Sitting for this year’s examination? Jack up and solve these questions now. These are 2024 WASSCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE Questions. Do well to solve all questions as they’ll help you to adequately prepare for the upcoming exams.
Below are the 2024 WASSCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE Questions including answers
SECTION A ESSAY: QUESTION ONE
Answer only one question from this section
- You have been accepted into a prestigious university. Write a letter to your wealthy uncle, providing three convincing reasons why he should sponsor your education.
- Write a letter to the District Education Officer, complaining about the unsanitary conditions in your school due to a recent disease outbreak, and suggest three ways to improve sanitation.
- As the Sports Prefect of your school, write a speech that you will deliver to newly admitted students, emphasizing the benefits of participating in sports activities.
Section B: Summary Passage
Read the passage below carefully and use it to answer the questions that follow.
There were certain underlying conditions that enabled department stores to grow up when they did. From the start, they all catered for middle-class customers and set out to convey to them an air of luxury and solid comfort. Of necessity, they all arose in central positions where large numbers of people could reach them easily by means of public transport. Physically, they grew up in an era of the big technical developments in building so that they could afford multi-storey palaces and could have enormous plate-glass windows for display, lighting, and novelties like lifts.
Above all, the department stores rose with the rise of Victorian white-collar workers, the small-scale businessmen and professionals whose womenfolk had money to spare for a few luxuries and were gradually switching the emphasis of their housekeeping expenditure from food to other items.
Most of these stores drew enough customers to fill their huge shops by offering two new things. One was the new manufactures, particularly clothing, goods and accessories, household furnishings and equipment of all kinds that were coming out of the factories in increasing quantity. The specialist shops stocked these too, of course, but the department stores always made it a point to be the first in the field if they could with novelty of any kind. And the other special thing they offered the middle-class shoppers, many of whom were newly rich and a little experienced in luxury shopping, was a lavish display and wide choice of these goods.
The department stores, however, introduced into a respectable class trade the vulgar practice of openly marking or ticketing goods with their prices—a practice that had not yet even penetrated shops that could claim that they were really exclusive. But the department stores as a rule made a virtue not only of displaying their wares as openly as they could but also of boldly, pricing them for all to see. Their large-scale purchases enabled them to sell cheaply and they were not ashamed in the early days to make price one of the selling points. ‘Store price’ was a by-word for cheapness.
The lines they concentrated on were fashion goods, things that shoppers were prepared to travel long distances for and to take some time and trouble in choosing. The department stores were at least partly responsible for the way the middle classes gradually became fashion-conscious, and helped to mould their tastes. They were the first preachers of the modern creed that goods ought to be replaced when they are outdated rather than when they are outworn.
Questions
(a) In four sentences, one for each, summarize why people were attracted to the department stores.
(b) In two sentences, one for each, state the effects department stores had on their customers.
Section C: Comprehension Passage (2024 WASSCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE)
Read the passage below carefully and use it to answer the questions that follow:
Of the various organs in the body, the heart is undoubtedly the most important. All the organs also perform very useful functions which make continuous existence possible. However, while some organs can be surgically removed with no fatal consequences, if the heart fails for even a few minutes, the human being dies. Yet, it is the only organ that never really rests. It throbs ceaselessly, distributing blood to nourish all parts of the body.
Come to think of it, a man’s heart beats about 70 times every minute. At that rate, we can say with all certainty that the heart beats 4,200 times every hour or 1,000,800 times in a day. If a person lives for 70 years, his heart would beat 2,575,440,000 times. From all indications, there is no known machine contrived by man that can equal this feat. Machines made by man normally have long periods of inactivity when they are undergoing repairs or are being serviced. New parts are installed to improve their performance. Besides, very few machines can keep on working for more than a few years without depreciating. Yet, there is one machine that keeps on working efficiently for years on end, whether we are awake or sleep, without any form of servicing or repair – the marvelous heart!
As a result of the heart’s dependability we take it for granted. We hardly even give ourselves enough rest and overworking put a strain on the heart. We also do not think of what we eat or drink and their effect on the heart. Rather, most people carelessly consume all sorts of foods and drinks, regardless of their cholesterol content, that can cause harm to the heart. We also find it convenient not to take the appropriate exercise that strengthens the heart.
Regrettably, there are some individuals who overburden their hearts and put this vital organ at risk, by taking unprescribed drugs. People should avoid negative emotions like anger and jealousy because they disrupt the functions of the heart. Therefore, to have a good heart, live long and well, people should at all cost adopt healthy lifestyles and live in harmony with all.
Questions:
(a) Why is the heart such an important organ?
(b) What distinguishes the heart from other machines?
(c) How can man-made machines be made to function well?
(d) Mention two things which the writer says should be done to improve the working of the heart.
(e) Mention two things which should be avoided if the heart is to work well.
(f) … that never really rests.
(i) What is the grammatical name given to the expression above?
(ii) What is its function?
(g) … we take it for granted.
What is the meaning of this expression as it is used in the passage?
(h) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same as the word and can replace it in the passage:
(i) ceaselessly;
(ii) contrived;
(iii) strain;
(iv) appropriate;
(v) disrupt.
Here are the suggested Answers for the 2024 WASSCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE Questions on summary
(a) People were attracted to the department stores because:
(i) They were easily accessible.
(ii) They dealt in the latest goods.
(iii) They openly displayed their goods.
(iv) Their goods were affordable.
(b) (i) They developed their customers’ taste in fashion.
(ii) The customers replaced their goods before they became outdated.
Suggested Answers: comprehension
(a) It is important because all the other body depends on it. OR If it fails, the human being dies.
(b) The heart does not rest whereas other machines do.
(c) By repairing and servicing them.
(d) (i) People should eat the right type of food.
(ii) People should take appropriate exercise.
(iii) People take enough rest.
(e) (i) People should avoid negative emotions or anger or jealousy.
(ii) People should avoid taking unprescribed drugs.
(f) (i) It is an adjectival clause.
(ii) It modifies or describes the noun ‘organ’.
(g) It means that we assume that the heart will always function or continue to work.
(h) (i) ceaselessly – constantly; continuously; endlessly; all the time.
(ii) contrive – made; built; fashioned; devised; constructed. (iii) strain – stress; pressure. (iv) appropriate – suitable; right. (v) disrupt – disturb; disorder; interfere with; break up.
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