Question 1
ComprehensionJAMB 1998 Passage I: The city of Jos
Those who have visited the city of Jos in Nigeria attest to its uniqueness. The first striking thing to notice, perhaps, is the benevolence of the climate. It will be no exaggeration to say that in no other Nigerian city does one feel so much at peace, so relaxed, with the climate as in Jos. When people say that Jos is cold, the remark is always a compliment, referring to the cool, serene feeling of being at peace with nature, which one experiences in the city. This feeling is topographically symbolized by the surrounding rocky hills, which adorn the horizon from every angle of the city. These hills remind you of castles, except that whereas castles are man-made, the hills of Jos are natural edifices in which the master mason who had delicately laid those stones one upon another is no other than God Himself. The sun of Jos shines without malice, and even in February and March, when it is scorchingly hot in most parts of Nigeria, the heat of Jos dances caressingly on the surface of the skin, as if afraid of hurting the organs beneath. It is as if from above, a soft protective layer of blanket intercedes between the heat of the sun and the inhabitants of the city.
Compared to what obtains in most other Nigerian cities, the inhabitants of Jos are openly warm. They are relaxed, and there is the absence of that suffocating feeling, with which a place like Lagos is associated, of a people madly rushing to their graves. The groceries operating at all nooks and crannies of the city give the impression of a great abundance of a variety of food items. It is almost as if some unseen hands are responsible for the presence of these varieties of edible items. The truth of course is that, in Jos, people ----civil servants, farmers and traders---- are socially well-disposed to the influx of new settlers and novel ideas, and this ensures an apparent high degree of self-sufficiency. You may be hungry in Jos, but you need not be angry
If other parts of Nigeria had been like Jos, surely, the colonialists would never have left the country without a good fight. Many monuments abound in the city which tell tales of the whiteman's love for this city of solid minerals.
Compared to what obtains in most other Nigerian cities, the inhabitants of Jos are openly warm. They are relaxed, and there is the absence of that suffocating feeling, with which a place like Lagos is associated, of a people madly rushing to their graves. The groceries operating at all nooks and crannies of the city give the impression of a great abundance of a variety of food items. It is almost as if some unseen hands are responsible for the presence of these varieties of edible items. The truth of course is that, in Jos, people ----civil servants, farmers and traders---- are socially well-disposed to the influx of new settlers and novel ideas, and this ensures an apparent high degree of self-sufficiency. You may be hungry in Jos, but you need not be angry
If other parts of Nigeria had been like Jos, surely, the colonialists would never have left the country without a good fight. Many monuments abound in the city which tell tales of the whiteman's love for this city of solid minerals.
The presence of a wide variety of edible items in Jos suggests that
- A.the inhabitants are great farmers and innovators
- B.the soil is extremely fertile and receptive
- C.there is a high influx of traders and farmers from other places
- D.it rains all the year round in the city and its environs.
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A (the inhabitants are great farmers and innovators)
Explanation
The passage says the people are welcoming to 'new settlers and novel ideas', which makes them self-sufficient in food; this points to hard-working, innovative farmers.