ENGLISH LANGUAGE

COMPREHENSION AND SUMMARY

1. Read the passage below carefully and answer the questions that follow

There are three kinds of education in Africa. There is the old traditional education; there are

the remains of the colonial schooling, which varied according to how the European power

saw African requirements; and there is the post-independence attempt to find an education

suitable for the needs of modern Africa.

The old education grew naturally out of the village and tribal ways of life, and there was

much to commend it. A child had to learn how to deal with the dangers of his surroundings

and how to treat his fellows. He knew about weather, love and the skills of a spear, axe and

hoe from old men. His mother taught him correct speech, behaviour and respect for his

elders. Throughout his childhood, it was impressed on him that he could not live alone – he

must ‘conform’, and accept the ways of the tribe. He lived in a world of kinship: his kin gave

him security in sickness and old age. Law and ownership of land, too, were based on kinship.

So the child learned the rites which kinship would demand throughout his life from birth to

maturity, marriage and death.

Much of this education was informal. The home was the child’s school, where he learned

traditional legends and proverbs. (For example, the reader might like to work out the

meaning of these two Baluyia proverbs from Kenya: ‘A person running alone thinks he is the

fastest runner’ and ‘a small bird cannot advise a bigger one). This social education had a great

emphasis on correct conduct and confidence. A traveller in Africa in 1930s wrote: ‘I have

seen three children between four years and six quite competently preparing a meal with no

supervision’. But severe tests of endurance were a more formal part of this education. Chagga

boys in the old days had to sleep in holes in the ground at night for nine months, often in the

cold mountain air. A boy was required to go on a lonely expedition into the forest to kill a

leopard with a bow and arrow. Bena girls aged nine to thirteen, were ducked repeated in

streams, or terrified by women pretending to fall dead at their feet, and by the appearance of

monsters.8

This traditional form of education had the advantage of preparing a child for life in the

community; it did not in general encourage him to be ambitious or independent, or teach him

to meet the needs of the modern world. So in the colonial years missions and ‘European’

schools taught the kinds of things children in Europe were taught. This produced small

westernised elite in some colonies, but it was severely criticised for having little to do with

African needs. Reading books had European birds and snow scenes in them; arithmetic

problems dealt with taps, and wall-paper rolls. Few of these things had anything to do with

many African children’s environment.

Colonial education too has been criticised because it was, to quote President Nyerere of

Tanzania, ‘motivated by a desire to inculcate the values of the colonial society andto train

individual for the service of the colonial states’. The state interest in education was based on

the need for local clerks and junior officials, and there was thus a heavy emphasis on

subservient attitudes and white-collar skills.

In the post-independence era, African needs are being rethought. Questions are being asked

such as, how many universities should a country have, whilst half of an age group gets no

schooling at all? Some highly trained electrical engineers are needed for the power stations;

but Africa also needs men skilled in the relatively simple skills of wooden bridge

construction, laying late rite roads and building single-story houses. Civil servants especially

need a good secondary education if they are to deal with matters ranging from money for a

new agricultural scheme to collecting information for government approval of a harbour

extension. For this, says one writer, ‘a developing continent must clearly learn to be

practical’. In Africa parents have become convinced that education is the key to a good job

and family prestige too. But it has its drawbacks. In many countries secondary and college

education means that children have to leave the rural areas for the towns and later as mean

they are not returning to work on the farms and produce the food. The opportunities and

leisure attractions of the towns are too tempting.

Questions

1. From this passage we can tell that colonial education was to
2. help Africans acquire their independence
3. help Europeans swiftly rule the Africans
4. meet the needs of modern African
5. replace African tradition and culture
6. Civilise the African children.
7. The word ‘conform’ in the second paragraph means
8. comply with rules or general custom
9. discuss with other members of the society
10. respect the elders of the society
11. mix with the rest of members of the society
12. disagree with the community values.

iii. ‘Elite’ in the fourth paragraph means

1. a group of ‘selected people
2. a group of colonialists
3. a group of westernised Africans
4. a group of rich people
5. a disadvantaged group.9
6. The traveler in East Africa was surprised (in paragraph three) because
7. he could not expect such young children to prepare such a delicious meal
8. he thought only European children could prepare a meal like that
9. the children could prepare a meal without assistance from an older person
10. the children were not competently supervised when preparing the meal
11. the children were too few to prepare a meal.
12. We can deduce from paragraphs four and five that colonial education was
13. too difficult for the Africans
14. irrelevant to the African situation
15. showing European birds and snow that did not exist in Africa
16. preparing Africans for highly paid jobs
17. preparing Africans for leadership in missionsther free resources at: http://maktaba.tetea.org
18. According to the writer, education in Africa today
19. should train electrical engineers D. should be practical oriented
20. does not require universities E. should base on secondary school level only
21. should not prepare a western elite.

vii. The writer says that in traditional education “severe tests of endurance were a more

formal part of this education’. The aim of the tests was to train

1. boys and girls not to fear the sight of monsters
2. boys and girls to survive in the cold
3. a Chagga boy not to fear a leopard
4. Bena girls not to run away from the prêt endingly dead women falling at their feet
5. boys and girls to tolerate in extremely difficult conditions.

viii. Nyerere criticised colonial education because

1. it perpetuated the interests of the colonial society
2. it prepared local clerks and junior officials
3. it encouraged university level only
4. it inculcated the values of the colonized society
5. he just hated colonialists.
6. In the seventh paragraph, the question ‘… how many universities should a country have,

when half of an age group gets no schooling at all?’ implies that the writer

1. does not support university education
2. supports university education for children who got no schooling at all
3. encourages more emphasis be put on lower levels of education than the university

education

1. discourages lower levels of education for children who got no schooling at all
2. insists that civil servants should just receive good secondary education.
3. From the last paragraph the writer observes that education in many African countries is
4. preparing young people for rural life
5. preparing young people for urban life
6. attracting young people to areas which they are reluctant to leave
7. trying to prepare young people for rural life, but the urban areas are too tempting
8. preparing young people for rural life but they do not like farming.10
9. Read and summarize the following passage in two sentences

How can we depend upon gift, loans and investments from foreign countries and foreign

companies without endangering our independence? The English people have a saying which

says “He who pays the piper calls the tune”

How can we depend upon foreign governments and companies for the major part of our

development without giving those governments and countries a great part our freedom and

expect them to do as we please? The truth is that we will end up in disappointment.

PATTERNSAND VOCABULARY

3. Fill in the blanks by writing the correct form of the word from the brackets against the item

number.

Tanzania (i)_________ (take) a significant step to (ii)________ (nation) her means of wealth

after Arusha declaration of 1967 and therefore (iii)______ (embrace) socialism. Tanzania

(iv)______(create) village communities through the (v)_________(village) policy. People

(vi)________ (settle) in such village communities to provide (vii)_________(collect) and

joint efforts needed to(viii)_____________ (maximum) production of wealth.

4. Choose the correct word from the given list below to fill in the blanks in the following

sentences: beg, pursue, managed, ancestors, display, pangaea, mate, similar, pepper,

Gondwanaland

1. a) __________is a type of friend one is forced to be with in life
2. b) ___________ has the same meaning as the word portray
3. c) ______________is the first super continent named by scientists
4. d) _____________ are our forefathers and mothers
5. e) ___________means achieved, controlled and or succeeded
6. f) __________ is the same as the English word request
7. g) ___________ is to undertake
8. h) ____________ is close in meaning with the word resemble
9. In each of these sentences one of the words is wrong. Identify and correct them by writing

the correct spelling for each word.

1. a) The furniture’s are sold at cheaper price.
2. b) The equipment is needed at workplace today
3. c) We are water the garden now.
4. d) I took a loaf of advice from Juma last week
5. e) Girls has to liberate on their own from boys’ traps
6. f) Ali meets me for a discussion last evening.
7. g) Muchin formations about a town is gathered through narrations.
8. h) Both house girls and house boys know sufferings.11
9. Using the words below, complete the following expressions.

Purpose, vision, delegates, sex, gender, congregation, choir, legend, ballad, fans,

comrades, audience.

1. a) A final target that drives your undertaking is known as a __________.
2. b) A motive or reason for doing a job or business is named a __________.
3. c) A group of people worshiping at church session is collectively called a__________.
4. d) A story which may not be true is said to be a __________.
5. e) Sent representatives with special mission and interests to negotiate on behalf of a

state are called the __________.

1. f) A biological trait which distinguishes man from a woman is a __________.
2. g) A poem prepared for dramatization on stage is classified as a __________
3. h) People belonging to the same political parties or military grade call

themselves__________

7. Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each:
8. a) Halima is as tall as Asha. (Split the sentence to make two distinctive sentences)
9. b) Juma likes Ugali. Ali likes Ugali too (Join the two sentences by using neither—nor)
10. c) “ I will come Tomorrow” Musa promised (Report this statement)
11. d) The Democratic Republic of Congo invites our country to state celebration

(Passivise the sentence)

LANGUAGE USE

8. Rearrange the following five sentences into a logical sequence to make a meaningful

paragraph by writing the corresponding letter in the answer booklet provided. Use the

following format for your answers.

Sentence number 1 2 3 4 5

LETTER

1. They were shouting to the bus driver who caused a serious accident.
2. On my way to the market, I met a crowd of people shouting.
3. Finally, the bus driver was taken to the nearby police station.
4. One day, I was asked to go to the market by my mother.
5. Two people who were on the motor bicycle died on the spot.
6. Match each expression in List A with the correct word from List B by writing its letter

beside the item number in the answer booklet(s) provided. Use the following format for your

answers.

LIST A LIST B

(i) Plants

(ii) Pupil

(iii)A place in boarding school where

students/pupils sleep at night.

(iv)A place where people buy and sell

goods

(v) Laboratory

.

Community

A shop

A dormitory

A place where experiments are conducted

A hospital

Part of an eye or type of factory

Is part of an eye or means learner

A factory or a macro organism12

Numbers i Ii iii iv v

Letters

10. Answer all questions from alternatives given A, B, C and D.
11. Write a story tilted A DAY SHE WILL NEVER FORGET ( At least 250 words)
12. Imagine you are the new appointed Regional Commissioner of Kigoma region. In not

less than 200 words write a first speech you would deliver in an official welcoming

ceremony at aqua lodge beaches. Focus on your plans as a new president Magufuli’

appointee.

1. Write an invitation card to request your sisters’ friends to attend on your niece’s

birthday dinner party. Also write telephone messages from those who will call for

excuses. Use fictitious names.

1. Write a letter to the Editor of Guardian Newspaper on the challenges of democracy in

Tanzania. Use fictitious name and address

RESPONSE TO READING

Answer ALL questions from this section.

LIST OFREADINGS

NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES

A Wreath for Fr. Mayer – S.N. Ndunguru (1977), Mkuki na Nyota

Unanswered Cries – Osman Conteh, Macmillan

Passed Like a Shadow – RM Mapalala (2006),’ DUP

Spared – S.N. Ndunguru (2004), Mkuki na Nyota

Weep Not Child – Ngugi wa Thiong’o (1987); Heinemann

The Interview – P. Ngugi (2002), .Macmillan

PLAYS

Three Suitors: One. Husband – O.Mbia (1994),. Eyre Methuen

The Lion and the Jewel – W. Soyinka (1963),

This Time Tomorrow – Ngugi wa Thiong’o (1972), Heinemann

The Black Hermit – Ngugi wa Thiong’o (1968), Heinemann

POETRY

Songs of Lawino and Ocol – 0.P’Bitek (1979), EAPH

Growing up with Poetry – D. Rubadiri (ed) (1989), Heinemann

Summons – R Mahala (1960), TPH

11. How does this poem describe the position and roles of women in our societies? (Give eight points).

Echoes

Me,

I plead guilty

That my woman is a tool

To fulfil my sexual desires,

That she’s the source of sexual pleasure.

A garden

Where I plant my deeds13

So as to get children

Which are mine.

And not hers,

Who have the right

To inherit my property,

And not her.

I plead guilty

That I have regarded my woman

As my property,

Because I paid the bride price

To her parents.

What did her parents think

When they demanded

The cows

The tank of beer,

The goats,

The money

They knew

That they were making wealth out of me

Because their girl will work for me

Just like a slave.

I plead guilty

That I have inherited the stupidity

Of my slavery age parents,

That I have prolonged inequality.

That I have continued oppression.

Though unknowingly,

I am guilty

For dominating

My woman.

My nation plead guilty

That it has shut an eye

To the rights of women,

That it has kept women

In the kitchen,

In the church,

And at home

To look after children.

My nation pleads guilty

That it has given little room

To the she sex,

That the number of girls at school

Has always been smaller

Than that of boys.

My nation pleads guilty

That it has always given a narrow chance

For women to become

Teachers,

Physicians,14

Scientists,

Leaders of the state

And public organizations,

That their percentage

Has always been small.

I agree that

If a woman is to be oppressed

By a man

Who is in turn exploited,

Who is in turn disregarded

By the bourgeoisie,

By the petty bourgeoisie,

Then she’s ruined:

She has nothing to live for!

I agree that

To deny them freedom

Means to refuse human equality,

Means to accept capitalism

Deep in our hearts

And also means refusing

The development of the majority

12. Poets compose poems not just for pleasure and entertainment but for addressing human social,

political and economic issues. Using Song of Lawino and Ocol present eight points to verify the

statement

13. ‘Rural life in Africa is itself a separate world, a world with its own life styles and manner’.

Using two plays of your choice provide four pieces of evidence from each play to substantiate

the said analogy.

14. ‘In human society misunderstanding is inevitable and this emanates from the roots of the

problem which are evident in many societies’. With reference to two novels discuss the eight

major roots of misunderstanding, four roots from each novel.