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English Language
WAEC / WASSCE 1989
Reading Comprehension, Summary & Composition
Solution
Write a letter to the Commissioner for Agriculture informing him of the invasion, by certain pests, of farms in your locality and asking for advice and help in controlling them.
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option
Grammar & Contextual Explanation
3 Kunle Ajayi Street,
Oriko.
Lagos.
5th May. 1989.
The Commissioner,
Ministry of Agriculture.
Lagos State.
Dear Sir,
PEST INVASION OF OUR CROPS
I am writing formally, on behalf of the farmers in Oriko community, to inform you about the invasion of our cocoa farm by pests. Oriko community is in Ojo Local Government area of Lagos State. It is basically an agricultural community with a vast expanse of cocoa farms. Our hope and expectation of bountiful harvest this year has however been dashed by the invasion of rampaging insect pests which attacked our cocoa pods before they were ripe for harvest. In the next few months, we expect that our cocoa trees will be harvested but our expectation has almost been thwarted by this pest menace.
The attack on our cocoa trees was first noticed a month ago with the swarm of black insects on cocoa trees in several clusters. Soon after this, they spread so rapidly to cover both the stems of cocoa trees and the leaves. As farmers, we attacked the pest with gamallin which we know and believe could solve our problem, to no avail. The application of this insecticide seems to aggravate the situation as the pest spread further resulting in devastating attacks on our cocoa trees.
Sir, the situation is getting out of hands as the pests have started inflicting heavy injuries on cocoa pods which, instead of getting ripe are now developing dark patches on their bodies. The pests eat up the leaves of our cocoa trees and other valuable crops voraciously and if an urgent step to curb their rapacious invasion is not taken now, it may spell doom for the farmers and colossal waste to the Ministry of Agriculture which has spent a lot of money to provide tools and insecticides for farmers in the state.
It is obvious that our local efforts at controlling the pest have not achieved much. Therefore, I am using this medium to ask for your advice and urgent intervention to control the menace. The farmers would also need your advice on what pesticides to use in order to forestall future occurrence.
I would be grateful if you could use your good office and the resources at you disposal to rescue us out of our present predicament.
Yours faithfully,
(signature)
Adekunle Adewale.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #52001)
English Language
WAEC / WASSCE 1989
Reading Comprehension, Summary & Composition
Solution
There has been an outcry in the country against the desire to get rich quickly, bribery and corruption, embezzlement of public funds and other forms of moral decadence. Write an article, suitable for publication in a national magazine, stating the causes of these social evils and suggesting possible solutions.
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option
Grammar & Contextual Explanation
SOCIAL EVILS IN NIGERIA
There has been a great increase in moral decadence. in the country. Many Nigerians, especially youths are insatiable in their desire to get rich quickly. They want to get rich quickly in their greed and love for excessive materialism. Bribery s the order of the day while embezzlement of public funds by government officials is prevalent in the country nowadays.
This development has become a matter of constant discussion on radio. television and newspapers. Its social evils have dangerously threatened the very existence of our society. and is now smelling like a bad sore.
The causes of these social maladies can be traced to the warped or twisted societal values of our people. Nigerians do not cherish hardwork and diligence nowadays. Those who acquire material wealth by crooked means are praised and honoured, while the hardworking but poor people are not respected simply because they do not have money:
Therefore, as a result of this, many Nigerians do not believe in hardwork and perseverance. An average Nigerian is greedy and everybody wants to own and ride exotic and flashy cars at all cost. They want to possess as many houses as possible and many servants as their greedy minds desire to possess. This has led to many Nigerians, especially youths to engage themselves in various forms of social evils like armed robbery. bribery and corruption, embezzlement and other forms of social malaise. All that they want is to acquire material wealth, in most cases, by crooked means since material acquisition speaks louder than such respected virtues and values like hardwork and honesty. As long as you can get wealth, nobody wants to know how you acquire it.
Another cause of the social evils is the low level of discipline and morality in our various homes and families. Most parents are not honest themselves does not and they encourage their children to acquire wealth by all means, no matter how crooked such means are.
The Nigerian government, at the various levels, doesn't help matters too as top government functionaries and officials embezzle public funds at will. Public funds are converted to personal uses and policemen collect bribes from drivers, smugglers and even from armed robbers. Honesty is no longer the best policy. The honest man now finds out, with great disappointment, that he is a misfit in the society.
However, can it be altered? If not, what hope? What future? I strongly believe that there must be a way out. Where there is a will, there is a way. This means that if we want to bring an end to these social evils, there must be a change in our hearts. Once our hearts get the right message, I am sure that all the social evils will be eradicated.
The Nigerian society should change its values and put honesty and hardwork above any other thing. The government should put into practice the principle of reward and punishment. And it should be stipulated that anybody found guilty of committing any of these social evils should be treated in the same way as armed robbers. On the other hand. government should reward honesty and query ill gotten wealth.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #52002)
English Language
WAEC / WASSCE 1989
Tenses, Aspect & Conditionals
Solution
There has been a violent demonstration in your school in which damage was done to school property. Write a report for the principal stating the causes of the demonstration, and what you think should be done to prevent a recurrence of such an incident.
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option
Grammar & Contextual Explanation
Ojokoro Grammar School
P. 0. Box 2320
Ojokoro.
18th May. 1989.
The Principal
Ojokoro Grammar School
Ojokoro.
Dear Sir.
REPORT ON THE RECENT VIOLENT DEMONSTRATION IN THE SCHOOL.
The recent violent demonstration by students which took place on Wednesday last week is quite unfortunate espe-cially with the large scale destruction which accompanied the protest. It is rather unfortunate that what was planned to be a peaceful demonstration ended up being a violent one resulting in wanton destruction of the school property.
The demonstration has both remote and immediate causes. The remote causes are teachers' nonchalant attitude to work and their high-handedness on students. For quite a long time before the demonstration students had been complaining about the poor attitude of teachers to work. Teachers are failing in their duties; they do not come to classes regularly. In most cases when students go to the staff room to call them, they will give one excuse or the other. Even when some of them promise to come they will not. Few of the teachers who come to teach often do not prepare for their lessons. They do not write lesson notes The negligence of the teachers in carrying out their duties coupled with the high-handedness of some of them constitute the basis for the complaints by students. They have come to complain to me several times as the senior prefect.
Furthermore. the simmering complaints about the teachers culminated in the outbreak of the violent demonstration. The demonstration was triggered off by the injury which Friday Osadolor, a JSS three student sustained in his right eye when Mr. Adebowale, the Biology teacher was flogging him.
The demonstration was planned to be a mere peaceful protest by carrying placards in a march to your office. Unfortunately, the march was overtaken by aggrieved students who introduced violence into the hitherto simple protest march. During the incident, the staff room. school bus and the school hall were burnt down by some students while some teachers were manhandled.
It is obvious that the violent demonstration could have been averted if appropriate steps had been taken to listen to the students' complaints. Sir. I would want you to always have your ears to the ground so that you would know what is going on in the school. You should provide a suggestion box in the school where students can put their complaints and suggestions.
Above all, you should try as much as possible to talk to the teachers to discharge their duties effectively as at when due. You should encourage the teachers to treat the students as their children when they do something wrong. They should avoid inflicting injuries on students when flogging them. You should also institute a panel to look into the remote and the immediate causes of the demonstration.
Tunde Ojuri
(Senior Prefect.)
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #52003)
English Language
WAEC / WASSCE 1989
Tenses, Aspect & Conditionals
Solution
In a letter to your brother who has been studying abroad for the past five years, describe at least three ways in which the current economic situation has affected the way of life of your family.
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option
Grammar & Contextual Explanation
P.O.Box 43
Oshodi
Lagos
Nigeria.
15th July, 1989
Dear Alex,
How are you and your studies? I hope that you are doing very fine. I received your letter last week and the content was well understood. It will interest you to know how the current economic situation in the country has affected our life as a family.
I will be very happy that you know the present economic situation in Nigeria. Things are not the way they used to be five years ago. There is harsh economic situation everywhere and it is taking its toll on every Nigerian family. It is very disheartening to inform you about the poor economic situation in our country. As a result of this, the financial condition of our family has deteriorated over the years.
Alex, you will discover that you have not received money from daddy in the last two years. The reason is that daddy is going through a lot of economic hardship now. Things are not alright with the family. As you must have known daddy was retrenched last year and since then he had not been able to secure another job. Even before he was retrenched, he could not meet all the financial responsibilities because his salary was too meagre. His retrenchment only exacerbated the serious economic hardship that the family is undergoing. In fact, daddy has to sell his land to augment the little income which mummy realises from her petty trading.
As a result of this, many things go wrong in the family. My brothers and I are always at the receiving end. We were withdrawn from the private schools we attended to public schools. Our parents took the decision when they found it increasingly difficult to pay our school fees. This has affected John psychologically as he finds it difficult to cope and as a result, he behaves stubbornly most of the time as a protest to the decision.
Furthermore, the hard economic situation has affected the harmony and peace which had hitherto reigned in our home when you were in the country. Now there are frequent squabbles between daddy and mummy. They no longer agree most of the times simply because daddy can't back up most of his ideas with financial muscle. For instance, mummy quarelled with daddy recently because Peter had no shoes to wear to a birthday party and daddy couldn't buy him a new pair of shoes.
Now, you will realise that the devastating economic situation in Nigeria has affected the once unified family that you knew some years back. l fi advise you to look for a job in London so that you can pay your school fees and meet up with other expenses. Extend my greetings to all your friends.
Yours sincerely.
Samuel.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #52005)
English Language
WAEC / WASSCE 1989
Question Tags, Modals & Pronouns
Solution
Narrate an experience you have had or heard about which illustrates the saying: 'Honesty is the best policy'
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option
Grammar & Contextual Explanation
HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY
Mr. David Achudume is a man who is highly esteemed and respected by his friends and colleagues. His well-known alias is "Honesty" because his reaction to every fraudulent incident in the bank where he is working is "that it pays to be honest". 'Honesty' has become his second name and much of a creed than a mere aphorism to him.
He accepts this as a way of life because of the stern and honest parents he had. According to him his parents instructed him to be honest always in all his dealings and to accept honesty as his guiding principle. As he was growing up. his father usually told him to be honest and shame the devil. His determination to be honest always eventually has made him what he is today, a respected bank executive.
David had a little education which did not take him beyond secondary school. He couldn't go beyond secondary school because his father died while he was in school. Despite his poor background he decided to be honest and truthful. He was however lucky to get employed in a commercial bank as a messenger. In the bank where he was working. he was well-known as a man who always stood by the truth and whose avowed policy is honesty. "We would not be having cases of fraudulent practices in our banks. if we can all be honest," was always his spontaneous reaction whenever there are incidents of fraud in the bank. He had contributed to foiling frand attempts planned by some of his colleagues either by refusing to conspire with them to steal bank money or by alerting his bosses whenever he was aware of any attempt to defraud the bank. This has earned him a second name and he was popular with it.
His honesty paid off one day. One Thursday afternoon a gang of armed robbers stormed the bank and ordered everybody in the banking hall to lie down and face the ground. The manager of the bank was forced to surrender the key of the vault where the bank's money was kept. A lot of money was carted away as the robbers collected all the money from the cashiers and the bank's vault.
As the robbers were hurrying away. they forgot to carry along with them three boxes containing millions of naira which they had packed out of the bank and kept at the back of the bank. Two days after the robbery, David saw the three boxes left at the back of the bank while he was burning some rough papers he was asked to burn by his boss. He called the manager and other top members of the bank and took them to where the boxes were dumped.
The bank management rewarded David with a promotion to the post of a supervisor and a cash award of one hundred thousand naira. His promotion had since then been rapid and in the last Annual General meeting of the bank, he was honoured with promotion to the post of a manager. When he was invited to mount the rostrum, the Master of ceremony said of him: "He is singled out for this honour and award because he has demonstrated that he deserves the alias "Honesty." In practical terms, honesty is his best policy".
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #52006)
English Language
WAEC / WASSCE 1989
Reading Comprehension, Summary & Composition
Solution
Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions on it.
It was a sunny day in the month of May. The sun took its rightful position very early, lending credence to the general feeling that Andrew's birthday ceremony was going to be greeted with the blessing of a pleasant climate. The sky looked so bright that Andrew insisted on having an open-air party. The habitual doubting Thomases had no dissenting opinions to express. Andrew had gone to a great length to ensure a hitch-free party; a party which would remain the talk of the town. Although it was not intended to be free for all, a lot had been done to stamp the occasion on the memories of many people long afterwards.
The bright sun continued to smile. Andrew's face beamed with pleasure with every passing moment. Very few of his conternporaries have so succeeded in reaching the top of the ladder. Andrew in particular had been an orphan of storm. His father's, death during his third year in the secondary school and that of his mother two years later were only two of this orphan's 'storms'. He suffered a physical misfortune when a stockfish machine severed his left middle finger. But Andrew did not despair.
The courage to fail is very cheap. Every fool can afford to fail But it raises one above the herd of cowards and never-do-wells to be up and struggling. The reward of forbearance in the end is resounding success. And so it was for Andrew. Ever since he finished his university education, it had been success galore. He had got a good i job in one of the country's insurance companies. His pay was good, his promotion had been steady and his prospects seemed bright. At forty, he had a good car and had already bought a house of his own. The world was at his feet!
(a) Give, in (iii) word or phrase, the meaning of each of the following words, as used in the passage: (i) dissenting; (ii) stamp; (iii) contemporaries.
(b) What figure of speech is "the bright sun continued to smile?"
(c) (i) What kind of grammatical structure is "the courage to fail?" (ii) What is its function in the sentence?
(d) What two hardships had Andrew gone through in life?
(e) What is implied by the expression The world was at his feet?
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option
Grammar & Contextual Explanation
(a)(i) Dissenting - opposing, contradicting, doubting (ii) Stamp - impress, record, register (iii) Contemporaries -colleagues, mates, peers, friends,
(iv) Forbearance - endurance, (v) Storms - ordeals, problems
(b) Personification (c.)(1) a Noun phrase (ii) Subject
(d) The two hardships Andrew had gone through are: (1) His father died in his third year in the secondary school
(2) His left middle finger was cut by a stockfish machine.
(e) He had everything; or he had succeeded; or he had achieved greatness.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #52007)
English Language
WAEC / WASSCE 1989
Reading Comprehension, Summary & Composition
Solution
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
The finest asset any child can have is a happy home. Such environment will enable him to develop strength and stability of character, thereby teaching him to face the future without fear or undue anxiety. It also will give him something worthwhile to live for. If he exhibits good judgement in later years, much of the credit must go to those who trained him. If he fails, it may have been due to troubles in his home. his school or unsympathetic and hostile relatives. A great i percentage of juvenile problems can be traced to faulty home education and unwholesome influences in early childhood. Undoubtedly, there would be fewer juvenile delinquents if there were more homes where children learned to love and respect their fellow men.
Remember this: happy parents create happy homes; happy homes produce happy children happy children make happy communities and happy communities make a happier world.
(a) Give one word that could replace each of the following in the passage: (i) asset (ii) stability; (iii) worthwhile; (iv) exhibits; (v) hostile: (vi) unwholesome
(b) State in three sentences, three reasons given by the writer to support his view that a happy home is the finest asset any child can have (c) What does the writer mean by: (i) undue anxiety, (ii) juvenile delinquents?
(d) Give from the passage. one: (i) abstract noun which means honour or praise;
(ii) adverb which means certainly: (iii) verb which means make or produce
(e) In one sentence, state why you think the author uses the word happy many times in the last paragraph.
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option
Grammar & Contextual Explanation
(a) (i) asset -.inheritance, resource, gift. (ii) stability - firmness, steadiness (iii) worthwhile - deserving, good, reliable (iv) exhibits - displays, shows, points out (v) hostile - unfriendly, wicked, uncooperative (vi) unwholesome - negative, bad, unhealthy
(b)(i) A happy home helps the child to develop strong and stable character
(2)A happy home prepares or equips the child to face the future without fear.
(3)A happy home helps the child to have something to depend on or live for. (c)(0 undue anxiety — unnecessary worry, or fear of uncertainty. (ii) Juvenile delinquents - young offenders, young criminals.
(d)(i) credit (ii) undoubtedly (iii) Create. (e) The word "happy" is used several times to emphasize the importance of happiness in human society.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #52008)
English Language
WAEC / WASSCE 1989
Reading Comprehension, Summary & Composition
Solution
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Most of the discussions in the newspapers today in Nigeria focus on the problem of corruption and its pervasive effects on our national life. It is a phenomenon which appears to have settled comfortably with us, more so that we now regard it, in a rather casual manner as a normal way of life. One may then wish to ask, what exactly is the complexion of corruption in Nigeria? Why is it so pervasive and how can it be minimized. if not completely eradicated?
Corruption takes many forms in the country. Contracts are not awarded on the objective criteria of professional competence and results of good feasibility studies. It is a matter of personal relationships, club affiliations or the expectation of some kick-backs. Loans are not given out by banks on the merit of what you need them for; it is the kick-backs from the loans that decide the manager's approval. Those who need jobs either have to bribe their way through to get the jobs or they do not get any.
Limited opportunities, the fast declining state of the economy. poor awareness of the rights the state allows. dire needs and a host of others have often been cited as factors responsible for the picture painted above.
Many suggestions have been offered for the alleviation of the problem Some of these suggestions are practical while others appear unrealistic especially in the context of the present orientation in the country. However, the view being held in this write-up is that the problem of corruption can only be tackled by the application of some practical solutions. Thus, we have to start with our leaders. It is being suggested here that our leaders must learn to lead by example. It is not enough for them to condemn corruption, they themselves must not be seen to be involved in any dirty practice. This calls for a great deal of honesty from them coupled with an appreciable degree of integrity and the readiness to help others without expecting to be cheaply rewarded.
Our educational system needs a serious overhaul to achieve some positive results. The teaching programmes must include subjects like Civics and Social Studies which normally expose students to their rights, the limits of such rights and the virtues of good neighbourliness Moral instruction in the schools should be tilted in favour of those imperatives that emphasize justice, fairness and selflessness. In addition, we need a radical reorientation with regard to our value system in the country. There should be less emphasis on the acquisition of material things. Those things that help to uplift the glory and name of the country need to be promoted.
(a) In two short sentences, give the writer's reasons for the wide-spread corruption in Nigeria.
(b) In one short sentence, explain the common pattern that corruption takes in the country.
(c) In three short sentences, summarize what the writer considers to be the practical solutions to the problem of corruption in the country.
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option
Grammar & Contextual Explanation
(a) (1) Fast decline in the state of the economy is one of the reasons for the wide spread corruption in Nigeria.
(2) Widespread corruption in Nigeria is also due to poor awareness of the rights of the citizens.
(b) The common pattern that corruption takes in Nigeria is that people can only get what they .want through. bribery and personal relationships.
(c) (1) Our leaders must live a life that is corruption - free
(2) Emphasis must be laid on justice, fairness and selflessness in teaching moral instructions.
(3) Less emphasis should be placed on acquisition of material wealth.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #52009)
Biology
UTME / JAMB 1989
Variety of Organisms & Classification of Living Things
A multinucleate body without internal cell boundaries is characteristics
A
bryop
B
fungi
C
algae
D
gymnosperms
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option B
Biological Concept & Syllabus Guide
No expanded working has been attached for this question yet. The verified answer is Option B.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #4359)
Biology
UTME / JAMB 1989
Variety of Organisms & Classification of Living Things
Double fertilization is a unique feature of
A
angiosperms
B
bryophytes
C
pteridophytes
D
algae
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option A
Biological Concept & Syllabus Guide
No expanded working has been attached for this question yet. The verified answer is Option A.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #4360)
Biology
UTME / JAMB 1989
Variety of Organisms & Classification of Living Things
Which of the following phyla have members with both internal and external segmentation?
A
Platyhelminthes
B
Nematoda
C
Annelida
D
Mollusca
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option C
Biological Concept & Syllabus Guide
No expanded working has been attached for this question yet. The verified answer is Option C.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #4361)
Biology
UTME / JAMB 1989
Cell & Its Environment (Diffusion, Osmosis & Transport)
Mineral salts can be absorbed into the roots by
A
osmosis only
B
osmosis and diffusion
C
diffusion and active transport
D
imbibition only
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option C
Biological Concept & Syllabus Guide
No expanded working has been attached for this question yet. The verified answer is Option C.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #4362)
Biology
UTME / JAMB 1989
Variety of Organisms & Classification of Living Things
Which of the following is a common characteristic of crustaceans?
A
Possession of a pair of antennae
B
Possession of two pairs of antennae
C
Each segmented has a pair of walking legs
D
Four pairs walking on the cephalothorax
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option B
Biological Concept & Syllabus Guide
No expanded working has been attached for this question yet. The verified answer is Option B.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #4363)
Biology
UTME / JAMB 1989
Variety of Organisms & Classification of Living Things
Solution
The pedipalps in spiders are used for
A
grasping
B
walking
C
feeling
D
web spinning
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option A
Biological Concept & Syllabus Guide
The pedipalps are the two appendages found in the front of a spider's head. The spiders use them to grasp the insect in order for them to eat.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #4364)
Biology
UTME / JAMB 1989
Variety of Organisms & Classification of Living Things
The body of a snail is divided into head
A
thorax and abdomen
B
visceral mass and abdomen
C
thorax and foot
D
visceral mass and foot
medium Difficulty
Verified Correct Answer: Option D
Biological Concept & Syllabus Guide
No expanded working has been attached for this question yet. The verified answer is Option D.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #4365)