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.
Explanation
(a) The travellers were told to wait till Monday morning before travelling.
(b) They travelled because the professor's work would be adversely affected if they should stay on
(c) The travellers' mission was to attend the formal traditional wedding ceremony of the professor
(d)(i) On Asaba Road (ii)(1) There was heavy downpour (2) It was dark (3) The on-coming vehicle dazzled Dr. Dimgba's eyes with its lights
(e) (i) Metaphor (ii) It began to rain
(f) (I) heeding - taking to, accepting (ii) kinsmen - relations, (iii) odds - difficulties, inconveniences (iv) roared - stormed, thundered (v) monster -beast, devil (vi) inferno - fire,