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In each of the following sentences, there is one word underlined and one gap. From the list of words lettered A – D, choose the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word and that will, at the same time, correctly fill the gap in the sentences.

1. Good teaching stimulates the interest of students, whereas bad teaching………….it

A. dampens
B. encourage
C. supersedes
D. retracts

2. Some youths of this generation are often hard-hearted compared to those of past generations who were……………..

A. indifferent
B. fastidious
C. proficient
D. compassionate

3. The doctor does not think the patient will recover; the signs are ominous rather than…………

A. encouraging
B. feasible
C. obvious
D. gloomy

4. The purpose of education is to enhance progress and not to………..it

A. proscribe
B. intercept
C. impede
D. confuse

5. The teacher gave him high marks and wrote complimentary remarks in the margin, which surprisingly gave him………..feelings.

A. doubtful
B. secret
C. unpleasant
D. serious

6. Many people find cod liver oil disgusting but soldiers find it……………

A. refreshing
B. medicinal
C. pleasant
D. bitter

7. The investigator relied solely on conjectures, which were not as reliable as………..

A. facts
B. hearsay
C. figures
D. fabrications

8. It was obvious that Modou committed the crime,but his friends were still………….

A. unhappy
B. doubtful
C. suspicious
D. confident

9. The government was blamed for implementing polices that favoured the elite at the expense of the…………….

A. workers
B. wealthy
C. masses
D. oppressed

10. His suggestion on how to deal with the thief was invaluable, but the police considered it…………….

A. useless
B. impossible
C. necessary
D. timely

SECTION 2: From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that best completes each of the following sentences:

11. The woman’s behaviour clearly shows that her love for her husband was merely,……….

A. superstitious
B. superlative
C. elusive
D. superficial

12. The man was told in his own interest to……………..the statement he had made.

A. cancel
B. recast
C. erase
D. retract

13. Mum made soothing remarks in order to…………dad

A. incense
B. pacify
C. rekindle
D. protect

14. Ebou maintained his stand in………….of the principal’s orders.

A. defiance
B. deference
C. obedience
D. defence

15. The outgoing president warned his successor to beware of …………….who praise every action of government, good or bad.

A. enthusiasts
B. sycophants
C. radicals
D. favourites

16. Salimata came into…………when she won the beauty contest.

A. public
B. limelight
C. focus
D. view

17. The current economic crisis has led to the………….of many workers.

A. rejection
B. retrenchment
C. isolation
D. ejection

18. We all agree that the television is a more powerful………….of communication than the radio A. agent
B. way
C. instrument
D. medium

19. He won the election by a …………..of 500 votes.

A. consensus
B. margin
C. surplus
D. gap

20. Daylight armed-robbery is a common………in big cities.

A. plan
B. site
C. exercise
D. phenomenon

SECTION 3: After each of the following sentences, a list of possible interpretations of the sentence is given. Choose the interpretation that you consider most appropriate for each sentence.

21. When Joe was threatened with suspension he made a clean breast of his offence. This means that Joe

A. ran away
B. made friends with the other offenders
C. told the whole truth
D. pleaded innocence

22. When Eunice was discharged from hospital she was a shadow of her former self. This means that she

A. looked like a shadow
B. was withdrawn
C. had changed a little
D. was thin and weak

23. Chinwe can be stubborn yet I have a soft spot for her. This means that I

A. am fond of Chinwe even through she is stubborn
B. alone know how to control Chinwe
C. dislike Chinwe for stubbornness
D. have a cure for her stubbornness

24. The principal is high-handed with his staff. This means that the principal

A. respects his staff highly
B. is very friendly and easy-going with his staff
C. uses his authority over his staff sternly
D. shakes hands with his staff frequently

25. The loan was taken on a gentleman”s agreement. This mean that

A. there was no documentation of the loan
B. two gentlemen witnessed the loan
C. the loan was granted
D. the loan was not be repaid

26. Constructing the road along the coast was difficult but the men had already broken the back of the work before the rains. This means that they had

A. completed the preparations
B. completed the most difficult part of it
C. completed it altogether
D. broken the road

27. Whenever Nkoyo finds herself at a loose end, she goes visiting people. This means that Nkoyo goes visiting people whenever she

A. is happy
B. feels worried and confused
C. has nothing to occupy her
D. has no visitors

28. Kola will get the job because his father will surely pull strings for him. This means that his father will

A. give him useful information
B. remove some of his difficulties
C. influence the right people
D. attract attention towards him

29. To give a bronze medal to the athlete who was deliberately intercepted on the track was cold comfort This means that the bronze medal was

A. acceptable to him
B. too cold
C. not adequate compensation
D. rejected by him

30. The students planned to confront the principal with their grievances but as they got closer to his office, they developed cold feet. This means that …………….

A. they could non longer walk
B. they lost courage
C. they lost interest
D. Their feet became numb

SECTION 4 From the words lettered A to D below each of the following sentences, choose the word that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word.

31. The woman stifled a cry of astonishment as she discovered the identity of the robber.

A. suppressed
B. shouted
C. forced
D. hid

32. That rock is a potential danger to fishing boats.

A. a possible
B. an unexpected
C. an obvious
D. a serious

33. His contribution to the development programme in the village remains unrivalled.

A. unbroken
B. unparalleled
C. undisputed
D. unknown

34. Members of the party agreed that some serious thinking is required before a final decision can be taken.

A. meeting
B. consultation
C. consideration
D. appraisal

35. Our chief is very intelligent but he could be parochial in his judgements.

A. deep
B. broad
C. narrow-minded
D. kind-hearted

36. All that was left after the riot were the charred remains of the victims.

A. burnt
B. black
C. broken
D. scattered

37. The incessant chatter of the pupils irritated the visitor.

A. unceasing
B. meaningless
C. excited
D. loud

38. Musa won the debate because he articulated his arguments convincingly.

A. pronounced
B. presented
C. arranged
D. summarized

39. I was surprised at the gallantry of the Senegalese peace-keeper.

A. cowardice
B. strength
C. bravery
D. height

40. The clerk was dismissed for dereliction of duty.

A. ignorance
B. lateness
C. carelessness
D. negligence

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. This is a bad case,…….hard you try to defend the accused.

A. however
B. whatever
C. whichever
D. whenever

42. ……..pain has been taken to make the party a success

A. Such
B. Much
C. Every
D. Many

43. School children are advised to refrain…….smoking

A. with
B. against
C. to
D. from

44. The principal, as well as the teachers,…..in school

A. is
B. were
C. all are
D. are all

45. Fatima …………come to work today since she is sick.

A. needn’t had
B. needn’t have
C. needn’t has
D. needn’t to

46. Aminata has ……………….. her engagement to Sule.

A. broken off
B. broken up
C. broken away
D. broken down

47. …………who knows the times will not open his door to strangers at night.

A. Somebody
B. Nobody
C. Anybody
D. Everybody

48. All the final year students will attend………..party

A. tomorrow’s
B. tomorrows’
C. tomorrows
D. tomorrow

49. My friend’s son stole the………….briefcase.

A. director’s-general
B. director-general’s
C. directors’-general
D. director-generals’

50. This isn’t your ring; it is your…………

A. daughter-in-law
B. daughter-in-law’s
C. daughters-in-law
D. daughter-in-laws

51. He brought us………………….

A. a good news
B. many good news
C. some good news
D. several good news

52. I was asked whether I………….to go on the outing.

A. would intend
B. intended
C. have intended
D. intend

53. Our teacher is leaving our school in July to ……………a new job

A. take in
B. take to
C. take on
D. take up

54. The old woman had no children and no real friends……….

A. too
B. again
C. either
D. neither

55. Certain tasks may be unpleasant at first, but gradually one may get………….them

A. to liking
B. to like
C. to be liking
D. to have liked

56. ……………..In their youth is a source of pleasurable reminiscence for elderly persons

A. to be travelling

B. to travel
C. by travelling
D. to have travelled
57. The minister told his congregation that one day…………would be rewarded

A. the faithfuls
B. the faithful
C. any faithfuls
D. a faithful

58. Maram liked the exhibits at the trade fair but she really enjoyed………….the most

A. the amusements
B. amusements
C. the amusement
D. amusement

59. The jury gave…………..verdict of guilty in the murder case.

A. it’s
B. ’tis
C. it
D. its

60. The room in………they lived was quite large and well-lit.

A. where
B. that
C. which
D. there

61. The great gates of the ancient palace were………….

A. beautiful pieces of iron works
B. the beautiful pieces of iron works
C. beautiful pieces of iron work
D. a beautiful piece of iron works

62. The report said that although the country was rich………….formed a substantial part of the population.

A. old and neglected
B. the old and neglected
C. some old and some neglected
D. the olds and neglected

63. I had a phone call from her yesterday, so she……………have found out my telephone number

A. can
B. could
C. must
D. might

64. I cannot imagine that a man…………his standing could stoop so low as to accept bribes.

A. with
B. at
C. of
D. on

65. Lamin and Michael washed ………….but mummy washed Yeanie

A. himself
B. themselves
C. one another
D. the other

66. The principal has gone to Freetown and will come back in …………..time.

A. two weeks
B. two week
C. two week’s
D. two weeks’

67. The students have not come back from their school farms,…………?

A. isn’t it
B. hadn’t they
C. didn’t they
D. have they

68. We haven’t confirmed………….signature this is

A. what
B. whose
C. who’s
D. which

69. I said “John saw Mary……………..?

A. didn’t I
B. didn’t he
C. hadn’t he
D. do I

70. The moon seemed to be sailing through the clouds……..a ship thrusting its way through a stormy ocean

A. as
B. as to
C. as for
D. like

71. The scool high jump champion has been…………….

A. off very much from most of the time
B. very much off-from most of the time
C. very most off-from most of the time
D. off-from the most of the very much

72. The new bridge was a complete waste of money and……….built in the first place

A. need not have been
B. needs not have been
C. needed not have been
D. need not to have been

73. Araba took up an appointment as a part-time instructor as a means………….his meager income.

A. to supplement
B. of supplementing
C. to supplementing
D. for supplementing

74. ……………..opportunity we now have to rid the nation of corruption!

A. What excellent
B. What an excellent
C. How excellent
D. So excellent an

SECTION 6

PASSAGE A

In the following passages the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the below each passage, four options are offered in columns lettered A to D. choose the word that is the most suitable to fill the numbered gap in the passages. One of the indicators of -76- under development in this country is the backward state of the transport sector. This is typified by the poor state of the railway -77-. In advanced countries, commuter trains carry passengers from city and within suburbs. The -78- train goes a lot faster connecting major cities and even states; such trains have -79 only. In the intra- city trains, it is only shelter and seats that are provided. There are no -80-. In some cases, and because of the long hours of service of inter-city or inter-state trains, -81- and -82- are available in addition to coaches. Apart from the very fast electric trains, there are passenger trains that are -83- powered. There are others that use coal or steam as -84-. Some trains offer -85- services, transporting goods. Such trains stop at specific -86- to deliver goods or to refuel. Most trains have -87- to push or pull them to prevent them from turning around.

PASSAGE B

It is interesting to watch a modern-88- spring up and get completed in a matter of months. A few months ago, a building company brought some -89- to the virgin forest next to our school. The trees were -99-, the ground was cleared and -91-, and the workers brought out various -92- with which they measured a marked the -93-. Then the -94- was dug and the -95- were brought from somewhere else -96- was made from a mixture of sand cement and water, and the walls grew before our very eyes. Before the end of the second month, we realized it was not going to be a -97- but a storeyed building. The -98- was cast in only one day by the workers who -99- for the whole day. Thereafter things moved even faster. By the end of the third month, the whole -100- was in place.

ANSWER