WAEC SSCE WASSCE 2008 Comprehension passages
COMPREHENSION PASSAGE I
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Parents are the most important models for growing children; In fact the first influences on them. First, the parents usually are the earliest human contact the child has in the world around them. They are the most enduring models because of their being present longer than any other social agents. In the eyes of the child, parents are by far the most powerful people. They influence the child through nurturing them and providing their needs. In a word, their survival almost solely depends on them. undoubtedly then, the child looks up to these prime models for the development of their character. Perhaps this explains some of the traditional sayings which suggests that the child takes after the parents.
Take the expression, “a chip off the old block”, which is often used to confirm the close similarity between the behavior of the child and his parents. It stands to reason that the child naturally picks up their traits, whether good or bad, from its parents. Although the child’s parents are his earliest and most important models, he is exposed to many other potent influences: siblings, television, school, celebrities and so on. The walls of boys’ room, for example, are often covered with the pictures of their idols. They sometimes walk, talk, and to some extent, behave like them. But do children emulate the behavior of everyone? It is known that they do not imitate all the people they know in equal degrees. Therefore, it is important to understand the variables that determine the extent to which the child takes up the attributes and behavior displayed by his models.
Studies have shown that this is not a simple case of imitation. One strong determinant is the identification with the object of admiration. For instance, if a young girl wishes to be like her father, it is because she loves him. Secondly, she believes that she can do both the great and admirable things her father does. On the other hand, the father could have been selected because of his care and generosity in nurturing her.
Questions
a) Give two reasons for the influence which parents have on their children.
b) How does a child demonstrate the influence with his model has on him?
c) How do children see their models?
d) Mention two factors which influence a child to take up aspects of his models behavior.
e) Although the child’s parents are his earliest and most important models…
(i) What is the grammatical name for this expression as used in the passage?
(ii) What is its function?
f) .. a chip off the old block….
What does the expression mean?
g) List two “other social agents” which, according to the passage, influence the child.
h) For each of the following words command given other word or phrase which means the same and can replace it in the passage:
(i) survival
(ii) prime
(iii) confirm
(iv) potent
(v) idols
(vi) attributes
COMPREHENSION PASSAGE II
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Last Sunday, I happened to be a visitor at one of the big churches in the city. I was outside because I had arrived late, which is a normal occurrence in this part of the world, and there was a big bar across the entrance to the auditorium. While outside, I witnessed an incident which I found moving. One of the members of the congregation who could not sit through the service what's a toddler. He was a rather special child about three years old. He was one of those children who have a stormy beginning in life, involving brain surgery, among other things. He was just learning to walk.
That day he was having the time of his life, running up and down the large church premises. The church was by a busy main road and every time he headed towards the gates he was in danger of being crushed by a passing vehicle. Running alongside the little boy and keeping pace with him was his father. All this while, the father was never impatient nor did he shout at the boy to sit still.
This reminded me of another father I came across many years ago. His baby boy, Francis, was born with left clip which caused a large split in his face. The defect could be repaired but not until he was older. The parents were counselled and they took the baby home. But their troubles were just beginning. They lived in a house with several other tenants. The other tenants decided to make life unpleasant for the couple. Their persistent teasing and nasty comments nearly drove them away from the house. The rumor went round that the mother had given birth to a baby with a ‘half face.’ People would gather around the house just to laugh at the child and spirits. Some would call the mother names as she passed by. Things became so unbearable that something had to be done.
“I decided to put him in my taxi and work with him so that his mother will be spared all that trouble” come on the father said to me, as he recounted this sad story. The child occupied space in the car, which could have been taken up by a paying passenger. This certainly affected his daily earnings. Many fathers of children with cleft feel too embarrassed to allow them out of the house. Not this man. He would drive round the city with Francis in the front seat. This must have put off many passengers, scared by the face of little Francis.
Today, Francis is a healthy 8-year-old. After the repair of the cleft he has become his father's pride and joy.
Questions
a) What incident did a writer find moving?
b) What quality did the two fathers have in common?
c) What is the writer’s attitude toward the two fathers?
d) What picture does the writer paint of Francis’ neighbors?
e) State two ways in which Francis caused financial loss to his father.
f) …I came across many years ago.
(i) What is the grammatical name for this construction as used in the passage?
(ii) What is the meaning of the expression?
g) … He was having the time of his life...
(i) What literary device is used in the subscription?
(ii) What is the meaning of this expression?
h) For each of the following words find another word or phrase which means the same as the word and can replace it in the passage:
(i) stormy
(ii) defect
(iii) persistent
(iv) recounted
(v) embarrassed
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