Question 25
ComprehensionJAMB 1987 Passage V: Record keeping
Developments in electronic science have transformed the art of record keeping the modern age. Traditionally, records of events were kept only in people's minds. It depended very much on the retentive power of the human memory. This was extremely dangerous as people either forgot events wholly or in part, or deliberately falsified details to suit their various interests. Interminable arguments were thus the order of the day. Even writing which replaced mental recording was not entirely free from these shortcomings as untruths could be written as true records either willingly or inadvertently. With the advent of the electronic memory, however, these dangers have been largely overcome. Recording on audio and video cassettes now show not what happened, but also who did or said what including how and when.
From the passage, we gather that writings almost
- A.as unreliable as human memory
- B.as reliable as electronic memory
- C.more reliable than electronic recording
- D.not to be compared to any recording system
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A (as unreliable as human memory)
Explanation
Writing 'was not entirely free from these shortcomings' of memory, since untruths could be written down, so it is almost as unreliable as memory.