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Tambaya 1 Rahoto
Write a letter to the Chairman of your school's Board of Governors on the need for a library in your school, requesting him to build and equip one for the school.
Formal letter to the Chairman of the Board of Governors requesting a library
This is a formal letter, so it requires the writer's address, the date, the receiver's (or receiving body's) address, a formal salutation, a clear subject heading, a formal register throughout and the close "Yours faithfully." A model answer follows.
Government Secondary School,
Awka,
Anambra State.
15 July, 2026.
The Chairman,
Board of Governors,
Government Secondary School,
Awka, Anambra State.
Dear Sir,
THE NEED FOR A LIBRARY IN OUR SCHOOL
I write, on behalf of the entire student body, to draw your kind attention to the pressing need for a well-equipped library in our school, and respectfully to request that the Board build and stock one for us.
At present, our school has no library of any kind. Students who wish to read beyond their few prescribed textbooks have nowhere to turn. We are compelled to crowd around a single borrowed copy of a book or to travel long distances to the public library in town, which is often overcrowded and poorly stocked. This situation places us at a serious disadvantage.
A good library would transform our learning. It would provide reference books, past examination papers, newspapers and works of literature that would deepen our knowledge and sharpen our command of English. It would also give us a quiet place for private study, cultivate in us the lifelong habit of reading, and greatly improve our performance in both internal and external examinations.
I therefore humbly appeal to you and the honourable members of the Board to construct a suitable building, furnish it with shelves, tables and chairs, and equip it with a wide range of up-to-date books and a qualified librarian. Such a gift would benefit not only the present students but also generations to come, and it would stand as a lasting monument to your leadership.
I am confident that this appeal will receive your favourable consideration. Thank you, Sir, for your understanding and anticipated support.
Yours faithfully,
Ngozi Eze,
(Senior Prefect).
Bayanin Amsa
Formal letter to the Chairman of the Board of Governors requesting a library
This is a formal letter, so it requires the writer's address, the date, the receiver's (or receiving body's) address, a formal salutation, a clear subject heading, a formal register throughout and the close "Yours faithfully." A model answer follows.
Government Secondary School,
Awka,
Anambra State.
15 July, 2026.
The Chairman,
Board of Governors,
Government Secondary School,
Awka, Anambra State.
Dear Sir,
THE NEED FOR A LIBRARY IN OUR SCHOOL
I write, on behalf of the entire student body, to draw your kind attention to the pressing need for a well-equipped library in our school, and respectfully to request that the Board build and stock one for us.
At present, our school has no library of any kind. Students who wish to read beyond their few prescribed textbooks have nowhere to turn. We are compelled to crowd around a single borrowed copy of a book or to travel long distances to the public library in town, which is often overcrowded and poorly stocked. This situation places us at a serious disadvantage.
A good library would transform our learning. It would provide reference books, past examination papers, newspapers and works of literature that would deepen our knowledge and sharpen our command of English. It would also give us a quiet place for private study, cultivate in us the lifelong habit of reading, and greatly improve our performance in both internal and external examinations.
I therefore humbly appeal to you and the honourable members of the Board to construct a suitable building, furnish it with shelves, tables and chairs, and equip it with a wide range of up-to-date books and a qualified librarian. Such a gift would benefit not only the present students but also generations to come, and it would stand as a lasting monument to your leadership.
I am confident that this appeal will receive your favourable consideration. Thank you, Sir, for your understanding and anticipated support.
Yours faithfully,
Ngozi Eze,
(Senior Prefect).
Tambaya 2 Rahoto
You had a quarrel with your best friend and have not been on speaking terms ever since. Now that you are about to leave secondary school, write to your friend giving at least three reasons why you should become friends again.
Informal (friendly) letter of reconciliation
This is an informal letter, so it needs only the writer's address and the date; no receiver's address and no subject heading. The salutation and close must be friendly, and the tone warm and sincere. A model answer follows.
24 School Road,
Ikeja,
Lagos State.
15 July, 2026.
Dear Tunde,
It has been almost three months since we last spoke to each other, and I can no longer bear the silence between us. Now that we are about to leave secondary school and go our separate ways, I feel it would be a great pity to part as enemies. I am writing to apologise and to beg that we put our quarrel behind us and become friends once more.
My first reason is that our friendship is simply too precious to throw away over a small misunderstanding. We have known each other since our first year, shared our books, our lunch and our secrets, and stood by each other through every difficulty. No trivial argument is worth destroying so many good years.
Secondly, life after school will be far harder if we remain divided. We had always planned to prepare for our examinations together and to support each other when the pressure grew heavy. Facing the future without my closest friend beside me is a lonely prospect that I would rather avoid.
Thirdly, holding on to anger is doing neither of us any good. Bitterness only sours the heart and steals one's peace of mind. Forgiveness, on the other hand, sets both parties free and allows us to remember our years together with joy rather than regret.
I take full responsibility for my share of the quarrel, and I am truly sorry for the hurtful words I spoke. Please forgive me, and let us meet after school on Saturday so that we can talk and laugh together as we used to. I miss you greatly.
Your sincere friend,
Emeka.
Bayanin Amsa
Informal (friendly) letter of reconciliation
This is an informal letter, so it needs only the writer's address and the date; no receiver's address and no subject heading. The salutation and close must be friendly, and the tone warm and sincere. A model answer follows.
24 School Road,
Ikeja,
Lagos State.
15 July, 2026.
Dear Tunde,
It has been almost three months since we last spoke to each other, and I can no longer bear the silence between us. Now that we are about to leave secondary school and go our separate ways, I feel it would be a great pity to part as enemies. I am writing to apologise and to beg that we put our quarrel behind us and become friends once more.
My first reason is that our friendship is simply too precious to throw away over a small misunderstanding. We have known each other since our first year, shared our books, our lunch and our secrets, and stood by each other through every difficulty. No trivial argument is worth destroying so many good years.
Secondly, life after school will be far harder if we remain divided. We had always planned to prepare for our examinations together and to support each other when the pressure grew heavy. Facing the future without my closest friend beside me is a lonely prospect that I would rather avoid.
Thirdly, holding on to anger is doing neither of us any good. Bitterness only sours the heart and steals one's peace of mind. Forgiveness, on the other hand, sets both parties free and allows us to remember our years together with joy rather than regret.
I take full responsibility for my share of the quarrel, and I am truly sorry for the hurtful words I spoke. Please forgive me, and let us meet after school on Saturday so that we can talk and laugh together as we used to. I miss you greatly.
Your sincere friend,
Emeka.
Tambaya 3 Rahoto
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Mr Cissey pulled on his trousers very hurriedly and dragged himself to the veranda. He was bent on getting to his office beforehis workers. The previous day, he had reprimanded his staff for regularly coming to work late, and threatened to give the sack to any of them who would repeat the offence. Today, he must get to work in time not only to serve as a role model but also to show that he really meant what he had said.
He managed to squeeze himself behind the wheel of his car which was at least two sizes too small to accommodate his paunch. He inserted the ignition key and turned it but the car would not start; the engine just grumbled. On the second attempt, it coughed and finally roared to life on the third. It moved grudgingly to the gate and stopped. Cissey immediately realised that he would be caught in a traffic jam. It was evident that he would arrive at his workplace late.
For about two hours, Cissey just sat, glued to his seat, fuming. Hard as he tried to control his temper, the misbehaviour of other drivers once prompted him to bawl at them. Then suddenly, after the interminable wait, the street cleared and Cissey sped off. It was almost three hours after leaving home that he got to his workplace. The staff were already there and when he entered the building, he found his secretary and the clerical staff apparently immersed in their assignments, with an air of dutifulness. One look at their boss warned them that they had better keep quiet to save their skin. But as soon as he closed the door to his office he heard soft voices mumbling words he could not understand. Worst of all, he heard subdued laughter from his secretary.
Cissey immediately shot out of the chair ready to vent his spleen on these underlings but suddenly plopped bac into his seat. On second thoughts, he changed his mind. How could he castigate them for what they had not caused?
(a) Why was Mr Cissey in a hurry to get to his office?
(b) What two indications are there in the passage that Mr Cissey was a huge man?
(c) How did Mr Cissey express his anger while caught in the traffic?
(d) Why did Mr Cissey become angry with his staff?
(e) What was the attitude of the staff towards their boss?
(f) .,,when he entered the building ... What grammatical name is given to this expression as it is used in the passage? (ii) What is its function?
(g) How could he castigate them for what they had not caused? What literary device is used in the expression above?
(h) What is meant by the expression vent his spleen in the last paragraph?
(i) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the passage: (i) reprimanded (ii) evident (iii) prompted (iv) interminable (v) immersed (vi) subdued.
Comprehension answers
(a) Why was Mr Cissey in a hurry to get to his office?
He was in a hurry because he wanted to arrive before his workers so as to serve as a role model, having the previous day reprimanded them for lateness and threatened to sack any who repeated the offence; he needed to show that he truly meant what he had said.
(b) Two indications that Mr Cissey was a huge man
(i) His car was at least two sizes too small to accommodate his paunch, so that he had to squeeze himself behind the wheel.
(ii) At the end he did not simply sit down but "plopped back" heavily into his seat, suggesting his great weight.
(c) How did Mr Cissey express his anger while caught in the traffic?
He sat glued to his seat, fuming, and, unable fully to control his temper, he bawled (shouted angrily) at the other drivers because of their misbehaviour.
(d) Why did Mr Cissey become angry with his staff?
After he entered his office he heard soft, unintelligible mumbling and subdued laughter, especially from his secretary, and he believed they were mocking or laughing at him because of his own lateness.
(e) What was the attitude of the staff towards their boss?
They were wary and apprehensive of him: they pretended to be busily immersed in their work and kept quiet to save their skin, showing that they feared his anger.
(f) "...when he entered the building..."
(i) Grammatical name: it is an adverbial clause of time (a subordinate clause).
(ii) Function: it modifies the verb "found" by telling us when he found his secretary and the clerical staff at their assignments.
(g) "How could he castigate them for what they had not caused?"
Literary device: a rhetorical question (a question asked for effect, not for an answer).
(h) Meaning of "vent his spleen"
It means to pour out or release his anger, that is, to express his rage by scolding or lashing out at the staff.
(i) One-word or phrase replacements
Bayanin Amsa
Comprehension answers
(a) Why was Mr Cissey in a hurry to get to his office?
He was in a hurry because he wanted to arrive before his workers so as to serve as a role model, having the previous day reprimanded them for lateness and threatened to sack any who repeated the offence; he needed to show that he truly meant what he had said.
(b) Two indications that Mr Cissey was a huge man
(i) His car was at least two sizes too small to accommodate his paunch, so that he had to squeeze himself behind the wheel.
(ii) At the end he did not simply sit down but "plopped back" heavily into his seat, suggesting his great weight.
(c) How did Mr Cissey express his anger while caught in the traffic?
He sat glued to his seat, fuming, and, unable fully to control his temper, he bawled (shouted angrily) at the other drivers because of their misbehaviour.
(d) Why did Mr Cissey become angry with his staff?
After he entered his office he heard soft, unintelligible mumbling and subdued laughter, especially from his secretary, and he believed they were mocking or laughing at him because of his own lateness.
(e) What was the attitude of the staff towards their boss?
They were wary and apprehensive of him: they pretended to be busily immersed in their work and kept quiet to save their skin, showing that they feared his anger.
(f) "...when he entered the building..."
(i) Grammatical name: it is an adverbial clause of time (a subordinate clause).
(ii) Function: it modifies the verb "found" by telling us when he found his secretary and the clerical staff at their assignments.
(g) "How could he castigate them for what they had not caused?"
Literary device: a rhetorical question (a question asked for effect, not for an answer).
(h) Meaning of "vent his spleen"
It means to pour out or release his anger, that is, to express his rage by scolding or lashing out at the staff.
(i) One-word or phrase replacements
Tambaya 4 Rahoto
Write a story to illustrate the saying: Strike while the iron is hot.
Story to illustrate the saying: "Strike while the iron is hot"
A good story of this kind must be built around a clear plot that ends by proving the proverb, which means one should seize an opportunity at the right moment before it slips away. It should have a beginning, a rising action, a climax and a resolution, and the moral should emerge naturally. A model narrative follows.
THE INTERVIEW
Uche had waited two long years for a chance like this. Since leaving the university with a good degree, he had knocked on countless doors, and every one of them had shut in his face. So when the letter from Zenith Manufacturing arrived, inviting him to an interview the following Monday, his heart leapt with a joy he had not felt in a long time.
On the morning of the interview he arrived an hour early, dressed in his only clean shirt, his certificates neatly tucked in a brown envelope. He was the third candidate to be called in. The panel, four stern-faced men and one woman, asked him question after question, and to his own surprise he answered each one calmly and well.
Then the woman leaned forward and said, "Young man, we are impressed. But we need someone who can start at once. Our production line is idle, and every idle day costs us a fortune. Can you resume tomorrow morning?"
For a moment Uche hesitated. Tomorrow was his cousin's wedding, and he had promised to be the master of ceremonies. A voice inside him whispered that he could ask them to wait a week. But another voice, the wiser one, reminded him of the two barren years, the empty pockets, the shame of depending on his ageing mother. He remembered his late father's favourite words: "My son, when opportunity knocks, open the door at once, for it seldom knocks twice. Strike while the iron is hot."
Uche squared his shoulders and answered without a tremor, "Yes, madam, I will resume tomorrow." The panel exchanged approving glances. The woman smiled and handed him a letter of appointment there and then.
He learned later that the candidate after him, a brilliant fellow named Bassey, had asked for two weeks to "settle some matters" and had been turned down on the spot. The company simply could not wait.
Uche rose quickly in Zenith Manufacturing and, within three years, was made a supervisor. Whenever young graduates came to him for advice, he would smile, remember that fateful Monday, and repeat the words that had changed his life: "Never let a golden chance grow cold in your hands. Strike while the iron is hot."
Examiner's note: the story must be a genuine narrative with characters and a plot, not a lecture, and its events must clearly demonstrate the proverb by the end. First-person or third-person narration is acceptable.
Bayanin Amsa
Story to illustrate the saying: "Strike while the iron is hot"
A good story of this kind must be built around a clear plot that ends by proving the proverb, which means one should seize an opportunity at the right moment before it slips away. It should have a beginning, a rising action, a climax and a resolution, and the moral should emerge naturally. A model narrative follows.
THE INTERVIEW
Uche had waited two long years for a chance like this. Since leaving the university with a good degree, he had knocked on countless doors, and every one of them had shut in his face. So when the letter from Zenith Manufacturing arrived, inviting him to an interview the following Monday, his heart leapt with a joy he had not felt in a long time.
On the morning of the interview he arrived an hour early, dressed in his only clean shirt, his certificates neatly tucked in a brown envelope. He was the third candidate to be called in. The panel, four stern-faced men and one woman, asked him question after question, and to his own surprise he answered each one calmly and well.
Then the woman leaned forward and said, "Young man, we are impressed. But we need someone who can start at once. Our production line is idle, and every idle day costs us a fortune. Can you resume tomorrow morning?"
For a moment Uche hesitated. Tomorrow was his cousin's wedding, and he had promised to be the master of ceremonies. A voice inside him whispered that he could ask them to wait a week. But another voice, the wiser one, reminded him of the two barren years, the empty pockets, the shame of depending on his ageing mother. He remembered his late father's favourite words: "My son, when opportunity knocks, open the door at once, for it seldom knocks twice. Strike while the iron is hot."
Uche squared his shoulders and answered without a tremor, "Yes, madam, I will resume tomorrow." The panel exchanged approving glances. The woman smiled and handed him a letter of appointment there and then.
He learned later that the candidate after him, a brilliant fellow named Bassey, had asked for two weeks to "settle some matters" and had been turned down on the spot. The company simply could not wait.
Uche rose quickly in Zenith Manufacturing and, within three years, was made a supervisor. Whenever young graduates came to him for advice, he would smile, remember that fateful Monday, and repeat the words that had changed his life: "Never let a golden chance grow cold in your hands. Strike while the iron is hot."
Examiner's note: the story must be a genuine narrative with characters and a plot, not a lecture, and its events must clearly demonstrate the proverb by the end. First-person or third-person narration is acceptable.
Tambaya 5 Rahoto
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Have you always thought that insects are nothing more than a nuisance? Would you like the world to be free of these annoying pests ? Do you spray them swat them. or step on them at every opportunity? Before declaring war on every bug that crosses your path, why not try to learn something about their world? After all, with a population that outnumbers humans by about 200 million to one you can be sure that insects are here to stay! A brief look at just a few of these amazing creatures might well convince you that insects deserve your respect.
Consider flying insects for example: Mosquitoes can fly upside down. Some can even fly through the rain without getting wet - yes, actually dodging the raindrops! Some tropical wasps and bees buzz around at speeds of up to 72 kilometres per hour. One monarch butterfly of North America logged 3,010 kilometres on its migration flight. Hover flies can beat their wings more than a thousand times per second - much faster than humming-birds and dragon flies can fly backwards. Clearly then. insects are such accomplished fliers, unmatched by any other winged creature.
The eyes of many insects serve as a compass. Bees and wasps, for instance, can detect the plane of polarised light. This enables them to locate the sun's position in the sky - even when it is hidden by clouds. Thanks to this ability, these insects can forage far from their nests and still navigate their way home unerringly.
In the insect world, sounds and aromas are often used to find a mate - no small achievement when prospective mates are few and far between. Female emperor moths find a suitor by emitting a scent that is so potent that a male can i home n on its source from nearly 11 kilometres away. Crickets, grasshoppers, and cicadas prefer to make themselves heard. Even we humans can hear the amorous cicada as it converts its whole body into a sounding board. A large group of courting cicadas can create a noise louder than that of a drilling machine!
Insects play a vital role in our daily life, about 30 percent of the foods we eat results from pollination by them. But pollination is only one of their useful functions. Insects keep the earth clean by means of an efficient recycling system, as they reprocess dead plant and animals. Scientists have observed that without insects the earth will be inundated with dead plant and animal matter. Insects also enrich the soil by liberating nutrients that make things grow. They are sorely missed when their work is not done. Consider what happened in Australia, which has become home to millions of cattle. Herds scattered dung everywhere. Besides being unsightly, the dung provided a breeding site for the bush fiy - a plague to both humans and cattle. So dung beetles were imported from Europe and Africa, and the problem was solved!
Admittedly, some insects eat crops and carry disease. But only about one percent of the world's insects is considered as pests, and many of these cause damage because of the way man himself altered the environment. Even with their drawbacks, insects are an integral part of the natural world on which we depend. Scientists have pointed out that while insects can survive without us, we cannot survive without them.
(a) In three sentences, one for each, summarise the characteristics of insects discussed in the passage.
(b) In three sentences, one for each, summarise the important functions of insects discussed in the passage.
Summary answers
(a) Three characteristics of insects
(b) Three important functions of insects
Bayanin Amsa
Summary answers
(a) Three characteristics of insects
(b) Three important functions of insects
Tambaya 6 Rahoto
You are the chief speaker in a debate on the topic: It is the home and not the school that contributes more to moral laxity among students. Write your argument for or against the topic.
Debate speech: "It is the home and not the school that contributes more to moral laxity among students"
A debate must open with the correct address of the officials and audience, state clearly whether you are speaking for or against the motion, present well-arranged arguments, and end with a strong summing-up. The model below argues for the motion (that the home is the greater cause).
Mr Chairman, accurate timekeeper, panel of impartial judges, my co-debaters, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I stand before you today to speak in support of the motion which states that it is the home, and not the school, that contributes more to moral laxity among students.
My first and strongest argument is that the home is the child's first school and the parents his first teachers. Long before a child ever sets eyes on a classroom, his character has already been shaped by what he sees and hears at home. A child who grows up watching his parents lie, cheat or quarrel will carry those habits into the school. As the saying goes, charity begins at home, and so, sadly, does moral decay.
Secondly, children spend far more of their lives at home than in school. School lasts only a few hours a day and closes for long holidays, but the home surrounds the child from birth. It is therefore illogical to blame the school, which has the child briefly, rather than the home, which has him constantly.
Thirdly, many parents have abandoned their duty of moral training. Some are too busy chasing money to correct their children; others pamper them, hand them mobile phones without supervision, and shield them from every punishment. A child who is never disciplined at home cannot suddenly become disciplined in school.
Fourthly, the values a school teaches are quickly destroyed if the home contradicts them. A teacher may preach honesty in the morning, but if a father sends his son to buy stolen goods that evening, the lesson is lost. The home has the final word in shaping the child's conscience.
Mr Chairman, the opposition may argue that bad company in school corrupts good manners. Yet I ask: who allowed the child to keep such company in the first place? A child firmly grounded in good values at home resists the pull of bad friends. The root of the matter remains the home.
In conclusion, distinguished audience, since the home comes first, lasts longest and lays the foundation of character, it is clear beyond doubt that the home, and not the school, contributes more to moral laxity among students. I therefore urge this house to support the motion. Thank you.
Bayanin Amsa
Debate speech: "It is the home and not the school that contributes more to moral laxity among students"
A debate must open with the correct address of the officials and audience, state clearly whether you are speaking for or against the motion, present well-arranged arguments, and end with a strong summing-up. The model below argues for the motion (that the home is the greater cause).
Mr Chairman, accurate timekeeper, panel of impartial judges, my co-debaters, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I stand before you today to speak in support of the motion which states that it is the home, and not the school, that contributes more to moral laxity among students.
My first and strongest argument is that the home is the child's first school and the parents his first teachers. Long before a child ever sets eyes on a classroom, his character has already been shaped by what he sees and hears at home. A child who grows up watching his parents lie, cheat or quarrel will carry those habits into the school. As the saying goes, charity begins at home, and so, sadly, does moral decay.
Secondly, children spend far more of their lives at home than in school. School lasts only a few hours a day and closes for long holidays, but the home surrounds the child from birth. It is therefore illogical to blame the school, which has the child briefly, rather than the home, which has him constantly.
Thirdly, many parents have abandoned their duty of moral training. Some are too busy chasing money to correct their children; others pamper them, hand them mobile phones without supervision, and shield them from every punishment. A child who is never disciplined at home cannot suddenly become disciplined in school.
Fourthly, the values a school teaches are quickly destroyed if the home contradicts them. A teacher may preach honesty in the morning, but if a father sends his son to buy stolen goods that evening, the lesson is lost. The home has the final word in shaping the child's conscience.
Mr Chairman, the opposition may argue that bad company in school corrupts good manners. Yet I ask: who allowed the child to keep such company in the first place? A child firmly grounded in good values at home resists the pull of bad friends. The root of the matter remains the home.
In conclusion, distinguished audience, since the home comes first, lasts longest and lays the foundation of character, it is clear beyond doubt that the home, and not the school, contributes more to moral laxity among students. I therefore urge this house to support the motion. Thank you.
Tambaya 7 Rahoto
Write an article for publication in your school magazine on the problems of indiscipline in schools.
Article for a school magazine on the problems of indiscipline in schools
An article for a magazine needs a clear, arresting title and, usually, a by-line (the writer's name). It should be written in continuous prose with a lively but formal tone, an introduction, well-developed body paragraphs and a firm conclusion. A model answer follows.
INDISCIPLINE IN OUR SCHOOLS: A GROWING MENACE
by Chidinma Okafor
Not long ago, a school was regarded as a temple of learning where courtesy, order and hard work reigned supreme. Sadly, that picture is fast fading. Indiscipline has crept into many of our schools and now threatens to destroy the very purpose for which they exist. This article examines the problem, its causes and the harm it does.
Indiscipline shows itself in many forms. Some students come to school late, absent themselves without permission or play truant altogether. Others are rude to teachers, cheat in examinations, bully their juniors or vandalise school property. In extreme cases, drug abuse, cultism and violence have found their way onto once peaceful campuses. Such conduct turns the school from a place of learning into a place of fear.
The causes of this decay are not far to seek. Many children come from broken or careless homes where parents fail to instil good values. The negative influence of bad peer groups, uncensored films and social media adds fuel to the fire. Within the school itself, overcrowded classes, inadequate supervision and, at times, weak or inconsistent discipline embolden erring students. Where wrongdoing goes unpunished, others are tempted to follow.
The consequences are grave. Indiscipline lowers academic standards, for a rowdy classroom cannot produce sound learning. It endangers the safety of both staff and students, damages the reputation of the school and, worst of all, ruins the future of the very children involved. A nation that neglects the discipline of its young mortgages its own tomorrow.
The remedy calls for a joint effort. Parents must return to their duty of moral training; teachers must combine firmness with fairness and serve as worthy examples; and school authorities must enforce clear rules consistently. Guidance and counselling units should help troubled students, while wholesome clubs and sports can channel youthful energy into useful ends.
In conclusion, indiscipline is a disease that, if left untreated, will cripple our schools. The time to act is now. If home, school and society join hands, order and decency can once again reign in our classrooms, and our schools can resume their noble task of moulding responsible citizens.
Bayanin Amsa
Article for a school magazine on the problems of indiscipline in schools
An article for a magazine needs a clear, arresting title and, usually, a by-line (the writer's name). It should be written in continuous prose with a lively but formal tone, an introduction, well-developed body paragraphs and a firm conclusion. A model answer follows.
INDISCIPLINE IN OUR SCHOOLS: A GROWING MENACE
by Chidinma Okafor
Not long ago, a school was regarded as a temple of learning where courtesy, order and hard work reigned supreme. Sadly, that picture is fast fading. Indiscipline has crept into many of our schools and now threatens to destroy the very purpose for which they exist. This article examines the problem, its causes and the harm it does.
Indiscipline shows itself in many forms. Some students come to school late, absent themselves without permission or play truant altogether. Others are rude to teachers, cheat in examinations, bully their juniors or vandalise school property. In extreme cases, drug abuse, cultism and violence have found their way onto once peaceful campuses. Such conduct turns the school from a place of learning into a place of fear.
The causes of this decay are not far to seek. Many children come from broken or careless homes where parents fail to instil good values. The negative influence of bad peer groups, uncensored films and social media adds fuel to the fire. Within the school itself, overcrowded classes, inadequate supervision and, at times, weak or inconsistent discipline embolden erring students. Where wrongdoing goes unpunished, others are tempted to follow.
The consequences are grave. Indiscipline lowers academic standards, for a rowdy classroom cannot produce sound learning. It endangers the safety of both staff and students, damages the reputation of the school and, worst of all, ruins the future of the very children involved. A nation that neglects the discipline of its young mortgages its own tomorrow.
The remedy calls for a joint effort. Parents must return to their duty of moral training; teachers must combine firmness with fairness and serve as worthy examples; and school authorities must enforce clear rules consistently. Guidance and counselling units should help troubled students, while wholesome clubs and sports can channel youthful energy into useful ends.
In conclusion, indiscipline is a disease that, if left untreated, will cripple our schools. The time to act is now. If home, school and society join hands, order and decency can once again reign in our classrooms, and our schools can resume their noble task of moulding responsible citizens.
Tambaya 8 Rahoto
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Whenever I ask myself the question why I have not left this country for good, many answers rush to my mind, each striving to be.recognized as being the most convincing. I am reminded of the popular slogan that this country belongs to us, for which reason every one of us must join hands in trying to salvage it. I try to dismiss the argument by reasoning that it is foolhardy attempting to lend a helping hand where one's services are apparently not required. Then I am reminded that if I leave the country in a hurry just because of our political instability and economic hardship, my commitments to my nuclear family and extended family at home will suffer. I reply by saying that as soon as I get settled abroad. I would arrange for my famiiy to Join me. Other financial problems at home would be taken care of by my regular remittances. Would I then never think of going back home in future? Not until the situation in the country improved considerably, I would answer. And who do I expect to carry on with the task of national rehabilitation when the likes of me are all out of the country? Those who messed up the country in the first place, I would argue. And so on. This self-examination has been going on for the last ten years or so: meanwhile. I am yet to leave the country.
When I wonder how many people think' as I do. I realize that we must" be very few. Indeed, not many have the slightest opportunity of absconding from the country; they do not have the place to run to, nor do they have the means of escape. Even among the elite who consider this possibility. the uncertainty of a future outside their fatherland intimidates them. And so we all end up staying and grumbling.
(a) Why would the writer like to leave his country?
(b) Why does the writer believe that he should not join in salvaging his country?'
(c) What would make the writer return to his country?
(d) Who does the writer suggest should carry on the task of national rehabilitation?
(e) Give two reasons why it has not been easy for him and others to leave the country.
(f) ...many answers rush to my mind. What figure of speech is used in this expression.
(g). . the uncertainty of a future outside their fatherland (i) What grammatical name is given. to this expression as it is used in the passage? (ii) What is its function?
(h) For each of the following words or phrase find another word or phrase which means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the passage. (i) for good. (ii) slogan, (iii) foolhardy; (iv) commitments; (v) absconding.
Comprehension answers
(a) Why would the writer like to leave his country?
He would like to leave because of the country's political instability and its economic hardship.
(b) Why does the writer believe that he should not join in salvaging his country?
He believes it is foolhardy to try to lend a helping hand in a place where one's services are apparently not needed or wanted.
(c) What would make the writer return to his country?
He would return only when the situation in the country had improved considerably.
(d) Who does the writer suggest should carry on the task of national rehabilitation?
He suggests that those who ruined, or messed up, the country in the first place should carry on the task.
(e) Two reasons why it has not been easy for him and others to leave the country
(i) Many of them have no place to run to.
(ii) They also lack the means of escape, that is, the resources to travel and settle abroad. (For the elite, the uncertainty of a future outside their homeland also frightens them.)
(f) "...many answers rush to my mind."
Figure of speech: personification (abstract "answers" are given the human ability to rush).
(g) "...the uncertainty of a future outside their fatherland"
(i) Grammatical name: it is a noun phrase.
(ii) Function: it serves as the subject of the verb "intimidates" in the sentence.
(h) One-word or phrase replacements
Bayanin Amsa
Comprehension answers
(a) Why would the writer like to leave his country?
He would like to leave because of the country's political instability and its economic hardship.
(b) Why does the writer believe that he should not join in salvaging his country?
He believes it is foolhardy to try to lend a helping hand in a place where one's services are apparently not needed or wanted.
(c) What would make the writer return to his country?
He would return only when the situation in the country had improved considerably.
(d) Who does the writer suggest should carry on the task of national rehabilitation?
He suggests that those who ruined, or messed up, the country in the first place should carry on the task.
(e) Two reasons why it has not been easy for him and others to leave the country
(i) Many of them have no place to run to.
(ii) They also lack the means of escape, that is, the resources to travel and settle abroad. (For the elite, the uncertainty of a future outside their homeland also frightens them.)
(f) "...many answers rush to my mind."
Figure of speech: personification (abstract "answers" are given the human ability to rush).
(g) "...the uncertainty of a future outside their fatherland"
(i) Grammatical name: it is a noun phrase.
(ii) Function: it serves as the subject of the verb "intimidates" in the sentence.
(h) One-word or phrase replacements
Za ka so ka ci gaba da wannan aikin?