Communication II November 2018 Past Paper – KNEC Diploma

Communication II November 2018 Past Question Examination Paper – KNEC

This Past Paper examination was examined by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) and it applies to the following Certificate courses

• Diploma in Secretarial Studies – Module II
  

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1. (a) Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each.

(i)            We have been given a long_______to learn by heart. (poem, poetry)

(Complete the sentence using the correct noun in brackets)

(ii)           The thief was______by the policemen. (seek)

(Insert the correct tense of the word in brackets)

(iii)          This is John. I spoke with him over the phone. (Join the sentences using the word whom)

The rains started early, not many of the farmers had planted their maize seeds. (Begin the sentence with: Although …)

(v)          Rose has a house________Paris.

(Insert the appropriate preposition in the blank space)

(vi)         Jane wrote carefully her essay. (Write in the sentence placing the adverb cocAy)

CJ

(vii)        I asked him, “How much did you payer your bicycle?” (Write in indirect speech)

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(viii)       Neither of the students                ready for the examination last Friday.

(Use the appropriate verb           l the gap)

(ix)         He was suddenly to        with a bad cold. (ill, sick)

(Complete the s,              e using the correct word in brackets.)

PJ

(x)          We watche their ship moving gradually  away.

(farther,               er, father)

(Use tot orrect comparative form to fill in the blank space)           (10 marks)

(b)          Explain five reasons for holding meetings in an organization.       (10 marks)

2. Msafiri Company Limited is launching a new product in the market. As the assistant to the

Marketing Manager, write a letter to potential customers to inform them about the product.

(18 marks)

3. Employees at Daraja Mbili Company Limited have been complaining about theft of their

personal items. The Human Resource Manager has asked you, as his assistant, to investigate the matter. Assuming that you have completed the investigations, write the report in a schematic format. (20 marks)

4. In about 250 words write an essay on “Contributions of the improved road network to the Kenyan economy. (18 marks)
5. Read the following passage and then answer the questions that follow

Kenya and Tanzania have decided to construct Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) lines to improve transportation of goods and passengers in their respective countries. The construction of the SGR lines was prompted by the fact that the existing metre gauge railways that were constructed over 100 years ago had outlived their economic usefulness.

In the construction of the SGR lines, there are distinctive features that differentiate the Tanzanian line from the Kenyan line. The Tanzania electric line is designed to support a maximum speed of 160 km per hour for passenger trains and 120 km per hour for freight. Kenya’s passenger trains, on the other hand, would have a maximum speed of 120 km per hour, and its freight trains will be doing 80 km per hour. This means that in every hour, the Tanzanian train would cover an extra stretch of 40 kilometres ahead of the Kenyan train. BesitPpeed, Tanzania’s line also appears to be slightly superior since its is electric. Kenya optefor diesel-powered engines that can be upgraded into electric in future.

Tanzania appears to have secured the cheapest railway construction deal in the region. At Ksh. 192 billion at current exchange rates, Tanzania would be spending nearly half of what Kenya spent to build the first phase from Mombasa to Nairobi. Kenya’s line between Mombasa and Nairobi, which is longer by about 50 kilometres, was constructed at a cost of Ksh. 380.4 billion. This cost does not        i r in the interest on the loan, the 20 per cent depreciation of the currency and the Ksh. 1 billion paid for land acquisition. With the volatility of the exchange rate, it would be a lenge to estimate the total financing cost of the project by the time the load is paid off. a ania did not go for the government-to-government deal that Kenya used to single source China Road and Bridge Corporation. Instead, it chose to source for a Turkish firm to construct its line trough a competitive process after a contract awarded to a Chinese Construction Company in 2015 was terminated.

To explain why Kenya’s line is more expensive, the government pointed out that it has features that make it more costly. To begin with, the line has one port station, two major passenger stations in Mombasa and Nairobi, seven intermediate passenger stations at Mariakani, Miasenyi, Voi, Mtito Andei, Kibwezi, Emali and Athi River and 23 crossing stations. It also has 98 Bridges covering 29 kilometres of the railway line and nine Wildlife Animal Crossing Corridors erected within Tsavo East and Tsavo West National parks for wildlife to pass under the SGR line. On completion, the Tanzania line will have the capacity to transport 17 million tonnes of cargo each year. This is about five million tonnes less cargo than what Kenya hopes to ferry in a year once its freight lines are in operation. The 22 million tonnes of cargo Kenya hopes to carry a year will give it a better chance to break even.

Both Kenya and Tanzania ignored studies from the World Bank that had suggested that building new railway lines may not be economically viable at the time. Instead, the World Bank suggested that the two countries would be better rehabilitating the existing meter gauge railways at a cheaper cost, a suggestion that was rejected by both countries. Kenya argued that the metre gauge line built over a century ago was too dilapidated. Even if it were to be rehabilitated, the railway line would not meet the desired standards and speeds. In addition, Kenya pointed out that the construction of the metre gauge railway was done on the 18 tonnes axle load, but the SGR line is being done on the 25 tonnes axle load which requires a much stronger support base. Besides, the SGR line would allow the country to achieve good gradient and curvature that is necessary for speed and efficiency. Moreover, the metre gauge railway from Mombasa to Nairobi is 518 km but on the SGR line it is 472 km, meaning that the SGR line is fairly straight.

The biggest headache for SGR line will be how to marl the necessary cargo and passengers to break even and repay the debts. Judging from the interest shown so far by the business community locally and within the region to use    the line could break even within five years.

Adapted from: The Standard, Sunday, October 8,2017.

(a)  State the meaning of each the following words and phrase as used in the passage: (4 marks)

(i) respective;

(ii) factor in;

(iii)   Dilapidated;

(iv)   Headache.

(b)          In about 140 words, and according to the passage, explain the features that differentiate the Tanzanian SGR line from the Kenyan one.   (12 marks)

(c)           Explain, according to the passage, why Kenya ignored the World Bank’s suggestion to rehabilitate the existing metre gauge railway.     (8 marks)