JAMB UTME - Use of English - 2025

Two words rhyme when they share the same vowel and final consonant sounds from the stressed vowel onward. Time is pronounced /taɪm/, so the rhyming word must end with the sound /aɪm/.

Consider each option:

• lime - pronounced /laɪm/. It ends with /aɪm/, which is exactly the same ending as "time."
• nine - pronounced /naɪn/. Although the vowel /aɪ/ matches, the final consonant is /n/, not /m/.
• mine - pronounced /maɪn/. Same situation as "nine": correct vowel but final /n/ instead of /m/.
• mind - pronounced /maɪnd/. Ends in /nd/, which does not match /m/.

The correct answer is lime, because /laɪm/ and /taɪm/ share the identical ending /aɪm/.

The guidance counsellor accompanied Mr Bepo home on the day of the crying incident, as instructed by the MD. This can be found on page 9 of the novel.

This question asks about the location where the confrontational statement "So, you have taken your madness to this level?" was made in The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba.

In the novel, this statement was made at Beesway School. The accusatory tone of the statement, referring to someone's actions as "madness" that has escalated to a new level, reflects a confrontation between characters at this location. Beesway is a school that features prominently in the novel alongside Bepo's own school (Stardom), and tensions between characters connected to these institutions drive several key scenes.

The other locations do not match the context of this particular confrontation:

• Bepo's house is a domestic setting, whereas this statement carries the tone of a professional or institutional confrontation.
• The airport, while a location in the novel, is not where this specific exchange takes place.
• Stardom School is Bepo's own institution, and the accusatory nature of the statement suggests it was directed at him in a setting outside his own school.

Mr. Guta demanded the immediate dismissal of Mr. Fafore. During Open Day, Mr. Guta visited the MD's office and angrily insisted that Mr. Fafore, the English language teacher, be fired from the school. His demand was based on what he believed was a grammatical error he had found in his son's class notes, which he attributed to Mr. Fafore's teaching.

Mr. Guta's reaction was extreme: rather than seeking a correction or clarification, he went straight to the school's highest authority and demanded that the teacher lose his job over the alleged mistake. This reflects the power dynamics in the novel, where wealthy or influential parents can exert pressure on school management to take drastic action against staff.

The other options do not match the narrative. Mr. Guta did not ask for a salary increase for Mr. Fafore, a change in class teacher, or a public apology. His sole demand was that Mr. Fafore be dismissed immediately.

After the MD felt deflated upon realising that she had wrongly sacked Mr. Fafore, Mr. Audu cracked a joke to lighten the mood. The MD had sided with Mr. Guta and dismissed Mr. Fafore over the grammar dispute, but when Bepo (the principal) demonstrated that Mr. Fafore's grammar was actually correct, the MD was left embarrassed and deflated by her hasty decision.

In this awkward and tense moment, Mr. Audu stepped in with humour to ease the atmosphere. His joke served to diffuse the tension and help the MD recover from the embarrassment of having fired a teacher unjustly. This use of humour in a difficult situation is a literary device that provides comic relief while also revealing Mr. Audu's social awareness and tact.

The other options do not match the novel's account. Mr. Audu did not defend Mr. Fafore's teaching methods (that was Bepo's role), propose new rules for grammar checks, or suggest a training session for staff. His specific contribution to the moment was the well-timed joke.

Although Mr Fafore lives quite far away, he always prepares his day so that he arrives very early. He wakes up as early as 4:00 am and sets out for school at 4:30 am. He would get to the school premises around 6:00 am, rest his head on his desk and snooze for about an hour before his colleagues arrived. This can be found on page 30 of the novel. 

In The Lekki Headmaster, the novel highlights the state of public healthcare in Nigeria through its depiction of General Hospitals. One of the key challenges cited is the problem of large crowds. Patients and their families flood these hospitals, leading to long waiting times, overstretched staff, and difficulty accessing timely medical attention.

Overcrowding in Nigerian public hospitals is a well-known issue that the novel uses to illustrate broader societal challenges. The other options, while they may be problems in various settings, are not the specific challenge the novel identifies at the General Hospitals. The text points to the sheer volume of people as the primary difficulty.

During the prefect election speech at Stardom Schools, the conflict erupted because Banky insulted Tosh's father. This personal attack during what should have been a formal school event escalated tensions between the two students and led to a confrontation that disrupted the election process.

Banky's decision to target Tosh's father rather than focusing on his own qualifications for the prefect position reveals the depth of personal animosity among the students. The incident demonstrates how rivalries and personal grudges can spill over into public events, and it gives the school administration, particularly Bepo, a disciplinary situation to manage. The episode also highlights the responsibilities that come with leadership positions and the importance of maintaining respect and decorum during competitive processes, a lesson that resonates with the novel's broader themes of leadership and integrity.

Immanent means existing or operating within; inherent or indwelling. When something is immanent in a system, it is an intrinsic, internal part of that system. The sentence states that the gear exists within a car as an inherent component.

The word opposite in meaning is transcendent, which means existing beyond or above; surpassing or exceeding normal limits. In philosophy, immanent and transcendent are a classic pair of opposites: immanent describes what is contained within, while transcendent describes what lies beyond or outside.

The other options are not antonyms:

• available means accessible or obtainable. Something can be both available and immanent, so this does not oppose the meaning.
• necessary means required or essential. While a gear may be necessary in a car, this describes its importance, not its relationship of being internal versus external.
• functional means working or operative. This describes whether something works, not whether it is inherent or beyond.

This question tests comprehension of plot events in the novel, specifically the reason behind Bepo's departure from Beesway Group of School.

Bepo left Beesway Group of School because he witnessed a ritual involving a cow that the school's director organised on the premises. Bepo, a man of strong moral and religious convictions, found this act deeply disturbing and considered it ungodly. His conscience would not allow him to continue working in an environment where such practices took place, so he chose to leave.

The other options do not accurately reflect the reason for his departure. While Bepo did raise concerns about the grammatical error in the school's name, this was an observation he made rather than the reason he resigned. He was not accused of sharing confidential information with parents, nor did a salary disagreement drive his decision. The determining factor was the ritual he witnessed, which conflicted with his personal values and beliefs.

When answering questions about a character's motivation, look for the event that directly triggers their decision rather than background details or secondary complaints.

This cloze test question requires selecting the word that correctly fills gap 7. The passage discusses the United Nations Security Council and its responsibilities. The standard phrase used in the UN Charter to describe the Council's core mandate is the maintenance of international peace and security.

The correct word is peace. "International peace and security" is a fixed collocation drawn directly from Article 1 of the UN Charter, which states that one of the purposes of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security. The subsequent gap (gap 8) is filled by "security" to complete this well-known phrase.

The other options do not form the correct collocation:

• "International relation" (singular) is grammatically awkward and not the standard phrase.
• "International affairs" is a valid collocation in general English but does not match the specific UN Charter language about the Security Council's mandate.
• "International relationship" is not the standard diplomatic or legal term used in this context.

The expression "it is high time" is a fixed English idiom that signals an action is overdue and should have happened already. Grammatically, it demands the past simple tense (subjunctive mood) in the clause that follows, even though the meaning refers to the present or future.

The correct sentence is: "It is high time you stopped visiting that friend of yours."

This use of the past tense after "it is high time" is an example of the English subjunctive, where the past form expresses an unreal or hypothetical situation rather than actual past time. The speaker means "you should stop now" or "you ought to have stopped already," but the grammar requires the past form.

"Should stop," "stop," and "must stop" might seem logical based on meaning, but they do not follow the grammatical rule for this particular construction. Similar expressions that take the past subjunctive include "it is about time" and "if only" (e.g., "If only I knew").

Bepo believed that a major challenge in transportation was that many commercial drivers lacked enlightened business practices and were not trustworthy, which ruined the business dream. This can be found on page 12 of the novel.

The idiom "throw in the towel" means to give up or surrender. It comes from boxing, where a fighter's corner would literally throw a towel into the ring to signal that their boxer was conceding the fight.

When the chairman tells his members not to throw in the towel, he is urging them not to give up, regardless of whatever challenges they may be facing. It is a call to persevere.

"Should not be tired" confuses physical fatigue with the act of surrendering. One can be tired and still continue. "Should be ready for a trip" has no connection to the idiom. "Should expect good outcomes" expresses optimism, which is different from the direct instruction not to quit.

The correct interpretation is that the members are not to give up.

This question asks how Mr Bepo motivated his students after they visited economically disadvantaged areas such as Mushin and Ajegunle during their excursions.

After taking the students to areas like Mushin and Ajegunle, which are known as densely populated, low-income neighbourhoods in Lagos, Mr Bepo inspired the students by sharing stories of successful individuals who had risen from those very slums. By pointing to real examples of people who grew up in difficult circumstances but went on to achieve great things, he showed the students that a person's starting point does not determine their destination.

He did not promise to relocate the students, discourage them from visiting such areas again, or hand out motivational books. His method was personal and direct: using the lived experiences of successful people from those communities to teach resilience, ambition, and the understanding that greatness can emerge from any background.

The text states that "at the sight of a bird of prey, a small bird will give its flying predator call as an alarm to other birds in the neighbourhood".

During the school excursion to Badagry, the students visited multiple significant historical locations: the First Storey Building, the Slave Market, and the Point of No Return. All three sites are real historical landmarks in Badagry, Lagos State, that bear witness to the transatlantic slave trade and early colonial contact in Nigeria.

The First Storey Building is the earliest multi-storey structure in Nigeria, built by missionaries in the 19th century. The Slave Market is where enslaved Africans were gathered and traded before being shipped across the Atlantic. The Point of No Return marks the final departure point on the coast where enslaved people were loaded onto ships, never to return to their homeland. The novel uses this excursion to connect the students with Nigeria's history and to draw a subtle parallel between the forced migration of the slave trade era and the voluntary but pressure-driven migration (Japa) of the present day.

In The Lekki Headmaster, Mr. Nku is a staff member of Stardom Schools who exploited the school's cooperative society before emigrating. He took a loan of N2 million from the cooperative and then relocated abroad just two days later, effectively absconding with the funds. Because cooperative loans are repaid through monthly salary deductions, leaving the country and the job meant the money could not be recovered through the normal repayment mechanism.

This act is described as unethical because Mr. Nku appears to have borrowed the money with the premeditated intention of never repaying it. He used a legitimate financial channel (the cooperative) for a dishonest purpose: funding his emigration at the expense of his colleagues, whose contributions make up the cooperative's pool.

The other options do not match the narrative. Mr. Nku did not sell school property, steal directly from the school treasury, or falsify visa documents. His specific wrongdoing was the cooperative loan he took and then fled from, which ties into the novel's broader theme of how the desperation to relocate abroad (the "japa" phenomenon) drives people to unethical choices.

Porous means having tiny holes or gaps that allow liquid, air, or other substances to pass through. In the context of this sentence, "porous security network" means a security system full of weaknesses and gaps that allowed the robbers to gain access.

The word opposite in meaning is impermeable, which means not allowing fluid or other substances to pass through; completely sealed. An impermeable security network would have no gaps or weaknesses - the direct opposite of a porous one.

The other options are not antonyms:

• amorphous means without a clearly defined shape or form. This describes structure, not permeability.
• gorgeous means beautiful or very attractive. It has no connection to the concept of permeability or security gaps.
• pervious means allowing water or other substances to pass through - this is a synonym of porous, not an opposite.

Note the trap in this question: pervious looks like it could be an antonym because of the prefix, but it actually means the same as porous. The true opposite is impermeable (or impervious).

This comprehension question explores Mr Bepo's personal motivations for choosing to remain in Nigeria rather than relocating to the United Kingdom, where his wife Seri already works as a nurse.

Mr Bepo is reluctant to relocate to the United Kingdom because he does not want to leave his students. Despite the significant financial advantage of moving abroad (his wife earns far more in the UK than he earns as a school principal in Nigeria), Mr Bepo feels a deep sense of duty and attachment to the students he teaches. His commitment to their education and well-being outweighs the material benefits of emigrating.

His reluctance is not primarily driven by fear of adapting to a new environment, a belief that life in Nigeria is inherently better, or an unwillingness to leave his wife and children behind (since his wife is already in the UK). The passage makes clear that his bond with his students is the decisive factor holding him back. This detail is central to the novel's exploration of the personal costs and moral dimensions of the japa (emigration) trend in Nigeria.

The novel uses the term Japa Syndrome to discuss the effects of migration. "Japa" is a Yoruba word meaning "to run" or "to flee," and in contemporary Nigerian usage, it refers to the mass emigration of Nigerians, especially skilled professionals, to countries perceived to offer better opportunities.

By framing the migration phenomenon as the Japa Syndrome, the novel situates Bepo's personal dilemma within a wider national crisis. The term implies not just movement but urgency and desperation, capturing the sense that professionals feel compelled to leave rather than choosing freely. The novel explores how this syndrome affects institutions like schools, families, and communities, showing that when individuals like Bepo consider leaving, the consequences ripple outward far beyond the individual. The use of a distinctly Nigerian term also grounds the discussion in local context rather than treating migration as an abstract global issue.

In The Lekki Headmaster, the debate organised at Bepo's send-off event has the topic: "The arts have contributed more to national development than the science." This is a classic academic debate motion commonly used in Nigerian schools, and it fits the intellectual atmosphere of a farewell event for an educator.

The debate serves multiple purposes in the narrative. It provides entertainment and intellectual engagement at the send-off celebration, and it reflects the academic culture that Bepo has championed throughout his career at Stardom Schools. The topic itself is a standard inter-house or inter-school debate proposition that would be familiar to both students and teachers.

The other options - a debate about migration, about teachers versus parents, or about public versus private schools - are thematically connected to the novel's concerns, but they are not the specific topic chosen for the send-off debate. While migration is a central theme of the novel, the actual debate at this event takes a different, broadly academic direction.

In The Lekki Headmaster, the banner displayed at Bepo's send-off event bears the inscription "For He Gave Stardom His Very Best." This message acknowledges and celebrates Bepo's years of dedicated service to Stardom Schools.

The inscription is significant because it reflects the genuine respect and appreciation that Bepo's colleagues and students have for him, despite the many frustrations and challenges he faced at the institution. The wording recognises that Bepo gave his best efforts to the school - his teaching, his leadership, his care for students - even when the school's management did not always reciprocate with fair treatment or adequate compensation.

The other inscriptions offered - "A Principal Like No Other," "Goodbye to our Mentor," and "We Will Miss You, Mr Bepo!" - are plausible sentiments for a farewell event, but they are not the specific words the novel places on the send-off banner. The chosen inscription is particularly fitting because it frames the farewell in terms of Bepo's contribution rather than just the sadness of his departure.

Irony occurs when there is a gap between expectation and reality. In The Lekki Headmaster, the novel uses situational irony to critique migration by showing how the anticipation and excitement surrounding the decision to move abroad contrasts sharply with the actual hardships migrants face upon arrival.

Characters in the novel look forward to leaving Nigeria with great optimism, imagining that life overseas will be better in every way. However, the reality they encounter - or that is reported back to them - involves difficult working conditions, social isolation, discrimination, and the loss of professional status. This gap between the hopeful departure and the harsh reality is the irony the novel highlights.

The novel does not argue that migration is always a failure, nor does it suggest that people universally regret leaving Nigeria. It also does not claim that Nigerian schools are superior to foreign institutions. Instead, it takes a more nuanced position by using irony to reveal that the dream of migration often does not match the lived experience, prompting readers to question the assumptions behind the desire to leave.

J.P. Clark's poem Ibadan is a compact, vivid depiction of the city. The poem reads: "Ibadan, / running splash of rust / and gold - flung and scattered / among seven hills like broken / china in the sun." To answer this question, each literary device must be checked against the actual text.

Metaphor is present. The city of Ibadan is described as a "running splash of rust and gold." This is a direct comparison that equates the city with a splash of colour, without using "like" or "as."

Simile is present. The phrase "like broken china in the sun" explicitly compares the scattered buildings of Ibadan to pieces of broken china, using the word "like."

Imagery is present throughout. The poem creates strong visual pictures through words such as "rust," "gold," "seven hills," "broken china," and "sun," appealing directly to the reader's sense of sight.

Onomatopoeia is not present. Onomatopoeia occurs when a word imitates a natural sound (e.g., "buzz," "crash," "hiss"). Although the word "splash" has onomatopoeic origins, in this poem it is used as a metaphor for the spread of colour across the landscape, not to represent an actual sound. No word in the poem functions as onomatopoeia.

Since the question asks which device is not used in the poem, the correct answer is onomatopoeia.

In The Lekki Headmaster, Bepo collects electricity tariff money from his fellow tenants in the compound, as he is responsible for gathering the contributions to pay the electricity bill. However, he ends up spending this money on his own needs because he is out of a job and has no savings.

At this point in the novel, Bepo has lost his teaching position and is financially desperate. With no income and no reserves to fall back on, he uses the collected electricity money to survive. This act of desperation - spending money that belongs collectively to his neighbours - leads to serious consequences and public humiliation within the compound.

The other options do not match the novel's account. The money was not spent on school fees, medical expenses, or lost through carelessness. Bepo's action is a direct result of his unemployment and financial hardship, making it a moment that highlights both his personal crisis and the broader theme of how economic deprivation can push otherwise honest people into compromising situations.

Pernicious means having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way. It describes something that causes serious damage or injury, often without being immediately obvious.

The word nearest in meaning is noxious, which means harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant. Both pernicious and noxious describe something that causes harm or damage.

The other options are antonyms of pernicious:

• beneficial means producing good results or helpful effects - the direct opposite of harmful.
• harmless means not able or likely to cause damage or injury - the direct opposite of pernicious.
• benign means gentle, kindly, or (of a medical condition) not harmful - again the opposite.

Note that pernicious carries a stronger connotation than simply "bad"; it implies insidious, creeping harm. Among the options, noxious captures this harmful quality most accurately.

Mr Bepo's emotional breakdown during the school assembly was caused by his upcoming relocation to the United Kingdom. As he stood before the students and staff he had led and mentored, the reality of leaving Stardom Schools overwhelmed him, and he broke down emotionally.

This scene is one of the most powerful moments in the novel. The school assembly, a routine event in Bepo's daily life as headmaster, becomes the setting for a deeply personal reckoning. Facing the community he built, the students whose futures he has shaped, and the colleagues who have become like family, Bepo cannot contain the grief of departure. His breakdown reveals that despite whatever rational arguments favour emigration, the emotional and human cost is enormous. The scene functions as the novel's emotional climax, crystallising its central message about the painful trade-offs inherent in the Japa decision.

In The Lekki Headmaster, Mrs Titi is the school nurse. When someone is in distress, she fetches a handkerchief and offers it to the person. The question asks why she did this.

The answer is that it was all she could do at the moment. A handkerchief is not a medical treatment; it is a simple, personal item. The fact that a trained nurse offers a handkerchief rather than medication or first aid indicates that in that particular moment, she had no better option available. The gesture was compassionate but limited by the circumstances. The handkerchief was the only comfort she could provide.

The other options misread the scene:

• The fact that she always carried an extra handkerchief may be true, but it does not explain her reason for offering it at that moment. The question asks about purpose, not habit.
• The suggestion that the Physics teacher had prayed over the handkerchief introduces a detail that does not explain the nurse's motivation for offering it.
• While she may not have had drugs available, the broader point is that the handkerchief was the only thing she could offer in the moment, making her action one of limited but genuine care.

"Red-tapism" is a term derived from "red tape," which refers to excessive bureaucracy, rigid adherence to official procedures, and unnecessary administrative formality that slows things down and frustrates people trying to get things done.

The statement "Red-tapism is found everywhere" means that excessive official formality is everywhere. The "-ism" suffix turns "red tape" into an ideology or systemic practice, emphasising that this is not ordinary formality but excessive formality, the kind that creates obstacles rather than serving any useful purpose.

The distinction between the correct answer and similar-sounding alternatives is important:

• "Official formality is everywhere" omits the critical word "excessive." Red-tapism is not merely about formality; it is specifically about formality that has become burdensome and counterproductive. Ordinary official formality is normal and necessary; red-tapism describes the harmful excess.
• "Red tape worm is found everywhere" is a literal misreading. Red-tapism has nothing to do with worms; it is a figurative term for bureaucratic excess.
• "Red tapes are everywhere" takes the phrase too literally, as if physical red tapes exist. The expression is metaphorical.

The sentence "He was praised for the ______ achievement" requires an adjective meaning deserving of praise or commendation. The correct word is laudable.

"Laudable" comes from the Latin word laudare, meaning "to praise." A laudable achievement is one that is worthy of recognition and admiration. The word is correctly spelled with "au" (as in "applaud" and "laud"), not "ou" (as in "loud").

The other options are all misspellings or non-existent words:

• "Loudable" confuses "loud" with "laud." While they sound somewhat similar, they have entirely different meanings and origins.
• "Loudeble" and "loudible" are not English words at all.

To remember the correct spelling, associate "laudable" with "applaud": both share the Latin root and the "au" spelling. Something laudable makes people want to applaud.

This is a cloze test question requiring the selection of the word that correctly fills gap 6 in the passage. Based on the pattern of vocabulary across the surrounding gaps (which include terms such as peace, security, member, charter, and sanctions), the passage concerns the United Nations Security Council and its role in maintaining international order.

The correct word for this gap is Council. The phrase "Security Council" is the formal name of one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, and it is the body primarily responsible for maintaining international peace and security. No other option produces a recognised institutional name in this context:

• "Security Unit" is not a standard name for any UN organ.
• "Security Department" does not name the body described.
• "Security Committee" is not the correct designation; while the UN has various committees, the principal organ responsible for peace and security is specifically called the Security Council.

Stardom Schools managed to greatly reduce lateness by lowering its boarding fees from N250,000 to N165,000 per session. This incentive led over 80 percent of parents to move their children to the boarding house, resulting in almost all students arriving by 7:45am for assembly. This can be found on page 6 of the novel. 

Sola and her husband settled in Manchester due to lower rent and cost of living. They could not afford the monthly rent of up to 1,500 or 1,000 pounds in London, so they had to stay in Manchester, where they rented a two-bedroom apartment for 650 pounds monthly. 

His wife, Seri, was a nurse who, according to rumours, was earning up to 10,000 pounds per month. This can be found on page 11 of the novel. 

The Managing Director (MD) of Stardom Schools discovers that the land the school acquired two years earlier is being used as a car park by teachers and staff. When the MD inspects the land near the back gate, she finds approximately seventeen vehicles of various types parked there, many bearing Stardom Schools stickers, indicating they belong to staff members.

This discovery is significant because the land was acquired for the school's development purposes, not as a private parking lot for employees. The MD is surprised both by the unauthorised use of school property and by the fact that so many staff members own cars. This leads her to investigate how the staff are able to afford vehicles, which in turn uncovers the scale of the school's cooperative society and its lending activities.

The land was not being used for illegal activities, it had not been sold without the MD's knowledge, and it was not being developed into a new building. The straightforward reality was that staff had quietly converted it into their personal car park.

The sentence "The doctor ______ him to take his medicine regularly" requires the past tense of the verb meaning to give counsel or recommend a course of action. The correct word is advised.

In English, advise (with an "s") is the verb, and advice (with a "c") is the noun. The past tense of the verb "advise" is "advised." The sentence describes a completed action by the doctor, so the past tense is needed.

The other options are wrong for specific reasons:

• "Adviced" is not a valid English word. The noun "advice" does not have a verb form "adviced."
• "Advise" is the present tense/base form and does not match the past-tense context ("The doctor" performing a completed action).
• "Advice" is a noun and cannot function as the main verb of a sentence.

A useful memory aid: the noun "advice" has a "c" (like "ice"), while the verb "advise" has an "s" (like "rise"). Only the verb can be conjugated into past tense.

Spooks is an informal word meaning ghosts or spectres - supernatural apparitions that haunt places. The sentence states that the building was haunted by spooks, which reinforces the supernatural meaning.

The word nearest in meaning is ghosts, which directly means the spirits or apparitions of dead people. "The building was haunted by a couple of ghosts" preserves the original meaning exactly.

The other options are unrelated:

• robbers are people who steal; they break into buildings but do not "haunt" them.
• hyenas are wild animals found in Africa and Asia; they have no connection to haunting.
• hunters are people who hunt animals or game; this has no association with haunting buildings.

The word "haunted" in the sentence is a strong context clue pointing directly to a supernatural meaning.

This sentence again tests subject-verb agreement with the singular indefinite pronoun "each." The structure "Each of the reports ______ been carefully reviewed by the committee" requires a singular auxiliary verb to agree with "each."

The correct auxiliary is has, giving: "Each of the reports has been carefully reviewed by the committee." This is the present perfect passive voice: has + been + past participle.

"Have" is the plural form and would be correct if the subject were "the reports" alone, but the actual subject is "each," which is singular. "Is" and "are" would create the simple present passive ("is/are reviewed"), but the sentence structure includes "been," which requires "has" or "have" as its auxiliary. Since "each" is singular, only "has" fits.

This question is from a comprehension passage about bird behaviour, specifically about how flocks of finches move and feed.

Finches are small seed-eating birds that typically travel in flocks for safety and social interaction. However, when they land on trees to feed, individual birds spread out along different branches searching for insects or seeds. As each bird follows its own foraging path through the branches, members of the flock naturally drift apart from one another. This dispersal during feeding is what causes the flock to become separated.

The other options do not accurately describe the cause of separation as presented in the passage. Injury from other birds, hunger after separation, and fleeing from predators are not the reasons the passage gives. The separation happens naturally and gradually as the finches hunt for food among the branches of trees, each bird moving independently to find its own insects or seeds.

The correct answer is when they hunt for insects or seeds on the branches of trees.

This sentence uses the third conditional (also called the past unreal conditional), which describes a hypothetical situation in the past and its imagined result. The structure is: If + past perfect, would have + past participle.

The if-clause here is "If I had worked hard" (past perfect: had + past participle worked). This tells us the speaker did not actually work hard. The main clause must therefore express the unreal result using would have + past participle.

The past participle of "score" is scored. The correct completion is therefore would have scored, giving: "If I had worked hard, I would have scored very high marks in the exam."

The other options fail for specific grammatical reasons:

• would have score pairs "would have" with the bare infinitive instead of the past participle; after "would have," English requires the past participle form (scored).
• will score is the simple future tense and belongs in first-conditional sentences about real future possibilities, not past hypotheticals.
• can score expresses present ability or possibility and is incompatible with a past-perfect if-clause.

When you see an if-clause in the past perfect tense, always pair it with would have + past participle in the main clause.

The founder, Chief Aje, hired Bepo personally after a one-on-one discussion, unlike many others who faced the school's interview panels. This can be found on page 56 of the novel. 

Open days are a well-established practice in Nigerian schools, and Stardom Schools under Bepo's leadership is no exception. In The Lekki Headmaster, the novel explains that the purpose of open days at Stardom Schools is to update parents on academic activities. During these events, parents visit the school, meet teachers, review their children's performance, and learn about the school's programmes and progress.

The other options misrepresent the function of open days. They are not holidays for students to rest, nor occasions for testing teachers, nor leisure time for staff. Open days serve as a bridge between the school and the home, keeping parents informed and involved in their children's education.

"Foot-dragging" is an idiomatic expression that means deliberately delaying action or being slow and reluctant to do something that needs to be done. It comes from the image of someone literally dragging their feet while walking, moving as slowly as possible because they do not want to reach their destination.

In the sentence, the character's foot-dragging "pushed his marriage to the brink." This means his reluctance to act promptly on an important matter caused so much damage that his marriage was nearly destroyed. The context makes it clear that the delay was harmful, not thoughtful or productive.

The other options are the opposite of what the idiom means:

• "Quick decision making" is the direct opposite of foot-dragging.
• "Unnecessary excitement" has no connection to delay or reluctance.
• "Thoughtful consideration" might sound similar to taking one's time, but foot-dragging implies unhelpful stalling, not careful reflection. The negative consequence (pushing marriage to the brink) confirms that this was irresponsible delay, not wise caution.

Two words rhyme when they share the same vowel and final consonant sounds from the stressed vowel onward. Home is pronounced /hoʊm/, so a rhyming word must end with the sound /oʊm/.

Consider each option:

• come - pronounced /kʌm/. The vowel is /ʌ/, not /oʊ/, so it does not rhyme despite the similar spelling.
• groan - pronounced /groʊn/. It shares the /oʊ/ vowel but ends in /n/, not /m/.
• comb - pronounced /koʊm/. The "b" is silent, and the word ends with /oʊm/, which matches "home" exactly.
• horn - pronounced /hɔːn/. Different vowel and different final consonant.

The correct answer is comb, because /koʊm/ and /hoʊm/ share the same ending sound /oʊm/.

Exam tip: English spelling is often misleading for rhyme questions. Always compare the sounds of the words, not their spellings. "Come" looks like it should rhyme with "home" but does not, while "comb" (with its silent "b") does.

The central challenge Mr Bepo faces throughout The Lekki Headmaster is balancing his career as a school headmaster with the intense pressure to migrate abroad. His wife and various social forces urge him to relocate to the United Kingdom, where presumably better economic prospects await. However, Bepo is deeply committed to Stardom Schools, his students, and the Nigerian educational system.

This tension between staying to serve his community and leaving for personal advancement defines Bepo's character arc. He is torn between loyalty to his profession and homeland on one hand, and family expectations and the promise of a more comfortable life abroad on the other. The novel uses this personal struggle to examine the broader phenomenon of brain drain in Nigeria, where skilled professionals leave the country, depriving it of talent and leadership in critical sectors like education.

Reluctant means not willing or inclined to do something; hesitant or disinclined. A person who is reluctant about an activity would rather avoid it.

The word nearest in meaning to reluctant is unwilling, which directly means lacking the desire or readiness to do something. "The students were unwilling to participate in the debate" carries the same meaning as the original sentence.

The other options are essentially the opposite of reluctant:

• excited means feeling enthusiastic and eager.
• happy means feeling pleasure or contentment.
• eager means keenly wanting to do something.

All three suggest a positive desire to participate, which contradicts the meaning of reluctant.

In The Lekki Headmaster, Stardom School decides to stop its usual democratic election process for selecting prefects because some students were engaging in negative campaigning. Instead of focusing on their qualifications and positive plans for the school, certain candidates resorted to mudslinging, character attacks, and other divisive tactics during the campaign period.

This negative behaviour undermined the purpose of the democratic exercise, which was intended to teach students about civic responsibility, leadership, and fair competition. The school administration concluded that the election process had become counterproductive and decided to discontinue it.

The other options do not match the novel's explanation. The school's decision was not prompted by a Ministry of Education mandate, a desire for teachers to appoint prefects, or demands from parents. The trigger was specifically the students' negative campaigning behaviour, which corrupted the election process and made it harmful rather than educational.

According to The Lekki Headmaster, the first storey building in Nigeria was built by Henry Townsend. This historical detail is mentioned during the school excursion to Badagry, where students learn about Nigeria's early contact with European missionaries and the legacy of the colonial era.

Henry Townsend was a Church Missionary Society (CMS) missionary who arrived in Nigeria in the 19th century. He is historically associated with early missionary activity in Western Nigeria, including the establishment of churches and other structures. The first storey building, located in Badagry, Lagos State, is a significant historical landmark that represents one of the earliest examples of European-style architecture in Nigeria.

The other figures listed are notable historical personalities but are not credited with building the first storey building in Nigeria according to the novel. Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther was the first African Anglican bishop. Lord Lugard was a colonial administrator known for the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria. Lord Bernard Shaw is not a figure associated with this achievement.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Stardom Schools recited the second stanza of the national anthem: "Oh God of creation, direct our noble cause..." This can be found on page 6 of the novel.

In the novel, Sola and her husband borrowed N4 million to fund their relocation abroad. This is a significant sum that underscores the financial burden that emigration places on Nigerian families. The couple had to take on substantial debt simply to cover the costs of visas, flights, initial accommodation, and settling-in expenses associated with relocating to another country.

This detail is part of the novel's broader commentary on the "japa" phenomenon and its economic consequences. Many characters in The Lekki Headmaster go into debt, borrow from cooperative societies, or take extreme measures to finance their emigration plans. The N4 million figure illustrates that relocation is not a decision taken lightly; it requires a major financial commitment that can put families under considerable strain.

The other amounts (N2 million, N3 million, and N5 million) are not what the novel specifies for Sola and her husband. Note that Mr. Nku separately borrowed N2 million from the school cooperative, which is a different character and a different amount.

Bepo moved his belongings out of his room and the staff room the next morning before he went to see the director. This can be found on page 40 of the novel. 

This question tests comprehension of a biographical detail about the novel's protagonist. Bepo attended the University of Benin (UNIBEN), one of Nigeria's established federal universities.

He studied English/History Education, a combined Bachelor of Education programme that qualified him to teach both English Language and History at the secondary school level. This dual-subject education degree is a common offering at Nigerian universities and is designed specifically to produce qualified classroom teachers. His educational background is consistent with his career trajectory as a dedicated teacher at Stardom Schools and helps explain his deep professional attachment to teaching, which underlies his initial reluctance to leave Nigeria.

The other options do not match the text. A pure English Language degree or History and Political Science degree would not carry the education component. Educational Management focuses on school administration rather than classroom instruction, which does not align with Bepo's role as a practising teacher.

Angered means provoked to anger; made furious or wrathful. To anger someone is to arouse their rage or displeasure.

The word opposite in meaning is appeased, which means pacified, calmed, or brought to a state of peace - especially after a period of anger or dissatisfaction. In the context of the gods, to appease them is the traditional opposite of angering them: one who angered the gods provoked their wrath, while one who appeased them calmed their wrath and earned their favour.

The other options do not serve as precise antonyms:

• pleased means caused happiness. While it suggests a positive reaction, it does not carry the specific sense of calming or pacifying that makes appeased the direct opposite of angered in this context.
• begged means pleaded or implored urgently. Begging is an action, not an emotional outcome, and does not describe the opposite state to anger.
• settled means resolved or established. It does not directly contrast with provoking anger.

Mr Bepo had sold his Pathfinder Sports Utility Vehicle for N1.5 million to Stardom school's accountant, Mr Jeremi Amos. This can be found on page 60 of the novel. 

The word "boot" contains the vowel sound /uː/, a long close back rounded vowel. This is the same prolonged "oo" sound heard in words like moon, tool, and food.

Examining each option:

• cold contains the diphthong /əʊ/ (as in "go"), which is entirely different from /uː/.
• food contains /uː/, the same long vowel as in "boot". Both words share the identical vowel quality and length.
• top contains the short vowel /ɒ/ (as in "hot"), a short open back vowel - not a match.
• book contains /ʊ/, a short close back vowel. Although "oo" appears in the spelling, the sound in "book" is shorter and more lax than the /uː/ in "boot".

The correct answer is food, because its vowel sound /uː/ is identical to that in "boot".

Exam tip: Do not rely on spelling to match vowel sounds. "Book" and "boot" share the same vowel letters but have different pronunciations. Always sound the words out to compare the actual vowel quality.

The predominant theme of The Lekki Headmaster is migration and identity. The entire novel is structured around Mr Bepo's personal struggle with the decision to emigrate and the broader social phenomenon of Nigerian professionals leaving the country, a trend popularly called the Japa Syndrome.

The novel examines how migration is not simply a physical relocation but a fundamental question of identity. Bepo must confront who he is: an educator rooted in Nigerian soil, or a man who can reinvent himself abroad. The theme extends beyond the protagonist to encompass his wife's aspirations, his colleagues' reactions, and the impact on the students and school community. Through these multiple perspectives, the novel presents migration and identity as interconnected concerns, showing how the decision to leave reshapes not only the migrant's sense of self but also the community left behind.

This question tests the student's recall of a key incident during Speech Day at Stardom, specifically what Banky said that was inappropriate.

During the Speech Day event, Banky made a hurtful and inappropriate remark by publicly declaring that Tosh was the son of an ex-convict. This was a personal attack that had nothing to do with Tosh's qualifications or conduct as a student leader. By bringing up the legal troubles of Tosh's father, Chief Ogba, Banky attempted to discredit Tosh through guilt by association rather than on any legitimate grounds.

The remark was not about Tosh being unqualified, lacking skill, or bribing his way into the election. It was a deeply personal and unfair comment targeting Tosh's family background, which the novel presents as an example of how people can resort to character assassination rather than fair engagement.

This question requires the student to make an inference about the character Tai based on evidence from the novel.

From the events described in the novel, it can be inferred that Tai is a middleman who exploits passport applicants. He positions himself at or near the immigration office, intercepts applicants like Mr Bepo, and charges them inflated fees far above the official government rate. He profits from the desperation and confusion of people who are unfamiliar with the process or who have been frustrated by the bureaucratic obstacles.

Tai is not a legitimate immigration officer since he does not hold an official position. He is not an honest businessman because his dealings involve deception and exploitation. He is also not unaware of the actual renewal process; on the contrary, he knows the system intimately and uses that knowledge to extract money from applicants. The phrase "in cahoots," used elsewhere in the novel, further confirms that Tai works in secret collaboration with immigration staff to exploit the system.

The boarding fee at Stardom Schools was reduced in order to reduce student lateness. The school administration observed that many students were chronically late to school because of Lagos's notorious traffic congestion. By making the boarding option more affordable, the school aimed to encourage more students to board on the premises rather than commute daily through heavy traffic.

This decision reflects a practical, problem-solving approach to school management. Rather than simply punishing lateness, Bepo and the administration addressed the root cause by removing the financial barrier that prevented families from choosing the boarding option. This detail illustrates Bepo's thoughtful leadership style and his concern for both the academic performance and well-being of his students. It also highlights the everyday operational challenges of running a school in a megacity like Lagos, where traffic can consume hours of a student's day.