Fathers of Nations excerpts questions and answers-set 1

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This document contains 6 KCSE excerpts questions and answers for Fathers of Nations

6. Read the extract below and then answer the questions that follow:
Professor Kimani joined the University of Nairobi directly as a senior lecturer.
Even before taking off, he was already flying. There was a reason. Kenya,
Tanzania, and Uganda had just dismantled théir University of East Africa.
Kenya’s part of the university, now renamed the University of Nairobi, found
itself with a vacancy it had to fill immediately in its Institute of Development
Studies.
Professor Kimani, who had just completed his studies at the University of
Oxford, wrote from there to say he wanted to fill it. To ensure he came and filled
it for sure, the University of Nairobi raised his entry point from that of a lecturer
to that of a senior lecturer.
He came. Only a month after his arrival, he launched a noisy debate in which he
demanded that the University of Nairobi henceforth strive for relevance to the
society rather than simply excellence of its work. It was not clear exactly what he
meant by relevance to the society rather than simply excellence of its work. It
was not clear exactly what he meant by relevance to the society. However, a
short six months later, he prevailed. The university’s official motto became,
‘Relevance to the society’.
After winning this war, he started another war which was even noisier. Now he
wanted the university to be an agent of change, not a mere spectator of it. This
was when people still thought this view was too radical and
ridiculed it as simple- minded. So, not surprising, some of his colleagues,
puzzled by his refusal to see that it was simple-minded, did or said little,
convinced that he would fall on his face before long and self-destruct on his own
without their help.
He did not care. After all, his antics in wars that he had started, and won, had
also won him the heart of a campus beauty queen. Her name was Asiya Omondi.
He married her on a rainy but approving Saturday, to claps of thunder and
flashes of lightning. How marriage then accelerated academic success! A
professorship soon followed. After that achievement, he felt fulfilled. His
persona now was complete. Had anyone told him this happiness would one day
end as it did, he would have laughed himself upside down.
QUESTIONS
a) After Kimani fills a vacancy in University of Nairobi’s Institute of
Development Studies, he demands for two changes at the university in quick
succession. What are these changes? (2 marks)
b) Identify and illustrate three characters traits of Kimani brought out in this
excerpt. (6 marks)
c) Discuss three themes raised in the excerpt. (6 marks)
d) (i) To ensure he came and filled it for sure, the University of Nairobi raised his
entry point from that of a lecturer to that of a senior lecturer. (Write beginning
with the main clause). (1 mark)
e) Identify two stylistic devices used in the excerpt. (4 marks)f) The writer says,
‘Had anyone told him this happiness would one day end as it did, he would have
laughed himself