Read the passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
There is a fierce war going on in Africa which has attracted little public attention, but is nonetheless a serious business for all concerned. It is a war of Man versus Baboon. The conflict started when engineers built the magnificent bridge which skirts Victoria Falls and crosses the Zambezi River. That, apparently, gave the baboons” the opportunity they were looking for. They swarmed from the jungle across, the bridge in such numbers that trains were held up by chattering families of baboons. They swung from the girders and barked defiance at everyone driver, guard and passenger.
Recently, guests at the new tourist hotel at Victoria Falls have complained that trousers and other articles of clothing have been disappearing mysteriously at night. Socks, with suspenders attached, were found dangling from tree-tops in the nearby bush and it was realized that the baboons, not thieves, were the culprits. From that time, baboons became the declared enemy; Guests were entreated not to give them buns on the lawn at tea-time or encourage them in any other way.
A period of comparative peace followed, and then, a few weeks later, the baboons embarked on a new campaign at the new international airport at Livingstone: At first they confined themselves to racing across the runways when planes were coming in to land, but when one of them was found asleep in the cockpit of a south bound airliner, it was felt that the time had come for a drastic action. Then the authorities installed electric flares embedded in concrete alongside the runways. Only once did the baboons demonstrate in full force against the glare of the lights, attacking with sticks, stones and fists; but the light stood up to the onslaught and the attackers retreated.
The next stage in this strange conflict will be the erection of an electrified fence round the perimeter of the airport.
Such shock tactics, it is expected, will result in the baboons conceding defeat and completely abandoning their guerrilla warfare. But grey-headed Matabeles who have dwelt all their lives in the Zambesi Valley shake their heads gloomily. They have a legend that if the baboons disappear from Victoria Falls the river will dry up, and “The smoke that Thunders” will thunder no more.
Questions
(a) What was the reaction of the baboons after the new bridge had been built?
(b) What incident caused those in control at the airport to deal seriously with the baboons?
(c) What did the airport authorities do to forestall further intrusion by the baboons?
(d) What does the writer suggest as the final solution to the baboon problem?
(e) What fear do the Matabeles have about the efforts to get rid of the baboons?
(f)…the lights stood up to the onslaught…” What figure of speech is contained in the expression above ?
(g)..guests at the new tourist hotel at Victoria Falls…” (i) What grammatical name is given to this expression as it is used in the passage? (ii) What is its function?
(h) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the passage: (i) magnificent; (ii) culprits; (iii) entreated; (iv) drastic; (v) conflict; (vi) gloomily
