COMPRENSION PASSAGE

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
When Miss Anna Bonsra entered the classroom, a deep silence descended on the class. Then her
shrill voice pierced the silence, “Kwaku Ananse,” she called, “come forward and give your oral
presentation”. At once my heart began pounding like our old school corn mill.
I realized at that moment how much she disliked me. She had more than forty students to choose
from, but she selected me. I was partially hidden behind the burly Owo, who sat in front of me. I
had looked everywhere except towards the front of the room. But my ploys were unsuccessful. I
had been called upon at long last to give a presentation. “Don’t get nervous; be a man,” I said to
myself, as I braced myself to face the class.
With sweating hands, I took my notes, which I had tucked away in my notebook. She watched
me with that familiar mocking half-smile of hers which seemed to say she knew I wasn’t as
though I hadn’t had enough time to prepare for the presentation. It was no surprise assignment.
For weeks we had gone over the fundamentals of writing a research paper and had been told to
hand in a twenty-page paper which we would present orally to the class. I had typically waited
until the last few days. Then I thumbed desperately through an encyclopedia for a suitable topic.
I finally settled on William Shakespeare because there were some recordings of some of his
plays in the school library. I figured that playing some portions of these films would not only
take up part of the required time but also make my presentation unique.
After three days and three long nights, my paper was ready, Never had I written a paper so
quickly, or one with so little content. Once I was before the class, my main thought was getting
done with.
With very little feeling, I told the class what I knew about the renowned playwright, my mouth
was so dry that I wasn’t sure whether it would open again for another sentence. My hands shook
uncontrollably as I turned the pages in front of me.
Finally, referring to my notes more often than was expected, I finished the oral part of my
presentation. All that was left was to show the slides. The worst was over!
Questions
a) What did the writer do to avoid being called by Miss Bonsra?
b) Why was the writer nervous?
c) State two character traits of the writer, as revealed in the passage.
d) What two things made the writer’s paper different from those he had written earlier?
e) What advantage did he expect to gain from using the films?
f) With very little feeling
iii. What is the grammatical name given to this expression?
iv. What is its function in the sentence?
g) … pounding like our old school corn mill
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. burly, ii. fundamentals iii. typically, iv. desperately
v. unique, vi. Renowned
TOPIC: READING COMPREHENSION
TITLE: THE UNAFRAID LOVER
The next day there was a meeting of the court. Questions of money were to be talked about.
When we entered the hall, Nyleptha was already on her throne and was proceeding with business
as usual. All around her were noblemen, government officials, priests and an unusually strong
guard.
It was easy to see from the excitement on the faces of everybody present that no one was
thinking much of business. All knew that the country was on the edge of war. We went to our
places, and for a little time things went on as usual. Then suddenly we heard a noise outside and
the shouting of a great crowd. The curtains at the end of the hall were drawn wide and through
them entered the Lady of the Agon, the High Priestess, and on either sides were other priests.
Behind them, a small company of guards. One looks at Sorais was enough to show that she had
not come there on any message of peace, for, instead of her usually white garment, she wore a
shining shirt of mail, and in her hand she carried a silver spear. She stopped at the great Black
Stone and laid her hand on it. Then she cried out with a loud voice to Nyleptha on the throne,
‘Greetings, O Queen!’
‘Greetings, my royal sister!’ answered Nyleptha. ‘Draw near. Fear not; you shall not be
harmed.’
Sorais answered with a proud look, and came on up the hall till she stood in front of the
throne. ‘Greetings, O Queen!’ she said again.
‘I ask you one question and you shall give the answer to me and to the people of Zu-Vendis. Are
you or are you not intending to take this foreign wolf as your husband and to share your throne?’
She pointed at Sir. Henry with her spear.
Curtis turned to Sorais and said in a loud voice, ‘Yesterday you had other names than
‘wolf’ to call me by, O Queen.’
Nyleptha saw that the secret was out, and she answered the question in her own way.
Up she rose, and, descending from the throne, moved in all the glory of her royal grace to
where her lover stood. There she stopped, and took off the golden band that was around her arm.
Then she told him to kneel, and taking the golden band with both her hands she bent it round his
neck, and then she kissed him on the forehead, and called him her ‘dear lord.’
Then, turning, she said, ‘My sister, lords, priests, and people who are gathered together, by this
sign do I take him to be my husband, here in the face of you all. Am I not a Queen, free to
choose the man whom I will love? He has won my heart, and with it goes my hand and my
throne and all that I have. If he had been the poorest man in my kingdom, I would have done the
same; but he is a great lord, fairer and stronger than any here, and having more wisdom and
knowledge of strange things. Why then should I not choose him?’
She took his hand and gazed proudly on him, and holding it, stood there, boldly facing
the people. And such was her sweetness and the power of her beauty, so sure was she of him and
herself, so ready to risk all things and to suffer all things for him, that most of those who saw the
sight caught the fire from her eyes and shouted and cheered her wildly.
It was a bold stroke for her to make, but it touched the people’s hearts, for all the world
loves a lover and most of all a love which is brave and unafraid. The people cheered till the roof
rang.
(From Allan Quatermain by Sir. H. Rider Haggard, pages 86-89)
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. a) i) Who was Nyleptha?
2. ii) What was her relationship with Sorais?
3. b) What evidence showed Sorais was posed for war?
4. c) Why were people not thinking much of the business of the day?
5. d) i) How did Nyleptha demonstrate her acceptance of Curtis?
6. ii) How do you think Sorais would feel when the people cheered?
7. e) i) Why was Sorais against the union?
8. ii) What would Nyleptha give to the man she loved?