Fathers of Nations Excerpt 18 Answers
Read the excerpt below and answer the questions that follow. (25 marks)
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 on Fathers of Nations Excerpt 18
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.
(6marks)
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)
ii) His
persona now was complete. (1 mark)
e)
Identify one stylistic device used in the
excerpt. (4 marks)
f)
Explain
the meaning of the following words used in the excerpt. (4 marks)
a)
The
writer says, 'Had anyone told him this happiness would one day end as it did,
he would have laughed himself upside down." What later happened to
Professor Kimani in the text? (2 marks)