DOLPHIN MARIA COLLEGE BAUCHI

THIRD TERM SS 2 ENGLISH EXAMINATION QUESTION

Answer one question only from this section. All questions carry equal marks. Your answer should not be less
than 450 words.

You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this section.

1. A friend of yours who has been living in Europe for some years has written to invite you to join him. Write a
reply to his letter giving, at least, three reasons why you would rather remain in your country.

2. Write an article suitable for publication in your school magazine on the need to inculcate good moral values
in the youth.

3. Write a letter to the Minister of Education in your country discussing, at least, three ways by which the
quality of education could be improved.

4. You are the main speaker on a debate in the topic: Technology had made the world a better place. Write
your argument for or against the motion.

5. Write a story to illustrate the saying: The devil makes work for idle hands.

SECTION B COMPREHENSION (20 MARKS)

Answer all the questions in this section. You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this section.

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

The case of Dr. David Akide drives home the point that nobody should be written off as a failure as long as he
has not died. As far as I can recall, he was one of the weakest in class throughout our primary school career.
Right from the second grade, he was the butt of most of our jokes. Indeed, whenever the teacher referred a
question to him, most of us waited eagerly to have a good laugh. But we all admired him for two things. For
one thing, he was the only one who never wrote with the right hand as he was a complete southpaw. Then, he
endured all the jokes cheerfully and he indeed referred to himself as ''Mr. Why Hurry". Forever sociable, he
was a friend to everybody who came close to enough.

Not surprising, we left him behind in the primary school as he could not get admitted to any of the secondary
schools to which he took an admission examination. That was why from the time I entered the secondary
school, I lost contact with him. Nor did any of my mates who I closely associated with ever mentioned meeting
him anywhere. As far as most of us were concerned, David had faded away into obscurity. I imagined that he
must have ended up in one of the low-grade vacations since he was at least good in handicrafts.
Then, a few months ago, thirty-eight years after I last saw him in the primary school - while I was watching a 9
o'clock television network programme, I saw David being interviewed by a team of reporters. He was
introduced as a specialist surgeon who has made his mark in heart surgery in the nation's leading teaching
hospital. The questions were on his recent feat in his successful correction of abnormality in the heart of a
patient who has been written off by most other specialists. The patient fully recovered and was now back in his
vacation as a mechanic.

I was amazed, I was pleasantly surprised from the interview, it became clear that he had experienced a surge in
intellectual prowess late in his secondary school career and zoomed into and through the University as a
medical student.

Thereafter, it had been one major achievement after another for him in his chosen field.

a) What evidence is there that the writer is not a young person?

b) For what two things was David Akide admired by others in the primary school?

c) Why could he not move into a secondary school then along with the others?

d) What did the writer assume had been the fate of David after leaving the primary school?

e) What is established by the fact that David Akide was being interviewed by a panel of reporters on the
nation's network programme?

f) Why was the writer amazed?

g) ..."While I was watching a 9'o clock television network programme''?

i) What is the grammatical name given to the expression as it is used in the passage?

ii) What is its function?

h) "... zoomed into and through the University ..."

i) What figure of speech is used in this expression?

ii) What does it mean?

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) cheerfully

ii) sociable

iii) imagined
iv) vacation

v) achievement

SECTION C

SUMMARY (30 Marks)

You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this section.

Read the passage carefully and answer the question on it.

Have you ever considered the vast difference between the conventional desktop telephones 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 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 filled 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 have to wait for several
months before the telecommunication department officials would come to install the wires in order to get
one's set connected to the national grid. After that, the applicant may count himself among the privileged ones
in the community but he might not get a sign of relief yet: his problem may just be beginning. The inclement
weather may remind him that the 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 termite 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 handsets 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 handsets which could be very cheap or very costly depending on one's
preference and purse. Once it is purchased, its users could have access to dozens of functions. Apart from
making and receiving calls, one could send text messages and receive response 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 handset 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.