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JAMB Use of English 1980 past questions and answers

97 questions. Try each one, then open the answer to check yourself and read the explanation.

Question 1

Comprehension
JAMB 1980 Passage A: Ezekiel
The great herald of things to come was Ezekiel, not only in the sense that he predicted the future, but also became in the manner and content of his prophetic ministry, he foreshadowed many of the important religious developments, which were characteristic of the age after the Exile. He, rather than Ezra, was the founder of Judaism. He not only pointed forward; but as we shall see, he represented some of the great elements in Israel's religious past.

The book which bears his name is outwardly impressive in its orderliness and symmetry and in the careful chronological arrangement of its contents. It purports to present the record of prophecies uttered in the Babylonian Exile between 593 and 571 B.C. and for long this was not seriously questioned. Even when other prophetic books had been dissected and assigned to sundry authors and editors, this book continued to be regarded by most scholars as having come in its entirety from Ezekiel. Then came a period in which many extreme theories were advanced, assigning much of it to other hands or presupposing complicated processes of editorial revision, or dating the book to a period much later than the Babylonian Exile, or maintaining that Ezekiel's ministry was not exercised in Babylonia but in Palestine, or at least was begun there. Such theories have been subjected to damaging criticism and are now somewhat discredited. The account of Ezekiel's ministry and teaching is based on the view that he lived and worked among the exiles in Babylonia, at the period indicated, and the bulk of the material in the book comes from him, though, like other prophetic collections, it owes much in its compilation, arrangement and transmission to prophetic disciples.

Ezekiel was a great herald of things to come because

  1. A.he was a prophet
  2. B.he preached about events which were to characterize the period after the exile
  3. C.God showed him what was going to happen after the exile
  4. D.he ran a prophetic ministry
  5. E.God was with him
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (he preached about events which were to characterize the period after the exile)

Explanation

The passage says his ministry foreshadowed the religious developments that were characteristic of the age after the Exile. So he was a herald because he spoke of what would mark that later period.

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Question 2

Comprehension

In his work, Ezekiel

  1. A.was friendly with Ezra
  2. B.founded Judaism in conjunction with Ezra
  3. C.had a large religious following
  4. D.forged a link between the past and the future
  5. E.demonstrated that he was a man of God
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (forged a link between the past and the future)

Explanation

The passage says he not only pointed forward to the future but also represented great elements of Israel's religious past. That makes him a link between past and future.

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Question 3

Comprehension

By and large critics of Ezekiel and his work were

  1. A.successful
  2. B.ungodly
  3. C.unsuccessful
  4. D.jealous
  5. E.angered by his acceptance
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (unsuccessful)

Explanation

The extreme theories of the critics have themselves been damaged by criticism and are now somewhat discredited, so on the whole the critics did not succeed.

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Question 4

Comprehension

When other prophetic books were discredited, Ezekiel's book was accepted because

  1. A.the people loved him
  2. B.the other prophetic writers were not as original
  3. C.the critics were biased in their judgement
  4. D.he was a great prophet
  5. E.his work was convincingly documented
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: E (his work was convincingly documented)

Explanation

The passage says the book is impressive for its orderliness and careful chronological arrangement, so scholars kept accepting it as Ezekiel's own work: it was convincingly documented.

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Question 5

Comprehension

The account of Ezekiel's ministry was

  1. A.compiled with the collaboration of others
  2. B.his and his alone
  3. C.shared by many writers
  4. D.partly composed by him and partly by Ezra
  5. E.produced as a result of God's inspiration
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (compiled with the collaboration of others)

Explanation

Most of the material comes from Ezekiel, but the passage says the book owes much in its compilation, arrangement and transmission to his disciples. So others helped to put it together.

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Question 6

Comprehension
JAMB 1980 Passage B: Bringing up the Nigerian child
Although our aim is to nurture healthy children, Nigerian children are still subjected to severe physical, and mental stress as they develop.

So far our interest and activities have been to ensure their physical well-being through the reduction of the high mortality and morbidity rates, still inadequate as this may be. But we need to examine from time to time the other needs of the Nigerian child which will ensure a totally healthy development.

We are split between two cultures — our traditional and the Western, a relic of our colonial past. This also affects our child-rearing practices. Therefore, these practises must have a very important bearing on how the child is prepared for our world of today so that he fits into our disturbed cultural milieu.

Different styles of child-rearing and education can produce different personalities in terms of motivation, aggressiveness, achievement and the integration of the individual into the community socially and culturally. It is important that, while we struggle with the visible organic diseases, we fix our gaze on the other important measures to attain this end — a healthy child.

The process of social adjustment begins from the moment of birth. Many of our traditional birth practices ensure that the mother either carries or suckles her child immediately after birth. The baby therefore comes into close contact with the mother at this critical time.

Moreover she is forced to stay indoors with the baby for varying periods of time. By this means, the attachment of the baby to the mother, so essential for the child's ability to relate to her in future is secured.

This crucial moment in the baby's life is now being recognized in Western countries, whilst birth practices in some hospitals and maternity homes separate mother and child immediately after birth to the extent that their ability to develop a close relationship may be jeopardized.

Our Nigerian child of today may, therefore, be worse off than that of yesterday. As we move towards the training of our traditional birth attendants with a view to incorporating them into our health services, healthy practices such as the one described above must be maintained and encouraged.

In the passage, there is an attempt to explain that to ensure a totally healthy child

  1. A.it is necessary to concentrate on the child's physical well-being alone
  2. B.it is essential to reduce the high child mortality and morbidity rate
  3. C.it is necessary to take care of other things in addition to the child's physical well-being
  4. D.it is important to keep to the rules or hygiene
  5. E.it is necessary to copy foreign ways of bringing up children
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (it is necessary to take care of other things in addition to the child's physical well-being)

Explanation

The writer says that besides physical well-being we must examine the child's other needs to ensure a totally healthy development.

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Question 7

Comprehension

It is said that differences in ways of bringing up children and educating them

  1. A.achieve the same results
  2. B.are reflected in the personalities, attitudes and achievements of the individual
  3. C.make people aggressive
  4. D.have nothing to do with educational attainments
  5. E.are a matter of the cultural background of the people
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (are reflected in the personalities, attitudes and achievements of the individual)

Explanation

The passage says different styles of child-rearing and education produce different personalities in motivation, aggressiveness, achievement and integration into the community.

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Question 8

Comprehension

Since the training for social adjustment begins from the moment or birth, our traditional practices

  1. A.are too uncivilized to be helpful to the child
  2. B.need to be modernized
  3. C.are very helpful to the proper growth of the child
  4. D.make the child a stranger to modern civilization
  5. E.are the cause of under-development
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (are very helpful to the proper growth of the child)

Explanation

Traditional practices keep mother and baby together right after birth, which secures the attachment the child needs. The writer therefore sees them as helpful.

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Question 9

Comprehension

In spite of the fact that the Western countries now recognize the importance of the early period of childhood in forming a relationship, Nigerian hospitals and maternity homes

  1. A.copy the wrong Western practice now being criticized in Western countries
  2. B.improve on local practices and make the future of the child secure
  3. C.ensure that the child is brought up in the right way
  4. D.ensure the child develops the right skills for establishing relationships
  5. E.do not know which practice to choose
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (copy the wrong Western practice now being criticized in Western countries)

Explanation

The passage says some hospitals and maternity homes separate mother and child immediately after birth, the very practice the West now sees as harmful.

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Question 10

Comprehension

Unless the training of our traditional birth attendants is based on healthy practices

  1. A.our children will be under-developed
  2. B.our children will be worse off than those brought up in the traditional way
  3. C.our medical services will be unable to provide the right services
  4. D.our economic progress will be adversely affected
  5. E.the role of the mother will be rendered useless
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (our children will be worse off than those brought up in the traditional way)

Explanation

The writer warns that today's child may be worse off than yesterday's and that healthy traditional practices must be kept when birth attendants are trained.

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Question 11

Comprehension
JAMB 1980 Passage C: The rural-urban drift
Over the years, there has been this hue and cry by governments and public policy advisers against the phenomenon of the rural-urban drift. Researches have been conducted on various aspects of this phenomenon which have resulted in the identification of the various causes and consequences of it. In addition, prescriptions have been given for controlling the rural-urban drift.

Among the causes most often mentioned are population pressures in some rural areas resulting in dwindling farm land; increase in school enrolments and the resultant rise in educational levels which qualify many people for urban employment; higher wages in the urban centres relative to rural centres and the rather naive one of the 'bright lights' in the cities so much touted by early foreign sociologists.

The most often mentioned consequences of this rural-urban migration include depopulation of the rural area leading to overcrowding of the cities and the resultant housing and sanitation problems; decline in the agricultural population resulting in less food crops being grown and high food prices in the cities, and increasing urban unemployment. The results of the phenomenon are seen largely as negative.

Measures to control the rural-urban drift include the establishment of essential amenities like water, electricity, hospitals, colleges, and cinema houses; the location of employment generating establishments and the building of good interconnecting roads.

The sum total of these prescriptions in essence, unwittingly or paradoxically, is for the rural areas to be transformed into urban centres. This is so because to industrialize the rural areas would draw many more people out of agriculture than if industries were restricted to urban centres.

When industries are located in the rural areas, it involves much less cost for the prospective rural-urban migrant to change to a non-agricultural job, than is involved in his leaving a rural abode for a distant urban centre.

Therefore, rural industrialization holds a higher potential for the de-agriculturalization of the rural population than when industries are concentrated in urban areas.

The phenomenon of rural-urban migration has been intensively and extensively researched and studied, but it would seem that it has largely been misinterpreted and misunderstood. Consequently, public policies on the subject have largely been misdirected.

The author explains that researches conducted on various aspects of rural-urban drift have

  1. A.failed to provide effective solutions
  2. B.revealed the causes and effects of this drift
  3. C.increased the hue and cry against it
  4. D.provided effective solutions to the problem
  5. E.not only provided solutions but also brought out the causes and effects of this drift
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (revealed the causes and effects of this drift)

Explanation

The passage says the researches resulted in identifying the causes and consequences of the drift. The solutions (prescriptions) are mentioned separately and are later called misdirected.

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Question 12

Comprehension

One of the reasons why people drift from the rural areas to the urban areas is

  1. A.hunger resulting from drought
  2. B.laziness and ignorance
  3. C.better rural education and possession of qualifications which make better jobs available in urban areas
  4. D.the easy life and the comfort in the city
  5. E.the freedom from traditional control and pagan practices
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (better rural education and possession of qualifications which make better jobs available in urban areas)

Explanation

Among the causes listed is the rise in educational levels, which qualifies many people for urban employment.

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Question 13

Comprehension

Migration in large numbers is said to result in

  1. A.juvenile delinquency
  2. B.a fall in the production of food, accommodation and health in cities
  3. C.highway robbery
  4. D.difficulty of life in rural areas
  5. E.mental stress by parents and relations
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (a fall in the production of food, accommodation and health in cities)

Explanation

The consequences listed are fewer food crops, overcrowded cities with housing and sanitation problems. Option B sums these up.

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Question 14

Comprehension

One suggested solution to the problem is to

  1. A.provide social amenities and create employment opportunities in rural areas
  2. B.encourage mechanized agriculture in order to raise income
  3. C.force the young rural people to stay by warning them about the problems in cities
  4. D.mount road blocks
  5. E.lower the level of education in rural areas and increase qualifications for employment in cities
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (provide social amenities and create employment opportunities in rural areas)

Explanation

The measures named include amenities such as water, electricity and hospitals, and placing job-creating establishments in rural areas.

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Question 15

Comprehension

The consequences of the rural-urban drift are shown in the above passage as being

  1. A.useful to the cities and not to the rural area
  2. B.a national disaster
  3. C.a natural occurrence and sign of progress
  4. D.negative
  5. E.a healthy economic phenomenon
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (negative)

Explanation

The passage says plainly: 'The results of the phenomenon are seen largely as negative.'

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Question 16

Comprehension
JAMB 1980 Passage D: Work at the smithy
The passage, as printed

The boss, Boeta Dick, can be described as being

  1. A.skinny
  2. B.hard working
  3. C.ambitious
  4. D.a Chinese
  5. E.slender
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (skinny)

Explanation

He is described as reedy, with skin drawn tight over jutting bones and sunken cheeks, which means very thin, that is skinny.

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Question 17

Comprehension

Boeta Dick spat in the bucket because

  1. A.he was sick
  2. B.he had a dirty habit
  3. C.he coughed
  4. D.the smithy smelled badly
  5. E.it is good to spit regularly
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (he coughed)

Explanation

The passage says he coughed violently and spat into the bucket of sand beside his seat, so the spitting came with his coughing.

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Question 18

Comprehension

Without the solderers in the smithy

  1. A.no work can be done
  2. B.the boss will go into debt
  3. C.the products cannot be completed
  4. D.the boss will be unhappy
  5. E.the other workers will not like their job
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (the products cannot be completed)

Explanation

The machines only cut and shape the tins; the solderers seal the seams. Without them the tins would not be finished.

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Question 19

Comprehension

The solderers received

  1. A.occasional money for their work
  2. B.too much for their work
  3. C.just enough for their work
  4. D.a fair wage
  5. E.not so much as their work demanded
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: E (not so much as their work demanded)

Explanation

To earn only two or three pounds a week they had to do a 'mountainous amount' of soldering, so their pay was small compared with the work.

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Question 20

Comprehension

Sulphur powder was added to

  1. A.beautify the tin
  2. B.complete the manufacture
  3. C.strengthen the tin
  4. D.satisfy the boss
  5. E.ensure that the tins were not damaged during transportation
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (complete the manufacture)

Explanation

The powder was smeared on the seams so that the lead (solder) took easily, which is a step in finishing the tins.

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Question 21

Comprehension

Rufus Okeke was very popular with the people because he

  1. A.was energetic
  2. B.had decided to pitch his tent with the villagers
  3. C.did not like town life
  4. D.could not live without his parents
  5. E.made more money for the villagers
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (had decided to pitch his tent with the villagers)

Explanation

His popularity came from the villagers' gratitude that, unlike most young men, he had not abandoned the village but came back to live among them.

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Question 23

Comprehension

The reference to Okeke's 'bright future' in Port-Harcourt can be described as being

  1. A.sarcastic
  2. B.true
  3. C.untrue
  4. D.irrelevant
  5. E.impossible
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (sarcastic)

Explanation

Calling a bicycle repairer's apprenticeship a 'bright future' is mocking: the writer means the opposite of what the words say, which is sarcasm.

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Question 25

Comprehension

Which of the following statements would you consider correct with reference to Okeke as an election expert?

  1. A.it is true that he was an expert
  2. B.it is doubtful that he was an expert
  3. C.it is most likely to be true that he was an expert
  4. D.there are no election experts
  5. E.he was not an election expert at all
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (it is most likely to be true that he was an expert)

Explanation

The passage shows him reading the mood of the voters and warning the Minister in advance, so it is most likely that he really was an expert.

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Question 26

Tenses

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: The telephone ________ in the nineteenth century and is now used in most countries in the world

  1. A.had been invented
  2. B.was invented
  3. C.would have been invented
  4. D.has been invented
  5. E.was being invented
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (was invented)

Explanation

A completed action at a stated past time ('in the nineteenth century') takes the simple past passive: was invented.

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Question 27

Tenses

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: By the end of the next Semester he ________ his University education

  1. A.would have completed
  2. B.will be completing
  3. C.shall have completed
  4. D.was completing
  5. E.must complete
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (shall have completed)

Explanation

An action that will be finished before a future time takes the future perfect (will/shall have + past participle). Only 'shall have completed' has this form.

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Question 28

Tenses

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: In the past his father used to walk but nowadays he ________ to work by bicycle

  1. A.was going
  2. B.is going
  3. C.seldomly goes
  4. D.goes
  5. E.has gone
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (goes)

Explanation

'Nowadays' describes a present habit, which takes the simple present: goes.

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Question 29

Tenses

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: The students ________ so much noise while the lecture was going on that the lecturer had to walk out of the class

  1. A.made
  2. B.had been making
  3. C.were making
  4. D.had made
  5. E.would have been making
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (made)

Explanation

The sentence narrates past events in the simple past ('had to walk out'), so 'made' fits the 'so much... that' result.

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Question 30

Tenses

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: Olukayode ________ as a mechanic when he was young, but now he is a driver

  1. A.had been working
  2. B.used to work
  3. C.would work
  4. D.would have worked
  5. E.had worked
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (used to work)

Explanation

'Used to' describes a past state or habit that is no longer true, contrasted here with 'now he is a driver'.

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Question 31

Sentence Structure

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: ________, it might not look such a rosy proposition.

  1. A.From his viewing proposal
  2. B.When he views the proposal
  3. C.Having viewed the proposal
  4. D.From his point of view
  5. E.From his seeing it
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (From his point of view)

Explanation

'From his point of view' is the correct idiom for how something looks to a particular person.

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Question 32

Vocabulary in Context

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: If we went to any European country, ________ Britain, we should need a substantial amount of money to pay our way

  1. A.like
  2. B.let us say
  3. C.as an example
  4. D.like say
  5. E.if we say
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (like)

Explanation

'Like' introduces an example here, meaning 'such as'. The other options are awkward or ungrammatical in the gap.

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Question 33

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: The horse is a winner, ________

  1. A.you can take that from me
  2. B.you can say I say so
  3. C.you can take my word for it
  4. D.it is my word against theirs
  5. E.you may or may not believe it
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (you can take my word for it)

Explanation

'You can take my word for it' is the fixed expression meaning 'believe me, I am sure'.

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Question 34

Tenses

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: If he had entered the room, I ________ him

  1. A.saw
  2. B.had seen
  3. C.would have seen
  4. D.may see
  5. E.will see
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (would have seen)

Explanation

A third conditional ('If he had entered') takes 'would have + past participle' in the main clause.

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Question 35

Prepositions

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: You should show some consideration ________ the feelings of others

  1. A.with
  2. B.about
  3. C.by
  4. D.to
  5. E.for
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: E (for)

Explanation

The noun 'consideration' takes the preposition 'for': consideration for others.

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Question 36

Tenses

Fill in the blank space with the best of the five options: The old car ________ several times this year

  1. A.was repaired
  2. B.has been repaired
  3. C.had been repaired
  4. D.has repaired
  5. E.was being repaired
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (has been repaired)

Explanation

'This year' is a period that is still running, so the present perfect is used, and the car receives the action: has been repaired.

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Question 37

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning to the underlined word: His penury gave him a lifetime a hunger

  1. A.avariciousness
  2. B.affluence
  3. C.poverty
  4. D.penny pinching
  5. E.greed
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (poverty)

Explanation

Penury means extreme poverty.

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Question 38

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning to the underlined word: The Bible's prodigal son became quite wealthy eventually

  1. A.prestigious
  2. B.phlegmatic
  3. C.errant
  4. D.pecuniary
  5. E.extravagant
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: E (extravagant)

Explanation

Prodigal means wastefully extravagant with money.

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Question 39

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning to the underlined word: Don't eat just any innocuous-looking mushroom you see around

  1. A.harmful
  2. B.harmless
  3. C.innocent
  4. D.immunized
  5. E.conspicuous
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (harmless)

Explanation

Innocuous means harmless, not likely to cause injury.

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Question 40

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning: Colossal means

  1. A.a Greek column
  2. B.gigantic
  3. C.something which has lost too much fluid
  4. D.a calamity
  5. E.the sale of colos
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (gigantic)

Explanation

Colossal means extremely large, that is gigantic.

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Question 41

Vocabulary in Context

Choose the best option to fill the gap: The prices ________ are too high for us

  1. A.you lent me
  2. B.you quoted
  3. C.you attended
  4. D.you gave me
  5. E.you want to buy
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (you quoted)

Explanation

A seller quotes prices, so 'the prices you quoted' is the natural collocation.

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Question 42

Vocabulary in Context

Choose the best option to fill the gap: The method ________ does not give the expected results.

  1. A.you recommended
  2. B.you visited
  3. C.you told
  4. D.you sent me
  5. E.you wanted
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (you recommended)

Explanation

One recommends a method; the other verbs do not go with 'method'.

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Question 43

Vocabulary in Context

Choose the best option to fill the gap: Oxygen is necessary to life. Nothing can live without it. It was ________ a century ago

  1. A.invented
  2. B.found out
  3. C.discovered
  4. D.learnt
  5. E.extracted
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (discovered)

Explanation

Something that already exists in nature, like oxygen, is discovered, not invented.

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Question 44

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the best option to fill the gap: Why does a flamingo stand on one leg? Because if it lifted the other one, it would ________

  1. A.go down
  2. B.let down
  3. C.fall down
  4. D.come down
  5. E.get down
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (fall down)

Explanation

If the flamingo lifted its only standing leg it would have nothing to support it and would fall down.

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Question 45

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the best option to fill the gaps: I am travelling by the 6:30 train tomorrow morning. Will you ________ me ________?

  1. A.see/off
  2. B.look/up
  3. C.take/down
  4. D.see/to
  5. E.put/up
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (see/off)

Explanation

To 'see someone off' is to go with them to the station or airport to say goodbye.

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Question 46

Sentence Structure

Choose the best option to fill the gaps: I am a student and ________ Musa. I left for the University, and ________ Musa

  1. A.was, does
  2. B.so is, so did
  3. C.so was, so does
  4. D.he is, he did
  5. E.so he is, so he went
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (so is, so did)

Explanation

To say the same is true of someone else we use 'so' + the matching auxiliary + subject: 'am' matches 'so is', and past 'left' matches 'so did'.

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Question 47

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the best option to fill the gap: You have been absent from classes for four months. How can you ________ for the lost time?

  1. A.make in
  2. B.make up
  3. C.make off
  4. D.make out
  5. E.make over
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (make up)

Explanation

To 'make up for' something is to compensate for it.

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Question 48

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the best option to fill the gap: I am afraid you cannot use this telephone; it is ________

  1. A.out of order
  2. B.in order
  3. C.for order
  4. D.at order
  5. E.with order
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (out of order)

Explanation

A machine that is not working is 'out of order'.

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Question 49

Vocabulary in Context

Choose the best option to fill the gap: Your should make an ________ to improve the situation

  1. A.effect
  2. B.efficiency
  3. C.effectiveness
  4. D.effort
  5. E.effectualness
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (effort)

Explanation

The collocation is 'make an effort', meaning to try.

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Question 50

Vocabulary in Context

Choose the best option to fill the gaps: Must you always ________ lies? Why don't you ________ the truth for once?

  1. A.speak
  2. B.say
  3. C.talk
  4. D.tell
  5. E.utter
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (tell)

Explanation

English says 'tell lies' and 'tell the truth'; 'tell' is the only verb that fits both gaps.

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Question 51

Concord

Complete the sentence with the correct option: ________ listening to the news when I came in

  1. A.There were
  2. B.There was
  3. C.It was
  4. D.There are going to be
  5. E.They were
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: E (They were)

Explanation

The gap needs a subject and the past continuous helper: 'They were listening'.

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Question 52

Concord

Complete the sentence with the correct option: They said that ________ about 20 candidates for the job of a shorthand typist

  1. A.they were
  2. B.it will be
  3. C.there were
  4. D.it was
  5. E.there are
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (there were)

Explanation

'There were' introduces the existence of plural candidates, and the past tense follows the reporting verb 'said'.

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Question 53

Verb Forms

Complete the sentence with the correct option: He told me to go on ________ till seven

  1. A.to work
  2. B.worked
  3. C.works
  4. D.working
  5. E.work
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (working)

Explanation

'Go on' + -ing means to continue doing something: go on working.

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Question 54

Prepositions

Complete the sentence with the correct option: Many goods ________ tape recorders and cameras find a ready market in every country

  1. A.like
  2. B.such a
  3. C.such as
  4. D.such
  5. E.as
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (such as)

Explanation

'Such as' introduces examples of the goods mentioned.

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Question 55

Conjunctions

Complete the sentence with the correct option: He acts ________ he were a general manager

  1. A.as
  2. B.if
  3. C.as if
  4. D.so as
  5. E.that
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (as if)

Explanation

'As if' + past subjunctive ('he were') describes behaviour that pretends something untrue.

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Question 56

Verb Forms

Complete the sentence with the correct option: Must you say 'Good Morning' to everybody in the street? No ________

  1. A.I needn't
  2. B.I mustn't
  3. C.I can't
  4. D.I do not need
  5. E.I'll have to
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (I needn't)

Explanation

'Needn't' shows there is no obligation, which is what a 'No' to 'Must you...?' means. 'Mustn't' would mean you are not allowed to greet people.

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Question 57

Tenses

Complete the sentence with the correct option: Could I ring him up? I'd rather you ________

  1. A.visit him
  2. B.visited him
  3. C.would visit him
  4. D.visiting him
  5. E.will visit him
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (visited him)

Explanation

After 'I'd rather' + a different subject, the past tense is used for a present or future wish: 'I'd rather you visited him'.

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Question 58

Direct and Indirect Speech

Complete the sentence with the correct option: Don't study on the examination day? What did he tell you? He told me ________ on the examination day

  1. A.no studying
  2. B.don't study
  3. C.not study
  4. D.not to study
  5. E.to not study
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (not to study)

Explanation

A reported negative command uses 'not to' + verb: 'He told me not to study'.

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Question 59

Tenses

Complete the sentence with the correct option: I ________ to gain admission to the college for the past three years

  1. A.have been trying
  2. B.tried
  3. C.am trying
  4. D.was trying
  5. E.try
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (have been trying)

Explanation

An action that began in the past and is still going on ('for the past three years') takes the present perfect continuous.

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Question 60

Concord

Complete the sentence with the correct option: ________ a lot of arguments for and against car loans in the press recently

  1. A.There are
  2. B.There has been
  3. C.There have been
  4. D.There is
  5. E.There was
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (There have been)

Explanation

'Recently' calls for the present perfect, and the plural 'arguments' needs 'have': there have been.

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Question 61

Direct and Indirect Speech

Complete the sentence with the correct option: He reported to his manager that he ________ overseas

  1. A.had never been
  2. B.never was
  3. C.has never been
  4. D.is never
  5. E.will never be
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (had never been)

Explanation

In reported speech after the past 'reported', the present perfect 'has never been' moves back to the past perfect 'had never been'.

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Question 62

Verb Forms

Complete the sentence with the correct option: Shall we go to the Union meeting? No, thank you, I do not feel like ________ anywhere

  1. A.go
  2. B.going
  3. C.to go
  4. D.to have gone
  5. E.went
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (going)

Explanation

'Feel like' is followed by the -ing form: feel like going.

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Question 63

Sentence Structure

Complete the sentence with the correct option: Will they sign any contracts at the Fair? They will not only sign the contracts but a lot of goods ________ as well

  1. A.will buy
  2. B.to buy
  3. C.they buy
  4. D.they bought
  5. E.will be bought
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: E (will be bought)

Explanation

'A lot of goods' is the subject of the second part, and goods are bought by someone, so the future passive 'will be bought' is needed.

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Question 64

Tenses

Complete the sentence with the correct option: I started writing this test at 8:00 a.m. It is 10:00 a.m now. By 11:00 a.m. I ________ it for three hours

  1. A.shall be writing
  2. B.have been writing
  3. C.shall have been writing
  4. D.am writing
  5. E.was writing
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (shall have been writing)

Explanation

An action continuing up to a future point ('By 11:00 a.m.... for three hours') takes the future perfect continuous: shall have been writing.

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Question 65

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: Writing for newspapers is exciting and lucrative especially when one is a freelance journalist

  1. A.a forthright
  2. B.an eloquent
  3. C.an unattached
  4. D.a political
  5. E.a convincing
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (an unattached)

Explanation

A freelance journalist is not employed by any one newspaper, that is, unattached.

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Question 66

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: He has never been a good mediator, even in minor family disputes, because in most cases his views are always jaundiced

  1. A.coloured
  2. B.sick
  3. C.suspicious
  4. D.unscrupulous
  5. E.prejudiced
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: E (prejudiced)

Explanation

A jaundiced view is a biased, unfair one, that is, prejudiced.

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Question 67

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: After the wife had covered her misdeeds by prevaricating on several occasions, the poor husband accused her point-blank of adultery

  1. A.bluntly
  2. B.pointedly
  3. C.emphatically
  4. D.unreservedly
  5. E.unmistakably
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (bluntly)

Explanation

To say something point-blank is to say it directly and bluntly, without softening it.

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Question 68

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: The vote of thanks which was elaborately moved by the social secretary did not ring true particularly as the fund raising had been a big failure

  1. A.was all lies
  2. B.was not honest
  3. C.was inaudible
  4. D.was not genuine
  5. E.was distorted
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (was not genuine)

Explanation

Something that does not ring true sounds insincere, that is, not genuine.

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Question 69

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: I listened with rapt attention as he spoke and he never suspected that I knew he was telling me a cock and bull story

  1. A.a story about a cock
  2. B.a story about a bull
  3. C.an incredible story
  4. D.an interesting story
  5. E.an eye-witness story
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (an incredible story)

Explanation

A cock and bull story is an unbelievable tale, an incredible story.

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Question 70

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: When a man is immune to an illness, he is

  1. A.opposed to it
  2. B.attached to it
  3. C.hated by it
  4. D.protected against it
  5. E.addicted to it
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (protected against it)

Explanation

Being immune to a disease means being protected against it.

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Question 71

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: The two boxers were neck and neck up till the sixth round but in the seventh and final round, the bigger one lost ground

  1. A.could no longer stand on his feet
  2. B.failed to maintain his position
  3. C.was beaten
  4. D.became dizzy
  5. E.became a punching bag
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (failed to maintain his position)

Explanation

To lose ground is to fall behind after being level, that is, to fail to keep one's position.

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Question 72

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: While the mother and father were arguing furiously their small boy sat patiently taking in everything they said

  1. A.absorbing
  2. B.accommodating
  3. C.embracing
  4. D.accepting
  5. E.noting
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (absorbing)

Explanation

To take in what is said is to absorb it, listening and understanding.

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Question 73

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: For a priest to be successful, he should, from time to time review his actions

  1. A.inspect
  2. B.examine
  3. C.stare at
  4. D.visualize
  5. E.conceptualize
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (examine)

Explanation

To review one's actions is to examine them again carefully.

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Question 74

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: In some parts of our society, people are ostracized purely on the basis of their parentage

  1. A.hated
  2. B.disrespected
  3. C.shut off form others
  4. D.locked up
  5. E.abandoned
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (shut off form others)

Explanation

To ostracize someone is to exclude or shut them off from the group.

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Question 75

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: Sitting majestically on his throne is the Oba of Benin flanked by some of his wives

  1. A.surrounded
  2. B.supported
  3. C.guarded
  4. D.protected
  5. E.neglected
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (surrounded)

Explanation

Flanked means having people at one's sides; of the options, 'surrounded' is closest.

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Question 76

Synonyms

Choose the word or phrase which has the same meaning as the underlined word or words: In a civilized society, it is unseemly to emit a loud belch at the end of a meal

  1. A.noisy
  2. B.annoying
  3. C.stupid
  4. D.outrageous
  5. E.impolite
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: E (impolite)

Explanation

Unseemly means not proper or polite in a social setting, that is, impolite.

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Question 77

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: As a result of the injury sustained on the football field, Segun was ________ with a broken leg for months.

  1. A.laid down
  2. B.laid out
  3. C.laid on
  4. D.laid up
  5. E.laid off
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (laid up)

Explanation

'Laid up' means confined to bed or unable to work because of illness or injury.

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Question 78

Prepositions

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: The Principal was able to establish a functional language laboratory for school because he acted ________ the advice of experts on the subject

  1. A.through
  2. B.at
  3. C.from
  4. D.on
  5. E.by
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (on)

Explanation

The idiom is 'act on someone's advice', meaning to do what they advised.

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Question 79

Tenses

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: Dume ________ in Abraka for three years when I met her

  1. A.lived
  2. B.had lived
  3. C.would have lived
  4. D.was living
  5. E.was lived
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (had lived)

Explanation

An action that had gone on before another past event ('when I met her') takes the past perfect: had lived.

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Question 80

Tenses

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: If I were the Head of the English Department in my school, I ________ make oral English a compulsory subject

  1. A.would
  2. B.could
  3. C.should
  4. D.might
  5. E.had
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (would)

Explanation

A second conditional ('If I were') takes 'would' + verb in the main clause to show what the speaker would definitely do.

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Question 81

Concord

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: If Remi perform poorly in her forthcoming examination, then either her mother or I ________ to blame.

  1. A.must
  2. B.has
  3. C.will be
  4. D.are
  5. E.am
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: E (am)

Explanation

With 'either... or', the verb agrees with the nearer subject, 'I', so 'am' is correct.

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Question 82

Vocabulary in Context

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: I was able to ________ Olu my book because he promised to return it the following day

  1. A.borrow
  2. B.give
  3. C.lend
  4. D.lease
  5. E.secure
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (lend)

Explanation

You lend something to someone who will give it back; you borrow from someone.

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Question 83

Vocabulary in Context

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: 'You cannot have a vague idea of the content of this comprehension text unless you first ________ the whole passage for a few minutes,' said the teacher to his pupils

  1. A.digest
  2. B.decipher
  3. C.skim through
  4. D.chew through
  5. E.master
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (skim through)

Explanation

To skim through a text is to read it quickly to get a general idea, which matches 'for a few minutes' and 'a vague idea'.

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Question 84

Tenses

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: The prefect came to the class five minutes after the lesson ________

  1. A.has started
  2. B.had started
  3. C.have started
  4. D.is started
  5. E.has been started
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (had started)

Explanation

The lesson started before the prefect came, so the earlier past action takes the past perfect: had started.

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Question 85

Question Tags

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: Bimbo sings beautifully ________?

  1. A.isn't it
  2. B.doesn't she
  3. C.isn't she
  4. D.does she
  5. E.is she
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (doesn't she)

Explanation

A positive statement with 'sings' takes a negative tag with 'does' and the pronoun 'she': doesn't she?

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Question 86

Conjunctions

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: We couldn't find the official who was to act as our guide ________, he has left before we arrived

  1. A.Moreover
  2. B.Actually
  3. C.Nevertheless
  4. D.However
  5. E.Even
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (Actually)

Explanation

'Actually' introduces the real fact that explains the situation: the official had already left.

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Question 87

Conjunctions

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: No sooner had the examination ended ________ the students stared vacating the halls of residence

  1. A.when
  2. B.that
  3. C.than
  4. D.before
  5. E.and
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (than)

Explanation

'No sooner' is always paired with 'than'.

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Question 88

Pronouns

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: Ogedengbe kept goal for his club team because there wasn't ________ to do it

  1. A.somebody else
  2. B.nobody else
  3. C.any other body
  4. D.no other body
  5. E.anybody else
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: E (anybody else)

Explanation

After a negative ('wasn't') we use 'anybody', not 'somebody' or another negative word.

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Question 89

Prepositions

Choose the appropriate option to fill the gap: Grace must be allergic ________ smoke because any time she sits by someone who is smoking, she sneezes

  1. A.to
  2. B.from
  3. C.for
  4. D.with
  5. E.by
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (to)

Explanation

The adjective 'allergic' takes the preposition 'to'.

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Question 90

Vocabulary in Context

Insert the word that best fits in with the meaning of the sentence: Now that I realize the full extent of your ________ I am afraid it will be impossible for me to ever trust you again.

  1. A.dubiousness
  2. B.corruption
  3. C.deceptiveness
  4. D.duplicity
  5. E.inconsistency
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (duplicity)

Explanation

Duplicity means deceitful double-dealing. Discovering how far someone has deceived you is the reason you can no longer trust them.

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Question 91

Vocabulary in Context

Insert the word that best fits in with the meaning of the sentence: Legislators must be trained to ________ the truth

  1. A.disguise
  2. B.discern
  3. C.digest
  4. D.disturb
  5. E.distort
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (discern)

Explanation

To discern the truth is to recognise it, which is what training should help legislators do.

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Question 92

Vocabulary in Context

Insert the word that best fits in with the meaning of the sentence: He must be a good student because he is a ________ reader

  1. A.romanesque
  2. B.veracious
  3. C.voracious
  4. D.mendacious
  5. E.sarcastic
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (voracious)

Explanation

A voracious reader reads eagerly and a great deal, which explains why he is a good student.

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Question 93

Vocabulary in Context

Insert the word that best fits in with the meaning of the sentence: It is very difficult to capture the subtle ________ of words when translated from one language to another

  1. A.essence
  2. B.denotations
  3. C.connotations
  4. D.inflexions
  5. E.insults
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (connotations)

Explanation

Connotations are the subtle extra meanings and feelings a word carries, which are hard to carry over in translation.

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Question 94

Vocabulary in Context

Insert the words that best fit in with the meaning of the sentence: As it holds true that, unless you train your body you cannot be an athlete, so also unless you train your ________ you cannot be a ________

  1. A.kicking—footballer
  2. B.voice—choirmaster
  3. C.mind—scholar
  4. D.courage—hero
  5. E.arms—swimmer
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (mind—scholar)

Explanation

Just as training the body makes an athlete, training the mind makes a scholar. The other pairs do not match the faculty with the person it produces.

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Question 95

Prepositions

Choose the correct word to fill the space: The meeting starts ________ two o'clock. Please be punctual

  1. A.about
  2. B.in
  3. C.on
  4. D.at
  5. E.around
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (at)

Explanation

'At' is used with an exact clock time, and 'Please be punctual' shows the time is exact.

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Question 96

Prepositions

Choose the correct word to fill the space: Every time you pay a bill you must insist ________ being given a receipt

  1. A.in
  2. B.from
  3. C.on
  4. D.by
  5. E.onto
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (on)

Explanation

The verb 'insist' takes 'on': insist on being given a receipt.

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Question 97

Prepositions

Choose the correct word to fill the space: The elections ________ the Senate were held in July

  1. A.into
  2. B.of
  3. C.from
  4. D.onto
  5. E.on
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (into)

Explanation

'Elections into the Senate' refers to electing people to become members of it.

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Question 99

Prepositions

Choose the correct word to fill the space: It is difficult these days to get a seat ________ the plane in spite of a confirmed booking

  1. A.inside
  2. B.in
  3. C.on
  4. D.upon
  5. E.into
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (on)

Explanation

We travel 'on' a plane, bus or train, so the correct phrase is 'a seat on the plane'.

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Question 100

Prepositions

Choose the correct word to fill the space: He travelled to Jos ________ train when he came last month

  1. A.by
  2. B.in
  3. C.on
  4. D.inside
  5. E.through
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (by)

Explanation

Means of transport without an article takes 'by': by train, by car, by air.

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