English HL Grade 11 P1 November Mock Exam 2 2026 QP (Eng)

Copyright reserved Please turn over Mock hlayiso mock exams Practice Series: Grade 11 Exam Preparation WWW.HLAYISO.COM NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 11 ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE P1 NOVEMBER EXAMINATION 2026 (MOCK) MARKS: 70 TIME: 2 hours This question paper consists of 13 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 IN PRAISE OF FAILURE 1 When Lerato*, sixteen, received her Mathematics test back, the number at the top of the page was circled in red: 31%. She folded the paper in half, then in half again, and pushed it to the bottom of her schoolbag beneath a lunchbox and a crumpled jersey. That evening, when her mother asked how school had been, she said, 'Fine.' 'I felt like a fraud wearing a school uniform,' she remembers. 'Everyone 5 else seemed to be coping. I was sure that I was the only one who wasn't.' 2 Lerato's reaction is not unusual. We live in a culture that worships the winner's podium. Social media feeds overflow with distinctions, trophies and acceptance letters; nobody posts the rejection e-mail or the test that went badly. Over time, we have learnt to treat failure as if it were a contagious disease: something to be 10 avoided, hidden and, if it is caught, quarantined. 3 This fear comes at a high price. Fear of failure stifles curiosity. Learners who are terrified of getting things wrong stop putting up their hands in class, in case their answer is laughed at. Some avoid subjects that they find difficult and choose the 'safe' option instead of the one that interests them. Others become perfectionists 15 who spend hours rewriting a single paragraph, or who never hand in work at all because it is never quite good enough. 4 There is a deep irony here. The surest way to fail is to be too afraid to try. A learner who never attempts a challenging problem will never get it wrong – but she will never learn to solve it either. 20 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 4 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 5 Learning, it turns out, depends on mistakes. When we get something wrong and then discover the correct answer, we tend to remember it far better than if we had simply been told. The error, in other words, is part of the lesson. 'A mistake is information, not a verdict,' says Mr Sipho Dlamini*, an educational psychologist who works with high-school learners in KwaZulu-Natal. 'It tells you what to do next. 25 It does not tell you who you are.' 6 Think of a toddler learning to walk. She falls over dozens of times a day, sometimes landing hard enough to cry. Does anyone call her a failure? Of course not. We clap, we cheer, we hold out our hands and say, 'Try again!' Somewhere between the first wobbly steps and the first school report, however, that patience disappears. 30 7 Schools and homes are often the worst offenders. Marks are read out in front of the class. Red ink bleeds across the page. A disappointing report is greeted with a lecture, a punishment or a humiliating comparison with a cousin who 'always gets distinctions'. We say that we want to raise resilient young people, yet we crush them for every stumble. Small wonder, then, that so many learners would rather 35 hide a bad mark than learn from it. 8 Of course, this is not an invitation to stop studying. Failing because you did not bother to prepare is not a lesson; it is simply a consequence. What matters is learning to fail well: looking honestly at what went wrong, asking for help and trying again with a different approach. A failure that is examined becomes a stepping 40 stone; a failure that is hidden remains a stone in your shoe. 9 Lerato eventually unfolded her test and took it to her teacher. Together they worked through every incorrect answer. Six weeks later, she scored 58%. 'It's not a distinction,' she laughs, 'but it's mine.' The original test, with its red 31%, is now stuck on her bedroom wall. 'It reminds me where I started,' she says. Failure, it 45 seems, is not the opposite of success. It is part of the road that leads there. *not their real names [Examiner's own text] AND Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 5 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 TEXT B AGE 1 AGE 16 Wonderful, my angel! You're so brave! Try again! BUMP! 48%?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? 48% [Examiner's own cartoon] NOTE: The cartoon consists of two frames. In FRAME 1 (AGE 1), a toddler has just fallen over. Her mother stands over her, smiling broadly, with her arms raised in delight. In FRAME 2 (AGE 16), the same mother stands with her hands on her hips, frowning, as she shouts at her teenage daughter, who stands with her head bowed and shoulders hunched, holding a test marked 48%. The words in the cartoon read as follows: FRAME 1 (AGE 1): BUMP! Mother: Wonderful, my angel! You're so brave! Try again! FRAME 2 (AGE 16): Mother: 48%?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? QUESTIONS: TEXT A 1.1 Refer to the title, 'IN PRAISE OF FAILURE'. Explain why this title is likely to capture the reader's attention. (2) 1.2 Refer to paragraph 1. In your own words, explain why Lerato hid her test from her mother. (2) 1.3 Refer to lines 9–11: 'we have learnt … if it is caught, quarantined.' Comment on the effectiveness of the comparison in these lines. (2) 1.4 Refer to line 12. Choose the correct answer from the options below. As it is used in the passage, the word 'stifles' means … A encourages. B suppresses. C explains. D measures. (1) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 6 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 1.5 Refer to paragraph 3. State TWO ways in which the fear of failure affects learners' behaviour. (2) 1.6 Refer to lines 18–19: 'The surest way to fail is to be too afraid to try.' Explain the paradox in this statement. (2) 1.7 Refer to lines 23–26: 'A mistake is information, not a verdict.' Critically discuss the validity of Mr Dlamini's view. (3) 1.8 Refer to paragraph 7. Comment on the writer's use of diction to convey how young people are treated when they fail. Include TWO examples in your answer. (3) 1.9 Refer to line 37: 'Of course, this is not an invitation to stop studying.' Identify the writer's tone in this line and explain why the writer adopts this tone at this point in the article. (2) 1.10 Refer to paragraph 9 (lines 42–46). Comment on how the final paragraph links to the opening of the article and evaluate whether it is an effective conclusion. (3) QUESTIONS: TEXT B 1.11 Compare the mother's body language in FRAME 1 with her body language in FRAME 2. What does this change suggest about her attitude? (2) 1.12 Refer to FRAME 2. Account for the use of the capital letters AND the punctuation in '48%?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?' (2) QUESTION: TEXTS A AND B 1.13 To what extent does TEXT B support the views expressed in paragraphs 6 and 7 of TEXT A? Refer to BOTH texts in your answer. (4) TOTAL SECTION A: 30 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 7 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION B: SUMMARY QUESTION 2: SUMMARISING IN YOUR OWN WORDS TEXT C discusses the hidden costs of 'fast fashion'. Summarise, in your own words, the ways in which fast fashion harms the environment and people. 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 THE REAL PRICE OF A R99 T-SHIRT A new T-shirt for less than R100, a pair of jeans for the price of a takeaway meal, new styles in the shops every few weeks: 'fast fashion' has made it cheaper and easier than ever to keep up with the latest trends. But the price on the tag is not the whole story. Somebody, somewhere, pays the rest of the bill. Much of that bill is paid by the planet. Growing cotton is thirsty work, and producing a single pair of jeans can use thousands of litres of water, often in regions where clean water is already scarce. In many factories, the chemicals used to dye and treat fabric are poured, untreated, into nearby rivers, poisoning the fish and the communities who depend on that water. Cheap clothes are increasingly made from synthetic fabrics such as polyester, which is produced from oil. Every time these garments are washed, they shed tiny plastic fibres that are too small to be filtered out and that eventually find their way into the sea. Because fast fashion is designed to be worn only a few times, mountains of clothing are thrown away every year. Most of it is never recycled. It is dumped in landfill sites, where synthetic fabrics may take hundreds of years to break down, or it is burnt, releasing greenhouse gases into the air. The human cost is just as troubling. Many of the workers who stitch these garments, most of them women, earn wages that are too low to live on. Some work long hours in crowded, unsafe buildings. Closer to home, a flood of cheap imported clothing has made it difficult for local clothing factories to compete, and many South African textile workers have lost their jobs. Finally, fast fashion changes the way we shop. Constant new 'drops' and online advertising persuade young people that last month's outfit is already out of date, encouraging them to buy far more than they need, sometimes on credit that they cannot afford to repay. The good news is that every shopper has a choice. Buying fewer, better-made clothes, shopping at second-hand stores and repairing what we already own all help to reduce the real price of what we wear. [Examiner's own text] TOTAL SECTION B: 10 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 8 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION C: LANGUAGE IN CONTEXT QUESTION 3: ANALYSING ADVERTISING Study the advertisements (TEXT D and TEXT E) below and answer the set questions. TEXT D YOUR BODY IS ABOUT 60% WATER. WHY FILL IT WITH ANYTHING ELSE? HydroGo stainless steel 750 ml Meet HydroGo, the bottle that goes where you go. Ice-cold for 24 hours.* Leak-proof in your school bag. Tough enough for the soccer field. Every refill saves a plastic bottle from the dump. Every sip keeps you sharp, fresh and focused. Join the refill revolution today. HydroGo Refill, not landfill. *When filled with cold water and kept closed. [Examiner's own advertisement. HydroGo is a fictitious brand.] NOTE: The advertisement shows a sleek, stainless-steel water bottle against a plain background. The text in the advertisement reads as follows: YOUR BODY IS ABOUT 60% WATER. WHY FILL IT WITH ANYTHING ELSE? Meet HydroGo, the bottle that goes where you go. Ice-cold for 24 hours.* Leak-proof in your school bag. Tough enough for the soccer field. Every refill saves a plastic bottle from the dump. Every sip keeps you sharp, fresh and focused. Join the refill revolution today. HydroGo Refill, not landfill. *When filled with cold water and kept closed. QUESTIONS: TEXT D 3.1 Refer to the headline: 'YOUR BODY IS ABOUT 60% WATER. WHY FILL IT WITH ANYTHING ELSE?' Explain how the headline is intended to persuade readers to buy the product. (2) 3.2 Identify ONE persuasive technique used in TEXT D (excluding the headline) and quote an example of it from the advertisement. (2) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 9 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 TEXT E YOU WOULDN'T EAT 8 SPOONS OF SUGAR. SO WHY DRINK THEM? FIZZ COLA 330 ml A 330 ml can of regular fizzy drink contains about 8 tsp of sugar.* Too much sugar can lead to tooth decay, weight gain and diabetes. Rethink your drink. Choose water. Your heart will thank you. SUGAR SMART SA *Estimate. Amounts vary between brands. [Examiner's own advertisement. Fizz Cola and Sugar Smart SA are fictitious.] NOTE: The advertisement shows a soft-drink can that has been built out of white sugar cubes. Eight empty teaspoons are lined up beneath it. The text in the advertisement reads as follows: YOU WOULDN'T EAT 8 SPOONS OF SUGAR. SO WHY DRINK THEM? A 330 ml can of regular fizzy drink contains about 8 tsp of sugar.* Too much sugar can lead to tooth decay, weight gain and diabetes. Rethink your drink. Choose water. Your heart will thank you. SUGAR SMART SA *Estimate. Amounts vary between brands. QUESTIONS: TEXT E 3.3 Discuss how the visual image (the can made of sugar cubes) conveys the message of the advertisement. (2) 3.4 Write the abbreviation 'tsp' in full. (1) QUESTION: TEXTS D AND E 3.5 Both advertisements encourage people to drink water. Critically discuss which of the two advertisements is more effective in achieving this aim. Refer to BOTH advertisements in your answer. (3) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 10 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 QUESTION 4: UNDERSTANDING OTHER ASPECTS OF THE MEDIA Study the cartoon (TEXT F) below and answer the set questions. TEXT F: CARTOON 1 2 3 4 Sizwe, please help me with the dishes. Sorry, Gogo. I'm SO busy! Hey, guys! Welcome to my #ChoreChallenge! Helping out at home is SO important! REC #Chore Challenge 3 views Three views … in TWO hours? #GogoMoves 1.2M views Sizwe, my boy, how do I reply to all these comments? [Examiner's own cartoon] CHARACTERS: Sizwe (a teenage boy) and his grandmother (Gogo) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 11 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 DESCRIPTION OF THE FRAMES: FRAME 1: Gogo, holding a stack of dirty plates, asks Sizwe for help. Sizwe lies slouched on the couch, staring at his phone. He does not look up. FRAME 2: Sizwe stands at the kitchen sink wearing an apron. He grins at a phone on a tripod in front of a ring light while he films himself. Gogo peeps around the door with her eyebrows raised. FRAME 3: Sizwe sits slumped on the couch, frowning at his phone, which shows that his video has had three views. FRAME 4: Gogo dances happily with a mop while filming herself. Her phone shows that her video, '#GogoMoves', has 1.2 million views. Sizwe stares at her with his mouth wide open. QUESTIONS: TEXT F 4.1 Refer to FRAME 1. What does Sizwe's body language reveal about his attitude towards his grandmother's request? (2) 4.2 Refer to FRAME 3. Account for the use of the ellipsis in 'Three views …'. (1) 4.3 Refer to FRAMES 1 and 2. Explain the irony in Sizwe's words in FRAME 2: 'Helping out at home is SO important!' (2) 4.4 Refer to FRAME 4: 'Sizwe, my boy, how do I reply to all these comments?' Rewrite Gogo's words in reported speech. Begin with: Gogo asked Sizwe … (2) 4.5 Critically discuss how the cartoonist creates humour in this cartoon. Refer to the cartoon as a whole. (3) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 12 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 QUESTION 5: USING LANGUAGE CORRECTLY Read TEXT G, which contains some deliberate errors, and answer the set questions. TEXT G THE QUEEN OF THE BOARD 1 When Amahle Booi* first saw a chessboard, she thought it was a game for old men in the park. Three years later, she is the under-16 girls' champion of her district – and she has never had a single lesson from a professional coach. Her older brother taught her the basic moves on a board made from cardboard and bottle tops. 5 2 Amahle is a member of a small chess club that meets in a Grade 7 classroom in Mthatha. The members of the club practises every afternoon from 15:00 until 17:00. Their coach, a volunteer named Mr Lungile Mpofu*, is very pacific about the rules: phones are switched off, and players may not touch a piece until it is their turn. 10 3 Sitting at the board, the noise of the taxi rank outside disappears. 'At the begining, I lost almost every game,' Amahle admits. 'But each loss taught me something new.' Although she still loses sometimes, she never gives up. It took her about a year to learn the ropes, but her first victory gave her the confidence to enter competitions. 15 4 Her decision to keep playing has paid off. Last month, she won a place in the provincial team, and her win was celebrated by the whole school. 'Chess teaches you to think before you move,' she says. 'That is a good rule for life too.' *not their real names [Examiner's own text] QUESTIONS: TEXT G 5.1 Refer to paragraph 1: '– and she has never had a single lesson …' State the function of the dash in this sentence. (1) 5.2 'Her older brother taught her the basic moves …' (paragraph 1) Rewrite this clause in the passive voice. Begin with: She … (1) 5.3 Correct the concord error in paragraph 2. (1) 5.4 Identify and correct the malapropism in paragraph 2. (1) 5.5 Refer to the first sentence of paragraph 3. Rewrite this sentence to correct the misrelated (dangling) participle. (1) 5.6 Identify and correct the spelling error in paragraph 3. (1) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 13 NSC Mock Hlayiso/Mock 2026 5.7 'Although she still loses sometimes, she never gives up.' (paragraph 3) Choose the correct answer from the options below. This sentence is a … A simple sentence. B compound sentence. C complex sentence. D sentence fragment. (1) 5.8 Explain the meaning of the idiom 'to learn the ropes' (paragraph 3). (1) 5.9 Quote ONE word from paragraph 4 that is a synonym of 'victory' (paragraph 3). (1) 5.10 Refer to paragraph 4. Give the verb form of the word 'decision'. (1) [10] TOTAL SECTION C: 30 GRAND TOTAL: 70 Copyright reserved