English Language

SECTION A (COMPREHENSION PASSAGE)

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

How to Make the UBE Work

For Nigeria to make a success of the Universal Basic Education programme, all the three tiers of
government should give priority attention to teacher training and retraining, production of early
childhood educators, infrastructure development, provision of books and instructional materials.

The Managing Director, University Press Plc, Mr. Samuel Kolawole, said these factors were imperative to
the development of a virile school system. The UBE is the major strategy the Federal Government
adopted in 1999 to attain the goal of Education for all by 2015. The policy is aimed at ensuring improved
and equitable access to basic, universal and compulsory education for all the children of school age and
continuing education for all illiterate adults. Kolawole, in a chat at a workshop, said government should
design an all-inclusive approach to ensure the success of the scheme. He pointed out that one area of
teacher education to be looked at is the training of professional teachers for the pre-primary school
level of education.

“If the UBE must succeed, we as nation should review the professional qualification of teachers in pre-
primary schools, we should give priority attention to this class of teachers because whatever mistake
they make when teaching the kids could be fatal. All quality course books that could stimulate the kids
should be massively provided for the school system while the teachers already in the system should be
retrained on a regular basis”.
Oduntan, however, noted that the government and school owners should invest in human and
infrastructural development while teachers should imbibe the virtues of sound humanrelationship,
concern in the discharge of their duties.

QUESTIONS

(a) What is the full meaning of UBE?

(b) From your knowledge of Social Studies, mention the three tiers of government.

(c) Mention three things the government should do to see to the success of UBE.

(d) When and why was UBE adopted?

(e) Who are the target audience for the policy of UBE?

(f) Mr. Kolawole suggested that priority attention be given to a class of teachers, identify

this class from the passage.

(g) Kolawole, in his contribution, suggested three things to be done for the success of

UBE. Identify them from the passage.

(h) Who again made a contribution apart from Mr. Kolawole?
(i) What two things did he suggest?

SECTION B (COMPOSITION)

Attempt one question from here: your answer should be about 250 words long.

You are free to use the hints below each question and / or other ones you like.

A. Write a letter to the Principal of your school on the poor living conditions in your

hostel and suggest ways of improving on them.

Hints

i. Title

ii. Mention the problems you have in the hostel

iii. Suggest what can be done to solve the problems

iv. Conclusion.

B. Write a composition on how to play your favourite game

i. Introduction: Name and explain the Game

ii. Body: How it is played

iii. Conclusion.

SECTION C (OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS)

Select appropriate option to fill in the gap

1) How ______money have you got in your purse? a. many B) any C) much D) little
2) My mother has got _________ friends. A. a little B) a lot of C) much D) little
3) We have got ________ apples and ________ oranges in the fridge. A) a little / some B) many / a little
C) a few / some D) few/few

4) Are there ________ children in the school garden?A. a little B) any C) much D) few
5) My teacher hasn’t got _________ 6th grade student this year. a. some B) any C) a few D) little
6) Sam, ____ there _____ milk in the fridge? a. are / any B) is / any C) is / a few
7) How _______ cheese has she got in the basket? a. many B) much C) any d) are
8) There are _______ English teachers in this school this year. a. many B) much C) a little D) little
9) We haven’t got ______ toothpaste but we have got ____ tooth brushes. A)some /some B) some / any
C) any / some

The first sentence is in the ACTIVE VOICE.

Choose the most correct way of saying the same thing in the PASSIVE VOICE:
10) They were interviewing her for the job.

She ________________ for the job. a). was being interviewed b) was interviewed c) has been
interviewed
11) Tom is writing the letter.

a. The letter ________________ by Tom. a).was written b) is being written c) has been written
12) Everyone understands English.

a. English ________________ by everyone. b. a) is understood b) has been understood c) was

understood
13) The employees brought up this issue during the meeting.
This issue ________________ by the employees during the meeting. a) has been brought up b) is
brought up c) was brought up .
14) The professor told him not to talk in class.
He ________________ by the professor not to talk in class. a. has been told b) was told c) was being told
Choose, from the list below each sentence, the most appropriate interpretation for the underlined
expression.
15) Captain Kofi claimed that they fought heavily with the opposing troop for about five weeks before
the opponents finally showed their white flag. This means that the opponent gave a signal of (a) advance
(b) surrender (c) victory (d) retreat (e) cease-fire.

16) Dolapo had long nursed the hope of becoming a medical doctor. This means that Dolapo

a. has been a medical doctor once. b. had long been an amateur doctor. c. had been hoping to become a
doctor one day. d. could have been a medical doctor if she had wanted. e. had long been a medical
doctor.
17) Experience has shown that it pays to strike when the iron is hot. The underlined expressions means
a. take advantage of an available opportunity. b. escape when violence is about to break out. c. strike a
person with hot iron rods. d. let the blacksmith work on a heater gold e. take decisions when one’s
anger is at the peak.
18) The new President received his visitor with open arms. This means that the new President.
a. gave every visitor a perfidious smile. b. allowed some visitors in without any drilling. c. invited all his
visitors warmly. d. welcomed his visitors warmly. e. loved each of his visitors.
19) The counselor said that as his hands were full, he would not be able to see me this week. This means
that he
a. was tired of attending to clients. b. was tired of attending to customers. c. had a lot of money in his
hands. d. was carrying a heavy bundle of files. e. was very busy.
20) Mallam Sule is a white sepulcher. What he does is at variance with what he preaches. This means
that Mallam Sule is(a) rebel. (b) a preacher. (c) a ghost (d) a hypocrite. (e) a pastor.
21) Ademola is a lucky boy. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. This means that Ademola (a)
always uses a silver spoon to eat. (b) was born a weakling.(c) was born as a lucky champion.(d) won a
silver spoon at a lottery.(e) was born into a rich family.

22) Mercy was asked to take heart at such a trying period. This means that Mercy was advised to (a)
take care of her health. (b) be courageous in the face of difficulties. (c) avoid a heart attack. (d) examine
her conscience thoroughly. (e) test her heartbeat and blood pressure regularly.
Choose the word or group of words which best completes each sentence.
23) Grace took her sister to school……….she went to the office. (a)if (b)so that (c)until (d)before
24) ……………its raining, I always drive slowly. (a) Although (b)Until (c) When (d) Nevertheless
25) Boarders may receive visitors……………the Housemaster is informed. (a)provided that (b) so far (c)in
case that (d)considering that

26) There was no meat in the market………..Okon bought some fish. (a)so (b)unless (c)since (d)in case
27) Bimbo and Dada love........ (a)each other (b)one another (c)themselves (d) themself
28) Of the three books…….is the most difficult? (a)what (b)who (c)which (d)whose.

29) The students……..should decide whom to elect as the class captain. (a)themselves
(b)themselves (c)theirself (d) theirselves
30) You and…..will play table tennis tomorrow. ( a)me (b) I (c) them (d) myself.

Choose from the options lettered A-D the one that contains the given phonetic symbol

31. /ɔɪ/ a) toy b) ball c) yawn d) salt

32. /eɪ / a) hit b) key c) pay d) mean

33. /eə/ a) air b) fern c) lure d) here

34 /əʊ/ a) lawn b) tow c) took d) fool

35. / i: / a) ear b) earth c) leg d)tea

Choose the correct order of adjectives in the following sentences.

36. The woman is wearing a ______ dress. A) yellow long B)) long yellow
37. He is a ________ man. tall thin B) thin tall

38. The company makes ______ products. A) excellent farming B) farming excellent
39. James recently departed on a ____ trip. A) Camping long B)) long camping
40. My teacher bought a ______ shoe. A.) leather red B.) red leather