2015
ENGLISH STUDIES (NCEE) Time allowed: 60 minutes
SECTION A COMPREHENSION
Read
the passage below carefully and answer the questions that follow by choosing
the most appropriate of the options lettered A-E (Nos.10).
PASSAGE
I
Sometime ago, a man punished his three-year-old
daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he
became infuriate when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the tree.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to he
father the next morning and said, "this is for you daddy". He was
embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his temper flared again when he found
that the box was empty. He yelled at her" don't you know that when you
give someone present there is supposed to be something inside of it" The
little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh daddy,
it is not empty I blew kisses into the box, all for you daddy". The father
was crushed. He put his arm around the little girl and begged her for her
forgiveness. The man kept the box by his bed for years, whenever he was discouraged,
he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had
put it there.
1. What
did the man do when the girl offered him a gift the next morning? He A. Begged
her B. Kept the gift C. Was angry D. Was embarrassed E. Yelled at her
2. What
did the girl put in the box that the father did not see? The girl put A. Gold
B. Kisses C. Love D. Tears E. Wrapping paper
3. Why
was the man angry when he was given the gift? He was angry because A. The box
was empty B. The box was put under a tree C. The girl wasted wrapping papcr D.
He hated gifts E. Money was tight
4. Why
was the girl's father embarrassed when she brought him a gift? He was
embarrassed because A, He overreacted B. He punished her C. He was furious D.
The little girl was crying E. There was nothing inside the box
5. The
man took the imaginary kiss whenever he was A.. Angry B. Discouraged C.
Disturbed D. Happy E. Sick
PASSAGE
II
Ralia was alone, lost in the bush. She was afraid.
She called out but she had a small voice. It was not good for shouting; it was
only good for singing. Again and again she shouted, hoping that someone would
hear. No one heard. No help came. She threw herself down and wept. She pulled
at her hair and kicked one foot against the other. She sat up, stood up and
again threw herself down. The bush scratched her body and blood came from the
scratches. Ralia thought of her father and mother. She thought of her dog,
Wara. What would they do when she did not go home? Her mother was blind. Her
father had hurt his back. Her dog had a bad foot and could not walk. Therefore
no one would look for her. Her mother would only cry and clap her hands. Her
dog would only bark and her father would only bite his fingers. No one would eat
that night. There was nobody to make their food. Ralia again started to weep.
She thought, where would she sleep that night? All sorts of insects might bite
her: She might be bitten by a snake. The wild animals might kill her. She might
die and no one would know where she was.
Culled
from Sugar Girl by lola Onadipe.
6. ____" called out" as used in
paragraph one of the passage can be replaced with A. Cried B. Hoped C. Sang D. shouted. E. Slept
7. Ralia's
mother would only cry and clap her hands because she could not A. Hear B. See
C. Shout D. Run E. Walk
8. Wara
was a/an A. Dog B. Insect C. Person D. Snake E. Wild animal
9. According
to the passage prepared for the family A. No one B. Ralia C. Ralia's father D.
Ralia's mother E. Wara
10. A
suitable title for this passage could be A. A lost Girl B. A sad family C. A sad girl D. An Abandoned Child E.
Ralia, the Blind Girl
SECTION
B: LEXIS
Choose
from the options lettered 4-E, the one that is nearest in meaning to the word
in italic. (Nos. 11-15).
11. The
water was polluted. A. Clean B. Dirty C. Packaged D. Pure E. Tasty
B. Fled
12. The
magician disappeared into thin air A. Dived C. Floated D. Rushcd
E. Vanished food
13. Jane
is very unfriendly. A. Nasty B. Selfish C. Stingy D. Unpleasant E. Wicked and clap her
14. The
examination will soon resume. A. Begin B. Commence
C. Continue D. Start E. Terminate
15. This
year's harvest was poor. A. Bad B. Late C. Limited D. Partial E. Rich
Complete
each of the following statement with the option that is most nearly opposite in
meaning to the word in italic (Nos. 16-20).
16. The
milk was sour. A. Bitter B. Delicious C. Good D. Lovely E. Sweet
17. Mr.
John bought a huge sheep from the marker. A. Big B. Fat C. Short D.
Skinny E. Small
18. The
girl was carrying an empty bucket. A. A deep B. A
dry C. A full D. A wet E. Broken
19. The
beggar held a crooked stick. A. Bent B. Long C. Magical D. Straight E.
Thin
20. The
school is at its temporary
site. A. Basic B. Initial C. Old D. Original E. Permanent
SECTION
C: STRUCTURE Complete each of the following statements with the most
appropriate of the options lettered A-E (NO 21-40)
21. The
bride and the groom ___ absent at the wedding. 22. A. Are B. Is C.
Being D. Were E. Were being
22. ____of
the footballers was given a cash prize for winning the championship. A. All B. Any C.
Each D. Most E. Some
23. The
supervisor was angry when he discovered that _____of the students was in the
examination hall. A. All B. Any C. Both D. Either E. None
24. The
governor, with his four wives, ____ detained by the EFCC about two weeks ago. A. Are B. Are being
C. Is D. Was E. Were
25. The
superlative form of the word little is A.
Least B. Less C. Lest
D. Lesser E. Little
26. Ann
was the ___ of the two girls. A. More taller B. Most taller C. Tall D. Taller E. Tallest
27. The
police have seen the criminal they ____ for A. Have been looking B. Have looked C. Has looked D. Looked E. Being looking
28. The
charming lady presently ______in one of the new generation banks as a cashier. A.
Are working B. is working
C. Work D. Worked E. Works
29. The
past tense of the word broadcast is A.
Broadcast B. Broadcasted
C. Broadcaster D. Broadcasting E. Broadcast
30. I
___ travelling abroad next year. A.
Have B. Have been C. Will be D.
Will have been E. Would
31. He____
present from the head teacher. A.
Received B. Receved C. Ricieved
D. Recived E. Resieved
32. The
boy ____ bag was stolen also lost his sandals. A. That B. Which C. Who D.
Whom E. Whose
33. When
Biodun was picking mangoes, a bee ____ him.
A. Have stung B. Is stinging C.
Sting D. Stings E. Stung
34. He
told you he wasn't at home, ____? A. Did he
B. Didn't he C. Didn't you D. Isn't it
E. Wasn't it
35. To
___ shall I give this parcel? A. What B. Who C. Who's D.
Whom E. Whose
36. Has
he finished the work? A. No, he has B.
No, he isn't C. No, he hasn't D. Yes, he hasn’t E.
Yes, he is.
37. If
you can appeal to her, I ____ mind. A.
Couldn't B. Needn't C. Shan't D. Shouldn't E. Wouldn't
38. The
most appropriate prefix for the word modest is. A. En- B. In-
C. Im- D. Re- E. Pre-
39. The
statement "I have done the work” in the passive form becomes, the work
____done by me. A. Are being B. Has been C. Have been D. Is being E. Will be
40. ____
you want to be dismissed, you will not cheat in the examination A. Because B. If C. Perhaps D. Unless
E. Until
