English Language 1985 Jamb Past Questions and Answers

Question 81 :

• JAMB 1985

Days passed fast for Ntanya and Teresa. They could hardly notice the land getting brown all over kachawanga again, since neither of them noticed any more the sun come up and go down. Ntanya would work very hard in the field hauling in the last harvest and Teresa would stay at home washing, cooking and waiting, waiting for him to come home. She would cook his meal with extra care and when there was little meat she would only give bits to the children and not even touch it herself but use only the smell to get her food down and reserve the whole chunk for her husband. When Ntanya would come home with sweat on his brows she would put the wooden tray on a stool for him and sit down by him watching him eat with great satisfaction: every bolus that went down Ntanya’s throat would also go down her own throat. When Ntanya would insist on sharing the food with her she would always say she had eaten already no matter how hungry she might be. Ntanya would then eat and drink to his satisfaction and rest a while in the sun after saying ‘Thank you mother’


Ntanya said '' Thank you mother' to

A. His mother
B. His wife
C. His aunt
D. Teresaà¡ mother
E. His grand-mother

Question 82 :

• JAMB 1985

Days passed fast for Ntanya and Teresa. They could hardly notice the land getting brown all over kachawanga again, since neither of them noticed any more the sun come up and go down. Ntanya would work very hard in the field hauling in the last harvest and Teresa would stay at home washing, cooking and waiting, waiting for him to come home. She would cook his meal with extra care and when there was little meat she would only give bits to the children and not even touch it herself but use only the smell to get her food down and reserve the whole chunk for her husband. When Ntanya would come home with sweat on his brows she would put the wooden tray on a stool for him and sit down by him watching him eat with great satisfaction: every bolus that went down Ntanya’s throat would also go down her own throat. When Ntanya would insist on sharing the food with her she would always say she had eaten already no matter how hungry she might be. Ntanya would then eat and drink to his satisfaction and rest a while in the sun after saying ‘Thank you mother’


Teresa would say she had eaten already no matter how hungry she might be so that

A. Ntanya would eat to his satisfaction
B. Ntanya would say 'Thank you mother
C. 'she could cook again
D. She could watch him eat
E. Every boluswould go down her own throat

Question 83 :

• JAMB 1985

Mathematics is the language in which the Book of Nature is written: Mathematics is the queen of the Sciences. It is universally agreed that Mathematics is the backbone of Science and Technology. For without Mathematics the engineer is but an artist or sculptor. He can build his bridge, attest to its from and beauty, but without Mathematics he cannot guarantee its reliability to serve the purpose for which it is built. Mathematics is indeed the science of sciences. It is also art of all arts. It is right, legitimate and defensible to consider Mathematics as an Art. The poet, the musician, the artist and the Mathematician have a lot in common. Fundamental to all their studies and works is their common interest in the logical study of related concepts and objects from patterns which will produce beauty, harmony and order. Thus the poet arranges words to produce a pattern called poetry: the musician arranges sounds to produce a pattern called music, the artist arranges colours to produce pattern called painting and the Mathematician arranges abstract ideas into a pattern, using symbols, to produce equations. Each of these patterns- the poem, the music, the painting and the equation must stand up to the test of some order, harmony and beauty. So if Mathematics is not an art what is art?


The view expressed in this passage belong to

A. JAMB
B. Artists
C. Mathematicians
D. The poet
E. The author of the passage

Question 84 :

• JAMB 1985

Mathematics is the language in which the Book of Nature is written: Mathematics is the queen of the Sciences. It is universally agreed that Mathematics is the backbone of Science and Technology. For without Mathematics the engineer is but an artist or sculptor. He can build his bridge, attest to its from and beauty, but without Mathematics he cannot guarantee its reliability to serve the purpose for which it is built. Mathematics is indeed the science of sciences. It is also art of all arts. It is right, legitimate and defensible to consider Mathematics as an Art. The poet, the musician, the artist and the Mathematician have a lot in common. Fundamental to all their studies and works is their common interest in the logical study of related concepts and objects from patterns which will produce beauty, harmony and order. Thus the poet arranges words to produce a pattern called poetry: the musician arranges sounds to produce a pattern called music, the artist arranges colours to produce pattern called painting and the Mathematician arranges abstract ideas into a pattern, using symbols, to produce equations. Each of these patterns- the poem, the music, the painting and the equation must stand up to the test of some order, harmony and beauty. So if Mathematics is not an art what is art?


The expression 'Mathematics is the queen of the Sciences' contains

A. A contradiction
B. An analogy
C. An irony
D. A lie
E. Nonsense

Question 85 :

• JAMB 1985

Mathematics is the language in which the Book of Nature is written: Mathematics is the queen of the Sciences. It is universally agreed that Mathematics is the backbone of Science and Technology. For without Mathematics the engineer is but an artist or sculptor. He can build his bridge, attest to its from and beauty, but without Mathematics he cannot guarantee its reliability to serve the purpose for which it is built. Mathematics is indeed the science of sciences. It is also art of all arts. It is right, legitimate and defensible to consider Mathematics as an Art. The poet, the musician, the artist and the Mathematician have a lot in common. Fundamental to all their studies and works is their common interest in the logical study of related concepts and objects from patterns which will produce beauty, harmony and order. Thus the poet arranges words to produce a pattern called poetry: the musician arranges sounds to produce a pattern called music, the artist arranges colours to produce pattern called painting and the Mathematician arranges abstract ideas into a pattern, using symbols, to produce equations. Each of these patterns- the poem, the music, the painting and the equation must stand up to the test of some order, harmony and beauty. So if Mathematics is not an art what is art?


The last sentence of the passage. 'So if Mathematics is not an art what is art? is a

A. Question posed for the reader to answer
B. Statement put in the form of a question
C. Question combined with a statement
D. Mathematical equation stated in words
E. Pattern which illustrates beauty, harmony and ordre in language