English is the study of the English language. The goal is to improve communication skills by practicing listening, speaking, reading, writing, and understanding language rules like pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.
Choose the option that best completes the gap(s).
Bola studiously avoided _____ the questions?
Options:Answer the following question below and choose the option that has the same consonant sound as the one represented by the letter (s) underlined.
hair
Options:This question is based on "The Life Changer" novel.
_________ is the euphemism use for Cheat notes.
Options:The standardization processes of Nigerian pidgin seems to have started during the post-colonial period. Naturally, Nigerian pidgin appears to be the first choice of most Nigerians in informal situations, especially when they are among those from different ethnic and linguistic background. Thus, the selection process has tactically taken place. Among all the languages used in Nigeria today, English inclusive, Nigerian pidgin could be said to be the most widely spoken. Evidence abounds in motor parks, parties, congregations and most social occasions. There is also ample evidence in the electronic and print media, especially in political propaganda, campaigns and product advertisement. Thus, in terms of spread and extensive use, Nigerian pidgin could rightly be called a national lingua franca.
The use of Nigerian pidgin in contemporary Nigerian could be described as most productive, extensive and complex. It appears that the standardization processes-selection, codification, elaboration of functions and acceptance-which started in the post-colonial era, are as now being completed in contemporary Nigeria. The reason for this assumption is simple-apart from its complex use as a lingua franca, languages of media advertisement, social interaction, unofficial military training and limited literary output, Nigerian pidgin gas attained widespread acceptability in the media, political propaganda and campaigns as well as soap operas. It is also the language of radio and television jingles. Most electronic media now use appreciable percentage of their airtime to cast news and give reports in Nigeria pidgin. Even though its use in some newspaper columns has declined, especially with the demise of the ‘Waka About’ column in the Daily Times, it is however found extensively in some newspaper advertisements .
In places like Warri, Sapele and Port Harcourt, there were reports that teachers at lower primary level taught their pupils in Nigerian pidgin. This unofficial adoption of the Nigerian pidgin as the language of the lower primary education by those teachers is justifiable considering the provision in the National Policy on Education, which states that in addition to English, the major language in the child’s environment could be used at the elementary level of education. Similarly, Nigerian pidgin has become a language of religious preaching, especially Christianity. In most rural and even urban centres where congregation are not all very well-educated, pastors resort to the use of Nigerian pidgin.
The use of the Nigerian pidgin as a literary language tends to have started in the sixties with the work of Achebe, Soyinka and others. But it is in the contemporary times that it has become most widespread. The number of poems, novels and plays written and published in Nigerian pidgin is growing even more rapidly. Many more literary writers now attempt to experiment with the language. Therefore, the evidence of codification and elaboration of functions and the partial or tactical acceptance of Nigerian pidgin are clearly visible.
The reference to the National Policy on Education in the passage implies that Options:The obvious function of a daily paper is to give news to the people, but this, at the moment, may be done in three ways, which are not all equally laudable. First, there is the paper which set out to give a brief resume of the news and backs this up by well-written articles on the current affairs by leading writers and experts. Secondly, there is the ‘daily’ which caters for popular taste, and contains only the most sensational and exciting bits of news, supporting them with comic-strips, pictures children’s corners, women’s sections and readers’ letters on anything but weighty topics. Thirdly, there is the propaganda type of paper, which presents only those versions of the news which agree with its own particular political outlook. All this gives news in different ways; but what deeper function can the ideal daily paper have?
In the case of the Nigerian daily newspaper, the first type gives the thinking reader an unbiased view of the world situation, so that he can judge the importance of recent events for himself, but it does not indicate to him what he ought to think. The drawbacks to this is that semi-literate or uneducated find it dull or difficult and so are discouraged from reading such a paper regularly, because it demands too much thought and effort from them. The main advantage of this type of paper, however, is its soundness, excellent English expression and general effect of widening the readers’ knowledge on a variety of subjects.
The second type interest the majority and give them more striking items of news in an easily comprehensible way, accompanied by lavish photographs and usually with some slight political bias towards the left and the interests of the working class, from which most of its readers come. The drawback of this type is that there is not enough solid thinking mater and the English is often faulty in style – tending towards ‘journalese’. The advantage is that it is quickly and easily read, on the bus or train or over the breakfast table, and gives a superficial knowledge of current affairs to people who would not have the time or inclination to read ‘heavier’ literature. Also, it is a ‘family’ paper, which every member of the household can enjoy, since there is something to please all their tastes.
The third type to some extent, appeals to emotion, not reason. It instruct the reader in exactly what that particular editor believe he ought to think, and does not give him a chance to have a mind of his own by letting him hear the other person’s point of view. The drawback is that it prevents people from thinking for themselves, and causes political hysteria rather than logical thinking. the only advantage is that it does represent the ‘freedom of the press’ to publish whatever it likes, and allows discontented people to air their grievances instead of letting them smoulder underground.
From these examples, it should be clear that the ideal function of a daily paper would be to present the news clearly and simply, and to support it with articles in good English which shows the points of view of various competent people of different outlooks on current problems. The reader could then choose which line of thought appealed to him most. Women’s and children’s sections would be good so long as they did not grow so out of proportion that the paper depended solely upon them for its popularity. Good pictures would add to the paper’s instructive value as well as to its interest; and advertisements, kept in bounds, might be helpful, both as shopping guides and as a financial help to the paper itself. All these points seem to be desirable in a daily paper now that the radio helps in giving news headlines.
The writer seems to suggest that Options:In the question below choose the word(s) or phrase which best fills the gap:
'We are gradually _____ to the end of the programme this afternoon', remarked the chairman of the wedding reception
Options:Choose the option that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined.
Match
Options: