Read the passage below and then answer questions 26 to 38 When I was a small boy, my home was always full of babies and children of my relatives. In fact, I hardly recall any occasion as a child when I was alone. In my community, the Sons and daughters of one’s aunts and uncles are considered brothers and sisters, not cousins. We have no half-brothers and half-sisters. My mother’s sister is my mother, my uncle’s son is my brother and my brother’s child is my son or my daughter. The school consisted of a simple room. I was seven years old, and on the day before I was to begin, my lather took me aside and told me that I must be dressed properly for school. Until that time, I, like all the other boys, had worn only a blanket, which was wrapped round one shoulder and pinned at the waist. My father took a pair of his trousers and cut them at the knee. He then told me to put them on, which I did, and they were roughly the correct length, although the waist was far too large. My father then took a piece of string and drew the trousers in at the waist. I must have been a comical sight, but I have never owned a suit I was prouder to wear than my father’s cut-off trousers. Of my mother’s three huts, one was used for cooking, one for sleeping and one for storage. In the hut in which we slept, there was no furniture. We slept on mats and sat on the bare floor. I did not discover pillows until much later. My mother cooked food in a three-legged iron pot over an open fire at the centre of the hut or outside. We grew all the food we ate at home. From an early age, I spent most of my free time in the field playing and fighting with the other boys of the village. A boy who remained at home tied to his mother’s apron strings was regarded as a weakling. At night, I shared my food and blanket with these same boys. I was no more than five when I became a herds boy looking after sheep and calves in the fields. I discovered the almost mystical attachment that the Xhosa have for cattle, not only as a source of food and wealth, hut as a blessing from God and a source of happiness. It was in the fields that I learnt how to knock birds out of the sky with a slingshot, to gather wild honey and fruits and edible roots, to drink warm, sweet milk straight from the udder of a cow, to swim in the clear streams, and to catch fish with twine and sharpened hits of wire. As boys, we were mostly left to our own devices. We played with toys we made ourselves. We moulded animals and birds out of clay. Nature was our playground. I learnt to ride by sitting atop weaned calves — after being thrown to the ground several times, one got the hang of it. I still love open spaces, the simple beauties of nature, and the clear blue skies. I don’t think my parents intended to take me to school. No one in my family had ever attended school. But a friend of my father’s, George Mbekela visited us one day and told my mother, ‘Your son is a clever young fellow. He should go to school.” My parents discussed it and decided to send me to school. (Adapted from Long walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela) 26. What can we tell about the writer from the first two sentences? a. His parents had very many babies. b. He grew up in the midst of many people. c. lie was never lonely. d. his relatives lived nearby. 27. We can tell from the first paragraph that the author’s community a. had no cousins, uncles or aunts. b. practised true love towards one another. c. must have been a very good place to live in. d. treated close relatives like members of the nuclear family 28. Which of the following best describes the lifestyle in the author’s home? a. simple. b. poor. c. backward. d. needy. 29. How do we know that although the author fought with the boys, they were not enemies? a. It was one way of occupying themselves. b. Even good friends light sometimes. c. That is what all boys usually do. d. They still shared food and slept together. 30. A boy who remained at home was probably a. obedient to his mother. b. despised by the others. c. not ready to be a herds boy. d. weak and fearful. 31. Which of the following alternatives best explains why the Xhosa people love cattle? a. Cattle give people food and much joy. b. Cattle arc a source of wealth, food and gladness. c. Cattle are a blessing and a source of food, wealth and joy. d. Cattle provide food, riches and employment for boys. 32. From what he learnt in the fields, we can conclude that the author was a. very adventurous, b. quite active. c. a fast learner. d. very curious. 33. What is meant by “we were Id to our own devices”’? a. We had to think of what to do. b. No one was allowed to interfere with us. c. We were free to do what we wanted. d. No one cared about us. 34. learning to ride calves was not easy because a. they were very difficult to control. b. one could easily fall off and hurt himself c. calves arc not really meant to be ridden. d. if caught. one can he punished 35. Which of the following statements is not true’? a. Mhekela thought the author was a clever boy. b. The author’s parents accepted Mhekela’s advice. c. The parents consulted before they made the decision. d. The author was sure his parents didn’t value education. 36. What can we conclude about the school? a. It catered for young boys. b. YOU had to be clever to go there. c. It must have been very small. d. You had to wear school uniform 37. Why do you think the author says, “1 must have been a comical sight”? a. It catered for young boys. b. YOU had to be clever to go there. c. It must have been very small. d. You had to wear school uniform 38. Which of the following would be the best title for this story? a. how I began school b. Life as a herdsboy. c. My early years in the village. d. The things I used to do. Click here to learn how to be a member in order to get answers. If you still are a member, click here to download answers
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AuthorMaurice A. Nyamoti is a teacher by profession and has passion for assisting students improve performance Archives
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