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Question 1 Rapport
The topic of a debate organized by the Directorate for Mass Mobilization for senior secondary schools is: The open ballot system is better than the secret ballot system for Nigeria. Write your contribution for or against the motion.
Motion: The open ballot system is better than the secret ballot system for Nigeria.
Speaking against the motion.
Mr. Chairman, accurate timekeeper, panel of judges, my co-debaters, ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you this afternoon to oppose the motion which claims that the open ballot system is better than the secret ballot system for Nigeria. I shall prove, beyond all reasonable doubt, that the secret ballot is the safer and more democratic choice for our nation.
First and foremost, the secret ballot protects the voter. In an open ballot, where a citizen must declare his choice publicly or queue behind a candidate, the poor and the vulnerable are exposed to intimidation. A tenant may be forced to vote for his landlord's candidate; a worker may fear the anger of his employer. The secret ballot removes this fear, for no one can punish a vote that no one can see.
Secondly, the secret ballot guarantees a free and truthful choice. Democracy rests on the free will of the people. When a vote is cast in secret, the citizen votes according to his conscience and not according to the pressure of the crowd around him. The result therefore reflects the genuine wish of the people.
Thirdly, the secret ballot reduces the buying and selling of votes. Where voting is open, a vote-buyer can confirm that the money he paid bought the vote he wanted before he pays. The secrecy of the ballot breaks this corrupt bargain, because the buyer can never be sure how the citizen actually voted.
My opponents may argue that the open ballot is transparent and cheaper to conduct. But of what use is transparency if it is purchased with the freedom and safety of the voter? True transparency lies in accurate counting and honest umpires, not in exposing the helpless citizen to danger.
Mr. Chairman, in a country still building its democratic culture, we cannot afford a system that frightens the weak into silence. For the safety of the voter, the honesty of the result and the health of our democracy, I urge this house to reject the motion in its totality. Thank you.
Détails de la réponse
Motion: The open ballot system is better than the secret ballot system for Nigeria.
Speaking against the motion.
Mr. Chairman, accurate timekeeper, panel of judges, my co-debaters, ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you this afternoon to oppose the motion which claims that the open ballot system is better than the secret ballot system for Nigeria. I shall prove, beyond all reasonable doubt, that the secret ballot is the safer and more democratic choice for our nation.
First and foremost, the secret ballot protects the voter. In an open ballot, where a citizen must declare his choice publicly or queue behind a candidate, the poor and the vulnerable are exposed to intimidation. A tenant may be forced to vote for his landlord's candidate; a worker may fear the anger of his employer. The secret ballot removes this fear, for no one can punish a vote that no one can see.
Secondly, the secret ballot guarantees a free and truthful choice. Democracy rests on the free will of the people. When a vote is cast in secret, the citizen votes according to his conscience and not according to the pressure of the crowd around him. The result therefore reflects the genuine wish of the people.
Thirdly, the secret ballot reduces the buying and selling of votes. Where voting is open, a vote-buyer can confirm that the money he paid bought the vote he wanted before he pays. The secrecy of the ballot breaks this corrupt bargain, because the buyer can never be sure how the citizen actually voted.
My opponents may argue that the open ballot is transparent and cheaper to conduct. But of what use is transparency if it is purchased with the freedom and safety of the voter? True transparency lies in accurate counting and honest umpires, not in exposing the helpless citizen to danger.
Mr. Chairman, in a country still building its democratic culture, we cannot afford a system that frightens the weak into silence. For the safety of the voter, the honesty of the result and the health of our democracy, I urge this house to reject the motion in its totality. Thank you.
Question 2 Rapport
You were an eye-witness to a fight in your dormitory in which a junior student was given a black eye and the principal had threatened to expel all the boarders unless the facts of the matter were made known to him. Write a letter to the principal stating what actually happened.
Blue House,
Government College,
Ibadan,
Oyo State.
10 July, 2026.
The Principal,
Government College,
Ibadan,
Oyo State.
Dear Sir,
EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE FIGHT IN BLUE HOUSE DORMITORY
I am writing to give you a truthful account of the fight that took place in our dormitory last night, following your directive that all boarders would be expelled unless the facts of the matter were made known to you. As an eye-witness who was present throughout the incident, I feel it is my duty to state exactly what happened.
The trouble began at about nine o'clock, shortly after prep. A senior student, Emeka of SS2, sent a junior boy, Tunde of JS1, to fetch water for him. When Tunde returned a little late because the tap was crowded, Emeka became angry and slapped him. Tunde, in tears, protested that he had not delayed on purpose. Instead of listening, Emeka rained blows on the boy, one of which landed on his eye and gave him the black eye that has caused so much concern.
At that point, two other seniors intervened and dragged Emeka away, while some of us led Tunde to the house prefect. The house prefect reported the matter to the housemaster on duty, who took Tunde to the sickbay for treatment. It is important to state, Sir, that the other boarders neither took part in the fight nor encouraged it; on the contrary, they helped to stop it.
I therefore appeal to you, Sir, to spare the innocent boarders the threatened expulsion, since only one student was responsible for the assault. I am ready to give evidence in person whenever you require it.
Thank you, Sir, for your understanding.
Yours faithfully,
Chidi Okafor,
SS3 (Eye-witness).
Détails de la réponse
Blue House,
Government College,
Ibadan,
Oyo State.
10 July, 2026.
The Principal,
Government College,
Ibadan,
Oyo State.
Dear Sir,
EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE FIGHT IN BLUE HOUSE DORMITORY
I am writing to give you a truthful account of the fight that took place in our dormitory last night, following your directive that all boarders would be expelled unless the facts of the matter were made known to you. As an eye-witness who was present throughout the incident, I feel it is my duty to state exactly what happened.
The trouble began at about nine o'clock, shortly after prep. A senior student, Emeka of SS2, sent a junior boy, Tunde of JS1, to fetch water for him. When Tunde returned a little late because the tap was crowded, Emeka became angry and slapped him. Tunde, in tears, protested that he had not delayed on purpose. Instead of listening, Emeka rained blows on the boy, one of which landed on his eye and gave him the black eye that has caused so much concern.
At that point, two other seniors intervened and dragged Emeka away, while some of us led Tunde to the house prefect. The house prefect reported the matter to the housemaster on duty, who took Tunde to the sickbay for treatment. It is important to state, Sir, that the other boarders neither took part in the fight nor encouraged it; on the contrary, they helped to stop it.
I therefore appeal to you, Sir, to spare the innocent boarders the threatened expulsion, since only one student was responsible for the assault. I am ready to give evidence in person whenever you require it.
Thank you, Sir, for your understanding.
Yours faithfully,
Chidi Okafor,
SS3 (Eye-witness).
Question 3 Rapport
Write an article for publication in a health magazine stating the causes and effects, and suggesting what should be done in order to check it.
Cholera: A Preventable Killer in Our Midst
By a Concerned Correspondent
In the past few weeks, the outbreak of a deadly epidemic in our community has claimed several lives and thrown families into mourning. The disease, cholera, spreads with alarming speed, and unless we understand its causes and effects, and act decisively, more lives will be lost needlessly.
Causes
Cholera is caused chiefly by drinking water and eating food contaminated with harmful bacteria. In our area, several factors have fuelled the outbreak. Many households have no access to clean, treated water and are forced to drink from streams and shallow wells that are polluted by refuse. Open defecation and poorly sited pit latrines allow waste to seep into these water sources. Heaps of uncollected rubbish attract flies, which carry germs from filth to food. Poor personal hygiene, such as failing to wash the hands with soap after using the toilet and before eating, completes the deadly chain of infection.
Effects
The effects of the epidemic have been devastating. Victims suffer severe vomiting and watery diarrhoea, which drain the body of fluids and lead to rapid dehydration and, in many cases, death within hours. Our clinics are overwhelmed, and families spend their meagre savings on treatment. Schools and markets have emptied as people stay away in fear. Beyond the human toll, the economy of the community has been paralysed, and the reputation of the area as a healthy place to live has been damaged.
What Should Be Done
The situation is not hopeless. The government and local authorities must provide clean, treated water and construct proper public toilets. Refuse must be collected and disposed of regularly. Health workers should embark on vigorous public enlightenment, teaching people to boil or treat drinking water, to wash their hands with soap, and to seek medical help at the first sign of illness. Oral rehydration therapy should be made freely available. Above all, every household must keep its surroundings clean.
An epidemic of this kind is entirely preventable. If we combine government action with personal responsibility, we can bring the outbreak under control and prevent its recurrence.
Détails de la réponse
Cholera: A Preventable Killer in Our Midst
By a Concerned Correspondent
In the past few weeks, the outbreak of a deadly epidemic in our community has claimed several lives and thrown families into mourning. The disease, cholera, spreads with alarming speed, and unless we understand its causes and effects, and act decisively, more lives will be lost needlessly.
Causes
Cholera is caused chiefly by drinking water and eating food contaminated with harmful bacteria. In our area, several factors have fuelled the outbreak. Many households have no access to clean, treated water and are forced to drink from streams and shallow wells that are polluted by refuse. Open defecation and poorly sited pit latrines allow waste to seep into these water sources. Heaps of uncollected rubbish attract flies, which carry germs from filth to food. Poor personal hygiene, such as failing to wash the hands with soap after using the toilet and before eating, completes the deadly chain of infection.
Effects
The effects of the epidemic have been devastating. Victims suffer severe vomiting and watery diarrhoea, which drain the body of fluids and lead to rapid dehydration and, in many cases, death within hours. Our clinics are overwhelmed, and families spend their meagre savings on treatment. Schools and markets have emptied as people stay away in fear. Beyond the human toll, the economy of the community has been paralysed, and the reputation of the area as a healthy place to live has been damaged.
What Should Be Done
The situation is not hopeless. The government and local authorities must provide clean, treated water and construct proper public toilets. Refuse must be collected and disposed of regularly. Health workers should embark on vigorous public enlightenment, teaching people to boil or treat drinking water, to wash their hands with soap, and to seek medical help at the first sign of illness. Oral rehydration therapy should be made freely available. Above all, every household must keep its surroundings clean.
An epidemic of this kind is entirely preventable. If we combine government action with personal responsibility, we can bring the outbreak under control and prevent its recurrence.
Question 4 Rapport
Tell a story which ends with the words: .....and I have had to live with this stigma for the rest of my life.
A Moment of Weakness
I was seventeen and in my final year at secondary school when the event that would shadow the rest of my life took place. Until then, my name had been a byword for honesty. Teachers trusted me with the keys of the examination store; my classmates called me "the reliable one." I little knew how quickly a good name, built over many years, could be lost in a single afternoon.
It was during the mock examinations. Our set was preparing for the school certificate, and the pressure to come first was crushing. My father had promised me a new bicycle if I topped the class, and I wanted that prize more than I could say. The night before the Mathematics paper, I had fallen ill and had been unable to study the last three topics. Fear gripped me. In a moment of weakness, I copied the formulae I needed onto a small piece of paper and hid it inside my sock.
The examination began quietly. For a while I resisted the temptation, but when I reached the questions I had not read, my resolve crumbled. I slipped the paper out and began to copy. I did not notice the invigilator, Mr. Bassey, standing behind me until his shadow fell across my desk. The whole hall turned to look. My paper was seized, my name was written down, and I was marched out before hundreds of my mates.
The school did not expel me, for it was only a mock examination, but the story spread like wildfire. From that day, the teachers no longer trusted me with the store keys. My classmates whispered whenever I passed. The title "the reliable one" was replaced by another, uglier one. Even after I left school, old schoolmates would introduce me to others with a knowing smile: "He is the one who was caught cheating."
I passed my real examinations honestly and went on to a good career, but the memory of that afternoon never left me. I have learnt, at a heavy price, that a single dishonest act can undo a lifetime of good conduct, and I have had to live with this stigma for the rest of my life.
Détails de la réponse
A Moment of Weakness
I was seventeen and in my final year at secondary school when the event that would shadow the rest of my life took place. Until then, my name had been a byword for honesty. Teachers trusted me with the keys of the examination store; my classmates called me "the reliable one." I little knew how quickly a good name, built over many years, could be lost in a single afternoon.
It was during the mock examinations. Our set was preparing for the school certificate, and the pressure to come first was crushing. My father had promised me a new bicycle if I topped the class, and I wanted that prize more than I could say. The night before the Mathematics paper, I had fallen ill and had been unable to study the last three topics. Fear gripped me. In a moment of weakness, I copied the formulae I needed onto a small piece of paper and hid it inside my sock.
The examination began quietly. For a while I resisted the temptation, but when I reached the questions I had not read, my resolve crumbled. I slipped the paper out and began to copy. I did not notice the invigilator, Mr. Bassey, standing behind me until his shadow fell across my desk. The whole hall turned to look. My paper was seized, my name was written down, and I was marched out before hundreds of my mates.
The school did not expel me, for it was only a mock examination, but the story spread like wildfire. From that day, the teachers no longer trusted me with the store keys. My classmates whispered whenever I passed. The title "the reliable one" was replaced by another, uglier one. Even after I left school, old schoolmates would introduce me to others with a knowing smile: "He is the one who was caught cheating."
I passed my real examinations honestly and went on to a good career, but the memory of that afternoon never left me. I have learnt, at a heavy price, that a single dishonest act can undo a lifetime of good conduct, and I have had to live with this stigma for the rest of my life.
Question 5 Rapport
Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions on it.
The death last month of Chief Dende has opened my eyes. Throughout his life, we were very close friends. We grew up together, attended the same primary and secondary schools, and joined the civil service the same day. Although we benefited from different in-service training programmes and at different times during our respective careers, we were never too distant from each other And we were installed chiefs the same day. Above all, his wife, Adanma, and minehave been good friends over the years.
All these years, I believed that my friend kept no secret from me. I could, and did occasionally, defend his integrity. Anywhere people discussed him in my hearing, I was ready to take up his case vehemently. Predictably, people stopped discussing him any time I was around. I had assumed, erroneously as it turned out, that people had stopped discussing him because they were sufficiently educated and sincerely convinced about his integrity. Happenings . have since shattered that assumption:
The first shock came the day after his death. The major national newspapers carried his obituary, as advertised by 'his wife Ngozi Dende, and her three children.' If the timing of the advertisement, a day after the event was strange, particularly more puzzling was the advertiser. All my life, I had known only Adanma as his wife and her five children. Besides, the names of 'his' three children in the advertisement were entirely different from those of his five children by Adanma.
Before I recovered from the first shock, the next bombshell fell. Members of the Apata Fraternity, a most dreaded secret cult, which Dende and I had despised while he lived, announced in the dailies that they had the exclusive right to bury their 'departed colleague'. The announcement warned all uninitiated persons to keep off In their own interest'. And so it was that members of the fraternity, supporting their claim with a hand-written will by Dende, collected his body from the hospital, performed the last rites on him and buried him in their sacred grove.
I have learnt, and I am still learning. I have reached the unpleasant conclusion that his critics were most probably right after all.
(a) Why was the writer always defending Chief Dende?
(b) Why was the writer puzzled about the advertisement by Ngozi Dende?
(c) Why was he also surprised about the advertisement by the Apata Fratenity?
(d) What lesson can we learn from this passage?
(e) the next bombshell fell. (i) What figure of speech is the above expression? (ii) What is its meaning?
(f) ……that his critics were most probably right after all (i) What grammatical name is given to the above expression?
(ii) What is its function in the sentence?
(g) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it as used in the passage.
(i) careers; (ii) integrity; (iii) vehemently, (iv) erroneously; (v) shattered; (vi) exclusive.
(a) The writer was always defending Chief Dende because they had been very close, lifelong friends and he was completely convinced of Dende's integrity, believing that his friend kept no secret from him.
(b) The writer was puzzled about the advertisement by Ngozi Dende because, all his life, he had known only Adanma as Dende's wife with her five children; yet here was a woman named Ngozi claiming to be Dende's wife, together with three children whose names were entirely different from those of Adanma's children.
(c) He was surprised about the Apata Fraternity's advertisement because Dende and he had openly despised that dreaded secret cult while Dende was alive, yet the fraternity now claimed Dende as their departed colleague and, backing their claim with his handwritten will, took his body and buried him, showing that Dende had secretly belonged to it.
(d) The lesson is that we can never truly know another person completely; even our closest friends may keep deep secrets from us, so we should not blindly defend or judge others on the basis of appearances alone.
(e) "...the next bombshell fell."
(i) It is a metaphor.
(ii) It means that another shocking and startling piece of news suddenly came to him.
(f) "...that his critics were most probably right after all"
(i) It is a noun clause.
(ii) It functions as an appositive to (in apposition with) the noun "conclusion", explaining what the conclusion was.
(g)
Détails de la réponse
(a) The writer was always defending Chief Dende because they had been very close, lifelong friends and he was completely convinced of Dende's integrity, believing that his friend kept no secret from him.
(b) The writer was puzzled about the advertisement by Ngozi Dende because, all his life, he had known only Adanma as Dende's wife with her five children; yet here was a woman named Ngozi claiming to be Dende's wife, together with three children whose names were entirely different from those of Adanma's children.
(c) He was surprised about the Apata Fraternity's advertisement because Dende and he had openly despised that dreaded secret cult while Dende was alive, yet the fraternity now claimed Dende as their departed colleague and, backing their claim with his handwritten will, took his body and buried him, showing that Dende had secretly belonged to it.
(d) The lesson is that we can never truly know another person completely; even our closest friends may keep deep secrets from us, so we should not blindly defend or judge others on the basis of appearances alone.
(e) "...the next bombshell fell."
(i) It is a metaphor.
(ii) It means that another shocking and startling piece of news suddenly came to him.
(f) "...that his critics were most probably right after all"
(i) It is a noun clause.
(ii) It functions as an appositive to (in apposition with) the noun "conclusion", explaining what the conclusion was.
(g)
Question 6 Rapport
Your younger sister in SSII has written for your advice on what subjects she should study for the SSCE. As someone who knows her ability in the different subjects, write a letter to her giving advice on why she should choose certain subjects rather than others. There has been an outbreak of an epidemic in your area.
15 Rosewood Avenue,
Ikeja,
Lagos State.
10 July, 2026.
Dear Ada,
Thank you for your letter asking me to help you decide the subjects you should offer for the SSCE. I am delighted that you have started thinking seriously about it now, in SSII, rather than waiting until the examination is at your doorstep. Because I have watched you study over the years, I can speak honestly about where your strengths lie.
First of all, you must keep the compulsory subjects: English Language and Mathematics. No matter what career you choose, admission into any tertiary institution depends on a credit pass in both, so they are not negotiable.
Now to the subjects where you have a real choice. You have always been outstanding in Biology, Chemistry and Physics; your notebooks are neat and your test scores in the sciences are consistently high. Since you have often told me that you would like to become a medical doctor, these three sciences are exactly the ones you should offer. They lead directly to Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing and other health courses.
On the other hand, I would advise you to drop Geography and Technical Drawing. You struggle with the map work in Geography and you find the instruments in Technical Drawing frustrating. Offering subjects that you do not enjoy will only drag down your grades and waste your energy. Choose Agricultural Science instead, since you love practical work and it complements the sciences well.
Remember to add one subject you can pass comfortably, such as Civic Education, to strengthen your results. Do not be influenced by what your friends are offering; choose according to your own ability and your ambition.
Please give my warm greetings to Mummy and Daddy. Write back and let me know what you finally decide.
Your loving sister,
Bola.
Détails de la réponse
15 Rosewood Avenue,
Ikeja,
Lagos State.
10 July, 2026.
Dear Ada,
Thank you for your letter asking me to help you decide the subjects you should offer for the SSCE. I am delighted that you have started thinking seriously about it now, in SSII, rather than waiting until the examination is at your doorstep. Because I have watched you study over the years, I can speak honestly about where your strengths lie.
First of all, you must keep the compulsory subjects: English Language and Mathematics. No matter what career you choose, admission into any tertiary institution depends on a credit pass in both, so they are not negotiable.
Now to the subjects where you have a real choice. You have always been outstanding in Biology, Chemistry and Physics; your notebooks are neat and your test scores in the sciences are consistently high. Since you have often told me that you would like to become a medical doctor, these three sciences are exactly the ones you should offer. They lead directly to Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing and other health courses.
On the other hand, I would advise you to drop Geography and Technical Drawing. You struggle with the map work in Geography and you find the instruments in Technical Drawing frustrating. Offering subjects that you do not enjoy will only drag down your grades and waste your energy. Choose Agricultural Science instead, since you love practical work and it complements the sciences well.
Remember to add one subject you can pass comfortably, such as Civic Education, to strengthen your results. Do not be influenced by what your friends are offering; choose according to your own ability and your ambition.
Please give my warm greetings to Mummy and Daddy. Write back and let me know what you finally decide.
Your loving sister,
Bola.
Question 7 Rapport
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it
. The history of warfare reveals that man has come a long way. In the beginning man contented him self with simple hand-hurled missiles. Man threw the stone at other animals and. in warfare, at his enemies. Destruction was minimal, as this was determined by the size and roughness of the stone and the energy of the thrower. Even when man later invented the catapult, destruction was only slightly higher. The primitive catapult was made out of a tough rope at one end of which was tied a big stone. Its most limiting factor was that such a missile, no matter how strong the force behind it, could kill only one person at a time.
Things were relatively easier for the assailant with the invention of the bow and arrow. For the first time, man utilized very little strength to bring down his enemy, even at a fairly distant position. The size of the bow, the elasticity of its string, and the sharpness of the arrow, much more than the crude energy of the thrower, determined how far and fast the arrow traveled. The weapon became even more significant when man later learnt to fix a sharp metal to the tip of the arrow. And when that metal was dyed in highly lethal poison, it became even more effective in killing a man.
With the coming of metal, farm implements were developed. But man soon turned some of these, especially the machete. into weapons of combat. The sword is thus a very close cousin of the machete. Used in combat, the sword, especially when carried by a very skillful fighter on a horse, could wreak far more havoc than the bow and arrow. It is hence understandable that the foremost conquerors of the classical period, from Alexander the Great to Julius Caesar, used this simple hand-borne instrument of combat. And this, in its simple turn with the invention of the gun and the bullet. The arrival of the gun introduced destruction of human lives at an unprecedented rate with even the most elementary gun. In the hands of foot soldiers, it became possible to count casualties in hundreds in a single encounter. With practically no physical effort, apart from the moving of a finger on the trigger, the highly lethal bullet is sent through the barrel at a speed much faster than that of sound. The enemy, at a considerable distance, may thus be brought down without even hearing the sound of the shooting or seeing his assailant.
The development of grenades, bombs, missiles, nuclear and chemical war-heads have made all previous weapons appear little more than toys. With bombs delivered by fast-flying airplanes, and nuclear or chemical war-heads borne to their distant destinations by unnamed missiles, destruction of cities and, in fact, of whole countries within a matter of hours is now a great possibility. Today, man doesn't need to be physically present to haul the stone, or throw the spear, or send the arrow. The missile has now replaced all these, and it does not need to be physically sent by an individual. Electronics and computers do the launching, and men die in hundreds of thousands.
In six sentences, one for each, summarize the six different types of weapons of warfare and their relative effectiveness.
The passage traces six weapons of warfare, each more destructive than the one before it. A good summary offers one sentence for each type, focused on its relative effectiveness.
Détails de la réponse
The passage traces six weapons of warfare, each more destructive than the one before it. A good summary offers one sentence for each type, focused on its relative effectiveness.
Question 8 Rapport
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Years after he had left home for the capital, first as a student and later as a struggling businessman, Oliha returned to his village, having been informed of his father's failing health. He was amazed that not much had changed since he left as a youth. Every experience shocked him: the coloured water with a strong taste: the eye-sore of a dung-hill on which everyone excreted; the absence of electricity and so on. As he went to bed late in the evening, after a meeting with his younger brothers,on how he would pay his own share of their father's medical expenses, he prayed for the early arrival of the morning. He decided to leave early and put the trying experience behind him.
But morning brought him the greatest shock of his life. Informed by his niece that there was a bucket of water for him in the bath, he hurried down there, half-dressed, holding a towel. The bathroom. located by the side of the building, was an improvised rectangular enclosure made of palm fronds. Hissing to himself. he went in and used his clothes and large towel to cover some openings in the enclosure. He started bathing. Then it happened. With every inch of his body thoroughly covered with soap lather, hardly able to open his eyes, he heard someone removing his clothes and towel. With the corner of his half-opened eyes, he saw a man making away with the clothes and towel. Hardly giving the matter thought, naked except for the covering of soap lather. he ran out and gave the thief a hot chase.
As he ran after the thief. he heard everyone shouting. The lunatic has broken loose again! But as soon as the people saw him,, everyone shouted. 'Ah. another mad man has broken loose!' Men. women children all ran away, seeking refuge in their homes. slamming their doors. By the time he realized what was happening daring men were after him. Just as Oliha was about to beat a retreat, he was held by strong muscular men who overpowered him and carried him to the quarters of the village's foremost occult healer who alone knew how to cure lunatics.
(a) Why did Oliha return to the village?
(b) Mention two basic facilities lacking in the village.
(c) What was the subject of the meeting which Oliha held with his younger brothers?
(d) Why was it possible for the thief to remove the clothes without Oliha stopping him?
(e)(i) Why was Oliha taken to the occult healer rather than to his father's home?
(ii) What is the irony of the entire event in the passage?
(f) ... who alone knew how to cure lunatics. (i) What is the grammatical name given to the above expression?
(ii) What is its function in the sentence?
(g) the early arrival of morning. (i) What figure of speech is the above expression? (ii) Why do you consider it so?
(h) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it as used in the passage.
(i) shocked: (ii) trying; (iii) thoroughly; (iv) refuge; (v) foremost.
(a) Why Oliha returned to the village
He returned to take care of his father, who was ill and in failing health.
(b) Two basic facilities lacking in the village
(c) Subject of the meeting with his younger brothers
The meeting was about how Oliha would pay his own share of their father's medical expenses.
(d) Why the thief was able to remove the clothes without being stopped
Oliha was bathing with every inch of his body covered in soap lather and his eyes shut against the soap, so he was momentarily blinded and could neither see clearly nor act quickly enough to seize the thief.
(e)(i) Why Oliha was taken to the occult healer
When the villagers saw him rushing out naked and covered in lather, chasing a man, they took him for a mad man, so he was carried to the healer who was believed to cure lunatics.
(e)(ii) The irony of the event
The irony is that a perfectly sane man, who had come home out of love to help his sick father, is himself mistaken for a lunatic and dragged off to be cured of madness, while the real thief escapes freely.
(f)(i) Grammatical name
It is a relative (adjectival) clause.
(f)(ii) Its function
It qualifies the noun healer, telling us which healer is meant.
(g)(i) Figure of speech
Personification.
(g)(ii) Why it is so
Morning, which is inanimate, is given the human quality of being able to arrive early, as though it were a person who could come to a place.
(h) Words and their replacements
Détails de la réponse
(a) Why Oliha returned to the village
He returned to take care of his father, who was ill and in failing health.
(b) Two basic facilities lacking in the village
(c) Subject of the meeting with his younger brothers
The meeting was about how Oliha would pay his own share of their father's medical expenses.
(d) Why the thief was able to remove the clothes without being stopped
Oliha was bathing with every inch of his body covered in soap lather and his eyes shut against the soap, so he was momentarily blinded and could neither see clearly nor act quickly enough to seize the thief.
(e)(i) Why Oliha was taken to the occult healer
When the villagers saw him rushing out naked and covered in lather, chasing a man, they took him for a mad man, so he was carried to the healer who was believed to cure lunatics.
(e)(ii) The irony of the event
The irony is that a perfectly sane man, who had come home out of love to help his sick father, is himself mistaken for a lunatic and dragged off to be cured of madness, while the real thief escapes freely.
(f)(i) Grammatical name
It is a relative (adjectival) clause.
(f)(ii) Its function
It qualifies the noun healer, telling us which healer is meant.
(g)(i) Figure of speech
Personification.
(g)(ii) Why it is so
Morning, which is inanimate, is given the human quality of being able to arrive early, as though it were a person who could come to a place.
(h) Words and their replacements
Question 9 Rapport
Recently, there was a rainstorm which caused a lot of damage in your locality. Write an article for publication in your school magazine, describing the rainstorm, the damage caused and its effects on the people.
The Day the Storm Struck Our Town
By a Staff Reporter
It is a day the people of our locality will not forget in a hurry. Last Saturday afternoon, a rainstorm of unusual violence descended upon our town, leaving in its wake a trail of destruction and grief.
The morning had been unusually hot and still. By four o'clock, however, dark, angry clouds had gathered in the west, and a strange darkness fell over the town. Then, without warning, a fierce wind began to blow. It uprooted trees, tore roofs from houses and sent zinc sheets flying through the air like sheets of paper. The wind was quickly followed by a downpour so heavy that one could hardly see a few metres ahead. Thunder roared and lightning split the sky for nearly two hours.
The damage caused was enormous. Many houses in the low-lying parts of the town lost their roofs, and some mud buildings collapsed completely. The market was flattened, and traders watched helplessly as their goods were swept away by the flood. Electric poles were brought down, plunging the whole area into darkness. Farmlands close to the river were submerged, and crops ready for harvest were destroyed. Worst of all, a falling tree crushed a passing motorcyclist, while several people sustained injuries from flying debris.
The effects of the storm on the people have been severe. Scores of families were rendered homeless overnight and had to take shelter in the town hall and the church. Food and clean water became scarce, and the price of building materials rose sharply as people rushed to repair their homes. Schools were shut for days because classrooms had been damaged. The disaster brought sorrow to many households, yet it also drew the community together, as neighbours shared what little they had and helped one another to rebuild.
The rainstorm has taught us a bitter lesson. We must plant more trees as windbreaks, roof our buildings more securely and clear our drainage channels before the rains. With better preparation, the town can face the next storm with far less loss.
Détails de la réponse
The Day the Storm Struck Our Town
By a Staff Reporter
It is a day the people of our locality will not forget in a hurry. Last Saturday afternoon, a rainstorm of unusual violence descended upon our town, leaving in its wake a trail of destruction and grief.
The morning had been unusually hot and still. By four o'clock, however, dark, angry clouds had gathered in the west, and a strange darkness fell over the town. Then, without warning, a fierce wind began to blow. It uprooted trees, tore roofs from houses and sent zinc sheets flying through the air like sheets of paper. The wind was quickly followed by a downpour so heavy that one could hardly see a few metres ahead. Thunder roared and lightning split the sky for nearly two hours.
The damage caused was enormous. Many houses in the low-lying parts of the town lost their roofs, and some mud buildings collapsed completely. The market was flattened, and traders watched helplessly as their goods were swept away by the flood. Electric poles were brought down, plunging the whole area into darkness. Farmlands close to the river were submerged, and crops ready for harvest were destroyed. Worst of all, a falling tree crushed a passing motorcyclist, while several people sustained injuries from flying debris.
The effects of the storm on the people have been severe. Scores of families were rendered homeless overnight and had to take shelter in the town hall and the church. Food and clean water became scarce, and the price of building materials rose sharply as people rushed to repair their homes. Schools were shut for days because classrooms had been damaged. The disaster brought sorrow to many households, yet it also drew the community together, as neighbours shared what little they had and helped one another to rebuild.
The rainstorm has taught us a bitter lesson. We must plant more trees as windbreaks, roof our buildings more securely and clear our drainage channels before the rains. With better preparation, the town can face the next storm with far less loss.
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