ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
GRADE 8
TASK 5
(SCHOOL NAME)
2 HOURS
60 MARKS
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. This paper consists of 4 sections:
SECTION A: COMPREHENSION
SECTION B: SUMMARY
SECTION C: VISUAL TEXT
SECTION D: LANGUAGE
2. Answer all the questions in all four sections.
3. Answer ALL the questions on the paper provided (no answers will be marked on
the question paper).
4. Read the texts carefully before attempting to answer the questions.
5. Write in BLUE ink only.
6. Write neatly and legibly.
7. Good luck!
____________________________________________________________________________
SECTION A: COMPREHENSION
QUESTION 1
Read the passage below (TEXT A) and answer the questions that follow.
TEXT A
Albert Einstein was one of the greatest minds in world
history. Einstein is known as a brilliant physicist who
contributed more to the scientific world than any other
person. His ideas about relativity are the basis for how
science now understands time, space, energy, and
gravity.
Einstein was brilliant in his thinking and far in front of
anyone living at his time. Einstein, like most brilliant
minds, was also a very strange and different kind of
person. He often liked to work away from people and
family but he also spoke in public about issues that he
believed in. He was a person who cared about other
human beings but his work also led to one of the most
destructive forces ever known to man, the atomic bomb.
1
, Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, Germany. His parents were Pauline and
Hermann Einstein. It is interesting to note that neither of his parents had any knowledge in the
areas of Maths or science. Even Albert, in his early years, was a very shy but curious child who
did not seem to be good at anything. In primary school, Albert was such an under-achiever in
all subjects other than Maths and Science that his parents suspected that he might be retarded.
As it turned out, Albert preferred to learn on his own and had taught himself advanced
Mathematics and science by the time he was a teenager.
He dropped out of high school and tried to get into the Swiss Polytechnic University in 1895.
However, he was made to finish high school, which he did. He left high school at the age of 17
but, at this point, he seemed a total failure.
It was only in his adult life that he achieved greatness and fame: Albert Einstein is as one of the
greatest people for his contributions towards science. Even up to his final days, this genius
continued his search for laws that would explain more of the universe. To this day, his ideas
and theories are still treated with respect.
It is important for all young people to know about Einstein: he did not achieve while he was at
school, and people thought he was stupid and useless, but he was a great man. All young
people need to realise that they can achieve in their lives; they simply might not achieve
greatness early. If they do not achieve at school, they will find what they are really interested in
and become successful later in their lives.
Questions:
1.1 Refer to paragraph 1
1.1.1 What is Albert Einstein primarily known for? (1)
1.1.2 Why do people think Albert Einstein was so smart? (1)
1.2 Refer to paragraph 2
1.2.1 What evidence does the writer give us to prove that Einstein was
strange? (2)
1.2.2 Why is it unexpected that Einstein should have done work that led to the
development of the atomic bomb? (2)
1.3 Refer to paragraph 3
1.3.1 Why did Einstein’s parents think he might be retarded? (1)
1.3.2 How did Einstein learn about Maths and Science? (1)
1.3.3 State whether the following statement is true of false. Quote a sentence
to prove your answer.
Albert Einstein's parents were both experts in Maths and science. (1)
2
GRADE 8
TASK 5
(SCHOOL NAME)
2 HOURS
60 MARKS
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. This paper consists of 4 sections:
SECTION A: COMPREHENSION
SECTION B: SUMMARY
SECTION C: VISUAL TEXT
SECTION D: LANGUAGE
2. Answer all the questions in all four sections.
3. Answer ALL the questions on the paper provided (no answers will be marked on
the question paper).
4. Read the texts carefully before attempting to answer the questions.
5. Write in BLUE ink only.
6. Write neatly and legibly.
7. Good luck!
____________________________________________________________________________
SECTION A: COMPREHENSION
QUESTION 1
Read the passage below (TEXT A) and answer the questions that follow.
TEXT A
Albert Einstein was one of the greatest minds in world
history. Einstein is known as a brilliant physicist who
contributed more to the scientific world than any other
person. His ideas about relativity are the basis for how
science now understands time, space, energy, and
gravity.
Einstein was brilliant in his thinking and far in front of
anyone living at his time. Einstein, like most brilliant
minds, was also a very strange and different kind of
person. He often liked to work away from people and
family but he also spoke in public about issues that he
believed in. He was a person who cared about other
human beings but his work also led to one of the most
destructive forces ever known to man, the atomic bomb.
1
, Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, Germany. His parents were Pauline and
Hermann Einstein. It is interesting to note that neither of his parents had any knowledge in the
areas of Maths or science. Even Albert, in his early years, was a very shy but curious child who
did not seem to be good at anything. In primary school, Albert was such an under-achiever in
all subjects other than Maths and Science that his parents suspected that he might be retarded.
As it turned out, Albert preferred to learn on his own and had taught himself advanced
Mathematics and science by the time he was a teenager.
He dropped out of high school and tried to get into the Swiss Polytechnic University in 1895.
However, he was made to finish high school, which he did. He left high school at the age of 17
but, at this point, he seemed a total failure.
It was only in his adult life that he achieved greatness and fame: Albert Einstein is as one of the
greatest people for his contributions towards science. Even up to his final days, this genius
continued his search for laws that would explain more of the universe. To this day, his ideas
and theories are still treated with respect.
It is important for all young people to know about Einstein: he did not achieve while he was at
school, and people thought he was stupid and useless, but he was a great man. All young
people need to realise that they can achieve in their lives; they simply might not achieve
greatness early. If they do not achieve at school, they will find what they are really interested in
and become successful later in their lives.
Questions:
1.1 Refer to paragraph 1
1.1.1 What is Albert Einstein primarily known for? (1)
1.1.2 Why do people think Albert Einstein was so smart? (1)
1.2 Refer to paragraph 2
1.2.1 What evidence does the writer give us to prove that Einstein was
strange? (2)
1.2.2 Why is it unexpected that Einstein should have done work that led to the
development of the atomic bomb? (2)
1.3 Refer to paragraph 3
1.3.1 Why did Einstein’s parents think he might be retarded? (1)
1.3.2 How did Einstein learn about Maths and Science? (1)
1.3.3 State whether the following statement is true of false. Quote a sentence
to prove your answer.
Albert Einstein's parents were both experts in Maths and science. (1)
2
