2017 English Language WAEC SSCE (School Candidates) May/June

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English Language 1 - Objective Questions

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 sentence.

1. Michael is stingy but his brother is ...
   1. generous
   2. kind
   3. humane
   4. hospitable
2. Success is the reward of ... not indolence.
   1. prudence
   2. attentiveness
   3. diligence
   4. sharpness
3. I don't know how Yusuf became so proud: his parents have always been ...
   1. gentle
   2. noble
   3. humble
   4. simple
4. The once unknown musician became ... in a very short time.
   1. popular
   2. accepted
   3. respected
   4. admirable
5. Issa is very much interested in education while his sister is ...
   1. dull
   2. indifferent
   3. uncertain
   4. serious
6. The comment I made at the conference was general; being ... would have hurt some people.
   1. ordinary
   2. specific
   3. tactful
   4. candid
7. Buba was purposeful in his search for a job but Bala was rather ... about his.
   1. patient
   2. slow
   3. lazy
   4. casual
8. In recent tournaments I have seen amateurs play better than so-called ...
   1. experts
   2. veterans
   3. specialists
   4. professionals
9. The student appeared ... but we were all confident in his ability.
   1. afraid
   2. nervous
   3. unconvinced
   4. ignorant
10. Giraffes are attractive animals but snakes are ...
    1. repulsive
    2. ugly
    3. poisonous
    4. offensive

Section 2

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that best completes each of the following sentences.

11. Mr. Uche was trying to ... a list of his debtors
    1. compare
    2. compose
    3. compound
    4. compile
12. He tried to ... the housemistress by entering the hostel through the back door.
    1. reject
    2. repel
    3. evade
    4. deflect
13. He gives the ... that he is wealthy but he really isn't.
    1. impression
    2. opinion
    3. attribute
    4. indication
14. Frank was ... in the riot because his books were found at the scene.
    1. blamed
    2. caught
    3. implicated
    4. grafted
15. The insurance company ... my uncle for the loss of his car.
    1. redeemed
    2. relieved
    3. compensated
    4. paid
16. Before giving his speech, the chairman ... copies of it to the members of the council,
    1. duplicated
    2. spread
    3. circulated
    4. printed
17. We wished to win the tournament but we knew our ... were slim.
    1. skills
    2. opportunities
    3. odds
    4. chances
18. When all the members started arguing, the chairman called the meeting to ...
    1. silence
    2. order
    3. audience
    4. attention
19. The felling of trees contributes to environmental ...
    1. pollution
    2. damage
    3. degradation
    4. destruction
20. I had to put up my house as ... for the bank loan
    1. pledge
    2. agreement
    3. collateral
    4. surety

Section 3

After each of the following sentences, a list of possible interpretations is given. Choose the interpretation that is most appropriate for each sentence.

21. Our mother always warns us against washing our dirty linen in public. This means: that she warns us.
    1. not to discuss private matters in public
    2. to fetch enough water for washing
    3. not to soil our clothes
    4. to keep our mouths shut
22. Let us draw a veil over this matter. This means that we should
    1. avoid discussing the matter
    2. take the matter to court
    3. cover our heads with a veil
    4. get the elders to resolve the matter
23. Children think their parents are behind the times. This means that they think that their parents are
    1. always late for work
    2. not worried about new things
    3. old fashioned
    4. not duty conscious
24. Ever since that.issue came up. I have been sitting on the fence. This means that I have been
    1. continuously in trouble
    2. sitting alone in the house
    3. walking around to find a job
    4. avoiding stating my opinion.
25. You must square up to your problems. This means that you have to
    1. deal with your problems effectively
    2. consider your problems from all angles
    3. forget your problems
    4. arrange your problems
26. Many of us escaped with the skin of our teeth during the crisis. This means that we
    1. lost some of our teeth
    2. narrowly escaped
    3. quickly escaped
    4. had marks on our skin.
27. Peter and Paul get along like a house on fire. This means that they
    1. have a very good relationship
    2. are not on speaking terms
    3. avoid each other always
    4. pretend to like each other
28. When Victor’s father gave him a new car, he was lost for words. This means that Victor
    1. did not like the car
    2. forgot to show his gratitude
    3. was overwhelmed
    4. was not grateful
29. This film is a cut above the others. This means that it is
    1. cut to look like the others
    2. much better than the others
    3. different from the others
    4. inferior to the others.
30. We knew our father was talking tongue-in-cheek when he spoke of a vacation abroad. This means that our father was
    1. sincere
    2. courageous
    3. joking
    4. reasonable

Section 4

From the words lettered A to D below each of the following sentences, choose the word or group of words that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word as it is used in the sentence.

31. The accused was asked to retract his statement
    1. recall
    2. withdraw
    3. make
    4. rewrite
32. On the death of her father, friends went to express their condolences
    1. sympathy
    2. pity
    3. concerns
    4. worries
33. The Chume’s house caught fire because their little girl had turned on the gas inadvertently,
    1. automatically
    2. hurriedly
    3. carelessly
    4. unintentionally
34. A magnificent structure was erected close to our house.
    1. real
    2. splendid
    3. colourful
    4. fine
35. Mediocrity in politics should not be tolerated.
    1. promoted
    2. encouraged
    3. approved
    4. helped
36. A group of experts was brought in to verify the authenticity of the evidence,
    1. support
    2. improve
    3. correct
    4. ascertain
37. Due to the pressure of work, the old man had no alternative but to relinquish his post.
    1. give out
    2. give in
    3. give up
    4. give away
38. The obstinate boy soon met his waterloo when the war broke out.
    1. proud
    2. stubborn
    3. careless
    4. rude
39. The prescribed textbooks are difficult to find in the bookshops.
    1. highlighted
    2. right
    3. actual
    4. recommended
40. Our stationery supplies are exhausted.
    1. completed
    2. finished
    3. consumed
    4. 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.

41. My sympathies are ... the victims of the flood.
    1. on
    2. to
    3. with
    4. about
42. Your application for employment ... at this very moment.
    1. was being considered
    2. is considered
    3. is being considered
    4. was considered
43. ... the court orders, he went ahead to build on that land.
    1. In spite of
    2. Besides
    3. But for
    4. Although
44. He almost got ... with the crime .
    1. up
    2. off
    3. over
    4. away
45. ... an accident, the police should be informed immediately,
    1. In the event of
    2. In view of
    3. in view to
    4. in place of
46. If you don’t get off my property, I'll set the dog ... you.
    1. off
    2. on
    3. unto
    4. into
47. The task ... to them was very difficult.
    1. giving
    2. given
    3. give
    4. gave
48. Two boys in the art class were doing self-portraits by looking at ... in the mirror.
    1. oneself
    2. each other
    3. one another
    4. themselves
49. Hardly a day passes by ... his thinking of her.
    1. that
    2. without
    3. while
    4. when
50. Each time he opens his mouth, he ... something foolish.
    1. says
    2. said
    3. saying
    4. say
51. The spectators had to endure the heat ...
    1. as they could
    2. as best as they could
    3. as best they could
    4. as they could best
52. ... I would love to be at your party, I really can’t.
    1. In as much as
    2. As much as
    3. Much as
    4. As much
53. The sick man was ... emaciated that I could hardly recognize him.
    1. too
    2. very
    3. quite
    4. so
54. One of the muggers who snatched the handbag ... been arrested by the police,
    1. have
    2. was
    3. is
    4. has
55. She is not the right candidate for the job?
    1. is she
    2. is it
    3. was she
    4. isn’t it
56. She ... to excuse herself ten minutes ago.
    1. has had
    2. had
    3. have had
    4. has
57. Many a man ... to endure hardship in life.
    1. have had
    2. are
    3. were
    4. has had
58. She ... as a very intelligent person.
    1. comes in
    2. comes about
    3. comes up
    4. comes across
59. You have to be in school early ... ?
    1. shouldn’t you
    2. shall you
    3. haven’t you
    4. aren’t you
60. Either he or you ... to clean up the mess right now.
    1. has
    2. was
    3. have
    4. were
61. He would rather resign ... part in such a dishonest deal.
    1. instead of taking
    2. than taking
    3. than takes
    4. than take
62. The farmer, with his sons ... millet,
    1. grows
    2. grow
    3. were growing
    4. have been growing
63. The teachers want ...
    1. modern, attractive, well-equipped schools
    2. attractive, well-equipped, schools modern
    3. well-equipped, attractive, modern schools
    4. schools, well equipped, attractive modern
64. She suddenly came ... a lot of money.
    1. up
    2. into
    3. over
    4. through
65. My mother ... to my leaving the dishes unwashed last night
    1. did not take kind
    2. does not take kind
    3. did not take kindly
    4. does not take kindly
66. The place was quite neat except for ... on the floor.
    1. dirty
    2. a dirt
    3. dirtiness
    4. some dirt
67. He dabbles ... politics from time to time.
    1. in
    2. about
    3. through
    4. into
68. The shot hit ...
    1. neither I nor he
    2. neither me or he
    3. either I nor him
    4. neither me nor him
69. I will do for you ... you want me to.
    1. whenever
    2. whichever
    3. whatever
    4. however
70. The students’ week was rounded ... with a dance.
    1. off
    2. up
    3. out
    4. 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 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 farm land, of battling the land until - 72 — are carved out and crops are —73—, of fighting off 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 rigorous 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	crests	hedges	ridges	folds
73	deposited	planted	lodged	buried
74	defending	screening	covering	shielding
75	barns	huts	pits	shelters
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

English Language 2 - Theory

Section A - Essay Writing

All questions carry equal marks. Your answer should not be less than 450 words. You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this section.

1. Your father has just built a new house a for the family. Write a letter to your elder brother who lives abroad, describing the new house and the prestige it has accorded your family.
2. Write an article suitable for publication in a national newspaper, discussing two major problems facing your country and suggesting ways of solving them.
3. The electricity supply in your school has been irregular. As the Senior Prefect, write a letter to the Chairman of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) telling him about the effect of this on the school and the need to provide a stand-by generator for the school.
4. Your Principal is due for retirement at the end of the academic year. As the Senior Prefect, write a speech which you would deliver to honour him/her at a send-off party.
5. Writ a story ending with expression: At last, we arrived safely

Section B - Comprehension

You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this section.

When I was in primary four, thirty-five years ago, schools closed for the day 1:30pm. My two friends and I would then proceed for 'full' recreation as we either played football in hidden neighbourhoods or went downstream to swim till dusk. The reprimands and occasional spankings we got from our mothers could not deter us. Our youthful adventurous spirit would not be suppressed. We were resolute in our desire to be free of what we thought were too may chores. As far as we were concerned, that should be the preserve of the female gender.

One day, we went fishing in stream on the outskirts of the village playing football. We each caught some fish but. were not satisfied; we wanted crabs which we could sell on our way back home to augment the meager ‘money for recess’ that each of us got when going off to school every day. We caught two big crabs from the first two holes we dug before going for a third. Convinced that we had dug deep enough, the eldest of us dipped his right hand into the hole that was about three-quarters filled with water, and soon reported excitedly that he had made a big catch. As he dragged it to the surface, we screamed in sudden terror. The 'big catch' was the fleshly middle part of a shimmering black snake. No one waited for the other as we scrambled for safety, leaving our other catch behind. The boy splashed frantically through the water,falling over twice before reaching us on the bank of the stream. None of us ventured back, more for fear of the snake than dusk that had 'suddenly' descended on the village.

When I got home, I met Mother, my two siblings and some anxious relations at the doorstep. They were about setting out to comb the entire village since their previous search to my school, my mates’ homes and the few playgrounds in the village had been futile. The concerned look on Mother’s face told me I had stirred up a hornets’ nest and should be prepared for the sting. My muddy legs and hands betrayed the lie I had hurriedly cooked up. I got the beating of my life, first from Mother and then Father, who came into the house and upon being told what had happened, went straight fer the thick rubber he had wound around his bicycle carrier for tying loads.

6. Question 6
   1. State two reasons why the writer and his friends always came home late
   2. Why did the boys get home late on that fateful day?
   3. Why did the boys net realize that it was getting dark?
   4. in what two ways was the writer unlucky on that day?
   5. How does the writer's mother usually demonstrate her disapproval of his behaviour?
   6. "... I had stirred up a hornets' nest ans should be prepared for the sting"
   7. What figure of speech is used in this expression?
   8. What does it mean?
   9. "As he dragged it to the surface..."
   10. What grammatical name id given to this expression as it is used in the passage?
   11. What is its function?
   12. For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the he passage:
   13. deter;
   14. preserve;
   15. augment;
   16. ventured;
   17. concerned.

Section C - Summary

You are advised to spend about 40 minutes on this section.

[Summary passage]

7. Question 7
   1. Sub-question 1
   2. Sub-question 1

English Language 3 - Test of Orals

Section 1

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined.

1. Question 1
   1. Option 1
   2. Option 2
   3. Option 3
   4. Option 4
2. Question 2
   1. Option 1
   2. Option 2
   3. Option 3
   4. Option 4
3. Question 3
   1. Option 1
   2. Option 2
   3. Option 3
   4. Option 4
4. Question 4
   1. Option 1
   2. Option 2
   3. Option 3
   4. Option 4
5. Question 5
   1. Option 1
   2. Option 2
   3. Option 3
   4. Option 4
6. Question 6
   1. Option 1
   2. Option 2
   3. Option 3
   4. Option 4
7. Question 7
   1. Option 1
   2. Option 2
   3. Option 3
   4. Option 4
8. Question 8
   1. Option 1
   2. Option 2
   3. Option 3
   4. Option 4
9. Question 9
   1. Option 1
   2. Option 2
   3. Option 3
   4. Option 4
10. Question 10
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
11. Question 11
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
12. Question 12
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
13. Question 13
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
14. Question 14
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
15. Question 15
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4

Section 2

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same consonant sound(s) as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined.

16. Question 16
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
17. Question 17
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
18. Question 18
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
19. Question 19
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
20. Question 20
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
21. Question 21
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
22. Question 22
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
23. Question 23
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
24. Question 24
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
25. Question 25
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
26. Question 26
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
27. Question 27
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
28. Question 28
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
29. Question 29
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
30. Question 30
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4

Section 3

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that rhymes with the given word.

31. Question 31
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
32. Question 32
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
33. Question 33
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
34. Question 34
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
35. Question 35
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4

Section 4

From the words lettered A to D, choose the one that has the correct stress.

36. Question 36
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
37. Question 37
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
38. Question 38
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
39. Question 39
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
40. Question 40
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4

Section 5

In the following options lettered A to D, all the words except one have the same stress pattern. Identify the one with the different stress pattern and shade your answer in the usual way.

41. 1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
42. 1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
43. 1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
44. 1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
45. 1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4

Section 6

In each of the following sentences, the word that receives the emphatic stress is written in capital letters. From the questions lettered A to D, choose the one to which the given sentence is the appropriate answer.

46. Question 46
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
47. Question 47
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
48. Question 48
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
49. Question 49
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
50. Question 50
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4

Section 7

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol.

51. Question 51
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
52. Question 52
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
53. Question 53
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
54. Question 54
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
55. Question 55
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
56. Question 56
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
57. Question 57
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
58. Question 58
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
59. Question 59
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4
60. Question 60
    1. Option 1
    2. Option 2
    3. Option 3
    4. Option 4