This question is from the novel 'The Last Days at Forcados High school'. In three words, describe the principal ( Mr. Mallum) as described in the novel.

Analyze the question: This is a literature-in-English question on Abubakar Adam Ibrahim's... actually, The Last Days at Forcados High School is by Abubakar Gimba. It asks how the principal, Mr. Mallum, is physically described.

Recall from the novel: Mr. Mallum is presented as a small, thin, wiry man with a nasal voice, so he is described as speaking through his nose. He is a strict, no-nonsense head who is nevertheless committed to the school's discipline and progress. This matches the description in option A.

Eliminate the other options:

• B (fat, smooth-cheeked, loved his job): "fat" contradicts the small, wiry build.
• C (tall, good-looking, funny): not how the principal is portrayed. He is stern rather than funny.
• D (wicked, ugly, tall): "tall" contradicts his small frame, and "wicked" is too harsh a judgment for the character.

Mr. Mallum is small, wiry and speaks through his nose. I'm going from memory of the text here, so if you have your copy, it is worth checking the passage where he is first introduced.

Exam tip: For JAMB literature questions, link each character to one or two memorable traits (for example, "Mallum = small + nasal voice"). Then you can eliminate options that contradict those traits, such as "tall" or "fat".