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SubjectFree lesson

COMPREHENSION 1F

ClassNotes Team 13 MIN READUPDATED 13 JUN 2026

ENGLISH LANGUAGE JSS ONE THIRD TERM

WEEK SEVEN

THEME: READING

COMPREHENSION

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to;

  1. Read a given passages
  2. Answer questions are drawn from the passage

CONTENT

MUSIC

Read the following passage carefully:

   Have you thought of the fact that music is the one thing that has the power to make just about everyone happy? That is the magic mantra that we all have within us — the ability to hum along and listen to some great music. It is God’s gift to humanity and it is free! The poorest person can hear it played all around him on radios and loudspeakers. The seven pure swarms notes are as beautiful as the seven colours of the rainbow and as deep as the seven seas.

    Music can take us to ecstatic heights. Put your heart and soul into it and it fills you up with real happiness. All kinds of music are divine — and it doesn’t matter whether you listen to happy, sad, or joyful music. Any kind of music has the ability to uplift your mood and the power to recondition your mind.

    We hear it first in our mother’s womb as she listens to music or hums a tune. That is our first introduction to music. Then, when we are born, we hear our mothers and fathers sing lullabies for us. There is a particular rhythm in this. Then, as we grow up, we don’t realise just how quietly music becomes an integral part of our life. From nursery rhymes to the school parade, there is music all around us. By the time we are in junior school, music has already submerged our soul, but we don’t realise it.

  Music becomes even more important when we enter our teen years. No party or function is complete without it. Whether at a disco, a birthday party, or even a marriage function, we can’t seem to have enough of it. The way we listen to music changes as we grow up. In midlife, we begin listening to more meaningful music — soulful, and even devotional, perhaps. Over the years, you find yourself attuned to music that touches the mind, heart, and soul. We become more compassionate and start seeing the world differently.

 It even treats illnesses. People use it to battle stress and find true solace in it.

Questions

(1) Where all do we listen to music?

We listen to music right from the time we are in our mother’s womb, once we are born our parents sing lullabies for us, then we learn nursery rhymes and songs in school.

Choose the word which is closest in meaning to the words given below.

(2) ecstatic

          (i) sad                                                     (ii) extreme happiness

         (iii) joy                                                     (iv) moody

(3) uplift

           (i) to climb stairs                                     (ii) to lift the weight

           (iii) to take one to a different level       (iv) to throw down

(4) submerged

               (i) to take deep into                              (ii) to be afloat

               (iii) to fall                                            (iv) to drown

(5) solace

                 (i) disturbance                                    (ii) joy

                 (iii) anger                                           (iv) calmness

 

THEME: WRITING

COMPOSITION

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to;

  1. Read through the topic
  2. Jot down main and supporting ideas
  3. Write on the issue of HIV/AIDS
  4. State the causes of HIV/AIDS

CONTENT

Human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). During the initial infection, a person may experience a brief period of influenza-like illness.

This is typically followed by a prolonged period without symptoms. As the illness progresses it interferes more and more with the immune system, making people much more likely to get infections, including opportunistic infections, and tumours that do not usually affect people with working immune systems.

Genetic research indicates that HIV originated in west-central Africa during the early twentieth century. AIDS was first recognized by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1981 and its cause, HIV infection was identified in the early part of the decade.

Since its discovery, AIDS has caused nearly 30 million deaths (as of 2009). As of 2010, approximately 34 million people have contracted HIV globally. AIDS is considered a pandemic —a disease outbreak which is present over a large area and is actively spreading.

HIV/AIDS has had a great impact on society, both as an illness and as a source of discrimination. The disease also has significant economic impacts. There are many misconceptions about HIV/AIDS such as the belief that it can be transmitted by casual non-sexual contact. The disease has also become subject to many controversies involving religion.

Causes

HIV is caused by a virus. It can spread through sexual contact or blood, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breast-feeding.

How does HIV become AIDS?

HIV destroys CD4 T cells — white blood cells that play a large role in helping your body fight disease. The fewer CD4 T cells you have, the weaker your immune system becomes.

You can have an HIV infection, with few or no symptoms, for years before it turns into AIDS. AIDS is diagnosed when the CD4 T cell count falls below 200 or you have an AIDS-defining complication, such as serious infection or cancer.

How HIV spreads

To become infected with HIV, infected blood, semen or vaginal secretions must enter your body. This can happen in several ways: By having sex. You may become infected if you have vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected partner whose blood, semen or vaginal secretions enter your body. The virus can enter your body through mouth sores or small tears that sometimes develop in the rectum or vagina during sexual activity.

By sharing needles. Sharing contaminated IV drug paraphernalia (needles and syringes) puts you at high risk of HIV and other infectious diseases, such as hepatitis.

From blood transfusions. In some cases, the virus may be transmitted through blood transfusions. American hospitals and blood banks now screen the blood supply for HIV antibodies, so this risk is very small. During pregnancy or delivery or through breast-feeding. Infected mothers can pass the virus on to their babies. Mothers who are HIV-positive and get treatment for the infection during pregnancy can significantly lower the risk to their babies.

THEME: SPEECH WORK

PHRASES

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to;

  1. Listen to different speeches paying attention to phrases
  2. Identify phrase in sentences and passages
  3. Use phrases in making the sentence

CONTENT

A phrase is a group of two or more words that work together but doesn’t form a clause. In truth, “phrase” is a very broad term that we often use as a name for sayings, quotes, or other parts of everyday speech.

It’s important to know the difference between a phrase and a clause. As you might know, a clause must include a subject and a predicate. A phrase, however, doesn’t contain a subject and a predicate, so while it’s found within a clause, a phrase can’t be a clause. Instead, a phrase can be made up of any two or more connected words that don’t make a clause. For example, “buttery popcorn” is a phrase, but “I eat buttery popcorn” is a clause.

Because it isn’t a clause, a phrase is never a full sentence on its own.

Examples of Phrases

Phrases are a huge part of speaking and writing in English.  Here are a few you are probably familiar with, and their types, which will be explained later:

  • Once in a blue moon (prepositional phrase)
  • Reading a book (present participle phrase)
  • To be free (infinitive phrase)
  • Totally delicious food (noun phrase)
  • Running water (gerund phrase)

As you can see, none of the groups of words above is full sentences, but they still work together—which is why we have phrases!

Types of Phrases

The English language has an endless number of phrases. Different types of phrases serve different purposes and have different functions within sentences. All of the types here are both important and used all of the time in our everyday language. In fact, you probably use all of these types and just don’t know their names!

    1. Prepositional Phrase

A prepositional phrase is a phrase that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun, pronoun, or clause (called the object of the preposition). For example,

  • The dog is at the county fair

In this sentence, “at the county fair” begins with a preposition (at) and ends with a noun (carnival), making it the prepositional phrase.

b. Participle Phrase

A participle phrase begins with a past or present participle and is usually combined with an object or modifier. Present participles always end in ing, but past participles vary; regular verbs end in ed while irregular words are different. Participle phrases work like adjectives, describing something in the sentence:

  • I saw the dog running towards the county fair  (the present participle)
  • The dog ran towards the county fair. (past participle)

In the first sentence, the participle phrase “running towards the county fair” works as an adjective. It combines the present participle “running” with “towards the county fair” to describe the dog. In the second, the past participle “ran” does the same. Here are two more examples:

  • Eating popcorn, the dog was very happy.
  • The dog’s belly was stuffed with popcorn.

The participle phrase underlined in the first sentence describes the dog, and the participle phrase in the second describes the dog’s belly.

      1.  Noun Phrase

A noun phrase has a noun or pronoun as the main word and acts like a noun in a sentence. Sometimes it includes a modifier, like an adjective, for example, “big dog” and “brown fur.” Or, a noun phrase can be longer, like “the big dog with brown fur.” Here’s a full sentence:

  • The big dog with hot popcorn ran to the county fair.

You can tell that the underlined phrase acts as a noun because you could switch it with a single noun, like a dog, and the sentence would still be correct. Here’s another example:

  • I bought a neon green ten-speed bicycle.

Again, let’s switch out the underlined phrase with a single noun to make sure the noun phrase works properly:

  • I bought a bicycle.

So, you can see that replacing the noun phrase with the single noun “bicycle” still gives us a correct complete sentence.

      1. Infinitive Phrase

Quite simply, infinitive phrases start with an infinitive (to + simple form of a verb), and include modifiers or objects.

  • The dog likes to eat popcorn.

The phrase above uses the infinitive “to eat” combined with the object “popcorn.” Here’s another:

  • I want to pet the dog.
      1.   Gerund Phrase

A gerund phrase begins with a gerund (a word ending in ing), and includes modifiers or objects.

  • The dog ate steaming popcorn.

Here, the gerund “steaming” is combined with the object “popcorn” to create a gerund phrase. Here’s another example:

  • Running water is hard to find in this small village.

Like noun phrases, gerund phrases always work as nouns, and that’s how you tell the difference between a gerund phrase and a present participle phrase. A gerund phrase can replace a noun, while a participle phrase works like an adjective. Compare these two sentences:

  • The dog ate steaming popcorn.                             Gerund phrase showing what the dog eats (noun)
  • The dog was steaming popcorn for the party.       Participle phrase describing the dog’s action (adjective)

 

      1. Appositive Phrase

An appositive phrase is a noun or noun phrase that gives another name to the noun next to it. It makes a sentence more descriptive:

  • The dog’s favourite food, popcorn
  • The dog’s favourite food, hot, salty, buttery popcorn

In both lines above, the underlined parts are appositive phrases that give another name to the noun phrase “the dog’s favourite food.” Here’s are two more:

  • The popcorn-eater was a big fluffy beast, a dog.
  • The popcorn-eater was a dog, a beagle.

The first sentence describes the dog and then names what it is. The second sentence says the dog, and then specifies what type of dog. Appositive phrases always follow this form.

THEME: GRAMMATICAL ACCURACY

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to;

  1. Identify active and passive voices
  2. Change active to passive voices

CONTENT

Active Form

Inactive sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object. Most sentences are active.

[Thing doing action] + [verb] + [thing receiving action]

Passive Form

In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence. You can use the passive form if you think that the thing receiving the action is more important or should be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not know who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention who is doing the action.

[Thing receiving action] + [be] + [past participle of verb] + [by] + [thing doing action]

Changing Active voice to passive voice

  1. Simple Present
  • Once a week, Tom cleans the house.
  • Once a week, the house is cleaned by Tom.
  • Present Continuous
  • Right now, Sarah is writing the letter.
  • Right now, the letter is being written by Sarah.
  1. Simple Past
  • Sam repaired the car.
  • The car was repaired by Sam.
  1. Past Continuous
  • The salesman was helping the customer when the thief came into the store.
  • The customer was being helped by the salesman when the thief came into the store.
  1. Present Perfect
  • Many tourists have visited that castle.
  • That castle has been visited by many tourists.
  1. Present Perfect Continuous
  • Recently, John has been doing the work.
  • Recently, the work has been being done by John.
  1. Past Perfect
  • George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic's license.
  • Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic's license.
  1. Past Perfect Continuous
  • Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris.
  • The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris.
  1. Simple Future will
  • Someone will finish the work by 5:00 PM.
  • The work will be finished by 5:00 PM.
  1. Simple Future
  • be going to
  • Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight.
  • A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight.
  1. Future Continuous will
  • At 8:00 PM tonight, John will be washing the dishes.
  • At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes will be washed by John.
  1. Future Continuous

be going to

  • At 8:00 PM tonight, John is going to be washing the dishes.
  • At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes are going to be being washed by John.