Topic Content:
- Text: New Oxford Secondary English Course for JSS1
- Title: The Police (pages 145 – 146)
The Police:
Many people detest the police. The mere appearance of the police can make some people feel frightened. They panic whenever they see policemen. This should not really be so. The police are our friends and they perform very important functions in the societyThe term society is derived from the Latin word 'socius' meaning friendship or companionship. Society is a community, nation or group of people who share the same traditions, institutions, rules and... More.
Think of how the traffic situation would be without the police. It will be chaotic. Policemen control the traffic and they ensure that there is free flow of traffic every time. We can therefore get to our destinations in time. Sometimes, we observe two drivers trading blows over the right of way when the policemen are not around.
In addition to this, they regulate the speed at which people drive on the highways. Some people drive at breakneck speed and that is why there are many accidents. In these accidents, many precious lives are lost. Some people are maimed. It is the police that take accident victims to the hospitals for treatment.
The police also prevent the poor from being oppressed by the seemingly powerful people. Some powerful people always look down on the poor and they always want to oppress them. The police, therefore, ensure that the rights of the poor are not denied them. They enforce the law of the land which regards everybody as being equal.
What about the protection they offer to citizens? It is the police that ensures that people are properly protected. They see to it that people’s lives and properties are safe. While people are sleeping and snoring in their homes, the police are busy patrolling the streets to apprehend thieves and other night marauders.
It is the police that arrest criminals, murderers, burglars, assassins, etc. They endanger their own lives. They go to the hide-outs of criminals. They engage in gun battles with criminals. In the process, some of them lose their lives.
It is true that there are a few bad eggs in the police who collect bribes or collude with criminals. We have these bad eggs in every organization too.
We should however not condemn the police. We should cooperate with them by giving them useful information about the movements and hideouts of criminals in society. When we consider the activities of the police, we should regard them as our friends indeed.
Exercise:
1. What do some people do when they see policemen?
2. What can happen if the police do not control traffic?
3. What happens when the police control traffic?
4. How do the police prevent accidents on the highways?
5. What do the police do to accident victims?
6. Who prevents the poor from being oppressed by the powerful people?
7. How does everybody stand before the law?
8. do the police endanger their own lives?
9. What do the bad eggs in the police do?
10. When people are sleeping in their homes at night, what do the police do?
11. How should people cooperate with the police?
12. What is the attitude of the writer to the police?
13. Using your dictionary, check-up and write down the meaning of the following words as used in the passage:
i. Detest
ii. Panic
iii. Chaotic
iv. Maimed
v. Snoring
vi. Apprehend
vii. Marauders
viii. Burglars
ix. Assassins
x. Hide-outs
xi. Collude
14. Note the following expressions and find out their meanings:
i. Trading blows
ii. Right of way
iii. Breakneck speed
iv. Accident victims
Evaluation:
New Oxford English Book 1: Questions 1-14 page 146.
Assignment:
New Concept English Book 1; Page 148 Debate/Argumentative Essay (Argue for or against the topic)
Responses