NABTEB English Language 2024 Theory — Question 7

Model answer

(a) Three indicators of the decline in the education of males, according to the passage: i. More girls than boys now enrol for secondary and tertiary education than was the case forty years ago, and the population of boys and girls in classrooms is either equal or girls now outnumber boys. ii. After obtaining their first degree, many young men of marriageable age prefer to work to raise enough money to get married, rather than pursuing further studies. iii. Female students now perform better academically than males and obtain more first-class honours than boys in universities, with girls forming the majority of best students and award-winners in many disciplines. (b) Three likely consequences of the decline in the education of males, according to the passage: i. Most top positions in public and private establishments may eventually be occupied by women who have the required academic qualifications, as companies and industries will engage only the topmost brains with the necessary experience for leadership positions. ii. In homes where women are married to men with lower academic qualifications than themselves, misunderstandings and conflicts are likely to occur as wives view issues from a broader perspective while husbands may consider their opinions confrontational, reducing peace and harmony in such homes. iii. Women, being more numerous than men as managers and policymakers, may use their higher numbers in positions of authority to formulate policies that favour them and possibly dominate the males, creating an imbalance in society.