Below is the State Scholarship Examination paper we sat in 1956. I wonder how we would handle it today? In fact, I wonder how today's pupils would handle the questions. 

 

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, QUEENSLAND

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EXAMINATION FOR STATE SCHOLARSHIPS.

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E N G L I S H.

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WEDNESDAY, 12^TH DECEMBER, 1956—Morning, 9 to 11.

(TWO HOURS ALLOWED)

 

 

1.     1. As an exercise in Composition, write about forty lines on any one of the following:-

 

(a)         Why I like Country Life.

(b)         The Royal Flying Doctor Service.

(c)         A Day’s Fishing.

(d)         “It happened like this!”

(e)         New Australians.

(f)         The Occupation that Appeals to Me.

 

2. (2. 2. (a) Classify the clauses in the following sentence and show their relationship:-

 

                 As the accident occurred in such an isolated area, it was fortunate that the help he so badly needed arrived so promptly.

 

    (b)  Write as simple sentences:-

 

       (            (i)   He forgot his promise that the parcel would be posted.

      (i            (ii)   I cannot understand why he refused to go.

    (iii)   As the hour was late he decided to return home.

 

   (   (    (c)  Parse the words underlined in the following sentences:-

 

       (            (i)   He sat beside me before the game began.

      (i            (ii)   John, bring me the new book.

 

3. (3. 3.  (a)  Punctuate and use capital letters:-

 

                                                                                                                      10 simpson st

                                                                                                                               newmarket

                                                                                                                                      brisbane

                                                                                                                                            1^st june 1956

 

 

dearddear mary

 

   t    thank you very much for the copy of treasure island which arrived in todays mail i am looking forward to reading it after the examination

 

 

                                                                                                                      your loving friend

 

                                                                                                                                                      edith

 

   (        (b)  Rewrite the following sentences selecting the correct words from those given in brackets.

 

       (    (i)   Jack gave Jim and (me, I) rides on his bicycle.

      (i    (ii)   The children (sang, sung) the old tune that we had (sang, sung) when we were at school.

     (iii   (iii)  (Lend, loan) me your book.

      (i    (iv)   (It’s, its) sharp claws scratched his arm severely.

       (    (v)   (Who, whom) do you think he is?

      ((    (vi)   Neither of the girls (do, does) (her, their) exercise neatly.

 

4.  4. 4. (a)   Select from the list of words given below the word which would most appropriately   complete each of the following sentences. (The sentences need not be rewritten.)

 

             humiliate, concentrate, contemplate, persist, extinguish, calculate, abandon, adjourn, sustain, diminish, substitute, disclose.

  

 (i)  After hours of discussion, the Council decided to __________.

             (ii)   I hope you will not ________with the plan.

     (iii        (iii)   The man had little to _________ him during his stay on the desolate island.

      (i        (iv)   He will ______________the secret place of meeting.

       (        (v)   A man in charge of machines must ___________ on his work.

      ((        (vi)   His supply of food began to ________________.

 

              (b)   Use each word to show that you understand its meaning:-

            

             counsel, principle, access, prevail, affect, hospitable.

 

5.  5. 5.  Select a word, derived from the root given in brackets, to complete each of the sentences given below. Write the word you select for each. (The sentences need not be rewritten.)

 

       (    (i)   He was an _________ for the position. (plico)

      (i    (ii)   The disease was regarded as highly _________. (tango)

(iii)  An ___________ to the school building gave more classroom space. (tendo)

(iv)   The fingers of the famous pianist were extremely ______________. (sentio)

 (v)  The submarine submerged so that only its _________ could be seen. (skopeo)

(vi)   The sick man, who became a complete ____________, was placed in a nursing home. (valeo)

(vii)  The largest factories in the State were built in the ______________ area. (polis)

(viii) The monks wrote a ____________ of the early times. (chronos)

 

6.  W6.  With reference to “Danger Patrol”, answer, in about three-quarters of a page, any one of the following:-

 

          ((a)             (a) Discuss the part played by Cadet Bruce James in his efforts to obtain medical attention for the wounded Assistant District Officer Farley.

 

OR

 

    (b)      (b)  “So it did seem that District Commissioner Thompson’s ‘pacification’ experiment (with the Kirri Kirris) was proving a success.” Describe this experiment.

 

OR

 

    (c)      (c)  A night of terror followed the eruption of the “Peaceful One.” Give an account of what happened.

 

For 

 

 

For