WhatsApp MR Beacon Chapterz 0546215469

OBJECTIVES

From the words or groups of words lettered A to D, choose the words or group of words that best completes each of the following sentences._*

1. We will leave _ you are ready.

A) as when

B) whenever

C) as ever

D) soon as

2. The task is _for us to undertake.

A) much too difficult

B) too much difficult

C) more too difficult

D) quit to difficult

3. If i _ enough money, I would buy a car. We arrived just _ time for the grand opening.

A) by

B) about

C) before

D) in

4. Bakary can lift this heavy log, _ ?

A) isn’t it

B) can’t he

C) does he

D) doesn’t he

5. The president’s speech _ yesterday at 8.00 p.m.

A) is broadcast

B) is being broadcast

C) has been broadcast

D) has been broadcasted

E) was broadcast

6. After two hours of continuous work, the group broke _lunch.

A) with

B) from

C) for

D) to

7. He finally hit _the idea of travelling abroad

A) out

B) at

C) on

D) up

8.The standard of education has gone _

A) out

B) at

C) on

D) up

9. The council appointed a _committee to look into the matter.

A) five-men

B) five-men’s

C) five man

D) five-man’s

10. Give it to Aminata, it is _

A) her

B) their

C) yours

D) hers

11. Please, don’t speak evil _ the dead

A) to

B) of

C) on

D) for

12. My brother was about _ his house when i arrived

A) to leaving

B) to have left

C) to leave

D) to be leaving

13. Neither Jack nor Jill _ there yesterday

A) are

B) were

C) is

D) was

14. I have _ completed the task.

A) more and less

B) more or less

C) more than less

D) more but less

15. Mary did her best _failed to reach the pass mark

A) but

B) however

C) so

D) and

16. The authorities have shown no sign of giving _to their demands.

A) off

B) away

C) over

D) in

17. We must hurry now for there is not _time left

A) some

B) much

C) plenty

D) any

18. Those properties are _ sale

A) up for

B) up on

C) out for

D) down for

19. In trying to escape, the thief ran _ the police.

Options

A) upon

B) by

C) into

D) through

20. I have always counted _his friendship.

A) in

B) to

C) with

D) on

21. The caller was told to _the line.

A) hold off

B) hold up

C) hold on

D) hold

22. The coach _him to have scored a goal

A) was expecting

B) expected

C) had expected

D) has expected

23. After eating all the mangoes, he shouldn’t complain of stomach, _

A) isn’t it

B) would he

C) should he

D) should it

*_From the words lettered A to D below each of the following sentences, choose the word or group of words that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word as it is used in the sentence._*

24. The professor’s explanation of the point was very *lucid*

A) long

B) clear

C) prompt

D) complicated

25. The *luminous* hands of the clock attracted the baby

A) bright

B) colourful

C) glaring

D) beautiful

26. Children often behave badly out of

*ignorance*

A) illiteracy

B) inexperienced

C) unfamiliarity

D) simplicity

27. This is a *chance* of a life time

A) an advantage

B) a privilege

C) an opportunity

D) a possibility

28. Olu insisted on his *freedom* to choose his career.

A) wish

B) independence

C) ability

D) right

29. *Hindering* justice may earn you a fine

A) impeding

B) retarding

C) stopping

D) Delaying

*_In each of the following sentences, there is one underlined word and one gap. from the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word and that will, at the same time, correctly fill the gap in the sentence_*

30. Now that the people of this community are living in *comfort,* I don’t think they will want to go back to their days of _

A) disappointment

B) hardship

C) strife

D) starvation

31. False witness *castigate* rather than _ the accused

A) expose

B) appease

C) punish

D) exonerate

32. The some teachers *dissuade* students from studying Mathematics, but others _ them

A) motivate

B) lure

C) instruct

D) reward

ESSAY TYPE

Question 1

You are about to leave secondary school and a friend of yours who is attending school in another town has written to enquire about what you wish to do after leaving school. Write a reply to him explaining your plans.

Question 2

Write an article suitable for publication in your school magazine on the effects of drug abuse.

1. *Write a letter to your father, who has been on a long course abroad, telling him how the family has been faring in his absence.*

2. *Write an article suitable for publication in a cultural magazine on the advantages and disadvantages of the extended family system.*

3. *The last nation-wide strike by secondary school teachers affected your school adversely. Write a letter to the Minister of Education suggesting at least three ways of preventing future strike actions.*

4. *You are a speaker in a debate on the topic: “Civilian rule is better than military rule.” Write your contribution for or against the motion.*

5. *Write a story, real or imagined, which illustrates the saying: :Make hey while the sun shines.”*

COMPREHENSION

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

It was a little past 10 a.m. but the medium-sized hall that served as a prayer house was already brimming with people from different parts of the metropolis, who had come to seek cure or answers to their problems. The majority of this lot were those with seemingly intractable mental health conditions. The superintendent of the prayer house in question was often spoken of in whispers as possessing uncanny spiritual powers to exorcise evil spirits. it was also believed that he had answers to numerous illnesses that defied orthodox medication. Wednesday of each week was set aside for these healing sessions.

On this particular Wednesday, noisy supplications to the Most High and ceaseless invocation of His name to free those supposedly held captive by alleged evil spirits had reached fever pitch. Suddenly, a middle-aged man broke loose from the crowd and ran as fast as his wobbly legs could permit. Some male workers from the prayer house gave him a hot chase.

At first, bemused by-standers rained curses on the fleeing man, wondering why a man in his right senses would in broad daylight rob a house of God. They obviously mistook the man for a robber fleeing from the scene of his crime. But he was not. Minutes later, he was caught and chained hands and feet, despite his struggle against his captors who intermittently lashed him with horse-whip. As he was being violently dragged along the street, the man ceaselessly muttered incomprehensible words that sounded like the muttering of a colony of baboons. Then, a clear picture of the situation dawned on the on-lookers. The man, after all, was not a thief and had stolen nothing; rather, his ability to think and reason properly had taken flight of him. Simply put, he was mentally deranged.

The above incident is a common occurrence in many parts of the country. It aptly underscores the devastating mental health conditions plaguing a sizeable number of people in recent times. It also points to the unspeakable and inhuman treatment which people with such health disorders suffer at the hands of self-styled spiritualists. This is the usual lot of mental patients whose family members refuse to take advantage of orthodox treatment.

(a) What brought the people to the prayer house?

(b) State the functions of the superintendent of the prayer house.

(c) What was wrong with the on-lookers’ assessment of the run-away man?

(d) Mention two instances of inhuman treatment in the passage.

(e) What is the writer’s attitude towards the treatment of lunatics at prayer house?

(f)”… like the muttering of a colony of baboons.” What figure of speech is contained in this expression?

(g) “… Whose family member refuse to take advantage of orthodox treatment.” (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, find another word or phrase which means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the passage.

(i) intractable ;

(ii) supplications;

(iii) wobbly;

(iv) bemused;

(v) intermittently

(vi) deranged.

SUMMARY

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

Have you ever considered the vast differences between the conventional desktop telephone and the modern handset telephone? The desktop telephone has one distinct function: that of making and receiving calls. Apart from that, perhaps the other use is aesthetic — adding some beauty to the furniture pieces in the room. The conventional telephone set was a status symbol, as only the rich and highly privileged could afford it.

To obtain it, one had to fill many forms and have three well known citizens to attest to one’s sterling qualities as a highly responsible member of the society. Then, after paying several fees, one had to wait for several months before the telecommunications department officials would come to install the wires, in order to get one’s set connected to the national grid. After that, the applicant might count himself among the privileged ones in the community. But he must not heave a sigh of relief yet: his problem may just be beginning. The inclement weather may remind him that his use of the facility is at its mercy. A rainstorm or even a strong wind can destroy some of the wire-bearing poles, thus cutting him off from other telephone users. Besides, a vehicular accident may knock down a pole or several of them. It is not even uncommon for termites to render wooden poles useless. Finally, there are the problems of the communications department officials who are noted for bringing bills late, and cutting off wires for failure to pay up promptly. Most often, the bills bear little resemblance to actual consumption. Thus, the telephone is not always there at one s service.

Like the conventional desktop telephone set, the handset has the primary function of making and receiving calls. Beyond that, there are vast differences between them. To begin with, the small handset is not much of a status symbol now. It is very easy to carry about and it can be used everywhere by all and sundry. The telephone service providers have flooded the market with lines at very low prices, such that most users can boast of two or more lines. Gone are the days when one had to apply for a set and wait for months. Today, all that it takes is to purchase the handset, which could be very cheap or very costly depending on one’s preferences and purse. Once it is purchased, its user could have access to dozens of functions. Apart from making and receiving calls, one could send text messages and receive responses within minutes. The set could be used to take pictures which could be as clear as any taken with a professional camera. One could also connect to the internet to read newspapers and send mails. Besides, the set could be used to store songs; it could also be used as a radio receiver. One could use the handset to programme schedules of activities. The reliable timepiece on it could be used as a watch. Young ones play games on their handsets and store pictures of loved ones on them.

However, with all these advantages, the handset has one obvious shortcoming: it can easily be lost or stolen. This is where the conventional desktop telephone is not vulnerable.

(a) In three sentences, one for each, summarize the problems associated with owning the desktop telephone.

(b) In three sentences, one for each, summarize the advantages which the handset telephone has over the desktop telephone