2022 WAEC English Comprehension Passage PDF

You can now have the 2022 WAEC English Comprehension passage and all the questions on it. As usual, the June 2022 comprehension questions for WASSCE candidates cover the topics in the Senior High School English Language syllabus.

Expect to see content questions and questions about grammatical functions, literary appreciation and mastery of vocabulary.

You can always have the recommended answers to all questions on the WAEC/WASSCE 2022 English Comprehension passage.

Download As PDF

Let’s begin.

SECTION B: COMPREHENSION

You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this section.

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

I recall an escapade with three of my classmates some fifty years ago. I was on the way to the lavatory during the short 9:30 morning break when three of my classmates invited me to join them. Foolishly, without asking where they were going and for what, I hurried, relieved myself and joined them. They made for the nearby bush, and again, too trustingly, I followed. On and on they led the way while I followed.

The biggest boy leading the group stopped at a hut by the wayside. Together we entered and very quickly each changed his uniform for dirty and creased mufti, already there for their use. It was now real business into the deep bush, armed with machetes. It did not take me long to realise that they were on a hunting expedition. Here was I, the only one in a school uniform, with my parents believing that I was in the classroom learning, but actually going along hunting with three big guys. I felt I should not be where I was, but beating a retreat was out of the question. I needed no angel to tell me that they would not tolerate any act of rebellion.

After some time, they stopped to ferret out whatever animal was inside the hole. The technique was to gather some dry leaves and wood, put them on the hole, and make fire, the smoke of which was directed into the hole. While one of the guys kept the fire active with a fan made of heavy leaves, the others stood at strategic points, ready to deliver deadly blows on whichever animal should pop out. Armed with a heavy stick, I was directed to a point. For a long while, nothing happened. After about half an hour, they decided to rip open the hole and pull out its occupant, dead or alive. They had not gone far when a huge adder surfaced. It had turned towards the opening, ready to strike. At that moment, the big boy had his hand within the serpent’s reach, and it struck, delivering a nasty bite.

That was it! They all fled, and I with them. But the closer to the school we got, the more the snake bite victim showed signs of giving up. He felt progressively weaker, and his stricken arm kept swelling. Finally, he collapsed, we were just within the school premises. I ran to alert the class master. He, in turn, sounded the alert to some other senior masters. Within minutes, some hefty boys had been assembled to help lift the big guy to the clinic nearby. That was what saved his life, for the doctor on duty was at hand to give the needful injections, followed by an operation.

This incident, of course, let the cat out of the bag. The boy who had been bitten by the snake remained on admission for about a week. But all four of us had a bitter pill to swallow – a three-week suspension. In addition, I had to contend with the wrath of my parents.

May/June 2022 WASSCE Lexis and Structure Questions and Answers

2023 WASSCE Summary Questions and Answers PDF

Questions

(a) What incident had brought the four boys together?

(b) What would have most probably happened if the writer had tried to withdraw from the expedition?

(c) What was the first inkling he had of the purpose of the expedition?

(d) What does the presence of the dirty and creased mufti in the hut suggest?

(e) What method did they adopt to ferret out the animal inside the hole?

(f) What two dilemmas did the boys face after the snake bite?

(g) What would have happened if there was no doctor?

(h) … whatever animal was inside the hole.

(i) What grammatical name is given to this expression as it is used in the passage?

(ii) What is its function?

(i) … all four of us had a bitter pill to swallow

What figure of speech is used in this expression?

(j) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase that means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the passage.

(i) foolishly;

(ii) realise;

(iii) tolerate;

(iv) surfaced;

(v) assembled.

WASSCE 2024 English Lexis and Structure Questions and Answers

WAEC 2024 Comprehension Answers PDF

Next Steps

One vital step I strongly suggest you take now is to study the recommended answers to the May/June 2022 WAEC Comprehension questions above.

Ask a tutor or a fellow student you trust to explain any answers you don’t understand or agree with.

Further, explore additional WASSCE Reading Comprehension past questions and answers here on the AOne English College blog. It will help you reinforce your understanding of major comprehension concepts.

Finally, you can enrol in one of our online English Language courses for senior high schools and WASSCE private candidates.

Do you need help?