MONDEOR HIGH SCHOOL
ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE
GRADE 8
COMPREHENSION AND LANGUAGE (Past paper)
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SECTION A: Comprehension
QUESTION 1
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
TEXT A
Princess Zinzi Mhlongo: Actress and theatre director
1.
With a name like Princess and a title like “Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year
for Theatre 2012”, it is hard to believe that this twenty-six year old director, actress
and businesswoman started her career on the amateur stages of Witbank, where she
grew up. Maybe Mhlongo did not go to those fancy schools that offer drama as a
school subject, but she did have Ishmael Mohammed and the local Witbank Youth
Theatre to encourage her to pursue drama at the Tshwane University of Technology.
2.
Mhlongo’s big break came in 2008 when she got the opportunity, at the age of 22, to
direct Zake Mda’s And the girls in their Sunday dresses at the State Theatre in
Pretoria. The show went on to receive rave reviews at the Grahamstown Festival and
Market Theatre, and will be making its debut at the Edingburgh Festival later this year.
3.
But Mhlongo was determined to explore every avenue of her creativity. In between
directing, she hosted events under her company Tick Tock Productions and worked
as an actress. In 2010, when South Africa was being hoisted onto the world stage
with the World Cup, Mhlongo was enjoying her own hour in the international
spotlight. She was invited to a festival in Germany where her talents were introduced
to all the right people. She must have put on her best Sunday dress because, two years
later, Mhlongo is preparing tp present her writing debut Trapped, as one of only four
young international directors at the Salzburg young Directors Project in Austria.
4.
Where she still gets time to get involved in community mentoring projects is best
understood by the importance she places on sharing her skills and experiences with
others. Perhaps coal is not Witbank’s best export anymore.
[Adapted from TODAY series]
1
GLOSSARY:
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amateur (in context) [para. 1] – working without being paid
(in context) refers to the way in which the word is used in the passage
pursue (in context) [para. 1] – follow a career
debut [para. 2] – the first time
hoisted [para. 3] – lifted
mentoring (in context) [para. 4] – training younger directors
Refer to paragraph 1:
1.1 Where did Princess Mhlongo grow up?
(1)
1.2
Did Princess attend a glamorous school? Quote to support your answer.
(2)
1.3
How was she motivated to do drama?
(2)
Refer to paragraph 2:
1.4 Explain the meaning of ‘big break’ as used in line 1 of paragraph 2.
(2)
1.5 Which well-known South African writer/poet is mentioned in this paragraph?
(1)
1.6.1 In which city is the ‘Market Theatre’ situated?
1.6.2 Find information about the two festivals mentioned in this paragraph and write
down three interesting facts on each festival.
[2x3]
(1)
(6)
Refer to paragraph 3:
1.7 Besides directing, what else did Princess do?
(2)
1.8 The writer compares South Africa during the 2010 World Cup to Princess going to
a festival in Germany. Explain why these two events are compared.
(3)
1.9 What is the name of the first play she has written?
(1)
Refer to paragraph 4:
1.10 Why is Princess involved in community mentoring projects?
(2)
1.11 Explain, in your own words, what the writer means in the last sentence.
(2)
1.12 Find synonyms in the passage for the following words.
[The answers are in the passage. Please read the entire paragraph before you
write down the answers for 1.12 and 1.13]
(a) began (para. 1)
(b) motivate (para. 1)
(c) maybe (para. 4)
(3)
2
1.13 Find antonyms in the passage for the following words.
(a) give (para. 2)
(b) worst (para. 4)
(2)
/30/
SECTION B – Language in context
Copy the following table and fill in the missing words. All the words are taken
from the passage, TEXT A.
QUESTION 2 – Parts of speech
NOUN
VERB
believe (para 1)
ADJECTIVE
director (para. 1)
creativity (para. 3)
invited (para. 3)
introduce (para.3)
project (para. 4)
sharing (para. 4)
/14/
QUESTION 3 – TENSES
3.1 Copy the following table and fill in the missing words.
Present tense
Past tense
grew up (para. 1)
encourage (para. 1)
came (para. 2)
receive (para. 2)
hoisted (para. 3)
present (para. 3)
finds (para. 4)
mentor (para. 4)
understood (para. 4)
3.2 Use each answer in the above table and write a short sentence to show that you
understand the meaning of each word.
Number your sentences 1 – 9.
/9/
TOTAL MARKS: 53
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