Inapakia....
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Bonyeza na Ushikilie kuvuta kuzunguka |
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Bonyeza Hapa Kufunga |
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Swali 1 Ripoti
You are the main speaker in a debate on the topic: Education is the best legacy a parent can give a child. Write your arguments. for or against the motion.
Mr Chairman, timekeeper, distinguished panel of judges, my co-debaters, ladies and gentlemen, I stand to argue for the motion, that education is the best legacy a parent can give a child.
My first argument is that education is a legacy that can never be lost or stolen. Money can be squandered, houses can burn down and land can be seized, but the knowledge and skills lodged in a child's mind remain his forever. Whatever else a child may lose in life, an educated mind stays with him to the very end.
Secondly, education empowers a child to create wealth for himself. A parent who leaves only money leaves something that will one day be exhausted, but a parent who educates his child gives him the ability to earn, to build and to prosper again and again by his own effort.
Thirdly, education shapes good character and sound judgment. It teaches a child not only how to make a living but how to live, instilling honesty, discipline and respect for others. Such moral training makes an educated person an asset to his family and his nation.
Fourthly, the benefit of education reaches far beyond the child himself. An educated person lifts up his parents in their old age, trains his younger ones and contributes to the progress of the whole society. Thus a single well-educated child becomes a blessing to a whole generation.
Some may argue that landed property or a thriving business is a better inheritance. Yet without education a child cannot even manage the wealth he inherits, and will soon run it to ruin. It is education that makes every other legacy fruitful.
For these reasons I submit, without any doubt, that education is truly the best legacy a parent can give a child. Thank you.
Maelezo ya Majibu
Mr Chairman, timekeeper, distinguished panel of judges, my co-debaters, ladies and gentlemen, I stand to argue for the motion, that education is the best legacy a parent can give a child.
My first argument is that education is a legacy that can never be lost or stolen. Money can be squandered, houses can burn down and land can be seized, but the knowledge and skills lodged in a child's mind remain his forever. Whatever else a child may lose in life, an educated mind stays with him to the very end.
Secondly, education empowers a child to create wealth for himself. A parent who leaves only money leaves something that will one day be exhausted, but a parent who educates his child gives him the ability to earn, to build and to prosper again and again by his own effort.
Thirdly, education shapes good character and sound judgment. It teaches a child not only how to make a living but how to live, instilling honesty, discipline and respect for others. Such moral training makes an educated person an asset to his family and his nation.
Fourthly, the benefit of education reaches far beyond the child himself. An educated person lifts up his parents in their old age, trains his younger ones and contributes to the progress of the whole society. Thus a single well-educated child becomes a blessing to a whole generation.
Some may argue that landed property or a thriving business is a better inheritance. Yet without education a child cannot even manage the wealth he inherits, and will soon run it to ruin. It is education that makes every other legacy fruitful.
For these reasons I submit, without any doubt, that education is truly the best legacy a parent can give a child. Thank you.
Swali 2 Ripoti
You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this section.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
We believed that the teacher would not be home that weekend. My father had strictly warned us not to go out at night since recent happenings had shown that it was unsafe. However, the thought of those mouth-watering fruits in the teacher's compound made us spend many sleepless nights. We decided that fateful night to sneak out and get some delicious mangoes to feast on.
Towards midnight, my two cousins and I crept stealthily out of the house. The fresh air invigorated us. The moon shone with unusual brightness and that enabled us to see our way clearly and the ripe mangoes as well. We soon reached the teacher's house, a stone's throw from ours. We climbed over the wall, as nimbly as monkeys. Since I was skilled in climbing, my cousins asked me to go up the tree which was laden with ripe mangoes. In no time. I reached the branch which appeared to be most heavy with fruits. I shook it and many juicy mangoes fell to the ground. My cousins gathered them into their bags and we blessed our stars for this windfall.
Suddenly, the powerful headlights of an approaching car warned us of impending danger. To our amazement. it was the teacher and he had already spotted us. In my haste to get down, I lost my balance and fell heavily, injuring my arm. My cousins ran like the wind and escaped, leaving me to my fate. I attempted to run away but could not. I lay on the ground groaning in pain.
The teacher raised an instant alarm and the neighbours came rushing to the scene. I pleaded with them not to harm me. The teacher and another man lifted me up and brought me to my father's house. The teacher called my father to open the door but he did not answer.
“We have your son here and he is wounded,” the teacher explained.
“My son is sleeping peacefully in his room,” my father retorted.
My mother, who had been awake all this while and listening to these exchanges, went into our room to verify the truth. My cousins pretended to be fast asleep. When she discovered my absence, she gave a heart-rending cry which at last brought my father out. He took the whole scene in at a glance and stood speechless, gazing at me in shock and disbelief. He thanked the teacher profusely. After my mother had bandaged my arm, my father sat me down and rained abuses on me. I broke down in tears and made a clean confession. This softened him but did not prevent him from giving my cousins the spanking of their lives.
(a) Why did the writer's father warn the boys against going out at night?
(b) Quote a phrase in the second paragraph which shows that the teacher's house was not far from the writer's own.
(c) What enabled the teacher to discover the boys? (d) Describe what led to the writer's injury. (e) Why did the writer's father refuse to open the door?
(f) ...an instant alarm... (i) What is the grammatical name given to this expression as it is used in the passage? (ii) What is its function?
(g) ...like the wind.. (i) What figure of speech is contained in this expression'? (ii) What does it mean?
(h) 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) recent; (ii) delicious; (iii) stealthily; (iv) approaching; (v) spotted; (vi) verify.
(a) The father warned the boys against going out at night because recent happenings had shown that it was no longer safe; moving about at night had become dangerous in the area.
(b) The phrase is "a stone's throw from ours".
(c) The powerful headlights of the teacher's approaching car lit up the scene and revealed the boys to him.
(d) When the writer saw the teacher's car and realised they had been spotted, he tried to climb down from the tree in a hurry. In his haste he lost his balance and fell heavily to the ground, injuring his arm.
(e) The father refused to open the door because he firmly believed that his son was sleeping peacefully in his room and therefore could not be the wounded boy the teacher had brought.
(f) "...an instant alarm..."
(i) It is a noun phrase.
(ii) It functions as the direct object of the verb "raised".
(g) "...like the wind..."
(i) It is a simile.
(ii) It means that the cousins ran away very fast / extremely quickly.
(h)
Maelezo ya Majibu
(a) The father warned the boys against going out at night because recent happenings had shown that it was no longer safe; moving about at night had become dangerous in the area.
(b) The phrase is "a stone's throw from ours".
(c) The powerful headlights of the teacher's approaching car lit up the scene and revealed the boys to him.
(d) When the writer saw the teacher's car and realised they had been spotted, he tried to climb down from the tree in a hurry. In his haste he lost his balance and fell heavily to the ground, injuring his arm.
(e) The father refused to open the door because he firmly believed that his son was sleeping peacefully in his room and therefore could not be the wounded boy the teacher had brought.
(f) "...an instant alarm..."
(i) It is a noun phrase.
(ii) It functions as the direct object of the verb "raised".
(g) "...like the wind..."
(i) It is a simile.
(ii) It means that the cousins ran away very fast / extremely quickly.
(h)
Swali 3 Ripoti
The Parent-Teacher Association of your school has decided to transform the school into a single-sex school. As the Senior Prefect, write a letter to the Chairman giving, at least. three reasons why you disagree with the decision.
Unity High School,
P.O. Box 45,
Enugu.
10 July, 2026.
The Chairman,
Parent-Teacher Association,
Unity High School,
Enugu.
Dear Sir,
OBJECTION TO THE PLAN TO CONVERT OUR SCHOOL INTO A SINGLE-SEX SCHOOL
On behalf of the entire student body, and in my capacity as the Senior Prefect, I write with the greatest respect to express our disagreement with the Association's recent decision to transform our school into a single-sex institution. Please permit me to give three reasons for our position.
In the first place, our school has thrived as a mixed school for many years. Boys and girls have studied, competed and excelled together, and our academic record is among the best in the state. To divide the school now would disrupt this proven success and unsettle both students and teachers with no clear benefit.
Secondly, a mixed school prepares us for the real world. After school we shall live and work in a society where men and women cooperate daily. Learning side by side teaches us mutual respect, confidence and good manners in the company of the opposite sex, lessons that a single-sex school cannot offer so naturally.
Thirdly, the change would place a heavy burden on families. Many students would have to transfer to distant schools, incurring extra transport costs, longer journeys and greater risks, while some might have to leave friends and familiar teachers behind at a crucial stage of their education.
We therefore appeal, most humbly, that the Association reconsider this decision and allow our school to remain co-educational. We are confident that, with continued discipline and good supervision, the school will keep rising in excellence.
Thank you for giving our views your kind attention.
Yours faithfully,
Emeka Okafor
(Senior Prefect)
Maelezo ya Majibu
Unity High School,
P.O. Box 45,
Enugu.
10 July, 2026.
The Chairman,
Parent-Teacher Association,
Unity High School,
Enugu.
Dear Sir,
OBJECTION TO THE PLAN TO CONVERT OUR SCHOOL INTO A SINGLE-SEX SCHOOL
On behalf of the entire student body, and in my capacity as the Senior Prefect, I write with the greatest respect to express our disagreement with the Association's recent decision to transform our school into a single-sex institution. Please permit me to give three reasons for our position.
In the first place, our school has thrived as a mixed school for many years. Boys and girls have studied, competed and excelled together, and our academic record is among the best in the state. To divide the school now would disrupt this proven success and unsettle both students and teachers with no clear benefit.
Secondly, a mixed school prepares us for the real world. After school we shall live and work in a society where men and women cooperate daily. Learning side by side teaches us mutual respect, confidence and good manners in the company of the opposite sex, lessons that a single-sex school cannot offer so naturally.
Thirdly, the change would place a heavy burden on families. Many students would have to transfer to distant schools, incurring extra transport costs, longer journeys and greater risks, while some might have to leave friends and familiar teachers behind at a crucial stage of their education.
We therefore appeal, most humbly, that the Association reconsider this decision and allow our school to remain co-educational. We are confident that, with continued discipline and good supervision, the school will keep rising in excellence.
Thank you for giving our views your kind attention.
Yours faithfully,
Emeka Okafor
(Senior Prefect)
Swali 4 Ripoti
A friend of yours wants to study in your school and has written to you for information and advice: Write a reply to him, telling him all that he needs to know about the school.
Command Day Secondary School,
P.M.B. 108,
Ibadan.
10 July, 2026.
Dear Chuka,
It was a delight to receive your letter asking about my school, for I know few places better. I am happy to tell you all you need to know, and I hope the information helps you to decide.
To begin with, our school is a well-established mixed secondary school situated in a quiet part of the city, away from noise yet easy to reach. The compound is spacious and green, with neat classroom blocks, a good library, science laboratories and a large playing field. You would find the surroundings peaceful and very suitable for study.
As for the academic side, our teachers are dedicated and patient, and our examination results are among the best in the state. Discipline is firm but fair; lateness, truancy and rudeness are not tolerated, and this is one reason our students turn out so well. Do not let that alarm you, for once you keep the simple rules you will feel completely at home.
There is more to school life than lessons. We have clubs for debating, drama, science and computers, as well as thriving football and athletics teams. Boarding students are well fed and comfortably housed, and matrons are always on hand to help newcomers settle in.
My honest advice is this: come with a serious mind, a readiness to obey the rules and a willingness to join in our activities, and you will thrive. If you wish, I shall gladly walk you round the compound and introduce you to the principal when you visit.
Do write back and tell me what you decide. Give my regards to your parents.
Your friend,
Bola
Maelezo ya Majibu
Command Day Secondary School,
P.M.B. 108,
Ibadan.
10 July, 2026.
Dear Chuka,
It was a delight to receive your letter asking about my school, for I know few places better. I am happy to tell you all you need to know, and I hope the information helps you to decide.
To begin with, our school is a well-established mixed secondary school situated in a quiet part of the city, away from noise yet easy to reach. The compound is spacious and green, with neat classroom blocks, a good library, science laboratories and a large playing field. You would find the surroundings peaceful and very suitable for study.
As for the academic side, our teachers are dedicated and patient, and our examination results are among the best in the state. Discipline is firm but fair; lateness, truancy and rudeness are not tolerated, and this is one reason our students turn out so well. Do not let that alarm you, for once you keep the simple rules you will feel completely at home.
There is more to school life than lessons. We have clubs for debating, drama, science and computers, as well as thriving football and athletics teams. Boarding students are well fed and comfortably housed, and matrons are always on hand to help newcomers settle in.
My honest advice is this: come with a serious mind, a readiness to obey the rules and a willingness to join in our activities, and you will thrive. If you wish, I shall gladly walk you round the compound and introduce you to the principal when you visit.
Do write back and tell me what you decide. Give my regards to your parents.
Your friend,
Bola
Swali 5 Ripoti
Some core values in your society have been eroded by modernization. Write an article suitable for publication in a national newspaper on the need to revive these values for a better society.
Reviving Our Eroded Core Values for a Better Society
By Oluwaseun Adebayo
Every people is held together by a set of cherished values: honesty, respect for elders, hard work, communal love and the fear of God. Sadly, the rush of modernization has washed away much of this precious heritage. This article argues that these values must be revived if our society is to be healthy again.
Not long ago, a child greeted every elder, a neighbour's child was everyone's child, and a person's good name was his most guarded treasure. Modern life has weakened these bonds. In the race for money and comfort, respect has given way to rudeness, communal care to cold self-interest, and honesty to cunning. Many young people now imitate foreign lifestyles seen on their screens while despising the wholesome customs of their own people.
The consequences are all around us. Homes are broken, elders are neglected, corruption thrives, and violence spreads because the moral fences that once restrained people have collapsed. A society that loses its values loses its soul, and no amount of wealth or technology can replace it.
Yet these values can be revived. First, the home must return to its duty of moral training, for it is at a mother's knee that respect, honesty and diligence are first learned. Parents must teach by example, not by words alone.
Secondly, schools should give a firm place to moral and civic instruction, so that pupils grow up prizing integrity and service. Thirdly, religious and traditional leaders should use their influence to preach and model the virtues our forefathers held dear. Fourthly, the media should promote programmes that celebrate our culture and honest achievement rather than glorify crime and vanity.
Finally, government and society at large must reward good character and punish wrongdoing, so that virtue is seen to pay. Modernization need not mean the death of our values; with deliberate effort, we can embrace progress while keeping the moral treasures that make us truly human. The time to act is now.
Maelezo ya Majibu
Reviving Our Eroded Core Values for a Better Society
By Oluwaseun Adebayo
Every people is held together by a set of cherished values: honesty, respect for elders, hard work, communal love and the fear of God. Sadly, the rush of modernization has washed away much of this precious heritage. This article argues that these values must be revived if our society is to be healthy again.
Not long ago, a child greeted every elder, a neighbour's child was everyone's child, and a person's good name was his most guarded treasure. Modern life has weakened these bonds. In the race for money and comfort, respect has given way to rudeness, communal care to cold self-interest, and honesty to cunning. Many young people now imitate foreign lifestyles seen on their screens while despising the wholesome customs of their own people.
The consequences are all around us. Homes are broken, elders are neglected, corruption thrives, and violence spreads because the moral fences that once restrained people have collapsed. A society that loses its values loses its soul, and no amount of wealth or technology can replace it.
Yet these values can be revived. First, the home must return to its duty of moral training, for it is at a mother's knee that respect, honesty and diligence are first learned. Parents must teach by example, not by words alone.
Secondly, schools should give a firm place to moral and civic instruction, so that pupils grow up prizing integrity and service. Thirdly, religious and traditional leaders should use their influence to preach and model the virtues our forefathers held dear. Fourthly, the media should promote programmes that celebrate our culture and honest achievement rather than glorify crime and vanity.
Finally, government and society at large must reward good character and punish wrongdoing, so that virtue is seen to pay. Modernization need not mean the death of our values; with deliberate effort, we can embrace progress while keeping the moral treasures that make us truly human. The time to act is now.
Swali 6 Ripoti
Write a story to illustrate the saying: Pride goes before a fall.
Pride Goes Before a Fall
Ada was, without doubt, the finest runner our school had ever produced. She had won the hundred metres for three years running, and each victory made her a little prouder than the last. By the time the inter-house sports of her final year came round, she had stopped training altogether. “Why should I sweat,” she boasted to anyone who would listen, “when the race is already mine before it begins?”
While Ada lounged in the shade and mocked the other athletes, a quiet new girl named Bisi rose before dawn each morning to train. Nobody paid her much attention. She had no medals and made no boasts; she simply ran, day after day, until her legs grew strong and her breathing steady.
The great day arrived. As the runners crouched at the starting line, Ada waved lazily to the cheering crowd, certain of yet another triumph. The whistle blew. For the first thirty metres Ada led, but her untrained legs soon began to tire. Bisi, calm and well prepared, drew level, then surged ahead, and crossed the line a clear stride in front. The stadium fell silent, then erupted, not for Ada, but for the unknown girl who had dethroned her.
Ada walked off the track with her head bowed, her pride in ruins. She had been beaten not by a faster runner but by her own arrogance and laziness. From that day she understood, as we all did, that talent without humility and hard work is a poor guardian of success. Truly, pride goes before a fall.
Maelezo ya Majibu
Pride Goes Before a Fall
Ada was, without doubt, the finest runner our school had ever produced. She had won the hundred metres for three years running, and each victory made her a little prouder than the last. By the time the inter-house sports of her final year came round, she had stopped training altogether. “Why should I sweat,” she boasted to anyone who would listen, “when the race is already mine before it begins?”
While Ada lounged in the shade and mocked the other athletes, a quiet new girl named Bisi rose before dawn each morning to train. Nobody paid her much attention. She had no medals and made no boasts; she simply ran, day after day, until her legs grew strong and her breathing steady.
The great day arrived. As the runners crouched at the starting line, Ada waved lazily to the cheering crowd, certain of yet another triumph. The whistle blew. For the first thirty metres Ada led, but her untrained legs soon began to tire. Bisi, calm and well prepared, drew level, then surged ahead, and crossed the line a clear stride in front. The stadium fell silent, then erupted, not for Ada, but for the unknown girl who had dethroned her.
Ada walked off the track with her head bowed, her pride in ruins. She had been beaten not by a faster runner but by her own arrogance and laziness. From that day she understood, as we all did, that talent without humility and hard work is a poor guardian of success. Truly, pride goes before a fall.
Swali 7 Ripoti
You are advised to spend about 40 minutes on this section.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
The announcement in 2011 that the world population had hit the seven billion mark seemed to have taken many people by surprise. Most people wondered how humanity could have grown by a billion within two decades. However, anyone conversant with factors relevant to human growth should understand this phenomenal increase. Let us examine the factors that have prompted the rise in population.
To begin with, think of the health facilities obtainable some centuries earlier compared with now. Man's knowledge of medical care was appalling some centuries ago. Today, with medical centres within easy reach of most people, and with drugs available to combat virtually all forms of diseases. death rate has been drastically reduced, while life expectancy has risen significantly in most countries. This has caused the great reduction in infant mortality and subsequently increased the number of senior citizens.
Similarly, there is the vital role of education. The spread of education has created a great level of awareness about human welfare and health. Even primary school pupils know the dangers of drinking unwholesome water, living in an unclean environment and ignoring simple rules of hygiene. Besides. education has deflated the various myths and superstitions that pervaded our fathers' lives.
Nutrition is also a significant contributor. As agricultural practices continue to be aided by serious research efforts, and as tools for farming the land continue to be more available, food supply has been greatly enhanced in an unprecedented way. Today, more food crops can he available on less land area than was the case. Thus, the monster of hunger that used to cause starvation and death is being progressively tamed.
Finally, think of the relative security humanity has enjoyed in the past few decades. In the past centuries, major wars were a common phenomenon. Wars that ravaged Europe and Africa for many decades have almost been forgotten. Although there are still some skirmishes in some parts of the world, these have not been serious enough to bring about a significant change in population.
What then is the net result? Each factor translates to a healthier, safer and longer life. Consequently, our population multiplies at a consistent rate. So, we need not be surprised that the world population is seven billion. Indeed, in the next quarter of a century, another billion may be added, and by the end of this century we may have double the present number. But in this lies another danger: that of gross over-population. If the present trend continues unabated the planet earth may soon become too small to house mankind. For example, arable land may be grossly inadequate to support food production for the very large population. Also, if the population continues to grow unchecked, there will be too many people who may contribute to polluting the environment. Just imagine the amount of waste that would be generated daily by homes, industries and institutions. These waste and debris, if not collected regularly and disposed of properly. may lead to environmental degradation. We should, therefore, watch it.
(a) In four sentences, one for each, summarize the factors that have prompted the rapid increase in world population.
('b) In two sentences. one for each, summarize what is likely to follow the continuing rapid population growth.
(a) Factors that prompted the rapid increase in world population
(b) What is likely to follow the continuing rapid population growth
Maelezo ya Majibu
(a) Factors that prompted the rapid increase in world population
(b) What is likely to follow the continuing rapid population growth
Je, ungependa kuendelea na hatua hii?