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

      What is efficient reading? Basically, it involves the ability to read through a passage fairly quickly and the ability to understand what has been read. It is a mark of intellectual immaturity to hold on to a passage for hours without being able to make meaning out of it. Also. it is a mark of bad reading not to be able to recall and discuss what has been read. 
      The foregoing has however put the issue rather too simply. The ability to read through a passage at a good rate can be attained only after a mastery of the grammatical structures of the language. Without a sound mastery of words and how they function under various situations, and understanding how sentences are generated, one cannot read even the simplest passage efficiently. Rather, failure would ever dog one's footsteps. 
      Considering the issue from another perspective, merely mastering the vocabulary and structure of the language is not enough. The reader's frame of mind is equally important. Think of a man who is disturbed by the death of a dear one. Such a man would not be able to concentrate on the reading task. If the death, of the dear one is still fresh, he might read through a passage several times without understanding it. On the other hand. if the reader is too excited, he might not be able to concentrate, Take the case of a man who has just read in the newspaper that he has won a handsome sum of money. If he has to read a passage, he may not be able to concentrate. 
      Furthermore, the physical state of the body affects one's ability to read efficiently. So also does the presence or absence of distractions. This is why it is best to read when the body is still fresh and in a place far from noise and other distractions. 
(a)According to the passage what is efficient reading? 
(b) State any two language skills that are essential for efficient reading? 
(c) State any two other factors that affect a reader's understanding of a passage. 
(d) The reader's frame of mind" (i) What grammatical name is given to describe the above expression? (ii) What is its function in the sentence? 
(e) What figure of speech is the expression  'failure would ever dog ones footsteps'? 
(f) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase that means the same and can replace it as used in the passage: 
(i) immaturity (ii) sound (ii) generated (iv) perspective (v) handsome. 

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

 
      Of all the banes confronting the economies of developing nations, not in the least in seriousness is inconsistency in policy. Apart from the quite obvious factor of frequent changes of governments in these countries, a phenomenon which invariably tolls the death knell of existing policies each time a government is swept out of office, even stable governments themselves seem to have a knack of modifying policies frequently. A leader of government is often regarded as radical, and hence popular, when he shakes up his cabinet. Such shake-ups often lead to a change of policy. 
      Quite often, such avoidable changes reflect the shifts in the leaders' friendship patterns. In the third world countries, a position at the top attracts large number of friends, a phenomenon which engenders keen rivalry for attention among the friends. Back-biting is hence not uncommon, and a favorite who is today regarded with an office may easily get the boot tomorrow. 
      Besides, the poor economic situation, a common cause of social unrest, brings about frequent changes in policy. An economic policy which does not produce the expected result within a short time is usually thrown out, often with the initiators of the policy. Sadly though the fault lies, not so much with the policy as with factors both within and outside, beyond the operators. The truth here is that failure tends to rush leaders into taking rash actions which result in further damage. 
      Finally, quite a number of the sharp changes are dictated, or at least influenced, from outside. In a situation where a weak country decides to embrace a stronger one. it has to contend with some dictation from the stronger partner. To reach an agreement with another country necessarily means modifying operations at home in so far as the agreement affects activities at home. For instance, to take a loan from a stronger country is to tailor one's economic operations to reflect the spirit of the loan agreement. 
      Frequent changes in policy harm development far more than is realized. Apart from the financial wastage brought about by the sudden abandonment of projects when new rulers assume office, the resulting sense of insecurity scares off foreign investors. Besides, inconsistency of policy hinders the concentration of effort on specific projects. Moreover, the frequent abandonment of projects mid-stream, especially those being executed under international agreements tends to suggest to aid donors and leaders that the beneficiaries are not serious. And potential donors and leaders' prefer dealing with serious-minded and committed leaders.

(a) In three sentences, one for each, state the factors responsible for frequent changes in policy.

(b) In three sentences, one for each, state the results of the frequent changes in policy.