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BECE 1992 ENGLISH LANGUAGE
OBJECTIVE TEST
PART I
SECTION A: COMPREHENSION
Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions that follow.
PASSAGE I
Njoman and Putu then went to a quiet spot on the
path where it crossed a small stream. A few women were bathing in the stream;
some were washing clothes. They joked with Njoman, for they knew why he was
there. Soon they saw Ragini approaching with a basket of fruits and vegetables
on her head.
“Hello, Njoman,” she said, pretending
not to know why he waited there with his best friend. “Hello, Ragini.
What did you buy in the market?” “Mostly fruits for rudjaks” (spicy salad).
“Wait, Ragini,” Njoman said as he stood up. “Putu will carry them for you. It
is time for us to go off together and marry.” Putu took the basket; Njoman took
Ragini by the hand and said, “We shall go to my cousin’s house in the next
village.”
As they were walking off, Ragini turned to the
women and feigned distress. “Njoman is taking me away. What can I
do?” In this way, according to Balinese tradition, Ragini submitted to
her abductor.
1. Njoman was on the
path because he wanted to:
A. cross the stream
B. bathe in the stream
C. spy on the women
D. meet Ragini
E. meet Putu
2. How did Ragini behave
when she was invited by Njoman?
A. She pretended she was in great pain and misery
B. She talked to the women furiously
C. She just walked off with her basket of fruits
D. She greeted the women noisily
E. She danced about with joy
3. Which of the following is not true according to
the passage?
A. The women teased Njoman
B. Putu held Ragini’s hand
C. All the women definitely knew his reason for coming
D. Njoman waited for some time before Ragini arrived
E. Njoman had a secret plan to follow
4. The expression pretending
not to know means:
A. not knowing what to do
B. behaving well after knowing
C. behaving as if everybody knew what to say
D. behaving as if one did not know something was happening
E. not knowing how to behave
5. The expression feigned distress means:
A. fainted upon seeing the women
B. pretended to be upset and having pain
C. pretended to be very hungry on seeing the fruits
D. fell down with flushed face
E. stood still and watched the women
6. The word abductor means:
A. a thief
B. an armed robber
C. a hijacker
D. a kidnapper
E. a murderer
PASSAGE II
Apart from foods which supply us with energy, we
need certain substances called protein to help us grow, and when we are fully
grown, to maintain our strength. These proteins are found in meat, fish, eggs,
milk, green vegetables, and to a much lesser extent in grains like millet,
wheat, guinea corn, rice, etc.
Children fed chiefly on roots will, therefore,
stop growing. They often get very ill and die, while children who are given
milk and eggs grow well and live longer.
However, cow milk is expensive in West Africa,
and in many places, there is a wrong tradition about eggs. Some old people say
that if eggs are given to children, they become liars. This is not true. Eggs
do not make children either tell truth or lie. They are simply good food which
will help the child to grow well. Also, the tradition that boys become thieves
when they eat meat is not true. Both are bad traditions which have been
repeated in some villages from one generation to another. So, the intelligent
mother who wishes to bring up healthy children must discard them.
7. According to the passage, proteins:
A. make us well satisfied
B. help us grow well
C. fill our bodies
D. give us energy
E. help to maintain our tradition
8. Which of the following statements is not true
according to the passage?
A. Children must eat roots only
B. Old people think meat makes boys thieves
C. Children who are given milk and eggs will grow well
D. The intelligent mother has to do away with some bad traditions
E. Grains do not contain much protein
9. Cow milk is
expensive means it is:
A. sweet
B. white
C. good
D. strong
E. dear
10. What happens to children who are not given food containing
proteins regularly?
A. They often become liars
B. They often become thieves
C. They often become ill
D. They should preserve tradition
E. Their traditions often help them
11. What advice did the writer give to mothers?
A. They should eat foods containing proteins
B. They should accept traditions
C. They should do away with bad traditions
D. They should preserve traditions
E. They should feed their children on roots and grains only
SECTION B: VOCABULARY
(SYNONYMS)
Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in
meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.
12. Adiza’s mother
prepares very palatable dishes:
A. expensive
B. rich
C. tasty
D. colourful
E. interesting
13. Sindi was brought up by a very strict woman:
A. saved
B. reared
C. born
D. taught
E. beaten
14. Janet promised to attend to her mother-in-law who
was ill:
A. look after
B. look at
C. look into
D. look for
E. look on
15. The printing company has over a thousand agents here:
A. vendors
B. caretakers
C. deputies
D. correspondents
E. representatives
16. The police Inspector asked all drivers to obey the
speed-limit regulations:
A. understand
B. notice
C. recognize
D. observe
E. answer
SECTION C: VOCABULARY
(PHRASE EXPLANATION)
In each of the following sentences, a word or group of words has been
underlined. Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one that best
explains the underlined word or group of words.
17. It is very difficult
for many workers to make ends meet:
A. do two jobs at a time
B. make workers and managers come together
C. live within their means
D. feed two people
18. Since the thief came out of prison, he has turned over a
new leaf. This means he has:
A. changed his style of stealing
B. started growing flowers
C. changed for the better
D. grown even more stubborn
E. got a new job
19. When the army stormed the village, all the inhabitants took
to their heels. This means:
A. the army came to the village in the storm
B. the inhabitants were frightened and stood still
C. the inhabitants had their shoes removed
D. the inhabitants danced around on their heels
E. the inhabitants were frightened and so ran away
20. Berko is in two minds about resigning from his
job. This means that Berko has:
A. not really decided to resign
B. written his resignation letter
C. decided not to resign
D. withdrawn his resignation letter
E. been advised to resign
21. The teacher advised Kofi not to beat about the bush.
This means Kofi was asked to:
A. clear the bush
B. beat others in the bush
C. go straight to the point
D. waste no more time
E. stop clearing the bush
SECTION D: VOCABULARY
(ANTONYMS)
From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly
opposite in meaning to the word underlined in each sentence.
22. He seldom comes
here:
A. never
B. sometimes
C. rarely
D. nearly
E. always
23. The police officer was harsh on the
criminal:
A. soft to
B. lenient with
C. mild with
D. cruel to
E. rough
24. Musa was arrested
for printing counterfeit cedi notes:
A. correct
B. new
C. acceptable
D. genuine
E. fine
25. My father was a very stout man:
A. handsome
B. short
C. lean
D. ill
E. weak
26. I agreed to everything Lucy said:
A. mocked at
B. stood by
C. interfered with
D. took in
E. objected to
SECTION E: GRAMMAR
(SENTENCE COMPLETION)
From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably
completes each sentence.
27. Help him to pay his
fees, ______?
A. will you
B. must you
C. can’t you
D. won’t you
28. Kwasi, you are coming to see me tomorrow, ______?
A. isn’t it
B. aren’t you
C. won’t you
D. don’t you
29. If Mary had known, she wouldn’t have come, ______?
A. wasn’t it
B. hadn’t she
C. did she
D. would she
30. She dances so beautifully, ______?
A. not so
B. can’t she
C. doesn’t she
D. isn’t it
31. JSS students work hard, ______?
A. don’t they
B. shouldn’t they
C. can’t they
D. haven’t they
32. The chief with his linguists ______ coming to the durbar ground:
A. is
B. are
C. were
D. have been
33. Most people find it hard to live up ______ their ideals:
A. by
B. to
C. for
D. with
34. The football match was put ______ until next week:
A. in
B. out
C. off
D. away
35. These days, students are not keen ______ improving their English:
A. with
B. of
C. about
D. on
36. When the plane arrived, Kofi ______ nowhere to be found:
A. will be
B. had been
C. was
D. would have been
37. The boys swore that the books were ______:
A. his
B. theirs
C. their’s
D. theirs’
38. Unless your father reports at the police station, we ______ all be
whipped:
A. will
B. shall
C. should
D. would
39. The bell will go ______ the next ten minutes:
A. between
B. under
C. from within
D. within
40. The heavy rains have ______ early this year:
A. set in
B. set out
C. set up
D. set on
SECTION B: THEORY QUESTIONS
- Write a letter to a friend in another school telling him or her about a sports competition held in your area.
- You have not returned to school after vacation. Write a letter to your headmaster/headmistress explaining why you are still at home.
- You saw a fight between two of your classmates, and your class teacher has asked you to give an account of the fight. Write your account.
- Write an article to a newspaper on at least two problems which worry the people of your town or village and suggest what can be done to solve them.