JAMB UTME - Use of English - 2005

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The sentence "The new Headmaster hoped that his men would pull together" means that the Headmaster expected his team to work together and cooperate with him. Hence, the correct option is "He expected that the men would cooperate with him".

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The phrase "fizzled out" means to gradually lose strength or intensity until nothing effective is happening. Therefore, the option that best conveys this meaning is "surrendered rather disappointingly."

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In this context, realistic means representing things in a way that is accurate and true to life. Concrete is nearest in meaning to realistic in the options given above.

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The option that best completes the gap is "hippopotamus". This is because nursery rhymes are often used to teach young children various skills, including spelling. Since "hippopotamus" is a long and difficult word to spell, it is possible that a nursery rhyme would be used to make it easier for pupils to remember the correct spelling.

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The sentence means that the crisis ended abruptly, just like it had started suddenly. Therefore, the best option that explains the information conveyed in the sentence is "The crisis stopped almost immediately."

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The option that best completes the gap is "selling". The phrase "with a view to" is often used to indicate the purpose or intention behind an action. In this context, the man is refurbishing the flat with the intention of selling it. Therefore, the correct form of the verb to use after "with a view to" is the gerund form, which is "selling".

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The opposite of "acquiescing" is "resisting." If Uche had been acquiescing, it means he had been agreeing or accepting the students' demands without objection. So, if the opposite is required, it means that Uche should have been resisting or opposing the students' demands.

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The best option that completes the sentence is "had left". This is because the sentence is in past tense and refers to an action that happened before another action in the past. "Had left" is the past perfect tense and indicates that the train left before the speaker arrived.

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The most appropriate option to complete the sentence is "will have known". This is because the sentence is in the future tense, and "will have known" is in the future perfect tense, indicating that by the end of the football match today, the speaker will have acquired knowledge of who the best player is. The other options are in different tenses and do not fit the context of the sentence.

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The option nearest in meaning to the word "taciturnity" is "reticence." "Taciturnity" means the quality or state of being reserved in conversation, reluctant to speak or uncommunicative. In the sentence, "His taciturnity amazed everyone in the court during the legal tussle," it suggests that the person was silent or uncommunicative, and this surprised everyone present in the court. The option "reticence" is the closest in meaning to "taciturnity" because it means the same thing - reluctance to speak, reserve in conversation, or silence. Therefore, "His reticence amazed everyone in the court during the legal tussle" would have the same meaning as the original sentence. The other options, "obliviousness," "sensibility," and "pervasiveness," do not convey the same meaning as "taciturnity" in this context. Therefore, the correct option nearest in meaning to the underlined word is "reticence."

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The option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined phrase "contemporary with" is "strange to". The phrase "contemporary with" means to belong to the same time period or era as someone or something. In this sentence, it means that the person speaking was not able to find anyone who attended college during the same time period as him. The option "strange to" means unfamiliar or unknown to someone. If someone is "strange to" another person, it means they are not acquainted with each other and have no connection or shared experiences. Therefore, the opposite of "contemporary with" is "strange to".

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The correct option is "in / roamed". "As we sat in the silence" means the speaker and the listener were sitting quietly. "My eyes roamed the room" means that the speaker was looking around the room without any specific direction.

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The sentence is in the form of a conditional statement which expresses a hypothetical situation. It suggests that because it rained, the speaker and the listener missed the match. The correct option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence is "The rain fell, so we didn't watch the match."

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The correct option that explains the information conveyed in the sentence is "The Governor evaded all the questions." This means that the Governor avoided giving direct answers to the questions asked by the journalist. The word "parried" means to avoid or deflect something, and in this context, it refers to the Governor avoiding or evading the questions put to him by the journalist. Therefore, the correct answer is option two.

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The word "accountability" means being responsible for one's actions and decisions. In the given sentence, the author is saying that politicians should have the quality of being accountable, which means they should be answerable and responsible for their actions and decisions. Therefore, the option that is nearest in meaning to "accountability" is Responsibility.

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The correct option is "if I was tired?" because it is a grammatically correct way to form a direct question in the past tense.

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The word with a different stress pattern from the others is "critism". The stress is on the second syllable "ti", whereas the stress on the other options falls on the third or fourth syllable.

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The option that best completes the sentence is "step by step". "Step by step" means to do something gradually, taking one step at a time, or proceeding in a careful and deliberate manner. In this sentence, Tsadu is cautioning that difficult jobs should be approached carefully and systematically, one step at a time. The other options do not convey the same meaning and are not suitable to complete the sentence in the given context. "Step from step" and "steps after steps" do not make sense in English, and "steps by steps" is not the correct grammatical structure.

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The option that best completes the sentence is "unkempt". "Unkempt" means untidy, messy or disheveled, especially with respect to a person's appearance or hair. In this sentence, it suggests that Shade's hair is always untidy and not well-groomed despite her good looks. The other options do not convey the same meaning and are not suitable to complete the sentence in the given context. "Unkept" is not a proper word, "unwashed" refers to something not cleaned with water, and "uncleaned for" is not a proper phrase in English.

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The correct option to complete the sentence is "several." Explanation: "Several" means a few or more than two but not many. The sentence is saying that the writer is writing to the recipient for a few or more than two reasons. The other options, such as "concerned," "plenty," and "myriad of" do not fit the context and would not make sense in the sentence.

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The opposite of "analogous with" is "different from". In the sentence, the teacher is comparing two events that share similarities or features, so "analogous with" means "similar to". Therefore, the opposite of "analogous with" is "different from", which means that the events being compared have dissimilarities or are not related.

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The option nearest in meaning to the underlined word 'inexpressible' is "ineffable". In this context, 'inexpressible' means impossible to put into words or unable to be expressed, and 'ineffable' has a similar meaning, which means too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words. Therefore, "ineffable" is the option nearest in meaning to the underlined word(s).

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The option that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word "observant" is "perceptive". This means that Sikemi is very attentive and notices things easily, which would make her a good detective. "Curious" means having an eager desire to know something, "inductive" means reasoning from specific cases to general principles, and "inquisitive" means showing curiosity or interest in learning new things. However, neither of these options accurately captures the meaning of "observant" in this context.

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The correct option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence is: "He talked continuously in the class". The phrase "jawing away" means talking continuously, without taking breaks. The sentence implies that the class was tired of the new boy talking too much, without giving others the chance to speak.

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The option nearest in meaning to the word in italics, "lively," is "frisky." "Lively" and "frisky" are both adjectives that describe something or someone as being full of energy and vitality. In this sentence, "lively" describes Obi's dog as being old but still energetic. The other options, "attractive," "howling," and "barking," do not accurately convey the meaning of the word "lively" in this context. "Attractive" describes physical appearance, while "howling" and "barking" are actions that dogs can do but do not convey the sense of energy and vitality that "lively" and "frisky" do. Therefore, the option that is nearest in meaning to the word in italics is "frisky."

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The word 'fateful' is used to describe something that has a significant impact on the future. Therefore, the option that is closest in meaning is "disastrous" as it suggests that the decision had negative and far-reaching consequences for the company's future.

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The best option to complete the sentence is "can't you". This option is the most appropriate because it makes the sentence a suggestion, indicating that the person is capable of traveling alone, but asking if they want to. The other options do not fit the context and would change the meaning of the sentence.

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The opposite of "invidious" is "pleasant." "Invidious" means something that is unpleasant, unfair, or likely to cause resentment or animosity towards the person who has to do it. Therefore, the officer was given a difficult, unpleasant, or thankless task. So, the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word is "pleasant."

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The option that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letters underlined in "Thunder" is "differ". The vowel sound in "Thunder" is "uh" as in "duh" and "differ" also has the same vowel sound. The other options, "prefer", "confer", and "defer" do not have the same vowel sound.

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The option opposite in meaning to the underlined word "scorn" is "sympathy." Scorn means to have contempt or disdain towards something or someone, while sympathy means to have feelings of understanding or compassion towards someone. Therefore, if the principal was filled with scorn when the speaker gave their reason for coming late, it means the principal had a negative opinion towards them. The opposite of that would be if the principal had sympathy towards them, which means the principal would have understood and been compassionate towards their situation.

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In many African cultures, showing respect to elders is considered very important, and one of the ways to do this is by showing deference. Deference means showing respect, submission, or yielding to the judgment or opinion of someone else, usually someone older or of higher status. Therefore, the option that best completes the gap is "deference."

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The sentence means that the man is someone who stands firm and assertive about his actions and decisions. He is not easily swayed by others' opinions or opposing views, but instead stays resolute and strong-willed. Therefore, the option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence is "He demonstrates firmness of character."

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The option that best completes the gap is "child soldiers". The phrase "child soldiers" refers to children who are used as soldiers in armed conflicts, which is a violation of human rights and international law. The use of child soldiers is a serious issue that affects the lives of thousands of children worldwide. In this sentence, the Secretary-General was shocked at the number of child soldiers, which suggests that the Secretary-General is concerned about this problem and is likely to take action to address it.

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The option that is opposite in meaning to "glossy" is "rough and dull". "Glossy" means having a smooth, shiny, and reflective surface. Therefore, the opposite of "glossy" would be a surface that is rough and not shiny, which is the description of "rough and dull".

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The word "poverty" refers to a state of being poor, lacking the basic necessities of life. Therefore, the option nearest in meaning to "poverty" is "want" which means a lack of something essential.

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The option opposite in meaning to the underlined word "wary" is "unscared of." "Wary" means to be cautious, watchful, or suspicious of something, often because it poses a threat or danger. In the sentence, "Many Nigerians are wary of night journeys," it suggests that many Nigerians are cautious or reluctant to travel at night. The option "unscared of" is the opposite of "wary" because it means not being afraid or cautious of something. Therefore, "Many Nigerians are unscared of night journeys" means that many Nigerians do not have any concerns or fears about traveling at night. The other options, "worried about," "satisfied with," and "troubled about," do not convey the opposite meaning of "wary" in this context. Therefore, the correct option opposite in meaning to the underlined word is "unscared of."

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The option that best completes the gap is "stops." The sentence is in the present tense, and the use of "until" suggests that the action of leaving is dependent on a certain condition being met. In this case, the condition is the stopping of the rain. The present simple tense "stops" is the most appropriate option here because it indicates a future action that is dependent on the current weather condition. The other options, "will stop," "stopped," and "has stopped," do not accurately convey this sense of a present condition affecting a future action. Therefore, the correct sentence would be: "We won't leave until it stops raining."

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Option: a subjective Explanation: The word "opinionated" means someone who is strongly attached to their own opinions and beliefs and is not easily convinced by others. The opposite of this would be "objective" which means that someone is unbiased and makes decisions based on facts and evidence rather than personal beliefs or opinions. Therefore, "a subjective" is the option opposite in meaning to the underlined word(s).

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The option that is nearest in meaning to the word "vital" is "crucial". The word "vital" means something that is essential or important, and "crucial" means something that is critical, decisive, or very important. In the given sentence, the speaker is saying that Nigeria is playing an important and essential role in the political and economic development of Africa, and the option "crucial" carries a similar meaning of being critical or decisive. Therefore, "crucial" is the option nearest in meaning to "vital".

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The phrase "courteously" means to be polite and considerate towards others, so the option nearest in meaning to it is "politely".

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The correct answer is "an attractive carved wooden." This means that the tray has been decorated with some form of carving or design and is made out of wood, and it is also pleasing or appealing to the eye.

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The sentence describes an event that marked the beginning of a new life for the entire cabinet. The most appropriate option to complete the gap is "historic," which means having great and lasting importance in history. This suggests that the event was significant and noteworthy, and likely to be remembered and studied for a long time.

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The option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence is: "The trader who made full payment did not have his order reduced." The sentence states that if the trader paid in full, his order was not pruned down. "Pruned down" means that the order was reduced or decreased in some way. Therefore, if the trader made full payment, his order was not reduced or decreased. This can be understood to mean that the trader who made full payment received his full order, without any reductions or cuts. The other options do not accurately reflect the information conveyed in the sentence.

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The given sentence relates to the option "Isn't my mother able to cook the meal?" The emphatic stress on the word "can" emphasizes the ability of the subject, which in this case is the mother. The sentence suggests that the mother is capable of cooking the meal, contradicting any doubts or questions about her ability. Therefore, the sentence implies that the speaker is clarifying or responding to someone who had questioned the mother's ability to cook the meal.

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The correct option is "with regard to the loan". This is because "with regard to" means "concerning or regarding something" and is often used to introduce a subject that is being discussed or to indicate the subject matter of a statement. In this sentence, the speaker is saying that the Bank Manager assured them that there was nothing to worry about concerning the loan. The other options either use incorrect prepositions or use the incorrect plural form of "regard".

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The opposite of "sumptuous" would be "simple." In the given sentence, "sumptuous" refers to something that is luxurious, rich, or extravagant. So, if something is "simple," it means that it is plain, basic, and not extravagant.

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The option that best completes the gap is "lending" because the sentence talks about the public library, which is a place where books are made available for people to borrow, not buy. Therefore, the library has stopped lending books to readers, meaning they are no longer allowing people to borrow books from their collection.