Common Entrance English 2022

 

2022 ENGLISH STUDIES (NCEE) Time allowed: 60 minutes

SECTION A COMPREHENSION

 

Read the passages below carefully and answer the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate of the options lettered A-E (Nos. 1-10).

 

PASSAGE I

A good night sleep is very important for your health. Your brain and your body use that time to do all kinds of things that they cannot do when you are awake. How much sleep do you need? Every person is a little different, but many experts say that children need about ten hours of sleep per night. So, if you wake up at seven o'clock to go to school, you should be going to bed by nine o'clock at night.

Sometimes it is not easy to fall asleep quickly, though you might have a lot of energy, or you might be excited about something. When you are worried about something, then it is hard to get sleepy. Here are some things you can do to make it easier for you to get the sleep you need: keep your body in a routine of going to bed at the same time every night; do something calming right before bedtime, such as taking a warm bath or reading; limit sodas, iced tea and other foods and drinks that contain caffeine; turn off your TV when it is time to sleep or better still, don't have a TV in your bedroom. Studies have shown that children who have a TV in their rooms sleep less. Don't watch scary TV shows or movies close to bedtime because these can sometimes make it hard for one to fall asleep. Exercise during day will help you sleep better at night. But don't exercise just before going to bed; don't do homework, play games or talk on the phone in bed. Use your bed just for sleeping and train your body to associate the bed with sleep.

If you follow these handy tips, you will get yourself relaxed before bedtime and, it will be easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.

 

1.      Why is a good night’s sleep important for children's health? A. helps children to gain a lot of energy. B. is a body building mechanism. C. is a period for the brain and the body to function effectively. D. keeps the body in a proper routine and makes it active. E. makes one's immune system stronger to fight sicknesses.

2.      The main aim of this passage is to  A. analyse B. criticise C. educate D. entertain E. persuade

3.      According to the passage, the author discourages having a TV in a bedroom in order to  A. allow children use their beds just for sleeping B. calm down before bedtime C. create the much needed time for children to study D. prevent children from sleeping less E. prevent children from watching scary TV shows

4.      According to the writer, caffeinated drinks and foods can  A. damage the brain B. keep you awake C. keep you healthy D. make you sick E. make you sleepy

5.      One of these is not true according to the passage:  A. Day time exercise helps one sleep at night B. Exercising before going to bed helps one to sleep C. Reading is one of those calming activities D. Regularize your bedtime E. Turn off your TV when it is bedtime

PASSAGE II

I had always lived in fear of water. When my friends practiced swimming, I had always stayed away because my mother had made me promise her never to go swimming and I kept this promise very well.

On this day, after spending a long time at the stream, trying in vain to catch fish, my friends pulled off their clothes and jumped into the stream. I stood on the bank watching them. They jeered at me and called me "his mother's son." I was temptcd to get into the water to prove to them that I was not the fool they took me for. I was still gazing attentively at the stream when one boy, who had quietly crept behind me gave me a push. I fell heavily into the water. I was in my clothes and could not swim. I tried to shout, but I took in a gulp of water each time.

I went deep down and it was dark; I was pushed up again and I saw daylight. It was then I heard the boys laughing at me. Down I went again and felt I was going to drown and these wicked boys were going to continue laughing until I die. At that moment, I remembered my mother and even my sister and felt sorry for them. They would weep and weep when I was gone. I felt sorry for myself; I was going to die young.

Then a hand gripped me by the waist and at first I wanted to hold tight to this hand. But when I knew that it was trying to save me I controlled myself. When I was pulled out, I was tired.

 

6.      Which of the following statements is not true according to the passage? The writer   A. almost drowned in the stream B. and his friends could not catch any fish at the stream C. had always been afraid of water D. joined his friends to swim E. kept the promise he made to his mother

7.      It is clear from the passage that the boy   A. has never swum before B. knew he was going to die young C. loved his mother very much D. tried to prove to his friends that he was not a fool E. wept for his mother, sister and himself

8.      When he heard the other boys laughing, the writer  A. felt sorry for himself B. felt sorry for them C. felt the boys were wicked D. knew he would be saved E. thought of revenge

9.      According to the passage, the boys were laughing because the writer  A. appeared funny to them B. could not swim C. had his clothes on D. obeyed his mother E. was about to drown

10.  Which of the following words can replace "gripped" as used in the passage? A. Aided B. Handled C. Held D. Lifted E. Nabbed

Choose from the options lettered A-E the one that is nearest in meaning to the word in italics (Nos. 11-15).

11.  The lost girl was found by a brave police officer.  A. clever B. courageous C. quiet D. smart E. timid

12.  Prince Audu was banished from the village.  A. accepted in B. expelled from C. isolated from D. removed from E. welcomed to

13.  The class monitor was asked to collect the pupils' classwork. A. gather B. group C. separate D. share E. submit

14.   Usain Bolt set the world record as the fastest runner in 100 metres.  A. broke B. exceeded C. kicked D. lost E. topped

15.  My mother has a diamond ring that glitters.  A. brightens B. darkens C. dims D. faints E. shines

Choose from the options lettered A-E the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word in italics Nos. 16-20).

16.  It is good to be polite to others.  A. aggressive B. attentive C. kind D. rude E. wicked

17.  My brother is stingy.  A. generous B. greedy C. helpful D. mean E. wasteful

18.  Anita's handwriting is legible.  A. bold B. clear C. clumsy D. faint E. neat

19.  I was scared on seeing the dog.  A. afraid B. calmed C. confident D. frightened E. terrified

20.  Grace broke the fragile vase.   A. delicate B. expensive C. heavy D. light E. strong

SECTION C: STRUCTURE

Complete each of the following statements with the most appropriate of the options lettered A-E (Nos. 21-40).

21.  Allen is not only tall _____ handsome   A. nor B. or C. yet D. and E. but

22.  Which of the following suffixes can combine with the word "understand" to form a new word? A. -able B. -on C. -less D. -ly E. –ment

23.  Active voice: The teacher marked the test. Passive voice: The test ___ marked by the teacher. A. is B. is being C. was D. was being E. were

24.  The pupils are ____ for the kind gestures  A. grateful B. gratful C. greateful D. greatful E. greettul

25.  It is not advisable to ____ directly from the tap.  A. drank B. drink C. drinking D. drinks E. drunk

26.  The new textbook is as ____ as the old  A. impartant B. important C. importent D. impotant E. important

27.  Beauty wore her wristwatch ____  A. herself B. himself C. myself D. ourselves E. themselves

28.  The bag is dirty. ____ it? A. does B. doesn't C. is D. isn't E. was

29.  If I ____ your father, you wouldn’t disobey me.  A. am B. have been C. have being D. was E. were

30.  The giraffe is considered the ____ of all animals.  A. more uglier B. most ugliest C. uglier D. ugliest E. ugly

31.  He walked ____ the hospital walkway.  A. by B. in C. inside D. on E. through

32.  She wore a ___ dress to the party.  A. beautiful new red B. beautiful red new C. new beautiful red D. new red beautiful E. red new beautiful

33.  The boy could not eat his food ___ he was sad.  A. although B. because C. even D. if E. yet

34.  Annah was tired of lying _____ the bed throughout the day.  A. below B. by C. in D. on E. over

35.  The leaking pipe was fixed by the  A. carpenter B. cobbler C. engineer D. mason E. plumber

36.  We spent ____ of time trying to figure out the puzzle. A. a lot B. little C. many D. plenty E. so much

37.  He wet his bed, didn’t he?  A. No, he did B. No, he does C. Yes, he did D. Yes, he didn't E. Yes, he does

38.  Which of the following words contain the sound /b/?  A. comb B. debt C. doubt D. obey E. plumb

39.  We saw a ____ of monkeys on our father’s farm.  A. class B. gang C. group D. school E. troop

40.  We were all ears as Ada narrated the story. This means that we were  A. angry B. attentive C. happy D. restless E. surprised