Comprehension/Summary - Jamb English Language Past Questions and Answers

Question 246:

• JAMB 1986

  Those who are familiar with it will tell you that Ludo, like human life itself, is a game both of chance and skill. You need skill in deciding how to make the most advantageous use of the figures that turn up on the die when you cast it. Since each player has at least four alternative ways of using his figures, two players with equal luck may fare differently, depending on how cleverly each one uses his figures. The element of luck, again as in human life, plays a dominant role however. For no matter how skilful a player may be in using the figures he gets on the die, he has a slim chance of winning if he continually throws low figures. While a combination of ones and twos may be useful in checking the advance of one’s opponents, it will not take one home fast enough to win. On the other hand: consistent throws of sixes and fives with the very minimum of skill, will help a player to home all his four counters before any of the three other players, unless, of course, he has no idea of the game at all.


According to the passage Ludo is

A. More a game of skill than of chance
B. More a game of luck than of skill
C. Equally a game of chance and skill
D. A game entirely of luck

Question 247:

• JAMB 1986

  Those who are familiar with it will tell you that Ludo, like human life itself, is a game both of chance and skill. You need skill in deciding how to make the most advantageous use of the figures that turn up on the die when you cast it. Since each player has at least four alternative ways of using his figures, two players with equal luck may fare differently, depending on how cleverly each one uses his figures. The element of luck, again as in human life, plays a dominant role however. For no matter how skilful a player may be in using the figures he gets on the die, he has a slim chance of winning if he continually throws low figures. While a combination of ones and twos may be useful in checking the advance of one’s opponents, it will not take one home fast enough to win. On the other hand: consistent throws of sixes and fives with the very minimum of skill, will help a player to home all his four counters before any of the three other players, unless, of course, he has no idea of the game at all.


It is implied in the passage that two players may fare equally if they

A. Have equal luck
B. Apply similar skill to figures
C. Apply similar skill to similar figures
D. Have equal skill

Question 248:

• JAMB 1986

  Those who are familiar with it will tell you that Ludo, like human life itself, is a game both of chance and skill. You need skill in deciding how to make the most advantageous use of the figures that turn up on the die when you cast it. Since each player has at least four alternative ways of using his figures, two players with equal luck may fare differently, depending on how cleverly each one uses his figures. The element of luck, again as in human life, plays a dominant role however. For no matter how skilful a player may be in using the figures he gets on the die, he has a slim chance of winning if he continually throws low figures. While a combination of ones and twos may be useful in checking the advance of one’s opponents, it will not take one home fast enough to win. On the other hand: consistent throws of sixes and fives with the very minimum of skill, will help a player to home all his four counters before any of the three other players, unless, of course, he has no idea of the game at all.


It is implied in the passage, that in Ludo threes and fours are

A. Very high throws
B. Medium throws
C. Low throws
D. Very low throws

Question 249:

• JAMB 1986

  Those who are familiar with it will tell you that Ludo, like human life itself, is a game both of chance and skill. You need skill in deciding how to make the most advantageous use of the figures that turn up on the die when you cast it. Since each player has at least four alternative ways of using his figures, two players with equal luck may fare differently, depending on how cleverly each one uses his figures. The element of luck, again as in human life, plays a dominant role however. For no matter how skilful a player may be in using the figures he gets on the die, he has a slim chance of winning if he continually throws low figures. While a combination of ones and twos may be useful in checking the advance of one’s opponents, it will not take one home fast enough to win. On the other hand: consistent throws of sixes and fives with the very minimum of skill, will help a player to home all his four counters before any of the three other players, unless, of course, he has no idea of the game at all.


According to the passage, a player with consistently high throws will

A. Almost certainly win a game
B. Certainly win a game
C. Almost certainly not win a game
D. Deliberately not win a game

Question 250:

• JAMB 1986

  Those who are familiar with it will tell you that Ludo, like human life itself, is a game both of chance and skill. You need skill in deciding how to make the most advantageous use of the figures that turn up on the die when you cast it. Since each player has at least four alternative ways of using his figures, two players with equal luck may fare differently, depending on how cleverly each one uses his figures. The element of luck, again as in human life, plays a dominant role however. For no matter how skilful a player may be in using the figures he gets on the die, he has a slim chance of winning if he continually throws low figures. While a combination of ones and twos may be useful in checking the advance of one’s opponents, it will not take one home fast enough to win. On the other hand: consistent throws of sixes and fives with the very minimum of skill, will help a player to home all his four counters before any of the three other players, unless, of course, he has no idea of the game at all.


In the passage, the possession of skill specifically enables a player to

A. Win
B. Throw good figures
C. Use his figures efficiently
D. Check his opponents effectively