English HL Grade 10 P1 November Mock 2026 Question Paper (Eng)

Copyright reserved Please turn over Mock hlayiso mock exams Practice Series: Grade 10 Exam Preparation WWW.HLAYISO.COM NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 10 ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE P1 NOVEMBER EXAMINATION 2026 (MOCK) MARKS: 70 TIME: 2 hours This question paper consists of 12 pages.

English Home Language/P1 2 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION 1. This question paper consists of THREE sections: SECTION A: Comprehension (30) SECTION B: Summary (10) SECTION C: Language in context (30) 2. Read ALL the instructions carefully. 3. Answer ALL the questions. 4. Start EACH section on a NEW page. 5. Rule off after each section. 6. Number the answers correctly according to the numbering system used in this question paper. 7. Leave a line after each answer. 8. Pay special attention to spelling and sentence construction. 9. Suggested time allocation: SECTION A: 50 minutes SECTION B: 30 minutes SECTION C: 40 minutes 10. Write neatly and legibly. Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 3 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION A: COMPREHENSION QUESTION 1: READING FOR MEANING AND UNDERSTANDING Read TEXT A and TEXT B below and answer the questions set. Answer in your own words as far as possible. TEXT A ROOTS ON THE ROOFTOP 1 Six storeys above the hooting taxis of the Johannesburg city centre, Lindiwe Khoza*, seventeen, kneels between rows of spinach and pulls a weed from the soil. Below her, the city roars. Up here, the loudest sound is the buzzing of bees. 'People don't believe me when I tell them I'm a farmer,' she laughs, brushing the dirt from her school shoes. 'They think farms are only found in the countryside.' 5 2 Three years ago, the roof of the old office block where Lindiwe lives was a wasteland of broken bottles, rusted pipes and pigeon droppings. Today it is home to more than forty vegetable beds made from old bathtubs, car tyres and plastic crates. The garden was started by a group of teenagers who were tired of, in Lindiwe's words, 'just hanging around and waiting for life to happen'. With R2 000 10 raised at a car wash and seedlings donated by a local nursery, they began to dig. 3 The early days were not easy. The first crop of tomatoes was scorched by the sun; the second was eaten by pigeons. 'We nearly gave up,' admits Sipho Ndlovu*, sixteen, one of the founders. 'Then an old man from the third floor, who grew up on a farm in KwaZulu-Natal, came upstairs and laughed at us. He said we were 15 planting like city people.' Under the guidance of the man they now call Mkhulu1, the teenagers learnt to build shade nets from old curtains, to make compost from kitchen scraps and to plant marigolds among the vegetables to keep insects away. 4 Today the harvest is impressive. Every week the rooftop produces spinach, onions, beetroot, herbs and chillies. Some of it is shared with elderly residents in 20 the building; the rest is sold at a small stall at the entrance, and the profits pay for seeds and tools. Last year the group earned enough to buy two second-hand water tanks, which collect rainwater from the gutters. Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 4 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 5 Food is only part of the story. Small urban gardens like this one are appearing on rooftops, in schoolyards and on empty plots in towns and cities. Supporters 25 point out that they bring a range of benefits: plants help to keep buildings cooler in summer, soil absorbs rainwater that would otherwise rush into the streets, and vegetables grown nearby are fresher and often cheaper than food that has travelled hundreds of kilometres to reach the shops. 6 For the young gardeners, however, the greatest harvest cannot be weighed. 30 Sipho, who used to bunk school, now arrives early so that he can water the seedlings before lessons begin. 'You can't lie to a plant,' he says. 'If you don't look after it, it dies. It taught me that nothing grows without patience.' Lindiwe has discovered a passion for science and hopes to study agriculture at university. 7 Not everyone was convinced at first. The caretaker of the building worried that the 35 soil would damage the roof, and some neighbours complained about the smell of the compost. The teenagers responded by inviting them up for a tour – and a plate of freshly cooked morogo2. Most of the critics went home with a bunch of spinach and a changed opinion. 8 As the sun sets behind the Hillbrow Tower, Lindiwe packs away her tools. Far 40 below, the streets are filled with traffic and noise. Up here, a small green island is growing quietly. 'Everyone says that young people are the future,' she says. 'But we are not waiting for the future. We are planting it now.' *not their real names [Examiner's own text] GLOSSARY: 1Mkhulu: (isiZulu) grandfather; a respectful name for an old man 2morogo: a traditional dish of cooked wild spinach or other leafy greens AND Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 5 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 TEXT B DON'T JUST EAT. GROW. No garden? No problem. All you need is a container, some soil, a few seeds and sunshine. Join our FREE Saturday workshops for teens and learn how to: • turn kitchen scraps into compost • grow vegetables in old buckets, tyres and bottles • save water with a simple drip system Every Saturday in February • 09:00 – 12:00 • Community Hall Small seeds. Big change. JOZI GREEN ROOTS [Examiner's own poster. Jozi Green Roots is a fictitious organisation.] NOTE: The poster shows a large bucket standing on a rooftop. A healthy young seedling grows out of the soil in the bucket. Smaller containers with plants stand beside it. Tall city buildings fill the background. The text in the poster reads as follows: DON'T JUST EAT. GROW. No garden? No problem. All you need is a container, some soil, a few seeds and sunshine. Join our FREE Saturday workshops for teens and learn how to: turn kitchen scraps into compost; grow vegetables in old buckets, tyres and bottles; save water with a simple drip system. Every Saturday in February • 09:00 – 12:00 • Community Hall Small seeds. Big change. JOZI GREEN ROOTS Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 6 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 QUESTIONS: TEXT A 1.1 Refer to lines 4–5. Why do people find it hard to believe that Lindiwe is a farmer? (1) 1.2 Refer to line 6: 'a wasteland of broken bottles, rusted pipes and pigeon droppings'. What does the word 'wasteland' suggest about the roof before the garden was started? (1) 1.3 Refer to lines 6–9. What does the choice of materials for the vegetable beds reveal about the teenagers? Give a reason for your answer. (2) 1.4 Refer to lines 14–16. Explain what Mkhulu meant when he said that the teenagers were 'planting like city people'. (2) 1.5 Refer to paragraph 4 (lines 19–23). Choose the correct answer from the options below. As it is used in the passage, the word 'profits' refers to … A the vegetables that are given away. B the money that is left after costs have been paid. C the rainwater that is collected in the tanks. D the seeds that are donated by the nursery. (1) 1.6 Refer to lines 24–29. In your own words, state TWO benefits that urban gardens bring to a city. (2) 1.7 Refer to line 30: 'For the young … cannot be weighed.' Explain what the writer means by this statement. (2) 1.8 Refer to lines 32–33: 'You can't lie … without patience.' Discuss what Sipho has learnt from gardening and how this lesson could help him in other areas of his life. (3) 1.9 Refer to paragraph 7 (lines 35–39). Do you think that the teenagers dealt wisely with their critics? Justify your response. (3) 1.10 Refer to line 41: 'Up here, a small green island is growing quietly.' 1.10.1 Identify the figure of speech used in this line. (1) 1.10.2 Explain why this figure of speech is effective. (2) 1.11 Refer to lines 42–43: 'But we are … it now.' Comment on the effectiveness of these words as the conclusion to the article. (2) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 7 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 QUESTIONS: TEXT B 1.12 Refer to the headline: 'DON'T JUST EAT. GROW.' Explain why this headline is effective. (2) 1.13 Discuss how the picture of the seedling against the background of tall buildings supports the slogan, 'Small seeds. Big change.' (2) QUESTION: TEXTS A AND B 1.14 Discuss how TEXT B supports the message of TEXT A. In your answer, refer to BOTH texts and state which text you find more inspiring. (4) TOTAL SECTION A: 30 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 8 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION B: SUMMARY QUESTION 2: SUMMARISING IN YOUR OWN WORDS TEXT C gives advice to people who are planning to go hiking. Summarise, in your own words, the steps that hikers should take to stay safe on a hiking trail. NOTE: 1. Your summary should include SEVEN points and NOT exceed 90 words. 2. You must write a fluent paragraph. 3. You are NOT required to include a title for the summary. 4. Indicate your word count at the end of your summary. TEXT C BEFORE YOU HIT THE TRAIL South Africa is a hiker's paradise. From the cliffs of the Drakensberg to the forests of the Garden Route, there is a trail for every level of fitness. Every year, however, rescue teams are called out to help hikers who are lost, injured or caught in bad weather. Most of these emergencies could have been avoided with a little common sense. Good hikes begin at home. Study a map of the route before you leave and make sure that it suits the fitness of everyone in your group. Check the weather forecast, too: mountain weather can change within minutes, and a sunny morning can turn into an afternoon of mist and thunder. Never set off without telling someone where you are going. Leave a copy of your route and the time at which you expect to return with a friend or family member who is staying behind. Better still, do not hike alone at all; in a group, there is always someone who can help or fetch help. What you carry matters. Pack more water than you think you will need, as well as snacks that give you energy, such as nuts and dried fruit. Wear comfortable boots that support your ankles, and take a warm, waterproof jacket, even in summer. A fully charged cellphone, a torch and a small first-aid kit can make the difference between an uncomfortable night and a disaster. On the trail itself, stick to the marked paths. Short cuts may look tempting, but they are the quickest way to get lost or to slip on loose rocks. Keep an eye on the time and the sky. If the weather turns or you are running late, turn back. The mountain will still be there next weekend. Finally, remember that you are a visitor in the home of wild animals. Watch them from a distance and never try to feed them. A hike should leave you with tired legs and happy memories – not with a story about how you were rescued. [Examiner's own text] TOTAL SECTION B: 10 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 9 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION C: LANGUAGE IN CONTEXT QUESTION 3: ANALYSING ADVERTISING Study the advertisement (TEXT D) below and answer the set questions. TEXT D ONE BOTTLE. ZERO REGRETS. RiverStone Every day, thousands of single-use plastic bottles wash up on our beaches. The RiverStone steel bottle keeps water ice-cold for 24 hours and tea hot for 12. One bottle, a lifetime* of refills. Refill it. Reuse it. Love it for life. RiverStone Drink responsibly. Live lightly. *Lifetime guarantee covers manufacturing defects only. Terms and conditions apply. [Examiner's own advertisement. RiverStone is a fictitious brand.] NOTE: The advertisement shows a beach littered with empty plastic bottles. In the centre, a large, shiny steel water bottle stands upright in the sand. The text in the advertisement reads as follows: ONE BOTTLE. ZERO REGRETS. Every day, thousands of single-use plastic bottles wash up on our beaches. The RiverStone steel bottle keeps water ice-cold for 24 hours and tea hot for 12. One bottle, a lifetime* of refills. Refill it. Reuse it. Love it for life. RiverStone Drink responsibly. Live lightly. *Lifetime guarantee covers manufacturing defects only. Terms and conditions apply. Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 10 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 QUESTIONS: TEXT D 3.1 Identify the target audience of this advertisement. Give a reason for your answer. (2) 3.2 Refer to the headline: 'ONE BOTTLE. ZERO REGRETS.' Explain how the headline tries to persuade readers to buy the product. (2) 3.3 Discuss how the contrast between the plastic bottles and the steel bottle in the picture supports the written message of the advertisement. (3) 3.4 'Refill it. Reuse it. Love it for life.' Identify the stylistic device used in the above line. (1) 3.5 Refer to the slogan: 'Drink responsibly. Live lightly.' Explain the play on words in the slogan. (2) [10] QUESTION 4: UNDERSTANDING OTHER ASPECTS OF THE MEDIA Study the cartoon (TEXT E) below and answer the set questions. TEXT E: CARTOON 1 2 3 4 Don't worry, Gogo. I'll teach you. It's SO easy! ? ? ? Which one is the 'send' button? The little aeroplane? 05:02 Tuesday GOGO (47 new messages) Gogo: [picture of flowers] Gogo: [picture of flowers] Gogo: GOOD MORNING!!! Two weeks later … Lerato! Why didn't you reply to my good- morning flowers? I sent you FORTY-SEVEN! [Examiner's own cartoon] CHARACTERS: Lerato (a teenager) and her grandmother (Gogo) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 11 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 DESCRIPTION OF THE FRAMES: FRAME 1: Lerato, smiling confidently, holds up a cellphone and offers to teach Gogo how to use it. Gogo smiles politely. FRAME 2: Gogo holds the phone and frowns. Three question marks float above her head. Lerato points at the screen; drops of sweat fly from her head. FRAME 3: A close-up of Lerato's cellphone screen at 05:02 on a Tuesday morning, two weeks later. FRAME 4: Gogo, beaming, holds up her phone. Lerato stands next to her, slumped, with half-closed eyes and dark rings under them. QUESTIONS: TEXT E 4.1 Refer to FRAME 1. What do Lerato's words and facial expression reveal about her attitude towards teaching Gogo? (2) 4.2 Refer to FRAME 2. Discuss how the cartoonist shows that Gogo finds the phone difficult to use. (2) 4.3 Refer to FRAME 3. Explain the significance of the time shown on the screen. (1) 4.4 Refer to FRAMES 1 and 4. Explain the irony in the cartoon. (2) 4.5 Do you think that the cartoon gives a fair picture of the relationship between older people and technology? Discuss your view. (3) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 12 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 QUESTION 5: USING LANGUAGE CORRECTLY Read TEXT F, which contains some deliberate errors, and answer the set questions. TEXT F THE BICYCLE DOCTOR OF MAMELODI 1 Every afternoon, a queue of children forms outside a small tin garage in Mamelodi. Some are pushing bicycles with flat tyres; others carries broken chains in their hands. 2 The man they have come to see is Mr Peter Mahlangu*, a retired mechanic who repairs bicycles for free. 'A bicycle is not a toy. It is a child's ticket to school,' 5 he explained when I visited him. He beleives that no child should miss lessons because of a long walk. 3 Each bicycle that arrives has it's own story. Mr Mahlangu teaches the children to fix their own bicycles, so that they can help their friends. Last year he repaired more then three hundred bicycles. 10 4 Mr Mahlangu always goes the extra mile. When a girl arrived with a bicycle that was too badly damaged to repair, he gave her one of his own. 'Her smile was my payment,' he said proudly. *not his real name [Examiner's own text] QUESTIONS: TEXT F 5.1 Correct the error of concord in paragraph 1. (1) 5.2 Identify and correct the spelling error in paragraph 2. (1) 5.3 'A bicycle is not a toy. It is a child's ticket to school,' he explained. (Line 5) Rewrite the above sentence in reported speech. Begin with: He explained that … (2) 5.4 Correct the error in the use of the apostrophe in paragraph 3. (1) 5.5 'Mr Mahlangu teaches the children to fix their own bicycles' (paragraph 3). Rewrite the above clause in the passive voice. Begin with: The children … (1) 5.6 Identify and correct the error in the use of a commonly confused word in paragraph 3. (1) 5.7 Explain the meaning of the idiom 'goes the extra mile' in paragraph 4. (1) 5.8 Identify the part of speech of 'proudly' (paragraph 4). (1) 5.9 Explain why the writer calls Mr Mahlangu a 'doctor' in the title. (1) [10] TOTAL SECTION C: 30 GRAND TOTAL: 70 Copyright reserved