2024 NECO ENGLISH: (2521)

You are required to answer only ONE question from this section. Your answer should not be less than 450 words. All question carry equal marks. You are advised to spend about 45 minutes on this section.

No. 1. Write a story to illustrate the saying: Prevention is better than cure.

No. 2. Write an article suitable for publication in your school magazine on ways of improving reading culture among students.

No. 3. You're a chief speaker in a debate on the topic: Our forefather upheld our cultural values more than this generation. Write your argument for or against the motion.

No. 4. Your best friend has just been suspended from school for truancy. write a letter to him/her expressing your displeasure and advising him/her to turn a new leaf.

(1)
In April 1993, at a young and irresponsible age, I found out I was pregnant. With much prodding, I reluctantly and regretfully terminated the pregnancy. I struggled with what I had done and went through several years of feeling unbearably guilty. As a Catholic, I went to confession, but after a brief, tearful session, I figured the priest must not have heard me through my sobs because God couldn’t possibly forgive me with a couple of Hail Marys and Our Fathers.

After dealing with several years of depression, I found myself on a different path of self-destructive behavior. I was motivated enough to go to college, but not for all of the right reasons. I did okay at school and attended class regularly, but I partied extensively and dabbled in drugs. Once again, I found myself pregnant. This pregnancy was the motivation I needed to get my act together. I moved home and finished the one class I needed to get an associate’s degree, and I picked up additional classes at the local technical college.

After graduating from college with a couple of two-year degrees and 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' then a bachelor’s degree, I felt like I had my act together. Still, two dates continued to haunt me: April 26th, the day I’d terminated the first pregnancy, and November 22nd, the day the baby was due.

In July 2005, I got married to a wonderful man who was willing to accept me, my son and all of my baggage. We were fortunate to become pregnant that August, with a due date of May 23rd. We were ecstatic, and two ultrasounds at the beginning of the pregnancy revealed a healthy, growing baby. It wasn’t until our routine ultrasound in late December that we found out we were having twin boys. They pushed up my due date to the week of April 26th.

I didn’t want to have the babies on that day. I had always vowed that I would think of my unborn baby daily, to somehow repent for what I’d taken away from that child. I felt like I needed to leave April 26th as a day of mourning. It was sacred in my mind.

At a routine checkup on the morning of April 26th, my doctor found that I was five centimeters dilated. It was time to have my babies. As much as I was ready 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' to meet my boys, I choked back tears and confided in her about the irony of the date. She held my hand and offered me different options, but I decided that God had His hand in this, and I needed to do what was intended. Although I am ashamed to admit it, despite the fact that my faith in God is true, I couldn’t get it out of the back of my mind that this was His opportunity to take something away from me as I had done thirteen years ago.

Eleven hours later, I pushed out the first baby—a four-pound, eleven-ounce miracle. We knew the second baby was breech, and the plan was to turn him around and deliver him normally. After the expert medical staff turned him around and all was going as planned, he stuck his arm out in one last attempt to enjoy some space to himself. In their efforts to push his arm back in to deliver his head first, the cord got pinched between his arm and his head. With no vital signs on the delivery room monitors, my mind raced with the penance I must be paying now. Surely, the Hail Marys and Our Fathers had been enough. Surely, the guilt I’d carried with me for thirteen years had signified my repentance.

My second baby was born via emergency C-section, all five pounds, 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' fifteen ounces of healthy baby boy. After a very brief stay in the NICU, the babies were released to our care. For weeks after I had the twins, amidst the feelings of being overwhelmed and ecstatic, I could not help but question why God had not allowed me to keep that day to mourn and remember every year. I swear Prevention is better than cure.

It was Sunday evening. The family was relaxing and watching television when they first heard the reporter say, “China is suffering from a deadly virus known as corona virus or Covid-19.”

Everyone stared at the television screen with curiosity that turned into alarm. Their hearts were pounding hard. Later that day, Michelle, the eldest daughter of the family, researched on the internet and found more about this disease from multiple sources. Every time she encountered a new fact, she prayed for safety from the deadly virus.

Weeks passed and it felt like people forgot about this new and highly contagious virus as it was something that was happening to people in China and there was nothing they had to be concerned about. Slowly and gradually, people stopped taking measures to prevent themselves from catching coronavirus. Several countries had closed borders with others to prevent the spread of the contagious disease. Life was back to normal.

Michelle and all her family members planned to visit Lagos and spend some good time together. They thought since the virus was mainly affecting China, it was safe to fly to Lagos. They all were extremely excited and after the start of the school’s August break, they flew to Lagos, Michelle’s dream State, unaware that a terrible experience awaited them.

Michelle’s family comprised four members, including her. Her father was a businessman, her mother was a 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' housewife and she also had a sixteen year old younger brother. She loved her family and had planned this trip months ago. After they finally reached their destination, they booked into a hotel and had dinner and slept early as they were tired. They would do sightseeing the next day.

At half past seven in the morning, they ate breakfast and got ready to enjoy exploring the place. As they stepped out of the hotel, the management provided them with masks. They were completely surprised and looked at each other in complete amazement. However, they shunned the idea of using the mask as a preventive measure and went to the Ikeja City Mall.

The mall was a little far from the hotel and hence everyone was hungry again. Upon reaching the mall, they hurried to the food court where they saw nearly everyone wearing masks. They made fun of them, that the people were still scared of coronavirus and ate Amala And Ewedu Soup, one of the famous foods of the West. They enjoyed themselves a lot and later returned to the hotel to spend the night there.

The next day when Michelle’s mother woke up, she saw that Michelle was having high fever and that she was constantly coughing. Terrified, they took her to the nearby hospital and came to know that she had coronavirus. The family immediately became depressed and sad, and upon the doctor’s prescription started to take measures to protect themselves.

Michelle was kept in 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' quarantine, and upon research the doctors found out that she got infected as she sat beside a virus-infected patient in the aircraft. The doctors tried their best to treat her and after 14 days her condition was stable enough for her to be discharged. All this time her family was kept away from her.

Finally, when she was a little better and the doctors gave her the permission to travel and the family returned to their homeland.

This incident made them learn the biggest lesson of life that, “Prevention is better than cure.”

Recent findings have revealed that students have lost the culture of reading. The reading culture among youths has been said to have waned away. This is unfortunate. In fact, the rate by which, Nigeria recorded failure by Nigerian students in the West African Examination Council WAEC, and National Examination Commission NECO including, other examinations taken in Nigeria is quite glaring that this is true.

My first suggestion on how to go about improving the reading culture among students will be to organize trainings for youths and workshops for students.
There should be series of such training programs for young people in the country on reading culture, and course of study counseling, and Parents Teachers training, including, child development workshops across the country.

For instance, government and corporate organizations and non-governmental organizations should volunteer in hosting students of public secondary schools and students of private secondary schools across Nigeria, for instance, all for the purpose of enlightening the students on the important of 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' imbibing the culture of reading, because this approach will help make these students brilliant and best brains, and subsequently make them responsible citizens in the future, that will contribute outstandingly to nation building.

Another way that I think will improve and promote reading culture in among students will be in the area of students’ debate and students assay competition.
I must tell you that this is one of the key factors that will actually help in achieving an improvement in the area of reading culture among youths and students.
Therefore, there is need to organize inter school debate competition and inter school essay writing competition for both students in public secondary schools and students in private secondary schools across the country.

While organizing for these student competitions, prizes must be given to the best performing students in the competitions, as well as the participating schools.
This gesture will encourage Nigerian students, as well as, their teachers to put more efforts, so that they can stand a chance of winning the prizes next time there is such competition. By so doing, there is all indications that, the reading culture among students will 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' improve.
Again, if free books can be donated to pupils and students in both private primary and secondary schools, as well as public primary and secondary schools it will contribute towards improving reading culture in among students.

That is why it is important and necessary for Nigerian government and other government agencies, including, non-governmental organizations and corporate organizations to take upon themselves the running of campaign programs, where free books can be donated to students in both private primary and secondary schools and public primary and secondary schools.
Good enough, some students particularly, those ones in private schools are privileged to study in environments that have well equipped modern library facilities with books that even promotes reading culture and promote research but unfortunately, students have been carried away by those set of things that do not add value for their studies, for example, Facebook, and WhatsApp, and Twitter, as well as, other social media platforms which have distracts them from studying.

In fact, some of those students, whose parents are wealthy and influential believed that, with their parents wealth disposition, they will sort 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' their way out.
These behaviours and attitudes on the part of students should be discouraged, and they should be redirected to path of being book friendly, as well as imbibing the culture of reading.
Examination malpractice has remained one of the evils that have bewitched Nigerian students, to the extent that, the students have lost the culture of reading, let alone to read and prepare for examination.
In my opinion, I will be suggesting that, there should be campaign and advocacy against examination malpractices. This platform can also serve as a forum, where issues concerning the role of stakeholders in investing their time and resources and energy towards eradicating examination malpractices in Nigeria can be discussed.

It could also serve as platform, where members of the public can be sensitized on how they can collectively work to assist in complimenting the efforts of the government in eradicating examination malpractices in Nigeria, and promote reading culture.
There is need therefore, for Nigerian government to rise up and be committed in making sure that it promote better education philosophy in the country and as well, restore reading culture for the purpose of eradicating the problem of examination malpractices in Nigerian schools.

Recent findings have revealed that students have lost the culture of reading. The reading culture among youths has been said to have waned away. This is unfortunate. In fact, the rate by which, Nigeria recorded failure by Nigerian students in the West African Examination Council WAEC, and National Examination Commission NECO including, other examinations taken in Nigeria is quite glaring that this is true.

My first suggestion on how to go about improving the reading culture among students will be to organize trainings for youths and workshops for students.

There should be series of such training programs for young people in the country on reading culture, and course of study counseling, and Parents Teachers training, including, child development workshops across the country.

For instance, government and corporate organizations and non-governmental organizations should volunteer in hosting students of public secondary schools and students of private secondary schools across Nigeria, for instance, all for the purpose of enlightening the students on the important of imbibing the culture of reading, because this approach will help make these students brilliant and best brains, and subsequently make them responsible citizens in the future, that will contribute outstandingly to nation building.

Another way that I think will improve and promote reading culture in among students will be in the area of students’ debate and students 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' assay competition.

I must tell you that this is one of the key factors that will actually help in achieving an improvement in the area of reading culture among youths and students.

Therefore, there is need to organize inter school debate competition and inter school essay writing competition for both students in public secondary schools and students in private secondary schools across the country.

While organizing for these student competitions, prizes must be given to the best performing students in the competitions, as well as the participating schools.

This gesture will encourage Nigerian students, as well as, their teachers to put more efforts, so that they can stand a chance of winning the prizes next time there is such competition. By so doing, there is all indications that, the reading culture among students will improve.

Again, if free books can be donated to pupils and students in both private primary and secondary schools, as well as public primary and secondary schools it will contribute towards improving reading culture in among students.

That is why it is important and necessary for Nigerian government and other government agencies, including, non-governmental organizations and corporate organizations to take upon themselves the running of campaign programs, where free books can be donated to students in both private primary and secondary schools and public primary and secondary schools.

Good enough, 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' some students particularly, those ones in private schools are privileged to study in environments that have well equipped modern library facilities with books that even promotes reading culture and promote research but unfortunately, students have been carried away by those set of things that do not add value for their studies, for example, Facebook, and WhatsApp, and Twitter, as well as, other social media platforms which have distracts them from studying.

In fact, some of those students, whose parents are wealthy and influential believed that, with their parents wealth disposition, they will sort their way out.

These behaviours and attitudes on the part of students should be discouraged, and they should be redirected to path of being book friendly, as well as imbibing the culture of reading.

Examination malpractice has remained one of the evils that have bewitched Nigerian students, to the extent that, the students have lost the culture of reading, let alone to read and prepare for examination.

In my opinion, I will be suggesting that, there should be campaign and advocacy against examination malpractices. This platform can also serve as a forum, where issues concerning the role of stakeholders in investing their time and resources and energy towards eradicating examination malpractices in Nigeria can be discussed.

It could also serve as platform, where members of the public can be sensitized on how they can collectively work to 'copied from G i s t p o w e r . c o m free' assist in complimenting the efforts of the government in eradicating examination malpractices in Nigeria, and promote reading culture.

There is need therefore, for Nigerian government to rise up and be committed in making sure that it promote better education philosophy in the country and as well, restore reading culture for the purpose of eradicating the problem of examination malpractices in Nigerian schools.

(5a)

They hate geography because their former geography teacher didn't handle the subject well

(5b)

The Guidance counsellor was astonished because he had ensured to convinced the students to offer geography up to the school certificate level

(5c)

The probability that they might travel by air with their principal with one of them being the pilot

(5d)

Their geography teacher killed that dream of having the urge to become a pilot

(5e)

(i) Adjectival clause

(ii) It qualifies the noun "Guidance counsellor"

(5f)

They found out that "water meandering" was not the only topic in geography. More so water meandering was not even a topic on its own

(5g)

Subject specialist should be made to handle their areas of specialty

(5h)

(i) Back

(ii) Deafening

(iii) Enthusiasm

(iv) Professional

(v) Appeals

(vi) Beginning

(5a)

They had an incompetent geography teacher.

(5b)

He never believed that such number of students could dislike geography.

(5c)

The dream of becoming a pilot.

(5d)

The principal was merely building castle in the air as students had no pleasure in the subject.

(5e)

(i) Adjectival clause.

(ii) It qualifies the noun "Guidance Counsellor".

(5f)

They discovered that "Water Meandering" which their old teacher had repeatedly taught them was not even a topic on its own in geography.

(5g)

Teachers should be allowed to handle subjects of their expertise.

(5h)

(i) Retrospectively - back

(ii) Thunderous - deafening

(iii) Zeal - passion

(iv) Specialist - expert

(v) entreaties - appeals

(vi) Scratch - beginning

(6a)

Poor preparation was part of the reason for poor performance at the London Olympics. Also, moral contributed to poor performance in the Olympics

(6b)

Part of the resolutions of the sports summit was early preparation for major competition. The other was living up youth prepations to produce champions

(6c)

One of the developments which hindered the implementation of the resolution was the replacement of the sports minister. The other was blocking out of the federations from international competitions due to lack of funds.

(6a)

(i) The Nigerian sports representatives were inadequately prepared in the 2012 Olympic games.

(ii) They were also poorly motivated.

(6b)

(i) National sports commission should adopt early preparations for special competitions.

(ii) They should also organize youth programmes to train and churn out experts in sporting activities.

(6c)

The developments that hindered the implementation of the resolutions reached at the summit are:

(i) The replacement of the sports minister.

(ii) Lack of financial commitment in other sports activities.