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Bacj 124:English For Journalists Question Paper
Bacj 124:English For Journalists
Course:Communication And Journalism
Institution: Kenya Methodist University question papers
Exam Year:2013
KENYA METHODIST UNIVERSITY
END OF 1ST TRIMESTER 2013 (DAY) EXAMINATION
FACULTY : EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT : COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM
UNIT CODE : BACJ 124
UNIT TITLE : ENGLISH FOR JOURNALISTS
TIME : 2 HOURS
Instructions
Answer all questions.
Question One
Read the story below and rewrite it in good grammar. (30 marks)
Primary and Secondary School teachers in Cameroon have given government up to next week to pay technically allowances promised them or they begin an indefinite strike action throughout the national territory.
The decision follows governments failure to honour an agreement reached between the government and six teachers trade unions in August last year to the effect that secondary school teachers would receive a monthly technical allowance of US $30 on top of their salaries and primary school teachers US $20 effective with from January 1, 2012.
Government workers started receiving their salaries late last week and when the teachers discovered that the allowances were not included in their salaries, a national alarm bell was raised resulting in the decision to go on strike by next week.
In fact, indeed, the salaries of some of the teachers, along with other civil servants were even slashed, an action seen as provocation by the teachers’ trade unions.
These amounts were the result of a middle-ground arrangement agreed upon between the teachers and government after government failed to honour the terms of Presidential Decree No2000/359 of December 3, 2000 granting monthly technical allowances of US $100 to secondary school teachers and US $70 to primary school teachers on top of their salaries.
When government failed to pay the decreed sums eleven years after the decree was signed, the teachers’ trade unions decided to call for a strike action in July last year. With end-of-year examination papers still unmarked, and a failed academic year and its profound consequences looking at government in the face, the Prime Minister and Head of Government Philemon Yang hurriedly called for negotiations disagreements between the teachers’ trade unions and government.
During the meeting , government pleaded cried that it was facing a financial squeeze hardship and so the teachers accepted a slash in the decreed technical allowances due them from US$100 to US$30 for secondary school teachers and from US$70 US$20 for primary school teachers.
"After slashing the sums decreed by President Paul Biya himself by more than 50% eleven years after the decree remained unimplemented, they cannot even pay the amounts we reluctantly agreed to after serious many negotiations. This is unacceptable", Barbara Oben Etchi, Head Teacher of the Government Central Primary School in Yaounde and an official of the primary school teachers’ trade union said tomorrow.
"We are dealing here with people who are not honourable so it is time we start treating them dishonourably", added a secondary school teachers’ trade union official. In fact, it is an open secret in Cameroon that the Biya government never honours financial arrangement unless the parties involved threaten strike action or violence.
Question Two
Choose the correct word from the choices provided to complete each of the following sentences.
If Wasike (throws, had thrown) the ball a yard (farther, further), that play (goes, went, would have gone) for a touch down.
The lawyer gave the newspaper wise (council, counsel) in (their, its) (liable, libel) suit.
The media (has, have) not served (their, its) audiences well.
Ibrahim was (arrested of, charged with) selling illegal drugs to a (miner, minor).
(10 marks)
Question Three
Insert the correct punctuation to complete the following sentences.
Light entered the room through cracks in the walls through holes in the roof and through one small window.
When it came to casting votes some councilors changed their minds and with their help the motion was passed.
Some years ago I lived in a section of the town infested with flies so I was forced to relocate.
In God we trust was not the motto on the first coin minted in the United States the first motto was mind your business.
The two pits on the side of the rattles snakes head enable him to detect the presence of a warm blooded even in the dark for the pits are sensitive to the slightest change change in temperature.
The fire fighters felt helpless and dejected for they could not do anything to rescue the child.
We can attend the public lecture on democracy or we can go to the field to play rugby.
Maria has talent and experience in fashion design yet she cannot find a job.
The house speaker was dressed in a dark grey suit a yellow tie red cotton shirt black socks and suede shoes.
In Nairobi smoking in public is prohibited and those found get harsh punishment.
(10 marks)
Question Four
Select the appropriate phrasal verbs to fill the spaces provided.
1. Dahiye’s health was _________due to hard labour.
Broken away
Broken down
Broken up
Broken out
(2) Judy was advised to _______the bad habit of smoking.
I. Get down
ii. Given
iii. Give up
Go up
(3) Jacob ____ debts due to flashy life style.
i. Fell into
ii. Came into
iii. Ran into
iv. Came across
(4) The doctors _________ the strike after a day long meeting with the minister
Medical services.
Worked on
Stood over
Ran out
Called.
(5) The congregation could not _____ what the preacher was talking about.
a. look out
b. Make out
c. Put out
d. Make up
(6) Ngugi wa Thiong’o __________as an excellent writer.
i. Turns up
ii. Comes by
iii. Looks up
iv. Turns out
(7) I could not _____ the name of the previous speaker.
a. Make out
b. Make up
c. Make over
d. Make for
(8) The good weather has________the prices of farm produce
a. Brought through
b. Brought out
c. Brought in
d. Brought down.
(9) All MPs have to ____the new election rules.
a. Go for
b. Go by
c. Go forth
d. Go back on
(10) The accountant advised his clients to _____something for bad days.
a. Keep on
b. Keep down
c. Keep up
d. Lay by (10 marks)
Question Five
Rewrite the following sentences in good grammar.
Marsha cancelled the funeral service after the dead man turned out to be alive.
Occasionally a prospector will gold the first time he had looked for it.
Before fertilizer was added the soil is prepared with watering and raking
The wailing of sirens announced the arrival of the motor cade; moments later, the president’s limousine comes into view.
Rashing to the sight of the crime, the prosective attorney was horrified at the grissly murder scene.
The national football team refused to buy their uniforms fro Gikomba market.
Flower farmers in Naivasha are troubled because the average price for their products diminished steadily since 2004.
In the final scene of the movie, the heroine screams when she opened the door to her closet.
Though the attackers were vastly outnumbered, the battle was won by them
The girl who is the favourite to win the race is in the process of warming up for the race at this very minute.
(10 marks)
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