Comprehension/Summary - Jamb English Language Past Questions and Answers

Question 481:

• JAMB 2000

  Young men have strong passions, and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most swayed and in which they show absence of self-control. They are changeable and fickle in their desires, which are violent while they last but quickly over; their impulse are keen bot not deep-rooted and are like sick people’s attacks of hunger and thirst. They are hot-tempered and quick-tempered and apt to give way to their anger; bad temper often gets the better of them, for owing to their love of honour they cannot bear slighted and are indignant if they imagine themselves unfairly treated. While they love honour, they love victory still more, for youth is eager for superiority over other and victory is one form of this. They love both more than they love money which indeed they love very little not having yet learnt what it means to be without it. They look at the good side rather than the bad, not having yet witnessed many instances of wickedness. They trust others readily because they have not yet been cheated. They are sanguine; nature warms their blood as though with excess of wine and besides that, they have as yet met with few dis appointments. Their lives are mainly spent not in memory but in expectation for youth has a long future before it and a short past behind it: on the first day of one’s life, one has nothing at all to remember and can only look forward. They are easily cheated owing to the sanguine disposition just mentioned. Their hot tempers and hopeful dispositions make them more courageous than older men are; the hot temper prevents fear and the hopeful disposition creates confidence. We cannot feel fear so long as we are feeling angry and any expectation of good makes us confident.


According to the passage, young men are

A. Violet when they have sexual desires
B. Active and restive untill they satisfy their sexual desires
C. Indignant and fickle in satisfying their sexual desires
D. Hot-tempered when they are hungry or thirsty

Question 482:

• JAMB 2000

  Young men have strong passions, and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most swayed and in which they show absence of self-control. They are changeable and fickle in their desires, which are violent while they last but quickly over; their impulse are keen bot not deep-rooted and are like sick people’s attacks of hunger and thirst. They are hot-tempered and quick-tempered and apt to give way to their anger; bad temper often gets the better of them, for owing to their love of honour they cannot bear slighted and are indignant if they imagine themselves unfairly treated. While they love honour, they love victory still more, for youth is eager for superiority over other and victory is one form of this. They love both more than they love money which indeed they love very little not having yet learnt what it means to be without it. They look at the good side rather than the bad, not having yet witnessed many instances of wickedness. They trust others readily because they have not yet been cheated. They are sanguine; nature warms their blood as though with excess of wine and besides that, they have as yet met with few dis appointments. Their lives are mainly spent not in memory but in expectation for youth has a long future before it and a short past behind it: on the first day of one’s life, one has nothing at all to remember and can only look forward. They are easily cheated owing to the sanguine disposition just mentioned. Their hot tempers and hopeful dispositions make them more courageous than older men are; the hot temper prevents fear and the hopeful disposition creates confidence. We cannot feel fear so long as we are feeling angry and any expectation of good makes us confident.


The writer says that young people are optimistic in their dealings with people because they are

A. Steadfast
B. Courageous
C. Discreet
D. Reckless

Question 483:

• JAMB 2000

The passage below has gaps numbered 16 to 25. Immediately following each gap, four options are provided. Choose the most appropriate option for each gap.  With the most profound respect to the members of the senate, I do not think that it is within the competence of that.........16.......[A. executive B. judicial C. administrative D. legislative] body to pass a motion to........17.......[A. enforce B. nullify C. modify D. order] the executive action of the president. The senate is........18.......[A. a wing B. a portion C. an anchor D. an arm] of the National Assembly. But it is not by itself alone the National Assembly. One can imagine the confusion which would be created if the........19........[A. House of Representative B. Judiciary C. National Assembly D. Executive council] were to take a view dramatically opposed to that reflected in the senate resolution. The strongest objection to the action of the senate is passing the resolution is the fact that it constituted itself the.........20...... [A. litigant B. defendant C. plaintiff D. attorney] as well as the judge of the constitutionality of the action of the president. The function of the senate is to.......21..... [A. enact B. create C. compose D. annul] laws. But the senate has no authority or.......22.....[A. might B. power C. dynamism D. strength] to control the President in the exercise of his.......23......[A. official B. authoritative C. judicial D. executive] powers. It cannot by a mere resolution or motion give any direction to the president regarding the exercise of his powers or can it undo what the president has done in the executive of those powers. The only way in which the exercise of the powers of the president can be........24.......[A. modified B. standardized C. regulated D. ordered] is by........25......[A. an act B. a decree C. a motion D. a bill] of the National Assembly.


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

A. Executive
B. Judicial
C. Administrative
D. Legislative

Question 484:

• JAMB 2000

The passage below has gaps numbered 16 to 25. Immediately following each gap, four options are provided. Choose the most appropriate option for each gap.  With the most profound respect to the members of the senate, I do not think that it is within the competence of that.........16.......[A. executive B. judicial C. administrative D. legislative] body to pass a motion to........17.......[A. enforce B. nullify C. modify D. order] the executive action of the president. The senate is........18.......[A. a wing B. a portion C. an anchor D. an arm] of the National Assembly. But it is not by itself alone the National Assembly. One can imagine the confusion which would be created if the........19........[A. House of Representative B. Judiciary C. National Assembly D. Executive council] were to take a view dramatically opposed to that reflected in the senate resolution. The strongest objection to the action of the senate is passing the resolution is the fact that it constituted itself the.........20...... [A. litigant B. defendant C. plaintiff D. attorney] as well as the judge of the constitutionality of the action of the president. The function of the senate is to.......21..... [A. enact B. create C. compose D. annul] laws. But the senate has no authority or.......22.....[A. might B. power C. dynamism D. strength] to control the President in the exercise of his.......23......[A. official B. authoritative C. judicial D. executive] powers. It cannot by a mere resolution or motion give any direction to the president regarding the exercise of his powers or can it undo what the president has done in the executive of those powers. The only way in which the exercise of the powers of the president can be........24.......[A. modified B. standardized C. regulated D. ordered] is by........25......[A. an act B. a decree C. a motion D. a bill] of the National Assembly.


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

A. Enforce
B. Nullify
C. Modify
D. Order

Question 485:

• JAMB 2000

The passage below has gaps numbered 16 to 25. Immediately following each gap, four options are provided. Choose the most appropriate option for each gap.  With the most profound respect to the members of the senate, I do not think that it is within the competence of that.........16.......[A. executive B. judicial C. administrative D. legislative] body to pass a motion to........17.......[A. enforce B. nullify C. modify D. order] the executive action of the president. The senate is........18.......[A. a wing B. a portion C. an anchor D. an arm] of the National Assembly. But it is not by itself alone the National Assembly. One can imagine the confusion which would be created if the........19........[A. House of Representative B. Judiciary C. National Assembly D. Executive council] were to take a view dramatically opposed to that reflected in the senate resolution. The strongest objection to the action of the senate is passing the resolution is the fact that it constituted itself the.........20...... [A. litigant B. defendant C. plaintiff D. attorney] as well as the judge of the constitutionality of the action of the president. The function of the senate is to.......21..... [A. enact B. create C. compose D. annul] laws. But the senate has no authority or.......22.....[A. might B. power C. dynamism D. strength] to control the President in the exercise of his.......23......[A. official B. authoritative C. judicial D. executive] powers. It cannot by a mere resolution or motion give any direction to the president regarding the exercise of his powers or can it undo what the president has done in the executive of those powers. The only way in which the exercise of the powers of the president can be........24.......[A. modified B. standardized C. regulated D. ordered] is by........25......[A. an act B. a decree C. a motion D. a bill] of the National Assembly.


Select the correct option for the space numbered 18 in the above passage

A. A wing
B. A portion
C. An anchor
D. An arm