In this post, you will have free access to a large collection of English comprehension past questions and answers. The English reading comprehension past questions and answers are for you whether you’re a teacher or student of High School English or WAEC/WASSCE candidate.
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I know you would love to have all these WAEC English comprehension passages with the past questions and sample answers. Are you a NECO/GCE/JAMB candidate in the English Language paper? These WAEC WASSCE English comprehension past questions and answers will be of immense help to you.
Interested in a different Senior High School English comprehension exam? Say SSCE or IGCSE? These WASSCE English comprehension past questions answers will be of great help to you. Because all these high school level examinations set very similar comprehension test questions.
Recommended answers to guide you
Please note that the answers I’ve given here are simply recommended answers to the WASSCE English comprehension past questions and answers. In fact, there are many other ways to frame the same answers.
Bear in mind, however, that it is only your words and expressions which may change. The points being made in each answer cannot change.
HOW TO PROPERLY ANSWER ENGLISH COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
4 EFFECTIVE READING SKILLS FOR A COMPREHENSION TEST
6 COMMON WASSCE ENGLISH COMPREHENSION MISTAKES TO AVOID
Enough of the introduction. Let’s have your WASSCE English reading comprehension questions and their sample answers.
Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions on them.
Passage 1
Among the Akan communities of Ghana, when you sneeze, people you have never met, complete strangers, say ‘Life to you” – Nkwa. The superstition is that the soul escapes from the body when one sneezes. To say, ‘Life to you’ is an earnest wish for the soul to be restored.
Examples abound to show that although we live in a technologically advanced age, superstition is as widespread now as it has ever been. Consider the following instances of superstition. Some people consult soothsayers or fetish priests before any undertaking. An athlete, although he has trained intensively, credits his victory to a mere article of clothing. A particular T-shirt first worn on the day of triumph, becomes a charm thereafter. Such a piece of cloth is never to be washed for fear that some of the magical powers of the charm might be washed away. A student uses a certain pen for an examination and passes well. Thereafter, he views the pen as a ‘luck’ object.
A superstitious mind believes that certain objects, places and animals bring luck. Some people will embark on enterprises only on certain dates and under the influence of superstition will act against their better judgment, instincts or consciences. The case of the chain letter, which is a letter that is sent to several persons with the request that each sends copies to many others aptly illustrates this. The one who passes on such a letter is promised good luck, whereas the one who breaks the chain is supposed to experience ill-luck.
Is superstition really harmful? Some people might dismiss this question or deny the dangers associated with superstition. Nonetheless, it can lead to unpleasant consequences. Take for instance, the case of Mma Kema who lived in a village where she bought and sold chicken. Her enterprise was lucrative. Believing that she could have her profit multiplied, she once took all her money to a fetish priest who it was believed had spirits which could do virtually anything for anybody. The priest put her money into a big envelope and asked her to leave it beside a black pot in his shrine.
Mma Kema was asked to come back for her money after seven days. Very early on the appointed day, she enthusiastically hurried to the shrine, oblivious of the morning dew on the grasses along the path. The priest handed a bag to her and instructed her to bury it in her shop for three days. She did exactly as she had been ordered. The three days looked like a century. When she finally opened the envelope she saw plain papers in it. In a frenzy, she rushed to the shrine to complain about her discovery only to find out that the priest had disappeared.
Questions
a) Give two instances of superstition from the second paragraph of the passage.
b) What is the writer’s attitude towards those who believe that objects can bring luck?
c) What does the story of Mma Kema illustrate about superstition?
d) How would you describe the character of the fetish priest?
e) What was Mma Kema’s state of mind during her second visit to the shrine?
f) ….. although he has trained intensively…..
i) What is the grammatical name for this expression as it is used in the passage?
ii) What is its function in the sentence?
g) … as a ‘luck’ object.
Why is the word luck enclosed in inverted commas?
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. restored
ii. triumph
iii. enterprises
iv. harmful
v. lucrative
vi. oblivious
Recommended Answers for Passage 1
a) i) Some people consult soothsayers or fetish priests before embarking on any project.
ii) Athletes believe that their T-shirts can possess certain magical powers which will help them to perform well.
b) He pities them.
c) Superstition can be counter-productive
d) He is a swindler( or a trickster)
e) She had very great expectations.
f) i) Adverbial clause of concession
ii) It is modifying the verb, “credits”
g) It is to show that “luck” is not a completely suitable word or idea to be associated with an ordinary pen.
h )
i. restored – regained/returned
ii. triumph – victory
iii. enterprises – undertakings/projects/ventures
iv. harmful – dangerous/counterproductive
v. lucrative – profitable
vi. oblivious – unmindful
Passage 2
The holiday was super, whichever way you look at it. The traffic in Accra Central was extremely heavy. All types of vehicle, many of which should have been in the fitting shop, were on the road, loaded with passengers and all sorts of items- biscuits, mattresses, bicycles, dresses, shoes and many more.
It was good opportunity for the business-minded to sell all manner of goods. There was corned beef from no known country of origin. Biscuits and cakes baked from sugar and expired flour were everywhere. There were also many dresses made from fabrics suitable for only cold climates. Those who could not buy new clothes bought from the second-hand clothing market, euphemistically called ‘bend-down boutique’. Of course, they could not try them on in the open, so their necks provided the ‘tape measure’. I was to learn later, to my utter surprise, that if the waist of a pair of trousers or a skirt could go around one’s neck it would fit one’s waist perfectly! Trust the folks for finding ingenious and practical solutions to their problems.
A sorry sight was that of animals. Livestock were dragged mercilessly, their bleating and struggle ignored by their masters. Dizziness was felt by those animals that had to hang on to the carriages on top of vehicles, fighting for space with goods. Their owners, definitely, did not care whether they were afraid of height. Chickens and ducks also became dizzy from being held face down. Sometimes, they had to sweat the journey out from black polythene bags with their heads popping out through little holes so that they could have a gasp of fresh air. No wonder some zealous Christians believe that Christmas has lost its piety and religious flavour.
The struggle to get in and out of the city centre was fierce. Taxi drivers had a field day; their word was law. One had to charter the taxi, what they called ‘dropping’, or get stuck. However, some passengers broke the ‘law’. The price? They had to make their journeys on foot. The other way out was to set off early, about 3.00 a.m. By so doing, one could easily catch a bus or taxi and be charged the usual fare.
The bars also did serious business as revelers ate and drank various kinds of liquor with careless abandon, amidst the blaring of music from big, black loud-speakers. After the holiday, some of them suffered from hangover and indigestion while others hardly had anything to eat. The annual churchgoers were dressed to kill in their best-brand new or second-hand-as they performed the ritual of attending the last church service of the year. As usual, some churches made a windfall as collection was fatter than normal.
Questions
a. According to the writer, why was the traffic-heavy?
b. …….Christians believe that Christmas has lost its piety and religious flavour.
According to the writer, what has brought about this belief?
c. Mention two unpleasant consequences of eating and drinking during the holidays.
d. ……some passengers broke the law. What law did they break?
e. What is the overall attitude of the writer to the society?
f. ……who could not buy new clothes……
i) What is the grammatical name for this construction as used in the passage?
ii) What is its function in the sentence?
g. Taxi drivers had a field day
What figure of speech is this expression?
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) opportunity ii) ingenious iii) sorry
iv) ignored v) definitely vi) ritual
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Recommended Answers for Passage 2
a. Because it was a holiday.
b. This is because people are more interested in material things than spiritual ones.
c. (i) indigestion (ii) hunger
d. The “law’ that passengers had only two options : charter a taxi or get stuck
e. He is indifferent toward society.
f. i) Adjectival clause
ii) It is qualifying the pronoun, “those”
g. metaphor
h. i) opportunity – chance
ii) ingenious – clever
iii) sorry – pitiful
iv) ignored – unrecognized
v) definitely – certainly/clearly
vi) ritual –tradition/practice
Subject Matter of the Poem, The Leader and the Led
24 Likely Grammatical Name Past Questions and Answers
Passage 3
Parents are the most important models for growing children; in fact the first influences on them. First, the parents usually are the earliest human contact the child has in the world around him. They are the most enduring models because of their being present longer than other social agents. In the eyes of the child, parents are by far the most powerful people. They influence the child through nurturing him and providing his needs. In a word, his survival almost solely depends on them. Undoubtedly then, the child looks up to these prime models for the development of his character. Perhaps this explains some of the traditional sayings which suggest that the child takes after the parents.
Take the expression, “a chip off the old block”, for instance, which is often used to confirm the close similarity between the behaviour of the child and his parents’. It stands to reason that the child naturally picks up his traits, whether good or bad, from his parents. Although the child’s parents are his earliest and most important models, he is exposed to many other potent influences: siblings, television, school, celebrities and so on. The walls of boys’ rooms, for example, are often covered with the pictures of their idols. But do children emulate the behaviour of everyone? It is known that they do not imitate all the people they know in equal degrees. It is therefore important to understand the variables that determine the extent to which the child takes up the attributes and behaviour displayed by his models.
Studies have shown that this is not a simple case of imitation. One strong determinant is identification with the object of admiration. For instance, if a young girl wishes to be like her father, it is because she loves him. Secondly, she believes that she can do both the great and admirable things her father does. On the other hand, the father could have been selected because of his care and generosity in nurturing her.
Questions
a. Give two reasons for the influence which parents have on their children.
b. How does the child demonstrate the influence which his model has on him?
c. How do children see their models?
d. Mention two factors which influence a child to take up aspects of his model’s behaviour.
e. Although the child’s parents are his earliest and most important models….
i) What is the grammatical name for this expression as used in the passage?
ii) What is its grammatical function?
f. ……. a chip off the old block……
What does this expression mean?
g. List two “other social agents” which, according to the passage, which influence the child.
h. For each of the following words, give another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it in the passage:
i) survival ii) prime iii) confirm
iv) potent v) idols vi) attributes
Recommended Answers for Passage 3
a. i) Parents are mostly the earliest human beings the child comes into contact with.
ii) Parents have much longer contact with children than other agents of socialization.
b) His behaviour tends to be similar to that of his model.
c) They see them as objects of power greatness and admiration.
d) i) The child must identify with or love his model
ii) The child must believe that he is capable of imitating his model
e )i) Adverbial clause of concession
ii) It is modifying the verb phrase, “exposed”.
f) The child has close similarity to the parent.
g) i) siblings ii) television (others are: school, celebrities)
h)i) survival – life
ii) prime – all-important
iii) confirm- emphasize/prove/underline
iv) potent –powerful/strong
v) idols –role models
vi) attributes – characteristics/features
Passage 4
Last Sunday, I happened to be a visitor at one of the big churches in the city. I was outside because I had arrived late, which is normal occurrence in this part of the world, and there was a big bar across the entrance to the auditorium. While outside, I witnessed an incident which I found moving. One of the members of the congregation who could not sit through the service was a toddler. He was a rather special child about three years old. He was just learning to walk.
That day he was having the time of his life, running up and down the large church premises. The church was by a busy main road and every time he headed towards the gates he was in danger of being crushed by a passing vehicle. Running alongside the little boy and keeping pace with him was his father. All this while, the father was never impatient nor did he shout at the boy to sit still.
This reminded me of another father I came across many years ago. His baby boy, Francis, was born with cleft lip which caused a large split in his face. The defect could be repaired but not until he was older. The parents were counseled and they took the baby home. But their troubles were just beginning. They lived in a house with several other tenants. The other tenants decided to make life unpleasant for the couple. Their persistent teasing and nasty comments nearly drove them away from the house. The rumour went round that the mother had given birth to a baby with a ‘half face’. People would gather round the house just to laugh at the child and his parents. Some would call the mother names as she passed by. Things became so unbearable that something had to be done.
“I decided to put him in my taxi and work with him so that his mother would be spared all that trouble”, the father said to me, as he recounted this sad story. The child occupied space in the car, which could have been taken up by a paying passenger. This certainly affected his daily earnings. Many fathers of children with clefts feel too embarrassed to allow them out of the house. Not this man. He would drive round the city with Francis in the front seat. This must have put off many passengers, scared by the face of little Francis.
Today, Francis is a healthy eighth-year-old. After the repair of the cleft, he has become his father’s pride and joy.
Questions
a. What incident did the writer find moving?
b. State the quality did the two fathers have in common.
c. What is the writer’s attitude to the two fathers?
d. Exactly what picture does the writer paint of Francis’s neighbours?
e. State two ways in which Francis caused financial loss to the father.
f. …… I came across many years ago.
i) What is the grammatical name for this construction as used in the passage?
ii) What is its function in the sentence?
g. …..he was having the time of his life………
i) What literary device is used in this expression?
ii) What is the meaning of this expression?
h. For each of the following words find another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it in the passage:
i) moving ii) defect iii) persistent iv) recounted v) embarrassed
Recommended Answers for Passage 4
a) It was the spectacle of a patient father assisting his vulnerable child to have fun.
b) They both had love and patience for their disadvantaged children.
c) He admires their courage and patience for their children in their difficult moments.
d) He presents them as cruel, unfeeling neighbours.
e) i) His disfigured face scared potential passengers away from boarding the taxi.
ii) He occupied one seat which could have fetched money from one more passenger.
f. i) Adjectival clause (or zero relative clause) Note that “whom “ ( the relative pronoun which should have introduced the clause ) has been omitted.
ii) It is qualifying the noun, “father”
g i) alliteration
ii) He was having great fun.
h i) moving – interesting
ii) defect – abnormality
iii) persistent – continuous/unrelenting
iv) recounted –narrated/told
v) embarrassed – shy/ashamed
Passage 5
Life is truly a network of interconnected and interdependent organisms. Humans are very much a part of this web. For evidence, you need not look further than your body. Quietly at work in your digestive tract, an army of friendly bacteria help you to stay healthy by destroying harmful invaders and by producing essential vitamins. In return, you, the host, provide the bacteria with food and a supportive environment.
In the insect world, ants are a model of co-operation, industry and order, often working together to drag home objects much larger than themselves. Some ants will even assist injured or exhausted members of the colony back to their nest.
A similar alliance occurs in the animal kingdom, especially among animals such as cattle, deer and sheep. Part of their multi-chambered stomach hosts a veritable ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and protozoa. These microbes break down the carbohydrate in their food into various nutrients. Such close cooperation among dissimilar organisms is fundamental to the development of every living system. It is called mutualism, because both organisms benefit from each other.
An interesting example of mutualism occurs among certain birds. These birds live dangerously. The screech owl, for instance, literally brings a live snake into its nest. The snake is called the blind snake. Instead of harming the nestlings, the snake eats ants, flies and other insects and their larvae. The young owls raised with a blind snake in the family grow faster and are much more likely to survive than those raised without the company of this living vacuum cleaner.
Another bird, called the water dikkop, does not team up with a mere snake. It builds its nest next to that of a crocodile – a reptile that preys on birds. However, instead of becoming a meal for the crocodile, the bird serves as sentry. Should danger approach either its nest or the crocodile’s nest, the bird would emit warning cries. If the crocodile is away, these cries will bring the reptile charging back to defend the nests.
Questions
a. For each of the following words underlined in the passage, find another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it in the passage:
i) friendly ii) essential iii)exhausted
iv) alliance v) dissimilar vi) charging
b. What two benefits do humans derive from bacteria?
c. What is the writer’s attitude to ants?
d. According to the passage, what do bacteria gain from the human host?
e. In what way do the bird and the crocodile help each other?
f. What do you think the writer means when he says:
These birds live dangerously?
g. Should danger approach either its nest or the crocodile’s nest …….
i) What is the grammatical name for this expression?
ii) What is its grammatical function?
h. …. this living vacuum cleaner
What literary device is used in this expression?
Recommended Answers for Passage 5
a) i) friendly – helpful
ii) essential – important/necessary
iii) exhausted – tired
iv) alliance – co-operation
v) dissimilar-unlike/different types of
vi) charging – running/racing/speeding
b) i) They destroy any harmful invader of the human body
ii) They also supply the human body with essential vitamins,
c) He admires their co-operative spirit.
d) They get food and a supportive environment from the human host.
e) The bird alerts the crocodile of any danger and the crocodile comes to defend them against the enemy.
f) They live with snakes which can easily attack them.
g) i) Adverbial clause (of condition)
ii) It is modifying the verb, “emit”
h. Metaphor (i.e. a snake is being compared to a “vacuum cleaner”)
Passage 6
The farmers and I made progress and fish culture continued to expand. For instance, in one village, a group of men built a half-acre reservoir that fed ponds. The simplicity of the project had great appeal. To get started, all you needed were water, which was free, and three dollars to buy the stocking fish after that you were set up in perpetuity.
Then the crisis came.
“Birds are eating my fish,” Chief Lunga told me one day. It was true. A trio of kingfishers was living in threes near Lunga’s pond and growing fat on the tilapia below. Lunga was not alone in this. More than half the fish farmers were telling tales of kingfishers swooping down and plunking fish from their ponds.
For an entire month, Lunga tried everything he could think of to kill the birds. He spread a hand-made net across the top of the pond banks to tangle up the birds’ feet, but all it caught was a large owl.
Next, he placed several home-made spring-released mouse traps around the pond. He used fish as bait but got no result. One morning he hid himself in the tall grass and waited with an ancient gun, but the birds did not appear.
Eventually, Lunga got an idea the simplicity of which baffled me. He made a scarecrow and put it next to the pond. It worked. For the next few days, the birds stayed away. But, then, a funny thing began to happen. One morning, while feeding his fish, Lunga noticed bird droppings on the scarecrows forehead and right cheek. After a few days, the droppings grew to cover the scarecrow’s face. The kingfishers were back! Too shrewd to be scared for long, they now were using the scarecrow’s head as a lunching pad from which to spot and kill fish.
“They are mocking me,” he said. “The chief of this village is being mocked by a bunch of birds. I can’t stand it any longer”. At this stage, I made a suggestion: “If the birds keep landing on the scarecrow’s head, why don’t you hide a trap in its hair?” he agreed. He parted the scarecrow’s hair and placed a mouse trap on its head, lightly covering it with straw.
After months of failing, Lunga with this device killed the three kingfishers in two days. The birds landed with typical irreverence on the scarecrow’s head only to die as the trap did its job.
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) expand ii) baffled iii) scared
iv) mocked v) device vi) irreverence.
b. What reason does the writer give for saying that the project was easy to start?
c. What was the crisis that threatened the project?
d. They are mocking me.
What was Lunga’s mood at this stage?
e. Which of the chief’s efforts succeeded in solving this problem?
f. “Lunga was not alone in this”.
To what does “this” refer?
g. After months of failing……..
i) What is the grammatical name for this expression?
ii) What is its function in the sentence?
h. …you were set up in perpetuity
What literary device is used in the expression above?
Recommended Answers for Passage 6
a) i) expand –grow
ii) baffled- surprised/shocked
iii) scared- frightened
iv) mocked – laughed at/derided/ridiculed
v) device – instrument/contraption/equipment
vi) irreverence – contempt/disregard
b) It was very simple and was not expensive to start
c) Birds invaded the fish farms and started eating the fish
e) A mouse trap hidden in the scarecrow’s hair killed the birds
f) It refers to the crisis of birds eating the fish in the ponds
g) i) Adverbial phrase (of time)
ii) It is modifying the verb, “killed”
h) Hyperbole
Passage 7
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Morality, good manners and intelligence are the key to success in any business. Moku was endowed with great intelligence. The future held a great promise for him. At school he was brilliant and passed his-final examination with flying colours. However, Moku was plagued by some undesirable traits in his character: he was prone to bouts of anger and was ill-mannered.
After school, he succeeded in setting up a publishing house which flourished because of his hard work and the huge sums of money he sank into the enterprise. As his business experienced a boom his products sold like hot cakes. His name became a household word.
It was at this crucial time that Moku’s ill-manners began to come to the fore. Maybe his success got into his head and he would not take the advice of his managers nor draw on their expertise. Even when his workers had good suggestions for improvement, he would not listen, but treated them with disdain.
Gradually he began to sink under the weight of his own bad behaviour. He lost his customers and his profits dwindled. Consequently his publishing business almost collapsed. He learnt the bitter lesson that because of his wrong attitude he was filling his mind with negative emotions, such as suspicion and hatred. He also lost the respect of his workers because he often quarreled and fought with them.
Fortunately, Moku realized his plight and was determined to turn his life around. He joined the Praise and Worship Sanctuary and began to turn over a new leaf. His golden opportunity came one day, when he met two foreign businessmen who showed interest in his publishing industry.
Impressed by his knowledge and expertise, the foreigners formed a partnership with him and his publishing business began to grow again in leaps and bounds. People could not believe their eyes when they saw the change that had come in Moku’s character.
Indeed, good behaviour is a potent advertisement.
Questions
(a) What showed that Moku had a bright future?
(b) Mention two factors that accounted for Moku’s initial success in business.
(c) Give two reasons why Moku’s business almost collapsed.
(d) How did Moku’s bad behaviour affect him personally?
(e) Why did the foreign businessmen decide to form a partnership with Moku?
(f) ………..a great promise.
(i) What us the grammatical name given to the expression above?
(ii) What is its function?
(g) ….in leaps and bounds.
(i) What is the figure of speech contained in the expression above?
(ii) What is its meaning?
(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) endowed,
(ii) flourished,
(iii) enterprise,
(iv) disdain,
(v) dwindled,
(vi) potent.
Recommended Answers for Passage 7
a) He was very intelligent/he was brilliant at school.
b) i) He worked hard
ii) He invested huge sums of money into the business.
c) i) He failed to take the advice of his managers.
ii) He treated his workers with contempt.
d) He became paranoid and lost the respect of his workers.
e) They were impressed by his knowledge and expertise.
f)i) noun phrase ii) object of the verb, “held”
g)i) metaphor ii) rapidly
h) (i) endowed – gifted/blessed
(ii) flourished – blossomed/grew
(iii) enterprise – business/ venture
(iv) disdain – contempt/ disrespect
(v) dwindled – fell/ dropped
(vi) potent – powerful
Passage 8
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
At long last, the great day dawned. A great school had opened its doors to fresh students to begin the first term. Private cars of all makes, sizes and colours, passenger buses of all brands and shapes and taxi cabs raced from all parts of the ten regions of the country to the school. Students from well-to-do families, looking plump and confident, and their mates from poor backgrounds, were now going to share the same facilities and do everything in common. Now, background, origin, and other social factors that classify people had been set aside. The important fact was that they had all come to the famous school for one common purpose – to make full use of the special facilities and human resources there. All the new students had been sent there by their parents and guardians to develop their talents as best they could and blossom into useful adults. But they must be moulded by their teachers so that they take up the roles that will be assigned to them in future.
Ackon and Asma had arrived there too. A Nissan pick-up, driven by the family driver, had brought them there at 4.26 pm on that great day. As the fresh students had arrived with the school prefects only, there was not much bullying.
Yet one house prefect, to relieve his boredom, unexpectedly picked on poor Ackon and yelled at him. ‘Hei, you brat over there, come here, will you?’ Ackon hesitated. Asma nudged and eyed him to comply, which he did reluctantly. The prefect gazed at him and said, ‘Look at his plump cheeks and bulging stomach! Then he stared at his shoes. ‘What quality shoes!’ he remarked. ‘You must have come from a rich family. What do you say to that?’
Ackon calmly replied, ‘Sir, my family is neither rich nor poor: we’re just a hardworking and decent people. We’re modest and have sympathy and respect for others…..’ ‘Stop, you parrot! I haven’t asked you to lecture me about your family, you cheeky rat. On this campus all boys are equal, rich or poor, handsome or ugly, tall or short.’ Then his humour changed into feigned anger. ‘Now, stand on your right foot and raise your left foot or leg and make it parallel to the floor……. Raise your left hand and touch you nose with your forefinger!’
Ackon was at first completely perplexed. Asma again whispered some instruction to him and he obeyed. Surprisingly, Ackon did not lose his temper. In fact, he realized that he was beginning his lessons on obedience and humility.
Questions
a. 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) brands ii) famous iii) moulded
iv) relieve v) decent vi) perplexed
b. What common purpose brought the students to the school?
c. Why did the house prefect bully Ackon?
d. How did Asma help Ackon when he was being bullied?
e. How did Ackon react to the bullying?
f. For what purpose must the teachers mould the students?
g. ……..’blossom into useful adults’
What figure of speech is used in this expression?
h. ……. ‘from well-to-do families’
i) What is the grammatical name for this expression?
ii) What is its function?
Recommended Answers for Passage 8
a) i) brands – types
ii) famous – well – known
iii) moulded – trained/ groomed
iv) relieve – ease/ reduce/ alleviate/ lessen
v) decent – respectable/ well-mannered/ modest
vi) perplexed – confused / lost/baffled
b. To make full use of the special facilities and human resource there.
c. He wanted to relieve his boredom.
d. He encouraged him to comply.
e. He was very calm and composed.
f. To enable them to take the roles that will be assigned to them in future.
g. Metaphor
h. i) Adjectival Phrase / Prepositional Phrase
ii) It is qualifying the noun, “students”
Passage 9
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
It was towards dusk one fateful Thursday. A crowd of curious onlookers had gathered in front of Joyin Cinema. In the centre was a man dressed in black with a pink band around his head. He held a well-decorated elephant tail and appeared to be a magician. He stood stock-still as he gazed into the sky.
After some time, he roused himself from the reverie into which he had fallen and recited some words. Then from nowhere, medium-sized boxes appeared on the ground. The magician explained that the boxes actually contained foreign currency notes. Anyone who wanted could take any of the boxes for a paltry sum of five cedis. It looked too good to be true. Quite a number of people shied away from the magical sales but still hung around to see what would happen next.
Azole emerged from the crowd. You could see from his mode of dressing that he belonged to a high-class society. In my heart of hearts, I felt that a gentleman of his caliber should have kept away from this kind of business.
All eyes were fixed on him. He appeared to be firmly resolved to purchase one of the boxes. He stooped low and picked up one, which according to the magician, was a gold mine as it contained priceless materials and therefore, attracted a special price. As if he had been put under a powerful spell, Azole eagerly brought out his fat wallet and paid. A gasp of astonishment escaped from the crowd at the sight of the fresh notes in high denomination.
He hurriedly counted the money demanded by the magician and gave it to him. The magician then proceeded to ‘bless’ the box before Azole could open it. He struck the box three times with his elephant tail while uttering some words in a strange language.
Then after the incantations, the magician handed the box to Azole who received it with shaking hands. He opened it and a cry of anguish escaped his lips. On sighting the content which turned out to be camphor, he passed out instantly. When Azole regained consciousness and realized that he had been duped he was bent on confronting the magician, but he was nowhere to be found. His gang had suddenly appeared from nowhere and whisked him away. The crowd laughed wildly and dispersed with such remarks as: ‘It serves him right,’ ‘Never trust a magician,’ ‘I knew it was a trick from the beginning.’
Questions
a. What showed that Azole was rich?
b. What is the writer’s attitude to the practice of magic?
c. Use two adjectives to describe Azole’s character.
d. Describe Azole’s mood when he regained consciousness.
e. Quote a statement which shows that the crowd had no sympathy for Azole
f. What was the real content of Azole’s box?
g. What happened to the magician?
h. The box picked up by Azole ‘was a gold mine.’
What figure of speech is contained in the underlined expression?
i. …….. ‘after the incantations’
i) What is the grammatical name given to this expression?
ii) What is its function in the sentence?
j. 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) gazed ii) paltry ii) mode
iv) priceless v) anguish vi) confronting
Recommended Answers for Passage 9
a) His mode of dressing
b) He does not support the practice of magic / he is against it.
c) i.greedy ii. naïve (or gullible)
d) He was angry. / He was upset.
e) “it serves him right.”
f) Camphor
g) He bolted. / He ran away. / His gang helped him to escape.
h) Metaphor
i) i. adverbial phrase / prepositional phrase
ii. it is modifying the verb, “handed”
j) i)gazed – looked
ii) paltry – small/ meager
iii) mode – style
iv) priceless – valuable
v) anguish – pain
vi) confronting – challenging/dealing with
Passage 10
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Sampa sat by the table, her legs stretched out and her feet out of her shoes. Once in a while, she would unconsciously lift them up in an attempt to place them on the table- a bad habit she had acquired in college.
Six members of the committee, including her, sat round the large table that stood right in the middle of the conference room. The seventh member, the chairman, was busy giving a long incomprehensible speech. He stood at the end of the room with a marker in hand, facing the white board that was in front of him. His well-tailored black suit provided a sharp contrast to the white blinds that covered the glass windows behind him. He spoke with a hesitation that cast a spell on everyone. Occasionally, he stopped to wipe the beads of sweat that dripped from his bald head onto his stern face.
Amanda, one of Sampa’s colleagues was fanning her face not only to keep cool, but also to lessen the odour emanating from the chairs. Even though the foul smell was a familiar one in that room, it was worse that day because the heat aggravated it. Sampa had been sitting there for about forty-five minutes but nothing had changed.
The Chairman was still talking, and even though it was clear that he was heading nowhere, he went on and on. Here he was, inviting contributions on an issue that was not on the agenda.
‘‘Ladies and gentlemen, the floor is now open…..’’, he said, looking intently into everybody’s face. “The floor is open for what?” Sampa whispered to Aba who was sitting beside her. Aba merely shrugged and leaned back in her chair and looked up. She opened her notepad. Maybe she could try to write something to keep her focused for a while, but the attempt to write failed. She yawned loudly and looked round shyly to see whether anyone was looking at her. On realizing that no one was looking her way, she moaned, dozed and soon began to snore, but not for long. Aba nudged her into reality. She opened her eyes to find everyone staring at her. “Do you mind sharing your dream with us, Sampa?” the chairman asked, teasingly.
Questions
a) According to the first paragraph, what two things did Sampa do to feel comfortable?
b) Why was Amanda uncomfortable?
c) Quote from the passage two adjectives that describe the chairman’s speech.
d) Describe the physical appearance of the chairman.
e) What evidence is there in the passage to show that Sampa was bored by the chairman’s speech?
f) …...cast a spell on everyone
i) What figure of speech is used in the expression above?
ii) What does it mean?
g) ……that was not on the agenda……
i) What is the grammatical name for this expression as it is used in the passage?
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) unconsciously ii) sharp iii) aggravated
iv) clear v) intently
Recommended Answers for Passage 10
a)i. She took off her shoes. ii. She stretched out her legs.
b) It was because of the heat in the room and the bad odour from the chair.
c)”long” and “incomprehensible”
d) He was neatly dressed, had a bald head and a stern face.
e) She yawned and then dozed off.
f) i) metaphor i) it means the chairman’s speech made everyone feel bored.
g) i) adjectival clause i) it is qualifying the noun, “ issue”
h) i) unconsciously – absent- mindedly
ii) sharp – clear/visible
ii) aggravated – intensified
iv) clear – obvious
v) intently – closely/ keenly/deeply
Passage 11
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
The rain that fell that day began in the small hours of the morning when many of the inhabitants of the city were still asleep. The preceding night was oven-hot and drove the majority of the people out of their narrow rooms into the compound where they slept stretched on their mats in the open air. One would have thought the unexpected rain would rouse the people but it rather sank them deeper into sleep.
Akua suddenly jumped to her feet when she felt something wet under her. She gave her drunken husband a knock, believing he had wetted the bed. Mike got up quickly and angrily glared at his wife, fists raised to strike her. But he immediately dropped his hands, disarmed by what he saw. Right in front of him was rushing water snaking its way towards the mats on the floor. He quickly rolled these up and dashed with them into this room.
Akua was already there; desperately hurling through a window whatever she thought could be salvaged from the pool she stood in. Mike joined in the rescue.
Pots and pans, buckets, baskets and beds, whatever they could lay their hands on, were either thrown or carried outside. But when the water rose to waist level, they both waded outside only to find that their belongings were all gone.
They were found floating on what a few minutes earlier, was a little pond now swollen into a flood. The raging water was carrying their belongings out of the house through the open gate into the big gutter just in front of it. Mike rushed to retrieve whatever he could but found himself on unsteady legs; he had to cling to the gatepost to save himself from being washed away. He looked out and what he saw was a wide expanse of water stretching as far as his eyes could reach – the biblical deluge must be here again! There stood his house like an island in this wide sea.
As he plodded back into his house, Mike vividly remembered the warning of the town planning officers. They had told him the main causes of the yearly flooding in the city were illegal developments along the natural courses of the waterways and the reduced drainage capacity of the overdeveloped areas. He nevertheless went ahead and built his house at the present site and now this had happened.
He saw his wife standing alone in the centre of the house and walked slowly to her. Their eyes met and they held hands as tears streamed down their faces.
The flood had done its worst.
Questions
a. For each of the following words, find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it in the passage:
i) preceding, ii) strike iii) belongings
iv) raging v) vividly vi) illegal
b. Why did Mike stop at hitting his wife?
c. How did Akua and Mike feel after the rain?
d. When did the couple rush back to the compound?
e. Why was Mike’s house flooded?
f. Why should Mike regret the loss of their property?
g. “Pots and pans, buckets, baskets and beds …”
What literary device is used in the above?
h. “wide”
i) What part of speech is it?
ii) What is its function?
Recommended Answers for Passage 11
a) i) preceding – previous
ii) strike – hit
iii) belongings – properties / personal effects
iv) raging – furious/angry / rushing
v) vividly – clearly
vi) illegal – unauthorized/unlawful
b) The sight of water entering their room disarmed him.
c) They felt very sad.
d) When the water in the room rose to waist level.
e) He built along the natural course of a waterway.
f) Because this could have been prevented if only he had listened to the advice of the town planning officers.
g) Alliteration.
h) i. Adjective ii. It is qualifying the noun, “sea”
Passage 12
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
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
Recommended Answers for Passage 12
a) Because they were itching to know the outcome of their promotion examination which would be announced on that occasion.
b) Because he had mostly won it in the past.
c) i. They clapped for him at his moment of shame. ii. They donated money to help him pay his fees.
d) He was in dire financial difficulty due to a court case.
e) i. Adjectival clause ii. It is qualifying the noun, “ headmaster”
f) Metaphor
g) i) memorable – unforgettable
ii) amazed – surprised / shocked
iii)menial – casual
iv. protracted – prolonged
v. plight – difficulty/ predicament
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.’
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?
Recommended Answers for Passage 13
a)
i. Dormant – latent/ inactive
ii. Talents – Abilities
iii. Endure – overcome
iv. Ignored – took no notice of/disregarded
v. Normal – usual/regular
b) He went to seek financial assistance to able him to continue his education
c) He was disappointed but resolute
d) He vowed to push on and achieve his ambition in spite of the obstacles
e) They were using an old rickety coal pot and their breakfast was very poor : porridge without milk with dry bread
f) i) Noun phrase,
ii) It is the subject of the verb “was”
Note : For advanced learners, it can be said that “The apparent loss of hope “ is notionally the object of the verb “replaced” since this passive sentence can be turned around without altering its meaning to read: A more forceful passion replaced the apparent loss of hope.
g) Parallelism
h) Shockingly/surprisingly/without warning
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
Recommended Answers for Passage 14
a) He was disturbed (OR: He felt uncomfortable).
b) He talked about the visit of the Agricultural Extension Officer and sister Afua’s engagement ceremony.
c) It was a close and cordial relationship.
d) He feared the news of his impending departure would sadden his mother.
e) He wanted to tell her that he had won a scholarship to travel abroad.
f) i) Noun phrase
ii) Complement of the verb, ‘’was’’
g) Metaphor
h) i) Mused—-thought
ii)Gingerly—carefully/feebly
iii) Concluded—decided/believed
iv) Clutched—held
v) Particularly—all that
vi) Intently—keenly/ deeply/sharply
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.
Recommended Answers for Passage 15
a) Her sales dwindled and she was finding it difficult to make ends meet.
b) She felt exhausted whenever she hawked.
c) She didn’t have money to spend.
d) They reacted angrily.
e) The vigilance of their colleagues made it difficult for them to execute their evil plots.
f) Ama Atta paid them well and they were proud of hawking cloth.
g) i) Adjectival clause
ii) It is qualifying the noun ‘’people’’
h) i) Metaphor
ii) Ready to serve her or; it means charity was always prepared to serve Ama Atta.
i) incredible———–unbelievable
ii) Enthusiasm———great interest/eagerness/joy
iii) Upset——————-disturbed
iv) Embraced———–welcomed/accepted
v) Unduly—————–unnecessarily
View Passage 16 and More
We have come to the end of the first set in my series of WASSCE English comprehension past questions and answers. You might want to read passage 16 and a lot more.
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Hello, Adam. I’m glad to know you found my work useful. Thank you for your kind words.