English First Language
Reading and Directed Writing
Cycle Test Grade 08
9 October
Time: 45 minutes
Total: 30
Examiner: Mrs R. Bührmann
Moderators: Ms C Schmidt and Ms B Jenkins, Ms S Naude
Instructions:
1. Read the following extracts and answer the questions.
2. Write neatly and clearly.
3. Draw a right-hand marking margin.
Read the extract and answer the questions.
Don’t worry, be happy!
We all want to live happy and fulfilling lives and we want the people we love to be happy too. So
happiness matters to all of us.
Happiness is about our lives as a whole: it includes the fluctuating feelings we experience everyday
but also our overall satisfaction with life. It is influenced by our genes, upbringing and our external
circumstances, such as our health, our work and our financial situation. But crucially it is also heavily
influenced by our choices; our inner attitudes, how we approach our relationships, our personal
values and our sense of purpose.
Happiness and fulfilment come less from material wealth and more from relationships; less from
focussing on ourselves and more from helping others; less from external factors outside our control
and more from the way in which we choose to react to what happens to us.
If we agree that for all human beings it is important that they experience happiness and escape
misery, then it follows that the best society is the one in which there is the least misery and the most
happiness. On this basis, everyone's happiness counts equally. This includes the happiness of
everybody now alive as well as that of future generations. It is important that we act in a way that
takes the happiness of all into consideration. If we can agree on this then we're one step closer to
achieving a happier society.
In recent years, much research has gone into how to measure happiness and identifying the factors
that affect it. The most basic way of measuring it involves asking individuals how they feel about
their lives. A typical question is, "Taking all things together, how happy are you?" - with possible
answers from 0 (extremely unhappy) to 10 (extremely happy).
Interesting fact about happiness.
1. People are not made happier because of massive economic growth.
2. Trust is a major determinant of happiness in a society. Levels of trust vary widely between
countries.
3. People's happiness can be permanently altered.
4. The most important external factors affecting individual happiness are human relationships.
In every society, family or other close relationships are the most important, followed by
relationships at work and the community.
5. The most important internal factor is mental health.
6. Doing good is one of the best ways to feel good. People who care more about others are
happier than those who care less about others. When people do good, their brain becomes
active in the same reward centre as where they experience other rewards.
7. Being paid can detract from the pleasure of giving. For example, if people interested in giving
blood are divided into two groups, one of which is paid if they give blood and the other is
not, more of those who are not paid decide to give blood.
8. Studies have shown that giving money away tends to make people happier than spending it on
themselves.
9. In an experiment, individuals with a positive outlook were less likely to get flu when exposed
to the virus.
10. Our happiness influences the people we know and the people they know
11. Most people think that if they become successful, then they'll be happy. But recent discoveries
in psychology and neuroscience show that this formula is backward: happiness makes us
successful, not the other way around.
12. When we're positive, our brains are more motivated, engaged, creative, energetic, resilient, and
productive.
13. Positive emotions - like joy, interest, pride and gratitude - don't just feel good in the moment they also affect our long term well-being.
Question 1
Use the passage to answer the questions. You must answer in YOUR OWN WORDS!
1.1.
1.2.
1.3.
1.4.
Define the following words as used in the passage:
(2)
a. Fluctuating
b. Determinant
What makes people happy?
(3)
Why does ‘everyone’s happiness count equally?’
(1)
What do you think are the 2 most important interesting facts about happiness and why? (4)
Question 2
Write a dairy entry based on what in your life makes you happy. You must use the information in
the passage to direct your writing.
Include the following in your diary entry:
a. How happy are you?
b. The relationships in your life
c. How your happiness is affecting your health.
You should write between 250 and 300 words.
(20)
MEMO
Question 1
Use the passage to answer the questions. You must answer in YOUR OWN WORDS!
1.1
Define the following words as used in the passage:
(2)
c. Fluctuating – changing - usually in up and down direction
d. Determinant – something that decides whether or how something happens
1.2. What makes people happy? Happiness and fulfilment comes more from relationships; from and
from the way in which we choose to react to what happens to us.
(3)
1.3.
1.4.
Why does ‘everyone’s happiness count equally?’ to create the best society is the one in which
there is the least misery and the most happiness.
(1)
What do you think are the 2 most important interesting facts about happiness and why? This
is a subjective answer. They need to pick 2 out of the 15 and their reasons why must be fully
explained and logical. (4)
Question 2
Write a dairy entry based on what in your life makes you happy. You must use the information in
the passage to direct your writing.
Include the following in your diary entry:
d. How happy are you? – subjective response
e. the relationships in your life – love, family friends etc and how these relationships make
them happy – how helping others makes him/her happy
f. how your happiness is affecting your health. – must show that they have learnt from the
passage that happier people are healthy people.
You should write between 250 and 300 words.
(20)
MEMO –
It must follow the diary entry format, and use information from the passage. Use
grid to guide your marking.