WAEC SSCE WASSCE 2007 Comprehension passages
COMPREHENSION PASSAGE I
Mensa seemed to have flown from East Legon to Old Road, Madina, where he lived with his mother. His mind was full of wild ideas, fresh ambitions and serious vows. The experience at his uncle's official residence was being filmed before his mind's eye. The painful images in pinched on a sharp mind. Far from making him discouraged, the strange experience raised his spirits and aroused his dormant feelings. The apparent loss of hope was quickly replaced by a more forceful passion - the desire to rely as much as possible on his own efforts, the determination to employ all his talents and develop them as best he could, no matter the cost, not counting the obstacle in his way.
As he floated along the road, unmindful of the morning traffic, two lines of a song which he had once heard at a youth camp meeting, came forcefully into his excited mind. He recited and sang them repeatedly.
“Just as I am, young, strong and free
To be the best that I can be...”
He vowed to himself, with tears racing down his youthful cheeks that, even without his uncle's help, he would try to be the best he could ever be. He prayed that nothing should stand in his way. He feared two inevitable things only, -ill-health and death. Even so, he would rather die than fail to continue his education. He was quite prepared to endure all difficulties come out to suffer all hardships and to bear all humiliation.
He reached home. His mother was in the open yard of the compound house, where she had rented a room and was staying with her son. She was busily fanning the charcoal in the rickety coal-pot to cook breakfast of corn porridge to be taken with dry bread, without milk.
‘Back from your uncle’s place. How did they receive you, my son?’ The mother eagerly asked, peering into his eyes for some clue to a favourable answer.
Miss ignored her question. He was staring like a last ghost at the smoke coming out of the coal pot, his eyes turned and misty. Suddenly, like in bold from the blue, he asked, ‘Mum come on who is my father and where can I find him?’
Kuukua’s soft heart seemed to have been drained of blood. when she recovered her normal heartbeat, her tender mouth open wide, I love filled eyes bought out of their sockets, and her lips trembled with pain. Mason case that has tended repeated his questions: ‘Mum. Who is my father? Where is he?’
‘Be patient, my son. I’ll tell you all about him, especially now that you need his help urgently.’
Questions
a) 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. dormant
ii. talents
iii. endure
iv. peering
v. ignored
vi. normal
b) Why did Mensah visit his uncle?
c) What was his mood after the visit?
d) How did he react to his experience at his uncle’s place?
e) What two signs from the passage show that Mensah and his mother were poor?
f) The apparent loss of hope…
i. What is the grammatical name for this expression?
ii. What is its function?
g) to endure all difficulties, to suffer all hardships and to bear all humiliation
What literary device is used in this expression?
h) …a bolt from the blue…
What is the meaning of this expression?
COMPREHENSION PASSAGE II
Life is truly a network of interconnected and interdependent organisms. Humans are very much a part of this web. For evidence, you need not look further than your body. Quietly at work in your digestive tract, an army of friendly bacteria help you to stay healthy by destroying harmful invaders and by producing essential vitamins. In return, you, the host, provide the bacteria with food and a supportive environment.
In the insect world, ants are a model of cooperation, industry and order, often working together to drag home objects much larger than themselves. Some ants will even assist injured or exhausted members of the colony back to their nest.
Similar alliance occurs in the animal Kingdom, especially among animals such as and sheep. Part of their multi-chambered stomach hosts a veritable ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. These microbes breakdown the carbohydrate in their food into various nutrients. Such close cooperation among dissimilar organisms is fundamental to the development of every living system. It is called mutualism because both organisms benefit from each other.
An interesting example of mutualism occurs among certain birds. The birds live dangerously. The screech owl, for instance, brings a live snake into its nest. The snake is called the blind snake. Instead of harming the nestlings, the snake eats ants, flies and other insects and their larvae. The young owls raised with a blind snake in the family grow faster and are much more likely to survive than those raised without the company of this living vacuum cleaner.
Another bird, called the water dikkop, does not team up with a mere snake. It builds its nest next to that of a crocodile, a reptile that preys on birds. However, instead of becoming a meal for the crocodile, the bird serves as a sentry. Should danger approach either its nest or the crocodile’s nest, the bird would emit warning cries. If the crocodile is away, these cries will bring the reptile charging back to defend the nest.
Questions
a) 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. friendly
ii. essential
iii. exhausted
iv. alliance
v. dissimilar
vi. charging
b) What two benefits do humans derive from bacteria?
c) What is the writer’s attitude to ants?
d) According to the passage, what do bacteria gain from the human host?
e) In what way do the bird and the crocodile help each other?
f) What do you think the writer means when he says: these birds live dangerously?
g) Should danger approach either its nest or the crocodile’s nest…
i. What is the grammatical name for this expression?
ii. What is its function?
h) …this living vacuum cleaner.
What literacy device is used in this expression?
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