Though your grades at the BECE were very good, none of the schools you chose offered you admission. Write a letter to your District Education Officer about this unfair treatment and request that something is done about it.

As the Senior Prefect of your school, you have been invited to tell the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) what your school needs most. Write your speech.

Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follows.

When Pozo adopted Abate and Ali, he vowed to take great care of them. And he did his best. But Abate and Ali did exactly what they were told not to. Their greatest passion was snail-hunting.

As he left home for an important meeting one afternoon, Pozo told the boys that he would be particularly pleased if they did not join any snail-hunting group or go snail-hunting by themselves. He even promised surprise presents if they abstained from snail-hunting for once. It was quite obvious to everyone that there would be snail-hunting there had been a heavy downpour that morning.

Pozo's meeting was marathon. When he arrived home at 8:30 that night, neither of the boys was at home. He felt that something grave might have happened. He stood still for some time confused. He switched on his radio and tuned in to his favorite station, Hiawa FM and the breaking news was: "Five snail-hunters have been run over at Yaaboi by the early early evening in-coming Desuano-bound train." As the dreadful news hit him, Pozo winced.

Pozo was so stupefied that he did not notice Ali enter the house, sweating and breathlesscarrying a head-load of nails. But where was Abate?

Furtively, the back door squeaked open. In stole the other boy, also sweating and breathless under the weight of the head-load of snails. On seeing him, Pozo sighed relieved. He shook his head. "These boys will surely be the death of me", he murmured to himself. "When will they do exactly as they are told?"

(a)I. Why was Pozo taking care of the boys?

II. Why do you think Pozo did not want the boys to go snail-hunting?

(b) State two reasons why Pozo was sure that the boys would go snail-hunting.

(c) What is the meaning of the sentence, "Pozo's meeting was a marathon"?

(d)I. Why was Pozo so worried when he returned from the meeting?

II. How did the news of the rail accident affect Pozo?

(e) Explain in your own words the following expressions as used in the passage;

I. have been run over;

II. in stole the other boy;

III. be the death of me

(f) For each of the following words, give another word of a phrase that means the same and can fit into the passage:

I. vowed

II. passion

III. abstained

IV. grave

V. breathless

Your friend who lives in another town thinks that school life is boring and wants to leave school to start petty trading. Write a letter to encourage him/her to remain in school. In the letter, discuss two aspects of school life that you find enjoyable.

Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow.

The academic performance of students in the olden days was golden. Students knew the essence of education and made efforts to achieve excellence. Reading whatever material, they came across not only helped thier mental development but also made them self-reliant and confident. Students burn the midnight oil in order to make grades and to come out of the school as better people.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of students today. Whatever students achieved in the past is considered archaic. The emergence of improver technology has bedevilled the society. Students prefer staying in touch with friends and loved ones. The use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram, has taken over their entire being. Reading useful materials like dailies, storybooks and others is now a thing of the past.

The negative influence of social media has deprived students of achieving excellence. Examination malpractices, mass failure in examination and bad language have become the order of the day.

Modern technology has its own benefits. In addition to serving as a great tool for businesses, it enables students to access informations easily. What is more, it enables easy interactions between friends and loved ones. As much as these are important, students should realise that, without good moral practices, education and reading, the future remains blurred. Students can eradicate the negative effects of modern technology has on them if only they remain focussed on their academic work.

(a) State two benefits of reading mentioned in the passage.

(b) For what two reasons did students study late into the night in the past?

(c) State two benefits of modern technology.

(d) How can students get rid of the harmful influence of social media?

(e) Explain in your own words the following expressions as used in the passage:

I. Burn the midnight oil;

II. Taken over their being;

III. The order of the day.

(f) For each of of the following words, give another word of a phrase that means the same, and can fit into the passage:

I. golden;

II. excellence;

III. archaic;

IV. blurred;

V. eradicate.