Explanation

P.O. Box 243

Ikeja

Lagos State.

16th August, 1996.

The Editor

Punch Nigeria Limited

Onipetesi, Ikeja.

Dear Sir,

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE OF THE NIGERIAN SPORTS CONTINGENT AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES.

The outstanding performance of our sportsmen and women at the last Olympic games has proved that Nigeria can dominate the whole world as far as sport is concerned. There is no doubt that our sports contingents have gone, competed and conquered. Our football squad brought Atlanta. the venue of the 1996 Olympic Games. to a standstill when they defeated Argentina and Brazil to win the gold medal. For the first time in the history of the Olympic games, Nigeria won the highest number of gold, bronze and silver medals.

Success, especially in games, does not come by chance. There is no doubt that there are some factors which are responsible for the success of our sportsmen and women. The first factor is that our sportsmen and women were camped in time. This afforded them the opportunity to blend which enhanced their pattern of play in Atlanta. The foreign based players came right on time to camp and they blended easily with those who were home based.

The second factor is the availability of good sporting facilities in our stadia. It seems the Federal Government was determined, this time around, to give sports priority. Our stadia were equipped with training facilities and funds were made available for the sportsmen and women and the coaches to travel around the world for trial matches prior to the games. This made the level of their preparation very high. This was coupled with the strong determination of our contingent to excel.

The Nigerian government has a lot of lesson to learn from our victory. The key to success in anything we are doing is sound preparation. It should be encouraged and it should be made a national policy.

In addition to this, we have learnt that in spite of the seeming invincibility of the hitherto world soccer giants like Argentina and Brazil, there is no country that cannot win the world cup. It all depends on the level of preparation and determination.

Yours faithfully,

(signature) Orialiku Peters.

Correct Answer: D. vanquished

Correct Answer: B. Convene.

Correct Answer: C. home

Explanation

THE TELEVISION HAS DONE MORE GOOD THAN HARM

Chairman, Panel of Judges, Co-debaters, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am here to oppose the motion which claims that the television has done more harm than good. If we look critically at the issue of the debate, we woulds ee that the television has contributed immensely to the development of our society. Television is an electronic device used in disseminating information to people.

First and foremost, television is a means of passing information to several people. It is one of the important means of the mass media through which people are exposed to all sorts of things. Television is like a connecting which connects the countries of the world, as people get to know what is going on in other parts of the world far away from theirs. Is it not true that many of us get to see what is happening in far away places through television? Events taking place in America and Europe are viewed in Africa as they are unfolding through television.

Apart from this, television serves as a means of entertainment. A home without television becomes very dull. Musical videos and dramas on television keep many people active and happy and we even have some comedy programmes that make people laugh to keep them away from sorrow. Most of these educative programmes like 'Who wants to be a millionaire' and 'Mind your language' keep many students educated and entertained. Besides, several wild-life documentaries and other ones beamed on television entertain people as well as keeping us informed.

Furthermore, television which shows us how festivals like Christmas, Easter, Id-el-Fitri and other celebrations are done in various parts of the world helps us to appreciate other people's arts and culture. An example is my family where each member of the family has a country he or she wishes to live in in future. It is easy for each of us to make a choice because we have learnt to appreciate the culture of the various people of the world through television.

My opponent might argue that television distracts the attention of people from what they are doing and that it keeps students away from their studies but I sincerely want to tell you that a planned routine in the home which makes children know when to watch television will make them achievers in life.

Chairman, Panel of Judges and my distinguished audience, you will all agree with me that the advantages of television are too numerous to be challenged by few disadvantages. Has the television done more harm than good? The answer is No. With all my points, I hope all and sundry is convinced that the television has done more good than harm. Thank you.

Correct Answer: D. prohibited

Correct Answer: A. reserved

Correct Answer: C. many

Correct Answer: B. The crowd defied the weather to fill the stadium

Explanation

The sentence implies that despite the weather conditions, the stadium was filled to capacity. This suggests that the crowd defied the weather to fill the stadium. Therefore, the option 'The crowd defied the weather to fill the stadium' best explains the information conveyed in the sentence.

Correct Answer: (b) Beating