Question 4
ComprehensionJAMB 1990 Passage I: The Emopa and the man-eating lions
As a rule the Emopa are very brave indeed, and are among the few Africans who still hunt lion with the spear. They also kill elephants, not for food but for spear blooding, or to prove their manhood. When elephants are located, there is great excitement and fierce competition among the young men. Each tries to be the first to blood his spear: the one who does so, claims the trophy. No young man is looked upon with favour by the girls until he has won his spurs by killing a dangerous animal.
But brave as the Emopa are, two fierce man-eaters completely overawed them. This was partly due to the cunning and boldness of the lions, partly to the fact that, when hunted, they would always retreat into dense riverine undergrowth, where it was impossible for a man to poise and throw a spear. Superstition had also added its quota to the fear with which they were regarded. It was said that before starting off on a raid the lions would retire to an open sandy place and there make two rows of depressions in the sand with their paws. Then, using twigs as counters, they would play the ancient game of 'baw' ( a game of unknown antiquity, which resembles draughts and is played all over Africa). If the omens were good they would raid a village and claim a victim; if not, they would wait. Another story had it that the lions were the spirits of two 'holy men' who had now come back in this shape to seek their revenge. So strongly was this view held that the local Emopa had petitioned a practising 'holy man' to come from a great distance to exorcise the spirits. He came with book, bell and candle and charged a fee of a hundred goats, but the lions continued their depredations. To add to the legend of the lions' invulnerability many famous hunters had tried on previous occasions to kill them and had failed owing to lack of time. This confirmed the Emopa's opinion that the lions were supernatural beings and that it was useless to hunt them.
But brave as the Emopa are, two fierce man-eaters completely overawed them. This was partly due to the cunning and boldness of the lions, partly to the fact that, when hunted, they would always retreat into dense riverine undergrowth, where it was impossible for a man to poise and throw a spear. Superstition had also added its quota to the fear with which they were regarded. It was said that before starting off on a raid the lions would retire to an open sandy place and there make two rows of depressions in the sand with their paws. Then, using twigs as counters, they would play the ancient game of 'baw' ( a game of unknown antiquity, which resembles draughts and is played all over Africa). If the omens were good they would raid a village and claim a victim; if not, they would wait. Another story had it that the lions were the spirits of two 'holy men' who had now come back in this shape to seek their revenge. So strongly was this view held that the local Emopa had petitioned a practising 'holy man' to come from a great distance to exorcise the spirits. He came with book, bell and candle and charged a fee of a hundred goats, but the lions continued their depredations. To add to the legend of the lions' invulnerability many famous hunters had tried on previous occasions to kill them and had failed owing to lack of time. This confirmed the Emopa's opinion that the lions were supernatural beings and that it was useless to hunt them.
The famous hunters failed to kill the lions because the
- A.lions were regarded as supernatural beings
- B.lions were cunning and bold
- C.Emopa used the spear to hut for the lions
- D.hunters did not have enough time
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: D (hunters did not have enough time)
Explanation
The last lines of the passage say the famous hunters tried to kill the lions and failed 'owing to lack of time'.