JAMB Use of English 1983 Question 14

Question 14

Comprehension
JAMB 1983 Passage III: The Save the Children Fund in Malawi
The Save the Children Fund (SCF) was first started in London on 19th May, 1919 by an English woman-named Miss Jebb. It is now a worldwide organization, dedicated to helping needy children everywhere. The SCF of Malawi was formed in 1953, under the patronage of His Excellency the Life President Ngawazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda.

'Our job in Malawi is to give those unfortunate children the rights that they are deprived of through no fault of theirs. These are internationally recognized as the ten rights of children and include protection, care, food and accommodation, and relief, a spokesman for the Fund explained.

One of those who benefited from the help of the Fund is Samuel Mpetechula, a graduate of Chancellor. His sponsorship started in 1967. The SCF of Malawi found him sponsors. They were Mr and Mrs Sutton of Australia who paid his school fees and continued to help him financially throughout his University education.

Mr. Mpetechula said, 'They even built a house for me at home and looked after my family while I was a student. They were really helpful to me, and the thought that there were these sponsors caring, for me from thousands of kilometres away from here was an encouragement for me to work hard at college'.

Another important function of the work of the SCF is in the field of nutrition. With the help of the Australian Government, the SCF established two nutrition rehabilitation centres for children; one at Mpemba and another in Mulanje'

The object of the centre's, explained Mr. Petre Chimbe, the Executive Secretary of the Fund, 'is to combat malnutrition in children, by giving them the proper food'.

In questions 14 and 15 choose the meaning which best fits the underlined phrases taken from the passage. Combat malnutrition means

  1. A.struggle against the eating of the wrong type of food
  2. B.fight ill health caused by over-feeding
  3. C.wipe out ignorance
  4. D.fight to wipe out ill-health caused by lack of food
  5. E.fight against hunger
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (fight to wipe out ill-health caused by lack of food)

Explanation

Malnutrition is ill-health from not getting enough proper food, and to combat it is to fight it.