TEKKXE EXAMINERS
UTME MOCK QUESTIONS ON THE USE OF THE QUEEN’S ENGLISH
PASSAGE 1
It was on a Sunday afternoon that I saw the lorry standing in front of the Post office. I had seen it long before my brother saw it, but it was he who said to me: ‘don’t you think it odd that the post office should be open this afternoon?? What do you think is happening?? Come round the corner, out of sight, and let’s watch’, I answered. My brother Michael was younger than me, so I kept him behind me, and peering round the corner told him what I saw. ‘There are four men coming out, carrying a very heavy iron box.’ ‘Oh!, exclaimed, it is a safe.’ ‘I think they’re burglars’, said my brother, who was full of suspicion. ‘One of them has fallen over’, I said; ‘the safe is too heavy for them.’ ‘You go and fetch the police’, said my brother, ‘and I’ll stay here and watch; ‘No, you go and get them’, I replied, because I had wanted to see what was going to happen. My brother ran off and then suddenly, a man came running out of the post office, shouting, ‘Hurry! Hurry! Get it on the lorry!’ He joined the first four and they managed to get the safe up on to the back of the lorry. When they had done this, the man who had shouted got into the driver’s seat, but the lorry would not start. Just then my brother came back with three policemen. To cut a long story short, the men were all arrested and my brother and I had to go and give evidence before a magistrate. The men went to prison, of course, in the end, but you should have seen the face of the leader – it was contorted with rage – when he learned that the safe they had managed to steal was empty, and all the money was in the bank.
1. The brothers thought it was odd for the post office to be opened because (A) nobody works on Sundays (b) people should be in church (c) post offices should open only five days in the week (d) they were ignorant (e) that was probably the second time they had seen it open on a Sunday
2. The narrator kept his younger brother behind him because (A) big brothers must protect their younger ones (b) he wanted to relay all that was happening to him (c) his brother was too short for his liking (d) younger brothers are not easily frightened (e) he was very brave
3. The brothers decided to call the police because (A) they thought there were burglars (b) policemen are required on such occasions (c) calling the policemen was the only thing they could have done (d) they were cowardly (e) they would have wished to give evidence in court
4. The robbers could not escape because (a) the safe was too heavy (b) they were sinners who deserved punishment (C) the engine of their lorry failed (d) they were not smart enough (e) Nemesis wanted to catch up with them
5. The leader of the robbers was angry because (a) his gang was arrested (B) the safe was empty (c) they were all going to prison (d) spending their loot would be impossible (e) he was an irascible man
PASSAGE 2
Birds are instantly recognizable _6_, perhaps because of their ability to _7_. Some people might consider their shape the most distinguishing _8_. Everyone, however, agrees on the characteristics that a bird possesses: two _9_, feathers, two legs, a toothless _10_, warm blood, and the ability to _11_eggs. The modern system of _12_ birds is like a pyramid, with the base formed by 8, 514 different _13_. A convenient _14_ of this system recognizes a group of birds which does not normally _15_ with other groups
A B C D
6. Beings Creatures Things Mammals
7. Soar Dive Glide Fly
8. Possession mark feature sign
9. Arms flaps forearms wings
10. Mouth lip beak gum
11. Produce provide lay give
12. Classifying arranging ordering numbering
13. Species birds types varieties
14. Judgement explanation statement name
15. Agree mate fly go
PASSAGE 3
One of the most precious gifts human kind has been given is the power to _16_. With it, we pass vital _17_ to one another either _18_ or by non-vocal methods, such as _19_. Freedom of _20_ is, in fact, a widely contested issue throughout the world. Some have therefore, assumed that communication is the _21_ of only humans. Yet, research shows that animals _22_ information in intricate ways that often baffle humans. Yes, they “speak,” not with words, but through visual signals such as _23_tails, twitching ears, or _24_ wings. Other forms of animal communication may involve the use of voice, such as a bark, a roar, a snarl, or _25_. Some of the “languages” are obvious to humans, while others require much scientific study to detect.
A B C D
16. Communicate inform tell say
17. News words things information
18. Quickly verbally secretly symbolically
19. Smiling nodding gestures winkling
20. Speaking speech saying expressing
21. Preserve belonging property policy
22. Give receive handle exchange
23. Shaking moving wagging showing
24. Rotating flapping raising feathering
25. Noise music whistling song
Synonyms:
26. We were at a loss to understand why Oli should retract his statement before the judge (a) assert (b) repeat (c) withdraw (d) reiterate
27. The workers hope to appear before the arbitration panel to resolve the lingering dispute (a) trial (b) legislative (c) investigative (d) reconciliatory
28. He went to the polls in defiance of sound advice and recorded an abysmalperformance (a) surprisingly good (b) disappointingly bad (c) mediocre (d) landslide
29. He was not able to withstand the attack from his immediate family (a) survive (b) overcome (c) match (d) resist
30. Your effort to bring peace between us is futile because you are biased(a) convinced (b) clever (c) prejudiced (d) worried
31. Our front door is always kept ajar (a) locked (b) sealed (c) half-closed (d) permanently open
32. His embroidery was an exacting task for the tailor (a) an unwarranted (b) an exciting (c) a demanding (d) a disturbing
33. The student’s remonstrances were rebuffed by authority (a) protests (b) suggestions (c) complaints (d) regrets
34. The man’s wife has her misgivings about him (a) fears for (b) distrust of (c) hatred for (d) love for
35. Everyone was talking about the camaraderie in the club (a) companionship (b) quarrelsomeness (c) commissioning (d) disunity
36. Amina is the one who initiated the quarrel, not Nike! (a) started (b) stopped (c) settled (d) fuelled
37. She was reprimanded by her boss for negligence (a) sacked (b) rebuked (c) punished (d) surcharged
38. The doctor diagnosed the tumour as malignant (a) deadly (b) painful (c) infectious (d) minor
39. In tropical Africa, mosquitoes are ubiquitous (a) dangerous (b) harmful (c) trouble (d) everywhere
40. They insisted that the omission of my name had been inadvertent (a) unintentional (b) unconditional (c) improper (d) unfortunate
41. He is easily recognizable because of a conspicuous birthmark on his face (a) dark (b) beautiful (c) prominent (d) natural
42. The fishing boat was imperiled by high winds, but it managed to reach port safely (a) pushed (b) endangered (c) disturbed (d) blown
Fill in the gaps:
43. The Emir and conqueror of the enemy territories ________ next week (a) arrives (b) are to arrive (c) arrive (d) are arriving
44. We ought to have visited the Governor, __________? (a) Isn’t it (b) Oughtn’t we (c) Shouldn’t we (d) Haven’t we
45. My shoes are worn out; I must see my _________ (a) grocer (b) tanner (c) cobbler (d) hosier
46. Either the teacher or the students _________ to blame (a) is (b) are (c) has being (d) are being
47. Femi has been ________ behind in classwork (a) lacking (b) lagging (c) larking (d) lurking
48. This is a village where ________ knows _______ (a) everyone/everyone else (b) anyone/anyone (c) every person/themselves (d) someone/someone else
49. I am not surprised that Zali had a road accident; he was always driving too fast, _________? (a) isn’t he (b) wasn’t he (c) didn’t he (d) did he
50. She refrained ________ smoking (a) at (b) off (c) from (d) in
51. Birds whistle while bears _________ (a) gibber (b) purr (c) growl (d) bellow
52. His mother always reprimands him for being a ________ reader of cheap novels (a) vicious (b) veracious (c) vivacious (d) voracious
53. Surprisingly, Musa turned _____ the job (a) away (b) in (c) out (d) down
54. We have no choice _______ to do what they demand (a) except (b) than (c) unless (d) but
55. Hardly a day goes by ______ he doesn’t think of her (a) that (b) when (c) while (d) without
56. Scarcely had I opened the door ______ the dog came running in (a) as (b) before (c) than (d) when
57. It was the head – boy that took the book away ________ (a) didn’t he? (b) wasn’t he? (c) wasn’t it? (d) isn’t it?
58. She bought a ________ handbag (a) red beautiful leather (b) beautiful leather red (c) beautiful red leather (d) leather beautiful red
59. The chairman told members that he was open _______ suggestions (a) to (b) for (c) about (d) on
60. This portion is to be shared between ______ (a) us and them (b) we and them (c) us and they (d) we and they
61. I saw him again _______ last week (a) some time (b) sometimes (c) one time (d) some time
62. Ebiere invited _____ to her birthday party (a) Bola and I (b) myself and Bola (c) Bola and me (d) Bola and myself
63. ______ my father took me to England (a) At the age of ten (b) Being ten years old (c) When I was ten (d) At ten years old
Antonyms:
64. Sola is apathetic about his work (a) indifferent (b) enthusiastic (c) half-hearted (d) bored
65. The management has neither ______ nor denied the rumour that it was going to lay off some workers (a) pronounced (b) confirmed (c) rejected (d) advertised
66. Instead of ______ the issue, the speaker digressed to unimportant matters (a) summarizing (b) describing (c) revealing (d) addressing
67. The telephone booths were all _______ and I had to wait for more than ten minutes for one to become vacant (a) locked (b) busy (c) occupied (d) ringing
68. While the first battalion halted its march at nightfall, the second _______ to the barracks (a) returned (b) set out (c) proceeded (d) turned up
69. The arrival of the police at the scene ______ rather than mitigatedtension (a) provoked (b) heightened (c) created (d) prolonged
70. Last night, Uncle Joe was blind drunk but this morning he is as _______ as a judge (a) alert (b) saintly (c) strong (d) sober
71. The man found his wife physically repellant (a) attractive (b) fatuous (c) unpleasant (d) flamboyant
72. She encapsulated her view of the nature of life in a poem (a) summed up (b) explained (c) expatiated on (d) reflected
73. We were held spellbound by his eloquence (a) unimpressed (b) freed (c) deceived (d) unenlightened
74. The lecturer’s obscure publications counted against him during promotion exercise (a) widespread (b) closed (c) circulated (d) restricted
75. He is known for making threadbare arguments as a scholar (a) justifiable (b) baseless (c) empty (d) militant
Test of Orals:
76. Key (a) sit (b) bet (c) seat (d) tread
77. Taught (a) law (b) aunt (c) count (d) plateau
78. Both (a) bother (b) thaw (c) the (d) there
79. Comfortable: (a) COMfortable (b) comFORtable (c) comfortaBLE (d) comforTAble
80. Incapacitate: (a) inCApacitate (b) incaPAcitate (c) INcapacitate (d) incapaciTATE
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