Comprehension/Summary - Jamb English Language Past Questions and Answers

Question 456:

• JAMB 1999

  When Thomas Jefferson wrote in the American Declaration of independence that ‘all men are created equal’, he was not seeking to describe men’s endowments, but their political and legal rights. He was not saying that men do not differ from one another in the powers and dimensions of their bodies, minds and characters. He was asserting that despite variations and differences, they all possessed the right to equal political and legal treatment. We must however, ask of what real values are political and legal equality to a man who has no bread to eat , no clothes to wear, no roof to shelter him, no chance to earn a livelihood? What we understand as a democratic society must provide for its citizen’s minimum status protection in his deprivation, losses and fears.
  In our time, the nations of the democratic world have installed elaborate system of social security and welfare, ranging from compensation for industrial accidents to subsidize housing, unemployment insurance, old age pension, psychiatric care and national health services. It is encouraging that the democratic nations are making a serious effort to provide against the characteristic losses and disasters of human life.
  The evolving status of the Negro in America is attracting the attention of the champions of equality. Much has been written on the wrongs, injustice and inequalities of the coloured citizen of the USA and much remains to be said because the history of this struggle for human rights is still unfolding.


According to the passage, a democratic nation is one which

A. Arranges welfare packages for every citizen
B. Absorbs the negro into its political structure
C. Grants equality to citizens
D. Ensures soci-political and legal equality for every citizen

Question 457:

• JAMB 1999

  When Thomas Jefferson wrote in the American Declaration of independence that ‘all men are created equal’, he was not seeking to describe men’s endowments, but their political and legal rights. He was not saying that men do not differ from one another in the powers and dimensions of their bodies, minds and characters. He was asserting that despite variations and differences, they all possessed the right to equal political and legal treatment. We must however, ask of what real values are political and legal equality to a man who has no bread to eat , no clothes to wear, no roof to shelter him, no chance to earn a livelihood? What we understand as a democratic society must provide for its citizen’s minimum status protection in his deprivation, losses and fears.
  In our time, the nations of the democratic world have installed elaborate system of social security and welfare, ranging from compensation for industrial accidents to subsidize housing, unemployment insurance, old age pension, psychiatric care and national health services. It is encouraging that the democratic nations are making a serious effort to provide against the characteristic losses and disasters of human life.
  The evolving status of the Negro in America is attracting the attention of the champions of equality. Much has been written on the wrongs, injustice and inequalities of the coloured citizen of the USA and much remains to be said because the history of this struggle for human rights is still unfolding.


It could be deduced from the passage that

A. Citizens have equal political and legal treatment in america
B. The nations of the democratic world have no political and ligal hierarchy
C. Democratic nations are expanding the provision of social welfare
D. Equality obliterates differences and variations among races and nations

Question 458:

• JAMB 1999

  When Thomas Jefferson wrote in the American Declaration of independence that ‘all men are created equal’, he was not seeking to describe men’s endowments, but their political and legal rights. He was not saying that men do not differ from one another in the powers and dimensions of their bodies, minds and characters. He was asserting that despite variations and differences, they all possessed the right to equal political and legal treatment. We must however, ask of what real values are political and legal equality to a man who has no bread to eat , no clothes to wear, no roof to shelter him, no chance to earn a livelihood? What we understand as a democratic society must provide for its citizen’s minimum status protection in his deprivation, losses and fears.
  In our time, the nations of the democratic world have installed elaborate system of social security and welfare, ranging from compensation for industrial accidents to subsidize housing, unemployment insurance, old age pension, psychiatric care and national health services. It is encouraging that the democratic nations are making a serious effort to provide against the characteristic losses and disasters of human life.
  The evolving status of the Negro in America is attracting the attention of the champions of equality. Much has been written on the wrongs, injustice and inequalities of the coloured citizen of the USA and much remains to be said because the history of this struggle for human rights is still unfolding.


From the passage, it is obvious that

A. There is a hierarchy of rights
B. All men possess the right to equal political affiliation
C. There is deprivation in the society
D. The negro in america are champions of equality

Question 459:

• JAMB 1999

The passage below has gaps numbered 16 to 25. Immediately following each gap, four options are provided. Choose the most appropriate for each gap. Each question carries 2 marks. Publishing is the fast growing business in Nigeria and there are therefore, many publishing houses all over the country. When ........16........[A. an article B. an essay C. a book D. a manuscript]. is submitted by an author, the publisher sends it to ........17........[A. an assessor B. an evaluator C. a checker D. an examiner] to know if it is actually publishable. This is important because the publisher wants to make sure that the book catches the ......18.....[A. market B. audience C. students D. shops] when it is eventually published. In a good publishing house, there is .......19......[A. an error-proof B. an editor C. a lithographic D. an evaluation] section which is concerned with........20......[A. proof-reading B. reading over C. scanning over D. skimming over] the manuscript and correcting both the spelling and typing errors. After this, the manuscript is .........21.......[A. typewritten B. typeset C. double-spaced D. single-spaced] in readiness for .......22.....[A. photocopying B. Xeroxing C. filming D. printing].
The printed ........23......[A. items B. bulletin C. copies D. specimen] are then stored in the warehouse and a few of them may be sent to the author as ........24......[A. complementary B. complimentary C. acknowledgement D. sample] copies. Since it is not just the aim of the publisher to offset the cost of production but also to make some gains, there is a strong marketing division which promotes sales. A certain percentage of the cover price of the book is paid to the author as ........25......[A. royalty B. honorarium C. dividend D. interest].


Select the correct option for the space numbered 16 in the above passage

A. An article
B. An essay
C. A book
D. A manuscript

Question 460:

• JAMB 1999

The passage below has gaps numbered 16 to 25. Immediately following each gap, four options are provided. Choose the most appropriate for each gap. Each question carries 2 marks. Publishing is the fast growing business in Nigeria and there are therefore, many publishing houses all over the country. When ........16........[A. an article B. an essay C. a book D. a manuscript]. is submitted by an author, the publisher sends it to ........17........[A. an assessor B. an evaluator C. a checker D. an examiner] to know if it is actually publishable. This is important because the publisher wants to make sure that the book catches the ......18.....[A. market B. audience C. students D. shops] when it is eventually published. In a good publishing house, there is .......19......[A. an error-proof B. an editor C. a lithographic D. an evaluation] section which is concerned with........20......[A. proof-reading B. reading over C. scanning over D. skimming over] the manuscript and correcting both the spelling and typing errors. After this, the manuscript is .........21.......[A. typewritten B. typeset C. double-spaced D. single-spaced] in readiness for .......22.....[A. photocopying B. Xeroxing C. filming D. printing].
The printed ........23......[A. items B. bulletin C. copies D. specimen] are then stored in the warehouse and a few of them may be sent to the author as ........24......[A. complementary B. complimentary C. acknowledgement D. sample] copies. Since it is not just the aim of the publisher to offset the cost of production but also to make some gains, there is a strong marketing division which promotes sales. A certain percentage of the cover price of the book is paid to the author as ........25......[A. royalty B. honorarium C. dividend D. interest].


Select the correct option for the space numbered 17 in the above passage

A. An assessor
B. An evaluator
C. A checker
D. An examiner