MURRAYSBURG HIGH SCHOOL
English First Additional Language
Grade 8 SEPTEMBER 2024
1HOUR
Instructions
1.This questions paper consists of three sections
Section A Short stories (10)
Section B Drama (10)
Section C Poetry (10)
2. DO all Sections
3. Write neatly and legibly
Section A Short Stories THE SACRIFICE
Zahid is an eight-year-old growing up in a Muslim family in Fordsburg, a suburb of
Johannesburg. His father decides to sacrifice a lamb for the Muslim festival of Eid.
Zahid and his friends go with Zahid’s father to buy the lamb from a farmer.
Question 1
Answer the following questions based on the above-mentioned story you have read.
1.1 Who went with Zahid and his father to buy the lamb?
A. His mother
B. His friends
C. His cousin
D. The neighbour (1)
1.2 What name did they give the lamb?
A. Limpy
B. Eid
C. Snow
D. Porch (1)
1.3 Why did they give it that name? (1)
1..4 When Zahid finds out that his father is going to kill the lamb, he is:
A. Excited
B. Sad
C. Joyful
D. Confused (1)
1.5 Is the following statement True or False? Give a reason for your answer.
Zahid and his friends came to love the lamb. (2)
1.6 Zahid was very upset by the killing of the lamb .
Write down two of his actions that show his feelings. (2)
1.7 Briefly explain what you know about the word ‘sacrifice’ . (2)
[10]
Section B Drama - A calf with no name
Question 2
Read the following extract from the drama and answer the questions set.
Act 1- The valley
Ubabamkhulu: And today I shall come into the fields with you, Sbu- and see if you have
learned to herd the cattle as I have taught you.
(Sbu reacts with delight, taking Ubabamkhulu’s hand and helping him
up. Ubabamkhulu’s cane is revealed. Sbu guides him off)
Narrator: Nothing pleased Sbu more than to have his grandfather spend the day
with him…because there was always something new that his very,
very wise grandfather could teach him.
2.1 Complete the following sentence:
Sbu lives with his grandfather and grandmother in the valleys of ………… (1)
2.2 Why does Ubabamkhulu have a cane? (1)
2.3 Ubabamkhulu taught Sbu that their cattle are named according to the colours
on their hide. What has to happen with cattle that are born pure white? (2)
Question 3 Answer the following questions based on the drama as a whole
3.1 Where is Sbu taking the calf after he admitted his lie? (1)
3.2 Sbu meets a boy, Vusi, on the way. How does Vusi treat the calf? (1)
3.3 How does the king get to the truth about who the calf belongs to? (2)
3.4 Why is Sbu unnecessarily worried that his calf will be lonely? (1)
3.5 Did you enjoy the ending of the play? Give a reason for your answer. (1)
[10]
Section C POETRY LAMENT FOR A DEAD COW
Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow
Lament for a Dead Cow – Francis Carey Slater
Chant by Xhosa family on the death of Wetu, their only cow
Siyalila, siyalila, inkomo yetu ifile!
Beautiful was Wetu as a blue shadow,
That nests on the grey rocks
About a sunbaked hilltop: 5
Her coat was black and shiny
Like an isipingo-berry;
Her horns were as sharp as the horns of the new moon
That tosses aloft the evening star;
Her round eyes were as clear and soft 10
As a mountain-pool,
Where shadows dive from the high rocks.
No more will Wetu banish teasing flies
With her whistling tail;
No more will she face yapping curs 15
With lowered horns and bewildered eyes;
No more will her slow shadow
Comfort the sunburnt veld, and her sweet lowing
Delight the hills in the evening.
The fountain that filled our calabashes 20
Has been drained by a thirsty sun;
The black cloud that brought us white rain
Has vanished – the sky is empty;
Our kraal is desolate;
Our calabashes are dry: 25
And we weep.
Question 4
4.1 Explain why Wetu was particularly important to the family. State TWO points. (2)
4.2 What is the tone or the feeling of the poem. Choose from the options given
below and write down only the correct letter.
A Joyful
B Sad
C Excited
D Tired (1)
4.3 Refer to line 6
Quote two words that tell the reader she was a healthy, black cow. (2)
4.4 Refer to lines 9 – 10 ('Her round eyes … As a mountain-pool').
Choose the correct answer and write only the letter (A – D) next to
the question number.
The figure of speech used in this line is …
A metaphor
B onomatopoeia.
C metonymy.
D. simile. (1)
4.5 Refer to line 14 ('No more will she face yapping curs').
4.5.1 To what do 'yapping curs' refer? (1)
4.5.2 What effect did the 'yapping curs' have on Wetu? (1)
4.6 Refer to line 19 ('The fountain that filled our calabashes').
Explain why Wetu is compared to a fountain. (1)
4.7 Besides the loss of their cow, what other hardship is the family experiencing? (1)
(10)
September 2024
Grade 8 Memo
Question 1
Answer the following questions based on the above-mentioned story you have read.
1.1 Who went with Zahid and his father to buy the lamb?
B His friends (1)
1.2 What name did they give the lamb?
C Snow (1)
1.3 Why did they give it that name?
His fleece was soft and white (1)
1..4 When Zahid finds out that his father is going to kill the lamb, he is:
D Confused (1)
1.5 Is the following statement True or False? Give a reason for your answer.
Zahid and his friends came to love the lamb.
True, they fed it and brushed it. They took very good care of it. (2)
1.6 Zahid was very upset by the killing of the lamb .
Write down two of his actions that show his feelings.
He refused to cut its throat
He ran away
They did not distribute the meat to the neighbours
He refused to eat any of the meat (any two) (2)
1.7 Briefly explain what you know about the word ‘sacrifice’ .
Learners own explanation, e.g. A sacrifice is when you give up something you love
for the sake of someone ellse. EXPLANATION SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR. A
sacrifice is about “harming” yourself for some one else (2)
[10
Section B Drama - A calf with no name
Question 2
2.1 Complete the following sentence:
Sbu lives with his grandfather and grandmother in the valleys of
…Kwazulu Natal… (1)
2.2 Why does Ubabamkhulu have a cane?
He needs the cane because he is blind (1)
2.3 Ubabamkhulu taught Sbu that their cattle are named according to the colours
on their hide. What has to happen with cattle that are born pure white?
Cattle who are born white belongs to the king, they should be taken to him (2)
Question 3 Answer the following questions based on the drama as a whole
3.1 Where is Sbu taking the calf after he admitted his lie?
He is taking the calf to kwnongona/ to the kIng (1)
3.2 Sbu meets a boy, Vusi, on the way. How does Vusi treat the calf? (1)
3.3 How does the king get to the truth about who the calf belongs to? (2)
3.4 Why is Sbu unnecessarily worried that his calf will be lonely? (1)
3.5 Did you enjoy the ending of the play? Give a reason for your answer. (1)
[10]
Question 4
Lament for a Dead Cow – Francis Carey Slater
4.1 She was their only cow.
The family loved Wetu.
She provided them with milk. (2
4.2 B sad (1)
4.3 black shiny (2)
4.4 D. simile. (1)
4.5 Refer to line 14 ('No more will she face yapping curs').
4.5.1 Mongrel dogs (1)
4.5.2 The dogs irritated/angered/annoyed/upset her.
OR
They made her charge towards them. (1)
4.6 Just as a fountain throws up water, Wetu squirted out milk when they
milked her.
OR
A fountain continuously throws up water. In the same way the family
Expected Wetu to continue providing milk.
OR
The metaphor emphasises the amount of milk she provided for the family. (1)
4.7 Drought/Lack of water/hunger/starvation. (1)
(10)
