Reading Comprehension

Chief Fadaka wanted to extend his house but could not do so without losing his garden. It was a beautiful little garden which his wife had spent years cultivating till it became the envy of their friends and neighbours. Chief also liked to sit there to relax and forget the problems of the business world.

One day his friend, the Chairman of Dawodu and Dawodu, the Estate Agents, came to tell him that the trader who owned small house next to Chief's wanted to sell the place.

`Do you want us to get it for you?' asked Mr Dawodu. `And, if so, have you any special instructions or requests before we en¬ter into negotiations?'

`Of course I want it,' replied Chief Fadaka. `Where else would I find such a convenient place for my extension? You'd better hurry and secure it before someone else snatches it up. Ask your clerks to make the usual enquiries about title. Anyway, get it conveyed to me as soon as possible.'

`Do you mind how much it costs? You know, you'll not only be paying for the land but also for the house which you'll then have to pull down.'

'Don't worry about that,' said Chief Fadaka. `Just go ahead and get me the place.'

A week later Mr Dawodu came with the papers. `We've bought the place for you,' he announced. `Only the formalities re¬main to be completed.'

`How much did it cost?' asked Chief Fadaka.

`Oh, you got a bargain,' his friend replied. `We had valued the land and the little bungalow on it to be worth N25,000. But we got it for N18,000.'

`How did you manage to get it for so little?' asked Chief. `Well, the poor man had to sell in a hurry. Apparently, he had a small business, which had been doing fairly well. Then he got an unusually large order, and to raise cash to buy the stock he had to put together all his capital, borrow some money from a friend and obtain a short-term loan from his bank. He was on his way to Alaba to buy the goods when he was attacked by armed robbers who took all the money. So, he has to sell his house, wind up his business, repay the loans and retire to his home vil¬lage to farm. We took advantage of his desperate need for cash to beat him down to the amount that would cover his debts.'

`Would N25,000 have been sufficient to pay his debts and eave him enough to start his new venture at home?' asked Chief Fadaka.

`Oh, yes,' replied Mr Dawodu, rather surprised. `He has family land, but he would need some cash to be able to farm above subsistence farming level.'

'Then go and give him the remaining N7,000. I would never have one easy night's sleep if I made my house bigger and more comfortable by taking advantage of another man's misfortune.'

Turn the following questions into statements:

1. Was Chief Fadaka a business man?

2. Did Chief Fadaka have a beautiful little garden?

3. Had Chief Fadaka's wife spent a lot of time looking after the garden?

4. Did Chief Fadaka think his house was not big enough?

5. Was Chief Fadaka's friend an Estate Agent?

Turn the following statements into questions:

1. The Chief's neighbour was a trader.

2. The trader was planning to do bigger business before he was robbed.

3. The trader didn't have enough cash to fulfil the order he had received.

4. He had to borrow from a friend and from the bank.

5. He was attacked on his way to the market by armed rob¬bers.

Make commands using the following words. (Arrange them in the proper order, adding any words, e.g. at, the, you need to make correct command sentences.)

1. Door, John, open.

2. Mary, book, to me, quickly bring.

3. At home, exercise, do, carefully.

4. Talking, stop, now, and, work, begin.

5. Your name, top of paper, write.

6. For me, at the post-office, post, letters.