Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it. When I was in...

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on
it.
When I was in primary four, thirty-five years ago, schools closed for
the day at 1.30pm. My two friends and I would then proceed for ‘full’
recreation as we either played football in hidden neighbourhood or
went downstream to swim till dusk. The reprimands and occasional
spankings we got from our mothers could not deter us. Our youthful
adventurous spirit would not be suppressed. We are resolute in our
desire to be free of what we thought were too many chores. As far as
we are concerned, that should be the preserve of the female gender.
One day we went fishing in a stream on the outskirts of the village
after we had had our fill of entertainment playing football. We each
caught some fish but were not satisfied we wanted crabs which we
could sell on our way back home to augment the meagre money for
recess that each of us got when going off to school every day. We
caught two big crabs from the first two holes we dug before going for
a third. Convinced that we had dug deep enough, the eldest of us
dipped his right hand into the hole that was about three-quarters
filled with water and soon reported excitedly that he had made a big
catch. As he dragged to the surface, we screamed in sudden terror.
The ‘big catch’ was the fleshly middle part of a shimmering black
snake! No one waited for the other as we scrambled for safety,
leaving our other catch behind. The boy splashed frantically through
the water, falling over twice before reaching us on the bank of the
stream. None of us ventured back, more for fear of the snake than
the dusk that had suddenly descended on the village.
When I got home, I met Mother, my two siblings and some anxious
relations at the doorstep. They were about setting out to comb the
entire village since their previous search to my school, my mates’
homes and the few playgrounds in the village had been futile. The
concerned look on Mother’s face told me I had stirred up a hornets’
nest and should be prepared for the sting. My muddy legs and hands
betrayed the lie I had hurriedly cooked up. I got the beating of my
life, first from Mother, and then Father, who came into the house
and upon being told what had happened, went straight for the thick
rubber he had wound around his bicycle carrier for tying loads.

a. State two reasons why the writer and his friends always came
home late.
b. Why did the boys get home late?
c. Why did the boys not realize that it was getting dark?
d. In what two ways was the writer unlucky on that day?
e. How does the writer’s mother usually demonstrate her
disapproval of his behaviour?
f. ‘’ … I had stirred up a hornets’ nest and should be prepared for the
sting ‘’.
i. What figure of speech is used in this expression?
ii. What does it mean?
g. ‘’As he dragged it to the surface…’’
i. What grammatical name is given to this expression as it is used
in the passage?
ii. What is its function?
h. For each of the following words, find another word or phrase
which means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the
passage:
i. deter:
ii. preserve:
iii.augment:
iv.ventured:
v.concerned:?

2 Answers Available
Asked by MK on 15th July, 2020