SECTION A: OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that best completes each of the following sentences. 1. The aggrieved customers staged a fierce ____ on the street.
2. The accused was brought before the jury for a court ____ .
3. From his ____, one can tell that he is an athlete.
After each of the following sentences, a list of possible interpretations is given. Choose the interpretation that is most appropriate for each sentence. 4. Revealing that information will cut the ground from under my feet.
5. Mother always tells me to keep my nose clean. This means that she tells me to
From the words lettered A to D below each sentence, choose the word or group of words that is nearest in meaning to the capitalized word as it is used in the sentence. 6. Parents encourage their children to exercise financial PRUDENCE.
7. Awa DECEIVED Ahmed into handing over all his savings.
In each of the following sentences, there is one capitalized word and one gap. From the words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the capitalized word and that will, at the same time, correctly fill the gap in the sentence. 8. A TRIVIAL issue often becomes ____ when it is not properly handled.
9. The rock star’s STELLAR performance contrasted sharply with the ____ performance of the amateur group.
From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letter(s) written in capital letters. 10. mOney
From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same consonant sound as the one represented by the letters underlined. 13. orCHid
In each of the following questions, the main/primary stress is indicated by writing the syllable on which it occurs in capital letters. Choose the option that has the correct stress. 15. democratic
In the following options lettered A to D, all the words except one have the same stress pattern. Identify the one with the different stress pattern. 17.
18. A. candidate B. primacy C. enigma D. maintenance
In each of the following sentences, the word that receives the emphatic stress is written in capital letters. From the questions lettered A to D, choose the one to which the given sentence is the appropriate answer. 19. Ojo won the prize for the best TEACHER.
20. The president rewarded some of the OFFICERS.
From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol. 21. /ɔɪ/
In the following passage, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below the passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill each numbered gap. Jim had his first 25 in professional boxing when he was seventeen and that match has remained indelible in his memory. Before the match, he had gone for a 26 alone with other boxers. On the D-day, he came into the 27 amidst loud cheers from the spectators after he had been called by the 28. He was wearing customised trunks and 29 to prevent damage to his hands. Jim and his opponent moved round 30, throwing punches at each other. Jim threw a right hook but left himself open and got cut by a strong counter punch. 25. A. contest B. bout C. practice D. session
26. A. weighing B. weigh-in C. weight D. weighing-in
27. A. ring B. field C. arena D. stage
28. A. announcer B. referee C. judge D. manager
29. A. helmets B. gloves C. pads D. guards
30. A. cautiously B. carefully C. warily D. aggressively
SECTION B – COMPREHENSION: Read the comprehension passage carefully and answer the questions. It was a cold windy Monday morning just before dawn. A frail old woman who could barely see beyond a few metres ahead of her – an early septuagenarian – braved all the odds and stepped out onto the dirt road in the village of Koomla. For her, today’s duty had to be done even if it meant further risking her delicate health. “What would I not do for Koku to amount to something in this life that has given me nothing but woes?” Mma Koku thought to herself. And so, despite the ominous signs from the sky, and wearing just a threadbare sweater over an equally aged wrapper, she forged ahead, daring the draught of air that was threatening to topple her. Luckily, the sand ground was still largely undisturbed owing to the dew, so she didn’t have to contend with fending off particles from her often rheumy eyes. “Come what may,” Mma Koku assured herself as her left foot plonked into a muddy pothole she hadn’t seen in time, “today I shall see The Pathfinder, before he leaves for the city.” Her destination was still about nine kilometers away. At home, The Pathfinder, a respected middle-aged university teacher – the very first person to earn the highest postgraduate degree from the village of Koomla – had just roused himself from dreamland. In the dream a figure in white had told him he owed an obligation to the old woman. She was on her way to give him a parcel for her son studying at a university in the city, about a thousand miles away. The Pathfinder had come home for a two-day visit and the news had got to Mma Koku, who gladly took all of her savings for the last three months, put it in a small envelope and tied it up in the edge of her wrapper. The duo were to meet at the junction where the village road led off to the city. “You know, Lord, that this is all I have. Please let my son turn out well,” the old woman prayed. “No sacrifice is too much for one’s child,” she heaved, skipping over another muddy pothole, for it had rained the previous day. By the time Mma Koku got about a mile from The Pathfinder’s home, the day was now bright enough for her to see with less strain. However, the sky suddenly became overcast and only seconds later there was a torrent from the heavens. There was very little that the surprised old woman could do to stave off the watery onslaught, so she trudged on stoically. At the appointed place, The Pathfinder activated his wipers at top speed as he stayed on the lookout for the person he was expecting. As drenched Mma Koku came into view, The Pathfinder switched off the ignition and rushed out to meet up with her, guiding her to a nearby shed. After a few minutes of pleasantries, she handed over her widow’s mite. “Mma, please wait here till the sky stops weeping,” he begged her. “I must run along now.” “Ah, what can beat a mother’s love!” Dr. Felix Adoka soliloquized pensively, shaking his head as he winked a left turn to an oncoming driver, prepared to confront the elements. “I shall ensure her son gets a teaching job once he is done,” he promised himself. Comprehension Questions: 1. Why did Mma Koku leave home on a cold, windy Monday morning? 2. What may have prompted the villagers to call the man “The Pathfinder”? 3. What was The Pathfinder’s attitude to Mma Koku? 4. What was the expectation of Mma Koku concerning her son? 5. In what age range would you place Mma Koku? 6. “…sky stops weeping.” What figure of speech is contained in the expression above? 7. “…before he leaves for the city.” (i) What grammatical name is given to this expression? (ii) Its function? 9. For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it as used in the passage: (i) delicate; (ii) ominous; (iii) an obligation.
SECTION C – SUMMARY For all well-meaning citizens, the moral decadence in our society nowadays is cause for concern. Some have argued that the root cause of this decadence is poor parenting. Indeed, poor parenting has given rise to most of the criminality that we witness today. We all keep on complaining when, in fact, parents themselves are largely to blame for the unsavoury situation. In order to improve this situation, parents need to inculcate certain sterling qualities in their children. There is no doubt that temptations are bound to arise in everyday life. However, if lessons in self-control are instilled in children, they will be able to resist temptations. Children who have self-control are not likely to have problems with the law; moreover, they will be able to avoid health issues and financial stress, as well as other consequences of lack of self-restraint. A child who has imbibed the virtue of humility will be respectful, take into account others, and be willing to learn from them. Parents should ensure that their children take active part in chores and duties at home. They will therefore know that there is virtue in serving others. In life, we cannot avoid obstacles and disappointments. A child cannot learn how to walk without occasional falls. Similarly, in life we experience occasional setbacks. A child may fail a test at school. In such a situation, what is needed is encouragement that will boost the child’s confidence for future tests. Parents can help the child to work out a strategy for achieving resounding success. Many adults lack integrity, so when they say “yes,” they really mean “no.” They can therefore hardly be trusted or relied on and usually fail to take responsibility for their actions or failures. Parents should train their children to have integrity so that they will not engage in criminal activities. Obedience to laws is a key quality that will make any society stable and function smoothly. For example, if taxes are paid when due as stipulated by societal laws, money realised will be used to provide the badly needed social amenities and infrastructure. Summary Question: In five sentences, one for each, summarise the qualities that the writer advises parents to instil in their children.
