The ManicaPost
Ref. Text: Murder In The Car: The Manica Post Business June 20-26, 2014
NB: Teachers, allocate marks as you see fit . . . perhaps as you want, according to your own ”plapping” standards.
While candidates at Grade 7 answer the same examination questions, for practice purposes, it is wise to assign questions according to a “PLAPPING” group a pupil belongs and allocate marks according to intention and purpose eg. considering the need to motivate class, group or individual.
Section A
1. Paragraph 1: Write down the words which show that the writer did not live in Mbare but had gone there and was only returning to Chitungwiza when the adventure took place. (not more than 7 words).
2. Paragraph 2: What words mean the same as the following?
(i) at sunset
(ii) there were hardly any vehicles on that part of the road.
(iii) little or no fog
3. Paragraph 3: Write down two things on the writer’s which did not happen as he had planned. (i) and (ii)
4. At first the writer thought he was mistaken about the sound of a screaming woman. What then made him sure he had heard right?
Section B
5. Use your own words to express similar meanings with the following:
(i) I put on speed (paragraph 6)
(ii) gradually began ( “ )
(iii) as I drew nearer (paragraph 7)
(iv) mad with rage (paragraph 13)
(v) evil-looking fellow
6. What does the writer mean in each case?
(i) my old bike did its best
(ii) I was quicker than he.
(iii) A blow that would have knocked out Mike Tyson
(iv) I felt my blood boil
(v) bring the murderer to justice
Section C
7. Why do you think the writer’s bike shook as if it would fall to pieces and made noise like 50 aero-planes and coughed along?
8. I looked at the “murderer”- he was sleeping peacefully in the ditch. Why is the word murderer in inverted commas?
9. “There was no girl there.”
(i) There was no girl where?
(ii) Where had she gone to? What had happened to her?
10. “You have been listening to a radio play: ‘Murderer In Chitungwiza’ with Morris Mtisi and The Manica Post. The news will follow immediately.”
In your own words, summarise what really happened in the story. (Not more than 100 words).
Please note well: These passages and questions simply provide practice exercises in reading with understanding. They are complementary exercises intended to break away from the monotony of class text books.
They are not caricatures or samples of examination papers. While they will certainly help your pupils, they are intended to teach comprehension skills beyond examinations.
