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What’s Inside Each Paper?

📘 Paper 1 – Functional Writing, Cloze Test & Oral Skills (60 Marks)

Functional Writing (20 marks):

• Write a formal letter of inquiry to the Dean of Studies at Kenyatta University:

  • Inquire about the next intake dates

  • Inquire about fees per semester

  • Inquire about accommodation availability

  • Proper formal letter format required (sender’s address, date, recipient’s address, salutation, RE:, complementary close, signature, name, designation)

Cloze Test (10 marks):

• Complete a passage on the importance of ironing clothes, featuring:

  • Ironing as a routine activity

  • Difference between ironed and unironed clothes

  • Personal hygiene promotion

  • Protection from insects, diseases, and skin problems

Oral Skills (30 marks):

• Oral Poetry Analysis – Read the poem “When the cock crows”

  • Identify features of oral poetry (repetition, direct speech)

  • Identify sound features (alliteration)

  • Performance techniques for different stanzas

  • Word stress identification

• Non-Verbal Cues – Identify and explain significance of cues (fidgeting, eyes cast down, consulting watch, sneer)

• Intonation – Identify falling/rising intonation for different utterances

• Telephone Etiquette – Identify lack of etiquette and suggest improvements

• Proverb Analysis – “Betty bought some butter, but the butter was bitter” (genre, translation loss, functions)

• Negotiation Skills – Guidelines for fruitful negotiation with the principal

📗 Paper 2 – Comprehension, Literary Appreciation & Grammar (80 Marks)

Comprehension (20 marks):

• Read and answer questions on a passage about ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence

• Topics covered:

  • ChatGPT’s uniqueness (7 days to hit 1 million users vs. Facebook’s 10 months, Twitter’s 25 months)

  • Concerns around AI (potential misuse, ethical implications, balance of innovation vs. disruption)

  • Jobs likely to be made redundant (marketing, copywriting, design, customer support, legal work)

  • How youth can cope with AI (lifelong learning, professional associations, staying informed, upskilling)

  • Importance of membership to professional bodies (sharpening power/soft skills)

  • Vocabulary: shed, tremendous, limitations

Literary Appreciation – Excerpt (25 marks):

• Analyze an excerpt from Paul B. Vitta’s Fathers of Nations (Libyan context)

• Key focus areas:

  • Events before the excerpt (Engineer Tahir asks Ms. Mahmoud out; she turns him down)

  • Themes (violence, revenge, chauvinism, tradition)

  • Rhetorical questions in the last paragraph

  • Engineer Tahir’s anger towards his country’s regime (Fist of Allah, Al-Qaeda, American retaliation)

  • Men’s attitude towards women (patronizing/demeaning/condescending)

  • Character traits of Engineer Tahir (violent, vengeful, chauvinistic)

  • Events after the excerpt (hospitalization, court case, loss of eye)

  • Vocabulary: conceal, put him down, heat of anger

  • Grammar transformation with participles

Poetry (20 marks):

• Analyze the poem “I Can’t Breathe”

• Key focus areas:

  • Persona identification (an observer/witness)

  • Subject matter (racial discrimination, police brutality)

  • Stylistic devices (repetition, alliteration, hyperbole)

  • Mood (tense, sorrowful)

  • Pessimism in the last stanza

  • Meaning of specific lines

Grammar (15 marks):

• Sentence transformation (Never…, reported speech, passive voice, Little…, as…as)

• Correct word forms (intuition → intuitive, explain → inexplicable, revere → irreverent)

• Prepositions (dependence on, experience with, part with)

• Word choice (all together/altogether, council/counsel)

• Ambiguity interpretation (“He fed her cat food”)

📙 Paper 3 – Imaginative Composition & Set Text Essays (60 Marks)

Imaginative Composition (20 marks):

• Option A: Write a composition ending with: “… That is when dawned on me that regrets come later.”

• Option B: Write a composition discussing ways in which young people can overcome idleness.

  • Expected points: Parental guidance on time management, participating in sports and talent shows, developing a culture of reading, attending school, avoiding bad company, engaging in income-generating activities

Compulsory Set Text – The Samaritan by John Lara (20 marks):

• Essay topic: “Ill-gotten wealth can never bring genuine happiness.”

• Key characters to discuss:

  • Justice Ian Jaden – Uses office to get rat-killing tender through mistress Ivy; suffers terrible ulcers; arrested by Anti-Corruption Bureau

  • Bembe – Inspector General of Police; builds Mandingo Golf Club on university land using corruption proceeds; diabetic; fears death; arrested

  • Ted King – Secretary for Health; “eats” a whole hospital; sickly; stinks; arrested

  • Ramdaye – Deputy Mayor; corrupt road contracts; sells fake title deeds; arrested

  • Seymour – Secretary for Planning; bribes for approvals; drug trafficking; children ruined; arrested

  • Mayor Mossi – Municipal capture; orders newspaper purchases; runs Red Eagle Gang; arrested

Optional Set Texts (20 marks) – Choose ONE:

Option A: The Sins of the Fathers by Charles Mungoshi

• Essay topic: “Hostile parenting can negatively impact a child’s upbringing and interfere with their all-rounded development.”

• Key points:

  • Guitar incident – Rwafa breaks Rondo’s guitar; instills fear; Rondo develops a stammer

  • Wedding disapproval – Rwafa disapproves Rondo’s marriage to Selina; public humiliation

  • Mango incident – Rwafa mercilessly beats Rondo with elephant hide

  • Contemptuous nature – Rwafa openly demeans Rondo; calls him “slob”; destroys his self-esteem

Option B: Parliament of Owls by Adipo Sidang

• Essay topic: “Women and people from minority groups can rise against all odds to bring change without necessarily using violence.”

• Key points:

  • Oyundi – Mobilizes day birds; uses strategy over violence

  • Teltel – Refuses to spread propaganda; exposes truth

  • Iron Lady – Fights for equality and justice

  • Little P – Exposes corrupt schemes through journalism

Option C: An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro

• Essay topic: “Sometimes people have great ambitions in life. Even when they fail, they still take pride in their efforts.”

• Key points:

  • Ono – Ambition to create politically influential paintings; fails but takes pride in Shigeta Foundation Award

  • Akira Sugimura – Ambitious plan for Kawabe Park; fails but dies respected

  • Mori-san – Ambition to modernize Utamaro tradition; reputation declines but satisfied with effort

  • Chishu Matsuda – Ambition to restore Imperial Majesty; fails but proud of determined attempt

Who Should Use This Bundle?

What Makes This Bundle Special?

✅ Authentic Arise and Shine Material

These are actual Trial Examination papers prepared by experienced educators, known for producing high-quality KCSE preparation materials.

✅ Up-to-Date Content

All questions, passages, and topics are current and aligned with the latest KCSE syllabus for the July 2026 examination.

✅ Student-Centered Design

Clear instructions, ample writing space, and a self-evaluation section encourage independent learning and self-improvement.

✅ Teacher-Approved

Used and trusted by schools across Kenya as a reliable benchmark for student performance.

✅ Comprehensive Coverage

All three papers cover the entire KCSE English syllabus with detailed marking schemes.