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JAMB Use of English 2022 past questions and answers

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

Question 1

Comprehension
JAMB 2022 Passage I: Mud sculpture
There is one fascinating question that arises out of the contemplation of mud sculpture. Why should anybody use unbaked mud, the most perishable of materials? Is it because no other materials are readily available? The question is not easy to answer definitely. Mud is, of course, the cheapest and most readily available material. Yet there is ample proof that mud is not used merely because it is easy to get hold of and cheap. Many Igbo Mbari houses are the only buildings in the village that have an imported corrugated iron roof – which proves that the people who built them shun no cost to make them look important. In all the areas where I have seen mud sculpture, wood carving and brass casting are also known and practised. In Yoruba country, stone is also used as a medium for sculpture.

One important thing to realize is that different materials are not necessarily used because they have lasting, durable qualities. In Yoruba country today, brass can only be used by Oshun or Ogboni worshippers. Ivory can only be used by Obatala worshippers, copper by Sonponna, iron by Ogun and so on.

Materials are used for their mystic properties of absorbing or repelling human radiation. The Obatala worshipper uses ivory as protection. In the sense that it is protecting him from the destructive psychic influences of a man whose mentality is basically different or opposed to his. Similarly Oshun worshippers use brass figures in their shrines – not because brass lasts longer than wood, but because brass possesses certain magical qualities that are sacred to Oshun.

It is not difficult to understand why mud is considered the appropriate medium for Ala (the Igbo earth goddess), Olokun (the Bini god of the ocean), or Legba (originally an earth god of the Fon). The fact that the material is perishable and sometimes does not even last for five years does not enter into the consideration. One does not interfere with the natural life of a carving. When it perishes, a new one simply has to be made.

It seems probable that mud is used for sculpture primarily because

  1. A.it is cheap
  2. B.it is thought to have a particular significance
  3. C.it is easy to obtain
  4. D.it has the quality of durability
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Answer: B (it is thought to have a particular significance)

Explanation

The writer says mud is not used merely because it is cheap or easy to get; materials are chosen for their mystic, sacred qualities. So mud is used mainly because it has a special significance.

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Question 2

Comprehension

The durability of a carving

  1. A.is not considered important
  2. B.is less than five years
  3. C.should not be interfered with
  4. D.is natural
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Answer: A (is not considered important)

Explanation

The passage says that the fact that mud may not last five years 'does not enter into the consideration'. When a carving perishes, a new one is made, so durability does not matter.

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Question 3

Comprehension

Different materials are chosen because

  1. A.they are considered suitable
  2. B.some are difficult to obtain
  3. C.they are used by different worshippers of the same god
  4. D.they are associated with different deities
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Answer: D (they are associated with different deities)

Explanation

Each material belongs to a particular god: brass to Oshun, ivory to Obatala, copper to Sonponna, iron to Ogun. The choice depends on the deity.

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Question 4

Comprehension

'Basically', as used in the above passage means

  1. A.essentially
  2. B.entirely
  3. C.completely
  4. D.simply
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Answer: A (essentially)

Explanation

'Basically different' means different in its basic nature, that is, essentially different.

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Question 5

Comprehension

The Igbos often use corrugated iron for the roofs of their Mbari houses

  1. A.in order to make them look important
  2. B.in order to protect the mud walls
  3. C.because it lasts longer than thatch
  4. D.because it is less imposing than thatch
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Answer: A (in order to make them look important)

Explanation

The passage says the builders 'shun no cost to make them look important', which is why the Mbari houses get an imported iron roof.

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Question 24

Pronouns

Choose the word(s) or phrase(s) which best fill(s) the gap(s): He did not like ________ leaving the class early.

  1. A.we
  2. B.us
  3. C.our
  4. D.ourselves
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Answer: C (our)

Explanation

Before a gerund ('leaving') we use the possessive form: 'our leaving'.

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Question 25

Adjectives and Adverbs

Choose the word(s) or phrase(s) which best fill(s) the gap(s): He went up quickly and returned ________

  1. A.fastest
  2. B.fastly
  3. C.as fastly
  4. D.as fast
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Answer: D (as fast)

Explanation

'Fast' is already an adverb ('fastly' is not a word), and 'returned as fast' compares his return with his quick going up.

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Question 26

Adjectives and Adverbs

Choose the word(s) or phrase(s) which best fill(s) the gap(s): Because the referee was partial and his opponent rough, the loser of the wrestling match received ________ cheers than the winner.

  1. A.thunderous
  2. B.many more
  3. C.overwhelming
  4. D.a little more
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Answer: B (many more)

Explanation

'Than' needs a comparative, and 'cheers' is countable, so 'many more cheers' is correct; the crowd sympathised with the loser who was treated unfairly.

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Question 27

Tenses

Choose the word(s) or phrase(s) which best fill(s) the gap(s): We got to the hall after the play ________

  1. A.is started
  2. B.was starting
  3. C.had started
  4. D.has started
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Answer: C (had started)

Explanation

The play started before we arrived, both in the past, so the earlier action takes the past perfect 'had started'.

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Question 28

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the word(s) or phrase(s) which best fill(s) the gap(s): Shall I make the cheque ________ you or to your firm?

  1. A.in for
  2. B.up with
  3. C.in with
  4. D.out to
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Answer: D (out to)

Explanation

A cheque is 'made out to' the person who will be paid.

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Question 29

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Choose the word(s) or phrase(s) which best fill(s) the gap(s): The young man looked carefully at the long document, but he couldn't make ________ what it meant.

  1. A.up
  2. B.out
  3. C.off
  4. D.through
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Answer: B (out)

Explanation

To 'make out' means to understand or work out the meaning of something.

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Question 41

Word Stress

Choose the appropriate stress pattern from the options. The syllables in capital letters are stressed. Xenophobia

  1. A.XEnophobia
  2. B.xeNOphobia
  3. C.xenoPHObia
  4. D.xenophoBIA
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Answer: C (xenoPHObia)

Explanation

Xenophobia is said xe-no-PHO-bi-a: words ending in -ia stress the syllable just before the ending.

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Question 43

Word Stress

Choose the appropriate stress pattern from the options. The syllables in capital letters are stressed. Conspiracy

  1. A.conspiRAcy
  2. B.conspiraCY
  3. C.consSPIracy
  4. D.CONspiracy
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Answer: C (consSPIracy)

Explanation

Conspiracy is said con-SPI-ra-cy, with the stress on the second syllable.

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Question 49

Sentence Interpretation

Select the option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence: In spite of the loud music, John soon managed to fall asleep.

  1. A.the loud music soon helped John to fall asleep
  2. B.John soon fell asleep as a result of the loud music
  3. C.the loud music made John despise sleep
  4. D.John soon fell asleep even though the music was loud
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Answer: D (John soon fell asleep even though the music was loud)

Explanation

'In spite of' means 'even though': the music was loud but he still fell asleep.

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Question 50

Sentence Interpretation

Select the option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence: Had he asked me earlier, I might have been able to employ him.

  1. A.I employed her
  2. B.I did not employ him
  3. C.I did not employ her
  4. D.I employed him
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Answer: B (I did not employ him)

Explanation

'Had he asked earlier' is an unreal past condition: he did not ask early, so I did not employ him.

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Question 55

Tenses

Fill in the blank space(s) with the best of the four options: Before the bill could be settled, Chuwang ________ all the money.

  1. A.has spent
  2. B.will have spent
  3. C.had spent
  4. D.will spend
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Answer: C (had spent)

Explanation

Spending the money happened before another past event, so we use the past perfect 'had spent'.

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Question 56

Concord

Fill in the blank space(s) with the best of the four options: Each of the candidates that came late ________ to complete ________

  1. A.have/this form
  2. B.are having/these forms
  3. C.have/these forms
  4. D.has/this form
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Answer: D (has/this form)

Explanation

'Each' is singular, so it takes 'has' and the singular 'this form'.

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Question 57

Tenses

Fill in the blank space(s) with the best of the four options: If they had not all jumped out of the car just in time, they ________

  1. A.might have perished
  2. B.will have perished
  3. C.were all going to perish
  4. D.would have perished
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Answer: D (would have perished)

Explanation

A past unreal condition ('if they had not...') takes 'would have' + past participle in the main clause.

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Question 58

Spelling

Fill in the blank space(s) with the best of the four options: The patient is suffering from ________

  1. A.reumatism
  2. B.rheumantism
  3. C.rhuematism
  4. D.rheumatism
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Answer: D (rheumatism)

Explanation

The correct spelling is 'rheumatism'.

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Question 59

Conjunctions

Fill in the blank space(s) with the best of the four options: Laolu ________ as a painter, but also as a sculptor.

  1. A.is gifted only not
  2. B.is only not gifted
  3. C.is gifted not only
  4. D.is only gifted
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Answer: C (is gifted not only)

Explanation

'Not only ... but also' must be kept together: 'Laolu is gifted not only as a painter, but also as a sculptor.'

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Question 60

Nouns and Determiners

Fill in the blank space(s) with the best of the four options: Vital ________ is still spread ________ word of mouth in most villages in Africa.

  1. A.information/from
  2. B.information/with
  3. C.information/by
  4. D.information/ through
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Answer: C (information/by)

Explanation

The fixed expression is 'by word of mouth', meaning by people telling one another.

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