Waec English language Past Questions and Answers

Question 201:

• WAEC 1989

In a letter to your brother who has been studying abroad for the past five years, describe at least three ways in which the current economic situation has affected the way of life of your family.

Question 202:

• WAEC 1989

Narrate an experience you have had or heard about which illustrates the saying: 'Honesty is the best policy'

Question 203:

• WAEC 1989

Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions on it.
It was a sunny day in the month of May. The sun took its rightful position very early, lending credence to the general feeling that Andrew's birthday ceremony was going to be greeted with the blessing of a pleasant climate. The sky looked so bright that Andrew insisted on having an open-air party. The habitual doubting Thomases had no dissenting opinions to express. Andrew had gone to a great length to ensure a hitch-free party; a party which would remain the talk of the town. Although it was not intended to be free for all, a lot had been done to stamp the occasion on the memories of many people long afterwards.
The bright sun continued to smile. Andrew's face beamed with pleasure with every passing moment. Very few of his conternporaries have so succeeded in reaching the top of the ladder. Andrew in particular had been an orphan of storm. His father's, death during his third year in the secondary school and that of his mother two years later were only two of this orphan's 'storms'. He suffered a physical misfortune when a stockfish machine severed his left middle finger. But Andrew did not despair.
The courage to fail is very cheap. Every fool can afford to fail But it raises one above the herd of cowards and never-do-wells to be up and struggling. The reward of forbearance in the end is resounding success. And so it was for Andrew. Ever since he finished his university education, it had been success galore. He had got a good i job in one of the country's insurance companies. His pay was good, his promotion had been steady and his prospects seemed bright. At forty, he had a good car and had already bought a house of his own. The world was at his feet!
(a) Give, in (iii) word or phrase, the meaning of each of the following words, as used in the passage: (i) dissenting; (ii) stamp; (iii) contemporaries.
(b) What figure of speech is "the bright sun continued to smile?"
(c) (i) What kind of grammatical structure is "the courage to fail?" (ii) What is its function in the sentence?
(d) What two hardships had Andrew gone through in life?
(e) What is implied by the expression The world was at his feet?

Question 204:

• WAEC 1989

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
The finest asset any child can have is a happy home. Such environment will enable him to develop strength and stability of character, thereby teaching him to face the future without fear or undue anxiety. It also will give him something worthwhile to live for. If he exhibits good judgement in later years, much of the credit must go to those who trained him. If he fails, it may have been due to troubles in his home. his school or unsympathetic and hostile relatives. A great i percentage of juvenile problems can be traced to faulty home education and unwholesome influences in early childhood. Undoubtedly, there would be fewer juvenile delinquents if there were more homes where children learned to love and respect their fellow men.
Remember this: happy parents create happy homes; happy homes produce happy children happy children make happy communities and happy communities make a happier world.
(a) Give one word that could replace each of the following in the passage: (i) asset (ii) stability; (iii) worthwhile; (iv) exhibits; (v) hostile: (vi) unwholesome
(b) State in three sentences, three reasons given by the writer to support his view that a happy home is the finest asset any child can have (c) What does the writer mean by: (i) undue anxiety, (ii) juvenile delinquents?
(d) Give from the passage. one: (i) abstract noun which means honour or praise;
(ii) adverb which means certainly: (iii) verb which means make or produce
(e) In one sentence, state why you think the author uses the word happy many times in the last paragraph.

Question 205:

• WAEC 1990

Instruction: Choose the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word.
The young engineer is good at terminating other people's project but has not been capable of ... any of his own

A. Integrating
B. Finishing
C. Complating
D. Initiating
E. Organizing