Question 1

LETTER WRITING (Do either 1(a) or 1(b))
(a) Write a letter to your friend in another school giving him or her three reasons your school is better than his or her school and persuading him or her to seek transfer to your school.

Accepted Answer

Use the format of an informal letter:
- Your address (top right) and the date.
- Salutation: Dear (friend's name),
- Introduction: greet your friend and say why you are writing.
- Body: give three reasons, one paragraph each, e.g. (1) well-qualified and dedicated teachers, (2) good facilities such as a library, laboratory and playground, (3) good discipline and good results in external examinations.
- Persuasion: tell your friend how the transfer will benefit him or her, and invite him or her to visit.
- Conclusion: Yours lovingly, (your name).

Question 2

OR
(b) Write a composition on "My Hero"

Accepted Answer

Choose a real person (a parent, a teacher or a public figure). Introduction: name the person and say why he or she is your hero. Body: describe the person's qualities (honesty, courage, kindness), give one or two examples of what the person has done, and say how he or she has influenced you. Conclusion: say what you have learnt and that you want to be like your hero.

Question 3

2. COMPREHENSION PASSAGE
interestingly, Iyanda was not totally disappointed by the sheer display of self-centredness of Mr Ballie, his master, who connived with the fraudsters to raise the spirit and dash the hope of this ambitious and enterprising young officer. Of course, he knew his boss like the palm of his hand; very callous to the extreme.
However, he erroneously wrapped himself in a delusion of grandeur presuming that he deserved maximum protection from his superintendent being his loyal close aide.
In not time, the rumour of Mr Ballie's maltreatment of his personal assistant became rife but none of the co-workers was bold enough to ask questions on or protest against this overt inhumanity. "Wonders shall never end. Why would the manager invite con men to meet Iyanda?" A staff member querulously murmured and consciously looked round so as to be sure his soliloquy was free from eavesdropping. Everyone was in the loop that the fear of Mr Ballie was the beginning of wisdom. After all the agony of losing a job was better imagined than experienced.
In one fell swoop, the police officers, having followed many false leads for the first four days of their preliminary investigation, arrested the criminals together with Mr Ballie in their hideout and were summarily brought to book.
Nostalgia rent the air as the co-workers did not only jubilate the sack of the devil but also mourned the pyrrhic justice for Iyanda who was at the convalescent home recuperating from severe despondency occasioned by unrequited loyalty.
Nevertheless, the criminals were cooling off their heels behind bars.

QUESTIONS
1. Why was Iyanda disappointed?
2. What did the feelings of workers suggest about Mr. Ballie according to the passage?
3. What does the expression "everyone was in the loop" mean?
4. Quote a word from the passage that suggests workers were both happy and unhappy
5. Give a suitable title to the passage.

Accepted Answer

1. He was disappointed because Mr Ballie, his master, connived with the fraudsters to destroy his hope, even though he had been a loyal and close aide.
2. The workers feared Mr Ballie, and they saw him as a wicked and callous boss (they jubilated at his sack).
3. It means that everyone knew what was going on.
4. "Nostalgia" (a feeling that mixes happiness and sadness).
5. "The Downfall of Mr Ballie" (or "The Fall of a Wicked Boss").

Question 4

3. SUMMARY
The teaching profession is one of the underrated professions in Nigeria and does not earn the respect it really deserves.
This profession is downgraded because teachers in Nigeria are poorly remunerated compared to their counterparts in the medical field, banking sector to mention but a few who are all product of teachers.
One begins to wonder why products are rated higher than producers. The counterparts of teachers in other fields of human endeavour are well remunerated and honoured.
The situation is lamentable when many of the students come to their alma mater for one document or the other, look down on teachers simply because they now live a life of luxury.
The situation is disheartening when parents bombard schools to beat up a teacher for correcting their children thereby inflicting injuries on the teacher. It suffices to say here that the students as well as their parents dislike teachers.
No wonder most children never want to become teachers except when circumstances of life force them to be and the few who have the passion to become teachers are discouraged by the treatment of teachers in our society. Looking at the standard of living in Nigeria, certain premium residential areas cannot be afforded by most teachers. Teachers who are supposed to be given kingly treatment are subjected to nothing but slavery. Most teachers cannot ride desired cars nor afford a simple life-style like their well-remunerated counterparts. What a pity!
Well, teachers should not be discouraged because the greatest assets any nation can have are teachers and the greatest reward of a teacher is the joy derived from moulding lives rather than helping to destroy lives.

1. In one (1) sentence, state why teachers are looked down upon.
2. State the central idea of the passage.
3. Why don't children like to become teachers?
4. In two (2) sentences, state the positive roles of teachers in the nation.

Accepted Answer

1. Teachers are looked down upon because they are poorly paid compared with their counterparts in other professions.
2. The teaching profession is underrated and teachers are poorly treated, even though teachers are the greatest assets of a nation.
3. Children do not like to become teachers because teachers are poorly paid, disrespected and badly treated in society.
4. Teachers produce the doctors, bankers and other professionals in the nation. They also mould lives and build the character of the young.

Question 5

PROSE
4(a) THE CAVE OF A MILLION EYES - IGELE MICHAEL
1. Who was Dr Nwantufur?
2. Why was Dr Nwantufur awarded a doctoral degree?
3. Why did hunters fail to visit the forest?
4. Mention the names of two (2) of the students who went to the forest

Accepted Answer