ENGLISH LANGUAGE SS3

Section A
Essay Writing
Answer one question for this section. Your write- up must not be less than 450
words.
1.You have recently moved into a new neighbourhood with your parents. Write a
letter to your sister who is studying overseas giving, at least, three reasons for
disliking the new place.
2. Write an article for publication in a national newspaper on the topic: Vocational
Training is the answer to unemployment among the youths.
3. Your country's public transport system is not functioning properly. Write a letter
to the Minister of Transport, highlighting the causes and suggesting at least two
measures to remedy the situation.
4.You are the Chief Speaker in a debate on the topic: The youths of today are more
interested in the pursuit of pleasure than in academic work. Write your speech for
or against the topic.
5. Write a story to illustrate the saying: A good name is better than riches.

Section B
Reading 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.

Section C
Summary
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
No one can deny the fact that anyone who wants to be successful in learning
the English language needs a good English dictionary. Such a dictionary should be
a source of information about the language — information that is not generally
available in grammar books. It should not only contain a list of words and their
meanings, but also a lot of information that can help a leaner to speak and write
good English.
In order to use a word correctly, the reader needs to know how to link it with
other words in a sentence. He should also know the structures that often precede
or follow it, and whether it is formal or informal. This will help him to choose what
word is appropriate for a particular context. The dictionary is therefore, an
invaluable aid to reading as well as writing skills.
If the meaning of a particular word in a passage impedes the overall
comprehension of the main ideas presented in it, then a dictionary should be
used. Most teachers must have observed a widespread tendency among their
students to attack a new passage by reading it word by word, stopping to reach
for a dictionary whenever they come across a word they do not know. This is a
wrong approach; the dictionary should be used only as a last resort. The main
objective of reading a passage is not to define specific words but to understand
the ideas and concepts of the passage. the frequent use of a dictionary tends to
focus the reader's attention on words when he should be concentrating on
understanding the main ideas of the passage. Efficient reading implies obtaining
the greatest amount of information from the passage in the shortest time
possible. The frequent use of a dictionary takes too much time — time that can
better be employed in getting an overall understanding of the passage.
Instead of turning to the last resort, the reader should continue reading. Very
often, the meaning of an unfamiliar ford can be guessed from the context in which
it is used. The passage may give a definition, cite examples or describe
circumstances surrounding the use of such a word well enough for him to know
what it means. After reading the 'hole passage, the reader may realize that he has
understood the important ideas presented without knowing the leaning of every
word. If, after reading the entire passage, the reader is still unable to guess the
meaning of a word from the context, then he should study the structure of the
word The word may be a compound word which, when broken into its component
parts, can be easily understood.
If after exhausting these approaches. the reader still does not understand the
meaning of a word, and if this word is vital to the comprehension of the whole
passage, then and only then, should he refer to a dictionary,

(a) In one sentence state the purpose of a good dictionary

(b) In two sentences, one for each, state the two disadvantages of constantly
referring to a dictionary when reading a passage.
(c) In three sentences, one for each, summarize the three steps that a reader
should take before referring to a dictionary.

Section D
Objective
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.

A guest should not make derogatory remarks about what he is offered by his host
but __________ statements. A. candid B. appealing C. polite D. complimentary

2 The audience applauded the last speaker, but the first was_________
A. booed B. rejected C. abused D. scorned
3. The commander said that raw recruits could not dislodge the enemies: he
needed______ men.
A. skilled B. practical C. learned D. season
4 John gave a fictitious account of the incident but his son's account was_______
A. probable B. compelling C. factual D. necessary

5While the refuse dump smelled fetid, the orchard exuded a_______ smell
A. fragrant B. spicy C. clean D. dry

choose the word or group of words that is nearest in meaning to the underlined
word as it is used in the sentence.
6. The boy was reluctant to carry out the order of his senior. A. adamant B. slow
C. sluggish D.unwilling
7. Dr. Azeez declined the offer to chair the meeting. A. rescinded B. shunned C.
refused D. avoided
8. The match came to an abrupt end when the rain started. A. sharp B. Brisk C.
quick D. sudden
9.The boy came through the window as stealthily as he could. A. quietly B.
carefully C. quickly D. slowly
10.Bimbo was satisfied with the result she got A. positive B. surprised C.
contented D. appeased

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that best completes each of
the following sentences.
11.Coming from the kitchen was the sweet ________ of Mummy's soup. A. aroma
B. odour C. fragrance D. scent
12. There is a need to raise teachers' salary in order to boost their___A. spirit B.
moral C. soul D. morale
13. The librarian has not entered the new books in the_________A. catalogue B.
roster
C. list D. directory
13. The textbook is very costly; I cannot_________ it to my students.
A. commit B. afford C. endorse D. recommend
14. The weather is too hot; I need some water to________ my thirst.
A. wet B. quench C. cool D. soak
15. Please, run ______ fifty copies of this report for me. A. off B. on C. over D. out
16. The cook had _____ oil and so could not prepare the soup. A. little B. small C.
some D. much
17. Some people find it difficult not give _____ to temptation. A. away B. over C.
in D. off
18. No sooner had they arrived _____ we left the hall. A. than B. when C. so D.
therefore
19. The little boy found it difficult to keep pace______ his father. A. against B. by
C. with D. over
20. You will help me lift this box, _______? A. won’t you B. would you C. Can you
D. could you

Choose the option that best conveys the meaning of the underlined portion in
the following sentence;
21. In the match against the uplanders team, the sub mariners turned out to be
the dark horse
A. played most brilliantly B. won unexpectedly C. lost as expected D. won as
expected
22.Only the small fry gets punished for such social misdemeanours. A. small boys
B. unimportant people C. frivolous people D. inexperienced people
23. He spoke with his heart in his mouth A. courageously B. with such unusual
cowardice C. with a lot of confusion in his speech D. with fright and agitation
24. His driving made my hair stand on end. This means that his driving was_____
A. delightful B. frightening C. interesting D. exciting
25. The woman supported her husband through thick and thin. This means that
she supported her husband. A. in both good and bad health B. when he was fat
and when he got thin C. whether he was behaving well or badly D. in both good
and bad circumstances
26. Whenever my cousin comes to realize that I am telling the truth, she will eat
humble pie. This means that my cousin will______ A. respect me B. hate herself C.
apologize D. be ashamed
27. Out of the blue came his letter inviting me to stay with him. This means that
the letter came A. by air B. in a blue envelope C. came unexpectedly D. by sea
Test of Oral
From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that contains the sound
represented by the given phonetic symbols.
28. /t/ A. think B. them C. helped D. same
29. /e/ A. said B. back C. meat D. lot
30. /b/ A. tomb B. cab C. womb D. dad
31. /ts/ A. chemistry B. chair C.champagne D. shame
32./j/ A. judge B. universe C. jug D. back
33. / ᶴ/ A. lack B. chair C pressure D. class
34. /u/ A. school B. put C. room D keep
35. /n/ A. Know B. keep C. kit D. milk
36./a/ A. pack B. heart C. meat D. clerk
37. /f/ A. graph B. germ C. set D. man
38. /d/ A. worked B. stopped C. begged D. washed
39. /ᶇ/ A. uncle B. turn C. sun D. gum
40./h/ A. honest B. hour C. house D. when

LITERATURE-IN-ENGLISH SS3
1. ‘He bleats like a goat’ is an example of______ A. metaphor B. simile C.
pun D. irony
2. Which of the following is not genre of literature? A. satire B. poetry C.
prose D. drama
3. The last part of a literary work is known as ______ A. acknowledgement
B. epilogue C. an epitaph D. a prologue
4. “Peter’s pretty partner paid the bills” is an example of ______A.
alliteration B. rhyme C. satire D. digression
5. A sonnet maybe divided into an octave and a/an_____ A. couplet B.
sestet C. quatrain D. monologue
6. The major features of a play are_____ A. chapters and paragraphs B.
stanzas and verses C. acts and scenes D. lines and chapters
7. In drama, the clown ______ A. creates confusion B. creates humour C.
creates hatred D. identifies with the hero
8. Pick out the out of the following. A . simile B. hyperbole C. ballad D.
metaphor
9. A poem of two lines is called___ A. triplet B. octave C. couplet D.
quatrain
10.A prose is written in ____ and _____A. chapters and paragraphs B.
stanzas and verses C. acts and scenes D. lines and refrains
11.The Lion and the Jewel is written by_____ A. J.P Clark B. Wole Soyinka C.
Williams Shakespeare D. John Donne
12.The protagonist of the Second Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta is ____
A. Francis B. Adah C. Mr Noble D. Lawyer Nweze
13.The central idea of a literary piece of work is called_____ A. theme B.
plot C. setting D. tone
14.A literary work that is written in form of a letter is _____ A creative B.
romantic C. tautology D. epistolary
15.A question that does not require an answer is ____A.
discourse B. rhetorical C. ironic D. flashback
16.Fiction is a/an ____ story. A. imaginative B. realistic C. true D. allegorical
17.A didactic poem _____ A. entertains B. teaches C. amuses D. ridicules
18. ‘The sun smiles at his good work’ is an example a_____ A. hyperbole B.
simile C. metaphor D. personification
19. The state of mind of a poet can be described as ____ A. style B. mood C.
setting D. theme
20.‘ He is my beloved enemy ’ is an example of ____ A. oxymoron B.
personification C. hyperbole D. metaphor
21. An elegy is a poem of ______ A. mourning B. complaint C. hope D. joy
22.The state of mind of a poet can be described as _____ A. style B. mood
C. setting D. theme
23. A particular feature of drama in general is ____ A. humour B. satire C.
sarcasm D. action
24. A situation where two opposite ideas are placed together is ____ A.
euphemism B. antithesis C. paradox D. oxymoron
25.The expression of unpleasant experiences in a mild way is______ A.
hyperbole B. metaphor C. euphemism D. paradox

Read the extract and answer questions that follow

 Lysander riddles very prettily
Now much beshrew my manners and my pride.
If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied
But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy
Lie further off in human modesty
(Act 2,scene 2,lines 42-46)
26.Who enters after the speech?
A. Demetrius B. Robin C. Helena D Oberon
27.What is the reply of addressee?
A. death B. stranger C. amen D. enough
28.Who is gentle friend?
A. Helena B. Lysander C. Thisbe D. Egeus
29.The speaker is _____ A. Hermia B. Helena C. Theseus D. Demetrius
30.The speech is made in the ____ A. palace B. Queen’s room C. Oberon’s
place D. woods

THEORY
Answer one question from each section.
SECTION A
AFRICAN POETRY
‘The Song of the Women of the Land’
1. Discuss the theme of woman oppression in the poem.
OR
‘The Government Driver on His Retirement’
2. Discuss the use of situational irony in the poem.

SECTION B
NON- AFRICAN POETRY
‘The Caged Bird’
3. Elaborate on the poet’s use of symbols in the poem.
OR
 ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’
4. What does the title ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’ mean?
Discuss.

SECTION C
AFRICAN PROSE
Second Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta
5. Discuss Francis as a failed husband.
OR
6. Discuss the concept of second Class citizen in the novel

SECTION D
AFRICAN DRAMA
The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka
7. Discuss the character and role of Sidi as the ‘Jewel’ in the play.
OR
8. Discuss the theme of the struggle between tradition and modernity.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE SS2

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.
1. "Hello Musa" is a ........... opening for a friendly letter, but it is inappropriate
for a formal letter. A. casual B. serious C. happy D. suitable
2. We blamed Obi for breaking the door, but when Ade confessed that he did
it, Obi was........... A. rewarded B. exonerated C. released D. jailed
3. Parking on this street is ........on weekdays, but permitted at weekends.
A. rejected B. sanctioned C. abolished D. prohibited
4. The children expected to be praised for putting out the fire, but they
were..........for taking such a risk.
 A. rebuked B. accused C. despised D. sentenced
5. They had to ........ the old buildings to construct the five-star hotel.
6. A. close B. remove C. demolish D. damage
7. If we can commence the meeting on time, we should be able to ............ by
4.00 p.m. A. return B. vacate C. convene D. adjourn
8. A child got stuck trying to squeeze through an iron fence, but some adults
managed to ......... him.
A. extract B. push C. save D. extricate
9. They ended the discussion on amicable terms though they were........to
each other at the beginning. A. unacceptable B. hostile C. unknown D.
annoying

From the words or group of words lettered A to D, choose the word or

group of words that best completes each of the following sentences.

10.The class prefect's ............of the quarrel is different from yours.

A.statement B. account C. outline D. summary
11. I refused to ...........my statement because it was true. A. retract B. make C.
Withhold D. voice
12.______ is an example of a preposition. A. that B. is C. under D. if
13.The doctor’s _____was that the patient was suffering from cancer. A.
prediction B. verdict C. diagnosis D. analysis
14.That Fulani man has a large _____ of cattle. A. herd B. flock C. swine D.
multitude
15. I have two uncles, ____ of them are tall. A. neither B. none C. either D.
both
16. I want some of ____ yams you buried in the ground. A. them B. ones C.
ones of those D. those

Choose the option that best conveys the meaning of the underlined portion in
the following sentence;

17.The constitution guarantees certain freedoms for the people.

 A. president B. headline C. editorial D. columnist
18.From the ways my friend talks, you can see he is such a bore A. rude
B. brilliant C. uninteresting D interesting
19.Several crucial decisions were taken at the meeting. A. final B. particular C.
important D. excited
20.Our choir put up a splendid performance at the festival. A. a popular B. a
sound C. an excellent D. important

Choose from the options lettered A-E, the option that most appropriately
completes the sentence.

21.1. Obtaining a scholarship these days is a rare ______.

A. previlledge B. priviledge C. privilege D. privilledge

22.. You have to be very good at a language before you can _______ it. A.
intaprete B. interpit C. interpret D. interprete
23.Yawning in public without covering one’s mouth shows lack of ______. A.
etequete B. etiquette C. etiquete D. ettiquete

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that contains the sound
represented by the given phonetic symbols.
24. /t/ A. think B. them C. helped D. same
25. /b/ A. tomb B. cab C. womb D. dad
26./ts/ A. chemistry B. chair C.champagne D. shame
27../j/ A. judge B. universe C. jug D. back
28. /n/ A. Know B. keep C. kit D. milk
29. /f/ A. graph B. germ C. set D. man
30. /d/ A. worked B. stopped C. begged D. washed
 SECTION B
COMPREHENSION

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 that 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) verify.

ESSAY WRITING
Answer ONE question only. Your Content should NOT BE LESS THAN 450 words.
1. Your friend in another school has requested some information about your
school to enable him to decide on moving over to your school. Write a letter
to him discussing at least three areas in which your school excels.
2. Write an article suitable for publication in your school magazine on the
problems of indiscipline in schools.
3. Write a letter to the local Government Chairman of your area, explaining to
him the poor state of roads in your area and state at least three reasons why
they must be worked on.
4. You are the chief speaker in a debate on the topic ‘ It is the home and not
the school that contributed more to moral laxity among students. Write your
argument for or against the motion.’
5. Write a story to illustrate the saying: Pride goes before a fall.

SS2 Literature Examination Question for 2nd Term

1. A....... poem teaches moral A) empirical B) didactic C) symbolic

D) ballad
2. A sonnet consist of....... lines of poem
A) six B) fourteen C) two D) eight
3. A question which does not require an answer is......
A) ironic B) rhetorical C) discourse D) flashback
4. A writer choice of words is his...... A) setting B) diction C) toneD) mood
5. pick the odd item
A) simile B) elegy C) ballad D) ode
6. Drama is meant to.....
A) criticize B) be read and acted only C) educate and entertainD) teach
manners only
7. ........ is a literary device used to express something unpleasant in a
more acceptable manner
A) euphemism B) eulogy C) epilogue D) epigram

8. . A literary work written in form of letter is.....

A) epistolary B) romantic C) creative D) tautological
9. . A deliberate use of exaggeration for the purpose of
humour/emphasis is......
A) metaphor B) hyperbole C) ironyD) personification
10. The major features of play are.......
A) chapter and line B) act and scene C) paragraph and chapterD) line and
stanza

11. The principal female character in a novel is......

A) villain B) none of the aboveC) actressD) heroine

12. "Night" is a poem written by......

A) J. P ClarkB) Elizabeth L. A KamaraC) John DonneD) Wole Soyinka

13. ....... is a figure of speech that give life to inanimate object

A) personification B) assonance C) irony D) litotes
14. . The overall mood conveyed in Wole Soyinka's poem "Night" can be
accurately described as....
A) calm B) agitated C) cheerful D) aggressive
15. "Once upon a time" by Gabriel Okara is a.....
A) essay B) song C) poem D) play
16. ....... imitate echo sound
A) allusion B) onomatopoeia C) euphemism D) allegory
17. "Once upon a time" by Gabriel Okara is a conversation between
A) two adults B) father and son C) two brothers D) grandmother and
grandson
18. Where is Gabriel Okara from?
A) Vietnam B) England C) Kenya D) Nigeria
19. Flashback is used in a novel to tell .....
A) the immediate action B) the hidden action C) the action in past
D) the futuristic action
20. ...... is the repetition of vowel sounds
A) assonance B) rhyme pattern C) anthology D) alliteration
21. "He is like a bull when angry", contain which figure of speech
A) simileB) metaphor C) hyperbole D) pun
22. The following are the elements of Poetry except.....
A) dictionB) themeC) tone D) stanza
D) stanza

23. one can tell poetry from prose by......

A) setting B) condensed language C) characterization
D) plot
24. The most intense part of a literary work is also called......
A) climax B) peak C) epic D) resolution

25. A soothing song to send a baby to sleep is called.......

A) alibi B) lullaby C) nanny opera D) doxology
26. Poetry is defined by
A) plot and setting B) evocation of feelings and imagination
C) using of figures of speech D) suspense
27. The genres of Literature are poetry, drama and _____
A. poetry B. pun C. poem D.diction
28. ‘ Still I rise’ is written by ______ A. Maya Angelou B. Mary Angelou C.
Jane Bronte D. Maya Eliot
29. The Poem ‘Still I Rise’ is centred on _____ A. oppression B. love C.
happiness D. death
30. A man for All Seasons is an example of _____ A. poem B. drama C.
prose D. speech

THEORY
ANSWER ANY FOUR QUESTIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING.
1. Discuss any two themes in the play , The Marriage of Anansewa
2. Explain the theme of ‘The Resilience of Black Women ‘ in the poem,
Still I Rise
3. Examine the theme of power and corruption in the text , A Man for
All Seasons
4. Discuss the theme of ‘ The power of tradition and culture’ in the
novel, So the Path does not Die.
5. Discuss the significance of the refrain ‘Still I rise’ in the poem , Still I
Rise
6. Analyse the character of Thomas More. What role does he play in
the play.