MC 111: Element Of Journalistic Style Past Questions

UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA

FACULTY OF ARTS, DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION

2009/2010 SESSION             

MC 111 ELEMENTS OF JOURNALISTIC STYLE

1a. Point out two functions each of any ten punctuation marks and make one original sentence to illustrate each function i.e. a total of twenty sentences

1. Copy out the following words, correcting their spellings where necessary:
2. sustainable ii. Strength iii. Embrass iv. Manure v. continuous vi. Shepherd vii. Coup de tat

viii. colloquium ix. Covenant x. receipt.

2a. Supply Synnym for each of the following words: i. fascinating ii. Insane iii. Diffident v. impasse v. panacea vi. Plethora vii. Challenging viii. Indigent ix. Dilapidated x. repercussion.

1. Supply one antonym for each of the following words: i. depreciate ii. Potent iii. Conceal iv rotund v. frank vi. Plebeian vii. Gorgeous viii. Detest ix. Jittery x. legible
2. Copy out each of the following sentences inserting only the correct one of the underlined words:

• Mr. Eziokwu spots/sport a face cap every day.
• The labour leader was arrested for championing the workers’ cause/course
• It’s not proper for a student to seat/sit while answering questions in class.
• I shall rip/reap out some material from this flowered sheet for a bandana
• Would you help me lose/loose this knot?
• The rainstorm seized/ceased after three days.
• The soldiers were subjected to a six-hour matching/marching drill.
• The tornado wrecked/wreaked substantial damage on the state.
• All the works cited/sited in her term paper were over a decade old
• I need to see the British consul/counsel for a visa
• Advice/Advise the Personnel Manager to wave/waive the written test for the latest applicant.
• The principle/principal moral/morale I learnt from the story is that kind deeds are sooner or later/latter rewarded.

1. make one sentence with each word in these word pairs to distinguish their meanings: i. complement/compliment ii. Soot/suit iii. Exalt/exult iv. Differ/defer

3a. Answer true or false to the following statements and supply the meaning of the underlined words in each case.

1. Astronaut is a synonym for astronomer
2. Vincent Enyeama and Kanu Nwankwo are compatriots

iii.  Grievance is the noun form of the verb, grieve

1. A bend and a bent are curves.
2. A zebra crossing is not meant for zebras
3. Latin Americans are so-called because they speak Latin

vii. Authors and composers often live on royalties

viii. Senility makes the aged harder to care for

1. An indigent student of UNN is a student from Enugu State.
2. If you’re fed up, it doesn’t mean you’ve had enough to eat.
3. Hair-splitting is a description of behavior and not of hairdressing

xii.       Simulated love is a charade that cannot be sustained       

3b. Fill in the blank spaces in this conversion table

Noun                           Verb                            Adjective

Prophecy                     Prophesy                     prophetic

Power                          ………                         ……….

………                          Mystify                        ………

………                           ……….                        Poor

Glamour                       ………                         ……….

………..                        Honour                       ……….

Gossip                          ………                         ………

………                          Stupefy                       ………..

Prescription                  ………..                       ………..

………….                      Prosper                       ……….

………….                       ………..                      Excellent

4a. Supply, with illustrations, three ways (learned through any style guide) of avoiding bias on the following subjects in your work: i. gender ii. Ethnicity and race.

1. Provide, with examples, three occasions when capitalization is called for according to The Record Style.
2. Discuss the features of the journalistic style

5a. Define the following terms: i. Idioms ii. Proverbs

1. Explain the meaning of ten of these idiomatic expressions:
2. go round the bed ii. all hell broke loose iii. Get even with someone iv. Put a dampener on something                v. make someone’s hair stand on end vi. Give up on someone vii. Act your age viii. Keep someone guessing ix. Waste your breath x. come hell or high water xi. Strut your stuff xii. To be on the same page with someone xiii. Not know someone from Adam xiv. Pay through the nose for something xv. Trying to run before you can walk. 
3. Explain the meaning of ten of these wise sayings:
4. ii. A leopard cannot change its spots.
5. Curiosity killed the cat

iii. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread

1. Every dog has its day
2. Lightning does not strike in the same place twice
3. You can’t keep a good man down.

vii. Every cloud has a silver lining

viii. Why keep a dog and bark yourself?

1. Everyone has a price
2. The apple never falls far from the tree
3. A watched pot never boils

xii. Don’t judge a book by its cover

xiii. Rome was not built in a day

xiv. The grass is always greener on the other side.

UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA

FACULTY OF ARTS, DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION

2010/2011 SESSION              MC 111 ELEMENTS OF JOURNALISTIC STYLE

Instructions: answer question 1 and any other two questions (i.e. three questions in all)

1a. Point out the sexist connotations in the popular use of the following terms:

1. Adonis and nymphet
2. Eligible bachelor and spinster

iii. Witch and wizard

1. Call boy and call girl
2. Man’s world
3. Bachelor and Master of Arts,

vii. Good husbandry

viii. Fair sex

1. Weaker sex
2. Officers and men.
3. Explain the meaning of “Sob sister roles” and “sinecures” in relation to media portrayal and placement of women.
4. identify five guidelines that can help a writer exhibit fair and equal treatment of both genders in his/her work.

2a. Add punctuation marks to this passage

If ever a contest is held to pick the most consistent truants in UNN Rubena and Diara Second year students of Mass Communication would be the undisputed winners Why do I say so These bomb shells as they call themselves don’t know the first thing about being undergraduates A rundown of their activities will convince you they hardly attend lectures they don’t submit assignments on schedule and last semester they were absent in half their exams

For friends they keep company with thugs from God’s own stage Abia who no surprisingly dropped out of this university several years ago Afterall birds of a feather they say flock together What a shame

1. Distinguish between the following punctuation marks, using, at least, one sentence to illustrate the proper use of each.
2. apostrophe and inverted comma ii. colon and semi-colon iii. dash and hyphen

1. Outline, with examples, ten items that you would be expected to capitalize on while writing

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