LANGUAGE TEST

Name:

Read the text about Martha and carry out the activities below.
Marthas Story
As a young child in Sierra Leone, Martha was told that she looked like her mother, so
she spent hours in front of the mirror, trying to see in her own features an image of the
mother she lost as a toddler. Marthas father, a successful businessman, cared deeply for
his daughter. He bought her new clothes every week and took her to school every morning.
In 2000, when Martha was eight years old, her village was attacked by members of a
rebel group trying to overthrow the government. As the sound of gunfire filled the
neighborhood, Martha and her father stayed locked inside their house for over a week,
waiting for the fighting to stop.
When things quieted down, the village was occupied by rebels and the situation was
tense. Marthas father saw his business drop off, and he was forced to move to a town he
thought would be safe from rebel attack. There, he was able to rebuild his business and
send money and clothes to his daughter.
With her father gone, Martha moved in with her grandmother, who made a living by
selling vegetables in the market. Sometimes Martha had to help her and missed school as a
result. Her life became even more difficult when her grandmother had a severe stroke,
which left her unable to walk and almost unable to speak. Martha, by then 13 years old,
found herself caring for her ill grandmother and had no news from her father.
Though Martha was barely able to keep up with school work, she managed to pass the
National Primary School Examination, which allowed her to go on to high school. However,
with her father gone and her grandmother no longer able to work, there was no money for
the necessary school fees.
Marthas hopes for continuing her education now depended on her father, and she
anxiously waited to hear from him. One morning, she received devastating news: her father
had been murdered by the rebels. The whole world stopped for me, says Martha. For the
first time in my life I felt alone. I realized I was an orphan.
Martha is now staying with her stepmother (a woman her father married before his
death and who she refers to as aunty) and her stepmothers three children. To help her
new family, Martha sells biscuits in the street market, but she longs to go back to school.
Luckily, her stepmothers new husband has shown sympathy toward her and is willing to
help.
The Impact of Armed Conflict
Sierra Leones civil war (from 19912002) affected over 10,000 children like Martha,
causing separation from their families and exposing them to violence. Some were injured or
killed by landmines. Others were forced to serve as child soldiers. Many more children
missed out on schooling, and were often unable to get health care during the conflict.
UNICEF helps children like Martha by providing food, water, and medical supplies during

times of conflict. It also helps children who are serving as child soldiers to leave armed
groups and return to their families and communities.

Where children have been

separated from their families during conflict, UNICEF works to reunite them. In addition, the
organization provides counseling for children who need emotional help. For the many
children who, like Martha, want to continue learning, UNICEF provides basic education so
that children do not miss out on school during times of conflict.

1. Which two facts about Marthas story are correct? Underline them.
a- The group of rebels wanted to defeat the government.
b- It was easy for Martha to keep up with school work because she was helped by her
grandma and father.
c- After her fathers death, Martha started working and went back to school with the help
of her stepmother.
d- Marthas fathers business decreased in Sierra Leone because of the rebels attack.
1 mark
2. According to the text, which two rights of the child were violated? Give a reason in
each case.
Right 1:

Reason:

..

Right 2:

..
Reason:

..
2 marks
3. Write a suitable heading for the fourth paragraph. It should be a phrase instead of a
single word.

1 mark

ab-

abcd-

4. Combine the following sentences into one by writing a non-defining relative clause.
Remember to add the correct punctuation.
The rebels attacked Sierra Leone. The rebels wanted to overthrow the government.
Marthas father lived in Sierra Leone. He moved to a different town after the rebels
attack.
2 marks
5. Defining relative clauses. Complete the sentences using the correct relative pronoun
(which/who/whose). Then underline the sentences in which the relative pronoun
can be omitted.
The C.R.C. is the document.articles protect the rights of the child.
Sierra Leone is the placeI told you about.
Martha is a girllives in Sierra Leone.
The rebels.attacked the government have no limits.
2 marks
6. Write one word from the fifth paragraph which shows the writer is contrasting ideas
between two sentences.

1 mark

abcd-

7. Rewrite the following sentences in the simple present tense:

Martha spent hours in front of the mirror.
Marthas grandmother made a living selling vegetables.
Martha helped her grandmother.
Martha wanted to continue learning.
1 mark

abcd-

8. Write negative sentences in the simple present tense.

Martha wants to sell biscuits in the future.
Martha and her stepmother enjoy Sierra Leone living conditions.
Marthas father buys new clothes every day.
The Civil War affects 1,000 children in Sierra Leone.

1 mark
9. Complete the following sentences to make conditional sentences type 1 with ideas
of your own.
a- If Martha goes to high school, she.
........because.

..

b- If the armed conflict stops, the

children.........................because.

.
1 mark
10.

SELECTIVE SUMMARY

Write a two-paragraph summary between 60 to 70 words to explain:

* The difficulties children like Martha have in armed conflicts (paragraph 1)
* The ways in which UNICEF helps (paragraph 2)
IMPORTANT: remember a summary is not a rewrite of the original piece. You should explain
the main idea of each bullet in your own words.

..

..

..

8 marks
TOTAL MARKS FOR READING: 20
PASSING MARK FOR READING:14

11.

WRITING (30 marks)

Write a letter to Sierra Leones government to inform about Marthas situation and to
persuade them to help her.
Purpose: inform and persuade
Audience: Sierra Leones President.
Plan your writing
Paragraph 1: explain the reason why you are writing the letter
Paragraph 2: explain Marthas situation and mention which of her rights are violated. Make
reference to the C.R.C. to explain the importance of childrens rights
Paragraph 3: persuade the President to help Martha. Give two ways in which he could help
her.
Paragraph 4: conclude your letter
In you writing you need to include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

A question to persuade your audience

A superlative adjective to persuade
Different types of sentences: simple, compound and complex.
Correct verb tenses.
Interesting vocabulary.
Correct spelling.

Write between 200-220 words

You will be assessed on the following aspects:
abcde-

Content, purpose and audience: 8 marks

Text structure/organization: 4 marks
Sentence structure/correct verb tenses: 7 marks
Spelling &Vocabulary: 6 marks
Punctuation: 5 marks

TOTAL MARKS FOR WRITING: 30

PASSING MARK: 21