Write an article suitable for publication in an international magazine on the topic: The problems associated with environmental pollution and suggested solutions.

You are the principal speaker in a debate on the motion: The National Health Insurance Scheme can solve all the health problems of the country

Write your arguments for or against the motion.

In recent times, there have been protests over poor conditions of service for workers. Write a letter to the Minister of Employment identifying three areas where you think the government should make efforts to bring more prosperity to workers.

Write a story ending with the statement: As you can see, circumstances beyond my control compelled me to do such a thing.

You recently participated in a local festival. Write a letter to your pen pal describing three exciting experiences which you had during the festival.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

At long, the great day dawned. A great school had opened its doors to fresh students to begin the first term. Private cars of all makes, sizes and colours, passenger buses of all brands and shapes and taxi cabs raced from all parts of the ten regions of the country to the school. Students from well-to-do families, looking plump and confident, and their mates from poor backgrounds, were now going to share the same facilities and do everything in common. Now, background, origin, and other social factors that classify people had been set aside. The important fact was that they had all come to the famous school for one common purpose - to make full use of the special facilities and human resources there. All the new students had been sent there by their parents and guardians to develop their talents as best they could and blossom into useful adults. But they must be moulded by their teachers so that they take up the roles that will be assigned to them in future.

Ackon and Asma had arrived there too. A Nissan pick-up, driven by the family driver, had brought them there at 4.26 pm on that great day. As the fresh students had arrived with the school prefects only, there was not much bullying.

Yet one house prefect, to relieve his boredom, unexpectedly picked on poor Ackon and yelled at him. 'Hei, you brat over there, come here, will you?' Ackon hesitated. Asma nudged and eyed him to comply, which he did reluctantly. The prefect gazed at him and said, 'look at his plump cheeks and bulging stomach!' Then he stared at his shoes. 'What quality shoes!' he remarked. 'You must have come from a rich family. What do you say to that?'

Ackon calmly replied, 'Sir, my family iis neither rich nor poor: we're just a hardworking and decent people. We're modest and have sympathy and respect for others ...' 'Stop, you parrot! I haven't asked you to lecture me about your family, you cheeky rat! On this campus all boys are equal, rich or poor, handsome or ugly, tall or short!' Then his humour changed into feigned anger. 'Now, stand on your right foot and raise your left foot or leg and make it parallel to the floor ... Raise your left hand and touch your nose with your forefinger!'

Ackon was at first completely perplexed. Asma again whispered some instruction to him and he obeyed. Surprisingly, Ackon did not lose his temper. In fact, he realized that he was beginning his lessons on obedience and humility.

It was towards dusk one fateful Thursday. A crowd of curious onlookers gathered in front of Joylin Cinema. In the centre was a man dressed in black with a pink band around his head. He held a well-decorated elephant tail and appeared to be a magician. He stood stock as he gazed into the sky.

After some time, he roused himself from the reverie into which he had fallen and recited some words. Then from nowhere, medium-sized boxes appeared on the ground. The magician explained that the boxes actually contained foreign currency notes. Anyone who wanted, could take any of the boxes for a paltry sum of five cedis. It looked too good to be true. Quite a number of people died away from the magical sales but still hung around to see what would happen next.

Azole emerged from the crowd. You could see from his mode of dressing that he belonged to a high-class society. In my heart of hearts, i felt that a gentleman of his caliber should have kept away from this kind of business.

All eyes were fixed on him. He appeared to be firmly resolved to purchase one of the boxes. He steped low and picked up one, which according to the magician, was a gold mine as it contained priceless materials and therefore, attracted a special price. As if he had been put under a powerful spell. Azole eagerly brought out his fat wallet and paid. A gasp of astonishment escaped from the crowd at the sight of the fresh notes in high denomination.

He hurriedly counted the money demanded by the magician and gave it to him. The magician then proceeded to 'bless' the box before Azole could open it. He struck the box three times with his elephant tail while uttering some words in a strange language.

Then after the incantations, the magician handed the box to Azole who received it with shaking heads. He opened it and a cry of anguish escaped his lips. On sighting the content which turned out to be camphor. he passed ut instantly. When Azole regained consciousness and realized that he hd been duped he was bent on confronting the magician, but he was nowhere to be found. His had suddenly appeared from nowhere and whisked him away. The crowd laughed wildly and dispersed with such remarks as: 'It serves him right,' 'Never trust a magician,' 'I knew it was a trick from the beginning.'

a)What showed that Azole was rich?

b)What is the writer's attitude to the practice of magic?

c)Use two adjectives to describe the Azole's character.

d)Describe Azole's mood when he regained consciousness.

e)Quote a statement which that the crowd had no sympathy for Azole.

f) What was the real content of Azole's box?

g) What happened to the magician?

h) The box picked up by Azole 'was a gold of mine'

what figure of speech is contained in the underlined expression?

i) ...'after the incantations'

1) What is the grammatical name given to this expression?

2) What is the function in the sentence?

j) 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) gazed,

ii) paltry,

iii) mode,

iv) priceless,

v) anguished,

vi) confronting.