Waec English language 1994 Past Questions and Answers

Question 106:

• WAEC 1994

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

Learning to speak one's language comes naturally to a human being; we learn it without formal instruction. But writing is an unnatural activity; it must be taught formally and studied deliberately. Indeed, many of the problems that arise in learning to write are simply problems of finding proper written equivalent for the various features of speech. The spelling of our words is a clumsy attempt to reproduce the sound of our voices. The punctuation of our sentences and the settings of paragraphs are designed to give some approximation of the pauses and intonation we use automatically to give shape and point to our speaking.
The writer of English (or any other language) loses a whole world of gestures, facial expressions and tone of voice the minute he decides to write something rather than say it aloud. He loses the immediacy of direct contact with his audience. If there were no compensation at all for all these disadvantages, then communicating with other people through the medium of squiggles on paper would be as unsatisfactory as trying to wash your feet with your socks on.
Writing takes more effort than speech, but the effort we make simply to capture our words on paper can also lead us to compose things that are worth the effort. The unusual energy that goes into achievement in any art or sport can and should function finally to help the individual increase his own powers and perfect his abilities. Three hundred and fifty years ago, a clever man pointed out that practice in speaking makes a man 'ready' or quick in his responses while practice in writing makes a man 'exact', helps him to polish and perfect his thoughts.
(a) Why did the writer say that writing is an unnatural activity?
(b) Give two specific examples of problems encountered in learning to write.
(c) Mention any two disadvantages that arise in written communication.
(d) What major advantage comes from the acquisition of good written skills
(e) ...that goes into achievement in any art or sport (i) What grammatical name is used to describe the above expression?
(ii) What is its function?
(f) For each of the following words find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it as used in the passage:
(i) deliberately; (ii) equivalent; (iii) designed; (iv) compensation (v) responses; (vi) polish.

Question 107:

• WAEC 1994

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

I am a foot taller than the tallest girl in my village and twice the weight of the fattest. On my only visit to a beautician. the woman said she found my face a challenge. Yet, despite these social disadvantages, I feel cheerful, happy, confident and secure.
Several years ago, I visited the city for the first time. and I saw something there that made me realize the stupidity of trying to conform - of trying to be like everybody else - even with particular physical disadvantages. There was a small plump woman all dressed up but looking really stuffed and funny in the fashion wear. She also carried a shooting stick. But because she was so plump, when she sat on the stick, it went deep into the ground and she couldn't pull it out. She tugged and tugged. tears of rage in her eyes. When the final tug brought it out, she crashed with it to the ground. I saw her walk away. Her day had been ruined. She had made a fool of herself in public. She had impressed nobody. In her own sad eyes, she was a failure.
But hardly anyone took any notice of her and her misery in the busy street. I remember well when I was like that in the days before I learned that nobody really cared what you did. And watching that miserable small woman as she walked away gave me renewed inspiration.
(a) Briefly describe two physical characteristics of the writer as shown in the passage.
(b) Why is the writer not bothered about her social disadvantages?
(c)(i) How did the woman with the shooting stick feel after the incident? (ii) Why was the feeling unnecessary.
(d) .... when she sat on the stick... (i) What grammatical name is used to describe the above expression? (ii) What is its function?
(e) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it in the passage:
(i) disadvantages; (ii) conform; (ii) tugged; (iv) miserable; (vi) inspiration