Waec English language Past Questions and Answers

Question 411:

• WAEC 1991

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
It has been found by researchers in education that the odds are stacked high against the learner from a deprived socio-economic background. A learner, whose parents are illiterate, whose. parents earn poor income, who has no access to the electronic media of information, and who has no educated siblings or peers to learn from, faces an uphill task in his educational career. The task is even more difficult if the learner lives in an obscure rural area for he is then cut off from modern civilization.
The learner from an academically enriched background, whose parents are highly learned and financially stable, and who has constant access to the electronic media, has a head start over his deprived counterparts from the village. Therefore, it is unfair that learners from different backgounds should face the same competition for admission into higher institutions or for employment opportunities since nobody determines their background.
Unfair as the practice may be, it is not easy to work out an alternative system. n e first place, distinguishing between students from academically enriched and those from educationally deprived backgrounds and reserving some places for the latter, would amount to double standard. Indeed, such a policy would inevitably engender a number of malpractices on the part of candidates. Moreover, formulating a policy by which learners from educationally deprived background are given special employment opportunities would tend to play down the practice of selection on the basis of merit.

It does appear that the way out is to minimize the odds against which the less advantaged learners have to struggle. If rural communities are improved, and if conscious efforts are made to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, much would have been done to help the socio-economically disadvantaged learners overcome some of the odds against them.
(a) Mention three factors that distinguish the two classes of learners described in the passage.
(b) Which word in the first paragraph shows that the writer based the article on facts and not on speculation?
(c) Why does the writer say that the present practice is unfair?
(d) Give two reasons why the writer thinks that there is no alternative to the present practice.
(e) Whose parents are highly learned and financially stable?
(i) What grammatical name is given to the expression?
(ii) What is its function as used in the sentence?
(f) Give one word or phrase which can replace each of the following words as used in the passage:
(i) deprived; (ii) career; (iii) counterpart; (iv) practice (vii) distinguishing.

Question 412:

• WAEC 1991

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
With some ten hours' journey before them, the professor and his men at first thought of heeding Pa Chukwuka's advice that they should stay till Monday morning. But the professor knew that his department would almost be paralysed for a whole day if he and his colleagues should stay on. That he did not like. So, the journey commenced and, a little later, the heavens were let loose.
Stubbornly, the five cars ploughed through. The Niger was crossed a little after 4p.m., and Asaba was soon behind the travellers. In front was the departmental car with the professor, his two kinsmen, and his bride. Their mission was the formal traditional marriage ceremony. At the rear was the secretary's car. Stealthily, against all odds, the convoy crept on. Yet, for hundreds of kilometres, the rain persisted: lighter in some places. heavier in others but present in one form or the other throughout.
Darkness descended with a gentle suddenness over the landscape. The dark arrow of finality nearly struck Dr Stephen Dimgba a few kilometres outside Aba. The on-coming heavy truck dazzled him with its powerful headlights. As it roared towards him, his bespectacled eyes were momentarily blinded. He swerved off the road for the devil of the long lorry. The muddy, side gutter help turn the swerve into an exaggerated skid. By the time the monster roared past, Stephen and his four fellow travellers were struggling to get off the inferno that started after the accident.
(a) What had the travellers been told before the journey?
(b) Why did the professor and his colleagues decide to travel all the same?
(c) (i) What was the mission of the travellers? (ii) Quote the sentence that tells you this.
(d)(i) Where did the accident occur? (ii) Give two reasons why the accident occurred.
(e) (i) What figure of speech is the expression, "the heavens were let loose."
(ii) Give the meaning of the expression as used in the passage.
(f) Give another word or phrase that can replace each of the following words as used in the passage:
(i) heeding; (ii) kinsmen (iii) odds; (iv) roared; (v) monster; (vi) inferno.

Question 413:

• WAEC 1992

Instruction: Choose the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word.
In many ways my parents are very conservative but there are times when they surprise me with their......ideas on family planning.

A. Orthodox
B. Critical
C. Modern
D. New
E. Liberal

Question 414:

• WAEC 1992

Instruction: Choose the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word.
In many ways my parents are very conservative but there are times when they surprise me with their......ideas on family planning.

A. Orthodox
B. Critical
C. Modern
D. New
E. Liberal

Question 415:

• WAEC 1992

Instruction: Choose the word opposite in meaning to the underlined words.
My brother adores dogs but he has a very strong ....for cats

A. Love
B. Annoyance
C. Attitude
D. Dislike
E. Criticism