Comprehension/Summary - Jamb English Language Past Questions and Answers

Question 301:

• JAMB 1987

I dare not lift the veil that protects our tribal marriage customs and ceremonies from the eyes of outsiders. There is already too little in this world that is sacred; and what Fatmata and I were required to go through during the next week must remain so. I was deeply in debt by the time everything was over, but I was absolutely satisfied with my parents’ choice. Fatmata was as black as satin, and as soft. She had the teeth and smile of a goddess. The Dopo tutors had done their job well; she was a completely efficient lover and mother. I brought her home with swelling pride, and began at once to save all I could spare towards the cost of acquiring my second wife. My anti-Western revolt was gaining momentum


The evidence will seem ti indicate that

A. The author adores his first wife
B. He disapproves of her ways
C. He thinks she is extravagant
D. The author regrets the cause of his debts
E. She had not been properly brought up

Question 302:

• JAMB 1987

I dare not lift the veil that protects our tribal marriage customs and ceremonies from the eyes of outsiders. There is already too little in this world that is sacred; and what Fatmata and I were required to go through during the next week must remain so. I was deeply in debt by the time everything was over, but I was absolutely satisfied with my parents’ choice. Fatmata was as black as satin, and as soft. She had the teeth and smile of a goddess. The Dopo tutors had done their job well; she was a completely efficient lover and mother. I brought her home with swelling pride, and began at once to save all I could spare towards the cost of acquiring my second wife. My anti-Western revolt was gaining momentum


When the author said 'my anti-western revolt was gaining momentum' (line 7) he was referring to the fact that

A. He did not like polygamy
B. He hated Europeans
C. He did not want to marry another wife
D. He admires everything about his wife
E. He rovolted against European values

Question 303:

• JAMB 1987

I dare not lift the veil that protects our tribal marriage customs and ceremonies from the eyes of outsiders. There is already too little in this world that is sacred; and what Fatmata and I were required to go through during the next week must remain so. I was deeply in debt by the time everything was over, but I was absolutely satisfied with my parents’ choice. Fatmata was as black as satin, and as soft. She had the teeth and smile of a goddess. The Dopo tutors had done their job well; she was a completely efficient lover and mother. I brought her home with swelling pride, and began at once to save all I could spare towards the cost of acquiring my second wife. My anti-Western revolt was gaining momentum


it would appear that the marriage had turn him into

A. A good worker
B. A faithfu husband
C. An incurable debtor
D. A tragic figure
E. A proud husband

Question 304:

• JAMB 1988

I was to remember my first day at Freedom University for a long time. On arrival on campus, I expected to be met by some stale students (as was the practice in my secondary school) but every student around was new like myself. I asked the way to Grant Hall but not one could tell me. I asked a number of other questions about issues that bothered me, such as where and how to pay the fees, the way to the dining hall and so on but no help was forthcoming. So in the midst of so many people, I am all alone, I mused to myself. The prospect was not in the least cheerful and all the elation I had felt at gaining entry into a renowned university at sixteen been to disappear. Then so if propelled by an unknown benevolent force, I walked a little bit down the corridor in the direction of notice board at which some ten young men and women were peering. For want of something to do, I decided to stop and look at the notice board. Alas! I had opened on the key to all the riddles that had dribbled me since I set foot on campus that morning. On the board there was a big campus map in which I was able to locate Grant Hall and other places of interest, there were details of various activities lined up for the three days of orientation for freshmen and a comprehensive list of those offered admission into various courses. How blissful I felt to see the light of knowledge , having been wallowing in the darkness of ignorance. Even then I was not able to escape the thought that I could not be sure how much of the responsibility for the darkness was mine, the fact that something had not been done to draw attention to 5that apocalypse of the notice board had contributed clearly to my initial predicament. All that notwithstanding, I learnt from the incident an importance of reading notice boards and handbills if one is to be informed about places and events in the university.


The writer of the passage felt isolated because

A. There were too many people
B. He was a new student in freedom university
C. There were too many new students
D. None of the many people around could help him

Question 305:

• JAMB 1988

I was to remember my first day at Freedom University for a long time. On arrival on campus, I expected to be met by some stale students (as was the practice in my secondary school) but every student around was new like myself. I asked the way to Grant Hall but not one could tell me. I asked a number of other questions about issues that bothered me, such as where and how to pay the fees, the way to the dining hall and so on but no help was forthcoming. So in the midst of so many people, I am all alone, I mused to myself. The prospect was not in the least cheerful and all the elation I had felt at gaining entry into a renowned university at sixteen been to disappear. Then so if propelled by an unknown benevolent force, I walked a little bit down the corridor in the direction of notice board at which some ten young men and women were peering. For want of something to do, I decided to stop and look at the notice board. Alas! I had opened on the key to all the riddles that had dribbled me since I set foot on campus that morning. On the board there was a big campus map in which I was able to locate Grant Hall and other places of interest, there were details of various activities lined up for the three days of orientation for freshmen and a comprehensive list of those offered admission into various courses. How blissful I felt to see the light of knowledge , having been wallowing in the darkness of ignorance. Even then I was not able to escape the thought that I could not be sure how much of the responsibility for the darkness was mine, the fact that something had not been done to draw attention to 5that apocalypse of the notice board had contributed clearly to my initial predicament. All that notwithstanding, I learnt from the incident an importance of reading notice boards and handbills if one is to be informed about places and events in the university.


The writer says that the prospect was not cheerful because

A. No one could tell him how to get to Grant Hall
B. He had felt too elated when he gained admission into the university
C. There was no hope of getting out of his predicament
D. The other students were hostile