WAEC Comprehension Past Questions and Answers PDF (Part 2)

The most memorable experience of my life was an incident that occurred some thirty years ago when I was in the fourth form in the secondary school. In those days, the speech and prize-giving day was a great event. It was always a day when the results of the promotion examinations were announced to the students after weeks of suspense.

The programme commenced with all the students taking their seats in the large hall, and the members of staff, led by the Headmaster, filing in. There were also three guests, each of them an important figure in the town. The headmaster and the dignitaries made speeches admonishing the students to work hard in order to attain their goal. Then the prize-giving commenced.

Soon, it was the turn of my class. For the overall best student, my name was called. This was not unexpected, the position having become almost identified with me. Amidst clapping, I stood up and moved toward the Headmaster whose outstretched hand held a fat book. I was already before him when he peered through his heavy spectacles, surveyed my figure and held back the book. There was a sudden silence. The students were amazed at this turn of events, then he explained: “You‘ll have your prize when you pay your outstanding fees”.

I stood there, almost petrified. Had I been warned of this disgrace, I would simply not have stood up, let alone bothering to go forward. There I was, the sorry focus of attention. I wished my legs would refuse their function but they did no such thing. On the other hand, they refused to beat a retreat, at least, for those burning seconds. Then suddenly, spontaneously, the students started clapping and hailing me. Thus, my return journey was more loudly cheered than the outward journey.

For the prize in English Language, my name was called. Of course, I sat still, but the students hailed on. The prize was kept. For Mathematics, it was the same drama. Somehow the students’ behaviour saved the day for me.

Poorly clothed, in torn tennis shoes and being a debtor, I was the talk of the school. The little fee I had paid that year was earned through doing menial jobs at weekends, supplemented with donations from some schoolmates. Father’s financial difficulties had been aggravated by a protracted court case. He had no alternative but to ask me to withdraw from school and look for a job. This I had refused to do.

I had borne the cross gallantly until that day when the headmaster’s action threatened to kill whatever courage remained in me. I ordered the tears to gush out to flood my sad face, but the ovations forced the spring to remain dry. I had the loudest ovation that day; the students’ response to my plight was my own prize.

Questions

a. Why were the students usually in suspense before the speech and prize-giving day?

b. Why was the announcement of the writer’s name as the winner of the best student prize not a surprise?

c. What two proofs are there in the passage to show that the writer was liked by his schoolmates?

d. Why was his father unable to pay his school fees?

e. “…..whose outstretched hand held a fat book.”

i. What is the grammatical name given to this expression?

ii. State its function.

f. “I had borne the cross gallantly”

What figure of speech is this expression?

g ) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it in the passage:

i) memorable

ii) amazed

iii)menial

iv)protracted

v. plight

Passage 13

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

Mensah seemed to have flown from East Legon to Old Road, Madina, where he lived with his mother. His mind was full of wild ideas, fresh ambitions and serious vows. The experience at his uncle’s official residence was being filmed before his mind’s eye. The painful images impinged on his sharp mind. Far from making him become discouraged, the strange experience raised his spirits and aroused his dormant feelings. The apparent loss of hope was quickly replaced by a more forceful passion – the desire to rely as much as possible on his own effort, the determination to employ all his talents and develop them as best he could no matter the cost, not counting the obstacles in his way.

As he floated along the road, unmindful of the morning traffic, two lines of a song which he had once heard at a youth camp meeting came forcefully into his excited mind. He recited and sang them repeatedly:

‘Just as I am, young, strong and free

To be the best that I can be…..’

He vowed to himself, with tears racing down his youthful cheeks, that, even without his uncle’s help, he would try to be the best he could ever be. He prayed that nothing should stand in his way. He feared two inevitable things only – ill health and death. Even so, he would rather die than fail to continue his education. He was quite prepared to endure all difficulties, to suffer all hardships and to bear all humiliation.

He reached home. His mother was in the open yard of the compound house, where she had rented a room and was staying with her son. She was busily fanning the charcoal in the rickety coal-pot to cook breakfast-corn porridge to be taken with dry bread, without milk. ‘Back from your uncle’s place? How did they receive you, my son?’ The mother eagerly asked, peering into his eyes for some clue to a favourable answer.

Mensah ignored her question. He was staring like a lost ghost at the smoke coming out of the coal-pot, his eyes stern and misty. Suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, he asked, ‘Mum, who’s my father and where can I find him?’

Kuukua’s soft heart seemed to have been drained of blood. When she recovered her normal heartbeat, her tender mouth opened wide, her love-filled eyes bulged out of their sockets, and her lips trembled with pain. Mensah gazed at her sternly and repeated his questions: Mum, who’s my father? Where’s he?’

‘Be patient, my son, I’ll tell you all about him, especially now that you need his help most urgently.’

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Questions

a. For each of the following words underlined in the passage, give another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it in the passage.

i. Dormant

ii. Talents

iii. Endure

iv. Ignored

v. Normal

b. Why did Mensah visit his uncle?

c. What was his mood after the visit?

d. How did he react to his experience at his uncle’s place?

e. What two signs from the passage show that Mensah and his mother were poor?

f. The apparent loss of hope …………….

i. What is the grammatical name for this expression?

ii. What is its function?

g. ….. to endure all difficulties, to suffer all hardships and to bear all humiliation.

What literary device is used in this expression?

h. …..a bolt from the blue……………

What is the meaning of this expression?

Passage 14

Breaking the news and asking for his mother’s consent were more difficult than Badu had imagined. He had run out of excuses for keeping his mother in the dark. “Today,” he mused, “I must let the cat out of the bag.

He gingerly knocked on his mother’s door. There was no response and so he concluded that she was asleep. As he did not wish to disturb her, Badu decided to wait till morning. But as soon as he turned to go back to his room he heard, “My son, come in. what’s the problem?” Badu entered his mother’s room. Strangely, all the well-rehearsed speeches, responses and apologies vanished. He could not utter a word. When Maame Pomaa realized that her son was not ill she relaxed and waited patiently for him to talk. Badu started by repeating the conversation they had the previous evening about the Agricultural Extension Officer’s visit. He then described Sister Afua’s engagement ceremony which both of them attended two months earlier. Maame Pomaa listened patiently. She dozed off and was woken up by Badu’s chuckle. Badu got up suddenly and told his mother that he was going back to bed. At the door, he turned, smiled and winked at his mother; she winked back. That was their usual way of saying good-bye.

Back in his room, Badu could not sleep. His mind was in turmoil. This restlessness was mutual. Maame Pomaa, after tossing in her bed for a while, decided to return her son’s visit. She tapped gently on the door. Badu jumped out of bed, dashed to the door and clutched his mother’s heads. Maame Pomaa looked at her son closely and asked him to sit down. She sat by him and said calmly, “Badu, I know you have something very important to tell me. Relax and bare your soul to me. Whatever it is, I’ m sure God will give us the strength to hear it. “

Despite his mother’s encouraging words, Badu was still tongue-tied. His main worry was how his mother would react to the news. Being the only surviving child, he had been her only companion since his father’s death. Moreover, Maame Pomaa was not particularly sociable. How would she spend her evenings? Who would help her with her chores? These were some of the unanswered questions going through Badu’s mind. He gazed intently at his mother and burst into tears. “Maame, “he sobbed, “I’ve won a scholarship to study abroad.

Questions

a. How did Badu feel when he visited his mother in her room?

b. Mention two events which Badu talked about in his mother’s room?

c. How would you describe the relationship between Badu and his mother?

d. Why was Badu unable to tell his mother his real reasons for going to her room?

e. What was Badu’s real reason for going to his mother’s room?

f. …… their usual way of saying good – bye

i. What is the grammatical name given to this expression?

ii. What is its function in the sentence?

g. ….. bare your soul to me

What figure of speech is used in the expression above?

h. For each of the following words underlined in the passage, give another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it in the passage:

i. Mused,

ii. Gingerly,

iii. Concluded,

iv. Clutched,

v. Particularly,

vi. Intently

Passage 15

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

Ama Atta used to sell cloth in a small shop in the market. Unfortunately, sales became so low that there were days on which she did not sell even a metre of any material. How could she and her children survive? A thought occurred to her. She must hawk her wares. Twice a week, she told herself, she would select some pieces of cloth, fold them, tie them up and, with a supporting pad on her head, carry them to buyers.

At the end of the first day, she made quite a good sale. Incredible but true! She sold more than she ever did in the shop for a month. She was as merry as a lark. However, she woke up the following morning feeling exhausted and for two days she could not leave her house. On the third day, back to the shop she went. That day, the only people who came to her shop were two friends. They came, not to give her money, but rather to invite her to spend. One of their friends was celebrating a birthday and they must go “in style’, which meant buying expensive clothes and accessories. She did not receive the news with enthusiasm. As a cover up, she told them that she could not attend the party due to a prior engagement. This did not go down well with her friends who left her shop without even saying good bye. She was upset but quickly pulled herself together saying, “Life must go on. Today is the last day I’ll go home without an income.”

She went for Charity, a young girl who always ran errands for her. She often gave her good tips, so Charity was always at her beck and call. She got her interested in hawking cloth for a commission. Charity eagerly embraced the idea and soon other girls and even some women became interested. After all, hawking cloth is a respectable means of earning a living.

In the course of time, Ama Atta had more than ten mobile retailers. She paid them well, and they were faithfully to her; so both parties were satisfied. Of course, there were a few instances when ‘smart’ retailers tried to run away with the sales or increase the prices of the goods unduly. However, the eagle eyes of the others made them abandon their plots. Her shop soon became a wholesale outlet which actually put into practice the adage, necessity is the mother of invention.

Questions

a. State the circumstances that made Ama Atta decide to hawk her materials.

b. Why could Ama Atta not continue hawking her materials herself?

c. What was Ama Atta’s real reason for not going to the party?

d. How did Ama Atta’s friends react to her refusal to attend the party?

e. What prevented the ‘smart’ retailers from carrying out their evil intention?

f. What made the retailers stay in the hawking business?

g. ….. who came to her shop

i. What is the grammatical name given to this expression?

ii. What is its function?

h. …. at her beck and call

What figure of speech is used in the expression above?

What does it mean?

i. For each of the following words find another word or phrase which means the same as the word and can replace it in the passage:

i. Incredible;

ii. Enthusiasm;

iii. Upset;

iv. Embraced;

v. Unduly.

View Passage 16 and More

We have come to the end of the first part in this series of WASSCE English comprehension past questions and answers. You might want to read passage 16 and a lot more.

Welcome to the second in our series of WASSCE/NECO/GCE/JAMB/WAEC English comprehension passages and answers. Study the sample answers to these WAEC English comprehension passages to help you get ready for D-day. Click here to go back to the first set of the comprehension past questions and answers.

Passage 16

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

Need more? Go to the bottom of this page and click the link to Part 3 of your SHS/WASSCE comprehension past questions and answers.

In 1359, a young clerk, who was neither a soldier nor a nobleman, was a guest in the English army that was attacking a French town. He was only a scribbler of verses, upon whom military leaders lavished favours.

The young man was the great English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer. Whenever soldiers retreated from charging a dangerous breach in the city wall, Chaucer would write verses ridiculing their cowardice. By the next day, the whole camp was singing or reciting the verses. Their victims would then be laughed at into fresh courage. They would rather be shot at than laughed at.

Human nature is indeed queer. This phenomenon has cost people a great deal in history. Sometimes, the fear of being laughed at has closed doors to fame and fortune. At other times, those who subdue this fear achieve unusual successes.

Napoleon Bonaparte aimed at becoming Master of Europe and the whole world. He must, however, conquer Great Britain, which demanded that he must cross the English Channel. If only he had ships which could ignore wind and current and sail faster than the British man-of-war!

Luckily, there came to his court an American inventor, Robert Fulton, who had invented a way of propelling ships by steam instead of by sails. He had also studied practical details for building a submarine torpedo boat. He made successful tests of these inventions, which satisfied Napoleon’s naval experts.

That was Napoleon’s great opportunity! He yearned to try Fulton’s ideas. Then, strangely he decided against it. Should Fulton’s inventions fail, Napoleon felt he would be the laughing stock of Europe, which he could not bear. So he let go of this opportunity.
An Italian sailor, Christopher Columbus, planned to “reach the east by sailing west.” He approached the Portuguese Court. Portugal, at this time, was Spain’s greatest rival in the establishment of colonies.

King John of Portugal divined that the success of the voyage might make his country become very great in Europe. He agreed to send Columbus on the expedition but his counsellors warned that he would be laughed at throughout Europe if he should spend his money on such a foolish adventure, and so he dismissed Columbus.

Columbus went next to Spain, Portugal’s rival. There, too, the counsellors snubbed the idea. But Queen Isabella, unafraid of ridicule, declared she would sell her jewels, if necessary, to finance the expedition of discovery.

Queen Isabella’s attitude enabled Columbus to discover America. By reason of that discovery, Spain became one of the richest and most powerful nations in Europe.

Questions

a. For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same as the word and can replace it in the passage:
i) lavished ii) ridiculing iii) queer
iv) subdue v) yearned vi) divined
b. How did Chaucer help the British army that attacked a French city?
c. In what way does the fear of being laughed at affect people?
d. What could Fulton have done to help Napoleon achieve his life-long ambition?
e. What factor ultimately helped Spain to become rich and powerful in Europe?
f. ……. the great English poet…..
i) What is the grammatical name for this expression?
ii) What is its function in the sentence?
g. …. reach the east by sailing west.
What literary device is used in this expression?

Passage 17

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

When Miss Anna Bonsra entered the classroom, a deep silence descended on the class. Then her shrill voice pierced the silence, “Kwaku Ananse,” she called, “come forward and give your oral presentation”. At once my heart began pounding like our old school corn mill.

I realized at that moment how much she disliked me. She had more than forty students to choose from, but she selected me. I was partially hidden behind the burly Owo, who sat in front of me. I had looked everywhere except towards the front of the room. But my ploys were unsuccessful. I had been called upon at long last to give a presentation. “Don’t get nervous; be a man,” I said to myself, as I braced myself to face the class.

With sweating hands, I took my notes, which I had tucked away in my notebook. She watched me with that familiar mocking half-smile of hers which seemed to say she knew I wasn’t as though I hadn’t had enough time to prepare for the presentation. It was no surprise assignment.

For weeks we had gone over the fundamentals of writing a research paper and had been told to hand in a twenty-page paper which we would present orally to the class. I had typically waited until the last few days. Then I thumbed desperately through an encyclopedia for a suitable topic.

I finally settled on William Shakespeare because there were some recordings of some of his plays in the school library. I figured that playing some portions of these films would not only take up part of the required time but also make my presentation unique.

After three days and three long nights, my paper was ready, Never had I written a paper so quickly, or one with so little content. Once I was before the class, my main thought was getting done with.

With very little feeling, I told the class what I knew about the renowned playwright, my mouth was so dry that I wasn’t sure whether it would open again for another sentence. My hands shook uncontrollably as I turned the pages in front of me.

Finally, refering to my notes more often than was expected, I finished the oral part of my presentation. All that was left was to show the slides. The worst was over!

Questions

a) What did the writer do to avoid being called by Miss Bonsra?
b) Why was the writer nervous?
c) State two character traits of the writer, as revealed in the passage.
d) What two things made the writer’s paper different from those he had written earlier?
e) What advantage did he expect to gain from using the films?
f) With very little feeling
iii. What is the grammatical name given to this expression?
iv. What is its function in the sentence?
g) … pounding like our old school corn mill
What figure of speech is used in the expression above?
h) For each of the following words underlined in the passage, give another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it in the passage:
i. burly, ii. fundamentals iii. typically, iv. desperately
v. unique, vi. renowned

Passage 18

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

Many years ago, I would have dismissed the news of the practice of occultism in schools as frivolous rumour but the book, Occultism in Schools has made me change my mind. I was badly shaken by the havoc it can cause those who succumb to it. The stories sent shivers down my spine and made me deeply concerned about the innocent youth who have been trapped in its web. The occult practitioner, like a confidence trickster, lurks in secret places to pounce on and dupe unsuspecting victims. The occultist dangles attractive pictures of wealth and success before his prey as a fisherman uses a variety of bait to catch fish. His ways are shrouded in absolute secrecy.

Jack Moro’s very bitter experience exemplifies the devastation that adherents ultimately suffer. Jack was highly regarded for his academic brilliance as he was often at the top of his class. When he got to the final year, everyone was sure that he would pass the WASSCE with flying colours. Then disaster struck.

At this crucial stage in his life when he was making preparations for his final examination his childhood friend, Ananias introduced him to the Sure Help Brotherhood. He was hoodwinked into believing that it was a friendly society which guided its members to attain wealth, enlightenment, happiness and prosperity. He failed to see that Ananias himself was a complete failure in life. On joining, Jack came to spend more time on other pursuits than his academic work.

Sooner than later, Jack realized to his shock, that his academic performance was going down drastically, but for his sterling performance earlier, he would not have been registered for the final examination. He gathered courage to voice his concerns to the leader, who assured him on several occasions that the Sure Help Brotherhood was capable of making him succeed.

At first, his fears were very strong but the leader sweet-talked him into submission. He also persuaded Jack to go through the exorbitant official rites. On the eve of the examination, Jack was given a sparkling white handkerchief which allegedly had the power of conjuring the right answers to the questions.

In addition, he was told that the cult could influence the examiners who would mark the scripts. The leader demonstrated the efficacy of the handkerchief and Jack saw with his own naked eyes that some neat writing and diagrams appeared on the papers.

On the first day, Jack entered the examination hall with confidence. Towards the end of the paper, he acted as instructed, but to his dismay, no answers appeared. He fainted and was rushed to the hospital.

Questions

a) Why was the writer worried about the practice of occultism in schools?
b) How does the occultist win his victims over?
c) Why was Jack Moro entered for the examination?
d) What does Jack Moro’s experience illustrate about occultism in schools?
e) What is the writer’s attitude to occultism?
f) … like a confidence trickster …
i. What is the grammatical name of the expression above?
ii. What is its function?
g) For each of the following words underlined in the passage, give another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it n the passage:
i. havoc, ii. prey, iii. shrouded
iv. crucial, v. exorbitant vi. demonstrated

Passage 19

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

A wind of change is blowing across our country, traditions and cultures are changing in all parts, though more rapidly in some areas than others. In remote areas, changes are very slow because people there cling to old ways of doing things. But in the big towns, things are different. Globalization is driving change at a fantastic speed. One other influential agent of change is the youth.

Most children go to school and their social lives are influenced by the way of life outside their homes. Young people who leave home to work in distant places return with many new ideas. Old skills and beliefs and the traditional ways of doing things give way to new ones. For example, with the acceptance of foreign religions, many traditional beliefs and practices have lost their importance. Story-telling, an interesting mode of entertainment, has given way to new forms – video and computer games, movies and so on. The youth take immense pleasure in these electronic gadgets, especially those that play their type of music

As families earn money and become wealthy, they tend to be independent of the support of their kinsmen. Money and employment are bringing people into new kinds of relationships. Consequently, the traditional family has been replaced by a social grouping which is not determined by blood relationship.

Imperceptibly, language is also contributing to this change. The widespread use of English and some local languages has brought about a welcome sense of national unity and peace. People who speak the same language feel related to one another. Thus ethnic barriers are being removed, dealing a desired and deadly blow to tribalism. In fact, there are people who now claim that they do not belong to any ethnic group at all.

The rapid growth of other foreign languages, such as French and Hausa, has generally increased the ease with which people can communicate with one another and has promoted mutual understanding. As a result, people are becoming increasingly aware that they belong to a community that is national, not one that is composed of only their kinsmen.

The most powerful force of social change is the media. Many people can now read and write. News travels at the speed of light nowadays. Newspapers reach people in even the remotest regions bringing up-to-date information about world affairs to them. Since people imitate what they see and consider trendy, they copy what they see in the media. One area is the world of fashion. Today, one can hardly differentiate between the youth who live in the city from the one in the rural area by their way of dressing.

Questions

a) Give one reason why change in remote areas is slow.
b) What factor accounts for the rapid change in urban areas?
c) What role has foreign religion played in the changes?
d) How has money influenced the lives of people?
e) How does the media contribute to the changes?
f) News travels at the speed of light nowadays.
What figure of speech is contained in the expression above?
g) … who speak the same language…
i. What is the grammatical name of the expression above?
ii. What is its function?
h) For each of the following words underlined in the passage, give another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it in the passage:
i. remote, ii. cling, iii. Immense,
iv. gadgets, v. consequently, vi. trendy

Passage 20

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

Last year, a section of the judiciary held a press conference in the Appeals Court building. The aim was to explain the Court’s decision to increase sentences and fines imposed on drivers guilty of various motor traffic offences.

Before that conference, there had been a public outcry against the spate of accidents on our highways and their effects on citizens. Many people felt that the sharp rise in the number of accidents could be blamed on drivers who must be punished severely for ‘slaughtering’ passengers and pedestrians. Not even the numerous attempts by the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Police Service and other agencies could stop the carnage.

For, while some drivers drove at great speed, engaging their vehicles in senseless overtaking, even on hills and in curves, others drove under the influence of alcohol. Thus, while many innocent passengers and pedestrians lost their lives in avoidable accidents, countless others suffered permanent injury. Such accident victims had to depend on their immediate family and others for sustenance. Family members who depended on them for survival faced severe hardship.

All this explains why the judiciary, therefore, responded positively and quickly to the public outcry. Subsequently, heavy fines and long prison sentences were imposed on recalcitrant drivers found guilty of road traffic offences to deter others.

However, much to the disappointment of the general public, the punishment has now been relaxed. The reckless drivers seem to have been given the green light to continue causing havoc on the highways with impunity. This must certainly stop. Drivers should be made to understand that reckless driving is an offence, just as armed robbery is, and they must not be spared. They must be made to face the music and be subjected to the full rigours of the law. That way, travelling will be pleasant and passengers will feel safe.

Questions

a) Why was the press conference held?
b) State two effects of accidents
c) How did the public react to the spate of accidents?
d) What did the judiciary do to stop accidents?
e) State two causes of accidents.
f) …. who must be punished severely …
i. What is the grammatical name for this expression?
ii. What is its function?
g) For each of the following words underlined in the passage, find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it in the passage:
i. spate, ii. carnage, iii. sustenance,
iv. severe, v. havoc

Passage 21

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

Ghana has become the toast of the world in recent times because of her conscious effort to promote peace and stability in development. The country has been referred to as an oasis of peace in a sub-region where most countries are struggling to reconstruct their economies out of the ashes of war.

However, all is not well, in spite of the global recognition of Ghana as a country which values civil liberties and the rule of law. There are still pockets of conflict deep-rooted in political differences and chieftaincy disputes. These conflicts have retarded development in the country.

Unfortunately, some of our communities are notorious for recurring conflicts while our security agencies look on helplessly. Very often, our leaders bemoan the tragedy brought about by these conflicts, some of which are caused by powerful persons in society.

Recently, we were alarmed at the frequent resort to mob justice by people who lacked confidence in the criminal justice system. They felt the security forces were incapable of dealing with crime. Those who take this path only create a lawless state and help put the powerful and well-connected above the law. As a result, the impression is created that it does not pay to be law-abiding.

The outcome of this unfortunate situation is the breakdown of law and order. Though anarchy has not yet set in, the common spectacle of indiscipline at workplaces, on the streets and in the homes is worrying. This frequent breakdown of law and order in various communities can be checked if the perpetrators of crime are brought to book. The good news is that the government has promised to deal drastically with anybody who breaks the law. It is our hope that this pledge will be translated into action as quickly as possible

Questions

a) What is the source of the relative peace in Ghana?
b) What are the causes of the slow pace of development in Ghana?
c) How do people react to their loss of trust in the criminal justice system?
d) What is the writer’s attitude to those who flout the law?
e) How can the citizens’ confidence in the criminal justice system be restored?
f) … an oasis of peace …
What figure of speech is used in this expression?
g) … brought about by these conflicts
i. What is the grammatical name for the above expression?
ii. State its function
h) For each of the following words underlined in the passage, find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it in the passage:
i. global, ii. recurring, iii. bemoan,
iv. anarchy, v. drastically vi. pledge.

Passage 22

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

The development of a child’s reading skills starts in the home. Children love to read when they see it not as a chore but as an activity that provides joy and fun. They sometimes get bored when we do not enrich reading to make it appealing. Children are passionate about the games they play and devote a lot of time and attention to them. We must therefore find ways of making the games beneficial to them. Engaging children in games that involve reading is one of the best ways of getting them interested in reading.

Word games are among the best activities that make children read. Playing scrabble, for instance, helps to develop the creative powers of children. They are able to make quick and good decisions and their spelling and reading abilities are enhanced. Organizing scrabble competitions in schools and homes make children eager to learn more words through reading.

Travelling also provides an opportunity for children to read. Making children read about interesting places they are about to visit keeps them informed on where they are travelling to. Before children make a trip to a tourist site, they should be encouraged to read books that will not only excite them about the trip but also develop their interest in reading.

We can also teach children rhymes. This will help them in their language acquisition process and encourage them to listen carefully. Reciting rhymes to children helps them to enjoy the repetition of sounds. A rhyme like “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper” makes children happy. When parents read to their children, it instils the culture of reading in them. In other words, it encourages them to develop a keen interest in reading. In fact, children take pleasure in doing things which they know their parents are interested in.

The Other 2011 Comprehension Passage and Answers – Once at a pub, I observed with trepidation…

Children sometimes do not love to read because their reading books are not attractive to them, children like to read books with pictures that explain what they are reading. They also love books that have colourful pages with bold prints. When such books are made available to children, they find reading interesting.

If children are guided to choose the right books to read, they will realize that reading is not a chore but a rewarding activity that provides joy and fun.

Questions

a) Why do children sometimes dislike reading?
b) What type of books do children love to read?
c) State two things which parents can do to encourage their children to read.
d) What two effects do rhymes have on children?
e) What two other skills, apart from reading, can be acquired by playing word games?
f) ‘… an opportunity for children to read …’
i. What is the grammatical name for this expression as used in the passage?
ii. What is its function?
g) ‘…Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper …’
What literary device is used in this expression?
h) For each of the following words find another word or phrase which means the same as the word and can replace it in the passage:
i. chore, ii. appealing iii. passionate,
iv. creative v. excite vi. rewarding

View Passages 23 to 33

This is the end of the second set of comprehension past questions and answers for SHS/WASSCE./NECO/GCE/JAMB students and tutors.

You can move on to view the final set in this three-part series of WASSCE/WAEC English comprehension past questions and answers.

TAKE ME TO PART 3

You might want to go back to part one.

Author

Ralph Kofi Nyadzi

For over three decades, Ralph Kofi Nyadzi has been coaching thousands of English, Literature and other Liberal Arts students from diverse backgrounds. He's mastered the craft of guiding learners to excel in major internal and external exams. He is a product of Peki College of Education and the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

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Passage 12

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