The Facts and Fictions about JAMB Examination.

Rumours make their rounds because people spread them. I am very sure that, in course of registering for this year's JAMB examination, you must have heard or read a lot of stories about the examination. The truth is that majority of the stories you have heard or read about JAMB examination are actually false.

In order to place you on a safer side, I have listed below some of the fictions (lies) you might have heard or read about JAMB's UTME and the Facts (truth) you are expected to follow. Don't let anyone deceive you.

Fictions(Lies) About JAMB Examination

1. You will fail if you don't attend JAMB tutorials.

2. You must study for so long and very hard before you can pass JAMB examination.

3. It is not possible to gain admission into the university after writing JAMB for the first time. In other words, you need to write JAMB more than once before you can be admitted into any university.

4. JAMB will not give you your desired course.

5. It is JAMB that gives admission, not the institution you chose.

6. JAMB is wicked. It fails candidates intentionally.

7. A lot of persons write very well, but still fail.

8. There are JAMB expo centers for JAMB examination.

9. You can upgrade your UTME result after release.

10. You cannot pass UTME independently.

11. JAMB examination is very difficult.

12. If you don't read the recommended novels for JAMB's UTME, you will fail.

13. In all exams, JAMB repeats past questions word for word.

14. You don't need to bother yourself reading for JAMB's UTME; just pay, and you will get answers via SMS.

15. The intelligent students fail JAMB examination more; therefore, you don't need to kill yourself reading for JAMB examination.

16. While studying for JAMB examination, don't use past questions/CBT practical questions.

17. Just 'cram' past questions and you will pass JAMB's UTME.

18. JAMB does negative marking.

19. If you score at least 200 or JAMB's stipulated cut off mark (180), you are good to go.

The aforementioned points are fabricated lies you should never take seriously. I advise you follow the facts stated below.

Facts(Truth) About JAMB Examination 

1. JAMB tutorial is very good, and I will recommend you attend any good one close to you. However, attending JAMB tutorials does not guarantee you success in the exam. Your success still lies in your hands.

2. Who told you you must study for so long and very hard in order to pass JAMB examination? All you need to do is to study wisely because wisdom is the principal thing. Work smart, not necessarily hard. 

3. It is very easy and possible to gain admission into any university in your first attempt.

4. JAMB does not deprive you of your desired course. You will get your desired course if you merit it.

5. JAMB does not admit directly. The admission process is between your preferred institution and JAMB. After necessary consultations and considerations, your preferred institution sends the list of admitted students to JAMB. JAMB then uploads it and prepares the admission letters.

6. If JAMB doesn't know, why should it fail you intentionally? It does not do that, my dear.

7. Who told you a lot of persons write very well but still fail JAMB? You may feel that you wrote very well, but you may be rightly wrong. The answer you feel is correct may turn out to be the wrong one. Many factors  can make you fail an exam even if you read for it. 

8. No more JAMB expo centers, my dear. Since the recent CBT update, JAMB expo centers have disappeared into thin air. Beware of scammers.

9. You cannot upgrade your JAMB result after its release. It is not practically possible. Don't let fraudsters deceive you.

10. You can pass JAMB independently. All you need to do is to study very well.

11. Every exam is difficult if you don't read. JAMB exam is not as difficult as it is portrayed. The board does not set questions outside its syllabus. Get the syllabus of the subjects you will be writing, and start reading. It will only be difficult if you don't read.

12. Well, you won't really fail if you don't read the novels recommended by JAMB,  but it is necessary you go through the novels for a better result.

13. JAMB repeats past questions, but not word for word. It has a way of twisting these questions in order to confuse candidates.

14. My dear, gone are the days when you paid for expo and got answers through SMS. You can actually get answers sent to you on the exam day, but how credible and reliable are these answers?

15. The truth is that you can still fail JAMB's UTME, whether you are intelligent or not. Just read!

16. You must study along with JAMB past questions.

17. If you 'cram' past questions, you will fail JAMB examination. Read in accordance with JAMB syllabus and then test yourself using JAMB past questions to see if you are actually fit for the examination.

18. JAMB does not do negative marking.

19. Who told you all you need is to score just 200? Well, scoring 200 is somewhat okay, but scoring above 200 gives you an edge.

What other fictions(lies) have you heard or read about JAMB's UTME that have kept you worried? Please don't hesitate to state it using the comment box. Remember, we are in this  together. You must succeed in this year's UTME.

The Most Frequently Used Acronyms on Social Media

According to official statistics, almost half of the world's population (approximately 3.5 billion) are internet users. Undoubtedly, the advent of the Internet gave birth to social media and mobile devices that enable us communicate with our relatives and peers anywhere around the world.

Communication with the use of social media is now very less expensive because with just 10MB (which costs #100 and sometimes given to you free of charge when you recharge your account with at least #100), a person can share useful information to thousands of internet users through any of the social media platforms (like Whatsapp, Facebook,Instagram etc) and this has increased the popularity of social media, especially among teenagers and youths. 

Also Read: Popular Acronyms Used on Social Media and Their Meanings

Furthermore, the use of social media has led to the birth of new languages and ways to communicate over the internet. In order to avoid the stress of typing too many letters, users of social media have devised a means of shortening their words by making use of abbreviations and acronyms which are mostly understood by them. Some of these acronyms and abbreviations have become so popular that we have ended up incorporating them into our daily language, including languages other than English. 

Who hasn’t answered a funny Whatsapp message with a LOL? You must be a learner if you haven't.

I’m sure you have used it now and then, but do you know exactly what it and other popular acronyms mean?

LOL

It comes from the initials of Laughing Out Loud.

This is one of the acronyms we use the most, to indicate laughter or when we find something funny or hilarious. Some of its variations are ROTFL (Rolling On The Floor Laughing) or ROFLMAO, LMAO, LOLZ, LWKMD, LOOOOOOL (with extra oooooos for emphasis) etc.

Other frequently used acronyms on social media are:

OMG!

These are the initials of Oh My God. It is used a lot, irrespective of people’s religious beliefs, to express surprise, boredom, emotion etc.

SMH

These are initials of Shake My Head. It is used when someone states something that is contrary to your opinion on a topic, probably after series of explanations, to show that you kinda feeling pity for him/her due to his/her lack of understanding.

It is also used to react to a person's unruly behaviour.

Have You Seen: Some Nigerian Acronyms With Their Funny Meanings?

SRLY

This is an abbreviation of the word seriously. It is synonymous with 'Are you sure?'.  It is used when you want to be sure of something, especially something new. Maybe someone tells you something new and you wanna be sure whether the person is actually serious about the news, you can use this.

GR8, L8, M8, L8R

If you see a strange word made up of letters and an 8, have no fear. In lots of words containing the sound /eɪt/ this syllable is usually replaced with an 8.

Examples

Mate = M8

Great = Gr8

Later = L8R

Late = L8

BRB

This stands for Be Right Back. Perhaps while chatting you are called upon to attend to other issues, you use this acronym to tell the person you are chatting with that the chat has not ended as you will be back in a jiffy (probably when you are done with what you are doing) to continue the chat.

BAE

Recently, BAE has become popular as a synonym for girlfriend or boyfriend. It comes from the initials for Before Anyone Else and given to that special and important person in your life, usually your partner.

In Nigeria, BAE is the feminine version of BOO. Whereas BAE is the synonym for girlfriend, BOO is the synonym for boyfriend.

Have you listened the song, 'after the reggae play the bluez?' If you have, do you remember the line, 'even your boo get a boo'? Lol! 

These are but a few examples of the huge amount of frequently used acronyms on social media and forums where it’s not necessary to use language that is 100% perfect.

You can also add to the list by using the comment box if you know of frequently used acronyms on social media.

See Also: Some technological acronyms with their meanings

Faith Odigie Walks Down the Aisle with Her Boo

No day gladdens the heart of a woman more than the day she walks down the aisle to the altar to say 'I do' to her Romeo. It is her happiest and most memorable day because she feels she has been an 'eye target' who has finally been taken off the market among other competitors.

Yes! Miss Faith Omohe Odigie of the family of James Odigie of Izongen town, Ogwa in Esan West LGA of Edo State, will experience such sweet feeling on Saturday, April 8, 2017 when she will be professing her sacred and rare love and subsequently saying 'I do' to the luckiest man she has chosen to spend the rest of her life with, Mr Oluwatobiloba M. Bamisaye of the family of Julius Bamisaye of Isan town, Oye LGA of Ekiti State, at El-shadai Ministries Int'l Inc., INEC Road, Kpansia Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, at 10:00am prompt.

Faith Odigie who bagged a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) degree in English and Literary Studies from the Niger Delta University in 2014, met her other half in Yenagoa in 2007 but started dating him in 2009. Although they were kinda separated by distance in 2010 when her boo travelled out of the country, their hearts were never affected by such distance. Their hearts were clouded by the lyrics of true love that existed between Romeo and Juliet; and Jack and Rose. Such lyrics have adamantly bound their relationship for almost a decade now (9 years precisely) and have no doubt resulted to the celebration of April 8. Indeed, where true love exists, delay is never denial. It will only be a period for proper preparation.

FEED YOUR EYES: Check out some Pre wedding/love photos

When asked whether she would like to spend the rest of her life with her boo, she said, "My first marriage will be the only marriage, IJN."

I say a big 'AMEN' to that intelligent answer! Congrats to the Oba of Benin (as she is fondly called by her colleagues and Lecturer)! Congrats to them!

Note

Reception and traditional marriage follows immediately after the white wedding, at Emmanuel's Place, Osiri Road after CBN, Ekeki, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

See some Pre wedding/love photos HERE

Who is a Slay Queen?

My dear sister you might have been given different definitions of the term "Slay Queen" but also check out this definition of a slay queen.

A slay queen is a girl with brains & not the one with heavy make up. She is not the one who seeks for attention on social media. She is the one who uses tenses correctly and appropriately. Not the one that has to shorten every word because she doesn't know how to spell. She is a girl with a skill...

She is the girl who respects her relationship or marriage. She is never heard but seen. You know her from what she does and not what she says.

She is not the most expensively dressed but she is the most decently dressed. A slay queen respects the sanity of womanhood. She carries herself with much dignity.

Having so many likes on your pictures doesn't make you a slay queen, wearing heavy makeups doesn't make you a slay queen, looking like a flower girl, a dog or a polio victim doesn't make you a slay queen either. Most of these so called Snapchat/IG girls are empty inside. They keep on regretting a lot about their past but pretend to be happy outside their home.

Stop boasting about the number of men that want you, stop boasting about the number of likes/ reactions you get on your pictures, stop boasting about the number of followers you have on IG, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat et al. Remember that cheap articles have more buyers. Build yourself into the woman that people will always respect and admire.

Never follow the crowd but be yourself. Be bold but humble, be Godly, be hard working, respect your relationship or marriage, be ambitious but contented, don't make men your priority in life but build yourself into the woman that men will always want to take home to their mama, not the one they only want to take to hotels and clubs. Don't allow the number of likes, reactions and followers on your social media platform validate your existence.

Trust me, if you just trap a man with your body, he will go one day because more pretty girls are becoming adults on a daily basis. Let men fall for your personality and not your "bedmatics." 

Slay Queen wey no get the features wey I don mention so na slay queen dat one be? 

Fact!

Important Memo on Registration from JAMB to all Candidates

Are you among those candidates who have bought ePINS but are not able to proceed with their registration due to invalid email addresses or ePINS? If you are, the Registrar/Chief Executive of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has a word of advice for you.

Read JAMB's Memo on this issue below:

JOINT ADMISSIONS AND MATRICULATION BOARD 2017 UTME REGISTRATION

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Attention of JAMB has been drawn to cases of candidates who have bought ePINS and were not able to proceed with their registration due to invalid email addresses or ePINS. This was caused essentially by:

(i) Change in process meant to eliminate the high rate of incorrect and inconsistent email addresses supplied by candidates.

(ii) A very high rate of candidates buying ePINS without creating their profile first.

(iii) Incorrect email address provided at the bank teller.

(iv) Recent enforcement of email validation of candidates emails. Candidates who have not created their profile properly would be affected.

(v) Unforeseen technical issues in the PIN vending system.

JAMB hereby advises all candidates as follows:

(i) Candidates are NOT to buy new pins in the case of invalid pins. The cause of the invalid pin has been investigated.

(ii) All candidates having invalid pins responses have been captured on the system and will receive their PIN details on or before Monday 27th March 2017.

(iii) Emails with candidate name, email and valid pins will be sent to candidates before Monday 27th March 2017.

JAMB therefore has taken the following steps to ensure the continuation of the registration process:

(i) All candidates must mandatorily create their profiles before proceeding to buy the ePIN. The ePIN vendors (Banks) can create the profile before vending the pin. 

READ: How to Create JAMB Profile

(ii) Each candidate’s email address will now be verified on the system before ePINS are vended. Any candidate with an incorrect email address will not be served. It therefore requires entering the same valid email address twice.

(iii) All candidates are to ensure that they provide valid phone numbers.

(iv) Candidates are encouraged to utilise only Jamb accredited Centers (List available on our website). 

Check the list of JAMB accredited centers HERE

(v) No one should patronize fraudsters, many of whom are now in Police custody. Only CBT Centres accredited by JAMB can do valid registration. Don’t be deceived.

REGISTRAR/CHIEF EXECUTIVE

JAMB

You can check and download the memo HERE

FG to Expel Undergraduates with Less than 0.5 CGPA

Isoryt! How many of you read my article on unique ways you can be among the best students in your class? If you didn't, you can read it HERE. They say the standard of education in Nigeria is falling by the day and I am sure the unserious students are part of the highest percentage saying this. Well, your complaint has reached the federal government as it proposes a new policy that will at least raise the standard of Education in Nigeria.

The Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Onwuka, yesterday disclosed that the Federal government is proposing a new policy that will enable Vice Chancellors of various institutions to expel students with as low as 0.5 CGPA.

Onwuka who disclosed this at the 31st convocation of the University of Port Harcourt, said students with as low as 0.5 CGPA have no business in the University and should no longer be accommodated.

Read his statement below:

We must stop to continue housing adventurers, who have no business remaining in the universities beyond the time specified for their studies in the universities. In that wise, it is being proposed that at the end of this academic year, any student with less than 0.5 CGPA should cease to be a student of the university and should be shown the way out. The universities must continue to have people who are serious in what they have come to do. If you have less than 0.5 in your CGPA, you are out. You are out for good so that the space will be left for those who have come to do serious business.

I was overwhelmed with different thoughts and questions when I read the statement of the Minister of State for Education:

1. Is this expulsion different from the usual 'WAF' going on in different tertiary institutions in Nigeria for some time now?

2. Does it mean that the student will no longer be admitted into any tertiary institution in the country after being expelled?

3. What does the federal government really mean by this new policy that it is proposing?

Well, my fingers are still crossed. I will keep you updated on this.

DON'T FAIL TO READ: Unique ways you can be among the best students in your class 

Different Ways of Agreeing to a Speaker's Negative Statement.

Do you know that there are different ways you can affirm a speaker's dislike? What I actually mean is that if someone states that he/she does not like a particular thing, do you know that there are different ways you can agree to the person's statement? If you don't, relax because that is what I will be showing today. 

Today we are going to look at some ways of agreeing about a dislike of some sort.

"I don't like it either" and "Neither do I" are the two possible ways you can use to affirm a speaker's dislike or negative statement. However, these two ways are used differently. In other words, they can't be used in the same context.

Before I state how they can be used, let's quickly look at the conversation between Tammy(T) and Rose (R):

T: I don’t like studying maths all day long. It’s so boring.

R: Neither do I. It takes up my whole afternoon. My dad says he didn’t like it either at school so it must run in the family.

T: Oh well, it needs to be done. I don’t want to waste any more time.

R: Me neither Tammy. Let’s go to the library so we can help each other.

“I don’t like it either” and “neither do I” are used as responses when a person agrees with a speaker’s negative statements.

When do I use "I don't like it either"?

When a speaker states his/her dislike about something/someone without using the negative auxiliary "don't", you affirm the speaker's statement using "I don't like it either."

Example:

Speaker: I hate cigar smoke.

You: I don’t like it either.  

You answer with “I don’t like it either” because although the speaker's statement is negative, it does not contain a negative auxiliary, so you affirm to the speaker's statement by adding the negative auxiliary, "don't."

When do I use "Neither do I"?

When a speaker states his/her dislike about something, using the negative auxiliary "don't", you affirm the speaker's statement using " Neither do I" or "Me neither."

Example:

Speaker: I don’t like cigar smoke.

You: Neither do I. 

If the speaker uses “don’t” or “didn’t”, the sentence is considered negative, so you answer "neither do I".

There are also two other possible responses: “neither do I” or “me neither”, 

More examples:

Speaker: I don’t like studying.

You: Neither do I / Me neither.

Speaker: I don’t want to waste my time.

You: Neither do I / Me neither.

Speaker: She didn’t go to the party.

You: Neither did I / Me neither. 

I hope this has been helpful.

Comprehensive Analysis of Kofi Awoonor's Poem, "The Anvil and the Hammer"

Many Africans have lost and forgotten about their roots/African values as a result of their increasing contact with the western culture through western education and religion. While some who are still conscious of their roots try to fuse both cultures (African and Western cultures), others have totally left their African heritage for the western culture. The attitude of the latter has no doubt spurred Kofi Awoonor to write the poem, "The Anvil and the Hammer".

Also read: George Herbert's "The Pulley" as a metaphysical poem

Through his poem, Kofi Awoonor tells Africans (who have thrown their cultures into the mud due to their exposure to the western culture) to trace and embrace their roots. He is not against Africans identifying with the western culture but of the opinion that both cultures have significant roles to play in the transformation of the old African into a new African.  He uses two working tools (anvil and hammer) to symbolize this idea.

Literally, "Anvil" is an iron block on which a Blacksmith puts hot pieces of metal before shaping them with a "hammer". Anvil and Hammer are like two sides of a coin; one cannot do without the other in the transformation process of the hot pieces of metal placed between them. For the hot pieces of metal to be refined, these working tools need to be in place.

Symbolically, this piece of metal is the African who finds himself in between two distinct cultures represented by the anvil and hammer. "The anvil" represents the African tradition while "the hammer" is the western culture. Both influence the African in the process of transforming him/her into a new being.

From the opening lines of the poem, the poet, in a metaphorical tone, is caught between the anvil and the hammer, suggesting that he is in between two cultures (African culture and Western culture) through which his life can be reformed:

Caught between the anvil and the hammer

In the forging house of a new life. (Lines 1-2)

The anvil and hammer, which represent the African and western cultures respectively, are capable of bringing moral rehabilitation, transformation and rebirth from the old trend of life to a new view of life in the life of the African. "The forging house" is where the transformation takes place. In a symbolic level, the forging house represents the schools and churches where Africans learn the ways of the white man through western education and religion. The forging house is where these two distinct cultures meet.

Read: William Morris' "The Proud King" as an Epic Poem

Like every new birth, this transformation goes with pangs (pains) of delivery, and a new birth calls for celebration:

Transforming the pangs that delivered me

Into the joy of a new song. (Lines 3-4)

The above lines simply mean that the processes involved in transforming the old African (raw metal) into a new African (refined metal) is characterized with pains, but after the transformation process, there is joy of a new song. This can also be likened to the actions of the hammer on the hot pieces of metal placed on the anvil. The hot pieces of metal after being placed on the anvil, receives numerous painful strikes from the hammer in order to get into its reformed or new state.

Having been ushered into a new life  (civilization), the poem's persona in lines 5 - 7 considers the attraction and natural state of his ancient lifestyle (African tradition) before its adulteration by western civilization. He describes the African tradition, which is known for its ritual sacrifices in the "fetish hut", as "tender and tenuous":

The trappings of the past, tender and tenuous

Woven with the fibre of sisal and

Washed in the blood of the goat in the fetish hut

Unfortunately, this tender and tenuous nature of the African tradition has been covered by "paved streets" (modernity and civilization), and has also resulted in the importation of new culture and language (the white man's culture and language) which have shattered the African heritage so much that sacred orders are violated in the name of civilization and modernization:

...Are laced with flimsy glories of paved streets

The jargon of a new dialectic comes with the

Charisma of the perpetual search on the outlaw's hills (Lines 8-10)

Consequently, the speaker/persona cries to "our fathers" to "sew the old days" so "that we can wear them under our new garment." Our "new garment" refers to the western culture to which we have now been inducted into after being baptized in the "whirlpool of the many rivers' estuary." "The many rivers' estuary" refers to the many new experiences to which the African is exposed to due to his increased contact with the western culture (see lines 11-14). The speaker asking his fore fathers to sew the old days so that we can we wear them under our new garment clearly affirms the fact that Kofi Awoonor is not against Africans identifying with the western culture but of the opinion that any African who has been exposed to the western culture, either through education or religion, should not leave his/her African values for western values and beliefs; rather, the person should embrace both cultures as they have significant roles to play in transforming the old African into a new African.

In lines 15-19, there is an admission by the poet that they even "hear their songs and rumours everyday" and "determined to ignore these we use snatches from their tunes." The speaker is trying to buttress the point that even though they can hear and sing foreign songs to the detriment of African songs, they are now determined to embrace their cultural values and work towards promoting it by making themselves new flags and anthems while they lift high the banner of the land. Undoubtedly, these lines (15-19) portray the poet as a patriot.

From the last two lines (lines 20 and 21), one can deduce from the thought of the speaker that after we have raised high the banner of our land, we can now see the superiority of our cultures, beliefs and values as against the foreign lifestyles:

And listen to the reverberation of our songs

In the splash and moan of the sea.

From the foregoing, Kofi Awoonor's poem, "The Anvil and the Hammer" is no doubt a sensitization to the black world to trace and embrace their root by always defending and promoting African identity and heritage everywhere. 

Don't fail to see: Gbemisola Adeoti's "Ambush" as a metaphor of evil

The 2017 BATCH 'A' NYSC Mobilization Time Table is Out

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has released the mobilization time table for the 2017 Batch ‘A’ service year. As stated on the time table, the online registration for 2017 Batch 'A' service year will commence and end on Monday, April 17 and Thursday, May 4, 2017 respectively.

See the time table below:

S/no.	Event	Date
1	Briefing/Sensitization of Final year students/prospective corps Members.	4th - 16th April 2017
2	Display of list of all approved programmes for institutions on NYSC portal for cross checking feedback.	3rd - 7th April 2017
3	Collation of Prospective Corps Members' Data by Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs)	3rd - 9th April 2017
4	Submission/Uploading of Senate/Academic Board Approved Result for Full/Part-Time Graduates and Revalidation Lists by CPIs	10th - 16th April 2017
5	Uploading of Corrected Lists by Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs)	10th - 16th April 2017
6	On-line Registration by Foreign and locally Trained Nigerian Graduates.	17th April to 4th May 2017
7	Entertainment of complaints from Prospective Corps Members by the state Deployment and Relocation officers and NYSC Help Lines/Desks.	17th April to 4th May 2017
8	Forwarding of Complaints to Mobilisation Dept by State Deployment and Relocation officers.	17th April to 4th May 2017
9	Deployment and printing of call-up letters by ICT department.	4th - 6th May, 2017
10	Notification/On-line Printing of Call-up Letters/delivery of call-up letters to institutions.	4th - 6th May, 2017
11	Online printing of deployment disposition by Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs)	6th - 8th May, 2017
12	2017 Batch 'A' Orientation Course

How to Easily and Effectively Answer Questions on WAEC, NECO and NABTEB Comprehension Passages

Unlike previous years when comprehension is only used by examination bodies to know how a student understood a particular passage, it is now gaining more popularity as even organisations use it to test the English proficiency of their applicants before employing them.

Therefore, it is important you know how to approach a given comprehension passage in order to be on a safer side. As a student, it is important you know how to approach a given comprehension passage in order to pass your English Exam very well. This article will help you on this.

Comprehension is the process of reading, understanding and explaining what is written in a passage. In comprehension, the thoughts of the writer are presented to the students for reading, understanding and explaining.

SSCE comprehension is aimed at knowing to what extent a student understands a given passage. This is judged by the student's ability to reproduce what he or she has read in the passage in his or her words. 

However, if a student is able to reproduce what he has read through mindless liftings (i.e. by lifting words from the passage), it shows that the student has not really understood the passage and might be penalized for that. Although the student is at liberty to make use of words from the passage, he/she must be careful not to be reckless in copying down the portion of the passage which he/she feels answers the question.

How to Approach SSCE Comprehension

Do not be in a hurry to answer your comprehension passage without taking time to understand the passage. Many students have failed English language because of this.

SSCE English examination (WAEC precisely) has two comprehension passages, each carrying 20 marks, making a total of 40 marks, so hasty answers might snatch these 40 marks from you. Hope you know what it means to lose 40 marks in any examination.

However, a careful follow-up of the steps below will keep your 40 marks intact:

1. Read the passage very carefully more than ones (at least three times) and make sure you understand the passage. The first reading brings you into close contact with the underlying message/theme of the passage. Read the passage the second time and while reading it, take note of the author's attitude to the underlying message of the passage. After the second reading of the passage, read questions in order to know the main points emphasized in the passage. Then, read the passage for the third time. While reading, note the relevant points that answer the question on the passage.

Please, the reading of the passage should be done quickly with full attention in order to have a total understanding of the passage. Until you understand the passage, do not answer the questions that follow.

2. Your answers should be in sentences unless otherwise stated.

3. Avoid mindless lifting. Though you are at liberty to use the words from the passage in your answers, you must be able to use your own words or expressions to show that you really understood the passage.

4. If you are asked to show comparison between two things or more in the passage, your answer must show such comparison.

5. Where you are asked to replace an underlined word in the passage with another word, your answer must fit in perfectly in terms of the contextual meaning and collocation. For example, if the underlined word is a noun, you must use another noun to replace it and it must have the contextual meaning of the underlined word.

6. Your answers must make sense before any part of it is accepted for scoring. Therefore, endeavour to give the correct answers.

7. Do not spell words wrongly. Spelling your words correctly shows your diligence. Therefore, you must take pains to spell your words correctly.

8. Avoid grammatical blunders because there is penalty for the use of wrong grammar. There must be an agreement between the subject and verb in your sentence.

READ: How to make the subject and verb in your sentence be in agreement (concord)

Why Students Lose Marks in Comprehension

Students lose marks in comprehension due to the following reasons:

1. Giving two answers to a question. You don't need a soothsayer to tell you that you are expected to give one answer to a question. Where a student gives two answers to a question and one of them is wrong, zero is awarded to that answer.

2. Replacing underlined words or phrases with wrong synonyms. (See no. 5 above).

3. Grammatical and Expression error(s). For any grammatical and expression blunder committed, the penalty is a deduction of one and half mark from the total marks awarded to that question.

4. Giving answers that are not contained in the passage. In a comprehension passage, your opinion is not needed. You only reproduce and explain (in your own words) the thoughts of the writer as contained in the passage. You will not score any mark for writing answers which are not in the information provided in the passage.

If the the aforementioned are adequately followed, you will no doubt come out of the examination hall smiling.