TRAVELLING, BY COURTESY OF OUR POLICE
A ridiculous incident happened when we were leisurely cruising through Elmina en route to
Sekondi. We had pulled into the University Circle to drop our Sports Master whom we had given
a lift when a police car frantically flagged us down. Our driver switched off the engine and looked
anxiously at the young policeman, who was sauntering leisurely towards us, trying very hard to
look important.
"Your papers!" the officer roared at no one in particular. Our driver's hand shot into the glove
compartment, his smile glowing with all the confidence in the world. So sure was he that his
documents were all there! Nothing! He gasped, cursed under his breath, and slouched back in his
seat. His face was a mask of despair.
"No need for all this drama," consoled the policeman. Then, promptly, his young face broke into
an impish grin. "Just hand over a five-thousand-cedi bribe, and shove off. It should have been two
thousand cedis, but you've wasted my time with all your Punch and Judy show," he teased.
There was no way out. Our driver paid up. Then, when we made as if to go, the policeman taunted,
"Drama Queen!!" We wondered if he deliberately used Feminine Gender to our driver to make
him feel the worse for the encounter.
QUESTIONS
1. Why was the Sports Master in the vehicle?
2. Why did the driver switch off the engine?
3. (i) What was the state of the driver when he realised there was nothing in the glove
compartment?
(ii) Quote two sentences in the passage to support your answer.
4. What figure of speech has been used in the expression: His face was a mask of despair?
5. Provide a synonym for each underlined word or phrase, which can also replace it in the passage.
6. According to paragraph 1, it is NOT true that
a. the situation of the writer and his friends was funny
b. they were in a hurry
c. the stopped at the university for a while
d. the driver was worried when the policeman stopped their car
7. Summarise the passage in not more than forty (40) words.