer is __________.
A. an awareness B. group of cancers C. a disease D. a breast disease
2. Cancer is caused by__________.
A. one’s background B. abnormal growth of cells in the body
C. growth of bacteria in the body D. lack of blood in the body
3. The cancer victim in the story above is__________.
A. breast cancer B. vulnerable C. blood cancer D. Mrs Maloya
4. After being diagnosed of cancer people undergo some __________ sessions.
A. counselling B. diagnosis C. praying D. fear
5. Mrs Maloya is a breast cancer___________.
A. patient B. survivor C. leader D. woman
6. Mrs Maloya was diagnosed of cancer in ___________.
A. 2020 B. 2008 C. 2015 D. 2018
7. Mrs Maloya got advice from ___________.
A. ignorant people B. knowledgeable people
C. neighbours D. family members
8. The process of removing a breast is called___________.
A. cancer B. counselling C. diagnosis D. mastectomy Comprehension questions 2
Read the following sentences and indicate whether they are true or false.
1. Cancer is a disease for women only.
2. Everyone should know the dangers of cancer.
3. Cancer is caused by a virus.
4. Counsellors in cancer clinics are trained.
5. Mrs Maloya refused to have surgery.
6. After counselling, Mrs Maloya was not afraid of death anymore.
7. Mrs Maloya helps others during cancer awareness campaigns.
8. Professional help must be sought when we feel one has cancer.

A summary should be as brief as possible. A summary needs to be easy to understand to someone who
has not read, seen or heard the original material. Write in simple English. Make sure you follow the

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given instructions, for example, your summary must not exceed the maximum number of words
stipulated. Always count your words to ensure they meet the set number.
Exercise 21.1
In one paragraph, write a summary of the experience that Mrs Maloya went through when she was
diagnosed of cancer and how she recovered. Your summary should not be more than 80 words,
including the given ten opening words. Begin your summary as follows: Mrs Maloya was diagnosed with
breast cancer in 2008...

There are many diseases which attack people. Many people are very much afraid of some deadly
diseases. Are you afraid of any disease? If yes, which disease do you dread most?
Exercise 21.2
Write a composition about the disease you fear most. Your composition must be between 80
and 120 words long. Include the following points and any which you can think of:
• name of the disease
• causes of the disease
• signs and symptoms of the disease
• can the disease be treated
• can the disease be prevented

A graph is a picture or table which gives details or information on a subject. A graph shows numbers or
measurements that change. You will see a graph showing some cancer cases recorded from 2010 to
2015.
On the left side of the graph are the numbers of people with cancer who were recorded. Below the
graph are the years in which the survey was carried out. The blue colour on the graph shows the number
of people with cancer recorded in Harare. The orange colour shows the number of people with cancer
recorded in Bulawayo. The actual number of cancer cases recorded in each of the years is at the top of
each bar.
Example:
In 2010 the orange bar shows the 1450 cancer cases were recorded in Harare and the blue bar shows
that there were 904 cases in Bulawayo. 904 is written at the top of the blue bar and 1450 is at the top
of the orange bar.
Exercise 21.3
Study the graph below with your friend or your group. Look carefully at the number of cancer cases in
each year. Answer questions about the graph.

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Answer the following questions using the graph.
1. Which colour shows cancer cases recorded in Bulawayo?
2. Where is the number of cancer cases written in the graph?
3. How many cases were recorded in Harare in 2014?
4. How many cancer cases were recorded in Harare in 2012?
5. How many people were recorded in Bulawayo in 2010?
6. Did the cancer cases increase or decrease from 2010 to 2015?
7. What is the difference between cases recorded in Bulawayo in 2010 from those recorded in Harare
in the same year?
8. There were 1450 cancer cases in Harare in 2010 and in 2013 there were_____cases in the same
city.
9. How many more cancer cases were there in Harare than in Bulawayo in 2013?
10. What is the total number of cases recorded in Harare and Bulawayo in 2011?

E Punctuation: Statements and questions

1. A full stop ( . )
Any sentence telling us something is a statement. A statement ends with a full stop. A full stop can
be called a period. For example:
(a) Cancer is a fatal disease.
(b) Cancer cases are on the increase.
(c) Mrs Maloya was diagnosed of the deadly disease after visiting the doctor.
2. A question mark (?)
A sentence asking for something is a question. A question ends with a question mark. For instance:
(a) When did Mrs Maloya have her first surgery?

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 (b) What happened to her breast when she had the operation?(c) How much does it
cost to be treated?
3. Every sentence starts with a capital letter.
4. Both statements and questions start with capital letters. Below are examples:
(a) If cancer is detected at an early stage, it can be treated. (Statement)
(b) It is a long way to Kariba. (Statement)
(c) How many patients were at the hospital? (Question)
(d) Are you as brave as Mrs Maloya? (Question) Exercise 21.4
Punctuate the following sentences correctly.
1. joy likes working with cancer patients
2. it was a long, winding road for the old lady until she found help
3. do you think counselling helps patients
4. cecilia had a tough day
5. where did the thief hide
6. a fatal accident happened along the highway
7. olivia loves to cook for her husband
8. are you angry with me
9. is it of any value
10. tafadzwa donated a lot of money to the cancer ward at the hospital

Things or people can be similar or different. We use comparisons to consider how things or people are
different or similar. Comparisons may be in the form of adjectives or adverbs.
1. We can compare two things or two people by using adjectives which contain one vowel sound. We
use the adjective and add ‘-er’ and the word than. Here are some examples:
(a) Bryne is older than Tendai.
(b) The wife is shorter than her husband.
2. We double the last consonant and add ‘-er’ in some adjectives. For example:
(a) Our house is bigger than the one we had before. (b) Thandiwe is thinner than Ruvimbo.
3. There are adjectives which contain more than one vowel sound and those which end with ‘-y’, we
use the word more and the adjective and the word than. For instance:
(a) I am more friendly to her than my sister.
The word friendly is an adjective. It ends with ‘-y’. The word more is added before the adjective
and after the adjective we add the word than.
(b) Kakuyo is more generous than his brother.
The word generous contains more than one vowel sound. We use more before the adjective
and add than after the adjective. Exercise 21.5

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Change the words in brackets to the correct adjective.
1. Munesuishe is (short) than Elton.
2. Nyasha is (cheerful) than Ngoni.
3. Nkhululekho is (intelligent) than Nkhosi.
4. Zambezi river is (wide) than Sabi river.
5. Nyarai is (tall) than Regina.
6. Bananas are (soft) than apples.
7. The car is (expensive) than the bicycle.
8. Anenyasha is (thin) than Hayley 9. Mativhunga is (wise) than Mwada.
10. Taurai is (fat) than Sue.

Comparing three or more things

We can compare three or more than three things or people. We add ‘-est’ at the end of the adjective.
Here are examples:
(a) Tadiwa is tall.
(b) Rutendo is taller than Tadiwa.
(c) Ruvimbo is the tallest of the three.
‘-er’ is used to compare two people. Tall becomes taller.
‘-est’ is used to compare the three girls. Tall becomes tallest.
We use most when we say, talk and write adjectives which contain more than one vowel sound. For
example:
(a) Sumbara is intelligent.
(b) Carolyne is more intelligent than Sumbara. (c) Esther is the most intelligent
of the three.
The adjective intelligent has been used together with more to compare two people. Most has been
used before the adjective to compare the three intelligent people.
Exercise 21.6
Change the adjective in brackets to the correct form.
1. The big shop has the ____________ prices. (cheap)
2. Kudiwa is the ____________of the four girls. (friendly)
3. All the girls are wearing long dresses. Tamuda has the_______ (long)
4. There are three thin girls in our team. Shaniece is the__________. (thin)
5. Carren has the ____________ hairstyle among the three girls. (beautiful)
6. The judge said the thief was the____________of all the boys he met. (notorious)
7. Uncle Robert was the ____________ son born to Sekuru Magogorosi. (old)
8. The hare, the elephant and the lion had a race. The hare was the __________ of the three animals.
(fast)
9. Playing with electricity is the ____________ thing to do. (dangerous)
10. We visited the most ____________ place in Harare. (crowded)

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Your teacher is going to read a paragraph to you from the story you read. Listen carefully and write what
is dictated. Follow all the given instructions. Punctuate your sentences correctly. Use correct grammar
and spellings.

An indefinite pronoun does not refer to a specific person or thing.

Examples of indefinite pronouns are:
anyone nothing everyone few everything nobody all
each most several both neither
either
Indefinite pronouns must be in agreement with the verb form used.
(a) All the farmers were praying for the rain.
(b) All is the indefinite pronoun and were praying is the verb form.

Exercise 21.7
Choose the correct verb form from the brackets which is suitable for the italised indefinite pronoun.
1. Everyone (seem / seems) to be very busy with the examinations.
2. Nothing (is / are) suitable for the big event.
3. Today everything (is / are) not in the correct order.
4. (Is / Are) there anyone home?
5. No one (is / are) willing to help the victim.
6. Either Tadiwa or Ruvimbo (was / were) willing to stay with their mother in the new suburb.
7. Both of the patients in the ward (was / were) in pain.
8. Most of the women (has / have) been screened for cancer.
9. Neither of the two boys (has / have) seen the cancer survivor.
10. Each of the children (has / have) to write a story.

Use the following comparisons in correct sentences.

good better best much more most

Exercise 21.8
Complete the table of comparisons correctly. The first one has been done for you.
Positive Comparative Superlative

1. weak weaker weakest

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 2. negligent

3. ugly

4. dirty

5. neat

6. lovely

7. tiny

8. loud

9. big

10. filthy

J Sharpen your skills: Jigsaw puzzle

Exercise 21.9
Manipulate and match shapes to complete the puzzles below.

Many people take alcohol. They feel good about drinking. There are some who smoke cigarettes too.
They also feel good by doing that. Drugs and alcohol can be very dangerous when abused. Talk about
what you know concerning alcohol and drug abuse.
Talk about the dangers of alcohol and drugs. Share what you know with your friends.

You will encounter the words below in the passage. Read and find their meaning.

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intelligent surgery campus freshen up sip encouraged addicted drunkard whisky cope previous

Unit

pavement intended book-worm common-public campus socials motorists

influencing

A Comprehension: Thabani went to Harare

Read the passage below carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Thabani grew up in a rural set up in Plumtree near the border between Zimbabwe and Botswana. He
worked very hard aiming to be a doctor after school. That has always been his vision since he was young.
He would tell everyone that when he grew up, he wanted to be a doctor.
Thabani went to Harare to study a Degree in Medicine at the University of Zimbabwe. He was very
intelligent and quite eager to become a very good doctor after completing his degree. He worked very
hard and scored high marks in his school assignments. As a man who came from a poor background, he
always thought this was the time to shine and make a name in society. He would see himself back home
in a neat surgery serving his own community.
Thabani spent most of his time reading until a classmate visited and invited him for a drink. He agreed
to go and freshen up. Thabani had never taken beer. His new friend encouraged him to take just a sip
which he did to please a friend. From that day, Thabani used to go and hang out with his new friend.
This became a habit until Thabani was now addicted to alcohol. He was now a heavy drunkard who
drank whisky and other strong drinks daily.

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Thabani became a slave of alcohol. Thabani and his friend started influencing other students at the
campus. They planned some campus socials. Thabani became a full-time drinker and part time student.
He could no longer cope with his studies. He had no one to blame for his mistakes. He dropped out of
university and slept on pavements in the city begging for food and money from motorists and the
common public. This was now an apple of discord. Thabani, the book worm ruined his life.
Comprehension questions 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Plumtree is a_______________.
A. border town B. country C. rural country D. Thabani home
2. Thabani had a___________to become a doctor.
A. pressure B. idea C. vision D. think
3. Thabani had ___________ before he came to the university.
A. tasted beer B. never tasted beer
C. become a drunkard D. drinking
4. One becomes a drunkard when, ____________.
A. he frequently drinks too much alcohol B. occasionally drinks alcohol
C. likes to drink D. can drink
5. Influencing someone to do bad things can be termed as__________.
A. advice B. friendliness
C. peer pressure D. negative peer pressure
6. Thabani and his friend planned some campus socials. This means that __________. A. they
organised some social events at the campus
B. they were social
C. they drank at the campus
D. they had social life
7. According to the passage, ‘addiction’ means____________.
A. adding something B. strong desire to take alcohol
C. love D. thirst for drinks
8. When one is a part-time student it means__________. A. going to party at times

B. a party student
C. being at school or college for a short time
D. being a student on campus
9. Choose the correct spelling.
A. cumpas B. compous C. campos D. campus
10. Choose the correct sentence.
A. Thabani begged for food, took alcohol, extensively and abused drugs.
B. Thabani begged for food, took alcohol extensively and abused drugs.
C. Thabani, begged for food, took alcohol, extensively, and abused drugs.
D. Thabani begged for food took alcohol extensively, and abused drugs.

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Comprehension questions 2
Answer all questions in full sentences. Write your sentences in good grammar and punctuate them
correctly.
1. Where did Thabani live?
2. Why did Thabani come to Harare?
3. How often did Thabani drink beer soon after he started drinking?
4. Were Thabani’s parents aware that he had dropped out of school?
5. Explain the meaning of the words ‘an apple of discord’.
6. Where did Thabani reside after leaving university?
7. How did Thabani ruin his life?
8. Why did Thabani not call home anymore?

• Read the text and identify the main ideas. Distinguish the main ideas from the details.
• Begin the summary with an introductory statement usually given.
• Turn the main ideas into sentences and combine the sentences into one paragraph.
• Use transition words to connect the sentences to form a flowing paragraph.
• Proofread the summary for punctuation, spellings, sentence structures and content.

Exercise 22.1
Below is a summary of the story above. The sentences are poorly arranged. Organise the sentences in
correct order and shorten long sentences.
Thabani ended up sleeping on the pavements and was a college drop-out. He succumbed to negative
peer pressure and forgot his purpose. Thabani had a wonderful vision as he grew up. He was serious
with his work before he found a bad friend. He became addicted to alcohol and could not cope with
university work.

C Composition: Formal or business letter

From the previous units, we learnt that a formal letter is also known as a business letter. It is a letter
written to someone you do not know. Exercise 22.2
Imagine you saw a job being advertised and you like the job. Write an application letter to the Human
Resources Manager of the company. The body of the letter must be between 80 and 120 words long.
Use the following points and any other you may think of to write your letter.
• Name of the company
• Name of job you wish to apply
• Your qualification
• Your experience
• Your expectations

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Words spoken by a person can be reported by another person. The spoken words are direct speech.
Words spoken to someone are called reported or indirect speech. This means that reported speech is
telling others about what someone said. For example:
(a) Thabani said, “I want to be a doctor.”
The words in bold were spoken by Thabani. The same words can be reported to someone as follows:
Thabani said he wanted to be a doctor.
(b) Mother said, “Most of my property is damaged.” In reported speech the same statement reads:
Mother said that most of her property was damaged.
Looking at the two examples presented above, what changes take place from direct to indirect speech?
Discuss this in pairs or groups.
In reported speech, usually there is change in tenses. There is a change from a simple present tense of
the verb to the simple past tense. For example: want – wanted, is – was and so on.
Exercise 22.3
Do not use inverted commas when writing reported speech.
In pairs or groups, practise reported speech. Take turns to say some sentences and report what the
other person has said. Write the sentences in both direct and reported speech. Exercise 22.4
Change the following sentences from direct speech to reported speech.
1. Thembi said, “Rudo is angry.”
2. Joyce said, “I like my friend.”
3. Tsepo said, “I have a big bag.”
4. Simba said, “There is smoke in the house.”
5. Rutendo said, “I know the truth.”
6. The fireman said, “I will put out the fire.”
7. The police officer said, “I will help you.”
8. The drunken driver said, “I am sorry about the accident.”
9. Mazambani said, “I will break the window to help Tadiwa out of the burning house.”
10. Spiwe said, “I want well-behaved children.” Exercise 22.5
Change reported speech to direct speech.
1. Lebo said that she was very worried about her father’s health.
2. Munoshamisa said that he wanted to keep pigs.
3. Sekuru Magogorosi said that he had a very strong wife.
4. The villagers said that they needed clean water.
5. Kache said that the people were confusing him.
6. The pastor said that he needed a few boys to weed the church plot.
7. Fadzai said that she was going to have a new baby soon.
8. The guard said that he bought a gun for security.
9. Majaya said that he would get a wheelbarrow to carry the heavy bags.
10. Thabo said that she was very tired.

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A proverb is a short, well-known saying about something important or useful. A proverb can be well
illustrated when used in a story. Here are some examples:
Thabani was a well-known book monger. He never wasted his time on useless things. He wanted to
study hard and become a medical doctor. He used time wisely.
Suitable proverb is “Make hay while the sun shines.”
Thabani had a friend who invited him for a drink. He joined him first time and enjoyed his time out. It
became a habit. They had less time for study and more time for drinking and hanging out together.
The proverb that fits well to the short story is “Bad company corrupts.” Exercise 22.6
Read the proverbs below and match them with the stories.
(a) Fortune favours the bold.
(b) You cannot serve two masters.
(c) Poverty is the mother of crime.
(d) Set a thief to catch a thief.
(e) Birds of the same feathers flock together.
Short stories
1. George was a noise maker. He used to disturb others during time for study. The teacher decided to
promote him. He chose him to be the class monitor.
2. Thabani was now homeless. He slept on the streets in the city. He became a beggar. He started
stealing. He ended up being arrested when he tried to rob a bank.
3. Thabani was busy studying when he heard a knock on the door. He opened the door only to find a
police officer and his friend in handcuffs. The officer told him he was under arrest. He tried to
defend himself but was told he was seen with his friend at a place which was robbed. He was
arrested because of his friend’s faults.
4. Thabani wanted to become a medical doctor. It was his vision. He would study and drink. He spent
more time drinking and less time studying. His college work suffered and he failed dismally.
5. If Thabani had told his friend that he did not like drinking beer, it would have saved his ambition.
He would have become a doctor. He was weak to say, “No!” He wanted to please his friend but it
costed him a fortune.

To interrogate is to ask questions in a pointed manner and ask for a special purpose. Interrogative
pronouns introduce questions. These are who, what, whom, which and whose.
(a) Who is used as a subject.
(b) Whom is used as an object.
(c) Remember who’s is a contraction of who is. Do not confuse whose with who’s Exercise 22.7

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Choose the correct interrogative pronoun from the given words in brackets.
1. (Whom / Who) is the father of Tichaona?
2. There are learners competing for the first price, (whom / who) do you think is going to win?
3. (Who’s / Whose) house is that?
4. (What / Which) was Tichaona’s vision?
5. With (who / whom) are you playing soccer?
6. (Who’s / Whose) going for counselling sessions?
7. (What / Which) of the books is better?
8. (Whose / Who’s) cleaning the house today?
9. (Which / What) of the dresses is best for the party?
10. Is this the book (who’s / whose) cover needs to be replaced?

These are words which tell us how an action was done. Look at the sentences below.
(a) Muswerokuenda beat his wife angrily.
(b) Nyembesi cried bitterly.
(c) She smiled at her friend cheerfully.
The words in bold are adverbs. They tell us how an action was done.
Adverbs can also inform us about adjectives and other verbs. They explain how, when or where an action
is performed.
(a) How an action is performed tells us the manner or the way in which it was done.
(b) When it is done means the time the action was performed.
(c) Where the action is performed is about the place where it happened.
There are some adverbs which do not end in –ly like the ones below:
(a) Nyembesi prepared her meal well.
(b) He spoke very fast.
(c) The fighting was very bad.

Exercise 22.8
Underline the adverbs used in the following sentences.
1. The story is exciting. 6. Bonga was very cruel.
2. Yeyani was hurt badly. 7. Most women suffer silently.
3. She could not walk properly. 8. All learners walked quietly.
4. The police officer investigated the case 9. The baby slept silently. thoroughly. 10. He ate greedily.
5. Lerato writes neatly.

Exercise 22.9
Complete the sentences below using the correct adverb.

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loudly intentionally carefully tirelessly skillfully bitterly helplessly joyfully fiercely
heavily politely hopefully
1. The pupils asked for some refreshments_____________.
2. Lerato ____________ scored the winning goal.
3. The boys raised their thumbs up ____________.
4. The princess sank _______ into an armchair besides her father and wept.
5. The villagers shouted ____________ in favour of Tendai.
6. She sighed ____________ not knowing what to do next.
7. She drank and smoked ________ for years.
8. The players continued to play the game ____________ longing to win.

There are words which confuse many people. It is wise to find out the meaning of a word before using
it.
Exercise 22.10
Carefully read the words in brackets and complete the sentences.
1. Tichaona and his friends sat (telling / talking) about the game of football.
2. Chioniso needed someone to (lend / borrow) her some money for school fees.
3. We must eat healthy food to (avoid / protect) us from diseases.
4. Tichaona (prefers / favours) boarding school to day school.
5. Saneliso was (sleeping / lying) in bed thinking of the test.
6. (Sometimes / Perhaps) I will fulfil my dream to be a pilot.
7. The song was (comprised / composed) by our local musician.
8. Tinotenda was (expelled / chased) from school.
9. Ruvimbo was (putting / wearing) on her new shoes.
10. Khumbulani (saved / served) his young brother from drowning.

A subject and verb must agree with one another in number (singular or plural). If a subject is singular,
its verb must also be singular; if a subject is plural, its verb must also be plural.

Exercise 22.11
Decide whether a singular or plural verb is needed in each sentence. Choose the best word in brackets
to correctly complete each sentence.
1. Either Tanicia or Anodiswa (have / has) helped grandmother doing house chores.
2. Loud explosions (was / were) heard from far away.
3. The clerk or his assistant (is / are) in the office.
4. Sindiso (has / have) improved his business.
5. During the early hours of the day (is / are) when thieves usually break into people’s houses.

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6. Carrots or cabbages (is / are) good vegetables.
7. Most tourist attractions (is / are) known for their hospitality.
8. The church choir (includes / include) boys and girls.
9. Neither Gugulethu nor Nomagugu (has / have) travelled by rail.
10. Fadzai and Kudiwa (were / was) driving to town in the new car.

Unit YOUR BACKGROUND DOES NOT DEFINE

WHO YOU ARE 23

At school we meet learners from different backgrounds. We meet rich and poor learners. Some learners
have rich parents and can get anything they need. Others have poor parents who cannot afford a simple
decent meal.
Let’s talk about differences in learners and how to fit in a school set-up.
(a) H ow can learners from poor backgrounds fit in a group of boastful learners who have everything
they want?
(b) How must the learners treat others?
(c) Should learners have competition in material things like smartphones, clothes and other
possessions?
(d) How can learners enjoy school without mocking or laughing at each other?

The words below are in the passage you are going to read. Find the meaning of the words and try to
use them in sentences.
raised divorced quarrelled desert drunkard
income privately ceased stoop excel self-
esteem coerced adapting insulted
determined negative attitude accommodation heartbroken
Examples:
(a) He failed to adapt to the rules at the new school.
(b) He could not stoop low just because of only one mistake.
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A Comprehension: Tichaona’s determination

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Tichaona was raised by a single mother after the parents divorced. His parents quarrelled every day
and there was no peace in the family until the father decided to desert the family. All hell broke loose
for Tichaona because he had hopes for the better.
Tichaona was twelve years old and was starting form one at a boarding school, when his father left. He
was a very intelligent boy. His father sold the house privately. He ceased paying school fees and
providing for the children.
Chioniso, Tichaona’s mother had to find a room for herself to stay with the three children. Everything
was difficult for her. She had to provide food, clothes, fees and pay for accommodation yet she had no
job or business to raise the money. Tichaona’s father never gave an ear to the pleas from his wife and
children. Chioniso had to transfer her son from a boarding school to a day school. The boy was
heartbroken but there was no choice. His mother was no longer affording the boarding fees. This change
crushed the boy’s spirit. He was so much affected to an extent that his performance at school dropped.

Teachers noticed that Tichaona was always wearing a gloomy face and never associated with others. He
had a low self-esteem. They gave him some counselling. The boy stood up high and coerced himself into
adapting to suit the situation. He changed the negative attitude and started working hard, scoring high
marks in all his school work. His mother struggled to make ends meet. Tichaona saw his mother’s
struggles and got more determined to excel in his studies. He continued to work hard and got a place
at the university where he is studying a degree in Economics.
Tichaona refused to stoop low because he was raised by a poor single mother. He actually fought hard
to change his identity. He had that attitude of a fighter and was always fighting to win. Like Tichaona,
we can also change the bad in us and prove that a poor background cannot stop us from achieving the
best things in life. We are not defined by our environment and what people say about us or our
background.

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Comprehension questions 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Tichaona’s father ___________ leaving his family homeless.
A. sold the house B. paid school fees C. shouted to his wife D. was drunk
2. He never gave an ear to his wife and children means he___________. A. listened carefully
B. never listened to his family C. insulted the family
D. beat his wife and children
3. Chioniso had to transfer his son from a boarding school because___________.
A. Tichaona was failing his studies B. she wanted less for Tichaona C. she could not
afford the fees D. her husband never called again
4. When Tichaona saw the toil of his mother he___________.
A. cried in school B. was miserable
C. failed in school D. got more determined to work harder
5. Tichaona did not stoop low means he___________.
A. did not bring himself down B. started failing school
C. wept everytime at school D. played by himself
6. Tichaona knew his background was bad, but he ___________. A. got a place in another school
B. fought hard to improve it
C. liked it D. lied to people

Comprehension questions 2
Answer all questions in full sentences. Write your sentences in good grammar and punctuate them
correctly.
1. What bad sign did Tichaona’s teachers notice in him?
2. Give a word or phrase which means the opposite of the word “determined” as used in the passage.
3. What degree is Tichaona studying at the university?
4. How old was Tichaona when his parents divorced?
5. Why did Chioniso stay even when things were rough and tough with her husband?
6. Why did Chioniso move into a smaller space with the family?

A summary should make sense to someone who has not read the original text. It should not sound like
a list of loosely-related sentences that have been strung together in paragraph format. A summary
should be written in your own words.
Difference between a paraphrase and a summary
A paraphrase: contains all the information in the source. No part of the original is left out. Writer
rephrases the original in his or her words.
A summary: contains only the most important information of the original. It does not have to follow
the order of the original. You do not change the meaning of the original.

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Exercise 23.1
In one paragraph, write a summary of the challenges that Tichaona went through after his parents
divorced. Your summary should not be more than 80 words.

C Composition: Advertisements
People advertise goods and services using various ways. Some use the television, radio or internet,
whilst others hold demonstrations on road shows. Advertising is a way of persuading people to buy
products or services. Advertisements can also be used to persuade people to apply for a job or enrol at
a school.
Shops and companies advertise different types of products ranging from food, furniture to properties.
Mangwende company is advertising wood products. It is a furniture shop. The information is on a flyer.
A flyer is a small handbill advertising an event or a product. It carries information about events or
products being sold and is given to people.

1. MANGWENDE WOOD AND FURNITURE PRIVATE COMPANY mushaninga@gmail.com.zw

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2. DEEPLEAGUE MOBI-HOMES: GETTING YOU A HOME www.deepleaguehomes.co.zw
Date: Friday 19 June 2020
NB: Deepleague is an advertising entity. The properties listed herein are listed by independent
advertisers. For full details and pictures, you subscribe and liaise directly with lessor. Do not pay
rentals via mobile money or bank transfer without verifying the advertiser’s rights to lease out the
property. Transactions between prospective tenants and lessors are the prerogative and discretion
of interested parties and not Deepleague (rusticis non cadit nobis).
(a) R uwa house for sale: Beautiful three bedroomed house for sale, main ensuite, second bathroom,
lounge, fitted kitchen, dining room, borehole onsite, municipal water, electricity and title deeds.
Priced at $38 000.
(b) Belvedere: 2 bedroomed duplex gardens flat, Deepleague Ad, few minutes from the CBD ans socil
amenities, fitted kitchen, built-in cupboards, lounge. Available now.
(c) Northway, Waterfalls: neat and spacious 3 bedroomed house. Fitted kitchen, built-in cupboards,
spacious yard for gardening. Available immediately. Rent US$250.
(d) Avenues: Neat newly furnished 1 bedroomed flat. Available 1 July.
(e) Borrowdale: 3 bedroomed cottage, Deepleague Ad, built-in cupboards, 2 lounges, dining room,
borehole, swimming pool. Close to Sam Levi Village. Available now.
(f) E astlea: 3 bedroomed flat opposite VID, few minutes from CBD, walled and gated, good parking
space. Available 1 August 2020.
NB: No payments over Ecocash or bank transfer to invisible people who claim to be out of town. Beware
of thieves who will defraud you in the process. Make sure you pay to the right Deepleague offices.
Find out more about advertisements from magazines and newspapers.

Exercise 23.2
Read the above advertisement carefully. Discuss in pairs or groups and answer the following questions
1. What is being advertised?
2. How many bedrooms are there in the house advertised on advertisement number 3?
3. Where is the house advertised on advertisement number 6 located?
4. What is the cost of the house advertised in the first advertisement?
5. What is the name of the advertising agency?
6. CBD is an abbreviation standing for_____________.
7. If the yard is very spacious it means_______________.
8. What other space is mentioned in the last advertisement?
9. Which village is close to the Borrowdale house?
10. When is the Avenues house due for occupation?
Exercise 23.3
Create your own advertisement following the instructions from your teacher. Check out other
advertisements from the internet.

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(a) Write the name of your advertising company.
(b) Show the address and contact details.
(c) Describe the items your company sells.
(d) You can also put some prices to the items depending on the advertisement.
(e) Remember to add words which attract customers. Also add pictures if you can.

D Listening and speaking: Poem

Read and recite the poem below. Discuss the questions below the poem.
My destiny
The destiny in me is greater than the storms around me
The purpose in me cannot be stopped by the waves rising above me
The desires in me cannot be abandoned by any opposition
The dreams I have cannot be shuttered by any description made by negative people The future
meant for me must not be doomed by evil meditation.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made

Made to achieve my goals in life
Made to face any giant in life
Made to prosper and bring change in my life Yes, my
destiny is my purpose.

I will fulfil my destiny

I will set a new standard for my life and family
I will brand my family name
I will take new ground
Yes, nothing is going to stop me. Exercise 23.4
Discuss the poem in pairs or group.
(a) What is the message from the poem? (b)
What do you think about the poem?
Write your own poem with a topic of your choice.

Quantifiers are words that are put before nouns. They answer the question:
(a) How much? (b)
How many?
Quantifiers are used with either countable or uncountable nouns. Here are some quantifiers used with
countable nouns:

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few a few very few a pair many all several lots of none of some plenty of most of enough
couple of lack of none of almost hardly any a dozen Examples:
(a) The region received very little rain causing a severe drought.
(b) We received hardly any rain this year.
(c) She had plenty of food in her pantry.

In pairs or groups, try to make some sentences using the above quantifiers. Exercise 23.5
Identify and underline the quantifiers in the following sentences.
1. There are a few men working in the field.
2. There were hardly any women in the department.
3. Many villagers lost a lot of cattle during the severe drought.
4. After the riot, most property were damaged.
5. Several people need help from the government.
6. The host at the birthday party served us with enough food.
7. Uncle Joe’s hens lay dozens of eggs every day.
8. None of our children attended lessons during the lockdown period.
9. Almost every plant was destroyed by the locusts.
10. There is lack of furniture and textbooks in the school.

Countable and uncountable nouns

Some quantifiers can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. For example: all, enough,
lack of, no and so on.
(a) The milk is not enough for baking a cake.
(b) He shared a bit of the story with his wife. Exercise 23.6
Use the correct quantifier for the sentences below.
1. Mother gave a_____________ medicine to the sick boy.
2. There were ____________ people watching the game.
3. He had to deliver another ____________sand to start building the walls.
4. The orphans were starving due to ____________food.
5. We have to put ____________in our work to achieve our goals.
6. Tumela had ____________about why his parents quarrelled every day.
7. Chioniso needed ____________ money to keep his child in school.
8. ____________ the children mocked and laughed at the boy with torn clothes.
9. He knew he would be back in ____________of days.
10. Rhoda had____________information about the lost child.

F Punctuation: Using the comma (,)

1. Commas are used to separate lists of things or items such as people, animals or other things. Here
are some examples:

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 (a) Boys, girls, men and women watched the match.
(b) We saw lions, cheaters, giraffes, leopards and baboons at the game park.(c) The shop sells pots,
plates, cups and cutlery.
2. Commas are also used to separate direct speech from other words in sentences when writing. For
instance:
(a) Daryl shouted, “It’s a score!”
(b) He said, “I wish I had gone home before it rained.”(c) “Come let’s run home. The rain has
subsided,” he said.
3. Commas can also be used at the end of a sentence to show a pause such as: please, sir, madam,
well done. For example:
(a) Excuse me madam, can I join you?(b) Busi, well done.
4. Commas can also be used to separate some words which appear at the beginning of sentences such
as: well, yes, oh, ah, hey, oops. For instance:
(a) Phew, the bird flew above the roof.
(b) Yes, we did it.
(c) Ouch, it feels sour.

Exercise 23.7
Rewrite the following sentences using commas where necessary.
1. Zambezi Save Limpopo and Mtirikwi are names of rivers.
2. The farmer grows beans peas carrots tomatoes and cabbages.
3. Oh I missed the match.
4. Anodiswa that was excellent 5. Kudiwa answered “I’m coming soon.” 6. Oops Ben fell
from the tall tree.
7. Mother said “You ought to be careful you will break the cup.”
8. “The match has already started” said Mugove.
9. Ngaavongwe Rutendo Mike Francis Zhuwawo and Joseph support the same team.
10. Well done Tsepo.

Study the comparisons in the table below carefully.

Positive Comparative Superlative

1. good better best

2. much more most

3. well better best

4. far further furthest

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 5. bad worse worst

6. little less least

7. many more most

8. great greater greatest

9. ugly uglier ugliest

10. big bigger biggest

Exercise 23.8
Complete the following sentences using the correct comparative.
1. He fought the (great) battle in his life.
2. Tichaona proved to be the (good) student in his class.
3. Takudzwa and Tinashe gave (much) encouragement to their friend.
4. Lazarus travelled a long way to success but Tapiwa went (far) than him.
5. The Nyau dancer wore (ugly) clothes.
6. Sekuru Kaguri got the (great) harvest in the village last year.
7. The sick baby was looking (good) than the day before.
8. He counted the goats and found out they were (many) than he thought.
9. Tamuda had the (big) piece of cake of all the other family members.
10. There was (little) cooking oil in the house.

Adverbs describe verbs, nouns, other adverbs or the whole sentence. Adverbs usually consist of
adjectives with –ly added.
Examples: cheer – cheerfully, soft – softly
You can match an adverb which best suits a given verb as follows;
(a) She smiled cheerfully. The verb is smiled and the adverb is cheerfully. The adverb is
describing how she smiled.
(b) He spoke softly. The verb is spoke. The adverb is softly. Exercise 23.9
Choose the adverb that matches correctly with the verbs given in the columns below. Make correct
sentences using the verbs and adverbs you matched.

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You previously learnt that a subject and a verb must agree in number. Study the example below. First of
all, find the subject then find the correct verb.
(a) The explosions (was/were) heard from afar. The explosions were heard from afar. The explosions
are in plural form; therefore, the verb must also show a plural form.
(b) Either Mutsawashe or Leah (is/are) studying at the University of South Africa. Either Mutsawashe or
Leah is studying at the University of South Africa.
Mutsawashe or Leah, one of them is studying at the university. The verb is in the singular form.
Exercise 23.10
Choose the best word in the brackets to correctly complete each sentence. Remember to find the
subject first then make the verb agree.
1. The crate of the empty bottles (was/were) used as a shelf.
2. Each of the buildings (was/were) in need of roofing sheets.
3. All the stolen property (was/were) recovered by Police Officers.
4. Dairy cattle (are/is) grazing in the valley.
5. (Do/Does) you know the consultation fees at the cancer centre?
6. The roofs of both houses (has/have) been blown off by the heavy wind.
7. There (is/are) a good reason for having a lockdown period.
8. It (is/are) a long way to Lake Kariba from Harare.
9. Carrots (is/are) high in vitamins.
10. All learners (has/have) to read with understanding.

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Subject pronouns take the place of nouns as the subject of a sentence. Not all pronouns can be used as
subject pronouns. Subject pronouns are: I, you, he, she, it, we, they and we. We can use subject
pronouns in sentences as follows:
(a) Rudo will sail on the lake in a big boat. She will sail on the lake in a big boat. (b) Amara and
Albert toured the Victoria Falls. They toured the Victoria Falls.
The subject is Rudo. Rudo has been replaced with she.
The names of the people who toured the Victoria Falls have been replaced by (they). Exercise 23.11
Use a subject pronoun in place of the underlined word or words.
1. Buhlebenkosi and Sibonginkosi are enjoying their holiday.
2. Tanaka was suffering from a chronic disease.
3. Helen lived a very hard life after the death of her husband.
4. Tsepo and I need swimming lessons.
5. The hospital is closed.
6. Our teachers had an end of year meeting.
7. My friend and her sister went shopping in Dubai.
8. The boy was very hungry.
9. Harare is the capital city of Zimbabwe.
10. The nurse was busy dressing wounds of the injured people.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Unit 24
DEGRADATION

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Stream bank cultivation results in land degradation. Soil is washed into the river. Most people are
worried about land degradation. What do you know about it? Carefully look at the picture above.
Discuss the questions below in groups.
• What can you see on the picture?
• What do you think is going to happen to the land?
• What is going to happen to the river?
• What are the effects of land degradation to people?

Read the words below and find their meanings. Make sentences using them. For example:
(a) Siltation occurs when people dump litter in rivers and dams.
(b) Stream bank cultivation must be avoided to prevent land degradation.

siltation soil erosion extinction attribute environmental degradation falsified environmental

conservation colonised cultivated animal husbandry
assumption unfavourable population explosion
overgrazing advocate economic equipment environmentalists
fragmentation afforestation obstacle biogas converters

A Comprehension: Gold panning, a threat to the environment

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Problems of siltation, soil erosion and extinction of trees are now a common thing in most rural areas.
People tend to attribute the problem of environmental degradation to lack of knowledge. This
assumption can be falsified if the number of educated people in rural areas is considered.
If we examine the situation carefully, we will find out some people who live out there who have
completed both Ordinary and Advanced level who have learnt and know about environmental

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conservation. There are some Geography teachers and Agricultural officers who have knowledge on the
matter. The reasons for degradation are, therefore, not about lack of knowledge.

Some gold panning activities taking place in Zimbabwe

Looking back to the issues of Zimbabwean history, we see that when the country was colonised, African
people were forced to live in areas where there was little rainfall or where climatic conditions for crop
and animal husbandry were unfavourable. Due to poor rains, crops mostly failed and the bare ground
was left exposed to the forces of erosion hence soil degradation.
Population explosion in such areas also led to land fragmentation. As the population increased, more
land was cultivated thus increasing the rate of soil erosion. Overgrazing also worsened the situation.
More people also meant cutting down trees for fuel, building and other purposes.
It would be best if people avoid cutting down trees in the communal areas. The big question which arises
when environmentalists advise is what will the people use for fuel, poles for building and fencing? The
best way to improve the situation is to advocate for more economic equipment like biogas converters,
more soil preserving measures like afforestation.

Although all that may be good measures to address the issue, water problems remain an obstacle unless
more dams are built. The government has to continue working towards the provision of clean and safe
water to the people. Water is life. Drilling of boreholes is very necessary for the communities.

Comprehension questions
Answer all questions in full sentences. Write your sentences in good grammar and punctuate them
correctly.
1. Why are many black people living in the places they are?
2. Give a word or phrase which means the opposite of the word “obstacle” as used in the passage.
3. What are the causes of environmental degradation?
4. Which word in the passage which means “to prove information to be wrong and misleading”?
5. What happens to soil when there is no enough rain?
6. What happens to the land as the population increase?

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7. Why should people stop cutting down trees?
8. What measure can be taken to address the issue of water shortages in communities?
9. How can people substitute firewood?
10. What measures can be put in place to avoid overgrazing?

The key to writing an effective summary is combining the material you choose to include into concise,
coherent sentences and paragraphs. If your sentences are carelessly formed, not only will the summary
be unreadable, you will also lose the connection among the pieces of information in the summary.
Exercise 24.1
In one paragraph, write a summary of the causes and solutions to land degradation. Your summary
should not be more than 80 words.

C Composition: Report writing

A report narrates what someone has seen, heard, observed or done. When writing a report, you need
to make a plan just like when you write any other composition. We assume that you now know the
format of writing a sound report taught in previous units.

Exercise 24.2
Write a report to the Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Rural Resettlement informing her of the dangers
of land degradation currently taking place in your community. Your report must be between 80 and 120
words in length. Use the following notes and any other you may think of to write your report:
• Name of your community
• Types of activities causing land degradation
• How did it start
• Why are people doing activities that cause land degradation
• What measures can be put in place to stop the activities

D Using so, very, much and too

Words used with adjectives are adjectival phrases. These are words like: so, very, much and too.
So is used with an adjective to make it stronger and explain the effects of something.
Too is used with an adjective to show that something is more than expected.
Very is used with an adjective for emphasis.
Much is used with an adjective for things which cannot be counted.
Below are the examples:
(a) The leopard was so swift that the lion failed to catch it.
(b) Grandfather is too old to work.

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(c) It is very cold today.
(d) There was not much salt in the food. Exercise 24.3
Complete the following sentences using so, very, much or too.
1. Tendai was _________ angry with the thief who broke into his room.
2. The cost of living is _________expensive to adjust to these days.
3. The hungry lion was _________weak to move from the cave.
4. The children were_________noisy that we hardly heard a word from the speaker.
5. The builders are_________busy.
6. It rained_________heavily that all the rivers were flooded.
7. The weather is _________ favourable for the children to play.
8. The loaded truck was _________slow that nothing fell from the load.
9. The weather is _________cold for comfort.
10. The driver was_________fast that he failed to stop the car before he hit the wall.

Prefixes
You have learnt from the previous units that prefixes are groups of letters in front of words which change
the meanings of the words. Examples of prefixes are:
(a) Grade – degrade
(b) Fortune – misfortune
(c) Favourable – unfavourable
Exercise 24.4
Study the prefixes given in the table below and match them with correct words to form new words.
Prefix Word

1. dis form

2. inter take

3. un sight

4. ex guided

5. de school

6. pre suit

7. track less

8. fore plain

9. under ability

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 10. mis national
We can join a prefix to a given word to make another word. The sentence will have a different
meaning. For example: dis care re under
(a) His ___ability did not make him an ___performer.
His disability did not make him an underperformer.
(b) We must ___stand ways of ___proving our environment.
We must understand ways of improving our environment.
(c) The process of ___settling people must be ___fully considered before the environmental
degradation situation worsens.
The process of resettling people must be carefully considered before the environmental degradation
situation worsens.
Exercise 24.5
Fill in missing prefixes to the words in bold in the sentences below.
dis- re- fore- imp- a- un- i- wet- pre- tele-
1. ___llegal gold diggers are causing a lot of degradation to the environment.
2. Most African people are ___happy because of the ___fair land distribution.
3. ___less more dams are built water there will not be enough water for ___afforestation programs.
4. Climatic conditions in some areas are very ___favourable for animal husbandry.
5. People need to have ___sight before a problem ___rises.
6. During the ___colonial era, African people utilised their land well.
7. We can communicate using a ___phone.
8. Many people were ___placed during the liberation war.
9. People are building houses on ___lands causing more environmental degradation to result.
10. Stress in most people is due to high levels of ___patience.

Suffixes
A suffix is a group of letters which come at the end of a word to form a new word or to change its
meaning. For example:
(a) -ment develop development
(b) -en strength strengthen
(c) -dom free freedom
(d) -ant import important
Exercise 24.6
Match the suffixes below with the correct word from the list below.
-ness -ion -ent -ous -ist -ful
-th -end -shop -able -hood -ment

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1. improve __________ 6. direct ____________
2. reason ___________ 7. week_____________
3. work_____________ 8. vigour____________
4. comfort __________ 9. faith_____________
5. child_____________ 10. weak____________
Exercise 24.7
Join the correct suffix to the words in bold in the following sentences.
-or -ess -mother -shops -down -ion -lands -hood -dom -en -ment
1. There is a very high rate of unemploy ___ in our country.
2. He went to sleep early because of the bore___ he felt.
3. A lion___ roamed the village causing terror to the people.
4. Nyembesi is facing an imprison___ for murdering her husband.
5. She was a very faith___ and loyal woman.
6. All the wood___ tuck___ were destroyed to restore order at the market-place.
7. A lock___ was declared to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease.
8. Farming activities in the wet___ must be discouraged.
9. The District Administrat___ addressed the people in his district very well.
10. Muzanenhamo spent most of his child___ staying with his grand___

Your teacher will read the following paragraph to you while you listen carefully. Write down the dictated
words and sentences correctly. Punctuate the sentences properly and make sure all the words are spelt
correctly. Exercise 24.8
We cannot continue to blame the government for environmental degradation, but seek ways to improve
the worsening situation. We have to identify means and ways to try to stop overgrazing. People have to
be resettled in fertile lands. They have to find places where rainfall and climatic conditions are suitable
enough for farming and animal husbandry.

G Opposites formed by using prefixes and suffixes

Opposites can be formed by using prefixes or suffixes. Look at the examples below.
(a) Manage – mismanage
(b) Useful – useless (c) Kind – unkind Exercise 24.9
Read the words below and write their opposites.
1. fair ____________ 6. common __________
2. block ____________ 7. legal _____________
3. lock______________ 8. fortune ___________
4. agree ____________ 9. sense ____________
5. patient ___________ 10. guide ____________

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H Using even though, in spite of, or despite

Even is used for emphasis mainly before a word, a phrase, or a clause beginning with ‘as’, ‘if’ or ‘though’.
1. Even though is used for introducing a fact that makes the main statement in your sentence very
surprising. For example:
(a) Most of us ignore this good advice, even though we know it to be true.
(b) Even though she has a degree in physical education, she can’t find a job.
2. In spite of means without being affected by the particular factor mentioned. For example:
(a) In spite of feeling tired, we decided to go out.
(b) She was wearing a sweet smile on her face, in spite of the problems she was going through.
3. Despite is used for saying that something happens even though something else might have
prevented it. For example:
(a) Thabani’s parents still loved him despite the fact that he had dropped out of school. (b) Vendors
still sell their produce in town despite the call for lockdown.
We can use even though, in spite of and despite to join sentences. Here are examples:
Tom and Susan loved each other. They quarrelled every day.
(a) Even though Tom and Susan loved each other, they quarrelled every day.
(b) In spite of loving each other, Tom and Susan quarrelled every day. (c) Despite loving
each other, Tom and Susan quarrelled every day. Exercise 24.10
Use even though, in spite of or despite in the following sentences.
1. John keeps sending messages to Ruvimbo ___________ she does not reply.
2. ___________ the green pastures available, the cattle were very thin.
3. The villagers continued to cut down trees___________the department of forestry had advised
them to stop.
4. Nyasha worked very hard ___________ other workers slackening their pace.
5. _______ the liberation struggle was frightening; heroes and heroines were determined to free the
people.
6. ___________the heavy rains, there was low harvest.
7. Sekuru Magogorosi gave his customers some tokens of appreciation _____ the number of items
they bought.
8. ___________the boys played well, they did not win the game.
9. The miners still dug for gold___________the fact that the mine was disused.
10. ___________they had a new baby, they still went out to celebrate Fadzai’s birthday.

There are many times when people use wrong words confusing them with the correct ones.
You have learnt about such words before. Here are some more confusing words:

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price prize jealous jealousy crash crush loose lose aloud allowed raise rise practise
practice letter latter weather whether quite quiet
These words sound the same but have different spellings and different meanings. Find the meaning of
the words in the dictionary. Exercise 24.11
Choose the correct word from the brackets to complete the sentences below.
1. Tadiwa got the first (price/prize) for the best student in the school.
2. Mrs Ngoro was very (jealous/jealousy) of her sister’s success.
3. Smoking is not (allowed/aloud) in public.
4. They (raise/rise) money for the orphanage by selling garden produce.
5. He was afraid to (loose/lose) the money he had put in a torn pocket unknowingly.
6. The (whether/weather) is not favourable for travelling.
7. The netball team had to (practise/practice) hard in order to win.
8. There was a report about a plane (crash/crush).
9. The holiday was very (quite/quiet).

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REVISION EXERCISES
(A) Firstly, identify the words that could be contracted (shortened) and then rewrite the passage so
that it does not sound so formal.
If you have nothing better to do with your free time, you are welcome to come and stay with us. You
cannot imagine what fun we have here! I am not exaggerating when I say that it will be the best
experience of your life! You will make new friends and they will remain your friends for life. Mr Sibanda,
who is the camp coordinator, is great! He has had many years experience and he will ensure that you
have the time of your life! I have been to camp every holiday for two years now and I am still finding
something new to do every day. If you have not been to camp before, you should not worry as it is not
a frightening experience and if you feel afraid of any task, you do not have to try it. You need not buy
expensive equipment either as we will provide everything you will need. It will be great to see you!
(B) Use apostrophes with an ‘s’ to change the clumsy phrases below into a quicker way of saying the
same thing.
For example: The head belonging to the man = the man’s head.
1. The hutch belonging to the rabbit.
2. The football belonging to Natasha.
3. The scar belonging to Carlos.
4. The wheel belonging to the truck.
5. The leg belonging to the horse.
(C) Add apostrophes to these sentences where needed.
1. It’s the boys turn to go first because the girls went first last time.
2. He was never allowed to forget the time he went into the ladies changing room by mistake.
3. Put all the babies pictures together so we can pick out a winner.
4. People always seem to find footballers haircuts very interesting.
5. The nurses meeting went on for three hours.
(D) Underline the verbs in each sentence.
Example: The teacher shouted at the naughty pupil.
1. I read my book from cover to cover.
2. The girls chased the dog across the field.
3. I wrote neatly in my new book.
4. I coughed and sneezed because I had a cold.
5. The robbers smashed the window and entered the warehouse.
(E) Underline the subject and the object in each sentence.
1. The dog runs around the field wildly.
2. Dad bought a new car.
3. My teddy fell off the bed.
4. I walked away from the building.
5. The ring glittered on my finger.

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(F) Read the extract and decide which homophone word is correct. Write it in the gap.
through/threw gate/gait road/rode vale/veil missed/mist
council/counsel passed/past
The marathon runners moved ________ the ________ and out onto the _________ . As the early
morning __________ came down like a _________ over the town, they were last seen going _____the
local _________ chambers before they disappeared from view.
(G) Changing the tense from past to present can make things seem more real - as if they’re
happening now. Rewrite these sentences by putting them into the present tense.
Example: I’d hurt myself badly = I’m in a lot of pain right now.
1. I didn’t know what was happening.
2. We had found her mobile phone in the cloakroom.
3. I had walked all day and night.
4. The game finished hours ago.
5. I was having a lovely holiday.
6. She’d been unhappy for a while.

(H) The sentences below have been changed from the present to the future tense. Fill in the gaps with
the correct words from the box. You can use them more than once.

going be to will shall

1. Your mum is waiting for you there. – Your mum _____ ______ waiting for you there.
2. This is working. – This ______ work.
3. We are having afternoon tea with the Queen. – We _____ have afternoon tea with the Queen.
4. I am working in the supermarket. – I am ______ ______ work in the supermarket.
(I) Punctuate the following sentences, using full stops and capital letters where appropriate.
1. the man bought the newspaper he was an avid reader of the sun
2. jill ran up the hill with jack they needed to fetch a pail of water
3. the must-see film of the year is the new spiderman movie it stars farai sithole
4. on wednesday and thursday I am travelling to tunisia on the orient express
5. will young won the first ever pop idol competition brian mutumwa was a judge
Paper 1: Multiple Choice Questions

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Garikai, Tafadzwa and Tendai lay on the ground to rest. They were all tired. They agreed to lie under the
shade of the big gum tree which was close to the river bank. They watched their cattle grazing at a
distance. In a short while Garikai, the eldest dozed off. Tafadzwa and Tendai were talking to each other

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enjoying the sunlight which filtered through the branches of the big tree. The atmosphere was so silent

Unit

that they could hear birds singing and flapping their wings as they flew above them.
Suddenly a heavy current came sweeping Tendai into the river. The waves were very violent. Tafadzwa
shouted and tried to run after his young brother who was drowning. Garikai was awakened from a deep
sleep by the loud shouting from Tafadzwa. He noticed a hand waving above the water fifty metres away
from him. Tafadzwa raced downstream where the water was drifting the young boy.
Garikai was confused, everything was happening so fast that he could not make head or tail of it. He
managed to throw a rope into the water to save his friend. The young boy held onto the rope firmly
whilst the other two pulled with all their might. Finally, Tendai was saved.
Comprehension questions
1. The boys were ____________.
A. playing games B. herding cattle C. swimming D. singing
2. The boys were____________.
A. tired B. tied C. rest D. sleep
3. The boys lay ____________.
A. in the river B. under a big tree
C. near the branches D. above the tree
4. What swept Tendai downstream?
A. Cattle B. Sunlight C. Heavy waves D. Branches
5. Garikai was awakened by____________.
A. a loud call B. birds C. cows D. sun
6. Tendai was drowning but ____________.
A. climbed a tree B. could swim and cry
C. ran for help D. managed to lift and wave his hands
7. Who shouted loudly for help?
A. Garikai B. Tafadzwa C. Tendai D. Cattle
Choose the correct word to complete the sentences below.
8. The boys fought hard to help____________young brother.
A. they B. their C. there D. the
9. Tafadzwa ______ downstream trying to rescue his brother.
A. running B. rain C. run D. ran

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10. Garikai could not make head or tail of everything means_________. A. he could not understand
what was going on
B. he was sleeping
C. he was dreaming
D. he saw Tendai drowning
11. Tendai held onto the rope ____________.
A. faintly B. friendly C. closely D. firmly
12. The waves ___________ very violent.
A. were B. was C. is D. has
13. The other word for ‘firmly’ is____________.
A. great B. swiftly C. tightly D.
downstream
14. Tendai never thought that the water was strong___________sweep him away.
A. too B. so that C. enough to D. about

Read the passage below carefully and answer questions which follow.
The coronavirus disease, a worldwide threat

A deadly pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus engulfed the world, forcing people to stay indoors.
This disease emanated from Wuhan City, a market in China. The disease spread to other countries
worldwide causing numerous deaths. Millions of people died within a very short space of time.

Schools and many other establishments were forced to close due to fear of the spread of this deadly
disease. Learners had to be grounded at home. Everyone was advised to stay indoors. This was termed
lockdown. The lockdown period helped to curb the spread of the disease. Many people took heed and
stayed at home. Business was brought to halt. Market places, shops and many public places were left
empty. There were very few vehicles on the roads. Police were busy helping the government to enforce
the law.

Since schools were closed, most learners were sitting idle in their homes. Online learning was introduced
to help learners whilst at home. Lessons were conducted in a video conference format where all
participants interacted on device screens. At times there were poor network challenges which hindered
the progress of lessons. Radio lessons were also re-introduced from early childhood learning to upper
levels.
Comprehension questions
15. Coronavirus disease is caused by a____________.
A. bacteria B. lockdown C. fungal D. virus
16. Schools were closed ____________.
A. to allow children to heal from the virus
B. to please the teachers and learners
C. to curb the spread of the disease
D. to kill the virus
17. Learners and workers had to be grounded at home. ‘Grounded’ means____________.

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 A. dig the ground B. stay at home without going
anywhere
C. stick to the ground D. hit the ground
18. What is a lockdown according to the passage?
A. It is a door locked with a key. B. A prison.
C. It means staying in one place. D. Keeping safe.
19. What is the purpose of a lockdown?
A. To curb the spread of the disease B. To stop schools from functioning
C. To kill business D. To help government stay safe
20. How do learners access lessons online?
A. Lessons are in line B. Lessons are carried out via the
internet
C. Lessons are typed D. Learners stand on a line

Choose the correct word to complete the sentences below.

21. Lessons are conducted ______________ a video conference format.
A. on B. at C. in D.
from
22. Poor network hinders the progress of lessons means ______________.
A. delays or obstructs B. makes fast
C. moves pictures D. destroys lessons
23. Participants in a video conference ______________ on a device screen.
A. internet B. interest C. interview D. interact 24.
The word re-introduced means______________.
A. introduce B. brought into operation again
C. work D. introduction
25. If a disease is ‘deadly’, this means ______________.
A. it is fatal B. it is good C. it is controlled D. can stay at home
26. Pandemic refers to______________.A. a disease.
B. a disease outbreak that spreads over a larger area in short space of time.
C. a disease that kill people who are not immune to it.
D. the outbreak of coronavirus which killed many people.
27. ______________ schools were closed, most learners were lying idle.
A. Since B. What if C. If D. Would
28. Choose the correct sentence.
A. Government radio lessons introduce on radio.
B. Radio lessons have been government reintroduced
C. Radio lessons have reintroduced governmentD. The government has reintroduced radio lessons.
29. Learners interact among______________.
A. themselves B. myself C. ourselves D. yourself

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

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Rutendo rushed into a baker’s shop to grab a loaf of bread before going home. She was carrying a huge
sum of money in a plastic bag for the bride price of her brother’s wife. She got the bread and headed
for transport home. Two street boys followed her. They wanted the bread she was carrying. Rutendo
noticed the boys. She put the plastic bag of bread in the same plastic bag with the money to make one
parcel. The street kids walked closer to her and in a wink of an eye, one of the boys snatched the plastic
bag away from Rutendo and ran fast to hide behind some shrubs in a park. She tried to run after the
boys in vain.
Kudzie saw everything that happened and caught the other boy who was following the one carrying the
bread. He questioned him to disclose where the boy with the bag had gone. Fearing the crowd of people
who had already gathered, the boy told Kudzie where his friend was hiding. The explanation did not
hold water, so Kudzie and Rutendo took the boy to the police station.
A police officer failed to help effectively. When he heard there was money in the plastic bag, he ordered
Kudzie and Rutendo to go home while he dealt with the young boy. Rutendo suggested that the officer
help them to go and check the boy who had taken the money at the place which the arrested boy had
disclosed but he insisted that they go home. Helplessly, Rutendo cried on her way home. All efforts to
get the culprit were helpless as the street kid could not be located.
30. Why was Rutendo carrying a lot of money in a plastic bag?
A. She wanted to buy bread
B. It was meant to pay the bride price
C. She wanted to keep the moneyD. Rutendo wanted to give them bread
31. Where did she buy bread?
A. In the nearby park B. In the baker’s shop C. In town
D. At the police station
32. Who stole from Rutendo?
A. Street kids B. Street fathers C. Kudzie D. The police officer Choose the correct word to
complete the following sentences.
33. The boy who snatched the plastic bag hid ____________.
A. behind B. under a tree
C. behind a bush in the park D. in the police station
34. Which statement is true?
A. The police officer beat the street boy.
B. The boy ran to the police officer.
C. The police officer failed to assist Rutendo and Kudzie.
D. The police officer ran after the street boy.
35. Kudzie _____________ the street boy.
A. ran into B. ran out C. ran after D. ran away
36. The street boy_____________the bag of money.
A. steal B. stole C. stealing D. stolen
37. The street kid ran_____________a hiding place
A. about B. to C. among D. away
38. A_____________ of people had gathered to see the thief.

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 A. audience B. gang C. congregation D. crowd
39. The police officer _____________ make further investigations about the theft.
A. was B. could C. should D. would
40. _____________ Kudzi ran after the street kid, she did not locate him.
A. Because B. Since C. Even though D. Although

PAPER 2: COMPOSITION, COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY

Section A: Composition (20 marks)
1. Answer either (a) or (b)
Either (a)
Write a story about the day you got ashamed of yourself. Your story must be between 80 and 120
words in length. Use the following points and any other you may think of to write your story:
• when it happened
• where it happened
• what happened
• who were you with
• how you felt
• what you learnt from the experience
Or (b)
There has been a drought in your area for some time. Write a composition about the drought. Your
composition must be between 80 and 120 words in length. Use the points given below and any
other you may think of to write your composition.
• name of place
• when the drought started
• how the drought has affected the area; people, plants and animals included
• help needed and already offered
• what you suggest about the drought

Section B: Comprehension and Summary (15 marks)

You are advised to spend 30 minutes on this section.
2. Read the following passage very carefully before you attempt any questions.
Answer all the questions in full sentences. You are advised to write your sentences in good grammar
and punctuate them correctly.
Tsunamis are one of the world’s most powerful natural forces. They can flood and destroy villages.
They can create huge amounts of damage. But do you know exactly what a tsunami is? They are
huge and mighty waves in the ocean that grow as they reach the shore. Most tsunamis are actually
caused by earthquakes.

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 An earthquake happens when a big piece of the earth’s crust suddenly shifts. Basically, the earth’s
crust is made up of large pieces called tectonic plates. These plates usually grind together. But
sometimes, the plates get stuck. The pressure builds and they suddenly get slammed and are
pushed into a new position. When the ocean floor moves, it creates big holes. The water floods in
to fill these holes. When the water moves that quickly, it creates a huge wave. This is how tsunamis
are born. Other natural disasters like landslides and volcanic eruptions can also cause tsunamis.
Once the water starts moving because of the force of the disaster, large waves begin to ripple out.
These waves can move very fast. They have been recorded at speeds up to 800 kilometres per hour.
They can also move across very long distances.
Though tsunamis can happen anywhere, they usually occur in specific areas like the Pacific Ocean.
The countries along the coastline like Japan, Chile or even the United
States are more at risk. The biggest tsunami ever recorded happened in 1958 in Lituya Bay, Alaska.
The massive wave wiped out trees, vegetation and everything else in its way. Questions
(a) Why tsunamis are considered to be the world’s powerful disasters? [1]
(b) What is a tsunami?
[1]
(c) What causes most of the tsunamis that happen world over? [1]
(d) How do earthquakes occur?
[1]
(e) Give two different words from the passage which mean the same as “enormous”.[1]
(f) What are the other two natural disasters that can cause tsunamis? [2]
(g) What speeds do the waves of tsunami travel per hour?
[1]
(h) A ccording to the passage, what does the words “wipe out” refer to? [1]
(i) Which countries are vulnerable to natural disasters like tsunami? [1]
(j) I n one paragraph, write a summary of the formation, causes and impacts of tsunamis. Your
summary should not be more than 80 words, including the given ten
opening words below. [5]
Begin your summary as follows:
A tsunami is a natural disaster that is greatly caused ...

GRADE SEVEN EXAMINATION SPECIMEN PAPER

ENGLISH PAPER 1
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
A scarecrow
Farmers have always had problems with wild animals and birds that destroy their crops. While it is
difficult to guard the crops all the time, they used scarecrows to scare off pests.

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A scarecrow scares birds and animals that steal crops. It looks like a man who is standing still with his

Unit

arms stretched out. It has a shape of a cross. Some people used to think that the cross shape was what
kept birds away. After carrying out a study, one scientist came up with a different explanation. He
concluded that because the scarecrow wears someone’s old clothing it carries a strong smell of man. As
long as the smell lasts, the scarecrow works well. When wild birds and animals smell man, they are
scared and therefore stay away. However, as time passes by, the scarecrow loses its smell. When this
happens, the pests will no longer be afraid of it.
Perhaps, even scarecrows should change their clothes from time to time.
Adapted from “A Treasury of superstitions” by Claudia de Lys.
Comprehension questions
1. According to the passage, a scarecrow is _______.
A. a man with old clothes B. a man with a cross C. something that looks
like a man D. something that eats crops
2. Farmers thought of using scarecrows because ________. A. the birds scared them
B. it has a cross shape
C. the scientist told them D. birds were destroying their crops
3. The scientist mentioned in the passage believed a scarecrow frightened the birds by means of its
_______.
A. shape B. age C. smell D. likeness
4. The word “pests” as used in the passage refers to ________.
A. crops B. people C. birds and animals D. someone’s clothes
5. Scarecrow need a change of clothes when the old ones _____.
A. get torn B. lose their smell
C. carry a strong smell D. have a lasting smell
6. The two ideas of a scarecrow in the passage both agree that ______. A. a scarecrow scares pests
B. old clothes should not be used
C. the cross shape scares pests D. the scarecrow loses its smell Choose the correct word or
words to complete the following sentences.
7. The land belongs ______ the farmer.
A. for B. to C. with D. of
8. I admired the scientist for his __________.

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 A. clever B. cleverness C. cleverer D. cleverest
9. The fields were_______ protected that the animals could not enter.
A. so B. very C. too D. that
10. The maize in the fields grew ________ the rainy season.
A. on B. at C. while D. during
11. The farmers ploughed the fields and _______ sowed the seeds.
A. lately B. earlier C. latest D. afterwards
12. The animals jumped __________ the pool.
A. of B. on C. out D. into
13. “The villagers will not die of hunger because of the drought ____.
A. isn’t it?” B. do they?” C. will they?” D. have they?”
14. The people did not hope______ a good harvest because there was no rain.
A. about B. at C. for D. in
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
A holiday with a foreigner
Last April I was asked to take Cynthia to our home to spend a holiday there. It was exciting to have a
visitor at our house. My parents were very happy to meet her although they feared that she would not
like to stay with us. All this turned out to be an unnecessary worry. Cynthia was a cheerful girl. She
enjoyed staying with us very much. We would take a walk to the city centre or other public places like
the sports stadium. Cynthia desired to meet new people and talk to them.
During the second week of her visit, she started feeling sick whenever she drank water. She went to see
a doctor and was told that she was reacting to the new environment. Unlike England where she came
from, Kwekwe was rather too hot for her. Apart from this problem, the doctor said her health was fine.
After a few days, she completely recovered and we enjoyed the rest of the school holiday together.
Comprehension questions
15. In the passage, the foreigner is the ______.
A. girl from Kwekwe B. writer of the story C. girl from England D. family
16. According to the doctor, Cynthia was not accustomed to the ______ of the new place.
A. holiday B. weather C. stadium D. people
17. Cynthia became ill ____________the first week of her visit.
A. in B. from C. after D.
before
18. During her illness, the visitor was not in serious danger because ______.
A. the doctor said her health was fine
B. she felt sick whenever she drank water
C. she was a cheerful girl
D. she came from English
19. One word in the passage which means the same as “got better” is________.
A. “environment” B. “recovered” C. “desired” D. “enjoyed” Choose the best word or words
to complete each of the following sentences.

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20. By the time Cynthia arrived, they_________ already waiting for her.
A. had B. are C. have D. were
21. “The girl isn’t a Zimbabwean, _____________ she?”
A. doesn’t B. isn’t C. were D. is
22. The doctor spoke to _____________patient kindly.
A. their B. him C. her D. she
23. As time went by, she got ___________ to the new environment.
A. use B. uses C. used D. using
24. Cynthia ran away from one of the ____________ dangerous animals.
A. more B. much C. ever D. most
25. The doctor likes the ______________ of roasted meat.
A. test B. taste C. testing D. tasting
Choose the correct sentence.
26. A. The foreigner looked back the elephant and sawB. Saw and elephant foreigner looked back?
C. The foreigner looked back and saw the elephant.
D. The foreigner and the, elephant looked back saw.
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Zoom, the Cat
The building was quiet. The streets and both sides of the building were busy and noisy. Suddenly, the
alarm in the building switched on, attracting people’s attention because the shop had been closed for
business.
Two police cars came speeding down the street, flashing their blue and orange lights. They blocked the
street at both ends of the building. Heavily armed policemen got out and prevented the crowd that had
gathered from getting near the building.
Jay and Simba were among the crowd. They wanted to be the first to find out who was in the building.
They quietly went to the back of the building. The two were known for assisting the police in solving
crimes. They forced the back door open and went into the shop. Suddenly, something clattered onto
the floor making a lot of noise.
Jay whispered, “There is someone in the shop, Simba.” “Let’s be
careful Jay,” Simba replied.
They carefully moved in the darkness. They could not see anything except the dark shapes of shelves
full of goods. Suddenly, something flashed by. Simba switched on his small torch.
Across the room, they saw Zoom, the cat which was known for being a problem in the streets and shops.
Comprehension questions
27. The _______ in the shop attracted the people’s attention.
A. business B. quietness C. sound of the cat D. sound of the alarm
28. The police blocked the street because _______A. Jay and Simba were in the shop.
B. the police cars were speeding.

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 C. they wanted to prevent the crowd from getting near.
D. the shop had been closed for business earlier on.
29. Jay and Simba broke into the shop because ___________
A. they were among the crowd. B. something had clattered onto the floor.
C. there were armed policemen. D. they wanted to help the police.
30. What could have caused the alarm to switch on?
A. The police B. The crowd C. Zoom, the cat D. Simba and Jay
31. According to the passage, Jay thought there was someone in the shop because___.
A. the back door was open B. there were dark shapes
C. something clattered on the floor D. Simba switched on his small torch
32. The words ‘flashed by’ as used in the passage mean _____.
A. shone brightly. B. walked slowly past.
C. was seen clearly. D. moved quickly past.
Choose the best word or words to complete the following sentences.
33. Zoom, the cat, was _______ brave to be scared of anything.
A. very B. too C. much D. most
34. _______ they have helped the police to solve crimes, they have refused to be rewarded for their
work.
A. Unless B. Although C. While D. But
35. It was ________ five o’clock when the alarm switched on.
A. nearly B. mostly C. almost to D. about to
36. The cat’s fur was as white as ________.
A. ice B. mist C. foam D. snow
37. There were a _____ people still standing outside the building when the police broke into the shop.
A. few B. many C. little D. couple
38. The manager of the shop had to put ______ his trip to Harare after the incident.
A. up B. off C. out D. about
39. When the police arrived, Jay and Simba were _____ the crowd.
A. between B. above C. among D. besides
40. Jay whispered, “There is someone in the shop, Simba.” Change Jay’s statement into reported
speech.
A. “Someone was in the shop,” said Jay.
B. Jay whispered to Simba that there was someone in the shop.
C. Jay whispered that he heard someone in the shop.
D. Simba was told that there could be someone in the shop.

ENGLISH PAPER 2
SECTION A: COMPOSITION (20 MARKS)
You are advised to spend 1 hour on this section.

193
1. Answer either 1 (a) or 1 (b) Either (a)
Write a story about the day you felt ashamed of yourself. Your story should be between 80 and 120
words in length. Use the following points and any other you may think of to write your story:
• when it happened
• where you were
• what happened
• how you felt
• what you learnt from the experience
Or (b)
Someone in your area needs help. Write a letter to your Councillor on behalf of that person asking
for help. The body of your letter should be between 80 and 120 words in length. Use the following
points and any other you may think of writing your letter:
• name of the person
• where the person lives
• the kind of help needed
• why the person needs help
• what the local people have done to help

SECTION B: COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY (15 MARKS)

You are advised to spend 30 minutes on this section.
2. Read the following passage very carefully before you attempt any questions.
Answer all questions in full sentences. You are advised to write your sentences in good grammar
and punctuate them correctly.

Hopes of harvest lost

At first, it was the fear that crops would be water-logged by the continuous fall or rains. However, in
most parts of the country, the situation has changed. The fear now is that many areas will not be able
to harvest enough as crops have started wilting due to the mid-season drought.
Farmers’ hopes were raised at the start of the season when rains started falling at a good rate. As the
season progressed, many farmers started raising alarm that the continued fall of rains was damaging
the crops. The rains then vanished in February, much to the relief of the farmers.
However, that long break in rainfall later caused worry to farmers in many areas. It became clear that
crops would be badly affected by the prolonged dry spell. The dry spell destroyed the farmers’ hopes.
One such area where hope has suddenly turned to despair is Zaka District, where crops are already
considered a write-off. Even drought-resistant crops such as sorghum and millet are slowly giving in to
the mid-season drought which has persisted for many weeks.
Adapted from: The Sunday Mail, 13 - 19 March 2011.
Questions

194
 Unit

(a) What fear did farmers have at the start of the season? [1]
(b) Why were many areas going to fail to make a good harvest? [1]
(c) What had made the farmers hopeful at the beginning of the season? [1]
(d) When did the rains stop? [1]
(e) How did farmers at first feel when the rains stopped? [1]
(f) Which area was badly affected by the prolonged dry spell? [1]
(g) According to the passage, what type of crop is sorghum? [1]
(h) Which word in the last paragraph shows that the farmers had lost hope? [1]
(i) What does the word ‘progressed’ mean as used in the second paragraph? [1]
(j) What is the source of the passage? [1]
(k) I n one paragraph, write a summary of the fears of the farmers and their hopes about the
pending farming season. Your summary should not be more than 80 words, including the
given ten opening words.
Begin your summary as follows:
The continuous fall of rains countrywide brought fear that crops…… [5]

GRADE SEVEN EXAMINATION SPECIMEN

ENGLISH PAPER 1
READ THE PASSAGE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
Agriculture is changing people’s lives
Many people in Africa depend on farming. In Zimbabwe, small scale farming is very common. Crop
production is a technical pursuit involving government, the private sector, nongovernmental
organisations and farmers. All stakeholders involved contribute significantly to food security in the
country. The drought situation in the country has been a major challenge derailing the agricultural
industry. Government has deplored a variety of farming methods to improve the industry.
One of the methods is the use of organic material in agriculture. Organic material consists of plant and
animal material that is in the process of decomposing. When fully decomposed it is called humus.
The application of organic material in agriculture has contributed immensely to converting the poor
fragile land of the world into stable productive zones. Many parts of Zimbabwe are arid and semi-arid.

195
These arid and semi-arid lands experience recurrent droughts and crop failures. Most farmers in the
third world countries including Zimbabwe pursue farming strategies that require intensive use of
expensive and sometimes unavailable inputs like inorganic fertilisers and herbicides. Use of chemicals
cause soil and water pollution. There is need for the country to shift its thrust towards adopting and
improving the use of organic agriculture because it is safe, affordable and renewable.
Many people in the eastern side of the country grow bananas on commercial scale. Banana trees are
easy to manage. They require a humid tropical climate, good drainage and fertile soil. The Honde Valley
in the eastern Zimbabwe has such type of conditions, hence it produces lots of bananas sold on many
markets.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. _____________is very common in Zimbabwe.
A. Extensive farming B. Small scale farming C. Agriculture D. Hunting
2. What does crop production involve?
A. Crop production involves selling land.
B. Crop production involves growing food.
C. Crop production involves the participation of all stakeholders.
D. Crop production involves farming bananas.
3. There is an ___________ of all stakeholders in food security of the country.
A. involvement B. improvement C. attainment D. payment
4. How is humus created?
A. When organic material decomposes B. When rain falls
C. When there is pollution D. When waste material is too much
5. Why should Zimbabwe adopt the use of organic agriculture?
A. Due to low rainfall B. There are high temperatures C. It is safe and
affordable D. It has got drought conditions
6. What is the disadvantage of using fertilisers and herbicides? A. Fertilisers and herbicides are good.
B. Fertilisers and herbicides are wasteful.
C. Fertilisers and herbicides are weak.
D. Fertilisers and herbicides are very expensive and cause pollution.
7. Which crops are usually grown in the eastern parts of Zimbabwe?
A. Sorghum B. Sunflowers C. Bananas D. Vegetables
LANGUAGE QUESTIONS
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES.
8. _________ women have been empowered through farming.
A. Little B. No C. Most D. None
9. Banana farming _______ helped many people to eradicate poverty.
A. have B. has C. having D. will
10. Arid and semi-arid regions ________ experience droughts.
A. regularly B. frequently C. quickly D. suddenly
11. _____ is need for Zimbabwe to adopt organic agriculture.

196
 A. Their B. They C. There D. They’re
12. In the eastern parts of Zimbabwe, bananas _________ grown on commercial scale.
A. was B. are C. is D. will
13. Bananas _____ a humid tropical climate and good drainage in order to grow well.
A. inquire B. acquire C. request D. require
READ THE PASSAGE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
The benefits of bravery
Ncobo was a San also known as a Bushman who lived near the Limpopo River. He was a hunter. Ncobo
and many boys in his community spent most of their time herding cattle and other domestic animals.
Many wild animals live along the Limpopo too. It was very dangerous to walk alone in the forest.
One day Ncobo went out to hunt alone. He carried a spear and a small axe. While he was walking through
the thick forests of the Limpopo, he heard a weird sound. He felt a wave of fear running down his body
and some goose-bumps suddenly appeared on his arms. His hair felt as if it was growing long and from
deep down his scalp. He was afraid. He kept moving along the banks of the river.
When he looked to a distance, he saw a woman struggling to get out of the river. He swiftly ran there
and discovered that a crocodile was pulling her into the river. Her left hand was in already in the jaws of
the crocodile. Despite efforts to rescue herself, the crocodile kept dragging her forcefully into the water.
She cried loudly and helplessly.
Ncobo vigilantly threw his spear to stab the crocodile on the head. He used his axe to hit the creature
again. The alligator let the woman go and she fell into the water. The brave Ncobo dived into the river
and rescued her.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
14. Where did Ncobo reside?
A. In the Limpopo River B. Near the Limpopo River
C. In a village D. In the thick forests
15. Ncobo was a ________.
A. bushman B. white farmer C. headman D. herdsman
16. Ncobo and young men in his village spent of their time _______.
A. fighting B. herding cattle C. farming D. fishing
17. How best to describe the forests of the Limpopo?
A. There were hunters
B. There were many dangerous wild animals in the forests
C. Young boys
D. There was a river
18. Ncobo carried ________ when he was going for hunting.
A. powerful weapons B. a few weapons
C. a spear and an axe D. a knobkerrie
19. What shows that Ncobo feared the weird sound he heard?
A. He cried loudly
B. He ran away
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 C. He felt a wave of fear running down his body
D. He dropped down his weapons
20. What was the first tool used by Ncobo to attack the crocodile?
A. Axe and the spear B. Axe C. Spear D. Arrows
21. Which word is in the passage means the same as crocodile?
A. vigilantly B. jaws C. crocodile D. alligator
LANGUAGE QUESTIONS
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES.
22. The crocodile swept the woman into the water __________.
A. forcefully B. quickly C. nicely D. gratefully
23. The crocodile released woman _________ Ncobo hit it on the head.
A. before B. after C. while D. if
24. Wild animals live along the Limpopo forests _____.
A. either B. too C. to D. two
25. Ncobo threw his spear ________ the head of the crocodile.
A. in B. at C. on D. of
26. _______ the pain she felt from the crocodile bite, the rescued woman thanked Ncobo very much.
A. Despite B. Although C. Even though D. Because
27. The headman _________ about the news of the rescue.
A. had B. herd C. head D. heard
28. Choose one word which is the opposite of brave.
A. cowardly B. courageous C. timid D. fearful
29. Ncobo was _____ through the forests of Limpopo.
A. walk B. walked C. walking D. wake
READ THE PASSAGE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
Why leaves change colour
The leaves on the trees change colour from green to red, orange and yellow. The trees become
explosions of vibrant colour. Eventually, the leaves turn brown and fall off the trees. Leaves change
colour before the winter. Trees need to eat and drink, just like us. But they do not eat food like we do.
Instead, the leaves on trees use sunlight to produce food. This process is called photosynthesis.
Basically, the tree breathes in carbon dioxide, which is in the air around us. The tree takes in carbon
dioxide from pores on its leaves. The tree also absorbs water by its roots. Every time it rains, the tree is
happy. The leaves are made up of very small cells and inside those cells are tiny formations called
chloroplasts. Each chloroplast has a green chemical that gives it its colour. That green chemical is called
chlorophyll.
The chlorophyll is very important because it allows the photosynthesis to take place. When the light
from the sun enters the leaf, the chlorophyll absorbs the light energy. Then, oxygen is released from the
leaves. That oxygen goes into the air and helps us breathe. Also, the light energy is turned into sugar
that the trees use for food. That sugar is called glucose.

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During the spring and summer, there is a lot of sunlight. But once autumn and winter roll around, it does
not stay light outside as long. So, the leaves do not get as much sunlight as they used to. The chlorophyll
in the leaves starts to decrease. If there is less chlorophyll, the leaves lose their green colour.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
30. Leaves change colour from _______.
A. green to blue B. green to red C. red to green D. brown to green
31. At what point do leaves fall off the tree?
A. When they have less chlorophyll B. When they have photosynthesis
C. When they turn brown D. Before the rains fall
32. Usually leaves change colour before which season?
A. Autumn B. Summer C. Winter D. Spring
33. How do trees take in carbon dioxide?
A. Using pores on its leaves B. Using its deep roots C. Using tree branches
D. Using the chloroplasts
34. Why chlorophyll is important in trees?
A. It allows the sun to enter the leaves B. It allows photosynthesis to take place
C. It absorbs water into the tree D. It protects trees from diseases
LANGUAGE QUESTIONS
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES.
35. Trees ________ explosions of vibrant colour.
A. became B. become C. becoming D. came
36. The tree also absorbs water by ______ roots.
A. its B. it C. it’s D. their
37. The leaves ______ trees use sunlight to produce food.
A. in B. by C. on D. at
38. ________ are people who do not know that oxygen comes from trees.
A. They B. There C. Their D. Them
39. The _____ are made up of very small cells.
A. leave B. leaf C. leaves D. live
40. “Trees are important because they give us oxygen,” said the teacher. When this sentence is changed
to reported speech, it reads:
A. The teacher said, “Trees are important because they give us oxygen.”
B. The teacher said trees are important because they give us shade.
C. The teacher said trees are less important because they give us oxygen.
D. The teacher said trees are important because they give us oxygen.
ENGLISH PAPER 2
SECTION A: COMPOSITION (20 MARKS)

You are advised to spend 1 hour on this section.

1. Answer either 1 (a) or 1 (b)

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 Either (a)
Write a composition describing a project your school has started on. Your composition should be
between 80 and 120 words in length. Use the following points and any other you may think of to
write your composition:
• What the project is
• When and how it was started
• How the project is going on
• Children’s involvement in the project
• How the project will benefit the school
Or (b)
You have a cousin who lives far away. The cousin has written a letter to tell you that he or she has
run away from home because his or her relative is treating him or her badly. Write a letter telling
him or her that running away from home was the best thing to do. The body of your letter should
be between 80 and 120 words in length. Use the following points and any other you may think of
to write your letter:
• dangers of being homeless
• why he or she should continue with school
• what he or she should do
• people or organisations that can help him or her

SECTION B: COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY (15 MARKS)

You are advised to spend 30 minutes on this section.
2. Read the following passage very carefully before you attempt any questions.
Answer all the questions in full sentences. You are advised to write your sentences in good grammar
and punctuate them correctly.
The storm
As James huddled under the overhanging rock, his mind could not help wandering back to the early
hours of the day. They had woken up to a bright and sunny day. The atmosphere had been so calm
that no one had predicted that by the end of the day, disaster would strike.
When rain had started falling at noon, no one had given it much thought. Most people in the village
had gone about their normal business as usual. The downpour had soon become a storm that
pounded on the village, non-stop and for hours, until Ngozi River broke its banks. Soon, the village
was under a roaring brown flood.
Homes were destroyed and the villagers’ belongings were washed away, including their livestock.
The whole village was stranded. Many were left with barely nothing. Such a disaster had last struck
the village two decades before and everyone had been caught unaware. Luckily, no fatalities were
recorded, but the villagers needed immediate help. Questions

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 (a) Where was James during the storm?
[1] (b) What was the weather like before it rained?
[1] (c) What were the villagers doing when it started raining?
[1]
(d) What caused Ngozi River to break its banks?
[1]
(e) According to the passage, how do we know that it rained for a long time? [1]
(f) Give any two damages that were caused by the floods.
[2]
(g) When had the villagers last experienced a similar disaster? [1]
(h) W hich phrase from paragraph 3 shows that the villagers were not prepared for the storm?
[1]
(i) Which word in the last paragraph means ‘deaths’?
[1]
(j) W rite a summary in one paragraph, on how the day begun and how the storm destroyed the
village. Your summary should not be more than 80 words, including the ten opening words
below.
Begin your summary as follows:
James sheltered under the overhanging rock wandering how the ……… [5]

GRADE SEVEN EXAMINATION SPECIMEN

ENGLISH PAPER 1
Read the letter below and answer the questions that follow.
Shabani Primary School
P. O. Box 16 Zvishavane
20 September 2020
Dear brother Takudzwa
I write this letter asking for forgiveness for what I did the day you left home for school.

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I have always wished to get a cell phone for myself. I thought my chance had come when I took your

Unit

cell phone from your jacket just before you boarded the bus. I switched it off for an obvious reason. I
took the cell phone to school the following Monday. While my friend and I were playing games on
the cell phone, it just switched off. Whenever I try to switch it on, it does not light at all. You may
have to take it to repair company when you come. I am now regretting why I stole the cell phone
from you.
I am very sorry. Please do not hit me when you come back for the holidays. I will never make the same
mistake again. I am afraid to tell our parents, so I keep the cell phone hidden from them.
I hope you will accept my apology. I am looking forward to spending the holidays with you. Pass my
greetings to your friends.
Your loving brother.
Tendai
Comprehension questions
1. The letter was written to a ________.
A. parent B. friend C. relative D.
company
2. What was Tendai’s main reason for writing this letter?
A. to greet Takudzwa’s friends
B. asking for permission to use the cell phone
C. to tell Takudzwa that his cell phone was no longer working
D. asking for forgiveness
3. The obvious reason for switching off the cell phone after stealing it was ________.
A. that it would not receive calls B. to preserve the battery
C. that the cell phone would be safe D. for the brother not to be jealous
4. Tendai is regretting because _______. A. his brother will hit him during the holidays B. he can no
longer play games on the cell phone
C. he stole his brother’s cell phone.
D. his father and mother have not seen the cell phone
5. Tendai stole the cell phone because he wanted to ________.
A. play games B. own cell phone C. take it to school D. hide it from his parents

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6. Tendai took the cell phone when Takudzwa was ________. A. switching the cell phone on
B. about to get on the bus C. taking off his jacket D. looking
forward to coming home
7. A word in the letter which means the same as opportunity is __________.
A. ‘accept’ B. ‘obvious’ C. ‘chance’ D. ‘always’
Choose the correct word to complete the following sentences.
8. If Tendai took his brother’s cell phone without permission, then he _________ it.
A. snatched B. lent C. borrowed D. stole
9. The cell phone was not in Takudzwa’s trunk, ____________ was it in the satchel.
A. either B. although C. neither D. and
10. Someone who takes other people’s property without permission is a _________.
A. bully B. thief C. traitor D. donor
11. If I were Takudzwa, I would ______________ the boy.
A. forgive B. forgave C. forgiving D. forgiven
12. The cell phone belonged to him. It was ________.
A. himself B. herself C. hers D. his
13. Congratulations ____________ finding the boy who stole your cell phone.
A. on B. at C. with D. by
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Thiga’s success
Thiga could not believe his eyes. The enormous stone gathered speed and rolled over towards the
bottom of the hill. His cries of joy rang through the air as he ran towards his mother. In his excitement,
he had forgotten to pick up the things beneath the rock. In fact, he had not even looked to see what
was there.
Half-way down the hill, Thiga remembered it and ran all the way back. He then looked into the hole that
the rock had left in the earth. There was a sword and a pair of sandals, nothing more. He picked them
up and ran back to his mother, shouting happily.
“I knew I could do it! I knew I could do it!” he shouted.
“I knew you could do it!” came his mother’s answering cry. They both could not believe he had pushed
the huge rock. Hand in hand, mother and son walked homeward.
Adapted from: The Adventures of Thiga by C.M Murethi (1971), East African Publishing House.

Comprehension questions
14. Thiga had pushed the rock to _______.
A. show his mother how powerful he was B. get it to his mother who wanted it
C. get what was underneath it D. show his excitement
15. According to the passage, what did Thiga find in the hole left by the rock?
A. A sword and nothing more B. Nothing more
C. A pair of sandals and nothing more D. A sword and a pair of sandals

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16. Which word in the passage means the same as ‘enormous’?
A. Beneath B. Huge C. Excitement D. Rock
17. The phrase, ‘could not believe his eyes,’ as used in the passage, means Thiga____.
A. was surprised B. had lost his eyesight
C. had sore eyes D. had poor eyesight
18. Thiga had forgotten to pick up the things beneath the rock because he ________.A. was afraid of
what he had seen B. wanted to stop the rock rolling down
C. had been called by his mother D. was too excited to check
19. A word opposite in meaning to ‘beneath’, as used in the passage, is __________.
A. below B. underneath C. above D. beside
Choose the correct word to complete the following sentences.
20. __________ Thiga, the strongest man in the village, could not push the loaded truck.
A. Although B. Even C. Unless D. Because
21. Thiga’s mother was not sure ___________ her son could push the rock.
A. whether B. weather C. wether D. wither
22. Thiga did not know _______ to speak to after pushing the rock because of excitement.
A. which B. when C. whose D. whom
23. A sword can be used __________ kill animals.
A. to B. at C. for D. by
24. Thiga’s community has to work hard if it is to improve ______.
A. ourselves B. themselves C. himself D. itself
25. It is the duty of every young man to look after his parents just as Thiga ____.
A. do B. does C. doing D. done
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Joe the street child
Nobody, not even any of the street children in town, knew where Joe had come from. Even Joe himself
was not certain whether he had been born in Mount Darwin or Mount Selinda. To him, the two names
were similar. His name was Joshua but the other street children called him Joe.
Joe had no known parents. He had lived most of his life with Uncle Themba. One day, his uncle lost his
job and soon there was no food in the house. Uncle Themba then told Joe that he was going away to
another country and when he was settled, he would come back for him.
“I won’t be long,” Uncle Themba had said, smiling. Joe was then left under the care of Uncle Themba’s
friend.
One day, Uncle Themba’s friend was arrested for buying and selling a stolen car. Joe was left alone in
the two rooms that they rented. The landlord was not happy about it. He asked Joe to go away and
never return to the house. This explains why Joe had ended up staying in the open or under the bridge
when the river was not flowing.
Comprehension questions
26. Who gave Joshua the name ‘Joe’?

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 A. Uncle Themba B. Street children C. The landlord D. His parents
27. The words ‘I won’t be long,’ as used in the passage mean that Uncle Themba would ___.
A. come back soon B. not come back C. take Joe away D. go away
28. According to the passage, Joe’s parents were _________.
A. in Mount Selinda B. in Mount Darwin C. in town D. not known
29. The word ‘certain’ as used in the passage means _______.
A. sure B. keen C. alright D. true
30. The landlord was not pleased by _______.
A. Uncle Themba’s going away B. Uncle Themba’s loss of his job
C. having Joe being left alone D. Joe’s staying in the open
31. Uncle Themba’s friend looked after Joe. This shows that he was _______.
A. cruel B. grateful C. helpful D. powerful
Choose the correct word to complete the following sentences.
32. Uncle Themba is either coming tomorrow ________ the day after.
A. nor B. or C. and D.
on
33. Joe had __________ money left after paying rent for his two rooms.
A. most B. many C. little D. few
34. People should be arrested ______________ they buy stolen property.
A. whenever B. although C. whatever D. until
35. Joe kept the secret ________________ his background.
A. for B. in C. on D.
about
36. I praised the landlord for his _______ when he asked the troublesome lodger to leave.
A. just B. justifiable C. justice D. justify
37. Joe was _______________ poor that he had to live under the bridge.
A. so B. very C. too D.
then
38. The children could___________ hear their teacher due to the noise from the bulldozers and front–
end loaders.
A. hardly B. definitely C. surely D. certainly
39. If Joe had been seen talking to the contractor, he ________ have been in trouble.
A. can B. would C. shall D. will
40. Bulldozers and front –end loaders ___ to be imported but now they are made locally.
A. using B. uses C. use D. used ENGLISH PAPER 2

SECTION A: COMPOSITION (20 MARKS)

You are advised to spend 1 hour on this section.
1. Answer either (a) or (b)
(a) You have won a holiday ticket for two people with a travel and tourism company called WIN.
Write a letter to your cousin inviting him/her to come with you next holiday and giving him/her
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 the following details of the three days. Your letter should be between 80 and 120 words. Use
the following notes and any other you may think of to write your letter:
• two nights and three days at the Great Zimbabwe Hotel
• visit to the lake
• game drives
• meals and drinks covered
Or (b)
Imagine you were present when a very unusual road accident/incident happened. You saw it all
alone and have to make other people believe it happened that way. Your report should be between
80 and 120 words length. Use the following notes and any other you may think of to write your
report:
• when it happened
• where it happened
• describe how it happened
• what was the cause
• help given
• how did it all end

SECTION B: COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY (15 MARKS)

You are advised to spend 30 minutes on this section.
2. Read the following passage very carefully before you attempt any questions.
Answer all questions in full sentences. You are advised to write your sentences in good grammar
and punctuate them correctly.
Thomas and Farai reached the old building which was at Chikuru Farm. From how it looked, they
knew it was once a house. What was left of it was the wall structure. It no longer had a roof, doors
and windows.
Curiosity drew the two boys in. They went from room to room, all of which were empty, except for
dust and rubble. As they were about to walk out, Farai noticed a big rusty drum. Peeping inside it,
the boys saw a bag. Thomas reached for it. He placed it on the floor and opened it. They were
amazed to find money, a great deal of it.
The two boys quickly ran back home with the bag. Uncle Ruzivo telephoned the police. Four police
officers came. They identified the money as that which had been robbed from a Chivhu bank. Two
police officers were left on the farm to lay a trap for whoever had hidden the bag.
At dusk, three men approached the old house. Just as they were going in, the police came out of
hiding and arrested them.
Questions
(a) Where was the old building?
[1] (b) What was missing from the building?

206
 [1] (c) What did the boys find in the big rusty drum?

Unit

[1] (d) Who identified where the money had come from?
[1] (e) What crime had the three men committed?
[1] (f) What did the police do to catch
the robbers? [1]
(g) Which word in the passage means ‘looking at something quickly and secretly’? [1]
(h) G ive a word or phrase which means the opposite of the word dusk as used in the
passage. [1]
(i) Why did Mr Ruzivo call the police?
[2]
(j) W rite a summary in one paragraph on what Thomas and Farai did and how that led to the
recovery of the robbed money in not more than 80 words, including the opening words given.

Begin your summary as follows:

Thomas and Farai went to the old building at Chikuru Farm.…… [5]

GRADE SEVEN EXAMINATION SPECIMEN PAPER

ENGLISH PAPER 1
READ THE PASSAGE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
Innocent was a brilliant boy. Honestly speaking, he could leave everyone in stitches, every time people
gathered. On social functions, all the guests would pause for a photograph with him. He would simply
end up a legend of the occasion. His elder sister Nokutenda would be jealous at times. However, she
ended up accepting reality as it is. She would benefit in one way or another from Innocent’s traits.
One day on his birthday party, he left all guests in tears of joy. He wanted to share his cake to all the
guests based to their importance to him at that age. He was just 4 years old. His mother tried hard to
control him but all the guests stopped her. Everyone was eager to see what he would do. Innocent cut
the cake into two halves. He took the first half and gave to his mother whom he commanded to share
with his father. He then said, I am tired, the rest share the remainder.
Everyone present was astonished. No one could stand up to share the remainder including his mother
and Nokutenda. People didn’t want to embarrass him. It was only his father who came to rescue by

207
convincing him to proceed sharing. He cut a big slice and handed it to Nokutenda, then cut other smaller
pieces for everyone. The other half was finished.
His mother then asked him, where is your piece? Innocent was speechless. He could only look at his
mother with eyes full of tears. Everyone laughed and started singing, happy birthday to you! His mother
then cut a slice from the first half and gave him. All the guests were very happy.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Who was brilliant?
A. Father B. Mother C. Innocent D. Nokutenda
2. Mother was given _________ by Innocent.
A. the whole cake B. half the cake C. nothing D. a slice
3. On what occasion did this happen?
A. Birthday party B. Wedding C. Funeral D. Gathering
4. What did Innocent remain with after sharing the cake?
A. Half a cake B. A slice C. The whole cake D. Nothing
5. A word in the passage which means the same as surprised is _________.
A. gathered B. commanded C. astonished D. laughed
6. Father came to rescue by ____________ Innocent.
A. convincing B. sharing C. singing D. speaking
7. What could be the title of the passage?
A. My birthday B. A gathering
C. Guests D. The legend of the occasion
LANGUAGE QUESTIONS
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES.
8. The boy would __________ the cake amongst all the guest.
A. give B. share C. cut D. eat
9. Nokutenda ______________ shared the food at the party, that no more was left.
A. generously B. officially C. pitfully D. tightly
10. Father not only encouraged Innocent to share the remainder ____ also convinced him.
A. and B. but C. or D. although
11. _______ of the cake was shared amongst the guests.
A. All B. Other C. Many D. Half
12. The boy _________ cry because he had been left without cake.
A. can B. could C. cannot D. could not
13. All the guests were ____ astonished when Innocent refused to share the remaining cake.
A. really B. eagerly C. badly D. nicely
14. There wasn’t ________ cake after party.
A. no B. the other C. no other D. any
READ THE PASSAGE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
Indigenous society

208
Traditionally, people lived together more than what is happening now. Modern society entails that
everyone has to fend for oneself. Unlike the current situation, long ago families lived as a community.
They would share grief and happiness. Anything that befell a member of the society was met head on
by the whole society.
People were concerned by their neighbour’s welfare. One family would not feast while the next is
starving. Instead they would share the available resources. In times of funeral, everyone would be
banned from partaking in daily chores, serve for those that cannot be forgone. Everyone was supposed
to attend the funeral. They were also supposed to provide any help necessary, inclusive of food and
fuel. Neighbours would console the bereaved. In times of happiness, members of society would share
the jubilation and exchange gifts and presents.
People would work together in the fields, go hunting together and women would even go together
gathering fruits and mushroom. The hunters and gatherers would stand for others in times of need. At
the end of their expedition, members would equally share their yields from one field at a time, until
they go round the whole community. They would share tools, possessions and even livestock.
Traditionally, people lived together in harmony.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
15. Which society entails that everyone has to fend for oneself?
A. Indigenous B. Traditional C. Modern D. Long ago
16. What two main things did the long ago people share?
A. Life and money B. Bows and arrows
C. Fruits and mushrooms D. Grief and happiness
17. One thing that would be met head on in traditional society was __________.
A. starvation B. livestock C. possessions D. neighbours
18. During times of happiness, people would exchange ____________.
A. tools B. gifts and presents C. jubilation D. hunger
19. What would hunters and gatherers do for one another in times of need?
A. Laugh B. Run away C. Ignore D. Stand for the
other
20. Which word in the passage means to participate?
A. Console B. Partaking C. Befell D. Harmony
21. From the passage, traditional societies __________.
A. fend for oneself B. were selfish C. were greedy D. worked together
LANGUAGE QUESTONS
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES.
22. At funerals, people console the ___________.
A. bereave B. bereaving C. bereaved D. bereavement
23. Our community is _________ of drilling a borehole.
A. think B. thinking C. thought D. thoughting
24. In traditional societies, people ________ shared their yields.
A. equally B. greedily C. hungrily D. timidly

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25. ___________ hunters hunted together, they also protected each other.
A. So B. Either C. Since D. But
26. _________ people of long ago lived well.
A. Ssh! B. Wow! C. Ouch! D. Gosh!
27. __________ the bereaved and mourners slept at the funeral.
A. Much B. Many C. Either D. Both
28. Long ago people would do __________ work together.
A. few B. many C. a few D. some
READ THE PASSAGE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
The horse
Most people enjoy riding horses. However, some fear them a lot. A horse is an interesting animal. There
are many interesting things a horse does. Some of the things are so strange and seem unbelievable.
It has eyes which see in opposite directions. When the right eye is focusing ahead, the left is focusing
backwards. It can see forward and backward simultaneously. That is why horses in a race are blinkered.
It is done so that they concentrate in one direction. Again, a horse open its eyes on birth and closes
them on death. Therefore, a horse never close its eyes. It only close them when dead. It sleeps with eyes
open.
A horse rest it’s legs individually. It raise one leg at a time while standing on three. It rotate all the legs.
It is actually a distinct four-legged animal. A horse can rest with a belly when sick or rolling. The latter is
a way of relaxing and stretching muscles.
Despite strange characters, a horse is a friendly animal. It is very loyal and obedient. However, that is
only when everything is okay. If things go wrong it becomes the opposite. It can be very rude and harsh.
It becomes very dangerous. It is really a unique animal.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
29. What do horses do?
A. Strange things B. Normal C. Nothing D. Bad
30. What do the eyes of the horse do?
A. Always look backwards B. Always look forward
C. Look in opposite directions D. Always look upwards
31. Which word in the passage means the same as, at the same time?
A. Blinkered B. Unbelievable C. Obedient D. Simultaneously
32. When will a horse close its eyes?
A. At birth B. On death C. Always D. Before death
33. When resting, the horse will be standing on __________ legs.
A. one B. two C. three D. four
34. A unique animal is _______.
A. on its own B. common C. dangerous D. friendly
LANGUAGE QUESTIONS
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES.

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35. The horse _________ past the market.
A. crawled B. ran C. galloped D. slithered
36. Tsepo took _________ juice to school for break.
A. a little B. a few C. one D. many
37. The horse jumped ________ the gate.
A. on B. in C. under D. over
38. Which sentence is correctly written?
A. A animal is a four-legged horse B. A horse is a four-legged animal
C. A horse is a legged four animal D. A legged horse is a four animal
39. Which one is correct?
That horse is old___________?
A. is it B. it is C. isn’t it D. it isn’t
40. Which word is correctly spelt?
A. teblas B. tlabes C. batles D. stable
ENGLISH PAPER 2
SECTION A: COMPOSITION (20 MARKS)
You are advised to spend 1 hour on this section.
1. Answer either (a) or (b)
Either (a)
A flood happened in your area. A lot of destruction was experienced. Many things were destroyed.
Write a letter to any voluntary organisation asking for help. Use the following points and any other
you may think of to write your letter:
• When the floods happened.
• Things that were destroyed.
• How helpful are the destroyed things.
• Effects of the destruction.
• Things that you would do with the assistance given.
Or (b)
You are a captain of the school swimming team. One day you go for practice in the absence of your
coach. While at the swimming pool, one swimmer drones. He or she is rescued by other swimmers
but he or she was choked seriously. He or she was rescued by members of the first aid club. Write
a report to the school head on the incident. Use the following points and any other you may think
of to write your report:
• When did that happen?
• Where was the coach?
• What caused the swimmer to drown?
• How was he or she rescued?
• What advice and suggestions would you give to avoid such occurrence in future?

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 SECTON B: COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY (15 MARKS)
You are advised to spend 30 minutes on this section.
2. Read the following passage very carefully before you attempt any questions.
Answer all questions in full sentences. You are advised to write your sentences in good grammar
and punctuate them correctly.
Thabani the leader
Mr Dliwayo was blind. He would always be accompanied by his grandson where ever he wanted to
go. It is unfortunate that he became blind when he was old. Therefore, he was not familiar with
blindness. He could not stay put the whole day. He would want to move around from the fowl run
to the kennel and even to the kraal. He was eager to see his chickens, dog and cattle respectively.
Unfortunately he did not see them. He would ask his grandson Thabani to tell him what the
situation will be like. The small boy was clever. He could explain things clearly and tell the situation
at every point. One day he told his grandfather that the chickens had run out of water. On the other
day, the grandfather was told that his dog, Bruno had a wound on the right thigh.
On Bruno’s wound, Mr Dliwayo was very upset. He was not pleased with the news. He wanted to
know the cause. He asked Thabani to lead him around the compound in search of the culprit. As
they moved on, it was discovered that one, Samson had beaten the dog with a metal rod. Eye
witnesses confessed Samson was the culprit. That did not go down well with Mr Dliwayo.
Instantly, he ordered Thabani to lead him to the police where he made a report. Later that day,
Samson was summoned to the police base. He was interrogated and pleaded guilty. Instead of him
being arrested, Mr Dliwayo told the police not to arrest him, but to educate him on sociability. He
was, however, asked to buy the dog some medicine. Questions
(a) What does the word ‘blind’ mean? [1]
(b) Who accompanied Mr Dliwayo where ever he wanted to go? [1]
(c) How many things would he regularly do? [1]
(d) Which word in the passage refers to the shelter of a dog? [1]
(e) What had happened to Bruno? [1] (f) What was
used to beat Bruno? [1]
(g) Who confessed that Bruno had been beaten by Samson? [1]
(h) What was Samson asked to do? [1]
(i) Which word in the passage means the same with angry? [1]
(j) Mr Dliwayo showed _____ to Samson. [1]
(k) In a paragraph, write a summary of how Mr Dliwayo moved on the day of Bruno’s
wound. Your summary should not be more than 80 words. [5]
Begin your summary as follows:
After realising that Bruno was injured, Mr Dliwayo .............

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 Unit

GRADE SEVEN EXAMINATION SPECIMEN PAPER

ENGLISH PAPER 1
READ THE PASSAGE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
Chikwende excited
Perfect Chikwende is happy after netting his second goal in the confederation of African Football League.
The F.C. Platinum striker scored the only goal in their one- nil first leg win over Tanzanian giants Simba
S.C. at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
“I felt so happy for scoring and excited for the team because we really needed to do well at home. I
think every time you score a goal like that, it’s about the team, the group. Goals become meaningful
when they help win games and the biggest focus then was how we performed in that game overall. I
was happy,” he said.
Platinum will begin camp today ahead of the second leg which is slated for between the 5 th and 6th of
January. They are set to leave on the 1st of January and Chikwende says they should remain focused
when they play away.
“I think we just need to stay focused and know what we want. We need to work as a team because we
want to win. Even Simba wants to win, but at the end of the day, we pray for God’s grace when we play
them. The target is to make sure we qualify to go to the group stages,” he said.
Adapted from: H-Metro Sport by Blessing Malinganiza.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Who scored the goal?
A. Simba S.C. B. Perfect Chikwende
C. Blessing Malinganiza D. F.C. Platinum
2. What was the score line of the match?
A. Six - five B. Two - nil C. One - zero D. One - one
3. How did Perfect feel after scoring?
A. Happy and excited B. Bad
C. Pain D. Weak
4. When will F.C. Platinum begin camp?
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 A. 5 and 6 January B. Today C. 1 January D. 28 January
5. Perfect said they should ______ when they play away.
A. relax B. excited C. celebrate D. remain focused
6. What is the target for F.C. Platinum?
A. to lose the away game B. to draw the away game
C. to qualify to go to group stages D. to be happy and excited
LANGUAGE QUESTIONS
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES.
7. F.C. Platinum _______ the match at the National Sports Stadium.
A. won B. win C. winned D. wone
8. Perfect scored _________second goal in the CAF Champion league.
A. he B. him C. his D. her
9. The crowd celebrated Chikwende’s ___ goal.
A. ugly B. spectacular C. hungry D. tired
10. The only goal scored was _____for F.C. Platinum to win the match.
A. few B. a few C. about D. enough
11. Isn’t CAF Champions League at competitive tournament?
A. Is it? B. Is it no? C. Isn’t it? D. It is
12. F.C. Platinum have to go to Tanzania for the second league ______ they hosted the first league.
A. but B. and C. since D. or
13. “I scored a spectacular goal,” said Perfect. The sentence in indirect speech will read: A. l scored a
spectacular goal, said Perfect.
B. Perfect said l scored a spectacular goal.
C. Perfect said he scored a spectacular goal.
D. I Perfect, scored a spectacular goal.
READ THE PASSAGE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
Domestic violence
There is little happiness in most homes. Some spouses always quarrel before their children. The children
will not enjoy the situation regardless of them doing nothing. They would wish to see their parents
rolling together like doves, but alas! The opposite is true. Their parents always disagree, shout at each
other and even fight.
In Chikanga suburb there lived the Mudimo family. Mr Mudimo and his wife, Manjenjenje were always
quarreling about money. One day Manjenjenje locked her husband outside. Upon returning home, Mr
Mudimo could not access the house. He knocked three times but to no avail. After a while, he forced
into the house. He was bitter and angry. He slapped Manjenjenje on the cheek. Manjenjenje tried to
fight back but she was overpowered. The fight went on for a while. Their children heard of the noise
from another room. They came out to see.
The children helplessly stood there watching. They could not do anything. The father was beating the
mother badly. Manjenjenje bled profusely, but Mr Mudimo kept on pounding fists on her. Manjenjenje

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helplessly lay on the floor. The children started to cry, calling names of neighbours. Upon arrival, the
neighbours managed to pull Mr Mudimo off his wife. They stopped the fight.
When Manjenjenje gained consciousness, she stumbled to the storeroom, clutched a metal rod and
stumbled back to the bedroom. Since Mr Mudimo was drunk, he was already snoozing. Manjenjenje hit
her husband on the head. Mr Mudimo became unconscious. He was rushed to the clinic. Upon arrival,
he was further referred to the provincial hospital where he succumbed to injuries he sustained.
Currently Manjenjenje is serving a lengthy jail sentence.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
14. Why is there little happiness in most homes?
A. Children B. Fathers C. Mothers D. Domestic violence
15. What did Manjenjenje do to cause domestic violence?
A. Beat children B. She locked her husband outside C.
She killed her husband D. She pounded fists on her husband
16. How did Mr Mudimo get into the house?
A. Manjenjenje opened the door B. Children opened C. He opened the door with the
keys D. He forced himself in
17. Who rescued Manjenjenje?
A. Neighbours B. Children C. Father D. Police
18. Manjenjenje took the iron rod from the ________.
A. kitchen B. bedroom C. sheds D. storeroom
19. How did Manjenjenje walk to and from the storeroom?
A. She rolled B. She stumbled C. She crawled D. She slithered
20. Which word in the passage means the same as ‘died’?
A. Sustained B. Stumbled C. Slept D. Succumbed
LANGUAGE QUESTIONS
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES.
21. Domestic violence causes _______ happiness in homes.
A. much B. see you C. little D. many
22. Manjenjenje struck her husband on the head______ he had stopped beating her.
A. unless B. despite the fact that
C. in spite D. despite
23. Manjenjenje _______ sentenced because of domestic violence.
A. was B. is C. are D. would
24. The fighter was pounded hard _____the opponent’s forehead.
A. in B. through C. over D. on
25. Manjenjenje _______ attacked her husband with an iron rod.
A. beautifully B. respectfully C. carelessly D. safely
26. Manjenjenje was sent to jail _______ she had children to take care of.
A. although B. despite C. so D. because
27. Mr Mudimo was _____ struck on the head.

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 A. safley B. fatally C. peacefully D. nicely
READ THE PASSAGE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
Rutendo’s first time in the city
Rutendo could not believe herself when she received the news. Her mother had told her that aunt
Thelma had invited her for the school holiday in the city. She had never been away from rural areas. She
hardly left her rural home. The last time she left home is when she accompanied her sister Chido who
was eloping to her husband Tawanda. Since then, she never left home.
On the day of travel, mother woke Rutendo earlier than usual. Mother just called once, Rutendo was
already on the door. She had not slept the whole night in anticipation of the journey. To make matters
worse, it was a first time to board a bus, as well as getting in the city. She could not believe herself. She
took a bath, mother had already prepared breakfast and a lunch box with traditional rice and chicken.
She took a bag and led to the bus stop. Mother and her brother Kelly accompany her. She impatiently
waited for the bus until it came.
She boarded the bus and was told that aunt Thelma will be waiting for her at 10 am in the city. In the
bus, she pinched herself to make sure that it was really herself. All the way she was looking outside
through the window, watching trees and blend from swimming speeding backwards.
On the way, she was shy to eat her food even though she was hungry. Upon arrival in the city, aunt
Thelma was waiting for her. She could not identify her because she was as smart as an angel. She had
never seen her smartly dressed as was everyone around her. She was really perplexed by the
surroundings.
Aunt approached her, that is when she recognised her. The two went home but Rutendo was out of
place. Everything was different, food, clothes, environment and even chores. At first it was hard for
Rutendo to familiarise. Things normalised a few days before schools opened. She was worried to return
to the rural areas. Nothing else could be done, but it pained her. She went back home and everyone was
told of city life. Her friends envied her at school.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
28. ___________ never been to the city.
A. Mother B. Kelly C. Aunt Thelma D. Rutendo
29. When did Auntie Thelma call Rutendo to the city?
A. At Christmas B. During schools’ holiday
C. When schools opened D. New year holiday
30. When had Rutendo lastly left home?
A. When Chido eloped B. When she went to the city
C. When mother woke her up D. The previous holiday
31. Why did Rutendo pinch herself in the bus? A. In search of pain B. It was interesting
C. She wanted to see trees speeding backwards
D. To make sure that it was really herself
32. Rutendo could not eat her food in the bus because __________.
A. she was hungry B. she was shy C. she was not hungry
D. she was not shy

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33. Where was Auntie when the bus arrived in the city?
A. At home B. At the terminus C. In the rural area D. In the bus
34. Which word in the passage means the same with ‘getting used to’? A. Perplexed B.
Environment C. Familiarise D. Normalise
LANGUAGE QUESTIONS
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES.
35. Rutendo had _______ board a bus ________ got to the to the city.
A. neither .... or B. either .... nor C. neither and D. neither nor
36. Next school holidays, Rutendo ______ return to the city.
A. ought to B. is C. was D. isn’t
37. Rutendo saw trees seed backwards as fast as ________.
A. lightning B. a tortoise C. a chameleon D. a millipedes
38. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A. Come here Thelma said mother. B. “Come here Thelma said mother.” C. “Come here
Thelma,” said mother. D. Come here Thelma, “said mother.”
39. Auntie Thelma was _____ happy to see Rutendo at the terminus.
A. extremely B. nearly C. almost D. enough
40. Which is the odd one out?
A. Chicken B. Mango C. Pizza D. Burger
ENGLISH PAPER 2
SECTION A: COMPOSITION (20 MARKS)
You are advised to spend 1 hour on this section.
1. Answer either (a) or (b) Either (a)
As a school, you went on a trip to one of the popular tourist attractions in the country. You had an
interesting tour. Write a composition narrating how you went on a tour. Your composition should
be between 80 and 120 words. Use the following points and any other you may think of to write
your composition:
• The place you visited.
• When you visited the place.
• How many were you and what transport did you use?
• What you saw.
• Educational benefits you gained.
Or (b)
You have been invited to your best friend’s birthday party. You have been made the guest of
honour. At the party, you have been tasked to give a speech. Write the speech you would give. Your
speech should be between 80 and 120 words. Use the following points and any other you may think
of to write the speech:
• Introduction with personal information about your friend, name, age etc.

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 • How you become friends.
• Your friend’s character.
• Advice you would give him or her.
• The present you have brought.

SECTION B: COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY (15 MARKS)

You are advised to spend 30 minutes on this section.
2. Read the following passage very carefully before you attempt any questions.
Answer all questions in full sentences. You are advised to write your sentences in good grammar
and punctuate them correctly.
The cyclone
Every one in life needs some rains, for without rains, our lives will be in danger. It is from the rains
that we get food. Our livestock and even wild animals need water. The water is got from rains.
However, the rains should be normal or average. Too little rains are the same as too much. It
happened in the country some time ago. The rains fell beyond normal. In some places, rains could
go for a week, nonstop. At first, we were happy and enjoyed the rains.
As days passed by, everyone started to lose hope. Crops in fields and farms began to show signs of
losing life. The rains persisted still.
In the second week, the situation worsened. People had already lost hope with their crops. Focus
was now on livestock. Another blow, however befell them. Cattle, goats, sheep and even donkeys
could no longer withstand the rains. There were floods everywhere. Livestock drowned and some
were even washed away and disappeared. Still the rains did not stop.
People had been left without crops and livestock. A third blow came. Houses began to fall as a result
of saturation in the walls. Only strong and standard houses resisted the situation. People were left
homeless. The majority had lost crops, followed by livestock and now houses. Some people
thought, the world had come to an end. Disaster did not end there. Many people lost their lives
due to floods. Some were washed away by flooded rivers and some trapped in fallen houses. The
land was waterlogged that some mountains fell. This was a cyclone.
A cyclone is very dangerous. It brings heavy rainfall and heavy winds which can last for many days
leading to landslides, flooding, infrastructure destruction, injuries, loss of lives and livelihoods.
Questions
(a) What is needed by everyone in life? [1]
(b) Rains should be ______ for the good of the people. [1]
(c) In the second paragraph, for how long would rain fall non-stop? [1]
(d) What was affected first? [1]
(e) Other than crops, what other two things were affected by above normal rains? [2]
(f) What was destroyed as the third blow? [1]
(g) Too much rains and winds over a long period of time is called a ______. [1]
(h) What made some mountains fall? [2]
(i) In a paragraph, write a summary on the effects of a cyclone to humans. Your

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 summary should not be more than 80 words, including the words below. [5]
Begin your summary as follows:
A cyclone is dangerous……

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