SS3 First Term English Language Exam

SEASHELL HIGH SCHOOL, OKPANAM, DELTA STATE
IST TERM EXAMINATION | 2023/2024 ACADEMIC SESSION

SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE | CLASS: SS3
Section A: Continuous Writing
Instruction: Answer only one question from this section. Your answer should not be less
than 400 words.
1. There has been a continuous discussion on the evils of unemployment. Write a
letter to the Commissioner for Labour in your state, highlighting at least, three of
these evils and ways of addressing them.
2. Your sister who is in another part of the country wishes to marry a man living in
your area whose character leaves much to be desired. Write a letter to your
sister stating at least three reasons why she should no marry the man.
Section B: Comprehension Passage
Instruction: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Good handwriting is an asset which is easily acquired and almost impossible to lose.
Once person acquires the skill it becomes part and parcel of such a person and that is
how he will write for the rest of his life. Even though we live in the age of computers, the
majority of us cannot afford computers since we are not all born with silver spoons in
our mouths. It thus implies that for most of our written communication and transactions
we have to rely on handwriting. It follows that if the handwriting is not legible there will
be lack of comprehension of the message being put across.
A person who does not have a legible handwriting is greatly handicapped. An applicant
who cannot put forward his case in neat, legible handwriting is most likely to remain as
an applicant for a long time since his application will be illegible.
An examination candidate may likewise prejudice his chances of success with illegible
handwriting. This is because the examiner will not purchase a microscope to decipher
what the candidate has written. He can only award marks for what he can read.
In the olden days, educationists were conscious of good handwriting as a valuable
asset and se they made conscious efforts to train learners in the art of good
handwriting. Indeed writing was subject on the school curriculum. Teachers taught it
religiously. So we discover that those who belong to the 'old school' have very good and
beautiful handwriting.
Modern educationists, however, place no premium on good handwriting. Thus there is
no longer the conscious effort to teach handwriting. The result is obvious - horrible,
atrocious and illegible handwriting.
Many children also assume, because no premium is laid on it, that good handwriting
is not necessary. Should we allow children to write the way they like? If we do, we are
not helping them, as bad handwriting will have adverse effects on them.
If this situation is therefore to be rectified we must first of all admit the fact that bad
handwriting prejudices the reader against the writer and what he has written. It thus puts
the writer at a great disadvantage.
Questions
(a) Why is it impossible to lose good handwriting ?
(b) Why is good handwriting still relevant in this age of computers?
(c) How can bad handwriting contribute to the failure of a candidate in an
examination?
(d) What, according to the writer is the consequence of not teaching writing in
schools?
(e) What message do you think the writer is putting across?
(f) ‘... born with silver spoons in our mouths'
(i) What figure of speech is this expression?
(ii) What does it mean?
(g) ‘... that good handwriting is not necessary'
(I) What grammatical name is given to the above expression?
(II) What is its function?
(h) 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) Asset
(II) Legible
(III) Premium
(IV) Obvious
(V) Adverse
(VI) Rectified
Section C: Objective
From the list of words lettered A-D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in
meaning to the underlined word or group of words and that will, at the same time,
correctly fill the gap in the sentence.
1. The workers expected management to be.............. rather than indifferent to their
welfare.
(a) Different from (b) interested in (c) opposed to (d) careful of
2. Words spoken in the heat of argument could offend rather than..............
(a) Pacify (b) amuse (c) inspire (d) irritate
3. Although they have declared the student a suspect, he may turn out to be........
(a) Culpable (b) innocent (c) safe (d) ignorant
4. Some outspoken social critics live a................... family life.
(a) Reserved (b) happy (c) boisterous (d) still
5. While the manager was prudent in his expenditure, his deputy was.............
(a) Miserly (b) careful (c) thoughtful (d) extravagant
6. The cultured and the...................... are known by their conduct.
(a) Barbaric (b) ignorant (c) clean (d) lazy
7. Many Africans now live in abject poverty instead of enjoying the....................
(a) Comfort (b) greatness (c) possessions (d) affluence
8. Tunde seldom asks questions in class and was............. very careful when he did.
(a) Hardly (b) sometimes (c) often (d) never
9. Chioma used to be my supporter but on this occasion she chose to be
my...................
(a) Opposition (b) ally (c) proponent (d) opponent
10. Taiwo is always complaining but Kehinde.............. does.
(a) Rarely (b) sometimes (c) big (d) good
From the words lettered A-D, choose the word that best completes each of the
following sentences.
11. Bribery is detrimental to the growth of any society, it must be.................
(a) Removed (b) abolished (c) deposed (d) eradicated
12. The....................levelled against him are quite serious.
(a) Offences (b) wrongdoings (c) allegations (d) wrongs
13. He was very angry at the time, so please................... what he said
(a) Dismiss (b) tolerate (c) scrutinize (d) disregard
14. The students were told to refrain ................... joining secret cults.
(a) By (b) from (c) into (d) with
15. As soon as the President.................the programme will start.
(a) Arrived (b) arrives (c) arriving (d) arrive
16. He didn't attend school yesterday, .................?
(a) Did he (b) didn’t he (c) isn’t it (d) he did
17. .......................... of the three students is the one I found outside the school
compound.
(a) Neither (b) none (c) not any (d) no one
18. The controversy has been finally............... to rest.
(a) Lied (b) laid (c) lain (d) lying
19. A basket of oranges....................presented to the visitor.
(a) Were (b) are (c) have been (d) was
20. I look forward to..................you.
(a) See (b) seen (c) seeing (d) have seen

SS3 First Term English Language Exam

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SS3 First Term English Language Exam

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

SS3 First Term English Language Exam

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SEASHELL HIGH SCHOOL, OKPANAM, DELTA STATE

IST TERM EXAMINATION | 2023/2024 ACADEMIC SESSION

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.