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

In the passage below, the numbered gaps (11-20) indicate missing words. From the options lettered A- E the most appropriate option.

The head of the -11- is called the queen bee. She is -12-than the rest of the bees. Her main task in the colony is to lay eggs. Most of the other bees are the -13- bees. These bees collect nectar and -14- from flowers. The nectar that is carried by the worker bees is deposited on the hive and then -15- into honey. The worker bees also help to look after the young bees. As soon as they are -16-, the worker bees feed the young bees with pollen and nectar. The third type of bee found in the colony is the -17- or male bee. The main task of such a bee is to -18- with a new queen. The queen bee has a life span of about three years. During this period, she would have -19- more than half a million eggs. When the queen bee is dying, a new queen would be groomed. This new queen will eventually take over the duties of the old queen when the -20- dies.

In the passage below, the numbered gaps (11-20) indicate missing words. From the options lettered A- E the most appropriate option.

The head of the -11- is called the queen bee. She is -12-than the rest of the bees. Her main task in the colony is to lay eggs. Most of the other bees are the -13- bees. These bees collect nectar and -14- from flowers. The nectar that is carried by the worker bees is deposited on the hive and then -15- into honey. The worker bees also help to look after the young bees. As soon as they are -16-, the worker bees feed the young bees with pollen and nectar. The third type of bee found in the colony is the -17- or male bee. The main task of such a bee is to -18- with a new queen. The queen bee has a life span of about three years. During this period, she would have -19- more than half a million eggs. When the queen bee is dying, a new queen would be groomed. This new queen will eventually take over the duties of the old queen when the -20- dies.

It is normal in Nigeria to use proficiency in the use of English language as a barometer for evaluating the height of any person’s educational attainment. Today, many teachers resort quite often to the use of vernacular in the teaching of their subjects. One is often dismayed at the incompetence of many teachers, even graduates in the use of English language. Throughout the colonial period, up to 1960, Nigerian formal education was patterned after the English system. The “accent” was on English and an educated Nigerian was one who was only African in colour but English in thought and culture. The ability to speak English fluently and if possible with an Oxford accent was the hallmark of excellence even if the speaker was empty of thought and ideas. In those days it was a serious offence for a secondary school boy or girl to “laugh in the vernacular”. But we now swung to the other extreme. Nigeria would say they are not English people, some would say they did not specialise in English in the university. But the country has adopted the English language as its official, the language of instruction at schools, parliamentary proceedings, conduct of official business and indeed the lingua franca. If the language is to continue to be used,  then it is imperative that we all agree on the pattern of correctness in the language so that communication can be effective.

It is normal in Nigeria to use proficiency in the use of English language as a barometer for evaluating the height of any person’s educational attainment. Today, many teachers resort quite often to the use of vernacular in the teaching of their subjects. One is often dismayed at the incompetence of many teachers, even graduates in the use of English language. Throughout the colonial period, up to 1960, Nigerian formal education was patterned after the English system. The “accent” was on English and an educated Nigerian was one who was only African in colour but English in thought and culture. The ability to speak English fluently and if possible with an Oxford accent was the hallmark of excellence even if the speaker was empty of thought and ideas. In those days it was a serious offence for a secondary school boy or girl to “laugh in the vernacular”. But we now swung to the other extreme. Nigeria would say they are not English people, some would say they did not specialise in English in the university. But the country has adopted the English language as its official, the language of instruction at schools, parliamentary proceedings, conduct of official business and indeed the lingua franca. If the language is to continue to be used,  then it is imperative that we all agree on the pattern of correctness in the language so that communication can be effective.

It is normal in Nigeria to use proficiency in the use of English language as a barometer for evaluating the height of any person’s educational attainment. Today, many teachers resort quite often to the use of vernacular in the teaching of their subjects. One is often dismayed at the incompetence of many teachers, even graduates in the use of English language. Throughout the colonial period, up to 1960, Nigerian formal education was patterned after the English system. The “accent” was on English and an educated Nigerian was one who was only African in colour but English in thought and culture. The ability to speak English fluently and if possible with an Oxford accent was the hallmark of excellence even if the speaker was empty of thought and ideas. In those days it was a serious offence for a secondary school boy or girl to “laugh in the vernacular”. But we now swung to the other extreme. Nigeria would say they are not English people, some would say they did not specialise in English in the university. But the country has adopted the English language as its official, the language of instruction at schools, parliamentary proceedings, conduct of official business and indeed the lingua franca. If the language is to continue to be used,  then it is imperative that we all agree on the pattern of correctness in the language so that communication can be effective.

It is normal in Nigeria to use proficiency in the use of English language as a barometer for evaluating the height of any person’s educational attainment. Today, many teachers resort quite often to the use of vernacular in the teaching of their subjects. One is often dismayed at the incompetence of many teachers, even graduates in the use of English language. Throughout the colonial period, up to 1960, Nigerian formal education was patterned after the English system. The “accent” was on English and an educated Nigerian was one who was only African in colour but English in thought and culture. The ability to speak English fluently and if possible with an Oxford accent was the hallmark of excellence even if the speaker was empty of thought and ideas. In those days it was a serious offence for a secondary school boy or girl to “laugh in the vernacular”. But we now swung to the other extreme. Nigeria would say they are not English people, some would say they did not specialise in English in the university. But the country has adopted the English language as its official, the language of instruction at schools, parliamentary proceedings, conduct of official business and indeed the lingua franca. If the language is to continue to be used,  then it is imperative that we all agree on the pattern of correctness in the language so that communication can be effective.

It is normal in Nigeria to use proficiency in the use of English language as a barometer for evaluating the height of any person’s educational attainment. Today, many teachers resort quite often to the use of vernacular in the teaching of their subjects. One is often dismayed at the incompetence of many teachers, even graduates in the use of English language. Throughout the colonial period, up to 1960, Nigerian formal education was patterned after the English system. The “accent” was on English and an educated Nigerian was one who was only African in colour but English in thought and culture. The ability to speak English fluently and if possible with an Oxford accent was the hallmark of excellence even if the speaker was empty of thought and ideas. In those days it was a serious offence for a secondary school boy or girl to “laugh in the vernacular”. But we now swung to the other extreme. Nigeria would say they are not English people, some would say they did not specialise in English in the university. But the country has adopted the English language as its official, the language of instruction at schools, parliamentary proceedings, conduct of official business and indeed the lingua franca. If the language is to continue to be used,  then it is imperative that we all agree on the pattern of correctness in the language so that communication can be effective.

Read the passages below and answer the questions that follow:

 Everyone is tired or fatigued at some time. The major cycle in your life is work, fatigue and rest in that order. Fatigue is characteristic of your body. It does not occur in a man-made machine which operates as long as its parts are intact and it has fuel. But your body, a living machine, has a definite limitation – its work continues, it gradually loses its responsiveness, becomes less irritable, turns out less work and finally may not respond at all. The feeling of fatigue usually expresses itself in three ways: first, there is a feeling of tiredness and a marked desire for rest. Second, efficiency is greatly reduced. Third, there may be definite physiological changes in your body, low blood pressure, loss of muscle tone, tremors, and poor muscular coordination, and in other ways. Fatigue, however, may express itself in many ways for there are many different forms of it. The fatigue of a student. for example, who has worked all evening on a difficult lesson, is different from that of a labourer who has worked all day at a back-breaking task, or that of a business executive who worries with the stress and strain of organisation.

Read the passages below and answer the questions that follow:

 Everyone is tired or fatigued at some time. The major cycle in your life is work, fatigue and rest in that order. Fatigue is characteristic of your body. It does not occur in a man-made machine which operates as long as its parts are intact and it has fuel. But your body, a living machine, has a definite limitation – its work continues, it gradually loses its responsiveness, becomes less irritable, turns out less work and finally may not respond at all. The feeling of fatigue usually expresses itself in three ways: first, there is a feeling of tiredness and a marked desire for rest. Second, efficiency is greatly reduced. Third, there may be definite physiological changes in your body, low blood pressure, loss of muscle tone, tremors, and poor muscular coordination, and in other ways. Fatigue, however, may express itself in many ways for there are many different forms of it. The fatigue of a student. for example, who has worked all evening on a difficult lesson, is different from that of a labourer who has worked all day at a back-breaking task, or that of a business executive who worries with the stress and strain of organisation.

Read the passages below and answer the questions that follow:

 Everyone is tired or fatigued at some time. The major cycle in your life is work, fatigue and rest in that order. Fatigue is characteristic of your body. It does not occur in a man-made machine which operates as long as its parts are intact and it has fuel. But your body, a living machine, has a definite limitation – its work continues, it gradually loses its responsiveness, becomes less irritable, turns out less work and finally may not respond at all. The feeling of fatigue usually expresses itself in three ways: first, there is a feeling of tiredness and a marked desire for rest. Second, efficiency is greatly reduced. Third, there may be definite physiological changes in your body, low blood pressure, loss of muscle tone, tremors, and poor muscular coordination, and in other ways. Fatigue, however, may express itself in many ways for there are many different forms of it. The fatigue of a student. for example, who has worked all evening on a difficult lesson, is different from that of a labourer who has worked all day at a back-breaking task, or that of a business executive who worries with the stress and strain of organisation.

Read the passages below and answer the questions that follow:

 Everyone is tired or fatigued at some time. The major cycle in your life is work, fatigue and rest in that order. Fatigue is characteristic of your body. It does not occur in a man-made machine which operates as long as its parts are intact and it has fuel. But your body, a living machine, has a definite limitation – its work continues, it gradually loses its responsiveness, becomes less irritable, turns out less work and finally may not respond at all. The feeling of fatigue usually expresses itself in three ways: first, there is a feeling of tiredness and a marked desire for rest. Second, efficiency is greatly reduced. Third, there may be definite physiological changes in your body, low blood pressure, loss of muscle tone, tremors, and poor muscular coordination, and in other ways. Fatigue, however, may express itself in many ways for there are many different forms of it. The fatigue of a student. for example, who has worked all evening on a difficult lesson, is different from that of a labourer who has worked all day at a back-breaking task, or that of a business executive who worries with the stress and strain of organisation.

Read the passages below and answer the questions that follow:

 Everyone is tired or fatigued at some time. The major cycle in your life is work, fatigue and rest in that order. Fatigue is characteristic of your body. It does not occur in a man-made machine which operates as long as its parts are intact and it has fuel. But your body, a living machine, has a definite limitation – its work continues, it gradually loses its responsiveness, becomes less irritable, turns out less work and finally may not respond at all. The feeling of fatigue usually expresses itself in three ways: first, there is a feeling of tiredness and a marked desire for rest. Second, efficiency is greatly reduced. Third, there may be definite physiological changes in your body, low blood pressure, loss of muscle tone, tremors, and poor muscular coordination, and in other ways. Fatigue, however, may express itself in many ways for there are many different forms of it. The fatigue of a student. for example, who has worked all evening on a difficult lesson, is different from that of a labourer who has worked all day at a back-breaking task, or that of a business executive who worries with the stress and strain of organisation.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it: 
      The issue of youth delinquency has become a major concern to everyone. Hardly a day passes by without reports of some youth  being involved in one act of lawlessness or the other. In view’ of the fact that the youth of today will take over the mantle of leadership in future, the multimillion dollar question is: Are we guaranteed a safe future? We often wonder what has changed; what has happened to the respectful, obedient and studious youth of the not too distant past?
     At the ceremony held recently, a renowned religious leader was very worried about the youth. He asked parents to be careful of “the new armed robbers and carriers of immorality” they had introduced into their homes. In his opinion, to protect their children, parents have done well by building high walls around their houses and fencing them with electric barbed wire. But the new “robbers” they should look out for are the television and the Internet they leave their children with all the time without Supervision. These modern technologies offer sites where children pick up some unsavoury habits and behavior. 
        Gradually, consciously or unconsciously, the television and the Internet have assumed a central role in the lives of many children. They hardly miss their parents whether they are at home or not because they are engrossed in watching television or browsing the Internet. There is rarely any interaction between parents and their children. Some children forgo their meals in order to watch particular programmers on television or browse the Internet. Continuous struggle among siblings for the possession ot the remote control is a constant sight in most homes. Parents who can afford it solve this problem by acquiring additional television sets.
       Some children sit in front of the television with textbooks and notebooks before them, pretending to study. They know every programme at any given time on almost all the channels. Ask them to do any academic work and their countenance immediately shows a complete lack of interest. As they watch one programme after the other on the various channels, children may absorb materials that are unsuitable for their formative years.
       Thanks to the television and the Internet, their active way of life has been reduced to the minimum. Some children sit for hours watching television or browsing the Internet while they stuff themselves with popcorn, cookies and sweets. This sedentary lifestyle affects their health. No wonder we now have obese teenagers.
      However, the television and the Internet have their positive sides. They are great sources of information, learning and entertainment. They help in the development of our social roles and behaviour and kill boredom. If only parents could find time to participate in what their children do and watch and guide them, the future may not seem so bleak. When children are encouraged and guided to watch child-friendly programmes, a healthy balance can be created between watching the television., browsing the Internet and engaging in other household and community activities. Above all, parents should be more assertive and wrench their parental responsibilities from the mass media.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it 
     I had always thought that he was under a spell to be such a workaholic. Daily, after returning from school, he would promptly head for the bush. There, he would engage in fashioning out something that could fetch him some money. He would emerge sometimes with baskets and brooms made from palm fronds and at other times, two or three pestles beautifully crafted to please any housewife. Occasionally, he would work till late evening as a labourer on someone’s farmland. Returning, he would bring home pepper, vegetables and firewood. Interestingly, he had a father, who spend more time working from cockcrow till dusk on large commercial farmlands. Interestingly, he had a father who had his own farm, but was too poor to finance his education. Once in a while, he would go to his father’s farm to help the old man out.
        However, towards the end of his first year in senior secondary school. he obtained a piece of farm land  from his father. He worked on the land as if his life depended on it! Tat year. he planted maize and all sorts of vegetables. The harvest gave him enough money to pay his fees. procure some planks and several carpenter’s tools. With his knowledge of woodwork. he started making simple kitchen stools, tables and chairs which attracted a lot of customers. Yet, his education did not suffer, indeed, he was always in the top position in class.
       Once when I remarked in class that Adamu was like a person pursued by a demon pushing him to work so hard, every body laughed. Including him. when the laughter subsided. he looked at me intently and said, “Kola, you can’t understand. I pray you’ll never have that demon after you. I guess if you were in my shoes, without a mother since age three, you would have such a demon after you too. I only vaguely remember my mother because I was too young when she passed on. When my father remarried, the Woman excluded me from her care: I had to find a solution. I got myself enrolled in school at age eight. I had to take care of my feeding, pay my way through school, and buy uniforms and books. At first, an uncle introduced me to working on other people’s farms. but when I discovered that I could take care of myself. I worked even harder. When there was no work anywhere. I took to the bush to make objects like brooms. baskets. pestles and hoe handles. Today, I have as many pairs of shoes. clothes and books as any of you. Now, i have graduated from making Simple home items to making doors. Nobody taught me these, nobody, except. perhaps the demon you referred to.
  Complete silence followed. Since then. I have had the utmost respect for him.