English Language JAMB, WAEC, NECO AND NABTEB Official Past Questions

1
The evidence given so far demonstrates that a nuclear exchange in the Northern Hemisphere would have an unavoidable global aftermath making the continued existence of mankind impossible anywhere. It is also very improbable that a nuclear exchange would be confined exclusively to the vicinity of the industrialized developments indicate that a nuclear disaster would be carried into the territories of the developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. These developments include the preparations being made by aggressive forces for the armed seizure of the Middle East oil fields, the nuclear missile deployment in the south of Western Europe, the establishment of military bases for the rapid deployment of forces in North Africa and the Indian Ocean and the tensions in the south Atlantic and the Caribbean.

From this passage, we learn that nuclear exchange in the northern hemisphere would be

  • A. inconceivable
  • B. inevitable
  • C. fatal to mankind
  • D. partially destructive
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
2
The evidence given so far demonstrates that a nuclear exchange in the Northern Hemisphere would have an unavoidable global aftermath making the continued existence of mankind impossible anywhere. It is also very improbable that a nuclear exchange would be confined exclusively to the vicinity of the industrialized developments indicate that a nuclear disaster would be carried into the territories of the developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. These developments include the preparations being made by aggressive forces for the armed seizure of the Middle East oil fields, the nuclear missile deployment in the south of Western Europe, the establishment of military bases for the rapid deployment of forces in North Africa and the Indian Ocean and the tensions in the south Atlantic and the Caribbean.

According to the author, current world development points to

  • A. an exclusive destruction of the developing countries
  • B. a likely spread of nuclear calamity to the third world countries
  • C. nuclear excxhange taking place in africa, asia and latin america
  • D. a confrontation between the industrialized and the developing countries
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
3
The evidence given so far demonstrates that a nuclear exchange in the Northern Hemisphere would have an unavoidable global aftermath making the continued existence of mankind impossible anywhere. It is also very improbable that a nuclear exchange would be confined exclusively to the vicinity of the industrialized developments indicate that a nuclear disaster would be carried into the territories of the developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. These developments include the preparations being made by aggressive forces for the armed seizure of the Middle East oil fields, the nuclear missile deployment in the south of Western Europe, the establishment of military bases for the rapid deployment of forces in North Africa and the Indian Ocean and the tensions in the south Atlantic and the Caribbean.

The central point being stressed in the passage is that

  • A. nuclear war is inevitable in the third world countries
  • B. nuclear war is imminenet in the third world countries
  • C. a country does not have to be industrialized before being concerned with nuclear matters
  • D. the aggressive forces of the world are ready to carry the nuclear battle into the developing nations
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
4
The evidence given so far demonstrates that a nuclear exchange in the Northern Hemisphere would have an unavoidable global aftermath making the continued existence of mankind impossible anywhere. It is also very improbable that a nuclear exchange would be confined exclusively to the vicinity of the industrialized developments indicate that a nuclear disaster would be carried into the territories of the developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. These developments include the preparations being made by aggressive forces for the armed seizure of the Middle East oil fields, the nuclear missile deployment in the south of Western Europe, the establishment of military bases for the rapid deployment of forces in North Africa and the Indian Ocean and the tensions in the south Atlantic and the Caribbean.

‘Aggressive’ in the passage means

  • A. millitant
  • B. dissident
  • C. reactionary
  • D. revolutionary
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
5
The evidence given so far demonstrates that a nuclear exchange in the Northern Hemisphere would have an unavoidable global aftermath making the continued existence of mankind impossible anywhere. It is also very improbable that a nuclear exchange would be confined exclusively to the vicinity of the industrialized developments indicate that a nuclear disaster would be carried into the territories of the developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. These developments include the preparations being made by aggressive forces for the armed seizure of the Middle East oil fields, the nuclear missile deployment in the south of Western Europe, the establishment of military bases for the rapid deployment of forces in North Africa and the Indian Ocean and the tensions in the south Atlantic and the Caribbean.

A suitable tittle for this passage is

  • A. preparation for nuckear war on the third world countries
  • B. possible effects of nuclear war on third world countries
  • C. strategies for a nuclear confrontation
  • D. the merits and demerits of nuclear exchange
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
6
In the past, famine, various types of diseases and natural disasters checked population growth in many countries. At that time, man had not learnt to till the soil sufficiently to improve and increase her yield. Man was unable to do much to conquer these diseases and natural disasters were regarded as a curse of the gods for which man had no answer. Thus famine, diseases and natural disasters remained a nightmare to mankind.
With the present development in technology and modern agriculture, one would have thought that the problem of starvation should have been solved. But starvation still stares man in the face. The increase in population now accounts for the consequent scarcity of food experienced in many parts of the world. However, in some countries, man’s advancement in technology and medicine has rapidly increased the population while improved methods of agriculture and food preservation have caused steady rise in food production. Also, man can now effectively prevent and cure most diseases in the world.
Unfortunately, the working population engaged in agriculture is so small that it cannot produce enough to satisfy the gaping mouths to be fed. In various parts of the world, man has engaged himself in various jobs in order to adjust the food production to match the growing population so his zone, but population growth continues to outstrip food production measures. Incidentally, the source of food and food preservation measures can be limited unlike population growth which may not be effectively checked. Perhaps the only effective checks to population explosion may be the drastic birth control measures. But many religious sects the world over are opposed to many to these birth control measures.

Drastic birth control measures may not be effective checks to population explosion since many religious sects

  • A. are disinclined to oppose their use
  • B. object to the use of many of them
  • C. are disinclined to accept them for use
  • D. want the control measures applied
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
7
In the past, famine, various types of diseases and natural disasters checked population growth in many countries. At that time, man had not learnt to till the soil sufficiently to improve and increase her yield. Man was unable to do much to conquer these diseases and natural disasters were regarded as a curse of the gods for which man had no answer. Thus famine, diseases and natural disasters remained a nightmare to mankind.
With the present development in technology and modern agriculture, one would have thought that the problem of starvation should have been solved. But starvation still stares man in the face. The increase in population now accounts for the consequent scarcity of food experienced in many parts of the world. However, in some countries, man’s advancement in technology and medicine has rapidly increased the population while improved methods of agriculture and food preservation have caused steady rise in food production. Also, man can now effectively prevent and cure most diseases in the world.
Unfortunately, the working population engaged in agriculture is so small that it cannot produce enough to satisfy the gaping mouths to be fed. In various parts of the world, man has engaged himself in various jobs in order to adjust the food production to match the growing population so his zone, but population growth continues to outstrip food production measures. Incidentally, the source of food and food preservation measures can be limited unlike population growth which may not be effectively checked. Perhaps the only effective checks to population explosion may be the drastic birth control measures. But many religious sects the world over are opposed to many to these birth control measures.

The working population engaged in agriculture cannot feed the teeming population sufficiently because

  • A. there are gaping mouths to be fed
  • B. they do not produce what they like to eat
  • C. there are not enough people engaged in tilling the soil
  • D. improved methods of agriculture have not brought about a significant increase in food production
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
8
In the past, famine, various types of diseases and natural disasters checked population growth in many countries. At that time, man had not learnt to till the soil sufficiently to improve and increase her yield. Man was unable to do much to conquer these diseases and natural disasters were regarded as a curse of the gods for which man had no answer. Thus famine, diseases and natural disasters remained a nightmare to mankind.
With the present development in technology and modern agriculture, one would have thought that the problem of starvation should have been solved. But starvation still stares man in the face. The increase in population now accounts for the consequent scarcity of food experienced in many parts of the world. However, in some countries, man’s advancement in technology and medicine has rapidly increased the population while improved methods of agriculture and food preservation have caused steady rise in food production. Also, man can now effectively prevent and cure most diseases in the world.
Unfortunately, the working population engaged in agriculture is so small that it cannot produce enough to satisfy the gaping mouths to be fed. In various parts of the world, man has engaged himself in various jobs in order to adjust the food production to match the growing population so his zone, but population growth continues to outstrip food production measures. Incidentally, the source of food and food preservation measures can be limited unlike population growth which may not be effectively checked. Perhaps the only effective checks to population explosion may be the drastic birth control measures. But many religious sects the world over are opposed to many to these birth control measures.

‘But starvation still stares man in the face’ means starvation

  • A. looks at the face of man
  • B. is inevitable to man
  • C. flies in the face of man
  • D. stil afflicts man
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
9
In the past, famine, various types of diseases and natural disasters checked population growth in many countries. At that time, man had not learnt to till the soil sufficiently to improve and increase her yield. Man was unable to do much to conquer these diseases and natural disasters were regarded as a curse of the gods for which man had no answer. Thus famine, diseases and natural disasters remained a nightmare to mankind.
With the present development in technology and modern agriculture, one would have thought that the problem of starvation should have been solved. But starvation still stares man in the face. The increase in population now accounts for the consequent scarcity of food experienced in many parts of the world. However, in some countries, man’s advancement in technology and medicine has rapidly increased the population while improved methods of agriculture and food preservation have caused steady rise in food production. Also, man can now effectively prevent and cure most diseases in the world.
Unfortunately, the working population engaged in agriculture is so small that it cannot produce enough to satisfy the gaping mouths to be fed. In various parts of the world, man has engaged himself in various jobs in order to adjust the food production to match the growing population so his zone, but population growth continues to outstrip food production measures. Incidentally, the source of food and food preservation measures can be limited unlike population growth which may not be effectively checked. Perhaps the only effective checks to population explosion may be the drastic birth control measures. But many religious sects the world over are opposed to many to these birth control measures.

Natural disasters were regarded as a curse of the gods on mankind because man

  • A. had no satisfactory solution to natural disasters
  • B. had not learnt to till the soil sufficiently
  • C. was suffering from the woes pronounced on mankind by the gods
  • D. could not send reply to the gods
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
10
In the past, famine, various types of diseases and natural disasters checked population growth in many countries. At that time, man had not learnt to till the soil sufficiently to improve and increase her yield. Man was unable to do much to conquer these diseases and natural disasters were regarded as a curse of the gods for which man had no answer. Thus famine, diseases and natural disasters remained a nightmare to mankind.
With the present development in technology and modern agriculture, one would have thought that the problem of starvation should have been solved. But starvation still stares man in the face. The increase in population now accounts for the consequent scarcity of food experienced in many parts of the world. However, in some countries, man’s advancement in technology and medicine has rapidly increased the population while improved methods of agriculture and food preservation have caused steady rise in food production. Also, man can now effectively prevent and cure most diseases in the world.
Unfortunately, the working population engaged in agriculture is so small that it cannot produce enough to satisfy the gaping mouths to be fed. In various parts of the world, man has engaged himself in various jobs in order to adjust the food production to match the growing population so his zone, but population growth continues to outstrip food production measures. Incidentally, the source of food and food preservation measures can be limited unlike population growth which may not be effectively checked. Perhaps the only effective checks to population explosion may be the drastic birth control measures. But many religious sects the world over are opposed to many to these birth control measures.

In the passage ‘nightmare’ means

  • A. a terrifying or deeply distressing dream
  • B. natural disasters
  • C. all those hazards which made life hideous
  • D. a curse
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
11
His eyes widened as they fell upon something strange. Something was moving slowly and cautiously along the gutter. The pale yellow and brown of the snake’s body glistened like a stream of flowing metal. By what mistake had the creature strayed into this unlikely place? Impossible to say. Yet there it was and its slow movements betrayed uneasiness and confusion.
As he watched it, his instinctive antipathy melted away. He could understand so well what the snake was feeling. He entered into the cold, narrow intelligence and shared its angry perplexity. Its movement were cramped, its advance difficulty and it was in constant danger of slipping over the edge. Now and then it lay still in dull reflection, nursing a cold anger that could find no vent.
Meanwhile the little plant bent downward by every puff of wind was beating its thin twings against the gutter like a birch. The snake seemed not to see the plant. It moved forward until a light touch from the twings fell upon its head. At this, it stopped and lifted its neck; the plant was now doing no more than lightly sway and dip. The snake, its head still reared, waited, flickering tongue. One could feel the angry heaving and straining in the sluggish brain-the dull red anger waiting to explode. Then came a strong gust sweeping along the wall and at once the twings thrashed down upon the furious head-thrashed down and beat it with a movement that seemed to osun both comic and dreadful. In a flash, the head reared itself higher, the neck drew back and there was a lunge at the twings and the empty air. O fatal act! To strike, the snake had been obliged to coil and its coiled body could not support itself upon the narrow ledge. No recovery was possible; it overbalanced and fell with a thud upon a small flat roof fifty feet below. There, osun saw the creature begin to writhe in agony. It could do no more than twist and turn upon the same spot
Osun was trembling but beneath his agitation there was a deep trouble wonder. Here was the little plants now waving with kind of jaunty cynicism and here was the snake writhing in agony. The world unquestionably was a place of mystery and horror. This was revealed in the writhing of the crippled snake in the jaunty waving of the innocent plant in the wind.

The ‘fight’ between the plant and the snake was prompted

  • A. the plant
  • B. osun
  • C. the wind
  • D. the snake
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
12
His eyes widened as they fell upon something strange. Something was moving slowly and cautiously along the gutter. The pale yellow and brown of the snake’s body glistened like a stream of flowing metal. By what mistake had the creature strayed into this unlikely place? Impossible to say. Yet there it was and its slow movements betrayed uneasiness and confusion.
As he watched it, his instinctive antipathy melted away. He could understand so well what the snake was feeling. He entered into the cold, narrow intelligence and shared its angry perplexity. Its movement were cramped, its advance difficulty and it was in constant danger of slipping over the edge. Now and then it lay still in dull reflection, nursing a cold anger that could find no vent.
Meanwhile the little plant bent downward by every puff of wind was beating its thin twings against the gutter like a birch. The snake seemed not to see the plant. It moved forward until a light touch from the twings fell upon its head. At this, it stopped and lifted its neck; the plant was now doing no more than lightly sway and dip. The snake, its head still reared, waited, flickering tongue. One could feel the angry heaving and straining in the sluggish brain-the dull red anger waiting to explode. Then came a strong gust sweeping along the wall and at once the twings thrashed down upon the furious head-thrashed down and beat it with a movement that seemed to osun both comic and dreadful. In a flash, the head reared itself higher, the neck drew back and there was a lunge at the twings and the empty air. O fatal act! To strike, the snake had been obliged to coil and its coiled body could not support itself upon the narrow ledge. No recovery was possible; it overbalanced and fell with a thud upon a small flat roof fifty feet below. There, osun saw the creature begin to writhe in agony. It could do no more than twist and turn upon the same spot
Osun was trembling but beneath his agitation there was a deep trouble wonder. Here was the little plants now waving with kind of jaunty cynicism and here was the snake writhing in agony. The world unquestionably was a place of mystery and horror. This was revealed in the writhing of the crippled snake in the jaunty waving of the innocent plant in the wind.

Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

  • A. osun was not an active observer in the combat between the snake and the little plant
  • B. the moves of the little plant during encounter with the snake were not voluntry
  • C. the attack of the plant during the combat was entirely to blame for the fall of the snake
  • D. during the combat, the behaviour of the plant could be likened to that of a human being.
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
13
His eyes widened as they fell upon something strange. Something was moving slowly and cautiously along the gutter. The pale yellow and brown of the snake’s body glistened like a stream of flowing metal. By what mistake had the creature strayed into this unlikely place? Impossible to say. Yet there it was and its slow movements betrayed uneasiness and confusion.
As he watched it, his instinctive antipathy melted away. He could understand so well what the snake was feeling. He entered into the cold, narrow intelligence and shared its angry perplexity. Its movement were cramped, its advance difficulty and it was in constant danger of slipping over the edge. Now and then it lay still in dull reflection, nursing a cold anger that could find no vent.
Meanwhile the little plant bent downward by every puff of wind was beating its thin twings against the gutter like a birch. The snake seemed not to see the plant. It moved forward until a light touch from the twings fell upon its head. At this, it stopped and lifted its neck; the plant was now doing no more than lightly sway and dip. The snake, its head still reared, waited, flickering tongue. One could feel the angry heaving and straining in the sluggish brain-the dull red anger waiting to explode. Then came a strong gust sweeping along the wall and at once the twings thrashed down upon the furious head-thrashed down and beat it with a movement that seemed to osun both comic and dreadful. In a flash, the head reared itself higher, the neck drew back and there was a lunge at the twings and the empty air. O fatal act! To strike, the snake had been obliged to coil and its coiled body could not support itself upon the narrow ledge. No recovery was possible; it overbalanced and fell with a thud upon a small flat roof fifty feet below. There, osun saw the creature begin to writhe in agony. It could do no more than twist and turn upon the same spot
Osun was trembling but beneath his agitation there was a deep trouble wonder. Here was the little plants now waving with kind of jaunty cynicism and here was the snake writhing in agony. The world unquestionably was a place of mystery and horror. This was revealed in the writhing of the crippled snake in the jaunty waving of the innocent plant in the wind.

The act of the snake was described as ‘fatal’ because the snake’s attack was going to

  • A. be fatal to the plant
  • B. make the coiled body not to support itself upon the narrow ledge
  • C. result in the crippling of the snake
  • D. result in no possible recovery
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
14
His eyes widened as they fell upon something strange. Something was moving slowly and cautiously along the gutter. The pale yellow and brown of the snake’s body glistened like a stream of flowing metal. By what mistake had the creature strayed into this unlikely place? Impossible to say. Yet there it was and its slow movements betrayed uneasiness and confusion.
As he watched it, his instinctive antipathy melted away. He could understand so well what the snake was feeling. He entered into the cold, narrow intelligence and shared its angry perplexity. Its movement were cramped, its advance difficulty and it was in constant danger of slipping over the edge. Now and then it lay still in dull reflection, nursing a cold anger that could find no vent.
Meanwhile the little plant bent downward by every puff of wind was beating its thin twings against the gutter like a birch. The snake seemed not to see the plant. It moved forward until a light touch from the twings fell upon its head. At this, it stopped and lifted its neck; the plant was now doing no more than lightly sway and dip. The snake, its head still reared, waited, flickering tongue. One could feel the angry heaving and straining in the sluggish brain-the dull red anger waiting to explode. Then came a strong gust sweeping along the wall and at once the twings thrashed down upon the furious head-thrashed down and beat it with a movement that seemed to osun both comic and dreadful. In a flash, the head reared itself higher, the neck drew back and there was a lunge at the twings and the empty air. O fatal act! To strike, the snake had been obliged to coil and its coiled body could not support itself upon the narrow ledge. No recovery was possible; it overbalanced and fell with a thud upon a small flat roof fifty feet below. There, osun saw the creature begin to writhe in agony. It could do no more than twist and turn upon the same spot
Osun was trembling but beneath his agitation there was a deep trouble wonder. Here was the little plants now waving with kind of jaunty cynicism and here was the snake writhing in agony. The world unquestionably was a place of mystery and horror. This was revealed in the writhing of the crippled snake in the jaunty waving of the innocent plant in the wind.

As the narrator watched the snake, his feelings changed to those of

  • A. anger and apathy
  • B. antipathy and perplexity
  • C. perplexity
  • D. angry bewildement
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
15
His eyes widened as they fell upon something strange. Something was moving slowly and cautiously along the gutter. The pale yellow and brown of the snake’s body glistened like a stream of flowing metal. By what mistake had the creature strayed into this unlikely place? Impossible to say. Yet there it was and its slow movements betrayed uneasiness and confusion.
As he watched it, his instinctive antipathy melted away. He could understand so well what the snake was feeling. He entered into the cold, narrow intelligence and shared its angry perplexity. Its movement were cramped, its advance difficulty and it was in constant danger of slipping over the edge. Now and then it lay still in dull reflection, nursing a cold anger that could find no vent.
Meanwhile the little plant bent downward by every puff of wind was beating its thin twings against the gutter like a birch. The snake seemed not to see the plant. It moved forward until a light touch from the twings fell upon its head. At this, it stopped and lifted its neck; the plant was now doing no more than lightly sway and dip. The snake, its head still reared, waited, flickering tongue. One could feel the angry heaving and straining in the sluggish brain-the dull red anger waiting to explode. Then came a strong gust sweeping along the wall and at once the twings thrashed down upon the furious head-thrashed down and beat it with a movement that seemed to osun both comic and dreadful. In a flash, the head reared itself higher, the neck drew back and there was a lunge at the twings and the empty air. O fatal act! To strike, the snake had been obliged to coil and its coiled body could not support itself upon the narrow ledge. No recovery was possible; it overbalanced and fell with a thud upon a small flat roof fifty feet below. There, osun saw the creature begin to writhe in agony. It could do no more than twist and turn upon the same spot
Osun was trembling but beneath his agitation there was a deep trouble wonder. Here was the little plants now waving with kind of jaunty cynicism and here was the snake writhing in agony. The world unquestionably was a place of mystery and horror. This was revealed in the writhing of the crippled snake in the jaunty waving of the innocent plant in the wind.

The snake was referred to as ‘something strange’ because the

  • A. movement of the snake along the gutter was slow and caustious
  • B. movement of the snake betrayed strange uneasiness and confusion
  • C. colour of the snake's body was an unusual stream of flowing metal
  • D. environment in which the snake was found was unusual
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
16
I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill among nations and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or squash, they would have no inclination to meet on the battle field. Even if one didn’t know from concrete example (the 1936 Olympic games, for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general principals.
Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning. Unless you do your utmost to win. On the village green, where you pick up sides and not feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simple for fun of it and exercise, but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused. Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level, sport is frankly a mimic warfare. But the significant thing is not the behaviour of the players but the attitude of the spectators and behind the spectators are the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests and seriously believe at any rate for short period that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.
Even a leisurely game demanding grace rather than strength can cause much ill-will. Football, a game in which everyone gets hurt and every nation has its own style or play is far worse. Worst of all is boxing. One of the most horrible sights in the world is a fight between white and coloured boxers before a mixed audience

‘Mimic’ as used in the passage means

  • A. comic
  • B. silent
  • C. imitated
  • D. practised
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
17
I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill among nations and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or squash, they would have no inclination to meet on the battle field. Even if one didn’t know from concrete example (the 1936 Olympic games, for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general principals.
Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning. Unless you do your utmost to win. On the village green, where you pick up sides and not feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simple for fun of it and exercise, but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused. Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level, sport is frankly a mimic warfare. But the significant thing is not the behaviour of the players but the attitude of the spectators and behind the spectators are the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests and seriously believe at any rate for short period that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.
Even a leisurely game demanding grace rather than strength can cause much ill-will. Football, a game in which everyone gets hurt and every nation has its own style or play is far worse. Worst of all is boxing. One of the most horrible sights in the world is a fight between white and coloured boxers before a mixed audience

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

  • A. running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue
  • B. at the national level, sports is frankly a mimic warfare
  • C. the most savage combative instincts are aroused by anyone who has played in a school football match
  • D. nations work themselves up because they tend to believe that6 sports are tests of national virtue
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
18
I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill among nations and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or squash, they would have no inclination to meet on the battle field. Even if one didn’t know from concrete example (the 1936 Olympic games, for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general principals.
Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning. Unless you do your utmost to win. On the village green, where you pick up sides and not feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simple for fun of it and exercise, but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused. Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level, sport is frankly a mimic warfare. But the significant thing is not the behaviour of the players but the attitude of the spectators and behind the spectators are the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests and seriously believe at any rate for short period that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.
Even a leisurely game demanding grace rather than strength can cause much ill-will. Football, a game in which everyone gets hurt and every nation has its own style or play is far worse. Worst of all is boxing. One of the most horrible sights in the world is a fight between white and coloured boxers before a mixed audience

Boxing is regarded as the worst game in the passage because

  • A. of the behaviour of the boxers themselves
  • B. of the amount of ill-will that can be generated among spectators of different races
  • C. of the ill-will that can be generated by a game that demands strength from the competitors
  • D. is a game in which both players get hurt rather badly
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
19
I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill among nations and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or squash, they would have no inclination to meet on the battle field. Even if one didn’t know from concrete example (the 1936 Olympic games, for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general principals.
Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning. Unless you do your utmost to win. On the village green, where you pick up sides and not feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simple for fun of it and exercise, but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused. Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level, sport is frankly a mimic warfare. But the significant thing is not the behaviour of the players but the attitude of the spectators and behind the spectators are the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests and seriously believe at any rate for short period that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.
Even a leisurely game demanding grace rather than strength can cause much ill-will. Football, a game in which everyone gets hurt and every nation has its own style or play is far worse. Worst of all is boxing. One of the most horrible sights in the world is a fight between white and coloured boxers before a mixed audience

Boxing is regarded as the worst game in the passage because

  • A. of the behaviour of the boxers themselves
  • B. of the amount of ill-will that can be generated among spectators of different races
  • C. of the ill-will that can be generated by a game that demands strength from the competitors
  • D. is a game in which both players get hurt rather badly
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
20
I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill among nations and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or squash, they would have no inclination to meet on the battle field. Even if one didn’t know from concrete example (the 1936 Olympic games, for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general principals.
Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning. Unless you do your utmost to win. On the village green, where you pick up sides and not feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simple for fun of it and exercise, but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused. Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level, sport is frankly a mimic warfare. But the significant thing is not the behaviour of the players but the attitude of the spectators and behind the spectators are the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests and seriously believe at any rate for short period that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.
Even a leisurely game demanding grace rather than strength can cause much ill-will. Football, a game in which everyone gets hurt and every nation has its own style or play is far worse. Worst of all is boxing. One of the most horrible sights in the world is a fight between white and coloured boxers before a mixed audience

According to the passage

  • A. all the sports practised nowadays are competitive
  • B. games have meaning only when the participants play to win
  • C. it is impossible to play a game simply for fun of it
  • D. on the local green, you play not to win but for the fun of it
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989
21
I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill among nations and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or squash, they would have no inclination to meet on the battle field. Even if one didn’t know from concrete example (the 1936 Olympic games, for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general principals.
Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning. Unless you do your utmost to win. On the village green, where you pick up sides and not feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simple for fun of it and exercise, but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused. Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level, sport is frankly a mimic warfare. But the significant thing is not the behaviour of the players but the attitude of the spectators and behind the spectators are the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests and seriously believe at any rate for short period that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.
Even a leisurely game demanding grace rather than strength can cause much ill-will. Football, a game in which everyone gets hurt and every nation has its own style or play is far worse. Worst of all is boxing. One of the most horrible sights in the world is a fight between white and coloured boxers before a mixed audience

The 1936 Olympic games was cited in the passage to show that sport can

  • A. lead to excessive hatred
  • B. create goodwill among nations
  • C. generate feelings of national prestige
  • D. make people meet on the battle feild
View Answer & Discuss JAMB 1989