Correct Answer: B. for

Explanation

10, Adeniran Street,

Aguda,

Ikeja, Lagos.

22 May, 2006.

The Chairman,

P. T.A.

Model College,

Ogba, Lagos.

Dear Sir,

HOW TO IMPROVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN MY SCHOOL

I have watched with increasing dismay the steady decline in the general learning environment in my school. this I attribute to several factors. While enumerating some of these factors, I would like to suggest three key areas where the parent Teachers Association (PTA) can step in to arrest this decline and improve the learning environment in the school.

Over the past few years, the school has experienced a steady deterioration in its infrastructure. Some classrooms in the school have no ceilings or windows such that the students are at the mercy of the weather When the sun is up and the weather is hot this beats down on the students because there is no ceiling and no fans. Same goes for the rainy periods when students are often drenched from the rain while in their classes due to windowless classrooms. This makes learning very difficult as concentration is very low in such situations.

Thus, I want to suggest that the PTA collaborates with the school authorities to upgrade the school's infrastructure. The dilapidated school buildings should be refurbished. Also, the school library and laboratories need to be upgraded and brought up to date. This will improve the quality of learning and teaching in the school.

Despite the decaying infrastructure of the school, school fees and other charges have continued to increase. This has led to increasing withdrawals from the school. The school is also no longer attracting the type of quality enrollment as others in its class because of the infrastructure decay and exorbitant school fees and other charges. This can be corrected if the school will review its fees, and this I know could be achieved if the parents work with the teachers in that direction. The PTA can also institute a scholarship scheme to help attract brilliant and serious students to the school. This will no doubt create a better learning environment as there will be a healthy rivalry among students, which will help boost the quality of learning.

I have also noticed that there is a dearth of qualified and quality teachers. This is due to the fact that teachers in the school are overworked and underpaid, leading to a high rate of turnover for the teaching staff This has affected the learning and education of students. Parents can work with the school authorities to improve the teachers' welfare and general working conditions to attract and retain quality teaching staff.

As the saying goes; all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. This is quite true because in the past, our school used to be among the best in the state in academics as well as in sports. This is no longer the case as over the years sports and sporting facilities have been totally neglected. I want to suggest that parents work with teachers to revive this twin objective of the school academics and sports. The sporting facilities in the school should be refurbished and the moribund inter-house sports revived. The PTA should also purchase a bus for sporting purposes.

I am sure if these three key areas are looked into the school will be the better for it.

Yours faithfully,

Bambara Bello

Correct Answer: A. has become proud because of his learning

Explanation

If something that you have achieved goes to your head, it makes you too proud

Correct Answer: C. so deadly a

Correct Answer: C. had equal result

Correct Answer: B. elder

Correct Answer: A. abundance

Explanation

Ever since my return from our village where I spent my last holiday, I have been longing for an opportunity to pay another visit. Life is more pleasurable in the village than in Lagos. The quality of life in the village has forced me to abandon my earlier assumption that there was no life outside Lagos.

To say the least, real life exists only in our villages, if what I experienced in our village is anything to go by Everything about the village is simple. Apart from the fresh air and the vegetation, food and water are fresh. The food is not synthetic as in Lagos. Throughout m stay, I ate fresh food and fruits. My grandmother procured all the ingredients with which she cooked my meals from the e farm. She would grind the pepper on her grinding-stone which makes her soup more delicious and tastier than the ones prepared by my mother because she uses blender. Fruits like pawpaw, orange and pine-apple are allowed to ripe before they are plucked for eating. This is not so in Lagos and other cities as these fruits are plucked unripe and buried to force them to ripe. Food items are in abundance and very cheap unlike Lagos where they are very costly.

The scenery of the village is better imagined than to be told. Unlike in the city where houses are crowded together, huts are built in a way that flow of air is not obstructed. Much more air circulates in the village than in the city. This makes the villagers to be more healthy than city-dwellers. The huts are built wide apart. This makes cross ventilation possible. The whole village is built on a beautiful landscape and naturally in a way that makes the entire scenery of the village more beautiful than the city.

Human lives and property are more secured in my village than Lagos. I can remember that I forgot my clothes which I had washed and spread on the grass beside my grandmother's but and went to sleep one night. The following morning, the clothes were still intact, where I had spread them. My grandmother told me that nobody would steal them even if they were there for months. There was no incident of theft or robbery throughout the period of my stay in the village. The phenomenal incidences of abduction and killing of human beings to make money do not occur in my village. Everybody is a good neighbour as the people live peacefully with one another. They are more contented than those who are living in the city. They are not in a hurry to acquire wealth, though they are very hardworking.

My village people have good conduct and morals. The children do not misbehave unlike in the city where children turn to hooliganism and other immoral acts. They are properly taught and trained in ethics. Every evening before we go to bed, we would gather outside my grandmother's but and she would tell us stories which have good moral lessons.

The elders, unlike those in the city, are never in a hurry to pass by without words of greetings and blessing. They will ask after your family and health endlessly. In the city, this is not obtainable as everybody goes his or her way every morning without caring to utter a word of greeting.

I enjoyed my brief stay in my village because I felt relaxed without any anxiety or fear for anything. I had put on so much weight by the time I returned to Lagos. My health improved greatly as I ate to my satisfaction I was not really happy by the time I had to come back, though I had to because school was about to resume.

Correct Answer: D. a genius

Explanation

3 Osomi Street, Ejigbo, Lagos State. 20th June, 2001 Dear Daddy,

l am sure the weather is beginning to get better over there since summer is approaching. How are you and your course? I hope that everything is going on fine. The main purpose of writing you this letter is to tell you how we have all been faring in Nigeria since you left for the United States of America.

As you know that before you left the country, I was attending Federal Government Girls' College, Ibussa, Delta State. Since we moved from Delta State to Lagos, Mum transferred me to Queen's College and Olu to Command Children's School in Victoria island. At first, I couldn't really cope educationally but now I have improved tremendously.

Your little Dupe also took the National Entrance Examination in primary five and scored 545 marks. We were all very happy and Mum decided to take us out for a celebration dinner. We went to the peninsula which is a very nice restaurant and had a good meal. She finally got an admission into Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Ojo. She is now in JSS 1 and she is doing very fine.

Daddy, Aunty Yemi has eventually secured a job at Chevron. Her appointment as a computer programmer at the oil company has helped us to know how powerfully God works. I know that you can still remember how aunty Yemi struggled very hard to secure a job after her graduation. She now earns a good salary which makes it easy for her to help mummy in some areas.

In addition to this, mummy has been promoted in her office. She is now the chief accountant and she is about to complete her masters degree at the University of Lagos. She has also opened another shop in addition to the big one she had. She is selling computer accessories in this shop and I learnt that she supplies computer accessories to reputable companies. She earns good money from this business which makes us comfortable.

Daddy, guess what! The uncompleted building which you left behind has been completed. The building was completed last month with a little change in the design and plan that you left behind. It is now a duplex with spacious parking space, a small garden and orchard at its backyard. The house has sliding doors and windows and it is painted yellow. Beside this, mummy has bought a brand new Mercedes Benz car and a Toyota 14-seater bus which is used to convey us to school everyday. Daddy, never be disturbed because the family is doing very well. I know that you would have completed your course in two years time. We shall be looking forward to welcoming you back home. Convey my sincere greetings to your colleagues and friends. Mummy sends her greetings.

Yours sincerely,

Tolu.