I. Read the passage.

Policemen were poorly paid in those days and then the city cut their salaries further. My mother made our
clothes on a sewing machine. At night, she sewed rosettes on silk garters for a penny a piece. Every year she paid the
interest on the pawn ticket.
Then, on summer, she surrendered. The payment was due but she ignored it. “Earrings,” she said, “are a form
of vanity we can’t afford.”
Great good luck sometimes touches a person at least once. It touched me. A book I wrote became a best-seller
in 16 countries. I bought a house on the beach. My dream had come true.
When the house was right, I invited my mother and father to it. There were no servants carrying trays of
candy. But the house was on the same beach. My hair was grey, but the surf still thundered with youth.
I handed the plushy box to my mother, “Your time to dream”, I said. Her hands began to shake.
(A) Write the correct word or words to complete each sentence.
(1) The …….. of policemen were cut when the story took place.
(2) The clothes of the writer ……… by his mother.
(3) The writer’s mother ……… to pay the interest on the pawn ticket.
(4) A book …….. by the writer became a best-seller in 16 countries.
(5) There were no servants who ……… trays of candy in the writer’s house.
(B) Answer each question in one sentence.
(1) What did the writer’s mother do at night to earn some money?
(2) How often did the writer’s mother pay the interest on the pawn ticket?
(3) How did the writer’s dream come true?
(4) Whom did the writer invite to his house on the beach?
(5) When the writer handed his mother the plushy box, what did he say?
II. Fill in each numbered blank with a word from the list given.
And be but clock had hour hour how
invented knowing placed The to to top
Usually was was was were be had
Candles and water clocks helped people know – (1) – much time had gone by. But candles – (2) – to be
remade and water clocks had – (3) – be refilled. So, after glass blowing was – (4) –, the hourglass came into use.
Glass bulbs – (5) – joined by a narrow tunnel of glass, – (6) – fine, dry sand was placed in the – (7) – bulb. The
hourglass was easy to use – (8) – it had to be turned over every – (9) – the sand could flow again.
It – (10) – about 600 years ago that the first – (11) – with a face and an hour hand – (12) – made. One of the
first such clocks – (13) – built for a king of France and – (14) – in a tower of the royal palace. – (15) – clock did not
show minutes or seconds. – (16) – it did not even show the correct – (17) –. Since there – (18) – no planes or trains to
catch, however, people were not concerned about – (19) – the exact time. Gradually, clocks began to – (20) –
popular.
III.(A) Choose the appropriate word to complete each sentence.
(1) There are ……… candies for all children in this room.
A. sufficient B. necessary C. favourable
(2) The film I saw last night ……… my taste.
A. suited B. agreed C. like
(3) It is important to store ……...... food in a cool place.
A. biological B. delicate C. perishable
(4) The robot is ………. to do domestic tasks.
A. program B. programmed C. programme
(5) After an earthquake, the rescue team was put ………….
A. up B. together C. off
(B) Write the appropriate words or group of words to complete the line of verse.
(6) A great steel bridge
With towers ……….
(7) No time to see, in …….
Stream full of stars, like skies at night.
(8) For song and mother-croon of bird
In ……… twilight heard
(9) I …….. into the air
It fell to earth, I knew not where
(10) Content to breath his native air
In his ………..
IV. Give complete answers to the questions.
(1) How did scientists solve the problem of Julius Caesar’s calendar going too fast?
(2) Why didn’t the astrologer come down from the bael tree?
(3) How are the goods provided in supermarkets?
(4) What distinguishes ‘robots’ from less intelligent machines?
(5) What do these lines mean?
What do these lines mean?
“I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth I knew not where”
V. Read the passage.
It all began with a trip to Japan. Sara Evans, a photographer from New York, had gone to take pictures
of different landscapes. During her visit, people kept telling her to go and see an amazing cedar tree, which was said
to be thousands of years old. Sara was so fascinated by her trip to see this ancient tree that she started a project to
photograph the oldest livings things in the world.
Sara only photographs living things which are at least 2,000 years old and have lived continuously for the
whole of that period. So far, she has photographed more than 20 life forms. Some of these look alien, as if from
another planet. However, they are here on Earth, and many have existed since man took the first steps.
Sara has travelled widely to find subjects to photograph. In the high Andes she photographed the 3,000-year-
old Ilareta plant, which is an extraordinary relative of parseley and grows on smooth, round boulders.
(1) Why did Sara Evams go to Japan?
(2) Why did she start a project to photograph the oldest living things in the world?
(3) What does ‘that period’ refer to?
(4) Why has Sara travelled widely?
(5) What is the Ilareta plant?
VI Punctuate the following.
(1) jenny said couldn’t i look pretty with little diamonds
(2) one backward kick of my right heel caught the pot continued the cook
(3) were very hungry mother said the children
(4) you don’t remember my name do you said thida
(5) mother said to her son dont be late at night outside or i wont open the door for you
VII(A) Finish each sentence in such a way that it means exactly the same as the sentence that is given.
(1) The teacher said to Kyaw Thu, “Why didn’t you do your homework?”
The teacher ………………………………………………………..
(2) The woman said to me, “Bring this parcel with you tomorrow.”
The woman ………………………………………………………….
(3) Nobody steals any bicycle in the school.
Any ………………………………………….
(4) Do you know Mu Mu from Yedashe?
Is ……………………………………..
(5) The classroom was swept by the students. It was tidy.
After …………………………………………………………
(6) Su Su attended the party. She was not invited.
Without …………………………………………
(7) All the classrooms in our school have clocks.
There is no …………………………………
(8) Pathi Chaung is an attractive waterfall. Most people like to visit there.
Pathi Chaung, …………………………………………………………………
(9) Not only Sandar but also Thandar follows Sai Sai Kham Laing facebook page.
Both …………………………………………………………………………………
(10) We could not stop our car. We could not slow down our car.
Neither ……………………………………………………………
VII(B) Using the prompts given, write a short paragraph on ONE of the following.
Why the moon is not a nice place to live on
- Moon – satellite – earth – 240,000 miles away – not like earth
- song writers – poets described – it – place – romantic escape
- force of gravity – moon less than – earth causes – be devoid – water
- there – no air – no atmosphere – moon – insufficient gravity – so temperatures - extreme
- moon reflects – light of sun like – earth – there – no twilight – dawn – it
 - changes – light to dark – dark to light – occurs suddenly – lack – atmosphere
- there – no sound – moon – there – no waves – air molecules – transmit sound
- it – difficult – us – make trip – moon – its adverse conditions
- if we travelled – moon – oxygen – water – protection against rays – be required
- we would have – decide – wear – in order – endure – sudden changes – temperature
VIII. Write a letter. Do not write more than 300 words.
You are Thida and you live at No.7, Insein Road, Yangon. Write a letter to your Aunt, who has been teaching
high school students for nearly twenty years. Tell her how much you fear the matriculation examination and
request her to give you some advice to overcome you fear.
IX. Write an essay of three paragraphs on one of the following. Do not write more than 500 words.
The pros and cons of being a teenager
Or
A dangerous experience
Or
A field trip that your class took