Year : 
2020
Title : 
English Language
Exam : 
JAMB Exam

Paper 1 | Objectives

1 - 10 of 60 Questions

# Question Ans

Theatre in the recent past used to be a very popular art in traditional African society. It used to be a point of intersection where members of the community not only come to entertain themselves, 'but join heads together'. In the traditional context of African drama, therefore, theatre was popular and respectable institution which preserved the people's culture and tradition. Theatre was popular with the people because it emphasized community participation, peace and progress. The presentations focused on the people's lives, their aspirations, fears, and hopes. But today, the situation is different. Theatre is becoming very unpopular.

Africa of the present age is pre-occupied with many problems yearning for immediate solutions. The continent is facing hydra-head challenges - challenges on the political, social, and economic scenes. In a world where Science and Technology are seen as the solutions to these problems, little attention is paid to the arts. Literature generally, and drama in particular is often rated very low on the utility-scale. Many Africa today look at drama and theatre as a mere thing of fun, a joke so to say.

Elitism is another barrier that militates against the appreciation of theatre as a communal art. Folk theatre is appreciated by a negligible number of people, contemporary focus is on literary theatre. Unfortunately, literary theatre only pretends to serve the interest of its society while in reality, it has a foreign audience in mind. The use of European and American theatrical conventions by our academic playwrights can bear witness to this anomaly.

The popularity of the literary African theatre is further marred by the medium of communication as most literary dramas in Africa are written in foreign languages which are not understood by many Africans. The question often asked is whether the artist should climb down to the level of his community of stay at his exalted height and wait for the community to gradually move up to him.

1.

Theatre was popular in Africa because__________

A. was traditional and simple in nature

B. dealt with the political, social, and economic problems of the society

C. was a source of fun

D. was communal and reflected the common concerns of the people

Detailed Solution

In the passage, paragraph one emphasizes on community participation, peace and progress.
Option D is the correct answer

There is an explanation video available below.
2.

One of the reasons why theatre is unpopular in modern Africa is that it_________

A. is regarded as not being of much use

B. only deals with culture and tradition

C. lacks scientific and academic bases

D. is always funny and looked down upon

Detailed Solution

In the passage, paragraph 2 tells us drama is often rated as very low on the utility scale.
Option A is the correct answer

There is an explanation video available below.
3.

In the passage, the term "theatre" and "drama" are used _______

A. differently

B. concurrently

C. interchangeably

D. sparingly

Detailed Solution

Throughout the passage, theatre and drama are used interchangeably.
Interchange means 'to switch or swap'
There is an explanation video available below.
4.

One of the arguments in the passage is that academic playwrights_______

A. express themselves only in foreign languages

B. serve as a catalyst in the society's appreciation of theatre

C. work against the common man's appreciation of theatre

D. make theatre popular in traditional societies

Detailed Solution

In the passage, paragraph 3 and 4 tells us about the use of European and American theatrical convention as well as the use of foreign languages by African academic playwright in writing.
Option A is the correct answer.
There is an explanation video available below.
5.

By the expression "climb down", the author implies that modern playwrights should _______

A. be simplistic in the use of language

B. not move up

C. use language that is most appreciated by the people

D. wait for the community to catch up with them

Detailed Solution

In the passage 'climb down' implies to descend in the use of language to be understandable by the common man'
Option A is the best answer.
There is an explanation video available below.

The financing of the university will always be a vexatious problem not only because of the need for it to maintain a level of independence that allows for the thriving of intellectual pursuit but also for the size of the funding that is required to maintain an acceptable level of infrastructure in a modern university. The experience of the Nigerian university in recent years has, in this regard, been almost alarming. The funding levels requited constitute sufficient reasons for diversifying the sources. Even if the government was in a position on its own to meet all of the university's financial requirements, I consider it desirable that every effort be made to reduce such contribution in the interest of university autonomy. I also hold the view that the university should seek to become dependent, in a substantial way, on funds generated from within. In other words, the sources of funding the university should be diversified as much as possible. Based on this principle, ·we can identify four sources - government, industry, students, and individual philanthropists. I must add quickly that each source has its own set of problems in its continuous interaction with the university, which ought to be addressed here.

Of all the four major sources of financing university education mentioned above, contribution through fees from the students involves intricate issues of special concern If government gives as an expression of its obligation to promote the general welfare of society if industry gives in order to enhance its chances of procurement of needed human information and material resources, as well as enhance its social responsibility if the general public gives as an indication of voluntary support for a worthy social cause, students (and by inference, their parents) should give in order to purchase an economic good for meeting their own felt need in the expectation that they will be satisfied with the product purchased.

[Adapted from Onosode, GO: 'The politics of Managing People, Prospects and Poverty: The Role of the University, 1990 OAU Convocation]

6.

It is important for university to be independent so that they can________

A. attract funds from industries

B. determine their goals

C. be left to expand without any hindrances

D. carry out effective research

Detailed Solution

In the passage, Paragraph one talks about the need for Universities to maintain a level of independence which enables Universities to thrive for intellectual pursuit. The writer also emphasizes the need for University autonomy. All these points out to the need to expand and function independently.
Option C is the correct answer.
There is an explanation video available below.
7.

The writer advocates for multiple sources of university funding in order to ______

A. enhance university autonomy

B. reduce dependence on the government

C. ensure that the numerous needs of the universities are met

D. maintain acceptable levels of infrastructural development

Detailed Solution

In the passage, Paragraph 1 tells us the writer considers it desirable that effort be made to reduce the government contributions in the interest of University autonomy even if the government was in a position to meet all of the university's financial requirements.
Option A is the correct answer.
There is an explanation video available below.
8.

The expression "intricate issues of special concern" means________

A. important policy statements

B. interwoven topics of significance

C. complex matters requiring careful thoughts

D. knotty problems that concern everybody

Detailed Solution

Intricate means 'complex'
Option C is the appropriate answer
There is an explanation video available below.
9.

The word "diversified" as used in the passage means_________

A. differentiated

B. varied

C. diffused

D. widened

Detailed Solution

In the passage, diversified is used to suggest the need for the sources of university funding to broaden and not be limited to a particular source.
Option D is the correct answer.
There is an explanation video available below.
10.

The source of the university funding emphasized in the passage is________

A. government

B. industry

C. the general public

D. students

Detailed Solution

In the passage, the writer begins with the government as an exemplary source for University funding.
Option A is the answer
There is an explanation video available below.

Theatre in the recent past used to be a very popular art in traditional African society. It used to be a point of intersection where members of the community not only come to entertain themselves, 'but join heads together'. In the traditional context of African drama, therefore, theatre was popular and respectable institution which preserved the people's culture and tradition. Theatre was popular with the people because it emphasized community participation, peace and progress. The presentations focused on the people's lives, their aspirations, fears, and hopes. But today, the situation is different. Theatre is becoming very unpopular.

Africa of the present age is pre-occupied with many problems yearning for immediate solutions. The continent is facing hydra-head challenges - challenges on the political, social, and economic scenes. In a world where Science and Technology are seen as the solutions to these problems, little attention is paid to the arts. Literature generally, and drama in particular is often rated very low on the utility-scale. Many Africa today look at drama and theatre as a mere thing of fun, a joke so to say.

Elitism is another barrier that militates against the appreciation of theatre as a communal art. Folk theatre is appreciated by a negligible number of people, contemporary focus is on literary theatre. Unfortunately, literary theatre only pretends to serve the interest of its society while in reality, it has a foreign audience in mind. The use of European and American theatrical conventions by our academic playwrights can bear witness to this anomaly.

The popularity of the literary African theatre is further marred by the medium of communication as most literary dramas in Africa are written in foreign languages which are not understood by many Africans. The question often asked is whether the artist should climb down to the level of his community of stay at his exalted height and wait for the community to gradually move up to him.

1.

Theatre was popular in Africa because__________

A. was traditional and simple in nature

B. dealt with the political, social, and economic problems of the society

C. was a source of fun

D. was communal and reflected the common concerns of the people

Detailed Solution

In the passage, paragraph one emphasizes on community participation, peace and progress.
Option D is the correct answer

There is an explanation video available below.
2.

One of the reasons why theatre is unpopular in modern Africa is that it_________

A. is regarded as not being of much use

B. only deals with culture and tradition

C. lacks scientific and academic bases

D. is always funny and looked down upon

Detailed Solution

In the passage, paragraph 2 tells us drama is often rated as very low on the utility scale.
Option A is the correct answer

There is an explanation video available below.
3.

In the passage, the term "theatre" and "drama" are used _______

A. differently

B. concurrently

C. interchangeably

D. sparingly

Detailed Solution

Throughout the passage, theatre and drama are used interchangeably.
Interchange means 'to switch or swap'
There is an explanation video available below.
4.

One of the arguments in the passage is that academic playwrights_______

A. express themselves only in foreign languages

B. serve as a catalyst in the society's appreciation of theatre

C. work against the common man's appreciation of theatre

D. make theatre popular in traditional societies

Detailed Solution

In the passage, paragraph 3 and 4 tells us about the use of European and American theatrical convention as well as the use of foreign languages by African academic playwright in writing.
Option A is the correct answer.
There is an explanation video available below.
5.

By the expression "climb down", the author implies that modern playwrights should _______

A. be simplistic in the use of language

B. not move up

C. use language that is most appreciated by the people

D. wait for the community to catch up with them

Detailed Solution

In the passage 'climb down' implies to descend in the use of language to be understandable by the common man'
Option A is the best answer.
There is an explanation video available below.

The financing of the university will always be a vexatious problem not only because of the need for it to maintain a level of independence that allows for the thriving of intellectual pursuit but also for the size of the funding that is required to maintain an acceptable level of infrastructure in a modern university. The experience of the Nigerian university in recent years has, in this regard, been almost alarming. The funding levels requited constitute sufficient reasons for diversifying the sources. Even if the government was in a position on its own to meet all of the university's financial requirements, I consider it desirable that every effort be made to reduce such contribution in the interest of university autonomy. I also hold the view that the university should seek to become dependent, in a substantial way, on funds generated from within. In other words, the sources of funding the university should be diversified as much as possible. Based on this principle, ·we can identify four sources - government, industry, students, and individual philanthropists. I must add quickly that each source has its own set of problems in its continuous interaction with the university, which ought to be addressed here.

Of all the four major sources of financing university education mentioned above, contribution through fees from the students involves intricate issues of special concern If government gives as an expression of its obligation to promote the general welfare of society if industry gives in order to enhance its chances of procurement of needed human information and material resources, as well as enhance its social responsibility if the general public gives as an indication of voluntary support for a worthy social cause, students (and by inference, their parents) should give in order to purchase an economic good for meeting their own felt need in the expectation that they will be satisfied with the product purchased.

[Adapted from Onosode, GO: 'The politics of Managing People, Prospects and Poverty: The Role of the University, 1990 OAU Convocation]

6.

It is important for university to be independent so that they can________

A. attract funds from industries

B. determine their goals

C. be left to expand without any hindrances

D. carry out effective research

Detailed Solution

In the passage, Paragraph one talks about the need for Universities to maintain a level of independence which enables Universities to thrive for intellectual pursuit. The writer also emphasizes the need for University autonomy. All these points out to the need to expand and function independently.
Option C is the correct answer.
There is an explanation video available below.
7.

The writer advocates for multiple sources of university funding in order to ______

A. enhance university autonomy

B. reduce dependence on the government

C. ensure that the numerous needs of the universities are met

D. maintain acceptable levels of infrastructural development

Detailed Solution

In the passage, Paragraph 1 tells us the writer considers it desirable that effort be made to reduce the government contributions in the interest of University autonomy even if the government was in a position to meet all of the university's financial requirements.
Option A is the correct answer.
There is an explanation video available below.
8.

The expression "intricate issues of special concern" means________

A. important policy statements

B. interwoven topics of significance

C. complex matters requiring careful thoughts

D. knotty problems that concern everybody

Detailed Solution

Intricate means 'complex'
Option C is the appropriate answer
There is an explanation video available below.
9.

The word "diversified" as used in the passage means_________

A. differentiated

B. varied

C. diffused

D. widened

Detailed Solution

In the passage, diversified is used to suggest the need for the sources of university funding to broaden and not be limited to a particular source.
Option D is the correct answer.
There is an explanation video available below.
10.

The source of the university funding emphasized in the passage is________

A. government

B. industry

C. the general public

D. students

Detailed Solution

In the passage, the writer begins with the government as an exemplary source for University funding.
Option A is the answer
There is an explanation video available below.