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USE OF ENGLISH
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 2010 JAMB USE OF ENGLISH QUESTIONS

COMPREHENSION: Read each Now there is one outstanding

passage carefully and answer the important fact regarding
questions that follow it Spaceship Earth, and this is that
no instruction book came with it.
PASSAGE I I think it is very significant that
there is no instruction book, for
One of the interesting things to successfully operating of our ship,
me about spaceship is that it is a in view of the infinite attention to
mechanical vehicle, just as an all other details displayed by our
automobile. If you own a car, you ship.
realize that you must put oil and
gas into it, and you must put It must be taken as deliberate
water in the radiator and take and purposeful that an instruction
care of the care as a whole. book was omitted. Lack of
instruction has forces us to find
You begin to develop quite a little out that there are two kinds of
thermodynamic sense. You know mangoes – unripe mangoes that
that you are either going to have will kill us and ripped mangoes
to keep the machine in a good which will nourish us.
order or it is going to be in
trouble and fail to function. And we had to find out ways of
telling which-was-which mangoes
We have not been seeing our before we ate it or otherwise we
Spaceship Earth as an integrally would die. So we were forced,
designed machine which to be because of this to devise scientific
persistently successful, must be experimental procedures and to
comprehended and serviced in interpret effectively the
total. significance of the experimental

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findings. Thus, because the progressively the system of
instruction manual was missing, generalized principles governing
we are learning how we can safely increase of energy. The design
survive on the planet. omission of the instruction book
forced man to discover
Quite clearly, all living being are retrospectively just what his most
utterly helpless at the moment of important capabilities are.
birth. The human child stays He learned to generalize
helpless longer that the young of fundamental principles of
any species. universe.

Apparently, it is part of ‘invention’ Adapted from Oluikpe, B.O. et

that man is meant to be utterly al (2005) Intensive English for
helpless through certain Senior Secondary School 2,
anthropological phases. When he Onitsha: AFP
begins to be able to get on a little
better, he is meant to discover 1. Which Use of English Paper
some of the physical principles Type is given to you?
inherent in the universe as well as
the many recourses around him A. Type A
which will further multiply his B. Type B
knowledge. C. Type C
D. Type D
Designed into this Spaceship
Earth’s total wealth was a big 2. According to the writer, the
safety factor. This allowed man to exciting thing about Spaceship
be very ignorant for a long time Earth is that
until he had amassed enough
experiences from which to extract A. has no instruction manual

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B. it is not difficult to maintain A. non-committal
C. is peculiar to other automobiles B. pessimism
D. is relatively easy to operate C. optimism
D. frustration
3. The absence of instruction
manual in Spaceship Earth has PASSAGE II

A. made the operation of the Stress is by far the most common

Spaceship Earth difficult cause of ill health in our society,
B. forced man to devise other and may be the underlying cause
means of travelling in spacecraft of as many as 70-80% of all visits
C. challenged man’s to family doctors. It is also the
inquisitiveness problem that every doctor shares
D. made man helpless with patients.

4. From the passage, it can be Experts note that stress is an

deduced that man issue everyone can relate to
experimentally. In studying and
A. learns by experiment and better understanding about
education stress, we can derive personal as
B. learns by chance and well as professional benefits.
accidentally
C. is incapable of solving all his Stress can be overcome without
problems undergoing duress. They often
D. by his nature is in constant say anyone who wants to help
search of knowledge someone deal with his/her stress
should learn to handle his/hers
5. The writer’s mood in the first. The manifestations of stress
passage is that of are legion. It can contribute or

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mimic just about any symptom To master stress-change, you
you can think of. However, the have to figure out what you are
main symptoms are physical, doing that is contributing to your
mental, emotional and problem and change it. These
behavioural. changes fall into behaviour,
thinking, lifestyle choices and / or
The causes of stress are multiple situations you are in. By getting
and varied but they can be to the root cause of your stress,
classified into external and you can prevent recurrences.
internal. External stressors can
include relatively getting sick or As a way of draining off stress
dying, jobs being lost or people energy, nothing beats aerobic
criticising or one becoming angry. exercise. To understand why, we
However, most of the stress need to review what stress is.
people experience is self- People often think of stress as
generated. pressure at work, a demanding
boss, a sick child or rush-hour
Experts tell us that we create the traffic.
majority of our upset indicating
that because we cause most of These may be triggers but stress
our own stress, we can do is actually the body reaction to
something about it. This gives us factors such as these. Stress is
a measure of choice and control the fight-or-flight response in the
that we do not always have when body, mediated be adrenaline and
outside forces acts on us. This other stress hormones, and
also leads to a basic premise comprised such physiologic
about stress reduction. changes as increased in heart rate
and blood pressure, faster
breathing, muscle tension, dilated

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pupils, dry mouth and increased Adopted from VANGUARD,
blood sugar. In order word, stress 19TH March, 2008
is the state of increased arousal
necessary for an organism to 6. The expression, … stress is an
defend itself at a time of danger. issue everybody can relate to
experimentally, means that
Exercise is the most logical way to
dissipate the excess energy. It is A. it is better understood when
what our bodies are trying to do experienced
when we pace around or tap our B. its problem can be solved by
legs and fingers. It is much better everybody
to channel it into a more complete C. everybody avoids it
form of exercise like a brisk walk, D. everybody encounters it.
a run, a bike ride, or a game of
squash. 7. Which of the following is true
according to the passage?
Just as we are all capable of
mounting up and sustaining a A. Stress is mostly caused by
stress reaction, we have also internal factors
inherited the ability to put our B. Stress can only be avoided
bodies into a state of deep during relaxation
relaxation called the ‘relaxation C. Stress is better handled by the
response’. individual
D. The issues of stress can be
In this state, all the physiologic solved with no effort
events in the stress reaction are 8. According to the passage, the
reversed. Pulse slows, blood major step in controlling stress is
pressure falls, breathing slows
and muscle relax.

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A. changing one’s attitude to PASSAGE III
stressors
B. understanding the history of There are many indicators with
disease which to assess or measure
C. visiting family doctors for corruption. One of them is the
check-up and treatment affluent living habit of the public
D. constant exercise to dissipate official compared to his / her
every energy income.

9. The experts feel one can Corruption occurs when a public

control one’s stress because official expects to be induced to
perform an act which that public
A. its causes are understandable officials is ordinarily required to
B. it is not difficult to control do by law.
C. external factors contribute less
stress Corruption can slow down
D. it is individually initiated development. One of the most
widely discussed consequences of
10. From the passage, it can be corruption is the distortion of
deduced that stress is governmental expenditure. This
often results in public money
A. hormonal disorder in the body being wasted on white elephant
system projects, rather than people
B. individually induced problems oriented services, such as health
C. bodily reaction to internal and education.
factors
D. bodily reaction to external As a result, more opportunities
factors are presented for corrupt use or
diversion of funds. Raising the

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ethical standard of governance people is reduced. Bribery, for
can lead to many benefits example, is universally regarded
especially for the economic, as a crime, but it also reflects
political and social development of socio-economic problems that
a country. require broad-based preventive
measures, and the involvement of
Fighting corruption and promoting the society at large.
governance is therefore crucial to
developing an environment that Another implication of global
facilitates the social, political and measures against corruption in
economic development of the making government work better
people. by improving the economy.

However, while there are often Finally, redesigning political and

general statement made about regulatory structures will reduce
the effect of corruption on poverty corruption and other anti-system
and development. There is not an players that encourage corrupt
explicit recognition that corruption practice.
is more than just wealth
misappropriation or abuse of 11. According to the writer,
power. corruption is triggered off by

Corruption impoverishes countries A. unnecessary affluence

and deprives their citizens of good B. selfish interest
governance. It destabilizes C. private officials
economic systems. When crime D. public officers
and other illegal activities flourish, 12. From the passage, one of the
basic public functions are eroded consequences of corruption is that
and the quality of life of the

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A. large projects are executed A. send the corrupt to yell
B. it is beneficial to wealth people B. promote good governance
whole stole public wealth C. punish corrupt politicians
C. it impedes the progress of a D. make people richer
nation
D. people get what they want with PASSAGE IV
so much money to spend
The passage below has gaps
13. Who, according to the writer numbered 16 to 25.
should prevent corruption? Immediately following each
gap, four options are
A. Lawyers and Police provided. Choose the most
B. Corrupt public officers appropriate option for each
C. The government gap.
D. The people
Each question carries 2 marks
14. Which of the following is an
indication of ethical standard of Drought is a word that invokes
governance? strong emotions. This is not
surprising as the … 16 … [A.
A. Fundamental human right ideology B. phenomenon C. idea
B. Socio-economic instability D. component] is usually
C. Democratic governance accompanied by a number of
D. Bloated expenditure unpleasant developments. These
developments have … 17 … [A.
15. The essence of fighting feedback B. Results C.
corruption, according to the Implications D. outcomes] for all
passage, is to citizens, starting from the peasant
farmers to the state and federal

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governments which may be One has to do with emergency
plunged into emergency and measures and the other with
crises situations which, if not …22… [A. routine B. organized C.
successfully …18… [A. managed urgent D. delayed] measures. An
B. examined D. studied] could immediate consequence of any
result in social unrest. drought would be famine.

The timeliness of the onset of the In addition, where whole

rains in various regions of the populations are forced to abandon
country and their adequate their lands or pastures in search
distribution thereafter have of food, there are bound to be
become …19… [A. objects B. other lasting and …23… [A.
subjects C. issues D. topics] of longitudinal B. objective C.
considerable anxiety to all people. simultaneous D. parallel]
consequences such as distress,
The fact, however, is that periodic sales of cattle by livestock owners
reduction in normal …20… [A. in order to buy food.
amount B. supply C. size D. flood]
of rainfall in the country is not Government should provide
new. farmers with agricultural inputs
Since large areas of the country and ensure that they have easy
are drought prone, the access to these inputs under the
consequences are …21… [A. relief …24… [A. action B. process
effective B. disastrous C. evident C. scheme D. plan].
D. inevitable]. Dry spells could be
very severe. There are two Emergency measures will be
aspects of coping with drought. much more …25… [A. normal B.
correct C. idealistic D. effective] if
a mechanism is established to

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ensure adequate preparedness D. He takes a rather hazy view of
and defence against the his members
occurrence of drought.
27. People are not interested in
Adapted from Oluikpe, B.O.A. et who rules.
al (2005) Intensive English for
Senior Secondary School, A. People are not ruled by the
Onitsha: Lexis, Structure and Oral leaders they want
Forms B. People are not concerned about
who rules them
In each of questions 26 to 35, C. The rulers are not concerned
select the option that best about the people
explains the information D. People who rule are not
conveyed in the sentence. interested in the ruled

Each question carries 2 marks. 28. It was good to steer a middle

course in whatever one does.
26. Though Mr. Iro is a new
chairman, he views other A. It is always good to get
members with jaundiced eye. midway in anything one does
B. It is always good to act with
A. He takes a rather forceful moderation
position on dealing with his C. It is always good to move away
members from the forefront
B. He takes an unfavourable D. It is always good to work very
position concerning his members hard.
C. He takes a sickly view of his
members 29. The witness said he had no
axe to grind with his brothers

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A. He had no hatred for the B. he managed to give a speech
brothers out of a difficult situation
B. He had no axe and therefore C. he managed to get himself out
stole the matchet of a difficult situation
C. He had no axe and therefore D. he managed to talk on his way.
borrowed their matchet
D. He had no vested interest in 32. As regards the matter, we
the brothers have crossed the rubicon

30. The footballers moved with A. we are completely at a loss

their tails between their legs. B. we are irrevocably committed
C. we are already qualified
A. they moved happily because D. we are perfectly committed
they won the match
B. they were unhappy because 33. Uche is full of himself
they had been despised by their
opponents A. He is conceited
C. they were ashamed because B. He is complete
they had been defeated C. He is a rich man
D. they moved with their tails D. He is careful.
between their legs.
34. As debutants in that
31. The headmaster managed to tournament, the Super Eagles
talk his way out of having to give were up against their first
a speech opponents by three goals to nill

A. he delivered a speech despite A. The Super Eagles were playing

the difficulty in the tournament for the first

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time, but they won their match by D. She was mourning because her
three goals to nothing husband drank and died
B. Though the Super Eagles were
rated as the weakest side in the In each of question 36 to 50,
tournament, they won their first choose the option opposite in
match by three goals to nill meaning to the word or
C. Even though the Super Eagles phrase in italics.
were playing without some of
their regulars, they won their 36. I am optimistic about the
match by three goals to nill. interview though it was a mind-
D. As the best attackers in the bending exercise
match, the Super Eagles easily
defeated their opponents by three A. An enervating
goals to nothing. B. A debilitating
C. A difficult
35. The woman was mournful as D. An easy
her husband was found dead
drunk 37. The trader was amused by the
cut-throat rush for the goods
A. She was sad because of her
husband was absolutely drunk A. Worrisome
B. She was apprehensive that her B. Strange
husband would drink again as C. Lacklustre
soon he recovered from the D. Mad
drunken stupor 38. The teacher said that Ali’s
C. She was sad because her essay was full of many redundant
husband was drunk and always as details
helpless as a dead man
A. Unexplained

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B. Strange 42. Beneath Ado’s guff exterior,
C. Necessary he’s really very kind-hearted
D. Useful
A. Nice
39. His father surmounted the B. Harsh
myriad of obstacles on his way C. Rough
D. Gentle
A. Most
B. Few 43. The captain says sports is
C. All being debased by commercial
D. Many sponsorship

40. Her ingenuous smile drew our A. Localized

attention B. Perverted
C. Elevated
A. Witty D. Overvalued
B. Naïve
C. Clever 44. Governing a country is not
D. Arrogant always as straightforward as
people sometimes imagine
41. Ndeni gave a flawless speech
at the party A. Complicated
B. Troublesome
A. A wonderful C. Untoward
B. A careless D. Irksome
C. An interesting 45. The crowd was very receptive
D. An imperfect to the speaker’s suggestion

A. Disobedient

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B. Repellent 49. The weather was still very
C. Alert heavy and sultry
D. Hostile
A. Wintry and shadowy
46. There was a general B. Cold and friendly
acquiescence on the new drug law C. Cloudy and thundery
D. Hot and uncomfortable
A. Resistance
B. Discrepancy 50. Ada gave her husband a look
C. Compromise that made words superfluous
D. Agreement
A. Redundant
47. Aisha seems to feel B. Spurious
ambivalent about her future C. Unnecessary
D. Scanty
A. Decisive
B. Anxious In each of questions 51 to 65,
C. Ambitious choose the option nearest in
D. Inconsiderate meaning to the word or
phrase in italics
48. The report of the committee
contained a plethora of details 51. A political Impasse does not
offer the best opportunity for
A. Shortage merrymaking
B. Simplicity
C. Multitude A. manifesto
D. Spectrum B. party
C. gridlock
D. rally

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52. We were all enthusiastic as A. expensive
we awaited the result of the B. foreign
election C. insipid
D. cheap
A. bemused
B. agitated 56. Kaltume crouched over the
C. elated paper on her desk
D. nervous
A. wrote on
53. The uniform makes the B. stood on
guards look absurd C. walked over
D. bent over
A. dirty
B. smart 57. The panacea for a country’s
C. sensible economic mess lies in systematic
D. ridiculous planning and hardwork

54. The law is often tardy in A. cure

reacting to changing attitude B. hope
C. foresight
A. quick D. trouble
B. slow
C. exclusive 58. Thousands of workers have
D. generous been victims of retrenchment
since the military came back to
55. Isa and llu ate sumptuous power
meal on their brother’s wedding
day A. Unemployment
B. Trench mentality

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C. Suffering 62. The director’s remark was
D. Increase in penury extremely apposite to the issue
being discussed
59. The principal gave his speech
offhand at the sports meeting A. Appropriate
B. Inconsequential
A. calmly C. Emphatic
B. beautifully D. Adequate
C. unconcerned
D. unprepared 63. Her reputation is without a
blemish
60. Jankoli was dressed in an old
assortment of clothes A. Struggle
B. Problem
A. Avalanche C. Fault
B. Homogeneity D. Blessing
C. Sameness
D. Melange 64. Ugo is eligible for the post of
secretary
61. The girl’s father was
astounded to see her appear from A. Nominated
the shrine B. Invited
C. Qualified
A. collected D. Intelligent
B. Overwhelmed
C. embarrassed 65. This is an abridged version of
D. Astonished No Longer at Ease

A. An outdated

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B. An enlarged B. that was the girl I told you
C. An illustrated about her
D. A shortened C. that was the girl I told her
about
In each of question 66 to 85, D. that is the girl he told her
choose the option that best about
completes the gap(s)
69. Last Monday his father asked
66. Lemoti……… as a painter, but me ……..
also as a sculptor
A. if I had come some days before
A. is a gifted only not B. if I had come the day before
B. is only not gifted C. did you come yesterday
C. is gifted not only D. had I come yesterday
D. is only gifted
70. His wife was badly injured in
67. He can recall the important the fracas, but I think she will pull
dates in the nation’s history, it is …….
interesting to listen as he rattles
……… A. up
B. over
A. off C. through
B. over D. back
C. up
D. out 71. A wide range of options ……..
68. The boy told his mother …….. made available to students in the
final year last year
A. that was the girl he told her
about A. is

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B. were 75. Paper is made……. Wood pulp
C. are
D. was A. on
B. of
72. One of the women who …….. C. from
in the premises ……. been ordered D. with
to quit
76. Long after everyone…….. the
A. sells/have hall, obi still sat inside.
B. sell/has
C. sell/have A. left
D. sells/has B. is leaving
C. has left
73. The new trade agreement D. had left
should facilitate………
77. They are the…….. dresses
A. more economic rapid growth
B. economic more rapid growth A. babys’
C. rapid economic more growth B. baby
D. more rapid economic growth C. babies
D. babies’
74.The principal said that he was
pleased……… my effort. 78. The politician was sent…….
Exile
A. on A. onto
B. of B. into
C. with C. on
D. about D. to

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79. When we looked up, we…….. C. prescribed
the plane some miles away D. proscribed

A. site 83. The man was happy that his

B. cited son confessed his guilt and so the
C. sited others were……
D. sighted
A. Implicated
80. Vital….. is still spread….. word B. accused
of mouth in most villages in Africa C. punished
D. exonerated
A. information/from
B. information/with 84. Based on the facts before me,
C. information/by I have no alternative…… to hold
D. information/through you responsible

81. Western education is one of A. only

the….. of colonial rule. B. as
C. than
A. legacies D. but
B. evidence
C. remnants 85. Many people would always
D. inheritance find reasons to……the law

82. The federal government A. arrogate

has…… child trafficking B. debase
C. circumvent
A. postulated D. circumspect
B. projected

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In each of questions 86 to 88, the same consonant sound as
choose the option that has the the one represented by
same Vowel sound as the one letter(s) underlined
represented by the letters
underlined. 89. Sheath

86. Coup A. bathe

B. length
A. whup C. months
B. hoot D. paths
C. couple
D. scout 90. High

87. Indict A. what

B. honest
A. bright C. who
B. fish D. vehicle
C. pick
D. brick 91. Of course

88. Roared A. plough

B. dough
A. towered C. over
B. coast D. orphan
C. brought In each of question 92 to 94,
D. rod choose the option that rhymes
with the given word.
In each of the questions 89 to
91, choose the option that has 92. Boys

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A. stays C. POlitical
B. moist D. political
C. noise
D. elbows 96. Satisfactory

93. Shine A. saTISfactory

B. satisFACtory
A. clean C. SATisfactory
B. fine D. satisfactory
C. machine
D. lain 97. captivity

94. Seer A. captiVIty

B. CAPtivity
A. snare C. capTIvity
B. spare D. CAPtiviTY
C. spear
D. square In each of question 98 to 100,
the word in capital letters has
In each of question 95 to 97, the emphatic. Choose the
choose the most appropriate option to which the given
stress pattern from the sentence relates
options. The stressed syllables 98. EMEKA finished his home
are written in capital letter(s) work yesterday

95. Political A. Was Emeka helped to do his

homework?
A. poliTIcal B. Did Emeka do his homework?
B. PoLItical

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C. When did Emeka finish his 36. D 37. C 38. C 39. B 40. D
homework? 41. D 42. A 43. C 44. A 45. D
D. Who finished his home work 46. A 47. A 48. A 49. B 50. D
yesterday?
51. C 52. B 53. D 54. B 55. A
99. Taiwo SAILED to London 56. D 57. A 58. A 59. A 60. D
61. D 62. A 63. C 64. C 65. D
A. Did Taiwo fly to London? 66. C 67. A 68. A 69. B 70. C
B. Did Taiwo sail to Brazil? 71. D 72. D 73. D 74. C 75. C
C. Did Taiwo sail to London?
D. Where did Taiwo sail to? 76. C 77. D 78. C 79. D 80. C
81. A 82. D 83. D 84. C 85. C
100. My bag is made of LEATHER 86. B 87. A 88. A 89. B 90. C
91. C 92. C 93. B 94. B 95. B
A. Whose bag is made of leather 96. B 97. C 98. D 99. A 100. B
B. Is my bag made of polythene?
C. Is Abu’s bag made of leather?
D. Is my bag made of leather?

ANSWERS

1. A 2. D 3. C 4. D 5. A 6. A 7. B
8. A 9. D 10. B 11. A 12. C 13. C
14. C 15. B 16. B 17. C 18. A
19. B 20. B 21. D 22. A 23. D
24. C 25. D

26. B 27. B 28. B 29. A 30. C

31. C 32. B 33. A 34. A 35. C

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 2011 JAMB USE OF ENGLISH QUESTIONS

PAPER TYPE: D experiment. The bio cell is being

develop as producers of electricity
COMPREHENSION: Read each for radio, for signal to guide ship,
passage carefully and answer for lighting and other uses.
the questions that follow it
Though the working bio cell is
PASSAGE I only a few years old, some
scientist feels that it will one day
In 1962, a team of scientists produce power cheaply as is now
produce a special radio station being done by other method, and
that had a range of fifteen miles. that the bio cell will use materials
Even though communication was that would otherwise be consider
being accomplished in space at a a waste.
range of more than a million
times this distance, the new radio Early bio cells were powered with
station caused much excitement sugar, but a wide range of fuel
among scientist. can be used. Work is being done
using sea water to feed the
The reason: its power supply was bacteria.
a ‘battery’ made of bacteria. For Electricity from living cells is no
the first time, practical amounts new idea. Man experience the
of electricity were being produced strange shock produce by some
by a form of life and put to use. fish even before electricity was
Bio cell, the new power supply really discovered.
had a liquid fuel containing tiny
forms of life that changed the fuel Then in time, there were other
directly into electric energy; this discoveries. Benjamin Franklin
was far more than an interesting found that lightening in the sky

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was electricity. Luigi Galvani (b) Type B
found some electricity in the (c) Type C
muscles and nerves of animals, (d) Type D
but the African catfish produce far
more electricity than most other 2. The writer’s posture, as
living creatures. conveyed in the statement
Electricity from living cells is no
And other fish, the electric eel, new idea, can be describe as
well named, for it has an even
greater electric charge. Research (a) Ineffectual
works also discovered that even (b) Contentious
humans produce small amount of (c) Logical
electricity in their bodies. (d) unguarded

Our heart produces a very small 3. Which of the following is true

amount that can be measured, so according to the passage?
do our brain. The bio cell is
completely new in the field of (a) Scientist felt that bio-cell
power production and as yet, no would produce very costly energy
mass-production models have (b) Bio cell, at the beginning,
begun to replace the older type of derived their energy from sugar
batteries. (C) Sugar and fuel were initially
Its might be wondered, then, used as source of energy for bio
what the excitement is all about. cells
(d) Bio cells were forms of power
1. Which question paper type of used by the scientists
use of English is giving to you?

(a) Type A

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4. The inventor of biocell justified for us and will drag us down to
the need for it by saying that ruin.
would
But some people may say that
(a) develop ways for changing bio they cannot help having bad
cell into fuel for use thought even though they sting
(b) yield a source of energy like vipers. That may be so, but
without much spending the question is, do they hate
(c) produce electricity for all type them or not?
of machines
(d) produce signal to guide all We cannot keep thieves from
ship and other vessels looking in at our window, but if
we open our doors to them and
5. According to the passage, receive them joyfully, we are as
electricity was first discover in bad as they.

(a) heart and brains We cannot help the birds flying

(b) muscles of animals over our head; but we may keep
(c) lightning them from building their nets in
(d) fish. our hair. Vain thought will knock
at the door but we must not open
PASSAGE II to them. Though bad and evil
thought rise in our hearts, they
Like a clock with the pendulum in must not be allowed to reign.
full swing, the mind moves as fast
as time. But we ought to mind our He who turns a morsel over and
thoughts for if they turn to be our over in his mouth dose so
enemies, they will be too many because he likes the flavour, and
he who meditate upon evil, love

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it, and is ripe to commit it. Think watching every day, the thought
of the devil, and he will appear, and imagination of our heart.
turn your thought toward evil and
your hands will soon follow. Good thoughts are blessed guest
and should be welcome, and
Snails leaves their slime behind much sought after, but bad
them, and so do vain thought. An thought must fly out as swiftly as
arrow may fly through the air, they moved in.
and leaves no trace, but an evil
thought always leaves a trail like 6. Which of the following
a serpent. represents the writer’s view in the
passage?
Where there is much traffic of bad
thinking, there will be much mire (a) evil thought may come but
and dirt. Every wave of wicked there is virtue in keeping them
thought adds something to the out
corruption which rots upon the (b) evil thought will continue to
shore of life. It is dreadful to think sting us likes vipers as long as
that a vile imagination, once there are enemies who cause
indulge, gets the key of our offence
minds, and can get in again very (c) like the pendulum, evil
easily, whether or not we let it in, thought will always come to our
and what may follow, no one mind no matter what we do
knows. (d) like most birds, evil thoughts
fly swiftly in our minds without
Nurse evil on the laps of thought, perching
and it will grow into a giant.
Therefore; there is wisdom in 7. Which of the following
statement represent the view

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expressed by the writer in the (a) likes the devil evil thoughts
first paragraph? must not reign in our hearts
(b) evil thoughts are fantasies
(a) evil thought will eventually which exist only in people’s mind
ruin the evil man (c) uncontrolled evil thoughts may
(b) if we do not stop the lead to evil deeds
pendulum of thought from (d) the devil gives evil thoughts
swinging, our thoughts will soon only to those who invite him in
become our enemies
(c) To many evil thoughts leave 10. which of the following
fatal consequences statement summarizes the
(d) it is possible to decide what argument of the fourth paragraph
control our thoughts
(a) heavy traffic on a miry and
8. From the argument in the dirty road may lead to evil
second paragraph, it can be thoughts
concluded that evil thought (b) the more evil we think, the
control the lives of people who more vile we are likely to become
(c) evil people should not be
(a) Are helpless because they fly welcome as guest in our homes
out of their minds the same way we welcome good
(b) cherries idle and slothful ways people
(c) are thieves with evil instincts (d) evil thoughts control the key
(d) treasures and ruminate on to human heart and no one can
them keep them out

9. The expression ‘Think of the

devil and he will appear…..., as
used in the passage suggests that

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PASSAGE III rooms. Some rooms lead to
wealth, others to the opposite.
Though assumption is the lowest Ultimately, we decide where we
level of knowledge; it is still a end up; and life, thus far, has
form of knowledge, and proved that not everyone of us
knowledge is key. Assumptions decides well, we all behave
are the foundation upon which differently where we have
interpretation and conclusion are different levels of understanding,
built. and behave the way where our
understanding is the same.
Everything in life operate under
certain assumptions. We make We eat because we all understand
management decisions based on the consequences of not eating.
the assumptions we hold about We all wear clothes because each
how management ought to of us comprehends lunacy. The
function and how people ought to list goes on and on. It is
be governed. inevitable that some of us will
make choices that get and keep
For some of us, we consciously us on the lower rung of the ladder
imbibe assumptions and principles by reason of exposure, training or
about life and consciously decide some others variables.
based on them; for others, it is
unconsciously but potent all the Life is about role playing. We
same. Our assumptions will either choose our roles wisely or
drown us or help us soar through foolishly, consciously or
life. unconsciously. Some of us get
wiser to new levels of self-
We have always seen life as an awareness enough to redefine our
immense mansion with many

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roles, others make no effort to Take the almost scared office of a
build further capacity and teacher for instance; there are
therefore remain where they are. people who have the natural gifts
It is based on those realities that and inclinations to be school
we draw the conclusion that not teacher. But teaching profession,
everyone will be wealthy in life. as it is, does not appear to be
We lead, inspire and motivate lucrative. So we have people who
people to strive and succeed. could have been more fulfilled and
effective working as school
It is also important that we paint teacher serving in banks.
the full and true picture of life so
that we can discourage vain 11. According to the writer,
pursuits. Balance must be people lead and motivate others
enthroned as a critical component because they want to
of truth, and people know, for
instance, that ‘the top’ is not a (a) project individual contribution
place that all must ascend. (b)encourage selfless service
(c) make the world a home
Our greatest consolation lies in (d) prevent empty search
our deep conviction that true
prosperity is in fulfilment through 12. According to the passage,
hard work than in intangible balance must be enthroned
acquisition. There are set roles because it is
that some of us have been wired
up to play in life but which we are (a) a critical interdependent
not content enough to play function
because society esteems such (b) an amazing help for
roles to be inferior. conscience
(c) a critical part of fidelity

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(d) a serious way of ensuring 15. From the passage, it can be
success. inferred that

13. The word inclinations, as in (a) People insincerely discuss

the passage means facts that govern their behaviour
(b) all managerial decisions are
(a) creeds based on assumptions.
(b) tendencies (c) people make conscious effort
(c) inhibitions to acquire hidden knowledge
(d) power. (d) all things in life exist on some
belies.
14. Which of the following
statements is true according to PASSAGE IV
the passage?
The passage below has gaps
(a) greatness in life emerges numbered 16 to 25.
when square pegs are put in Immediately following each
round holes gap, four options are
(b) people do certain things in life provided. Choose the most
because they know the appropriate option for each
repercussion gap.
(c) people agree on all issues and
behave the same way for the Believe it or not, change is to
same reason human existence what the blood
(d) understanding life at different is to the human body. We live in
levels gives no account of visible an era of amazing ……16…. [A.
acquisition. well-define, B. fast-paced, C.
favourable, D. social] change

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spawned by advancing technology confirm that human action are
and industrialization. changing the earth’s climate and
However, man’s…...17…. [A. creating major disturbance in
Knowledge of, B. attitude to, C. human….22….[A. geography B
commitment to, D. opinion of] society C systems D life] and
promoting and defending change ecosystems. The IPCC reports
in a deliberate effort to establish that world has warmed by an
….18… [A customs, B companies, average of 0.760c since pre-
C trade-zone, D variations] that Industrial times.
stimulate advancement for man’s
concern is proving unfavourable The rising global …23…. [A
to the climate with threatening command B demand C warning D
….19…. [A repercussions B clouds supply] for energy and the
C pressure D implication] adverse changes on each were
commensurate with the level of
Human-induced climate change greenhouse ….24…. [ A structure
has awakened widespread B paints C emulsion D emissions]
concern across the globe. As a it spews out, perhaps Africa would
matter of fact, climate change is have been spared and would
now….20….. [A. an acceptable B a probably be just an amused
foremost C the only D the last] spectator. But as it, this is not the
globe issue. It is a major test of case.
Africa’s….21… [A popularity B
energy C ingenuity D Here again, we see well-meaning
incapability]! global citizen appealing for the
rest of the world to take
The forth Assessment Report responsibility for the problem of
(AR4) of the intergovernmental Africa, a strategy that cannot,
panel of climate change (IPCC) thus far, be termed ……25…. [A

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notable B liable C credible D (a) The date of the meeting was
flexible]. shifted as a result of unexpected
reasons.
LEXIS, STRUCTURE AND ORAL (b) The meeting’s date was put
FORMS off for strange reasons.
(c) The meeting was called off as
In each of questions 26 to 35, a result of obstacles hitherto
select the option that best unknown.
explains the information conveyed (d) The meeting broke off as a
in the sentence. result of unusual difficulties.

26. If he were here, it could be 28. The hunter has a bird’s-eye

more fun view of the animals.

(a) He was expected but did not (a) He views the animal from a
show up to make the occasion high position.
lively. (b) He views the bird’s eye.
(b) There was no fun because he (c) He views the birds on the tree
was not present. with one eye.
(c) He did not show up and so the (d) He watches animals and birds
occasion lacked much fun. closely.
(d) He was being expected to
supply more fun. 29. Even though Susan was the
last in the examination, her result
27. The secretary said that the wasn’t too different from what
postponement of the meeting was had been expected.
due to unforeseen circumstances.
(a) Her result was poor.

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(b) Her result was a 32. The plan to upgrade the
disappointment. dispensary to a general hospital
(c) Her result was as expected. did not materialize.
(d) She had not been serious with
her studies. (a) The plan did not meet the
required specifications.
30. Mrs. Adasu does all her work (b) The arrangement did not work
with more haste, less speed. out as wished.
(c) It was difficult to obtained the
(a) She accepts whatever she materials.
does with more haste and speed. (d) The materials purchased ware
(b) She approaches whatever she not the right ones.
does hurriedly.
(c) She addresses everything she 33. Okon’s company took a hit
does very quickly to avoid last year.
mistakes.
(d) She does everything carefully (a) His company improved last
to avoid mistakes. year.
(b) His company made a huge
31. She stopped her education as success last year.
her uncle left her in the lurch. (c) His company was badly
damaged last year.
(a) Her uncle deceived her. (d) His company was established
(b) Her uncle disinherited her. last year.
(c) Her uncle refused to help her
(d) Her uncle disrespected her 34. My eldest son, who is in Lagos
is studying English.

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(a) Only my son is in Lagos (a) renaissance
studying English. (b) coming
(b) My only son is in Lagos (c) commencement
studying English. (d) publication
(c) One of my son is in Lagos
studying English 37. Mrs. Asio wanted her sister to
(d) My sons are in Lagos but only stop being so detached
one is studying English.
(a) friendly
35. If I went to the village, I (b) careless
would visit the king. (c) indifferent
(d) passionate
(a) If I go to the village I will visit
the king. 38. Lantana dwelt in a ruined
(b) I did not go to the village and cottage on the hillside.
I did not visit the king
(c) All the times I went to village I (a) sat
also visited the King (b) worked
(d) I will visit the king when I go (c) slept
to the village (d) lived

In each of questions 36 to 50, 39. The mistake brought the show

choose the option nearest in to an ignominious end
meaning to the word or
phrases in italics. (a) a good
(b) a palatable
36. Since its inception in 1983, (c) a disgraceful
the newspaper has attracted (d) a satisfactory
thousands of readers.

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40. He compliments me on my (a) a bad
way of doing things. (b) a shrewd
(c) an unprofitable
(a) complements (d) an insincere
(b) imitates
(c) disgusts 44. The principal described Oche
(d) praises as the most tactful person he had
ever worked with.
41. The girl is angry with her
friend who had ensnared her into (a) passionate
this relationship. (b) discrete
(c) hard-working
(a) tricked (d) innovate
(b) encouraged
(c) encouraged 45. The old woman is suffering
(d) forced from dementia.

42. Their new house was roofed (a) lucidity

with corrugated sheets. (b) senility
(c) insanity
(a) folded (d) sagacity
(b) iron
(c) aluminium 46. Some drugs have deleterious
(d) corrupted effect on a child’s development.

43. The stockbroker said it was an (a) debilitating

astute move to sell the shares (b) helpful
then. (c) harmful
(d) healing

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47. Fila has always described as (b) solved
belligerent. (c) aggravated
(d) infuriated
(a) beautiful
(b) attractive In each of question 51 to 65,
(c) combative choose the word that is
(d) innocent opposite in meaning to the
word or phrase in italics
48. Laraba saw a forlorn little
figure sitting outside the class. 51. The warring communities
were coerced into negotiation a
(a) wise and intelligent settlement
(b) lonely and unhappy
(c) smart and healthy (a) driven
(d) short and ugly (b) compelled
(c) persuaded
49. The circular supersedes all (d) pressured
previous correspondence on the
matter. 52. His father served as a
mercenary in the army
(a) supports
(b) displaces (a) preacher
(c) eliminates (b) regular
(d) circumvent (c) recruit
(d) officer
50. Her problem was exacerbated
by the loss of her father. 53. Jummai is cruel to her
husband
(a) exaggerated

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(a) harsh 57. What you are asking me to do
(b) brutal is a herculean task
(c) passionate
(d) ferocious (a) a strenuous
(b) a demanding
54. The teacher who beat the (c) a lovely
student was treated with mercy (d) an easy

(a) disrespect 58. Nkechi was a novice when she

(b) contempt was first employed
(c) vengeance
(d) kindness (a) manager
(b) clerk
55. His wife hated his garrulous (c) supervisor
attitude. (d) professional

(a) outspoken 59. ‘I do not trust him ‘he said, in

(b) unfriendly a rare moment of candour
(c) reticent
(d) thoughtful (a) reproach
(b) dishonesty
56. Agoshito is a callow youth; (c) frankness
said the teacher (d) fairness

(a) An ignorant 60. Mrs Akunilo looks anaemic

(b) An experience today
(c) An idle
(d) An organized (a) strange
(b) sick

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(c) weak 64. His antipathy affected the
(d) strong growth of his business

61. It is inconceivable that the (a) hatred

sun shone in the night (b) receptiveness
(c) loyalty
(a) credible (d) hostility
(b) unthinkable
(c) impossible 65. Okonkwo’s lethal right foot
(d) contestable did the magic in the football
match
62. She only gives a superficial
impression of warmth and (a) Weak
friendliness (b) wicked
(c) fat
(a) a strong (d) harmless
(b) a fake
(c) a deep In each of question 66 to 85,
(d) an unrealistic choose the option that best
complete the gap
63. As a prudent businessman,
Adayi does not leave anything to 66. When his car tyre ….. on the
chance way, he did not know what to do

(a) A frugal (a) has burst

(b) Shrewd (b) had burst
(c) careless (c) bursted
(d) unsuccessful (d) burst

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67. Lami’s father …. As a (a) ferreted
gardener when he was young, but (b) ferreted
now he is a driver (c) ferreted about
(d) ferreted about
(a) had been working
(b) use to work 71. Suara needn’t come with
(c) has worked us...?
(d) used to work
(a) does she
68. ……. He switches on the light, (b) will she
the shadow disappears (c) can she
(d) need she
(a)whenever
(b) except 72. Unoka…. the whole house to
(c) since find his missing wristwatch
(d) until
(a) scourged
69. it is important that you clear (b)scoured
the refuse in front of your house (c) scored
every …… (d) scouted

(a) fourtnight 73. Ife asked me….

(b) fortnight
(c) fourthnight (a) what time it was
(d) forthnight (b) what is it by my time
(c) what time is it
70. The policemen became (d) what time it is
suspicious as the hoodlums…… in
their office

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74. There are many ways to kill a (c) her pleading
rat, so we should be …. In our (d) plead
approach to the task ahead of us
78. Of the three girls, Uka is
(a) ecletic the….
(b) eclectic
(c) eclektic (a) so much notorious
(d) eclectik (b) notorious
(c) naught
75. Audu took these action (d) naughtiest
purely…. His own career
79. I wonder how he will … being
(a) on furtherance of absent from school for a long time
(b) in furtherance of
(c) to furtherance in (a) make in
(d) in furtherance with (b) make up
(c) make off
76. Here is Mr. Odumusu who (d) make out
teaches English … in our school
80. Please sit on the…
(a) pronuntiation
(b) pronounciation (a) carier
(c) pronunciation (b) career
(d) pronountiation (c) carrier
(d) carrear
77. Instead of… she lied
81. I want to … his chance to
(a) pleading acquaint you with the latest
(b) her to plead development

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(a) size 85. The school authority
(b) seize dismissed him for …. But I won’t
(c) sieze tell you about it yet
(d) cease
(a) certain reason
82. Getting a well-paid job (b) a reason
nowadays is on….. task (c) more reason
(d) a certain reason
(a) utmost
(b) upbeat In each of question 86 to 88,
(c) uphill choose the option that has the
(d) upfield same vowel sound as the one
represented by the letter(s)
83.The secretary has no right to underlined
… my affairs
86. bubble
(a) spy from
(b) meddle in (a) guy
(c) toy at (b) bull
(d) complain into (c) bumper
(d) gurgle
84. Bola studiously avoided… the
question 87. Weight

(a) parrying (a) whale

(b) answering (b) while
(c) projecting (c) wheat
(d) destroying (d) writhe

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88. Leach (a) cot
(b) keep
(a) gear (c) norm
(b) cedar (d) king
(c) cheer
(d) death In each question 92 to 94,
choose the option that rhymes
In each of question 89 to 91, with the given word
choose the option that has the
consonant sound as the one 92. Fuel
represented by the letter(s)
underlined (a) cruel
(b) fool
89. mention (c) rule
(d) field
(a) that
(b) machine 93 match
(c) church
(d) test (a) harsh
(b) batch
90. prestige (c) such
(d) watch
(a) bag
(b) badge 94. Sheer
(c) reggae
(d) leisure (a) Sheila
(b) care
91. knot (c) ear
(d) sherry

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In each of the question 95 to has the emphatic stress.
97, choose the appropriate Choose the option to which
stress pattern from the option. the given sentence relates
The syllables are written in
capital letters. 98. Uche LOVES Toyota cars

95. Termination (a) Who loves Toyota cars?

(b) What brand of car does Uche
(a) terminaTION love?
(b) TERmination (c) Does Uche hate Toyota cars?
(c) termiNAtion (d) Does Uche love bicycles?
(d) terMInation
99. The POLICE arrested the
96. meditative suspect

(a) meDItative (a) Did the police placate the

(b) mediTAtive suspect?
(c) Meditative (b) Who arrested the suspect?
(d) meditaTIVE (c) Who did the police arrest?
(d) Did the police arrest the
97. Sugestible suspect?

(a) suggeSTIble 100. Maiduguri is the CAPITAL of

(b) Suggestible Borno state
(c) suGGEstible
(d) suggestible (a) Is Maiduguri the capital of
plateau state?
In each of the question 98 to (b) Which state is Maiduguri the
100, the word in capital letters capital of?

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(c) Is Maiduguri a town in Borno 91. C 92. A 93. B 94. C 95. C
state? 96. C 97. C 98. C 99. B 100. C
(d) What is the capital of Borno
state? Facebook Study Group

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26. C 27. A 28. A 29. C 30. D

31. C 32. B 33. B 34. C 35. C
36. C 37. C 38. D 39. C 40. D
41. A 42. B 43. B 44. B 45. B
46. C 47. C 48. B 49. B 50. C

51. C 52. B 53. C 54. C 55. C

56. B 57. D 58. D 59. B 60. D
61. A 62. C 63. C 64. B 65. A
66. D 67. D 68. A 69. B 70. C
71. A 72. B 73. A 74. B 75. B

76. C 77. A 78. D 79. B 80. C

81. B 82. C 83. B 84. B 85. A
86. C 87. C 88. A 89. B 90. D

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 2012 JAMB USE OF ENGLISH QUESTIONS

PAPER TYPE: YELLOW endowed with special powers to

make contact with the other
COMPREHENSION: Read each world. These individuals lay down
passage carefully and answer the ceremonies or rituals which must
questions that follow it be observed if due honour is to be
paid to the unseen beings.
PASSAGE I
The religious beliefs and practices
Religion in its various forms is of Nigerians can be classified
very strong in Nigeria. In order under three main headings:
words, Nigerian people are very Traditional religion, Islam and
religious. Most of them believe Christianity. In this passage, our
that there is an unseen focus in on Traditional Religion.
supernatural world, apart from
the natural world we see around Traditional or indigenous religion
us. continues to exert a strong
influence on many people’s mind
This other world is inhabited by partly because of its association
beings who are the source of our with their birth places and
knowledge of good and evil. They families. Each ethnic group has its
watch and judge us and if we own religious traditions, and these
offend them they may have to be are often linked to some sacred
appeased with prayers and spots in the ethnic homeland. Yet
sacrifices. the various traditional religions
have much in common: a remote
Certain individuals in the natural but benevolent high god; under
world-priest, prophets and him, a number of lesser gods who
diviners – are believed to be interact with mankind; and below

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them various spirits who inhabit important figure was Ala or Ani,
natural objects (trees, streams, the goddess of the earth.
rocks, etc.); below them again,
and closest to living men and In Hausa land, traditional religion
women, the spirits of the has largely gone underground
ancestors. owing to the influence of Islam,
but belief in the existence of ‘Bori‘
In Yoruba tradition, for example, spirits and their power to possess
there are more than 400 lesser people, especially women, is
deities presided over by the high strong in some areas. Each spirit
god, Olorun. Because he is is associated with certain type of
remote from mankind, shrines are behaviour, which is manifested by
not built to him and worship is not the possessed individual.
offered to him directly. The lesser
gods, on the other hand, are the Divination – the discovery of what
subject of special cults, each with is unknown or is yet to happen by
its own priest and devotees. supernatural or magical means –
is an important element of
Eshu, the messenger of the Gods; traditional religion. It is often one
Ifa, the god of divination; of the function of ‘medicine men’
Shango, the god of thunder, and or ‘herbalists’. In Igboland, there
so on. Traditional religion was also used to be several oracles
also strong in other parts of which people consulted in order to
Nigeria. seek solutions to their problems.

In igbo Traditional religion, there With the coming of Christianity,

were fewer gods. Although there their influence has however
was a remote high god, the most waned, but in areas like
Arochukwu and Okija, the

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influence of such oracles is still 3. According to the first
strongly felt. paragraph, Nigerians believe that
the
(Adapted from Grant, Nnamonu
and Jowitt (1997), Senior English (a) supernatural and natural
Project: For Senior Secondary world co-exist
School Students) (b) natural and supernatural
worlds are antagonistic
1. Which Question Paper Type of (c) supernatural world controls
Uses of English as indicated above the natural world
is given to you? (d) supernatural world exploits
the natural world.
(a) Type Green
(b) Type Purple 4. Traditional religion has waned
(c) Type Red in Nigeria owing to the
(d) Type Yellow
(a) influence of Islam over Bori
2. From the passage, one can say spirits
that all ethnic groups have (b) influence of Christianity over
local oracles
(a) different traditional religions (c) decline of the interest in
with some elements of similarities traditional religions
(b) completely different religious (d) influence of non-traditional
practices religions.
(c) the same traditional religion
(d) the same religious 5. Which factor is common to all
manifestations with common traditional religions as mentioned
deities. in the passage?

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(a) Prayer only. When contacted by DAILY
(b) Divination. INDEPENDENT, the general
(c) Sacrifice only. manager of popular bookstore in
(d) Rituals. Lagos Island declared that most
of the bookshops preferred to
PASSAGE II stock foreign books because of
higher demands for them, the
Recently, literally research reveals question that bothers most
that Nigerians hardly have time to Nigerian authors is, while their
read. In essence, the reading overseas counterparts are being
culture in Nigeria is now at a low rewarded with great international
ebb. It is disturbing, however, honours, why are Nigerians not
that the few Nigerians that read according them such recognition
concentrates on foreign books in their own country?
than indigenous productions. Most
Nigerian authors of novels, Recently, Nigerian novelist,
storybooks, fiction and non-fiction Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie won
series have decried, on different the 2007 Orange Prize Award, the
occasions, their woes. literary world’s top award for
fiction in English written by
They were bitter in the way most women. The award carries a prize
owners of bookshops and tag of $30,000. It was reported in
publishers treat them. It was Publishers Weekly, Half of a
gathered that most renowned Yellow Sun, the book that earned
bookshops in Nigeria hardly sell her the award, was profoundly
books written by indigenous gripping. According to the
authors. They preferred to stock reviewer, the book is a
foreign books. ‘transcendent novel of many
descriptive triumph, most notably

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its diction of the impact of war Most of the books are not
brutalities on peasant and properly edited and actually
intellectuals alike. It is a searing become substandard when
history in fictional form, intensely compared with the foreign
evocative and immensely products. The extent to which
absorbing’. book publishing standard has
fallen in Nigerian is alarming.
Chinua Achebe, ‘Father of Modern
African Literature’, also won the Often Nigerian publishers have
second ever Man Booker been blamed for this. It is
international ‘Prize of “£60,000 instructive that none of the books
with his first novel Things Fall mentioned had been published in
Apart, published in 1958.’ Nigerian. It was discovered that
most students in tertiary
When Professor Wole Soyinka institutions depends on dictations
won the Nobel Prize for Literature from their lecturers and/or
in 1986, the fame confirmed the handouts.
relevance of Nigerians in the
world of classical excellence. A science lecturer in one of the
Nigerian universities, who had
Ben Okri won the 1991 Booker been a victim of handout sales
Prize with his work, The Famished scandal, told DAILY
Road, and the world celebrated INDEPENDENT the reality of
Nigeria as the giant of Africa. It campus challenges in relation to
was also gathered that most of books. ‘I was to dictate notes
the publishers hurriedly produce slowly to students who hung on
books and in the process marred every word in the absence of
their good contents. textbooks in a library that had, to
all intent and purpose, stopped

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buying new books when the local (c) indigenous books are
currency devalued. But what sometimes not available
other alternative does one have? (d) the low quality of indigenous
books.
Adapted from DAILY
INDEPENDENT, Monday, 20 8. The expression ________ that
August, 2007 earned her the award is
profoundly gripping, as used in
6. It can be inferred from the the passage, means that the book
passage that
(a) is highly interesting and
(a) Nigerians have access to captures attention
foreign books only (b) is of high quality to the writer
(b) Nigerian undergraduates do (c) attracts many indigenous and
not read textbooks foreign readers
(c) Nigerians read foreign and (d) is widely acknowledged by
indigenous books alike many authors
(d) Nigerians read mostly foreign
books 9. The university science lecturer
gives his reason for issuing
7. The reason for lack of handouts as
indigenous books in most
renowned bookshops, according (a) lack of teaching aids among
to the passage, students
(b) low purchasing power
(a) Nigerians prefer reading (c) low quality of books
foreign books (d) lack of sufficient time
(b) foreign books attracts more
buyers

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10. A suitable title for this and wisdom rather than leave our
passage is learning to chance. Surely, we
can learn from mistakes but why
(a) Nigerian Literary Writers wait till when we make mistakes
(b) Nigerian Publishers and before we learn? We should give
International Awards more premium to learning by
(c) Poor reading Culture in Nigeria wisdom than by experience.
(d) Why Nigerian Lecturers Sell
Handouts. This will involve one making up
ones’ mind to be decisive in
PASSAGE III learning. We must decide to learn
consciously and not necessarily
It is said that experience is the from negative experiences. The
best teacher, but to learn first step is to realize that life is
consciously through wisdom may simply the outcomes and outplay
even be a better and more of decisions.
convenient way. To learn by
experience is to learn from Our life now is the sum total of
mistakes. our decisions and our future will
be determined by our decision of
It means you have burnt your today. If we decide to learn
fingers and now ‘your eyes are today, we are not likely to make
open’. This is a tough, costly and mistakes and when we do not
inconvenient way to learn. Rather make mistakes. Experience need
than leaving our learning to not to be our best teacher.
experience, why do we not learn To avoid making experience our
consciously through wisdom? We best teacher will take more than a
can learn by consciously going out decision. We must couple our
of our way to acquire knowledge decision with a complete and

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wholehearted devotion. We must It is much easier and cheaper to
be resolved, resolute and resilient learn consciously by wisdom than
in our bid to learn by wisdom and to learn by experience. When we
not necessarily by experience. learn by experience, the deed is
done and we are just picking up
This is crucial because situations the pieces – learning in regret
and circumstances will want us to how to avoid such predicament
make a detour and leave our next time. Consider the child who
learning and life to chance. We grasps a burning coal, he has
must therefore be disciplined to learned the hard way through the
remain with our resolve to make a painful experience, but his fingers
clean break with experience as will remain burnt. Thus, the
our best teacher. saying, that experience is the best
teacher, may not be justifiable
Discipline in this regard means after all.
learning something new every day
by wisdom rather than Adapted from Sunday Tribune,
experience. It means consciously July 2007
getting better by the day in you
chosen field. Discipline will 11. The attitude of the writer of
demand taking advantage of the passage can best be described
every learning opportunity that as
comes our way. It will mean we
must pay the price for learning by (a) objective
wisdom – invest in books, (b) critical
magazines, seminars and other (c) non-committal
means by which we may become (d) emotional
wiser.

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12. It can be deduced from the (a) make experience our best
passage that teacher in reality
(b) learn from experience in
(a) all experiences are best future
teachers (c) chose the learning opportunity
(b) learning through pains in that comes our way
better (d) decide against making
(c) experience is superior to experience our teacher
wisdom
(d) wise thoughts are more 15. The phrase a complete and
desirable than experience wholehearted devotion, as used in
the passage, means
13. Which of the following states
is true according to the passage? (a) acting without doubt
(b) learning with tension
(a) man must make mistake in (c) learning without pains
order to survive (d) teaching with ease
(b) The totality of our actions
should be decided by our PASSAGE IV
judgement
(c) If we do not make mistakes, The passage below has gaps
experience must be our teacher numbered 16 to 25. Immediately
(d) Our future would be judged by following each gap, four options
our past mistakes are provided. Choose the most
appropriate options for each gap.
14. According to the passage, we
be disciplined to Each question carries 3 marks

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The medical definition of [A. painfully B. frequently C.
miscarriage is the spontaneous gradually D. Commonly] than
loss of a pregnancy before usual stop unexpectedly.
twenty-four weeks. Miscarriage is
very common, occurring in ten to Sometimes there are no signs or
twenty per cent, of conformed symptoms of miscarriage and
pregnancies. Most of these pregnancy symptoms continue,
feature …16… [A. In the and the miscarriage is only …20…
penultimate B. In the first C. [A. prevented B. managed C.
around D. For] twelve week of discovered D. Stopped] in a
pregnancy. routine scan.

The most common …17… [A. type About half of all early
B. Cause C. Period D. Symptom] miscarriages happen because of a
is vaginal bleeding, which can problem in the way the genetic
range from light spotting to material from the egg and sperm
heavier than a period. You may have combined during …21… [A.
see blood clots, brown discharge pregnancy B. incubation C.
or other tissues that are not mating D. Fertilization]. It can be
…18… [A. clearly B. naturally C. difficult to find out why this has
directly D. Medically] identifiable. …22… [A. occurred B. enlarged C.
continued D. emerged], but it is
Sometimes a sac-like structure is more likely to be due to random
seen. Often, there is cramping chance than to any underlying
with pelvic or back pain. You may problem with either parent.
find that the usual symptoms of Imbalances in pregnancy
pregnancy, such as breast hormones, problems in the
tenderness, feeling sick and immune …23… [A. syndrome B.
having to pass urine more …19… process C. response D. system],

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and some serious infections are 26. Hardworking students must
also thought to make not have a finger in very pie at
miscarriages more likely. The risk school.
of miscarriage …24… [A. increases
B. starts C. reduces D. appears] (a) Hardworking students must
with age because the quality of not have a role to play in most
eggs deteriorates. activities in the school
(b) Only hardworking students
If a woman drinks too much must participate in all activities in
alcohol or smokes heavily, the the school
risk of miscarriage is higher. It is (c) Hardworking students do not
also increased with …25… [A. participate in all activities in the
complicated B. advance C. school
multiple D. confirmed] (d) Hardworking students must
pregnancies such as twins. ask others to participate in school
activities.
Adapted from Saturday Punch, 13
October, 2007 27. The vice chancellor is riding
the crest of the last quarter of his
LEXIS, STRUCTURE AND ORAL administration.
FORMS
(a) The vice chancellor enjoys the
In each of question 26 to 35, acknowledgement of the success
select the option that best of his administration
explains the information conveyed (b) The vice chancellor does not
in the sentence. enjoy the people’s criticism of his
administration
Each question carries 2 marks

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(c) The vice chancellor hopes to 30. The company ought to have
overcome soon, the poor issued warrants for one billion
comments on his administration shares.
(d) The vice chancellor does not
talk of his successes on office (a) The company has issued one
billion shares
28. She was absolved by the (b)The management expected the
course from the charge. company to issue more than one
billion shares
(a) She was convicted for the (c) Members of the company
charge bought less than one billion
(b) She was blamed and charged shares
to court (d) The company did not issue
(c) Her case was resolved by the one billion shares
court
(d) She was declared free from 31. He needed not to have played
the charge in the position of quarterback in
the volley ball.
29. The landlord is fond of
throwing his weight about (a) He participated in the game in
his unusual position
(a) The landlord likes healthy (b) Nobody expected him to have
exercise participated in the game
(b) The landlord is overweight (c) He wanted to play in a
(c) The landlord gives orders to position other than the one he
people was offered.
(d) The landlord is respected by (d) Someone did not want him to
his tenants play in the position that he played

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32. I wouldn’t have responded to (b) The player did not score the
his rude talk, if I were you. shot
(c) The player scored the shot
(a) The advice was taken by the that made them win the gold cup
respondent, so he did not respond (d) Instead of a silver cup, they
to the talk received the golden one
(b) The adviser put himself in the
respondent’s position, so he did 35. As far as Abu is concerned,
not respond to the talk Mero should be given fifty naira at
(c) The respondent replied to the the most
speaker’s talk, although he ought
not have done so (a) All Abu is saying is that Mero
(d) What was advisable was that probably deserves more than fifty
the respondent gave it back to naira and not less
the speaker (a) All Abu is concerned with is
that Mero should be given nothing
33. He could not speak out more than fifty naira
because he had a feet of clay. (c) In Abu’s estimation, Mero
merits not more than fifty naira
(a) His feet was muddy (d) In Abu’s opinion, Mero
(b) He was weak and cowardly deserves fifty naira or probably
(c) He was clumsy and lazy more
(d) He was shy and timid
(Question 36 to 100 carry 1
34. The player wasted a golden mark each.)
opportunity during the penalty
shoot-out. In each of question 36 to 50,
choose the option opposite in
(a) The player first the bar

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meaning to the word or (a) excited
phrase in italics. (b) serious
(c) worried
36. As an idiot, the boy is weak in (d) helpless
class.
40. Dupe was promoted for her
(a) a deviant efficiency.
(b) a dunce
(c) an expert (a) ability
(d) a genius (b) incompetence
(c) inconsistency
37. We were shocked by the news (d) rudeness
that he had lost the money.
41. The management wants to
(a) astonished consider her reticent behaviour in
(b) disconcerted due course.
(c) unconcerned
(d) surprised (a) disapproving
(b) disciplinarian
38. The principal was advised to (c) contemplative
be flexible on critical issues. (d) loquacious

(a) livid 42. Election process often become

(b) cautious volatile.
(c) evasive
(d) rigid (a) calm
(b) strange
39. Bola always looks sober. (c) sudden
(d) latent

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43. Oche entered the principal’s adduced to explain the fall in the
office in a rather abrasive birth rate.
manner.
(a) affirmed
(a) gentle (b) diffused
(b) rude (c) mentioned
(c) lackadaisical (d) refuted
(d) indifferent
47. The presidential system is an
44. Otokpa is a member of the ad antidote to some political
hoc committee on stock ailments.
acquisition.
(a) an answer
(a) improvised (b) a reply
(b) formal (c) an injury
(c) temporary (d) an obstacle
(d) fact-finding
48. Ola thought that her father
45. His gift to the poor was was very callous.
always infinitesimal.
(a) parlous
(a) large (b) compassionate
(b) small (c) wicked
(c) supportive (d) cheerful
(d) shameful
49. He was very much respected,
46. The economist concluded that though he had no temporal
several factors have been power.

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(a) spiritual 52. Okibe was rusticated for his
(b) mundane derogated remark about the
(c) permanent principal
(d) ephemeral
(a) complimentary
50. The way the worship was (b) unsavoury
organized was rather hit-and- (c) unwarranted
miss. (d) lacklustre

(a) systematic 53. Justice is difficult to enforce

(b) hasty because people are unwilling to
(c) slow accept any loss of sovereignty.
(d) funny
(a) autonomy
In each of question 51 to 65, (b) position
choose the option nearest in (c) leadership
meaning to the word or (d) kingdom
phrase in italics
54. There are still virtuous women
51. Some men will continue to in our society today.
cause offences until they are
given a taste of their own (a) clever
medicine. (b) upright
(c) devilish
(a) placated (d) intelligent
(b) revenged on
(c) recompensed for 55. The type of response is typical
(d) cured of a lazy teacher.

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(a) symptomatic (d) beams
(b) characteristic
(c) universal 59. Every human being is
(d) incontestable vulnerable to communicable
diseases.
56. Akin is an inveterate gambler.
(a) liable
(a) a selfish and self-centred (b) lifted
(b) an extremely unlucky but (c) immuned
popular (d) closed
(c) an incurable but fearful
(d) a long time and incorrigible 60. Mariam looks rather furtive to
Shehu.
57. He was too petrified to give
the closing remarks at the (a) intoxicated
conference. (b) unfriendly
(c) sad
(a) frightened (d) sly
(b) delighted
(c) agitated 61. The student’s union leader
(d) happy delivered his speech extempore.

58. During a particular time of the (a) out-of-hand

day, the road shimmers in the (b) off the cuff
heat. (c) accurately
(d) courageously
(a) darkens
(b) lightens
(c) shines

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62. His story gave us an inkling of (b) debunked
what he passed through during (c) projected
the strike. (d) confirmed

(a) a possible idea In each of question 66 to 85,

(b) a taste choose the option that best
(c) a summary complete the gap(s)
(d) the right view
66. He was both a writer and a
63. These policies have been politician, but he was better __
expoused by the ruling party. [A. as if B. like C. as D. to be] a
singer
(a) condemned
(b) rejected 67. Vacancies in the company will
(c) supported be notified by __ [A. bulletin B.
(d) outlined publication C. publicity D.
advertisement].
64. We must not foreclose
reconciliation as the purpose of 68. The driver was short of petrol,
his trip. so he __ [A. glided B. coasted C.
wheeled D. taxied] down the hills
(a) exclude with the engine switched off.
(b) consider
(c) underestimate 69. He started his career as an __
(d) forgo [A. auxillary B. auxilliary C.
auxilary B. auxiliary] teacher.
65. Her finding exploded widely
held beliefs about learning. 70. His many years of success in
(a) challenged legal practice, __[A. indeed B. but

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C. in spite of it all D. however] C. earthen discarded black D.
didn’t come without challenges. black earthen discarded] pot.

71. One should be careful how 77. We stood up when the

__behaves in the public, shouldn’t principal came in__ [A. isn’t it B.
__ [A. one/one B. he/he C. didn’t we C. not so D. did us]?
she/one D. one/he]?
78. The professor of __ medicine
72. __[A. First and formost B. has__ [A. vetinary / unraveled B.
First and formust C. First and vertrinary/unravelled C.
farmost D. First and foremost], a veterinary/unraveled D.
good leader must have two veterinary/unravelled] the
characteristics. mystery of flu.

73. We visited his house__ [A. 79. Her mother brought her some
like B. for like C. about D. for __ [A. clothes B. yards C. cloth D.
about] three times. clothing].

74. She was__ [A. at B. on C. by 80. Many workers were__ [A. laid
D. with] the verge of tears down B. laid off C. laid out D. laid
up] as a result of the textile
75. Everyone makes mistakes closure.
occasionally; nobody is__ [A.
incorrigible B. Imperfect C. 81. The driver died in the __ [A.
Infallible D. indestructible]. fatal B. brutal C. serious D.
pathetic] road accident.
76. The woman would not part
with her__ [A. discarded earthen 82. __ your parents frown __ [A.
black B. discarded black earthen Because / over B. Since / at C.

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Although /at D. As / upon] our B. cook
friendship, we shouldn’t see each C. fool
other anymore. D. tool

83. For more productivity, the 87. village

company is focusing attention on
the possible___ [A. synergy B. A. page
tapping C. alignment D. B. pig
arrangement] of available C. made
recourses. D. came

84. __ [A. After B. Much as C. 88. patch

Since D. Though] she didn’t trust
him, she married him. A. starch
B. fare
85. I wanted to know his political C. mad
beliefs, so I asked him what __ D. brave
[A. this was B. these are C. this is
D. these were]. In each of question 89 to 91,
choose the option that has the
In each of question 86 to 88, same consonant sound as the
choose the option that has the one represented by the
same vowel sound as the one letter(s) underlined.
represented by the letter(s)
underlined. 89. tangerine

86. book (a) gear

(b) danger
A. cool (c) girl

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(d) ignore 93. impossible

90. hair (a) imPOSible

(b) IMposible
(a) heir (c) imposSIble
(b) hour (d) impossiBLE
(c) honest
(d) house 94. imperialism

91. edition (a) IMperialism

(b) imPErialism
(a) bash (c) impeRIAlism
(b) catch (d) imperialiSM
(c) bastion
(d) rating In each of questions 95 to 97,
choose the option that has the
In each of questions, 92 to 94, stress on the first syllable.
choose the appropriate stress
pattern from the options. The 95. (a). madam
syllables are written in capital (b) eighteen
letters. (c) invent
(d) command
92. demarcation
96. (a) nineteen
(a) demarCAtion (b) mother
(b) DEmarcation (c) estate
(c) deMARcation (d) announce
(d) demarcaTION
97. (a) commute

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(b) import (verb) (b) Did the cashier pay the
(c) intend workers’ salary in September
(d) export (noun) (c) Workers received their July
salary in September?
In each of questions 98 to (d) The September salary was
100, the word in capital letters paid in July?
has the emphatic stress.
Choose the option to which 100. The cat DEVOURED the rat.
the given sentence relates.
(a) Did the rat devoured the cat?
98. The traditional chief (b) What devoured the rat?
NARRATED the story to the (c) Did the cat pet the rat?
children. (d) Is this the rat the cat
devoured?
(a) The children heard the story
from the traditional chief ANSWER KEYS:
(b) Who narrated the story to the
children? 1. D 2. A 3. C 4. D 5. B 6. D 7. B
(c) The children could not listen to 8. A 9. B 10. C 11. B 12. D 13. B
the story by the traditional chief 14. C 15. A 16. B 17. D 18. A
(d) Did the chief hide the story 19. B 20. C 21. D 22. A 23. D
from the children? 24. A 25. C

99. The ACCOUNTANT paid the 26. C 27. A 28. D 29. C 30. D
workers’ July salary in 31. A 32. C 33. D 34. B 35. B
September. 36. D 37. C 38. D 39. A 40. B
41. D 42. A 43. A 44. B 45. A
(a) When were the workers paid 46. D 47. D 48. B 49. A 50. A

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51. B 52. B 53. A 54. B 55. B
56. D 57. A 58. C 59. A 60. D
61. A 62. A 63. D 64. A 65. B
66. C 67. D 68. A 69. D 70. A
71. D 72. D 73. C 74. A 75. C

76. B 77. B 78. D 79. A 80. B

81. A 82. B 83. B 84. D 85. D
86. B 87. B 88. C 89. B 90. D
91. A 92. A 93. A 94. B 95. A
96. B 97. D 98. D 99. B 100. C

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 2013 JAMB USE OF ENGLISH QUESTIONS

COMPREHENSION: Read each Fourthly, water, which is an-other

passage carefully and answer the important raw material, is
questions that follow it plentiful.

PASSAGE I Finally, Abuja is in a central

position for the whole region and
In 1951, the Government decided is a town where learners from
to start a Pottery Training Centre many different parts can find a
where new and more advanced congenial temporary home, and
technical methods, especially where the Emir and his Council
glazing, could be taught. The are actively interested in the
centre was intended to serve the project.
whole of the defunct Northern
Region, and there were several Nearly all the making is done by a
reasons for choosing Abuja. The process called ‘throwing’, so
first was the excellence of the called because the lumps of clay
traditional pottery made in the are thrown by the potter onto a
Emirate. wheel-head. They are weighed
out so that each pot will be
Secondly, fire-wood is plentiful; roughly the same size; for
this is a most important example, for making pint-sized
consideration, because in the jugs, the lumps of clay will be one
making of glazed pottery, more and a half kilogrammes. The
firewood than clay is required. potter sits on the saddle of the
wheel and spins it by pushing a
Thirdly, there are good clays, and pedal with his left foot. He has a
good local sources for the raw bowl of water, a loofah, a bamboo
materials needed for the glazes. knife, a pointed stick or porcupine

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quill, a wooden smoothing tool 2. Which of the following is true
which potters call a rib, and a according to the passage?
piece of wire-like object that is
used for wedging. He makes the A. Anyone, with almost no
wheel-head slightly damp, and training, can run pots on a wheel.
throws the lumps into the middle. B. Pots can be made quickly and
correctly.
The first work is to force the lump C. A pot thrown on a wheel is less
to the centre, then he presses his likely to break.
thumb into the middle of the D. The potter does not have to
lump, using water to keep it work hard if he uses the wheel.
slippery. When the bottom is of
the right thickness, he begins to 3. From the passage, how does a
draw up the walls until they are of potter make several pots of
the right height. Then he shapes almost identical size?
the belly and shoulder of the pot.
He trims off any waste clay. A. By having the knowledge of
different pots.
In this way, a small and medium- B. By weighing the lumps of clay.
sized pot can be made more C. By having the right tools
quickly and accurately. D. By knowing what to do from
experience.
1. Which question Paper Type of
Uses of English is given to you? 4. The phrase trims off any waste
clay, as used in the passage,
A. Type D means to---
B. Type I
C. Type B A. cut away unnecessary parts
D. Type U B. force the clay to the centre

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C. divide the clay into two music can now be heard in
D. wash away different colours. diverse places. Such places
include living rooms and cars,
5. The word congenial, as used in jogging paths can also function as
the passage, means--- new kinds of concert halls where
we can hear what we want as
A. congested often as we want.
B. precise
C. similar Live performances provide a
D. nice special excitement. In a live
performance artistes put
PASSAGE II themselves on the line. To avoid
embarrassment, the artiste must
Music plays a vital role in human train before hand and ensure that
society. Good music provides technical difficulties are avoided
entertainment and emotional and that the listeners are actively
release, and it accompanies involved. What is performed, how
activities ranging from dances to it sounds to the excitement of
religious ceremonies. such a moment and feelings are
exchanged between stage and
Music is heard everywhere; in hall.
auditoriums, homes, elevators,
schools, sports arenas and on the Our response to a musical
streets. Recorded performance is performance or an artiste is
a sensational innovation elevation subjective and rooted in deep
of the twentieth century. Thanks feelings. Even professional critics
to modern technology like can differ strongly in their
compact disc (CD) digital video evaluations of a performance.
disc (DVD) and the MP 3 player,

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There is no one ''Truth'' about C. All artistes are objective in
what we hear and feel. Does the their feelings.
performed project a concept, an D. Music influences feelings at
overall idea, or an emotion? Do different levels
some sections of a piece, but not
others, communicate something 7. The expression…..stage and
to you? Can you figure out why? hall, as used in the passage,
It is up to us as listeners to means the
evaluate performances of music
so that we can fully enjoy it. A. artiste and his music
B. artiste and the audience
People listen to music in many C. producer and the director
different ways. For instance, D. director and the audience
music can be a barely perceived
background as in a film or a 8. From the passage, it can be
totally absorbing experience as in deduced that music Is –
a concert.
A. appreciated as the
Adapted from Roger, K. (1990) An environment dictates .
Appreciation Music: Fourth Brief B. better appreciated in a crowd
Edition, McGrow-Hill Higher C. better appreciated when we
Education. are happy
6. Which of the following is true D. better appreciated by
according to the passage? professional critics

A. Music can enhance evaluation 9. According to the writer, live

performance performances provide a special
B. All listeners are music makers excitement because they are

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A. stage-managed exhaustion C. eruption D.
B. interactive expulsion]. But there are certain
C. error-free and original features of a man-made
D. educative disturbance that requires special
examination.
10. According to the passage,
music plays a vital role in human As with all events on this…13… [A.
society because— scanner B. skate C. snow D.
scale), it is impossible to describe
A. music provides enjoyment and what happens in details. However
relief we can be reasonably sure of the
B. it is easy to appreciate music main effects, and the most
C. stage performance is the most impressive of these arises
popular music opportunity. from…14….. (A. pressure waves
D. everybody can listen to music B. pressure volume C. pressure
through the CD, MP3 and DVD. air D. pressure gauge ).

PASSAGE III The immediate result of the…15…

(A. reduction B. commotion C.
Whatever may be its wider detonation D. distortion) is that
imputations, the explosion of the air surrounding the bomb is
hydrogen bomb is, for the raised very rapidly to an
meteorologist, simply another enormously high…16… (A. way B.
atmospheric disturbance. It temperature C. class D. profile].
should therefore be classified with
certain rare natural…..11…… (A. The hot gases expand violently as
programmes B. occurrences C. great…17…(A. firearms B. fireballs
resources D. laws), such as C. fireworks D. firesmokes),
volcanic…12….[A. insurrection B. compressing the air around them

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into what is called…18…[A. shock A. force them to dance with the
jocks B. shock therapy C. shock masquerade.
waves D. shock troops), or blast B. try his tricks on them to know
wave that is responsible for much their secrets
of terrible destructive power of- C. prepare well ahead of them
the weapon. D. put them to shame.

Another kind of wave arises 22. In the novel; Nwomiko was

because of the weight of the air. famous for her
The force of the explosion lifts
the…19… (A. form B. atmosphere A. lack of fighting spirit
C. space D. height around the B. spiritual powers
bomb. The gravity waves can also C. political struggles
resemble ordinary…..20….. (A. D. lack of spiritual values
stream B. lake C. ocean D. river)
waves. Waves of this type are 23. With remarkable agility, he
normally felt by human beings mounted The Fallen Goliath and
and they have their effect on the went on to stuff his mouth with
weather. earth.

Questions 21 to 30 are based Who was the Fallen Goliath in the

on Chukwuemeka Ike’s The excerpt above?
Potter’s Wheel.
A. Cromwell
21. In their preparation for the B. David
masquerade, David and others C. Polycarp
agreed to exercise extra caution D. Samuel
in their dealings with Samuel
because he would.

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24. If you have not beheld your 27. In the novel, Bright lived with
chi in his stark nakedness, be Teacher because
prepared to do so as soon as you
set foot in that man’s house. A. his father had gone on a long
From the excerpt above, whose journey
house was being referred to? B. he was Teacher’s nephew
C. his father was indebted to
A. Mazi Nwokike Teacher
B. Teacher Zaccheus D. he wanted to become a
C. Mazi Okeke teacher.
D. Mazl Laze
28. According to the novel, Obu
25. In the novel, the people of was good at
Umuchukwu likened samuel to
A. Jokes
A. a swimmer B. proverbs
B. an ancestral spirit C. cricket
C. a chief priest D. games
D. a fisherman
29. Uke was conscripted into the
26. Obu dashed out of the school military because
building because
A. he wanted to travel to Burma
A. he was given a prize by the B. he was a social nuisance
headmaster C. he loved the British soldiers
B. his teacher wanted to ‘flog him D. his grandfather was a military
C. he came top of Standard I man.
D. his teacher sent him on an
errand.

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30. In the novel, the ‘pad’ was a C. take part in the election
symbol of process
D. extort money from the people.
A. love
B. success 33. The civil war created business
C. unity opportunities for people like
D. failure Owiocho because

Questions 31 to 35 are based A. he became the supplier of all

on Jerry Agada’s The essential commodities
Successors. B. the Ibos were conscripted into
the army
31. It can be inferred from the C. the exit of the Ibos created a
novel that Mr Eze was Terkura vacuum
Atsen’s D. the Ibos had ventured into
other businesses.
A. business partner
B. uncle 34. My boy, your future is bright,
C. role model you can be anything you want to
D. boss. be ….

32. From the novel, David The statement above was made
thought Ifenne should be involved because Ifenne had
in politics because he wanted him
to ……… A. purchased his first bus
B. been working for others to
A. make a ‘name’ for posterity make profit
B. rig the election for someone C. been planning to excel

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D. proven himself faithful and C. The team’s performance was
committed. full of disappointment.
D. The team’s performance was
35. The departure of Ibo rewarded.
competitors to the East had
favoured 37. Tolu and Chinedu live in each
other’s pockets.
A. Okoh’s marriage
B. Mama Okoh’s business A. They are long-term business
C. Torkwase at Otukpo partners
D. Sgt. Onyilo in the war front. B. They steal from each other.
C. They blackmail each other.
LEXIS, STRUCTURE AND ORAL D. They are very close to each
FORMS other.

In each of questions 36 to 45, 38. As the drama unfolded,

select the option that best Olatinuke was advised
explains the information
conveyed in the sentence. A. She was advised to wear her
shirt
36. The team’s poor performance B. She was advised to commit
at the tournament plumb the herself
depths of horror. C. She was advised to stay calm.
D. She was advised to join the
A. The team’s performance took club.
them to the next round.
B. The team’s performance was 39. He is a clinging child.
enjoyed by all
A. He is a handsome young man

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B. He is possessive A. She would pass the drink to
C. He likes to cling with his sister the queen who is sitting next to
D. He is a bully. her.
B. She would be accepted by all
40. Zinana’s examination result as a beauty queen.
was not unfavourable. C. She walked past the beauty
queen.
A. She failed her examination D. She was acting as a beauty
B. Her examination did not meet queen.
her expectation.
C. She was successful in the 43. ‘I can’t wait to become a
examination mother,’ The new bride declared
D. Her result could not earn her
admission. A. She sees motherhood as a
burden
41. You need to brush up on your B. She is excited about
Spanish. motherhood
C. She is not keen on becoming a
A. You need to study the history mother
of Spain D. She will be patient as a
B. You need to improve your skills mother.
C. You need a brush from Spain
D. You need to learn to play with 44. Usman needs to get his acts
a Spainard. together if he wants to pass the
examination.
42. Amaka Would pass for a
beauty queen A. He needs to put all points down
in the examination
B. He needs to organize himself.

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C. He needs to be fast when 47. The girl took a cursory glance
writing the examination. at the letter and hid it.
D. He needs to put on his stage
costume. A. sententious.
B. concise.
45. Ramatu ‘expressed her C. brief.
feelings in no uncertain terms. D. lasting.

A. She expressed it dearly and 48. The relationship between the

strongly. couple has been frosty.
B. She expressed it secretly and
courageously. A. fraudulent.
C. She expressed it quietly and B. cordial.
cautiously. C. amenable.
D. She expressed it feebly and D. frugal.
sickly.
49. The Nobel laureate’s activity
In each of questions 46 to 55, in the field of science is heinous.
choose the option opposite in
meaning to the word or A. indelible.
phrase in italics. B. laudable.
C. deplorable.
46. Chibuzor gave a curt nod and D. forgettable.
walked away.
50. The accused was eventually
A. gentle. convicted.
B. rude.
C. polite. A. initially.
D. shocking. B. consequently.

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C. subsequently. A. happening
D. finally. B. decreasing
C. increasing
51. The plebs can be found in D. wavering
every society of the world.
55. The soldiers tried in their
A. masses dogged defence of the city.
B. middle class
C. elite A. indifferent
D. politicians B. strong
C. miserable
52. Everyone’s condition was D. classical
appalling.
In each of questions 56 to 65,
A. simple choose the option nearest in
B. cloudy meaning to the word or
C. pleasant phrase in italics.
D. complex
56. Ayodeji is an ardent supporter
53. The man’s mordant wit is of education for the girl child.
apparent to the entire village.
A. an optimistic
A. Kind B. a cogent
B. scathing C. a passionate
C. caustic D. an ignorant
D. withering
57. The scholars’ epitaph was
54. The war against malaria demolished.
keeps waxing.

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A. monument D. height
B. embodiment
C. farmland 61. I am tired of your eternal
D. book argument

58. Mohammed does his work A. open

with so much ardour. B. constant
C. strong
A. enthusiasm D. useless
B. discouragement
C. knowledge 62 The lamb is a feeble little
D. indifference animal.

59. The athlete is proud to be in A. fat

the vanguard of sports B. quiet
development. C. loving
D. weak
A. unforgettable position
B. leading position 63. The actress screamed when
C. destructive position she noticed an object behind her
D. emerging position
A. wailed
60. Nwankwo was on the verge of B. protested
signing a two-year contract with C. waded in
the club. D. stormed out

A. shore 64. The exhibition was an eye

B. brink opener to all.
C. summit

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A. dispatch B. onomatopoeia
B. display C. onomatopoeia
C. style D. onomatopea
D. examination
68. The philanthropist devoted
65. As a journalist, Bala has himself... the poor
always had a nose for stories.
A. to helping
A. soft comment B. in helping
B. cynical statement C. by helping
C. an instinct D. to be helping
D. a command
69. Tinu likes apples... she does
In each of question 66 to 85, not like oranges.
choose the option that best
completes the gap(s) A. or
B. for
66. The girl says she is averse... C. so
what others admire. D. but

A. for 70. The students had a ... on

B. from Independence Day.
C. to
D. with A. march past
B. match pass
67. Our teacher defined... in his C. march pass
introductory D. match pass

A. onomatopiea

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71. Do you mind ... another hour B. colonial
or two C. collusion
D. coalition
A. to wait
B. to have waited 75. All farmers were
C. wait encouraged... carry out
D. waiting fumigation on their farms

72. The continuous rain has really A. to

... the soil. B. from
C. in
A. melted up D. with
B. mopped up
C. satiated 76. There are lots of... in the
D. saturated park.

73. The police described the boy A. luxury buses moving fast
as being... hand B. luxury buses fast moving
C. moving fast luxury buses
A. on by D. fast-moving luxury buses
B. up to
C. over at 77. Yours is to command... is to
D. out of obey

74. It was very easy for the two A. their

political parties to form a... B. theirs
government C. theirs'
D. their's
A. co-operative

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78. Local governments are B. whoever offers
authorized to pass --- C. whomever offers
D. whomsoever offer
A. bye's-law
B. bye-law 82. Our teacher defined... as the
C. bye-laws killing of one's mother.
D. byes'-laws
A. patriach
79. Umar: I have never visited B. matricide
the dentist. C. matriarch
Aliyu:___ D. patricide

A. neither have l 83. If you are confused...

B. I also never anything, phone my office.
C. neither myself
D. I myself haven't A. about
B. for
80. Usman would have won the C. of
race.... D. with

A. if he had run faster faster 84. We have a family mutiny...

B. although he ran faster our hands.
C. only if he could run fast
D. if he had run faster A. from
B. of
81. My father told me to take the C. on
money from....it D. for

A. ever who offers 85. We should try to help...

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A. the less fortunate D. comma
B. this less fortunate
C. the less fortunate In each of questions 89 to 91,
D. less fortunate. choose the option that has the
same consonant sound as the
In each of question 86 to 88, one represented by the
choose the option that has the letter(s) underlined.
same vowel sound as the one
ran letter(s) underlined 89. lose

86. glasier A. mouse

B. nurse
A. gleam C. noise
B. flat D. horse
C. feign
D. glass 90. guitar

87. laud A. jam

B. strange
A. lavatory C. judge
B. loud D. rogue
C. lathe
D. core 91. loose

88. coma A. sell

B. fuse
A. colonel C. close
B. cogent D. rouse
C. come

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In each of question 92 to 94, options. The stressed syllables
choose the option that rhymes are written in capital letters
with the given word.
95. dedication
92. rite
A. dedicaTION
A. list B. deDlcation
B. wit C. dedication
C. wright D. Dedication
D. rim
96. international
93. Joys
A. interNAtional
A. elbow B. internaTIONal
B. pots C. International
C. boys D. inTERnational
D. stays
97. information
94. Call
A. information
A. wall B. information
B. quail C. information
C. dull D. Information
D. slate
In each of question 98 to 100,
In each of questions 95 to 97, the word in capital letters has
choose the most appropriate the emphatic stress. Choose
stress pattern from the the option to which the given
sentence relates.

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98. Adamu is leaving a CAR 19. C 20. C 21. B 22. B 23. D
behind. 24. B 25. B

A. What is Adamu leaving behind? 26. B 27. A 28. C 29. B 30. A

B. Is Adamu driving the car in 31. C 32. A 33. C 34. D 35. B
front? 36. C 37. D 38. C 39. B 40. C
C. Who is leaving a car behind? 41. B 42. B 43. B 44. B 45. C
D. Where is Adamu leaving a car? 46. A 47. D 48. B 49. B 50. A

99. Lambusa TOOK OFF the wig. 51. C 52. C 53. D 54. D 55. A
56. C 57. A 58. A 59. B 60. B
A. Who took off the wig? 61. C 62. D 63. A 64. B 65. C
B. What did Lambusa do? 66. C 67. C 68. A 69. D 70. A
C. Did Lambusa take off a wig? 71. D 72. D 73. D 74. D 75. A
D. Did Lambusa take off the ring?
76. D 77. B 78. C 79. A 80. D
100. The bed is IN the room 81. B 82. B 83. A 84. C 85. D
86. D 87. B 88. B 89. C 90. D
A. Is the bed in the parlour? 91. A 92. C 93. C 94. A 95. C
B. Was the bed in the room? 96. A 97. A 98. A 99. B 100. D
C. What is in the room?
D. Where is the bed?

ANSWER KEYS:

1. C 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. D 6. A 7. B
8. A 9. B 10. A 11. B 12. C 13. D
14. B 15. D 16. B 17. A 18. C

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 2014 JAMB USE OF ENGLISH QUESTIONS

PAPER TYPE: L posed by the ongoing process of

globalization.
Read passages I, and II
carefully and answer the While political and social changes
questions that follow. Each may appear to be distinct
question carries 3 marks phenomena, they are analytically
inseparable. Political and social
PASSAGE I changes refer to alteration or
transformations in human
Political change and social behaviour, norms and politico-
transformation in the form of social institutions. Such changes
revolutions have radically altered are often a collective response to
the course of human civilization the need to change, or as a tacit
and history. recognition of a shift in the
prevalent power relations in the
Today, the world is witnessing society. Therefore, the coming to
political and social changes arising power of new sets of rulers, or
from the desire of people all over the establishment of new
the globe for greater freedom and structures and processes of
a voice in the way they are governance broadly typifies socio-
governed and a better standard of political changes.
living. Part of these struggles and
processes have become more It is important to note that
pronounced in the third world change can either be positive or
since the end of the east west negative. In most cases, political
cold war in the late 1980s, and in and social changes are caused by
the face of the challenges being certain factors or reasons. These
push people to collectively

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organize themselves to struggle 2. Which of the following is true
for a change in the existing power according to the passage?
relations.
A. Change is inimitable
Another reason is to capture B. Change is inestimable
political power, in the hope of C. Change is invaluable
making life better for the D. Change is inevitable
generality of the people. If politics
is defined as who gets what, 3. It can be deduced from the
when and how; it then implies passage that political and social
that political change refers to an changes are
alteration in the form of power,
and the identity of the group or A. Intertwined
class which controls and wields B. Antithetical
state power C. Independent
D. Repulsive
Adapted from Anifowose, R. and
Enemuo, F. (1999) Element of 4. A suitable title for this passage
politics. is

1. Which question paper type of A. Reasons for political change

use of English is given to you? B. The struggle for political power
C. Elements of politics
A. Type F D. Social change and political
B. Type E empowerment
C. Type L
D. Type S 5. The word alteration, as used in
the passage, means

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A. Multiplication the African rock python, have
B. Recognition been observed eating animals as
C. Modification large as an antelope or a small
D. Complication cow.

PASSAGE II With over two thousand five

hundred species belonging to
Like all reptiles, snakes are cold- more than ten families, snakes
blooded, or more correctly, are large and successful group.
ectodermic- they cannot produce They owe much of this success to
their own body heat; instead, their versatility snakes occupy
they rely on the sun to heat their habitat ranging from underground
bodies. Because they do not rely burrows to the top of the tree, to
on energy from food to generate ocean depths as great as one
body heat; snakes can survive on hundred and fifty meters. They
an extremely meagre diet. Some are found on every continent
wait for months between except Antarctica , and although
successive meals and a few they are most abundant in
survive by eating a large meal tropical areas, many survive in
just once or twice a year. When regions marked by extreme cold.
they do eat, snakes swallow their
prey whole rather than biting off The only places without snakes
small pieces. are parts of the Polar Regions and
isolated islands, such as the
Many snakes have specialized republic of Ireland and New-
jaws that enable them to swallow Zealand as opposed to places in
animals that are far larger than Nigeria like plateau and Gombe
their own heads. Although states in the northern parts where
uncommon, some snakes, such as

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there is a large population of C. There are countless number of
snakes. snakes in the republic of Ireland
D. Snakes are seldom seen at the
6. It can be inferred from the Antarctica
passage that snakes are
9. It can be deduced from the
A. Heterogeneous creatures passage that snakes have
B. Voracious cow eaters
C. Great insect eaters A. No external auditory organ
D. Homogeneous reptiles B. Visible internal locomotive
organs
7. The most notable thing about C. No visual sense of
snakes, according to the passage, measurement
is that they D. Large appetite for antelopes

A. Abound in gombe and plateau 10. A suitable title for this

state passage is
B. Are versatile in reproduction
C. Eat big but seldom A. Feeding habits of snakes
D. Exist in families B. Some characteristics of snakes
C. Snakes as legless, cold-
8. Which of the following is true blooded reptiles
according to the passage? D. Species of snakes in Nigeria
and other lands
A. Snakes are not in the polar
region PASSAGE III
B. Snakes are endemic on every
continent The passage below has gaps
numbered 11 to 20.

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Immediately following each announcer B. news editor C.
gap, four options are proofreader D. reporter], who has
provided. Choose the most to choose the most important
appropriate option for each stories .... 15 .... [A. subeditors B.
gap. writers C. agents D. producers]
go through stories sent to make
Each question carries 2 marks. necessary adjustments

Setting up a newspaper involves a The Editor-in-chief could

lot of preparations. The .....11 .... determine for instance, whether a
[A. processor B. lithographer C. particular journalist should write
proprietor D. sub-editor] has to articles daily or weekly in a
employ a lot of people. Other particular column. Such a
people working with him are journalist is known as ..... 16
cartographers, editors, ..... [A. a freelancer B. a
typesetters, readers, who work in composer C. a columnist D. an
various ways to produce the text essayist]. The editorials of the
of the newspaper, .... 12 .... [A. newspaper will be coordinated by
agents B. reporters C. analysts D. ..... 17 ..... [A. a guild of
vendors ] who go out and collect researchers B. an editorial board
stories and items of news, and .... C. all readers D. an agent].
13 ..... [A. correspondents
B.distributors C. listeners D. The publisher could decide to
newscasters ], who specialize in establish ..... 18 ..... [A. an article
one kind of topic. B. column C. magazine D. a
gazetteer] which would be on sale
Another important person who weekly, fortnightly or monthly .....
works closely with the editor --in - 19 ..... [A. a contrast from B. a
- chief is the ... 14 ... [A. contrast in C. a contrast to D. a

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contrast for] the eye catching, a solemn and humiliating pledge
screaming headlines and captions that he would never cross Obu`s
of newspapers on sale everyday path.
from the ..... 20 ..... [A. readers From the excerpt above, the word
B.distributors C. pressmen D. vanquished means
salesmen]
A. Unflappable
Adapted from idowu, et al. (1998) B. Unconcerned
Round-up English: A complete C. Sensitive
Course. Lagos: Longman D. Subdued

Questions 21 to 30 are based 23. In the novel, the suspicion

on Chukwuemeka Ike’s The that Obu was an `ogbanje` had
potters wheel. revalued the

21. Chief Okeke Okafo decided to A. Time Obu spent at teachers

buy an 'iron horse' because it house
would B. Disappearance of Obu in
standard
A. Allow him to be the head of the C. Price tag Mazi Laza and his
clan wife placed on Obu.
B. Raise his status in the clan D. Participation of Obu as a
C. Minimize the strain of travel member of the masquerade group
from one town to another
D. Give him the opportunity to act 24. According to the novel, a pupil
like the district commissioner who `carried his class` would be
instructed to
22. .... the vanquished dragon,
spewing sand instead of fire gave A. Dance on the assembly ground

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B. Fetch firewood for the teachers 27. From the novel, the first
C. Carry a pad person to own a bicycle in
D. Clean the latrines Umuatala clan was

25. If you get confused at any A. Chief Okeke Okafo

stage, let me know; I want this B. Polycarp's father
pottage to be well prepared. C. Mazi Lazarus
The statement above was meant D. Teacher zacheaus kanu
to
28. In the novel, what did Mazi
A. Distract Ada Laza do after putting a pinch of
B. Encourage Ada`s cooking habit snuff into each nostril?
C. Confuse Obu
D. Test Obu`s cooking skills A. He commended his wife
B. He gave the remaining to
26. According to the novel, Mazi Nwobiara
laza would shout at any person C. He nodded with satisfaction
standing in his way because his D. He complained of the stuff
bicycle in Umuatala clan was
29. From the novel, what was
A. Had injury people on many Ada`s punishment for fighting
occasions with madam
B. Was manufacture by local
engineers A. She copied psalm 119 from
C. Had faulty brakes and outdated start to finish
pedals B. She fetched water from the
D. Came from the same stock as stream with a basket
chief Okeke`s C. She ate only once a day for
one week

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D. she scrubbed the school latrine A. smoked Indian hemp
for one week B. were gainfully employed
C. listened to their parents
30. In the novel, Obu would not D. went to schools
touch cocoyam soup because he
claimed it 33. From the novel, what did
Terkura do with the balance of the
A. had lost its taste money chief Ofega paid him?
B. would get struck in his throat
C. would make him sick A. He married another wife
D. was not well prepared B. He brought a beautiful house
C. He invested it in his business
Question 31 to 35 are based D. He bought two cars for his
on Jerry Agada`s The father
Successors
34. Makurdi became more
31. The entertainment expenses prominent because of the
for Okoh Ameh`s traditional
marriage rites were paid for by A. Road
B. Bridge
A. Okoh amah`s parents C. International hotel
B. the bide`s parents D. Railway station
C. Okoh Ameh
D. Terkura Atsen 35. In the novel, Maria's tolerance
of her husband spending half the
32. Mfa`s friend asserted that night on duty at the hotel was
Bob Marley and other reggae considered a
stars were "good" because they
A. Way of taking great risk

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B. way to remedy all natural C. The money approved cannot
problems compete the pipeline project
C. necessary price to pay for the across the ocean.
success of their marriage D. The pipeline project across the
D. bad thing that couple should ocean will be abandoned unless
discourage. budgetary allocation improves

LEXIS, STRUCTURE AND ORAL 37. The police are looking for the
FORMS. woman who framed her children
out to her neighbours.
In each of questions 36 to 45,
select the option that best A. The woman and her children
explains the information are in the habit of working in
conveyed in the sentence. neighbour’s farm and the police
are not well disposed to this.
Each question carries 2 marks. B. The police may arrest the
woman for allowing her
36. The minister considered the neighbours to take care of her
ministry’s budget to a drop in the children
ocean in view of the number of C. The woman may be arrested
projects in the pipeline. for allowing her children to be a
nuisance to her neighbours
A. The amount available may be D. The police wanted remarked
inadequate for projected for allowing her children to
expenditure destroy her neighbour’s crops.
B. The minister maybe dropped
for failing to complete a number 38 Jummai's father remarked that
of projects. pigs would fly before she passed.

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A. It would be possible to pass D. He is quiet
only if she worked harder
B it would never be possible for 41. Olu gave his brother a bumpy
her to pass ride
C. He would have to bribe her
teachers to enable her to pass A. Olu's brother rode on Olu's
D. She would have to cheat in back to success.
order to pass B. Olu took his brother on a
bumpy road
39. The president said that he C. Olu gave his brother a difficult
found himself between a rock and time
a hard place when the press said D. Olu gave his brother a ride in
that he had resigned his car

A. He dreamt that he was 42. Adeola dosen't have to go the

abandoned farm today.
B. He thought that hard places
were unsafe A. Adeola may go to the farm
C. He had a hard decision to today if he so wishes
make B. Adeola ought not to have gone
D Hard places are dangerous for to the farm today
the president C. Adeola must not go to the farm
today
40. Kunana is like a bear with a D. Adeola should not go to the
sore head. farm today

A. He is a bully 43. My boss asked me to take my

B. He is grumpy eyes off the ball.
C. He is ugly

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A. I should stop paying attention C. They are barely surviving
to what is most important D. They have rejected the use of
B. I should be focused when I am spoons.
about stay off football
C. I should stay off football after In each of questions 46 to 55,
sustaining an injury choose the option opposite in
D. I should be focused when meaning to the word or
playing football. phrase in italics.

44. The robber was hedged in by 46. Prolonged strike action

the people. debilitated the industry.

A. The robber was surrounded by A. invigorated

the people B. isolated
B. The robber was killed by the C. weakened
people D. destroyed
C. The robber was exposed by the
people 47 One of the students bought a
D. The robber was caught by the plagiarized copy of the book
people
A. a used
45. Many workers are not happy B. an original
because they live a hand-to- C. a revised
mouth life. D. an annotated

A. They work hard with their 48. The young girl was taken
hands aback by her father's gift of a car.
B. They are voracious and
avaricious A. shocked

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B. unmoved 52. Some of my neighbours have
C. surprised an antipathy to dogs.
D. nonplussed
A. enmity towards
49. Musa is a gifted but erratic B. affection for
player C. acronym for
D. alarm for
A. strong
B. regular 53. The dressmaker-...- unpicked
C. unpredictable the seam of the shirt
D. unstable
A. threaded
50. The lamp shades were B. sewed up
translucent C. picked up
D. tore for
A. opaque
B. interested 54. The testimony of the witness
C. luminous was vague.
D. transparent
A. disturbing
51. My niece has an B. true
unquenchable thirst for adventure C. ambiguous
stories. D. clear

A. a spurious 55. As a student, Isa tried

B. an illegitimate communal living for a few years
C. a reduced
D. an inextinguishable A. collective
B. general

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C. shared B. dismayed
D. private. C. satisfied
D. relaxed
In each of questions 56 to 65,
choose the option nearest in 59. Joke gave Muhammed a
meaning to the word or jaunty smile.
phrase in italics.
A. a discouraging
56. The chairman admires B. an inviting
incessant meetings. C. a frightful
D. a cheerful.
A. unusual
B. planned 60. The first round of the
C. constant tournament was a doddle.
D. irregular
A. easy
57. Today's weather is favourable B. balanced
for a game of tennis. C. dodgy
D. exasperating
A. impartial
B. abnormal 61. The lazy man cast a lustful
C. encouraging glance at his neighbour's wife.
D. disapproving
A. hateful
58. the candidates looked aghast B. quick
at the first reading of the C. covetous
questions. D. envious

A. fulfilled

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62. They accused him of A. breaking
fomenting political unrest. B. securing
C. swapping
A. inciting D. strengthening
B. discouraging
C. preventing In each of questions 66 to 85,
D. guiding. choose the option that best
completes the gap
63. You can learn a great deal
just from watching other players. 66. The House and The Senate
will __ At noon next Wednesday
A. invent to hear address by the president
B. accumulate
C. allow A. convene
D. discover. B. adjourn
C. rise
64. All the researchers were D. collude
asked to garner information on
the new viral infection. 67. At the --- of the century many
ways of doing things were
A. collect introduced.
B disseminate
C. distort A. turn
D. give. B. event
C. birth
65 The dispute between the two D. sight
countries has resulted in the
severing of diplomatic relations 68. You may have the pencil, but
you can't have the ballpoint ...

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A. either 72. The guard spent all the night
B. furthermore pacing---
C. also
D. as well A. from and to
B. fro and to
69. The president said that the C. to and from
country was not out of the.... yet. D. to and fro

A. forest 73. The woman refused to

B. fog testify.... Her husband
C. water
D. wood A. in
B. at
70. He went to the restaurant to C. against
enjoy the special. D. from

A. suite 74. Abike must have found the

B. cuisine very interesting movies quite....
C. a la carte
D. chef A. absolving
B. absorbing
71. The invigilator--- to know how C. nauseating
long the examination.... going on. D. perverting

A. wanted/has been 75. The words___ divided

B wants/had been between the end of one line.
C. wants/have been
D. wanted/had been A. have been
B. have being

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C. has been A. very
D. has being B. neither
C. hotly
76. Those___ are very beautiful. D. just

A. flowers of her 80. The chairman is too much---

B. flowers of her's an idealist for this government
C. our flower
D. flowers ours A. from
B. about
77. Cooking has never been C. of
Jumoke’s--- D. with

A. recital 81. The clock--- 12 O’clock two

B. purview hours ago.
C. style
D. forte A. strikes
B. strike
78. When the strike is over, there C. struck
will probably be an increase in D. striking
wages and a __ increase in prices
82.Whats is the jury’s --- the
A. sporadic matter
B. concordant
C. concurrent A. verdict on
D. chronic B. verdict from
C. verdict at
79. My mother was—annoyed D. verdict with.
with me for coming late.

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83. The unconscious man was---- 86. cool
after receiving first aid.
A. full
A. reawakened B. luke
B. reformed C. look
C. restored D. should
D. revived
87. odour
84. The laughter –his face for a
moment. A. flow
B. sugar
A. improved C. hold
B. controlled D. floor
C. animated
D. remade 88. palm

85. She traced her family history- A. ranch

--matrilineal descent. B. florid
C. lunch
A. in D. plait
B. by
C. with In each of questions 89 to 91,
D. at. choose the option that has the
same consonant sound as the
In each of questions 86 to 88, one represented by the
choose the option that has the letter(s) underlined.
same vowel sound as the one
represented by the letter(s) 89. vision
underlined.

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A. instruction 93. keep
B. mansion
C. nation A. reap
D. enclosure. B. seethe
C. threat
90. gnash D. dead

A. forge 94. tax

B. new
C. king A. box
D. ring B. lacks
C. back
91. epitaph D. ask

A. pseudo In each of questions 95 to 97,

B. fan choose the most appropriate
C. paper stress pattern from the
D. pneumonia. options. The stressed syllables
are written in capital letter.
Choose the option that rhymes
with the given word. 95. valedictory

92. ever A. valeDICtory

B. valedicTORY
A. favour C. VAledictory
B. fever D. vaLEdictory
C. never
D. heavier 96. congratulation

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A. congraTUlation D. When did my mother buy a
B. congratuLAtion bicycle?
C. CONgratulation
D. conGRAtulation 99. AMINA went to Abuja by air.

97. conspiracy A. Is Amina going to Abuja by air?

B. Who went to Abuja by air?
A. conspiRAcy C. Did Amina go to Abuja by
B. conspiraCY road?
C. consPIracy D. Did Amina go to Jos by air?
D. CONspiracy
100. Musa is STAYING in Enugu.
In each of questions 98 to
100, the world in capital A. Is Musa passing through
letters has the emphatic Enugu?
stress. Choose the option to B. Is Musa staying on the outskirt
which the given sentence of Enugu?
relates. C. Is Audu staying in Enugu?
D. Was Musa staying in Enugu?
98. My mother brought a BICYCLE
yesterday. ANSWER KEYS:

A. What did you mother buy 1. C 2. C 3. A 4. D 5. C 6. A 7. A

yesterday? 8. A 9. B 10. B 11. C 12. B 13. A
B. Whose mother bought a bicycle 14. B 15. A 16. C 17. B 18. C
yesterday? 19. A 20. D 21. D 22. D 23. D
C. Did my mother steal a bicycle 24. A 25. D
yesterday?

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26. C 27. C 28. C 29. D 30. C Facebook Study Group
31. A 32. A 33. C 34. D 35. C
36. A 37. B 38. B 39. C 40. A If you need an explanation to
41. C 42. B 43. A 44. A 45. C any of the answers or you want to
46. A 47. B 48. B 49. B 50. A download more past questions
for FREE.
51. C 52. B 53. A 54. D 55. D
56. C 57. C 58. B 59. D 60. A
Click to ENTER our Facebook
61. C 62. A 63. D 64. A 65. A
study group
66. A 67. A 68. D 69. D 70. B
71. D 72. D 73. C 74. C 75. A

76. D 77. D 78. C 79. A 80. C

81. C 82. A 83. D 84. C 85. B
86. A 87. D 88. A 89. D 90. B
91. B 92. C 93. A 94. D 95. A
96. C 97. B 98. A 99. B 100. A

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 2015 JAMB USE OF ENGLISH QUESTIONS

COMPREHENSION: Read the denial of privileges, and subtle

passage carefully and answer the manipulation short of the use of
questions that follow physical forces, while those of the
military approach relate to the
PASSAGE I use of physical coercion. The use
of physical force could be by a
There are many different party to a conflict or third party,
approaches to conflict to promote one side's interest,
management, each of which may impose a settlement, or create a
have utility in particular situation in which diplomatic
circumstances. A great deal of negotiations can occur.
scholarship has been devoted to
analysing how and in what Secondly, conflict management
situations different approaches approaches can also be classified
can be applied most effectively. according to the status of the
Conflict management approaches participants in the bargaining
can be classified into two broad process. For example, a conflict
categories. could be managed through
'negotiation', that is, direct
Firstly, on the basis of the level of bargaining by the parties involved
escalation which the particular in the conflict; or through
conflict is being managed. In this 'mediation', that is with the help
sense, one can distinguish of a third part
between the peaceful and the
'military' approaches. The 1. The expression third party, as
trademarks of the peaceful used in the passage, means
approach are negotiation, verbal
persuasion, use of inducements, a. Politician

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b. Intruder d. There is a general
c. Conformist disagreement among scholars on
d. Mediator conflict management.

2. From the passage, it can be 4. According to the passage, the

deduced that different approaches to conflict
management are
a. All nations adopt the peaceful
approach a. Pernicious
b. All nations prefer the military b. Uniform
option c. Misleading
c. Prevailing circumstances push a d. Fundamental
warring nation to sue for peace
d. Conflicts are noted for 5. The word utility, as used in the
facilitating opportunities passage, means

3. Which of the following a. Difficulty

statements can be inferred from b. Attitude
the passage? c. Usefulness
d. Management
a. The approach to employ in
conflict management depends on 6. The word couched, as used in
the state of affairs the passage, means
b. Only one conflict management
approach can be applied in all a. Arranged
situations b. Expressed
c. All conflict management c. Modified
approaches can be all situations. d. Itemized

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7. From the writer's point of view, 9. What is the symbolic function
one can conclude that of a native language, according to
the passage?
a. The only authority a society
has is its a. It enables the society itself the
language more
b. Language and culture are b. It promotes understanding
interwoven within the group
c. People of the same culture in c. It distinguishes that society
the same society from others
d. Developing people of the world d. It alienates progress within the
have not developed their society and beyond.
language
10. From the passage, one can
8. Which of the following can be imply that
inferred from the passage?
a. The language of instruction is
a. The world is interpreted to use ideally one's own language
only in our native language b. Native languages are difficult to
b. Our native language is as use as languages of instruction.
important as the world around us c. No foreign language should be
c. We know more about the world taught in any society
around us if our language is not d. No society conducts its
written education in a foreign language
d. The world around us is the
world of people who speak the PASSAGE II
same language
The passage below has gaps,
immediately following such

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gap, four options are provided This spirit of rivalry among
chose the most appropriate mission and private schools
waned with government take-over
Before now, students bumped of schools.
unto career by chance or through
the insistence of parents. Government involvement in
These parents had pre-conceived career development is beset with
notions of ....11 .... professions many problems. One such
and gave little consideration to problem is the ..... 16 ....
their children's interest, aptitude, Shortage of professional career
knowledge and skills. Students' development officers. These few
career decisions were also ........ officers are ...... 17 ...... given the
12 ..... by the type of secondary opportunity to practice.
schools they attended.
If the government of Nigeria has
Before government take - over of ...18 ... a guidance and
schools in 1971. Over 80% of counselling policy. It must be
elementary and secondary schools pointed out that emphasis is still
were privately owned and at the secondary level of
competition was ..... 13.... among education. This situation..19.. the
these schools. Each strived to current view that career
carve an ...14... for herself by development should start at the
excelling in sports or academics pre- primary level and continue
and students often ended up in till adulthood.
engineering, medicine, the
science and law. Junior students 11. A. Insignificant
tried to ......15.... the career B. prestigious
choices of their seniors. C. inferior
D. debased

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12. A. influenced 18. A. lauded
B. hampered B. muffled
C. subdued C. muffled
D. rejected D. enunciated

13. A. high 19. A. rejects

B. minimal B. approves
C. low C. contradicts
D. moderate D. verifies

14. A. attitude 20. A. Lauded

B. image B. Muffled
C. effort C. Mumbled
D. avenue D. Enunciated

15. A. appreciate These question 21 to 36 are

B. emulate based on A. H Mohammed's
C. reject "The Last Day at Forcados
D. denounce High School"

16. A. mild 21. The information that Efua's

B. acute diary had been leaked to all in the
C. slow school was first made known to
D. average her by ----

17. A. seldom a. Caro

B. usually b. Ansa
C. often c. Nene
D. frequently d. Joke

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22. "What do you want? Doesn't it 26. At one time, the closeness
offend your pure gentle soul to be between Jimi and Wole
sitting beside me? heightened because they wanted
In the excerpt above, pure and to
gentle soul referred to
a. Contend with Jimi adversaries
a. Nene at Forcados High School
b. Jimi b. Unite against the bullying of
c. Efau the eldest brother
d. Ansa c. Present a common front in their
quest to learn at school
24. What did Ansa do when Efau d. Practice the act of dancing in
was introduced to him for the first the school choir
time
27. Teacher Bade earned the
a. He smiled sheepishly nickname "cane" because he was
b. He murmured awkwardly
c. He snubbed her a. A Discipline master in the
d. He embraced her school
b. Always ready to listen to
25. After the graduation, Nene student's complaints
hoped to study c. Always ready to punish
offenders
a. Accountancy d. Always ready to appreciate
b. Law students
c. Architecture
d. Education 28. From the storyline, we could
conclude that Forcados high
school emphasized

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a. Individuality b. Organizing committee
b. Conformity c. Ss3 students
c. Duplicity d. School teachers
d. Truancy
32. What did Jimi occupy himself
29. Despite the fact that Anza with as he took his shower
was not as brilliant as Jimi, he still
saw Jimi as a a. He was whistling
b. He was crying
a. Friendly and likeable person c. He was dancing
b. Timid and likeable person d. He was brooding
c. Likeable but hostile person
d. Humble ad likeable person 33. Who was considered as a
bright spark in an unspoken
30. Jimi was to run away from the contest with Jimi over their
policemen when they asked him chemistry results?
to stop by
a. Eze
a. Getting help from a good b. Caro
Samaritan c. Nene
b. Jumping into a nearby bush d. Efau
c. Hiding under the table
d. Jumping into a moving bus 34. The teacher's attitude towards
Efau was that of
31. The impromptu meeting to
prepare for the mid-term dinner a. Recognition
was attended by the b. Misconception
c. Misapplication
a. School prefects d. Repression

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35. Which of these best describe a. His actions were seriously
Aunty Moni's character trait rejected
b. His action were severe and
a. Garrulous accepted
b. Docile c. His action were itemized
c. Arrogant because he was young
d. Extravagant d. His action provoked the
humour
36. The workers tightened their
hold on the capital 38. I haven't seen the movie and
my brother hasn't either
a. They tightened a rope round
their capital a. I have seen the movie but
b. They controlled the capital neither of my brother have
more strictly b. My brother and I haven't seen
c. The held unto other workers in the movie
the capital c. Only my brother has seen the
d. They stretched their hold on movie
the capital and beyond. d. I was the only one that has
seen the move
From these questions, select
the options that best explain 39. Sule would have been given
the information conveyed in the car if his father had hot
the sentence. complained.

37. Amedu's actions provoked A. He wasn't given the car

severe criticism because his father complained
B. He was given the car because
his father complained

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C. His father complained about A. He is one of those that live in a
the car and he was given. distant and underdeveloped area
D. He was given the car even B. He is one of the active member
though his father didn't complain. of the community
C. He is one of the honest men
40. Adayi cannot halt the march that lives in the community
of time. D. He is one of those that live in
the most developed part of the
A. she is willing to march on city.
B. She cannot change the way
things happen. 43. Bello said he would pitch his
C. She halts the march on time. tent with the club.
D. She cannot alter the peace
march. A. He would support the club.
B. He would build a pitch in the
41. The lecture is Uye s road to club
Damascus. C. He would build a tent on the
pitch.
A. The lecture is an opportunity to D. He would distance himself from
travel to Damascus. the club.
B. The lecture is an experience
that changes the way she thinks 44. Try not to lose heart, said the
C. The lecture talks exclusively man.
about Damascus.
D. The lecture is an experience A. Try not to be bold and weak
that cannot be changed. B. Try not to become sad and
hopeless
42. Ado is one of the C. Try not to be happy and feeble
backwoodsmen.

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D. Try not to be timid and 47. She said, the experience was
hopeful. harrowing.

45. Kasim would have attended A. Educating

the party if he had been invited. B. Frightening
C. Pleasant
A. He would not have attended D. Strange
even if he eat
B. He attended the party before 48. The house was invaded by the
he was invited. young officers
C. He was not invited and so, he
did not attend A. Set up
D. He attended the party without B. Put down
invitation. C. Defended
D. built.
For these questions, choose
the option opposite in 49. I like Adamu weird attitude.
meaning to the word or
phrase in italics A.Buoyant
B. Peculiar
46. Adewale's arrival always C. Zestful
triggers a media frenzy D. Normal.

A. Violence. 50. We travelled to an obscure

B. Agitation little town
C. Calm
D. Excitement. A. rugged
B. Distinguished
C. Secluded

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D. inglorious A. Respectful
B. Derisive
51. She is known for her bizarre C. Sarcastic
dressing. D. Deluded.

A. Natural 55. Alade is noted for his erratic

B. Weird behaviour.
C. Obsolete
D. Odious A. Fitful
B. Bizarre
52. Lami normally scurries around C. Consistent
town D. Euphoric

A. Scampers 56. The priest knows Ochai as an

B. Dashes abstainer
C. Dawdles
D. Scuttles A. Someone who never drinks
alcohol
53. Sule’s poem is always explicit B. Someone who holds onto his
and compelling ideas
C. Someone who reads a lot
A. Exciting D. Someone who never cares
B. Clear about others
C. Ambiguous
D. Long. From these questions, choose
the option nearest in meaning
54. Usman smiled in a scornful to the word or phrase in
way italics.

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57. She gave a caustic remark on C. essential
the occasion D. critical

A. tangible 61. Usman likes toys made with

B. Friendly bright and animated colours.
C. insignificant
D. Sarcastic. A. dull
B. sparkling
58. It was a good try but it didn't C. black
quite work out. D. deep

A. Come to 62. The man has strong distaste

B. come off for alcohol.
C. come from
D. come for A. love
B. aversion
59. Garuba’s performances in the C. desire
competition was horrid. D. excitement.

A. terrible 63. The schism in the'

B. encouraging organization is on the increase.
C. Commendable
D. rigid. A. disagreement
B. understanding
60 Just me the basic facts with C. opportunity
needless details D. rot

A. relevant 64. Sule admires people who have

B. extraneous unbending character

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A. mobile C. A life
B. steady D. A live
C. wavering
D. unstable 68. The mechanic did not tell me
the brakes ... bad
65. He detests honesty
A. were
A. likes B. are
B. hates C. is
C. encourages D. was.
D. commands.
69. Tayo could have supplied the
From questions 66 to 85, goods but it was --- into two
choose the option that best
completes the gap(s) A. splitting
B. split
66. The number of stores will be C. splited
increased ... twenty to thirty. D. splits.

A. from 70. Had Aisha realized what

B. on marriage entails she –
C. at
D. into A. could have not rush into it
B. would have rushes into it
67. ... bomb had earlier been C. would not have rushes into it
defused D. would not have rushed into it.

A. A leaf 71.
B. An alive

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72. The company deals ... C. that
computer software D. while

A. with 76. He ran out when he saw the

B. for teacher ...?
C. in
D. to. A. didn't he
B. isn't he
73 There is no logic --- any of C. does he
their claims. D. is he.

A. with 77. Parents should be good

B. in examples ... their children.
C. from
D. up A. to
B. at
74. ... the house was an easy task C. from
for the demolition squad. D. by.

A. Bringing forth 78. He travelled ... last week

B. Tearing down
C. Bringing up A. somewhat
D. Tearing with. B. somewhere
C. some at
75. The player sat on the bench D. somewhere
... the match lasted.
79. He was present at the party
A. since ....?
B. when

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A. wasn't he 83. Oboro will always ... his
B. did he friends.
C. could he
D. didn't he. A. stand up for
B. stand down for
80. The prisoners had been ... C. stand across for
from all contacts D. stand besides for.

A. kept upon 84. She arrived ... air for the

B. kept apart occasion.
C. kept for
D. kept on. A. for
B. in
81. We detest these... declared C. with
the woman D. by

A. types of programme 85. Audu overbalanced and ... the

B. type of programmes water.
C. types of programmes
D. type of programme. A. fell into
B. fell from
82. lima doesn't like working in C. fell for
the dark ...? D. fell at.

A. has she For this question, choose the

B. does she option that has the same
C. will she sound as the one represented
D. did she. by the letter(s) underlined.

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86. Bore A. of
B. often
A. call C. off
B. curl D. physics.
C. slot
D. hum 91. Lodge

87. Head A. soldier

B. rogue
A. said C. go
B. heard D. measure.
C. herd
D. shirt For this question, choose the
option that rhymes with the
88. Sky given word.

A. cite 92. Suite

B. eats
C. breaks A. tree
D. coil B. breath
C. bleat
89. Loath D. sweet.

A. breathe 93. Cart

B. that
C. thaw A. lash
D. tank B. cat
C. part
90. Van D. pack.

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94. Sight A. moTIvation
B. motivaTION
A. skate C. motiVAtion
B. short D. MOtivation.
C. cite
D. plait In the question, the words in
capital letter has the emphatic
For this question, choose the stress. Choose the option to
choose the appropriate stress which the given sentence
pattern from the options. the relates.
stress syllables are written in
capital letter(s) 98. Bukola’s UNCLE is a strict
teacher
95. Programmatic
A. Is Bukola’s uncles a strict
A. proGRAMmatic cook?
B. PROgrammatic B. Is Tunde’s uncle a strict
C. programMATIC teacher?
D. programmatIC C. Is Bukola’s aunt a strict
teacher?
96. Certification D. Is Bukola’s uncle an easy going
teacher?
A. certiFIcation
B. CERtification 99. She puts spoon on the CHAIR.
C. certifiCAtion
D. cerTIfication. A. Did she put the fork on the
chair?
97. Motivation B. Did she put the spoon on the
chair?

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C. Who put the spoon on the 66. A 67. D 68. A 69. C 70. D
chair? 71. NO ANSWER 72. C 73. B 74.
D. Who took the spoon on the B 75. D
chair?
76. A 77. A 78. A 79. A 80. B
100. ASA is a lawyer 81. A 82. B 83. A 84. D 85. A
86. C 87. A 88. A 89. C 90. A
A. Is Asa a robber? 91. A 92. D 93. C 94. C 95. C
B. Who is a lawyer? 96. C 97. C 98. C 99. B 100. B
C.Is Asa the lawyer?
D. Was Asa the lawyer?

ANSWER KEYS

1. D 2. D 3. A 4. D 5. C 6. B 7. A
8. B 9. C 10. A 11. A 12. C 13. A
14. A 15. A 16. B 17. C 18. B
19. A 20. D 21. D 22. A 23. B
24. A 25. A

26. B 27. A 28. B 29. D 30. B

31. A 32. D 33. A 34. B 35. D
36. B 37. A 38. B 39. A 40. B
41. B 42. A 43. A 44. B 45. C
46. C 47. C 48. C 49. D 50. B

51. A 52. C 53. C 54. A 55. C

56. A 57. D 58. B 59. A 60. C
61. B 62. B 63. A 64. B 65. B

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 2016 JAMB USE OF ENGLISH QUESTIONS

PASSAGE I few people in the society, the fear

of the moralist has not been
COMPREHENSION: Read the justified.
passage carefully and answer
the question that follows. The However, the economist is
question carries 3 marks primarily interested in the habit of
smoking and the consumption of
The African moralist has always alcohol in so far as they give
regarded smoking as an indication satisfaction to smokers and
of moral degradation. drinkers and so generate supply
of and demand for tobacco and
A number of people have alcohol.
accepted the moralist idea on
smoking while a good many Some moral principles associated
people have remained indifferent with religion tend to lead on to
to the moralist view and have economic problems.
continued to smoke. The same Followers of certain religions are
argument has been applied to the expected not to consume pork,
consumption of alcohol. The take alcohol or smoke tobacco.
African moralist, basing his Devotees of some religious
judgement on the behaviour of a groups, on the other hand, can
few alcoholics, tend to regard the eat pork while others are
habit of taking alcohol as a sign of expected to abstain from alcohol
wretchedness. The moralist holds and smoking.
the view that anybody who forms
the habit of consuming alcohol Strict observance of these moral
will never do well in life. While rules could cripple the breweries,
this may be true in respect of a the cigarette factories and some

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businesses; however, there (c) certainly different
seems to be a growing number of (d) certainly unrelated
alcohol consumers and cigarette
smokers-a development which 3. According to the passage, the
should be of interest to the moralist idea is that
economist.
(a) the smoking of cigarettes is
Adapted from Peter Scott's article bad and unacceptable
in Sunday Times. (b) it is typically African not to
smoke cigarettes
1. The view expressed by the (c) people should accept a point
writer in the last paragraph is that of view only when they are
convinced
(a) the number of alcoholics and (d) smoking is not good but a
smoker is certainly increasing little alcohol may be permitted
(b) more people appear to take to
drinking and smoking 4. Which of the following
(c) sales of alcohol and tobacco statements is true according to
products have improved the passage?
tremendously
(d) more people now abstain from (a) total abstinence from drinking
drinking and smoking and smoking is a religious
obligation
2. It can be concluded from the (b)smoking and drinking may
passage that morality, religion have positive effects on the
and economy are economy
(c) every one ignores the moralist
(a) somewhat interconnected view on drinking and smoking
(b) clearly interconnected

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(d) people who drink or smoke was otherwise a nuisance to him
surely die of cancer in the business of keeping alive.

5. The positions maintained by In the primitive situation, man

the moralist and the economist was, therefore, basically against
can be described as being nature but, as the battle was
progressively won, conscience
(a) quite indifferent crept in; the awareness of
(b) very agreeable responsibility, and a failure to
(c) very passionate meet it, produced feelings of guilt.
(d) at variance
Those who live in cities and need
PASSAGE ll no longer do battle against nature
are nowadays most actively for
Read the passage carefully nature. At this time, something
and answer the question that like a thousand kinds of animals
follows. The question carries 3 (vertebrate animals) can be said
marks to be in danger of extinction. A
few of them have been reduced to
When man evolved a conscience, this precarious position by
his basic relationship with the extensive killing but the majority
other animals began to change. are disappearing only as fast as
Until then, they were broadly the particular kind of country they
divided into those which ate him need for existence is itself
when they got the chance, those disappearing and all the hands of
which he ate when he got the man, as often as not by mistake.
chance, and a third group which
competed with him for food, or There are three species of turtles
whose future survival is menaced

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by the demand for turtle soup, Adapted from Peter Scott's article
which would hardly justify the in Sunday Times.
extermination of a giant reptile
whose family has existed for 200 6. The sentence There will be
million years. twice as many of us before most
of us are dead means
Leopards are in jeopardy because
of the fashion for their skins. As (a) some increase in human and
they get rarer, the prices rise and, animal population growth rates
as leopard skin become more (b) mankind is fast spreading
expensive, the demand increases. across the earth
No species can long survive the (c) the population growth rate will
price of N60,000 which a half- double before our death
grown baby leopard now carries (d) many of us will die as a result
on its skin. of population explosion

And crocodiles, the longest 7. Which of the following

surviving reptiles, are now statements is true according to
dwindling alarmingly as a result of the passage?
the fashion in crocodile skin for
ladies' handbags and men's (a) man kills animal only when he
shoes. The human population can afford to do so.
explosion spreads mankind across (b) man eats all categories of
the land surfaces of the earth at animals
an alarming rate. There will be (c) man cannot spare those
twice as many of us before most animals that eat his kind
of us are dead. Does this mean no (d) man poses the greatest threat
room for wild animals? Of course to nature
not.

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8. The basic causes of the 10. From the passage, the
elimination of certain animals attitude of the writer can be
from the earth include described as

(a) a deliberate battle against (a) indifferent

nature and the quest for leopard (b) partial
skin (c) optimistic
(b) man's decision to live in cities (d)pessimistic
and the development of large
farm lands PASSAGE III
(c) man's penchant for meat and
the sale of animals for meat and The passage below has gaps.
hides Immediately following each
(d) extensive killing of animals gap, four options are
and the fast disappearances of provided. Choose the most
their favourable habitats appropriate option for each
gap
9. The expression when man
evolved a conscience means when A prepared speech is not easy to
deliver, especially if it is not
(a) man's intellect improved written by the presenter ..... 11
tremendously (a) quantum (b) document (c)
(b) man became a critical free (d) manuscript .....
creature delivery is one in which the
(c) man developed an awareness speech has been written out word
of right and wrong for word and is read to – 12 (a)
(d) man acquired new habits an audience (b) a
congregation (c) a gathering
(d) a conference.

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This kind of delivery is usually delivery could --- 18 (a) decisive
reserved for every --- 13 (a) (b) positive (c) interactive (d)
genuine (b) impromptu (c) restrictive --- effects created by
guaranteed (d) formal --- the carefully chosen --- 19 (a)
occasions when exact wording is - dialect (c) slang (d) language
-- 14 (a) reportive (b) --- lack of familiarity with the ---
conclusive (c) critical --- such 20 (a) text (b) context (c)
as the State of the Union Address exchange (d) note --- could
or speeches before the United also speaker from maintaining
Nations General --- 15 (a) eye contact with the people being
assembly (b) organisation (c) addressed.
negotiation.
These questions are based on
The primary advantage is that A. H. Mohammed's "The First
speech may be highly --- 16 (a) Days at Forcado High School"
advanced (b) analogue (c)
discreet (d) polished in terms 21. According to the Novel, Efua
of word choice, turns of phrase was in Forcados High School
and development of ideas. The because
main advantage is that this type
of delivery is difficult to do well. (a) her stepfather was a board
member
Reading aloud with meaningful --- (b) of her former principal's
17 (a) vocal (b) bifocal (c) recommendation
anticipatory (d) profuse (c) the school needed her
inflection speaker to be very mother's support
familiar with the text. If not the (d) of aunt Muni' gift to the school
words will come out in a choppy,
expressionless way. Such poor

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22. According to the Novel, who 25. When did a boy faint at
intimated Efua that there was a Forcados High School?
clash between area boys?
(a) during the prize-giving day
(a) Miss Novi (b) during the Mid-term dinner
(b) Mr Salami (c) during the valedictory service
(c) Mr Edet (d) during the inter-house sports
(d) Mr Mallum competition

23. The speculation amongst the 26. Mr Mallum, the principal, was
students of Forcados High School a symbol of
gas that Jimi was dating
(a) freedom
(a) Joke (b) envy
(b) Caro (c) condemnation
(c) Risikat (d) achievement
(d) Efua
27. Ansa decided not to like Efua
24. The best thing that happened because he
to Efua at the end of the term
was (a) learnt she was controversial
(b) thought she was fetish
(a) the visit of Nene's family (c) Felt she was snobbish
(b) her participation in the (d) thought she was wayward
Christmas concert
(c) her exclusion from Miss Novi's 28. In the novel, Ansa looked
charity group around glumly when Jimi was
(d) the principal's open engrossed in laughter and chatter
commendation of her result because he was

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(a) distracted by a b playing on (c) he saw an accident on the way
the field (d) he was carrying illicit drugs
(b) neglected by Jimi
(c) given twelve strokes of the 31. After listening to Jimi's
cane by the principal explanation on the stolen
(d) anxious to go home laboratory equipments, Mr Mallum
decided to
29. Which of the following
statements captures Ansa's (a) get in touch with Jimi's
thought about Jimi? relations
(b) punish Jimi for the wrong
(a) He thought Jimi was a lucky doings
boy (c) put an end to the matter
(b) He was going to break his (d) contact the police for Jimi's
friendship with Jimi release
(c) He thought Jimi cut corners to
succeed 32. Which of the following best
(d) He was envious of Jimi's describes Mr Mallum?
achievement
(a) He was a small, wiry man with
30. Jimi was still trembling when odd accent
he got home from the bar (b) He was a tall, wiry man with
because good diction
(c) He was crude, rash and
(a) he ran into a team of impatient
policemen (d) He was a fat, tall man with
(b) Wole's friend wanted to beat wimpish behaviour
him

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33. How did Nene feel when she (c) the students of the school did
saw Efua's painting by Ansa? not like her
(d) she bribed the principal before
(a) She became friendly she was admitted
(b) She acted timidly
(c) She was delighted LEXIS, STRUCTURE AND ORAL
(d) She was surprised. FORMS: In these questions,
select the option that best
34. One of the things Ansa explains the information
observed about his fellow conveyed in the sentence
students when they resumed for
the new term was that some of 36. Ramatu expressed her
them feelings in no uncertain terms

(a) wore their ties in odd knots (a) she expressed it feebly and
(b) were eager to go back home sickly
(c) looked sickly and (b) she expresses it quietly and
malnourished cautiously
(d) had become rude and unruly (c) she expressed it secretly and
courageously
35. Efua was not in the good book (d) she expressed it clearly and
of teachers at Forcados High strongly
School because
37. Usman needs to get his act
(a) her admission into the senior together if he wants to pass the
class was unusual examination
(b) she was expelled from her
previous school (a) he needs to put on his stage
costume

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(b) he needs to be fast when (d) the team's performance was
writing the examination full of disappointment
(c) he needs to organise himself
(d) he needs to put all points 40. He is a clinging child
down in the examination
(a) He is a bully
38. As the drama unfolded, (b) He likes to cling with his sister
Olatinuke was advised to keep her (c) He is possessive
shirt on (d) He is a handsome young man

(a) she was advised to stay calm 41. You need to brush up on your
(b) she was advised to commit Spanish
herself
(c) she was advised to join the (a) you need a brush from Spain
club (b) you need to study the history
(d) she was advised to wear her of Spain
shirt (c) you need to learn to play with
a Spaniard
39. The team's poor performance (d) you need to improve your
at the tournament plumbed the skills.
depths of horror.
42. Tolu and Chinedu live in each
(a) the team's performance was other's pockets
rewarded
(b) the team's performance took (a) They are long-term business
them to the next round partners
(c) the team's performance was (b) They are very close to each
enjoyed by all other

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(c) They blackmail each other (b) she would pass the drink to
(d) They steal from each other the queen who is sitting next to
her
43. Zinana'a examination result (c) she would be accepted by all
was not unfavourable as a beauty queen
(d) she walked past the beauty
(a) She failed her examination queen
(b) Her result could not earn her
admission For these questions, choose
(c) She was successful in the the option opposite in
examination meaning to the word or
phrase in italics
44. can't wait to become a
mother. 'the new bride declared 46. The relationship between the
couple has been frosty
(a) she sees motherhood as a
burden (a) amenable
(b) she will be patient as a (b) fraudulent
mother (c) frugal
(c) She is not keen on becoming a (d) cordial
mother
(d) She is excited about 47. The dressmaker unpicked the
motherhood. seam of the shirt

45. Amaka would pass for beauty (a) tore up

queen (b) sewed up
(c) threaded
(a) she was acting as a beauty (d) picked up
queen

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48. Some of my neighbours have (c) subsequently
an antipathy to dogs (d) consequently

(a) enmity towards 52. My niece has an

(b) alarm for unquenchable thirst for adventure
(c) acronym stories
(d) affection for
(a) an illegitimate
49. Chibuzor gave a curt nod and (b) a spurious
walked away (c) an inextinguishable
(d) a reduced
(a) rude
(b) polite 53. Musa is a gifted but erratic
(c) gentle player
(d) shocking
(a) regular
50. The girl took a cursory glance (b) strong
at the letter and hid it (c) unstable
(d) unpredictable
(a) brief
(b) sententious 54. The testimony of the witness
(c) lasting was vague
(d) concise
(a) real
51. The accused was eventually (b) factual
convicted (c) true
(d) clear
(a) initially
(b) finally

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55. As a student, Isa tried 58. The exhibition was an eye
communal living for a few years opener to all

(a) shared (a) dispatch

(b) private (b) examination
(c) collective (c) style
(d) general (d) display

56. The lamb is a feeble little 59. The first round of the
animal tournament was a doddle

(a) fat (a) exasperating

(b) weak (b) balanced
(c) loving (c) dodgy
(d) quite (d) easy

For these questions, choose 60. As a journalist, Bala has

the nearest in meaning to the always had a nose for stories
word or phrase in italics
(a) a command
57. The chairman admires (b) cynical statement
incessant meetings (c) soft comment
(d) an instinct
(a) planned
(b) unusual 61. The actress screamed when
(c) irregular she noticed an object behind her
(d) constant
(a) wailed
(b) protested

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(c) waded in 65. Joke gave Muhammad a
(d) stormed out jaunty smile

62. Today's weather is favourable (a) frightful

for a game of tennis (B) cheerful
(c) discouraging
(a) impartial (d) Inviting
(b) abnormal
(c) encouraging From questions 65 to 85,
(d) disapproving choose the option that best
completes the gap(s)
63. All the candidates looked
aghast at the first reading of the 66. You live in the city now, __ ?
questions
(a) are you
(a) fulfilled (b) don't you
(b) dismayed (c) didn't you
(c) satisfied (d) haven't you
(d) again
67. Concrete is made of __
64. I am tired of your eternal
argument (a) sand and cement
(b) a sand and a cement
(a) open (c) sand and a cement
(b) strong (d) a sand and cement
(c) constant
(d) useless 68. Suana___ that hexagons had
five sides, but later he knew they
were six-sided figures.

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(a) would have believed (d) orthopaedic
(b) had believed
(c) believes 72. I have been doing this
(d) has believed exercise___

69. The___ to the fallen heroes (a) for five minutes

was erected at the market square (b) five minutes ago
(c) since five minutes
(a) exhibition (d) during five minutes
(b) monument
(c) myth 73. Oloyede always sleeps like a
(d) picture baby,___ ?

70. The Flying Eagles of Nigeria (a) does he

couldn't have won the match if (b) could he
they hadn't prepared well,___? (c) doesn't he
(d) did he
(a) can't they
(b) couldn't they 74. The man was given degree
(c) could they despite the fact that he did not
(d) can they attend a___ university

71. They all gathered to exhume (a an honorary

the___musician's corpse for (b) an honourable
examination (c) a ceremonial
(d) a ceremonious
(a) posthumous
(b) post-mortem 75. My father has just bought___
(c) post-natal

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(a) a peugeot brand new car 79. Nkiru has lots of friends, but I
(b) a car brand new peugeot have___
(c) a new brand peugeot car
(d) a brand new peugeot (a) only a little
(b) little
76. The university is a corporate (c) only a few
body made___ different colleges (d) few

(a) in with 80. The HOD says she considers

(b) of with her degree certificate___ than as
(c) up of a prize through labour
(d) up from
(a) rather as a gift of God
77. The secretary hadn't___ (b) rather God as a gift
money left. (c) as a gift rather of God
(d) as a rather gift of God
(a) any
(b) anything 81. Mr Ojo instructed his son to
(c) none replace the faulty___ tube
(d) no
(a) flurescent
78. The King was recognised___ (b) flourescent
the scar on his face. (c) fluorescent
(d) florescent
(a) with
(b) to 82. The employer, not the
(c) by salesmen___responsible for the
(d) for loss

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(a) have been (d) ought
(b) was
(c) were For these questions, choose
(d) will be the option that has the same
sound as the one represented
83. She was___ as anyone could by the letter(s) underlined
have had
86. Waiter
(a) as patient as teacher
(b) as a patient a teacher (a) flavour
(c) as patient teacher (b) cite
(d) a patient a teacher (c) road
(d) hair
84. There was a serious___
between the new couple over 87. Flee
feeding allowance
(a) field
(a) arguement (b) skate
(b) argeument (c) faith
(c) arguement (d) rid
(d) argument
88. Palm
85. They thought Musa___ agree
if they altered some of the (a) florid
conditions (b) ranch
(c) blunt
(a) can (d) lunch
(b) may
(c) might 89. Phantom

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(a) physics 93. Cable
(b) pew
(c) phew (a) bible
(d) party (b) mabel
(c) able
90. Chest (d) marble

(a) fixture 94. Mail

(b) school
(c) charisma (a) bale
(d) mass (b) slate
(c) girl
91. Epitaph (d) galle

(a) pneumonia For these questions, choose

(b) fan the appropriate stress pattern
(c) paper from the options, the stress
(d) pseudo syllables are written in capital
letter(s)
For these questions, choose
the option that rhymes with 95. Advantages
the given word
(a) advantaGES
92. Ever (b) adVANtages
(c) ADvantages
(a) never (d) advanTAges
(b) heavier
(c) fever 96. Intentional
(d) favour

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(a) inTENtional 99. Kanu can play FOOTBALL
(b) INtentional
(c) intentionAL (a) Who can play football?
(d) intentioNAL (b) What can Kanu play?
(c) What can Kanu do with
For this question, choose the football?
option that is stressed on the (d) Why should Kanu play
first syllable football?

97. (a) guitar 100. Aisha plays TENNIS always

(b) guilty
(c) confuse (a) Who plays tennis always?
(d) relief (b) Does Aisha watch tennis
always?
In the question, the words in (c) What does Aisha play always?
capital letter has the emphatic (d) When does Aisha play tennis?
stress. Choose the option to
which the given sentence ANSWER KEYS
relates.
1. B 2. A 3. A 4. B 5. D 6. C 7. D
98. I left my bag on the TABLE 8. D 9. C 10. D 11. C 12. A 13.
D 14. A 15. A 16. D 17. A 18. C
(a) Is the bag left under the 19. D 20. B 21. B 22. A 23. B
table? 24. D 25. B
(b) Did I leave the shoe on the
table? 26. C 27. C 28. A 29. A 30. A
(c) Who left the bag on the table? 31. B 32. A 33. D 34. D 35. A
(d) Where did I leave the bag? 36. D 37. C 38. A 39. D 40. C

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41. D 42. B 43. C 44. D 45. C
46. D 47. B 48. D 49. B 50. C

51. A 52. D 53. A 54. D 55. B

56. B 57. D 58. D 59. D 60. D
61. A 62. C 63. B 64. C 65. D
66. B 67. A 68. B 69. B 70. C
71. B 72. A 73. C 74. A 75. D

76. C 77. A 78. C 79. D 80. B

81. C 82. B 83. B 84. D 85. C
86. A 87. A 88. B 89. A 90. A
91. B 92. A 93. C 94. A 95. B
96. A 97. A 98. D 99. B 100. C

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 2017 JAMB USE OF ENGLISH QUESTIONS

PASSAGE I men began to be eroded one after

another. There is hardly any
Read the passage carefully sphere of human Endeavour in
and answer each question that which women have not gained a
follows. firm foothold: there are women
doctors, engineers, pilots, prime
Anthropologists tell us that for a ministers, judges, bankers and so
society to remain stable, the roles on.
of men and women must be
properly differentiated and well Today, the women's spheres of
defined. In primitive societies, the operation are no longer restricted
men were assigned the roles of to the home; she is successfully
going out to hunt, fish and fight competing with her counterpart in
off the hostile tribe next door every area of human activity. But
while the women did the has this development been an
housekeeping and minded the unqualified blessing to the
children. The men were believed society?
to be superior to the women in
physical strength and capability. To answer this question, let us
There was a controversy in these examine some of the problems
societies as to what the roles of created in the process of
the sexes should be. achieving women's emancipation.
First, a large number of women
Consequently, primitive societies including the married ones and
enjoyed great stability. However, mothers now take up paid
with the advancement of employment.
civilization, many of the special
privileges traditionally enjoyed by

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The conditions attached to such 2. According to the passage, what
employment make it extremely two masters are women
difficult if not impossible for them struggling to serve?
to take adequate care of their
children at homes. Since no one (a) The health and education of
serve two masters, the health and their children
education of the children suffer (b) The husband and the children
tremendously. (C) The office and the husband
(d) The office and the home
Adapted from Ukwuegbe C., et
al (2006) CATCH-Up English 3. According to the passage,
Language for SSCEMME, ancient societies were secured
Ibadan: Heinemann because
Educational Books (Nigeria)
PLC. (a) men were assigned superior
roles
1. Advantages usually enjoyed by (b) the tasks of women and men
men began to were outlined
(c) women accepted inferior roles
(a) weaken through gender interpreted the roles of women
sensitivity were commonly interpreted
(b) diminish through women (d) the roles of women were
emancipation commonly interpreted
(c) dwindle with the advancement
of civilization 4. From the passage, it can be
(d) fade with wide self-realization inferred that women emancipation
results in

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(a) women becoming covertly the planning ...7...[A. holistic B. a
ambitious partial C. abnormal D. curative].
(b) resentment of men by gain When ...8... [A. planning B.
women budgetary C. projected D.
(c) crises at tome national] provisions are made,
(d) men becoming nonchalant. infrastructural ...9..[A. estimates
B. prompt C. prompt D.
5. The phrase suffer processes] shot lid be embedded.
tremendously, as used in the Where these are glaringly
passage, means ...10...[A. shortened B. cleared C.
omitted D. altered], then national
(a) greatly disadvantaged development and integration can
(b) to become worse be greatly ...11... [A. impaired B.
(c) badly unpleased degraded C. reduced D. denied].
(d) badly affected
However, the case with most
PASSAGE II developing countries is to place
other ...12... [A. sectional B.
The passage below has gaps. sectorial C. selectional D.
Immediately following each palliative] interests for above the
gap, four options are development of infrastructure. A
provided. Choose the most nation inclined to this erroneous
appropriate option for each position may continue to
gap experience ...13... (A. economic
stagnation B. recession C. social
In truth, realistic planning efforts decay D. management. This
its go with infrastructural...6... [A. implies that infrastructural
development B. projected C. development should be made to
arrangement D. tenet]. It makes take ...14...[A antecedent B.

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procedure C. control D. (d) the food in the college was
advantage] over other sectors. terrible

This is be-cause of the immense 18. In the novel, it was that

importance of infrastructure to Vanessa's father was in the
national ...15...[A. awareness B.
orientation C. policy D. growth] (a) Northern Protectorate
(b) colonial service
This question is based al S.I (c) house of commons
Manyika's INDEPENDENCE (d) house of lords

16. The college food was 19. From the novel, the Nigerian
described as dreadful by film shown created mixed
reactions in
(a) Jane
(b) Charlie (a) Simon
(c) Mahul (b) Ike
(d) Vanessa (c) Francis
(d) Margery
17. According to novel, Vanessa
fell sick after the party at 20. The mention of Negritude, in
Charlie's place because the novel, is an example of

(a) she drank too much and (a) African contribution to

skipped meals democracy
(b) of the continuous ringing of (b) African tribal custom
Oxford bells (c) African contribution to western
(c) her room was not warm civilization
enough

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(d) African adoption of western 24. The article published in
culture Students' paper criticized women
for
21. Who among the following
emphasized the importance of (a) playing music always
cross-cultural breeding? (b) overdressing
(c) distracting the men
(a) Sengbor. (d) partying
(b) Cesaire
(c) Charlie 25. In the novel, Francis pointed
(d) Simon out to Ike that Nigerians

22. Mr. Richardson's daughter (a) were inexperienced in Western

bothered about Lumumba and the democracy
wanted to go to--- (b) had taken control of their own
affairs
(a) Gabon (c) should know their history
(b) Congo better
(c) Togo (d) should speak with one voice
(d) Guinea
For this question, select the
23. The first time Tayo met option that best explains the
Vanessa was at information conveyed in the
sentences
(a) the film presentation
(b) hail for tutorials 26. The government didn't mind
(c) the Charlie's place my mentioning his name
(d) the Oxford University

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(a) He was not angry when I (d) I would like to buy a bigger
mentioned his name car if it was not so expensive
(b) He was angry when I
mentioned his name 29. No sooner had he got into the
(c) He told me not to mention his pool than the telephone rang
name
(d) He forgot to mention his name (a) He didn't get into the pool
to me because the telephone rang
(b) The telephone rang just after
27. The leader said he was not he got into the pool
unaware of the plight of the (c) The telephone rang as he was
people getting into the pool
(d) The telephone rang before he
(a) He knew of their plight got into the pool
(b) He was not informed of their
plight 30. My father said I might just as
(c) He could not understand their well stay at home for another
plight year
(d) He felt their plight
(a) I should stay at home because
28. But for the expense, I'd buy I had no other choice
bigger car (b) I might stay at home and do
well
(a) I want to buy a bigger car (c) Staying at home was probably
because it is more expensive the best thing for me
(b) I will not buy bigger car (d) I ought to stay at home in
because it is too expensive order to do well
(c) I would buy a bigger car if I
had more money

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For this question, choose the (a) anxious
option opposite in meaning to (b) fragile
the word or phrase in italics. (c) healthy
(d) cautious
31. The King's security men
relegated to the east 35. A conscientious student
should not receive a reward
(a) discharge from
(b) known in (a) An irresponsible
(c) accepted in (b) A persistent
(d) hated by (c) busy
(d) An active
32. The minister averred his
commitment 36. The poem appealed to my
sixth sense
(a) denied
(b) pledged (a) brain
(C) undertook (b) mind
(d) accented (c) instinct
(c) intelligence
33. The company was on the
brink of a financial abyss. 37. Sophie anticipated the
celebration of her tenth birthday
(a) difficult
(b) scandal (a) suggested
(c) services (b) hoped for
(d) stability (c) imagined
(d) waited for
34. Nosa is indisposed

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38. Mr. Bola is an irascible young (a) thick up
man (b) thick on
(c) thick about
(a) a weak (d) think at
(b) a crabbed
(c) a hilarious 42. Last week I ........ your friend
(d) a rude in the salon

39. She became neurotic as a (a) came into

result of her performance (b) came by
(c) came across
(a) balanced (d) came over
(b) disturbed
(c) rational 43. We might wait a little longer,
(d) excited but he would not it ..... soon

40. Malam Aliyu lived in lack (a) turn out

(b) turn up
(a) surplus (c) turn in
(b) penury (d) turn over
(c) plenitude
(d) opulence 44. His are tied, so he could not
do anything to help her
For this question, choose the
option that best completes the (a) shoulders
gap(s). (b) arms
(c) hands
41. You have to ...... how to make (d) legs
the whole week a memorable one

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45. If you want to be part of the (a) takes after
conference, you have to ...... a (b) takes up
form on me (c) takes from
(d) takes back
(a) fill up
(b) fill out 49. We have time to -- before the
(c) fill on gallery opens
(d) fill over
(a) Make
46. The flight..... has been (b) waste
postponed (c) conserve
(d) keep
(a) schedule
(b) timetable 50. The time has now come .......
(c) menu policy change in Nigeria
(d) manifest
(a) to
47. My wife should not worry (b) for
about this trial, I will always .... (c) by
her (d) at

(a) stand for For this question, choose the

(b) stand by option that has the same
(c) stand on sound as the one represented
(d) stand over by the letter(s) underlined

48. I can tell from the way he 51. tolerated

talks that he ....... his mentor
(a) stale

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(b) kneel (c) heater
(c) met (d) motor
(d) mat
56. cowed
52. gearbox
(a) low
(a) bare (b) flow
(b) feature (c) loud
(c) beer (d)cooed
(d) teacher
57. distribution
53. confusion
(a) distriBUtion
(a) measure (b) DIStribution
(b) mission (c) disTRIbution
(c) correction (d) distribution’
(d) caution
58. irrevocable
54. tertiary
(a) irreVOcable
(a) shame (b) Irrecocable
(b) question (c) iRREvocable
(c) catch (d) irrevocaBLE
(d) chair
59. My house is ACROSS the road
55. poster
(a) is her house the road?
(a) jotter (b) Is my room across the road?
(b) counter (c) Is my house on the road?

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(d) Is my house across the
street?

60. The shop closes AT 4pm

(a) Does the shop close by 4pm?

(b)Does the shop opens at 4pm?
(c) Does the stall close at 4pm?
(d) Does a shop close at 4pm?

ANSWER KEY

1. A 2. D 3. B 4. A 5. D 6. A 7. A
8. B 9. A 10. D 11. A 12. A 13. C
14. B 15. D 16. D 17. D 18. B
19. B 20. C

21. A 22. D 23. A 24. D 25. D

26. A 27. D 28. B 29. B 30. D
31. B 32. A 33. D 34. C 35. A
36. A 37. C 38. D 39. B 40. B

41. B 42. C 43. B 44. C 45. A

46. A 47. B 48. A 49. C 50. B
51. A 52. C 53. A 54. A 55. D
56. C 57. A 58. A 59. C 60. A

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 2018 JAMB USE OF ENGLISH QUESTIONS

PASSAGE A Of course, he hardly waits for

answers to these and similar
Read the following passage questions before jumping to the
and answer the questions that same inevitable conclusion.
follow. However, he met his match one
day when a new student joined
Returning home after a decade the class and heard the litany we
and half abroad, our Geography were used to. The new boy calmly
master remained incurably said, "Sir, I happen to know a few
addicted to foreign ways and white men who suffer from the
ideas for years after landing here. sickle cell disease; some are
He would forever stick to his Italians and some are Spanish.
theory of Africans suffering from a
curse inflicted on them by the The mosquito is equally deadly in
Almighty God for some heinous India, South-east Asian Countries
sins committed centuries ago. He and South America. The United
would, in support of this theory, States and some other South
ask listeners: American 5 Countries have their
"Why would our mosquito inflict deadly snakes. And, Sir, I know
deadly malaria on us whereas the many white men, some of them
British mosquito does not bite? British, who would prefer our
Why aren't there poisonous brilliant sunshine to their horribly
snakes in Britain whereas here cold winter." And he sat down.
most snakes are deadly?
I had never, before that day, seen
Why should the deadly sickle cell our master so consumed with
disease be peculiar to the black anger. He directed a burning look
race?" at the poor boy, who had no

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answer to this new battle. Without 2. Which of the following
as much as saying a single word, arguments did he not use to
the master stalked out of the support his vies?
classroom. Needless to say, our
anger was turned on the new boy, A. In Africa, the mosquito causes
who had decided to rock the boat deadly malaria whereas in Britain,
without taking the time to sound it doesn't bite or caw e malaria
the water. A delegation was sent B. There is malaria both in Britain
to the master to apologise to him. and in African Countries
C. The snakes in Africa are deadly
He was appeased. But we all but those in Britain are harmless
noticed something rather unusual D. The sickle cell disease is
thereafter never again did he peculiar to the black race.
dwell on the issue of Africans
being the cursed People. 3. "...rock the boat" What figure
of speech is this expression?
1. What point of view is the
Geography master fond of A. Simile
advancing? B. Metaphor
C. Personification
A. Africans are infested with all D. Hyperbole
kinds of problem
B. Only the white men are free
from deadly diseases 4. What extra argument (lid the
C. The Almighty God is punishing new boy offer after countering
Africans for sins they committed each of vie master's points?
long ago.
D. God did not curse the white A. There are problems especially
people. in Africa

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B. There are deadly snakes be the D. Main clause
in America and Africa
C. There are harmless snakes in Passage B
Britain
D. Many white men prefer the The passage below has gaps
African climate to their own. immediately following each
gap, four options are
5. Why do you think the master provided. Choose the most
fought back with his look rather appropriate option for each
than with further argument? gap.

A. He knew that the boy's points Mankind has been ravaged by

were valid many virus and ...7... [A. germ B.
B. He had answers to the boy's bacterial C. dirty D. mosquito]
argument diseases such as measles, but
C. He went out to sort for the tuberculosis, diarrhoea and many
boy's argument others including ... 8... [A. catarrh
D. He already made up his mind B. runny-nose C. headache D.
on his points. influenza] known also as the ...
9... cold [A. common B. sporadic
6. "...who had no answer to this C. universal D. regular].
new battle".
What grammatical name is given Outbreaks of many of these
to the above passage expression diseases have been brought under
as it is used in the passage? control in the last fifty years.
Some 10... [A. pains B. fevers C.
A. (non-defining) relative clause infection D. traces] like measles
B. Adverbial clause and whooping cough still pose a
C. Subordinate clause great danger to younger children.

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The ...11... symptoms B. [A. relievers B. treatments C.
appearance C. feels D. signs] of antibiotics D. Pills] has also
measles are more easily ... 12... helped to reduce the ... 19... [A.
[A. diagnosed B. treated C. dealt high B. mortality C. killing D
with a handled] than those of dangerous] rate among children.
whooping cough. Unlike that of
many others, the virus of measles It is universally accepted that
more easily remain ...13... [A. good ...20... [A. health B. body C.
unchanged B. constant C. sense D. development] is the
undiscovered D. erratic] for right of every human being and
hundreds of years. However, once children. You do not have to die
you have had an ...14...[A. from these diseases which wiped
epidemic B. encounter C. attack out the whole ...21... [A.
D. indisposition] of this dreadful countries B. areas C. communities
disease, you develop an ... 15... [ D. states] in the middle Ages. We
A. impurity B. armour C. have today ...22... [A. bitter B.
immunity D. ability] which is lovely C. potent D. marvellous]
almost complete and long lasting. drugs which give protection
Modern science has made against most childhood diseases.
available ... 16 ...[A. injections B.
medicine C. tablets D. vaccines to After each of the following
prevent many childhood diseases sentences, a list of possible
and this is the only guarantee of interpretations of the
... 17... [A. freedom B. discharge sentence is given. Choose the
C. cure 0. protection] from these interpretation that you
scourges. More effective consider appropriate for each
treatment of Complication arising sentence.
from these childhood diseases
using penicillin and other ...18...

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23. When asked to state her side D. getting to understand each
of the story, Bunmi started by other.
beating about the bush. This
means that Bunmi 26. The driver smelled a rat when
the policemen asked him to stop.
A. went straight to the point This means that the driver was
B. was lost in great thought
C. followed a bush path A. reckless
D. approached the subject without B. suspicious
coming to the point. C. careful
D. offensive.
24. The amount he donated was
small. He said it was his widow's 27. The students were as advised
mite. This means that to face their studies and let the
sleeping dog lie. This means that
A. he was a widow the students should
B. he was misery.
C. it was all he could honestly A. obey the authorities
afford B. organise them properly
D. he could have given more. C. leave matters as they are now
D. be as watchful as sleeping
25. The friendship between Segun dogs.
and Shehu has turned sour. This
means that Segun and Shehu are 28. From the way Ngozi behaves,
it is obvious she is a greenhorn.
A. no longer friends This means that Ngozi is
B. stilt friends
C. better friends now A. arrogant
B. cautious

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C. inexperienced 31. I knew Okoronkwo's father
D. uncivilised. very well and I must say that his
son is a chip off the old block. Thy
29. The economic situation is so means that Okoronkwo
bad that many wage earners are
hardly able to make both ends A. has Chosen the game career as
meet. This means that its father
B. is very much like his father
A. people's income exceed their C. is a I extremely different sort
expenditure of person from his lather.
B. most people are extravagant D. has taken up a different
with their income profession from his father's.
C. people's earnings are not
sufficient for their essential needs 32. The debating team was
D. most people engage in warned to make convincing points
activities that bring them extra and not to play to the gallery.
pay. This means that the team should
not
30. Since I found out his
hypocritical nature, I have been A. be selfish
keeping him at arm's length. This B. underrate opponents
means that I C. be over-confident
D. attempt to win cheap
A. avoid being similar with him popularity.
B. ignore his advice
C. report him to the authority 33. Anyone who thinks that he
D). stop visiting him. can succeed in life without
working hard is living in a fool's

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paradise. This means is that such 36 My hostess greeted her guest
a person in a very relaxed manner

A. is having an illusion A. energetic

B. thinks other people are fools B. athletic
C. thinks hat working is merely a C. stiff
joke. D. perplexed
D. is on the verge of insanity.
37. Ayo takes his studies rather
From these questions, choose lightly
the options opposite in
meaning to the words or A. humorously
phrases in italics. B. tediously
C. carefully
34. I am happy to inform you that D. seriously
your boys are conscientious
38. The doctor was very gentle
A. industrious with his patients in the examining
B. carefree room
C. careful
D. corrupt A. harsh
B. rude
35. My father is a very prosperous C. rough
businessman. D. unkind

A. ungrateful 39. The President took exception

B. unscrupulous to the ignoble role the young man
C. unskilled played in the matter
D. unsuccessful

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A. honourable C. obvious
B. embarrassing D. obscure
C dishonourable
D. extraordinary 43. His anti-apathy to religion
ideas makes him unpopular
40. The man who had been
seriously ill was convalescing at a A. remedy
seaside resort B. Consciousness
C. hostility
A. regaining health D. receptiveness
B. deteriorating in health
C. recuperating For the questions, choose the
D. relaxing options that best complete the
gap(s).
41. For millions of years, the
world resources have remained 44, He was ... [A. assisted B.
boundless duped C. enjoined D. encouraged]
... by the trickster.
A. unlimited
B. scarce 45. When the soldiers saw that
C. indomitable resistance was ... [A. inadequate
D. limited B. inefficient C. futile D.
successful] ..., they stopped
42. The difference between the fighting
experimental procedures was
imperceptible to me 46. You should read all the ... [A.
brochures B. prospectus C. tickets
A. negligible D. handouts] ... carefully before
B. significant

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you decide where to go on A. argued
holiday. B. confirmed
C. denied
47. The Emir and Conqueror of D. affirmed
the enemy territories. ---[A.
arrives B. are to arrive C. arrive 52. The high cost of living these
D. are arriving] --- next week. days calls for a lot of frugality

48 We ought to have visited the A. extravagance

Governor, ...[A. isn't it B, oughtn't B. economy
we C. shouldn't we D. haven't] C. recklessness
D. prudence.
49. He didn't sense Obi's
presence in the room, did he?... 53. Tunde's reaction underscores
[A. yes, he did B. No, he did C. the points I was making.
Yes, he didn't D. No, he didn't]
A. justifies
50. You can stay here --- [A. as B. summarizes
long B. so long C. in a much D. C. emphasizes
for as long] --- as you are quiet. D. clarifies

In each of these questions, 54. Everyone admired the

choose the option nearest in manager's adroit handling of the
meaning to the word(s) or crisis in the company
phrase in italics.
A. emphasised
51. The witness averred that she B. skilful
had seen Dosun at the scene of C. tactless
the crime D. clumsy

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55. The principal took exception In each of these questions,
to the ignoble role the teacher choose the appropriate stress
plays d in the matter item from the options. The
syllables are written in capital
A. embarrassing letters.
B. honourable
C. extraordinary 58. comfortable
D. dishonourable
A. COMfortable
In each of these questions, B. comFORtable
choose the option that has the C. comfortaBLE
same sound as the one D. comforTABLE
represented by the letter(s)
underlined. 59. incapacitate

56. key A. inCApacitate

B. incaPAcitate
A. sit C. INcapacitate
B. bet D. incapaciTATE.
C seat
D. tread 60. encouragement

57. taught A. Encouragement

B. encouragement
A. law C. encouRAgement
B. aunt D. encouragement
C. count
D. plateau

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ANSWERS

1. C 2. B 3. B 4. D 5. A 6. A 7. B
8. A 9. B 10. C 11. A 12. A 13. C
14. C 15. C 16. D 17. D 18. C
19. B 20. A

21. C 22. C 23. D 24. C 25. A

26. B 27. C 28. C 29. C 30. A
31. B 32. D 33. A 34. B 35. D
36. C 37. D 38. A 39. A 40. B

41. B 42. B 43. D 44. B 45. C

46. A 47. A 48. B 49. D 50. A
51. C 52. A 53. D 54. B 55. B
56. A 57. A 58. A 59. B 60. A

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