2018 WAEC (WASSCE) English Language Theory Past Questions

NOTE: The essay section of this paper is scored under the following aspects:

Answer one question only from this section. All questions carry equal marks. Your answer should not be less than 450 words.

You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this section.

1. You are dissatisfied with some practices in your school. Write a letter to your friend in another school discussing at least three of these practices and the improvement you desire.

2. Write an article suitable for publication in a national newspaper on the high cost of living, suggesting at least three ways in which the government of your country can tackle the problem.

3. Write a letter to the Chairman of the Environmental Protection Agency on the effects of illegal felling of trees and suggest ways to remedy the situation.

4. You are the main speaker in a debate on the topic: Children of literate parents perform better in school than those of illiterate parents. Write your argument for or against the motion.

5. Write a story to illustrate the saying: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this section.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

The crowd was massive. Men, women, boys and girls from every nook and cranny of the village had gathered under the big iroko tree. Also in the crowd was an American couple, tourists, who were enjoying their holiday. At the centre of the large circle of people was the magician who had the reputation of performing unbelievable feats. Everybody was impressed with the feats which went along with the hilarious drumming.

Then came the next item. The magician’s three aides each took out a local gun while the magician danced even wilder. The gun-totting aides took up position in three different corners. The drumming became more frenzied and the magician performed more acrobatics. The people were not to wonder for long what the guns had to do with the whole show. One after the other, the aides aimed at the magician while he steadied himself to receive the shots. Each gun boomed with a loud report and the magician jumped up in celebration of his survival. The three shots seemingly got to him but he simply laughed to scorn the shooters.

The American tourist was more than mystified. He could not explain it. How could a man receive bullet shots in his chest and still remain unscathed? In disbelief, he shouted ” This is amazing can’t be explained But wait a minute. I’ll join the show myself.” There and then, he went to his car took out his rifle and returned to the crowd “I’m gonna get this guy!” he proclaimed.

He took aim. The magician saw him out of the corner of his eye. He surveyed the scenario and decided that he was not prepared for this. Quickly, he showed a clean pair of heels. Tearing through the crowd he ran for dear life. Some thought this was still part of the show. but when the man would not return it was clear that he had bidden the audience a hasty farewell.

What the American and most others did not realise all the time was that the local guns had no bullets whatsoever only the gunpowder.

Questions:

(a) What suggests that the show was free?

(b) What evidence is there that the performance was not a one-man show?

(c) Why was the magician confident to receive the shots from his aides?

(d) What did the American tourist set out to prove?

(e) What might have happened if the American had completed his contemplated action?

(f) ….he showed a clean pair of heels. What does this expression mean?

(g) … which went along with the hilarious drumming.

(i) What is the grammatical name given to this expression as it is used in the passage?
(ii) What is its function?

(h) 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) feats
(ii) aides
(iii) steadied
(iv) mystified
(v) unscathed
(vi) hasty

Drug abuse is a menace in many countries. The continued abuse of drugs usually leads to addiction. This problem is more common among youths. The drugs that can be abused vary from prescribed medication to more controlled substances. Alcohol, cigarettes and controlled substances such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and so on are addictive drugs that are often used by many young people. They can be smoked, swallowed, inhaled, or injected into the bloodstream.

There are numerous adverse medical and psychological consequences associated with drug addiction Individuals have been known to suffer irreversible damage from the abuse of drugs. It can affect the central nervous system as well as cause memory loss, brain damage and depression.

Drug addicts may display psychotic behaviours, mood swings and may be predisposed to irascible decision-making. They are also likely to suffer general health problems related to the lungs, heart and kidneys. In fact, the adverse behavioural and physical effects of drug addiction on the individual are enormous.

Apart from the problems for the individual, the families of drug addicts are not spared. Since addicts are usually incapable of functioning as ‘normal’ members of 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 they abuse their families. They are prone to abusing spouses and children. There have been reports of children harming their parents because the latter did not give them money to buy drugs. Drug addicts may eventually require expensive treatment and rehabilitation. These have huge cost implications that put a lot of pressure on the family budget. In addition, their families face stigmatization in their communities.

The society at large also suffers. Drug addicts are more likely to be involved in criminal activities than people who are not. Many of the heinous crimes reported have been attributed to drug addiction. The abuse of alcohol is one of the reasons for the increasing number of road accidents. An increase in crime rate forces the government to commit huge resources to fight crime, resources that could have been used to provide more social amenitiesSocial amenities, or public amenities, refer to places, buildings or infrastructural facilities which are to be shared and to become convergence spots for the local and surrounding communities. Examples include good... More. Moreover, most criminal gangs are formed and thrive on money from drugs. Although the addicts have made the drug trade seemingly attractive and profitable no one should promote it.

Regardless of the apparently insurmountable nature of the problems associated with drug addiction, some measures could be taken to curb this menace. People need to be more educated on the effects of addiction on themselves and their families. Children must be taught in schools and at home the need to stay away from drugs. The law-enforcement agencies should also be better empowered and resourced to apprehend dealers in order to curtail the availability of drugs in circulation. Another step is to ensure that drug addicts receive early treatment. Such treatment should be based on the specific drug the individual is addicted to. While it may appear impossible to eliminate the problems of addiction, relentless efforts in taking the steps above will help to weaken the grip of drug abuse on our society

Questions

(a) In three sentences, one for each state three categories of people that are affected by drug addiction and what they suffer.

(b) In three sentences one for each, identify three ways to combat drug addiction in the society.