Essential Guide to the Lagos State Basic Education Certificate Examination: English Language 2024
LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION EXAMINATIONS BOARD 2024
BASIC EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Time: 1hr
LASER/BECE/ENGLISH LANGUAGE/2024/0068
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
This paper consists of Two Sections:
A: Theory
B: Objective Questions
- Write your Examination Number in the space provided.
NAME
(Complete your name as it should be written; Surname first followed by other names.)NAME OF SCHOOL
- Do not open this Question Booklet until you are told to do so. While you are waiting, read the following instructions carefully.
- Attempt all questions. In Section A, each question is followed by four options lettered A-D. Find out the correct option for each and shade your answer.
- Do not spend too much time on any question. If you find a question difficult, leave it and try it again later.
- YOU ARE ADVISED TO WORK COMPLETELY ON YOUR OWN.
Part A Objective Questions
INSTRUCTION: Choose the word which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.
- The woman was too pig-headed to listen to advice.
a. stubborn
b. calm
c. quiet
d. reserved
- The woman failed principally because of her arrogance.
a. trivially
b. mainly
c. insignificantly
d. partially
- The students were given ample time to do the exercise.
a. insufficient
b. enough
c. inaccurate
d. little
- A philanthropist has promised to give scholarship to indigent students.
a. poor
b. rich
c. wealthy
d. affluent
- We had a sizzling Christmas holiday.
a. boring
b. uninteresting
c. exciting
d. lack-lustre
INSTRUCTION: From the options A-D, choose the word that is nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.
- Rukayat yelled at the top of her voice.
a. screamed
b. whispered
c. shouted
d. cried
- The Williams locked up their invaluable belongings in the penthouse.
a. worthless
b. priceless
c. genuine
d. fake
INSTRUCTION: Choose the word which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.
- Is it a myth that you cannot pass an examination without cheating?
a. a fallacy
b. a lie
c. a fact
d. a belief
- You can’t accuse the praise singer of embellishing the truth.
a. exaggeration
b. overstating
c. understating
d. emphasizing
- While Mr Coker lives in affluence in America, his family lives in Nigeria in
a. pain
b. fame
c. need
d. poverty
INSTRUCTION: From the options lettered A-D, choose the most suitable word to fill the gap in each sentence.
- He introduced himself as
a. a police
b. an army
c. a soldier
d. a staff
- We have bought for the office.
a. an equipment
b. many equipments
c. some equipment
d. some equipments
- One of the gone.
a. boys has
b. boys have
c. boy has
d. boy have
- How I wish I my mother’s advice.
a. had heeded
b. have heeded
c. heed
d. will heed
- When the hawker was tired, she down by the roadside.
a. sit
b. sat
c. sit down
d. sat down
INSTRUCTION: From the options lettered A-D, choose the most suitable word to fill the gap in each sentence.
- If you want distinction in your examinations, you ___ work for it.
a. have better
b. better
c. had better
d. would better
- We met at the park ___
a. a young black handsome Ghanaian
b. a handsome young black Ghanaian
c. a young black handsome Ghananian
d. a handsome young black Ghananian
- The new house is ___ old one than the
a. much better
b. much more better
c. more better
d. precious
- The students are not ___
a. much
b. many
c. plenty
d. a lot
- ___ are good friends.
a. He and I
b. I and him
c. I and he
d. He and me
- This loaf of bread is to be shared between ___
a. us and them
b. we and them
c. us and they
d. we and they
- I expect everybody to respect ___
a. itself
b. ourselves
c. himself
d. oneself
- Akin will not come ___ he is asked.
a. after
b. provided
c. unless
d. because
- ___ he switches on the light, the shadow disappears.
a. Whenever
b. Until
c. Before
d. Unless
INSTRUCTION: From the options lettered A-D, choose the most suitable word to fill the gap in each sentence.
- ___ he switches on the light, the shadow disappears.
a. Whenever
b. Since
c. Except
d. Until
- She opened the envelope carefully ___ she did not want to tear the letter.
a. and
b. but
c. also
d. for
- The woman was hesitant to stay or leave. ___ whether
a. over
b. on
c. for
d. at
- We ___ your result when we met.
a. discuss about
b. discuss
c. discussed about
d. discussed
- My three siblings are fluent ___ French.
a. at
b. with
c. in
d. for
REGISTER
Mrs. Nwankwo was sick and was taken to the hospital by her husband. When they got to the hospital, the doctor asked her to mention some of the 29 she noticed so that he would be able to 30 and 31 the right nature of her illness 32. After the first stage, the doctor examined her body temperature with a 33 and later checked her blood pressure with a 34. After checking the blood pressure, the doctor discovered her blood pressure had risen and had to give her 35 to normalise it.
She was thereafter 36 in the 37 for some days for observation. It was later discovered that the 38 was not only 39 from malaria but also pregnant and needed to start 40 in earnest.
INSTRUCTION: From the options lettered A-D, choose the most suitable word to fill the gap in each sentence.
- Mrs. Nwankwo was sick and was taken to the hospital by her husband. When they got to the hospital, the doctor asked her to mention some of the 29 she noticed so that he would be able to 30 and 31 the right nature of her illness 32. After the first stage, the doctor examined her body temperature with a 33 and later checked her blood pressure with a 34. After checking the blood pressure, the doctor discovered her blood pressure had risen and had to give her 35 to normalize it.
a. symptoms
b. signs
c. signals
d. ailment
- 30
a. diagnose
b. diagnosis
c. consult
d. assess
- 31
a. proscribe
b. operate
c. test
d. prescribe
- 32
a. dose
b. injection
c. syringe
d. medication
- 33
a. thermostat
b. tester
c. thermometer
d. syringe
- 34
a. bandage
b. thermometer
c. needle
d. sphyg
- 35
a. sedative
b. analgesic
c. palliative
d. anaesthetic
- She was thereafter 36 in the 37 for some days for observation. It was later discovered that the 38 was not only 39 from malaria but also pregnant and needed to start 40 in earnest.
a. admitted
b. delayed
c. discharged
d. out-patient
- 37
a. room
b. ward
c. casualty
d. in-patient
- 38
a. patience
b. customer
c. casualty
d. patient
- 39
a. battling
b. attacked
c. suffering
d. dealing
- 40
a. clinic
b. surgery
c. sleeping
d. ante-natal
INSTRUCTION: Fill in the gap in each sentence with the correct form of the word in the options A to D.
- Two of them are on 41 committees.
a. separate
b. seperate
c. seprate
d. serparate
- Her pronunciation was excellent on the 42 day of the programme.
a. twelveth
b. twerlveth
c. twelfth
d. twelve
- We missed the 43 of the movie.
a. begnining
b. beginning
c. begginning
d. begining
- The students expressed a 44 interest in the idea.
a. genueine
b. genue
c. genuine
d. geneuine
- The bout between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is 45 for September.
a. skedaddled
b. schedulled
c. scheeduled
d. scheduled
INSTRUCTION: From the options lettered A-D, choose the one that best interprets the underlined expression in each sentence.
- My plan to travel to America fell through.
a. failed
b. succeeded
c. almost failed
d. almost succeeded
- We ran into each other at the park.
a. collided
b. met expectedly
c. met unexpectedly
d. had an appointment
- The couple blazed the trail in selling groceries in the community.
a. stopped
b. started
c. joined
d. encouraged
- What you offer is chicken feed?
a. chicken change
b. meagre
c. a lot
d. unnecessary
- I used to smoke.
a. I still smoke
b. I have not stopped smoking
c. I have stopped smoking
d. Smoking is a habit
INSTRUCTION: Complete the statements below with the correct tags.
- He is from Spain, ___?
a. aren’t he
b. isn’t he
c. wasn’t he
d. didn’t he
- I like noodles so much, ___?
a. liken’t I
b. don’t I
c. isn’t I
d. aren’t I
- You won’t be going to the theatre again, ___?
a. would you
b. will you
c. wouldn’t you
d. can you
INSTRUCTION: Make the following direct speech forms to indirect by choosing the most appropriate option.
- “I will be there next week”, said Bola.
a. Bola said she would be there the following week.
b. Bola will be there next week.
c. Bola asked that she would be there the following week.
d. I will be there next week says Bola.
- “Give me your phone”, said the man.
a. The man commanded me to give him his phone.
b. The man asked me to collect my phone.
c. The man gave my phone to you.
d. The man commanded me to give him my phone.
INSTRUCTION: From the options lettered A-D, choose the most appropriate word that has the vowel sound of the letter or letters underlined.
- creature
a. meagre
b. tinker
c. message
d. drape
- leopard
a. pants
b. snarl
c. snazzy
d. submit
- buoy
a. tortoise
b. poise
c. purpose
d. yawn
- glory
a. gawk
b. God
c. waft
d. vowel
- olive
a. once
b. ghost
c. omnibus
d. Olympics
61. Russia
a. champion
b. card
c. chips
d. cypress
62. chips
a. dent
b. make
c. lettuce
d. shriek
63. Christian
a. champagne
b. chauvinism
c. chattel
d. central
64. checked
a. rape
b. tank
c. deck
d. divided
65. autumn
a. dance
b. mop
c. lantern
d. sing
66. The write-up that summarises a play is called
a. prologue
b. climax
c. epilogue
d. flashback
67. An expression from which one derives a mental picture is called
a. photography
b. exaggeration
c. imagery
d. melodrama
68. The trees bowed their heads to the roaring breeze.
a. Irony
b. Simile
c. Personification
d. Euphemism
69. All the guests gave the crown a standing ovation.
a. Euphemism
b. Personification
c. Irony
d. Metonymy
70. “Should I lie to you without caution?” is an example of
a. hyperbole
b. satire
c. personification
d. rhetorical question
POETRY
Sunrise Poetry – Olusola Fadiya
- “In 1973, you were born, Civil War and National Unity are your parents.”
The first line refers to:
a. the poet
b. the civil war
c. national unity
d. National Youth Service Corps
- The Poem “National Service Corps” has one of these as its major theme.
a. Hatred
b. Disunity
c. Love
d. Segregation
“Economy” – Olusola Fadiya
- What constitutes the strength of the economy is the distribution of:
a. human and material resources
b. financial resources
c. balancing international trade
d. all of the above
“Education for All” – Olusola Fadiya
- In “Education for All,” the poem states:
a. the functions of education only
b. the functions and benefits of education to children
c. the stakeholders of education are cruel
d. the functions of ‘SUBEB’
“Keep Your Head Above Water” – Kazeem Kareem Esq
- In the poem ‘Keep Your Head Above Water,’ the overriding message is that you should:
a. always swim with your head above water
b. endeavour to reach the shore
c. never give up on life
d. enjoy the challenges that come to you
According to the poem “Leadership”, a good leader should possess these qualities EXCEPT:
a. A good leader must bear the welfare of others in mind.
b. A good leader must be a leader and not a dictator.
c. A good leader must be selfless.
d. A good leader must embezzle money.
In “My Pen Cries”, the poet is worried about all these EXCEPT:
a. Equal distribution of the nation’s wealth
b. Poor wages and salaries
c. Education malpractice
d. Brain drain and filling innocent souls
In the poem “Which is Not a Child”, the major theme is:
a. Inheritance
b. Preference for girls
c. Gender discrimination
d. Love for children
“Attire for Satire: My Bed” teaches us these EXCEPT:
a. Diligence
b. Time consciousness
c. Hard work leads to realization of dreams
d. Laziness brings realization of dreams
In the poem “Light Fingers”, the mood of the poem is:
a. Personal
b. Displeasure
c. Personification
d. Exciting