KUULCHAT
ENGLISH MOCK
From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence.
1.
We finished several projects last year.
initiated
concluded
stopped
organized
Answer: A
2.
Whole grains are healthier than polished ones.
Gill
Goal
Gaul
Gaol
Answer: B
3.
Araba's visit was a bolt from the blue. This means that the was..........
a most welcome one.
short.
a complete surprise.
timely.
Answer: C
4.
The headteacher asked the pupils to disperse.
assemble
come
meet
stay
Answer: A
5.
Choose from the options A to D, the word that is most suitable to fill the gap
professional
certified
skilled
responsible
Answer: B
6.
The welfare of students should be the concern of teachers.
growth
joy
wealth
well-being
Answer: D
7.
Opaque ballot boxes are no longer used in elections.
covered
transparent
painted
dark
Answer: B
Antonyms (opposite in meaning) for opaque
Bright, clear, intelligent, light, luminous, smart, sparkling, sunny, thin, vivacious, crystal-clear, easy, lucid, translucent, transparent, unambiguous, unclouded, understandable
Synonyms (nearest in meaning) for opaque
Blurred, cloudy, dirty, dull, frosty, gloomy, hazy, impenetrable, murky, thick, dark, darkened, dim, dusky, filmy, foggy, fuliginous, lusterless, misty, muddied , nontranslucent, nontransparent, nubilous, obfuscated, shady, smoky, sooty, turbid
8.
They said the film was ancient but I found it
relaxing.
modern.
difficult.
interesting.
Answer: B
Ancient means long ago or past. The opposite is modern which means current or recent or present times
9.
My twin brother is very inquisitive.
curious
brilliant
friendly
talkative
Answer: A
Synonyms (nearest in meaning) inquisitive
Analytical, curious, nosy, big-eyed, challenging, forward, impertinent, inquiring, inquisitorial, interested, intrusive, investigative, meddlesome, meddling, peering, personal, poking, presumptuous, probing, prying, questioning, scrutinizing, searching, sifting, snooping, speculative
Antonyms (opposite in meaning) for inquisitive
Incurious, indifferent, unconcerned, uninterested
10.
We will not allow him to dampen our spirits.
suppress
break
destroy
lower
Answer: B
11.
The oxen lay on bare floor,............?
didn't they
don't they
didn't it
isn't it
Answer: A
12.
Trading is a lucrative economic activity.
profitable
legitimate
desirable
cherished
Answer: A
Synonyms (nearest in meaning) for lucrative
Advantageous, cost effective, fruitful, good, money-making, profitable, worthwhile, fatness, gainful, high-income, in the black, paying, remunerative, sweet
Antonyms (opposite in meaning) for lucrative
Poorly paid, unprofitable
13.
Jane fell ill............ measles.
at
by
of
with
Answer: D
14.
Dallies is the pick of the bunch. This means that Dallies..........
is a farmer.
is an athlete.
is preferred to all others.
works on a banana plantation.
Answer: C
15.
There was mayhem as the crowd scattered.
anger
fear
order
riot
Answer: C
Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.
16.
The rampant destruction of property must be checked.
common
regular
unpleasant
uncontrolled
17.
She is fond of talking about trivial matters.
unpleasant
unimportant
unexciting
unacceptable
18.
My twin brother is very inquisitive.
curious
brilliant
friendly
talkative
Synonyms (nearest in meaning) inquisitive
Analytical, curious, nosy, big-eyed, challenging, forward, impertinent, inquiring, inquisitorial, interested, intrusive, investigative, meddlesome, meddling, peering, personal, poking, presumptuous, probing, prying, questioning, scrutinizing, searching, sifting, snooping, speculative
Antonyms (opposite in meaning) for inquisitive
Incurious, indifferent, unconcerned, uninterested
19.
Some of the students grumbled about the assignment.
questioned
talked
complained
bothered
20.
Kwame was too scared to be left alone in the house.
afraid
anxious
uneasy
unhappy
In each of the following sentences a group of words has been underlined. Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one that best explains the underlined group of words.
21.
Yaaba hit the nail on the head when she told us that we could only succeed through hardworking.
This means that Yaaba ......
was a good hairdresser
told us the truth
tried to deceive us
showed that she disliked us
22.
Those children were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. This means that the children were born.............
with their mouth full of silver.
in good health
in happy homes
in wealth and luxury
born with a silver spoon
Born into a wealthy family.
Examples
We may both be wealthy now, but I was not born with a silver spoon. I had nothing when I was young, and all of my fortune is down to my own hard work.
Everyone who attends that university was born with a silver spoon, so I just don't think it's the right place for me.
23.
A desperate man may clutch at straws to save himself. This means that he may
decide to act bravely
seize any opportunity
try all clever means
use a secret strategy
Clutch at straws: to be willing to try anything to improve a difficult or unsatisfactory situation, even if it has little chance of success
24.
On seeing the angry mob approaching the school, our school prefect told us to take to our heels. This means that the prefect told us to ......
hurry up
join them
run away
walk gracefully
25.
Nimo worked hard after his business had collapsed and soon found his feet. This means that he............
bought a new fleet of cars.
could walk again.
revievd the business.
sold the rest of the business.
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.
26.
She accidentally tore her dress.
intentionally
willingly
carelessly
foolishly
27.
The pupils are confident of passing the examination.
determined
doubtless
uncertain
uneasy
28.
The minister publicly rebukes his assistant and always ...... his secretary.
advises
commends
embraces
harasses
29.
Due to ongoing road construction, our shops have been temporarily closed down.
permanently
legally
deliberately
constantly
30.
The prefect rebuked the student for his rude behaviour
defended
justified
pardoned
praised
Opposite of rebuke/condemn/disapprove is praise
Write a letter to Chairman of the Town Development Committee of your area telling him about the poor sanitation in your community. Suggest at least two ways of improving the sanitation.
You are to write a letter to the Town Development Committee of your area , telling him about the poor sanitation in your community and suggest at least two ways of improving the sanitation
The letter is a formal letter and must contain the features below:
i. Your address
ii. Date
iii. Recipient's address
iv. Salutation - Dear + Sir/Madam,
v. Heading/Title of the letter in block letters and underlined
vi. Body
vii. Subscription - Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, etc.
viii. Signature
ix. Your full name (in brackets)
The language should be formal with no room for slang or colloquialism and there should be politeness of expression. A good blend of varied sentence patterns and a good use of vivid idiomatic expressions.
Your paragraphs should be well developed and properly linked.
You must check your spellings and punctuations and construct meaningful sentences.
Ensure that you use capital and small letters correctly at their appropriate places, thus for instance I for the pronoun "I" and not "i", etc.
Write a story which ends with the expression: '................ what a dream!'
You are to write a story which ends with the sentence: ..... what a dream!.
Content
This is an imaginative composition. The story therefore can be real or imagined/imaginary. It could be your own experience or that of somebody else's, horrifying or pleasant.
Organisation
A good story should have a beginning, climax and a conclusion. It should have a clear setting and its events should be arranged in time sequence.
Note:You are not to write a fable i.e. a story with animal characters.
Expression
The language should be clear and easy to understand to make the actions of the characters come to life. The choice of vocabulary should be appropriate to the subject matter.
You have been absent from school for two weeks. Write a letter to the Head of your school explaining why you were absent.
You are to write a letter to the head , explaining why you were absent from school for two weeks
The letter is a formal letter and must contain the features below:
i. Your address
ii. Date
iii. Recipient's address
iv. Salutation - Dear + Sir/Madam,
v. Heading/Title of the letter in block letters and underlined
vi. Body
vii. Subscription - Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, etc.
viii. Signature
ix. Your full name (in brackets)
The language should be formal with no room for slang or colloquialism and there should be politeness of expression. A good blend of varied sentence patterns and a good use of vivid idiomatic expressions.
You are to explain why you were absent.
Your paragraphs should be well developed and properly linked.
You must check your spellings and punctuations and construct meaningful sentences.
Ensure that you use capital and small letters correctly at their appropriate places, thus for instance I for the pronoun "I" and not "i", etc.
Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow.
The dry season was very long. The people waited anxiously for the rains to plant their seeds. The rain clouds that appeared occasionally were deceptive. To while away the time, they wove baskets and kente; others carved stools or sat under trees, playing games and drinking palm wine.
Sentu and his family were on the verge of starvation. They had just one cassava farm left to feed on. The maize in the barn was all gone. In fact, they had started eating the seed maize. Sentu kept wondering how he would get seeds to plant when the rainy season eventually started. He went to inspect the traps he had set for the rodent that had been feasting on the cassava. If the traps caught any animals, it would be a double blessing; he would get meat and reduce the population of 'his enemies', the pests. While inspecting his traps, h saw some smoke. He dashed towards it. He tried to put out the fire but could not. He shouted for help. In a twinkling of an eye, the whole farm had been destroy. Sentu wept uncontrollably.
When he raeched the village, his neighbours rushed to his house to console him. They gave him foodstuff and promised to help him get back on his feet. Tutu, the palm-wine tapper, visited Sentu that evening. He was accompanied by two elderly and highly respected men in the village. Their mission was simple. Tutu had asked them to apologize to Sentu on his behalf. It was the fire from Tutu's torch that had caused the havoc and brought such agony to Sentu's family. What could Sentu do or say?
(a)I. What was the main occupation of the people?
(a)II. State two other things they did that could earn them an income.
(b)I. What does 'pests' refer to?
(b)II. Why did the writer refer to the pests as 'his enemies'?
(c)I. How did Sentu feel when his farm was burnt?
(c)II. Why did he feel that way?
(d) For what two reasons did Tutu choose the elderly and highly respected men to accompany him to visit Sentu?
(e) Explain the following expressions in your own words.
I. a double blessing;
II. wept uncontrollably;
III. get back on his feet.
(f) For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the same and can fit into the passage;
I. anxiously;
II. deceptive;
III. dashed;
IV. mission;
V. agony.
a)
i)
Farming.
ii)
Weaving baskets or kente or carving stools.
b)
i)
Rodents.
ii)
They were destroying his cassava/cassava farm.
c)
i)
Sad/inconsolable/grief stricken/distraught/gloomy
ii)
He had no other food to feed his family.
OR
The cassava was the only food left on his farm.
OR
He was worried about how to feed his family.
OR
The farm had been completely burnt/destroyed.
d)
i)
He was very sorry.
ii)
To make Sentu accept his apology.
e)
i)
a double blessing → an extra/a gain in two/a solution to more than one problem/two benefits/gains/twin benefits
ii)
wept uncontrollably → cried bitterly/broke down in tears/cried inconsolably
ii)
get back on his feet → recover/regain what was lost
f)
i)
anxiously → worried/impatiently/expectedly/expectantly
ii)
deceptive → deceitful/misleading/false
iii)
dashed → rushed/hurried/sped
iv)
mission → purpose/objective/aim
v)
agony → suffering/hardship/pain/anguish
Migration is a common practice among animals: birds, fish and human beings. Migration of human beings has both positive and negative effects on individuals in the society.
When Bello migrated to the city, he left his wife, Aisha, an enterprising traditional career, to fend for herself and their two children. During one of his occasional visits home, his father asked him to take his wife and children to live with him in the city. Reluctantly, Bello gave in.
Aisha had imagined that she would be living in a neat, beautiful and comfortable house in the city. Instead, she, her husband and their children were accomodated in a single room. Washroom facilities were shared with other families. To worsen her plight, her housekeeping allowance was so meagre that she could hardly feed her family properly. She wanted to work, but like the other female migrants, she could not find any job. She wondered how they would survive, be able to send money to their parents and save for a rainy day.
One day, she decided to give her husband a treat and also socialize with their friends. She prepared one of the most inexpensive but tasty delicacies of her people and shared it with her neighbours. Even passers-by popped in for a bite. It was a very successful get together. Her labour was not in vain. Soon, other women asked her to teach them how to cook some local dishes. She also provided catering services at many events. She was handsomely rewarded. Gradually, Aisha Catering Services became a household name and there was remarkable improvement in their lives.
(a)
What was Aisha's occupation before she went to the city?
(b)
In which two ways did migrant workers spend their money?
(c)
In one adjective, describe how Aisha felt when she arrived in the city.
(d)
"Reluctantly, Bello gave in"
Why was Bello reluctant?
(e)
Explain in your own words the following expressions as used in the passage:
(i)
... to fend for;
(ii)
save for a rainy day;
(iii)
was not in vain.
(f)
For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the same and can fit into the passage:
(i)
occasional;
(ii)
prepared;
(iii)
handsomely;
(iv)
improvement.
(g)
In two sentences of not more than ten words each, summarize two problems that migrants face as expressed in the third paragraph.
(a)
She was a (traditional) caterer/Catering/Cooking/Preparing food to sell
Notes:
1. She sells food = 0 mark
2. Cooking food = 0 mark
(b)
1. They provided their own accommodation needs/took care of themselves/fed themselves.
2. They sent money to their parents/relatives.
3. They saved for the future.
(c)
1. Sad
2. Disappointed
3. Worried
4. Unhappy
5. Frustrated
6. Disillusioned
7. Dejected
8. Dispirited
9. Uncomfortable
(d)
1. He did not have a good/decent/comfortable/suitable/fitting accommodation.
2. He knew he could not take proper/good care of them there.
3. He did not want them to suffer.
4. He knew it was very difficult living in the city.
(e)
(i)
To fend for
1. To take care of
2. To look after
3. To provide the needs of
4. To support
5. To cater for
(ii)
Save for a rainy day
1. Keep some money to use in future
2. Put some money aside to use later
3. Reserve money for future use
(iii)
Was not in vain
1. Became profitable
2. Brought rewards
3. Brought good/positive results/outcome
4. Produced positive/good results/outcome
5. Yielded positive/good results/outcome
6. Not wasted
7. Not useless
(f)
(i)
Occasional
1. Rare
2. Random
3. Infrequent
4. Periodic
5. Irregular
6. Intermittent
7. Seldom
8. Periodical
(ii)
Prepared
1. Cooked
2. Made
3. Provided
(iii)
Handsomely
1. (Very) well
2. Adequately
3. Sufficiently
4. Generously
5. Bountifully
6. Abundantly
7. Greatly
8. Amply
(iv)
Improvement
1. Enhancement
2. Development
3. Change
4. Progress
5. Advancement
6. Turn around
7. Upliftment
8. Amelioration
9. Upgrade
(g)
1. Migrants have/face accommodation challenges/problems
OR
1. Migrants are poorly accommodated
OR
1. Migrants live in deplorable conditions.
2. Migrants face job/employment challenges/problems.
OR
2. Migrants lack job/employment opportunities.
3. Migrants may be/are poorly paid.
4. Migrants may/do/can not feed their families well/properly.
5. Migrants may/can/do not send money to thir parents.
OR
5. Migrants are unable to send money to their parents.
OR
5. Migrants are unable to support their parents (financially).
Marking Penalties
(a)
Mark is deducted for any grammatical/expression error(s) at each scoring point.
(b)
If you give two answers to a question and one of them is wrong, zero is awarded. If, however, both answers are correct, full marks awarded
(c)
Words/expressions must fit in perfectly. Otherwise zero is awarded.
(d)
Answers need not be written in sentences, unless otherwise stipulated.
(e)
An answer, taken as a whole, must make sense before any part of it is accepted for scoring.
(f)
1. Zero (0) is awarded if any content/main word in the expression being tested is repeated.
2. Zero (0) is awarded if you use fixed expressions (idioms, phrasal verbs ...)
(g)
Summary
1. Mark is deducted if answer is not written in a complete sentence.
2. Mark is deducted if an answer exceeds the required number of words (extraneous material).
3. Mark is deducted for any grammatical/expression error in a correct answer.
4. Mark is deducted for any extraneous material in a correct answer.