English Language JAMB, WAEC, NECO AND NABTEB Official Past Questions

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

Are you scared of speaking before a large audience or even making a few suggestions in public? This need not be. You can make effective speeches in public. Here are a few pointers. Perhaps the most important step is to be sure of what you are going to say. This sounds obvious enough, but it is amazing how many people get up to speak when, in fact, they have very little to say. After one inconsequential point, they discover they have run out of steam. So to ensure you can speak well, the more conversant you are with them the more confident you will be.

How do you present your speech? Certainly, before you begin, you will be a little uneasy. Even the most experienced speaker feels the same way before beginning his speech. This is not bad; in fact, it is a good tonic for a successful speech. To overcome this, do not rush headlong into the task. Rather, it pays to breathe in and out, heavily, deeply calmly. Then begin the speech, slowly, calmly. carefully, with a clear, confident voice. This is when you are going through the introduction. “The Chairman, Honourable Guests of Honour, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen…” By the time you finish this and go through the usual ritual of stating that it gives you “great pleasure to stand before this august gathering to discuss a few points….,” you would have reached a point of emotional equilibrium. You should now be sufficiently calm to go on with the speech.

Somewhere at the beginning, and at strategic points in your speech. you should introduce flavour into what you are saying. You would not want to serve tea without sugar after all. So, you should inject some humorous remarks once in a while. But this calls for skill. To start with, you cannot introduce humour indiscriminately, otherwise you might sound like a jester. Experienced speakers most often introduce humour early in their speeches, presumably to ease the tension in the hall. But these jokes must be brief. purposeful and closely related to the point.

Many speakers are scared by the countenances of the listeners. Not all their looks are friendly. However, there are bound to be a few friendly ones, and it is advisable to pick them out, look at them from time to time, and ignore the hostile ones. Looking at the friendly faces keeps you at ease.

You are advised to write out your speech in full after which you should read it several times before the day. You couldn’t get a willing listener to criticise your delivery. Do this several times until you can almost recite it. Notice that we are not advising you to memorise it, because you could forget vital areas due to anxiety. Writing out and practising the speech would make you much familiar with the content, indeed with every word.

Speech-making is an art. While it is true that some are gifted in speech-making, it is more correct that anyone who doesn’t suffer from speech handicaps can learn to deliver effective speeches. And you can become a master in this art.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

I vividly remember that Thursday morning, some twenty-two years ago. when I was operated upon to have an abnormality corrected. For months. the doctors had combated the ailment with drugs of various kinds many of which sent me on long excursions into slumberland, Yet the ailment had seemed to defy all medical entreaties. Then a few days later, two senior surgeons called on me to discuss their decision They made it clear that only a surgical operation held any hope, otherwise the downward trend was sure to continue until the inevitable quiet end. So. they sought my consent which I promptly gave, stating that at my age I was old enough to accept any eventuality.

For days, I was gradually prepared for the great event. I took various drugs to build me up physically, and I was encouraged to eat well. Besides, a clergyman came regularly to talk to and pray for me He assured me that I would sail through the operation safely as God, the greatest of surgeons, would join the medical team Gradually I steeled myself to face the exercise.

Then the day came. My wife came very early into the ward, looking as if she bore the burdens of all the world. I told her to be a good girl and cheer up. But all my jokes fell flat. So. when a senior nursing sister came and told my wife to go and buy one of the drugs needed, I was somehow relieved. Moments later, my eldest son came, and I told him to brace up for any eventuality. I said I was proud of his achievements as a young engineer, and of his immediate younger brother as a pharmacist. So, if the end should come, they should both rise to the occasion and steer their other brother and sister to good careers. I had not quite concluded when the stretcher was wheeled in and I was helped on to it.

      As the journey to the theatre commenced, with my son by my side, I held his hand firmly and smiled. This was the only way I could reassure him that all was going to be well. The stretcher moved on. Then, suddenly, I saw my wife hurrying er catch up with us. As she came along, I told the ward attendants to show down so that she could catch up with us. I took her hand and put it in my son’s. Apparently, this gesture disturbed rather than strengthened her. She burst into tears. Before I could say anything else, to mother and son, the theatre doors were flung open; and the stretcher was wheeled in.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

It seemed that Joe had just about had it with his wife of three years. He no longer thought her attractive or interesting: he considered her a poor housekeeper who was overweight, someone he no longer wanted to live with. Joe was so upset that he finally decided on divorce. But before he served her the papers, he made an appointment with a psychologist for the specific purpose of finding out how to make life as difficult as possible for his wife.

The psychologist listened to Joe’s story and then gave his advice: “Well, Joe, I think I’ve got the perfect solution for you. From tonight when you get home, I want you to start treating your wife as if she were a goddess. That’s right, a goddess, I want you to change your attitude towards her completely. Start doing everything in your power to please her. Listen intently to her when she talks about her problems. Help around the house; take her out to dinner on weekends. I want you to pretend that she’s a goddess. Then after two months of this wonderful behaviour, just pack your bags and leave her. That should get to her.

Joe thought it was a tremendous idea. That night he started treating his wife as if she were a goddess. He couldn’t wait to do things for her. He brought her breakfast in bed and had flowers delivered to her for no apparent reason. They read books to each other at night and Joe listened to her as never before. It was incredible what Joe was doing for his wife. He kept it up for the two full months. After the allotted time, the psychologist gave Joe a call at home. “Joe,” he asked, “How’s it going? Did you file for divorce? Are you a happy bachelor once again?” “Divorce?” asked Joe in surprise. “You must be kidding! I’m married to a goddess. I’ve never been happier in my life. I’d never leave my wife in a million years.  In fact, I’m discovering new, wonderful things about her every single day. Divorce? Not on your life!” The psychologist hung up wearing a knowing smile.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.

In the following passages, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below each passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passage.

PASSAGE A:
For thousands of years, man lived in a very primitive way. Before the recent -77- in agriculture, medicine and industry, life was difficult. It was hard to -78- a living from the -79- without modern farming -80-, and a single year of crop -81- could mean famine and therefore death. Illnesses as -82- and as -83- as influenza could kill a Stone Age man weakened by hunger; appendicitis was always -84- before the days of modern -85-. Even childbirth was a hazardous process. Under these conditions, the human race needed to -86- at a high -87- just to keep in existence.

However, with a sharp fall in the -88- rate relative to the -89- the world’s population is now increasing very rapidly. This increase needs to be put in -90-to avoid the looming consequence of population -91-.

PASSAGE B:
When my elder brother decided to -92- a current account with United Bank for Africa, he walked into one of its -93- and obtained the necessary -94- which he completed and returned to the -95-. He was then given paying in -96-. Soon, he started issuing -97- to people with whom he transacted business. Whenever his signature was irregular, his cheque was not -98- Once, he wanted to obtain a -99- and the bank insisted on -100-.