Third Term SS 2 English language Examination
SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE
CLASS: S.S.S TWO
DURATION: 1HR 30MINS
OBJECTIVE
PAPER 2
SECTION 1
In each of the following sentences, there is one underlined word and one gap. From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word and that will, at the same time, correctly fill the gap in the sentences.
- Micheal is stingy but his brother is _____
- A. generous
- B. kind
- C. humane
- D. hospitable.
- Success is the reward of _____ not indolence
- A. prudence
- B. attentiveness
- C. diligence
- D. sharpness.
- I don’t know how Yusuf became so proud; his parents have always been _____
- A. gentle
- B. noble
- C. humble
- D. simple.
- The once unknown musician became _____ in a very short time.
- A. popular
- B. accepted
- C. respected
- D. admirable.
- Issa is very much interested in education while his sister is _____
- A. dull
- B. indifferent
- C. uncertain
- D. serious.
- The comment I made at the conference was general; being _____ would have hurt some people.
- A. ordinary
- B. specific
- C. tactful
- D. candid.
- Buba was purposeful in his search for a job but Bala was rather _____ about his
- A. ordinary
- B. specific
- C. tactful
- D. candid.
- In recent tournaments I have seen amateurs play better than so-called _____
- A. experts
- B. veterans
- C. specialists
- D. professionals.
- The student appeared _____ but we were all confident in his ability.
- A. afraid
- B. nervous
- C. unconvinced
- D. ignorant.
- Giraffes are attractive animals but snakes are _____
- A. repulsive
- B. ugly
- C. poisonous
- D. offensive.
SECTION 2
From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that best completes each of the following sentences.
- Mr Uche was trying to _____ a list of debtors
- A. compare
- B. compose
- C. compound
- D. compile.
- He tried to _____ the housemistress by entering the hostel through the back door.
- A. reject
- B. repel
- C. evade
- D. deflect.
- He gives the _____ that he is wealthy but he really isn’t
- A. impression
- B. opinion
- C. attribute
- D. indication.
- Frank was _____ in the riot because his books were found at the scene.
- A. blamed
- B. caught
- C. implicated
- D. grafted.
- The insurance company _____ my uncle for the loss of his car.
- A. redeemed
- B. relieved
- C. compensated
- D. paid.
- Before giving his speech, the chairman _____ copies of it to the members of the council.
- A. duplicated
- B. spread
- C. circulated
- D. printed.
- We wished to win the tournament but we knew our _____ were slim.
- A. skills
- B. opportunities
- C. odds
- D. chances.
- When all the members started arguing, the chairman called the meeting to _____
- A. silence
- B. order
- C. audience
- D. attention.
- The felling of trees contributes to environmental _____
- A. pollution
- B. damage
- C. degradation
- D. destruction.
- I had to put up my house as _____ for the bank loan.
- A. pledge
- B. agreement
- C. collateral
- D. surety.
SECTION 3
After each of the following sentences, a list of possible interpretation is given. Choose the interpretation that is most appropriate for each sentence.
- Our mother always warns us against washing our dirty linen in public. This means that she warns us
- A. not to discuss private matters in public
- B. to fetch enough water for washing
- C. not to soil our clothes
- D. to keep our mouths shut.
- Let us draw a veil over this matter. This means that we should
- A. avoid discussing the matter
- B. take the matter to court
- C. cover our heads with a veil
- D. get the elders to resolve the matter.
- Children think their parents are behind the times. This means that their parents are
- A. always late for work
- B. not worried about new things
- C. old-fashioned
- D. not duty-conscious.
- Ever since that issue came up, I have been sitting on the fence. This means that I have been
- A. continuously in trouble
- B. sitting alone in the house
- C. walking around to find a job
- D. avoiding stating my opinion.
- You must square up to your problems. This means that you have to
- A. deal with your problems effectively
- B. consider your problems from all angles
- C. forget your problems
- D. arrange your problems.
- Many of us escaped with the skin of our teeth during the crisis. This means that we
- A. lost some of our teeth
- B. narrowly escaped
- C. quickly escaped
- D. had marks on our skin.
- Peter and Paul get along like a house on fire. This means that they
- A. have a very good relationship
- B. are not on speaking terms
- C. avoid each other always
- D. pretend to like each other.
- When Victor’s father gave him a new car, he was lost for words. This means that he
- A. did not like the car
- B. forgot to show his gratitude
- C. was overwhelmed
- D. was not grateful.
- This film is a cut above the others. This means that it is
- A. cut like the others
- B. much better than the others
- C. different from the others
- D. inferior to the others.
- We knew our father was talking tongue-in-cheek when he spoke of a vacation abroad. This means that our father was
- A. sincere
- B. courageous
- C. joking
- D. reasonable.
SECTION 4
From the words lettered A to D below each of the following sentences, choose the word or groups of words that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word as it is used in the sentence.
- The accused was asked to retract his statement.
- A. recall
- B. withdraw
- C. make
- D. rewrite.
- On the death of her father, friends went to express their condolences.
- A. sympathy
- B. pity
- C. concerns
- D. worries.
- The Chumes’ house caught fire because their little girl had turned on the gas inadvertently.
- A. automatically
- B. hurriedly
- C. carelessly
- D. unintentionally.
- A magnificent structure was erected close to our house.
- A. real
- B. splendid
- C. colourful
- D. fine.
- Mediocrity in politics should not be tolerated.
- A. promoted
- B. encouraged
- C. approved
- D. helped.
- A group of experts was brought in to verify the authenticity of the evidence.
- A. support
- B. improve
- C. correct
- D. ascertain.
- Due to the pressure of work, the old man had no alternative but to relinquish his post.
- A. give out
- B. give in
- C. give up
- D. give away.
- The obstinate boy soon met his Waterloo when the war broke out.
- A. proud
- B. stubborn
- C. careless
- D. rude.
- The prescribed textbooks are difficult to find in the bookshops.
- A. highlighted
- B. right
- C. actual
- D. recommended.
- Our stationery supplies are exhausted.
- A. completed
- B. finished
- C. consumed
- D. destroyed.
SECTION 5
From the words or group of words lettered A to D, choose the word or group of words that best completes each of the following sentences.
- My sympathies are _____ the victims of the flood.
- A. on
- B. to
- C. with
- D. about.
- Your application for employment _____ at this very moment.
- A. was being considered
- B. is considered
- C. is being considered
- D. was considered.
- _____ the court orders, he went ahead to build on that land.
- A. In spite of
- B. Besides
- C. But for
- D. Although.
- He almost got _____ with the crime.
- A. up
- B. off
- C. over
- D. away.
- _____ an accident, the police should be informed immediately.
- A. In the event of
- B. In view of
- C. In view to
- D. In place of.
- If you don’t get off my property, I’ll set the dog _____ you.
- A. off
- B. on
- C. unto
- D. into.
- The task _____ to them was very difficult.
- A. giving
- B. given
- C. give
- D. gave.
- Two boys in the art class were doing self-portraits by looking at _____ in the mirror.
- A. oneself
- B. each other
- C. one another
- D. themselves.
- Hardly a day passes by _____ his thinking of her.
- A. that
- B. without
- C. while
- D. when.
- Each time he opens his mouth, he _____ something foolish.
- A. says
- B. said
- C. saying
- D. say.
- _____ I would love to be at your party, I really can’t.
- A. In as much as
- B. As much as
- C. Much as
- D. As much.
- The spectators had to endure the heat _____.
- A. as they could
- B. as best as they could
- C. as best they could
- D. as they could best.
- The sick man was _____ emaciated that I could hardly recognize him.
- A. too
- B. very
- C. quite
- D. so.
- One of the muggers who snatched the handbag _____ been arrested by the police.
- A. have
- B. was
- C. is
- D. has.
- She is not the right candidate for the job, _____?
- A. is she
- B. is it
- C. was she
- D. isn’t it.
- She _____ to excuse herself ten minutes ago.
- A. has had
- B. had
- C. have had
- D. has.
- Many a man _____ to endure hardship in life.
- A. have had
- B. are
- C. were
- D. has had.
- She _____ as a very intelligent person.
- A. comes in
- B. comes about
- C. comes up
- D. comes across.
- You have to be in school early, _____?
- A. shouldn’t you
- B. shall you
- C. haven’t you
- D. aren’t you.
- Either he or you _____ to clean up the mess right now.
- A. has
- B. was
- C. have
- D. were.
- He would rather resign _____ part in such a dishonest deal.
- A. instead of taking
- B. than talking
- C. than takes
- D. than take.
- The farmer, with his sons, _____ millet.
- A. grows
- B. grow
- C. were growing
- D. have been growing.
- The teachers want _____ modern, attractive, well-equipped schools.
- A. attractive, well-equipped, schools modern
- B. well-equipped, attractive, modern schools
- C. modern, attractive, well-equipped schools
- D. schools, well-equipped, attractive, modern.
- She suddenly came _____ a lot of money.
- A. into
- B. up
- C. over
- D. through.
- My mother _____ to my leaving the dishes unwashed last night.
- A. did not take kind
- B. does not take kind
- C. did not take kindly
- D. does not take kindly.
- The place was quite neat except for _____ on the floor.
- A. dirty
- B. a dirt
- C. dirtiness
- D. some dirt.
- He dabbles _____ politics from time to time.
- A. in
- B. about
- C. through
- D. into.
- The shot hit _____ you want me to.
- A. neither I nor he
- B. neither me or he
- C. either I nor him
- D. neither me nor him.
- I will do for you _____ you want me to.
- A. whenever
- B. whichever
- C. whatever
- D. however.
- The students’ week was rounded _____ with a dance.
- A. off
- B. up
- C. out
- D. down.
SECTION 6
In the following passage, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below the passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gaps in the passage.
The farmer -71- the nation and can be said to be the most important professional. But how many people would make farming their first choice of profession? The arduous task of turning a virgin rain forest into a farmland, of battling the land until -72- are carved out and crops are -73-, of fighting off the weeds and -74- the tender crops from pests, and of preparing the harvested crops in -75- for long months, could scare off the lily-livered. Farming is really not for the faint-hearted who are easily defeated by the -76- of the weather and the uncertainties of the soil.
But the fruits of farming are sweet. Farmers are assured of the -77- yields of their farms. A farmer worth his salt can never go hungry, never mind that the dishes may not be -78- in a palatial mansion. Besides, the physical rigours demanded of him ensure that he is constantly kept -79-, that his muscles are forever well shaped. The clean air surrounding him ensures that his eyes remain sharp, that his breath is pure, and that his immunity level is always high. Finally, good and -80- harvests, especially in these days of mechanized farming, do ensure that a good farmer is immune to poverty.
| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | feeds | tends | nourishes | develops |
| 72 | hedges | crests | ridges | folds |
| 73 | deposited | planted | lodged | buried |
| 74 | defending | screening | covering | shielding |
| 75 | barns | huts | pits | shelter |
| 76 | ways | fancies | adjustments | vagaries |
| 77 | newest | freshest | brightest | latest |
| 78 | provided | supplied | taken | served |
| 79 | healthy | huge | alert | stout |
| 80 | overflowing | generous | bountiful | great |
Third Term Examinations SS 1 Examination CHEMISTRY