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

One major cause of environment degradation in Ghana is gold mining. In the name of natural resource development, land is given to mining companies owned by foreigners. These foreigners milk the country dry and destroy the heritage of the people.

From the vast concessions granted them by the government, they extract the gold, destroy the rivers and other water bodies in the communities before going home, leaving the land worthless. Yet their operations are legal.

Approved mining is, however, not the sole gold mining activity. There is also what is regarded as unauthorized mining, called galamsey. In this enterprise, adventurous Ghanaians set out to do private mining as a livelihood. They dig up the earth with tools that are not as sophisticated as those of foreigners who also dig for the precious metal.

Mining activities destroy the environment. So far, it appears that nothing can be done to reclaim the land degraded by miners; the damage is irreversible. Vast tracts of arable land have become desolate mounds because of gold digging. Nothing can grow where galamsey has taken place.

Besides, the main water sources of communities have been polluted by the activities of both legal and illegal miners. The gold extracted from dirt requires cleaning with chemicals and rinsing in water. By the time the gold searchers succeed in producing a glittering handful, large stretches of rivers, ponds of water and some lakes have become poisoned.

Pollution leaves little drinking water for man and beast. Fishes die and human contract various diseases.

(a) Name the types of mining activities discussed in the passage.

(b)I. Which groups of people engage in mining?

(b)II. Why does government give licences to miners?

(c) How are the people and the land affected by the mining activities?

(d)I. How does the writer feel about mining?

(d)II. Why does the writer think that nothing can be done about the effects of mining?

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

I. milk the country dry;

II. leaving the land worthless.

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

I. vast;

II. sole;

III. reclaim;

IV. mounds;

V. glittering.

Question (a) to (c) are based on the abridged and simplified version of Charles Dicken's Oliver Twist.

CHARLES DICKENS: Oliver Twist

'Mr. Bumble mad Oliver miserable and the boy couldn't wait to get away from the workhouse.'

(Page 104)

KEN SARO-WIWA: Home Sweet Home

Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions (d) and (e).

"They came in the usual assortment of rags:gowns picked up from the stores of second-hand clothes traders, singlets bearing the words, Oxford University, mildewed blouses. Some women wore shirts that are meant for men; one of them was in a printed cotton nightgown that had fade beyond recognition."

(Page 178)

Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions (f) and (h).

AMA ATA AIDOO:The Dilemma of a Ghost

EULALIE: Ya, I remember I bought the idea, but I got the feeling ...

ATO: Heavens, women! They are always getting feelings. First, you got the feeling you needed a couple of years to settle down and now you are obviously getting a feeling.

(Act 2, Page 46)

Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions (i) and (j).

V.B AAKYE: The colour of God

How sily man is, laughs the rose
Why should he be black or white
Or green or yellow or even red?

Give an account of a fearful experience you have had or witnessed.

Your class teacher has punished you for something you did not do. Write a letter to your headmaster or headmistress explaining why you think you have been punished unfairly.

Write the speech you would give at your school's graduation day on The school's achievements and failures in the academic year.