comprehension passage - cooperation - JSS3 English language Lesson Note
READING COMPREHENSION (from the New Oxford Secondary English Course for Senior Secondary Schools (3) New Edition by )
Read the following passage carefully and the exercise on it:
Cooperation
It is an obvious fact that man is a social animal who lives and works with human beings of his type. Through interaction with others, man has been able to accomplish many things. The importance of cooperation in any human venture cannot be overemphasised. Even we notice this cooperative instinct among insects such as termites. Termites work tirelessly in groups to build a mound where they operate. Through cooperation they succeed in doing a lot of damage as they eat the wood of trees and buildings.
What does cooperation really mean? It means carrying out any piece of work or duty assigned to you willingly, promptly and efficiently without being forced. When you obey the rules and regulations of a group or society, when you pay your taxes voluntarily, e.t.c you are said to be cooperating. Cooperation starts from home, within the family unit. Each member of the family has to cooperate so as to achieve the goal of the family. If there is lack of cooperation in the family, the father and the mother will be going in the opposite directions while the children will go in another direction. This will have adverse effects on each member of the family.
Let us again look at a football team- whether male or female. Many matches that could have been won have been lost because of lack of cooperation among teammates. The individual player wants to play to the admiration of the spectators. He wants to “shine” , to take the glory of scoring the goal single-handedly. But a tree does not make a forest. The team therefore ends up being defeated. When, however, each member of the team realises that if the match is won all members will be praised, he is fully determined and committed to the team. He cooperates with other members and eventually the match is won.
In the larger society, there is a need for cooperation to ensure the smooth running of the society. Cooperation comes in the form of paying taxes without being coerced, obeying the laws of the society voluntarily and seeking the good and the advancement of the society. When the individual carries out his or her assignment in the society, it will be observed that such a society will enjoy peace, progress and prosperity. If a person lives in a society and fails to cooperate, such a person will be considered a misfit.
What about school settings? For the school to achieve its purpose of existence there must be cooperation. A student who does not cooperate with the school authorities will have himself to blame. The student will end up with a woeful performance in his or her examinations. That reminds me of a popular saying of my former Principal. He used to say that school authority is a stone while a student is an egg. If the egg rolls to the stone, the egg will break. If the stone rolls to the egg,the egg will break. The egg therefore has to watch it.
Thus, it can be observed that cooperation is indispensable in all groups, organisations, associations, societies.
from (New Oxford Secondary English Course for Senior Secondary Schools (3) New Edition
authors - ayo banjo , uzoma onaga , ben elugbe , ayo akano)