JAMB -UME USE OF ENGLISH 2008 PAST QUESTION

Before you proceed to the questions please note that JAMB Use of English is compulsory for all candidates for all subjects and for all year. We have published instructions on the best way to answer JAMB Use of English Questions to earn higher score.

2008 USE OF ENGLISH QUESTION PAPER TYPE B

READ PASSASGE I,II,AND III CAREFULLY AND ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT FOLLOW. EACH QUESTION CARRES 3 MARKS.

JAMB -UME USE OF ENGLISH 2008 PAST QUESTION: PASSAGE I

As a candidate for this examination, you are being examined on one type of this paper, namely type a, type b, type and type k.

Success is one of the words in the English language that are defined and illustrated in various ways by many. Even though all of those definition and illustrations are often understood by people, they present various and complex perspective of people who define them. Considering the definition of the concept, a wide spectrum of their evaluation may be provide. This provision is from the perspective of people who may be seen as materialistic to that of those seen as spiritual. One definition of a successful person is someone who has all that he or she wants in life- a beautiful wife or a handsome husband, a lovely family with very attractive children, standard education, a well paid job, a well furnished house, sufficient money and investments to guarantee a comfortable life even after retirement. All of these possessions and materials are symbolic of a successful person. Another definition of success is the gift of health. The argument is that whatever possession or material things one may have, without good health, they become totally irrelevant and worthless. After all, health is wealth as the popular adage goes.

 Another point is that no one can really know whether or not he is successful because success is a relative term. By this the concept of success varies not only from person, but also from culture to culture. In other word, what the people from one culture might regards as success may not be so regard by people from another culture. Furthermore, there is the point of view that in some cultures, materials possession is not indicative of real success. There are examples of rich people in various societies whose tremendous materials possession were squandered by those who inherited them just years after the original owner had died. Most of the materials possession of people in several societies might have been acquired not by hard work but fraudulent means. This cannot be success because success means a true and honest life devoid of any fraudulent practices. From the spiritual dimension, success may mean the fulfillment of divine purpose in one’s life. Tat appear to be a complex statement! One needs, perhaps, a spiritual leader to interpret the relationship between God and success. Whether or not one believe in divine power as a phenomenon should not bother us here. What is certain is that the physical word itself present to any discerning heart evidence that there must be an unseen hand behind one’s success or failure.

All said and done, true success may be one’s ability to be satisfied with one’s position in life
1. Which type of this paper are you answering?
(a) type A
(b) type B
(c) type E
(d) type K

2. From the passage, it can be inferred that
(a) the writer is not dogmatic about any of the definition of success
(b) possession inherited are fraudulent wealth
(c) true success will be known to all men in due time
(d) the writer believes that success is symbolic of good living.

3. The expression success is a relative term suggests that it
(a) has one meaning
(b) has different meaning
(c) it is not comprehensible
(d) can be define materially

4. from the passage, a successful person is describe as one who
(a) believe in define intervention
(b) enjoys life after retirement
(c) has  a good family
(d) is contended with life

5. The word squandered as used in the passage means to be
(a) frugal
(b) spendthrift
(c) a glutton
(d) a teetotataler

JAMB -UME USE OF ENGLISH 2008 PAST QUESTION: PASSAGE II

Every human language may be described as a system at each of the four levels of linguistic description, namely morphology, phonology, syntax and semantics. At each of these levels, a linguistic system comprises as number of subsystem which make up its structure. Thus, a language may also be described as a system of systems. At the level of phonetics and phonology, a language selects, from a general pool of speech sounds, a finite number of vocal sounds which are combined and used for its communicative and other purpose. Looking at the human vocal organ, its appears that their primary function are biological. Even though they are also used for breathing, chewing, cutting, swallowing and smelling, they have been adapted for the production of the speech sounds for any human language. But human languages are different in terms of their sound interventions. The point is each language has its own numbers of sound which are combined in a number of indefinite patterns according to its own phonological rules. This is what makes each language unique as systematic pattern of structure, and perhaps why English uses forty- four s9ound segment, French forty, Italian twenty-seven, Yoruba twenty-seven and Hawaiian only thirteen. There are four basic approaches to the study of speech sounds; these are articulatory, acoustic, auditory and forensic. Articulatory phonetic studies how speech sounds are made or articulated. Acoustic phonetic studies the physical properties of speech as sound wave in air. Auditory or perpetual phonetics studies the perception of speech sound via the ears. The forensic phonetic studies speech sound in the form of recorded utterances used for identifying particular speakers, especially in a legal case. The articulatory approach helps the user of English as a second language to understand how the second of English are articulated as well as their basic characteristic. This knowledge may help to improve their pronunciation competence or fluency in the actual use of the language. It may also improve the degree of intelligibility of their utterance and therefore their communicative competence.   According to yube in his book introduction to language, phonology is concerned with the abstract or theoretical aspect of speech sound while phonetics is concerned with their actual physical articulation. Thus, by studying the system and pattern of speech sound in a language, we are actually studying phonology. It is phonology that explains the underlying design, the blueprint of the sound type, which provides the basis for all the variation in different p0hysical articulations of that sound type in different contexts.

6. According to the passage, which of the following describes the perception of speech sound?
(a) Acoustic
(b) Auditory
(c) Articulatory
(d) forensic

7. from the passage, the purpose of describing a language as a system is to show that
(a) all human language are the same in every sense
(b) human language are different at the phonological level
(c) every human language has its own separate pattern of structure at all l level
(d) human language are too complex to understand at any level

8. what distinguish a language from anther, according  to the passage, is
(a) its finite numbers of sound
(b) the indefinite nature of its patterns
(c) its communicative and other purpose
(d) its linguistic description at all levels

9. the style of the passage could best be described as
(a) exposition
(b) descriptive
(c) narrative
(d) argumentative

10. the expression systematic pattern of structure, as used in the passage, means that language
(a) is an interconnecting network of structure
(b) is made up of organized phonetics and phonology
(c) is a network or morphology, syntax and semantics
(d) comprises similar phonetics, phonology, morphology and semantics

 JAMB -UME USE OF ENGLISH 2008 PAST QUESTION PASSAGE III

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disease. Approximately one per cent of the population develops the disease during their lifetime.  Although Schizophrenia affects men and women with equals frequency, the disorder often appears earlier in men, usually in the late teens or early twenties, than in women, who are generally affected in the twenties to early thirties. People with the disorder often suffer terrifying symptom such as hearing internal voice not heard by other or believe tat other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These symptoms may leave them fearful and withdrawn. Children over the age of five can develop the disease, but it is very rare before adolescence. People with Schizophrenia may have perceptions of reality that are strikingly different from one seen and shared by others around them. Living in a world distorted by hallucination and delusions, individuals with the disease may be feel delusion are false person belief that arte not subject to reason or contradictory evidence. Substance abuse is a common concern of the family and friends of peo0ple with Schizophrenia as it can reduce the effectiveness of treatment of the disease. Stimulants such as cocaine and marijuana may cause major problems for patient with Schizophrenia. In fact, some people experienced a worsening of the symptom when they take such drugs. Substance abuse also reduce the likelihood that patient will follow the treatment plan recommended by their doctors. The most common form of substance used disorder in people with   Schizophrenia is nicotine dependence due to smoking. Quitting smoking may be effective. Doctors should carefully monitor medication dosage and response when patient with the disease either start or stop smoking. The large majority of people with the disease show substantial improvement when treated with antipsychotic drugs. Some patient, however, are not helped very much by the medication and few do not seem to need them. It is difficult to predict which patient will fall into these two groups. Antipsychotic drugs, like virtually all medication, have unwanted effect along with other symptoms. During the early phase of drug treatment, patient may be troubled by side effects such as drowsiness, restlessness, tremor, dry mouth, or blurring of vision. Most of these can be corrected by lowering the dosage or controlled by other medication.

11. one conclusion that can be drawn from the first paragraph is that
(a) only children suffer Schizophrenic disorder
(b) the time of occurrence in men and women differs
(c) women suffer the disorder in their early twenties
(d) men suffer the disorder in their early thirties

12. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
(a) Schizophrenic disorder affect only the men folk
(b) Schizophrenia disorder develop only in the womenfolk
(c) patients with Schizophrenic like to keep to themselves than stay with others
(d) children develop the Schizophrenic disorder after adolescence

13. Which of the following g statement is true of the concept of delusion in the second paragraph?
(a) the believe in distorted claims
(b) the expression of personal beliefs
(c) the evidence of reasoning and contradiction
(d) the believe in unsubstantiated claims

14. from the passage, it can be inferred that
(a) family members and friends avoid Schizophrenic patient
(b) cocaine and marijuana are god stimulant for patient
(c) substance abuse may assist a patient’s healing process
(d) some drugs slow down a patient’s healing process

15.the expression living in a world distorted by hallucination means
(a) the world of sound and intellectual thought
(b) the expression of ideas that  do not have  bases
(c) a patient’s expression of connected ideas
(d) the world is very unfair to Schizophrenic patient

JAMB -UME USE OF ENGLISH 2008 PAST QUESTION PASSAGE IV

The passage below has gaps numbered 16 to 25. Immediately following each gap, four options are provided. Choose the most appropriate option for each gap. Each questions carries 2 marks.

The economic miracle of the so called Tigers was subject to much debate and analyses in the early 1990s among economists. There was basically two schools of….16….[A reasoning  B ideals  C practice D  thought ] one, that the Asian tigers’ economic miracle was a case of miracle beyond the free market and so to repeat such miracle or some thing near it, do not leave the…17… [A economy B structure C miracle D analyses] to the invisible hands of the free market with its sometimes profoundly anti- socials overtone. There was a place for, and indeed a great virtue in state…..18.. [  market  B intervention  C persuasion D enforcement]. The other group …19… [ A synthesized  B analysed C believed D recommended ] that it was not so much a miracle that was either beyond the free market or, for the matter, one induced by the equally unpredictable, even if visible, hands of politician and policy…20… [A decider B masters C executor D markers] the Asian…21… [ A experience B practice C logic D method ] was rather one of a cultural phenomenon blending with good policies to produce a delightfully desirable spectacles of progress and…22…  [ A purpose B affluence C prospect D prosperity]. The concern of the economics was how to safely…23… [A prescribe B guage  stimulate C re-orientate] and then apply the asian prescription to replicate such man-made in many other countries of the world enduring the ..24… [A anger B risk C throes D punishment ] of unrelenting and …25…[ A momentous B compelling C scorching D aggravating] poverty.

Adapted from the punch,7 November, 2005

JAMB -UME USE OF ENGLISH 2008 PAST QUESTION LEXIS, STRUCTURE AND ORAL FORM

In each of question 26 to 35 , select the option that best explain the information conveyed in the sentences. Each question carries 2 marks.

26. the court brought out the fact that the selection were not free and fair
(a) the court said that the election were not rigged
(b) the court explained that the election were not marred
(c) the court made it clear that the election were not flawless
(d) the court saw that the election were properly conducted

27. the computer operator was sacked for incompetence
(a) the computer operator was sacked  for his foolishness
(b) the computer operator was sacked for his laziness
(c) the computer operator was sacked for lack of skill
(d) the computer operator was sacked for lateness

28. He was a member of the think tank of the previous administration
(a) as an expert, he criticized government
(b) He was an expert who gave advise to government
(c) He was an expert that government did not listen to.
(d). As an expert,  government  must have taken to his advice.

29 In spite of various criticisms, Bala sticks to his guns.
(a) Bala always goes out with his guns, ready to kill.
(b)People do not like Bala because hi s is violent.
(c) Bala is criticized because of his bad behaviour towards people.
(d)  Bala adheres to his belief even when others do not agree with him.

30. Chike plays to the gallery whenever he meets a group of people.
(a). Chike plays well with people at the gallery
(b). Chike seeks cheap popularity
(d). Chike shows distrust and hatred to people.

31. He kept a stiff upper lip over the accident.
(a). He sustained injury on his upper lip
(b). He endured the misfortune with courage
(c) he could not talk because of the accident
(d) His friends deserted him because of the accident.

32. He had travelled the length and breath of Africa
(a) He must have travelled to some big cities of Africa.
(b) He had travelled to many parts of Africa.
(c) He had travelled to all parts of Africa.
(d) He had travelled to all the villages in Africa.

33. She wriggled out of her wedding gown
(a) she could not take off her gown herself so she was assisted
(b) her dress got torn because of  the snake-like pattern
(c) no one could have Imagined that her dress was so tight
(d) it took her some time to remove her lose-fitting dress

34. Visitors who are observant don not outstay their welcome
(a) All visitors must  be alert so as to know when to leave a place
(b) some visitors know when to leave a place so as to make their host happy
(c) some visitors are unable to know when their host do not want them around
(d) All visitors, expect a few, know when to leave a place

35. the group had been made a scapegoat during the event
(a) members of the group had been punished for a sin that  they do not commit
(b) members of the group had been blamed for a sin that they do not commit
(c) the group had been punished so that no one would commit the sin again
(d) the group had been blamed merely to serve as a detainment for others

In each of question 36 to 50, chose the option opposite in meaning to the word or phrase in italics.
36. Sola is apathetic about his work
(a) indifferent
(b) enthusiastic
(c) half- hearted
(d) bored

37. The members of the family had a hasty breakfast before starting out on their journey
(a) hurried
(b) leisurely
(c) tasty
(d) nasty

38. the poverty level among the man’s eagerness
(a) arrogance
(b) saturated
(c) affluence
(d) influence

39, the chairman was accused for implemented policies that favored the elite
(a)oppressed
(b) executed
(c) jobless
(d) citizen

40. the manager was impressed by the man’s eagerness
(a) impatient
(b) indifferences
(c) negligence
(d) calmness

41. he is known for making threadbare arguments as a scholar
(a) justified
(b) baseless
(c) empty
(d) militant

42. the lecturer’s obscure publication counted against him during the promotion exercise
(a) widespread
(b) closed
(c) circulated
(d) restricted

43. The man found his wife physically repellant
(a) attractive
(b) fatuous
(c) unpleasant
(d) flamboyant

44. as an absolute ruler, Adayi brooks no opposition from his subordinate
(a) a despotic dictator
(b) a shameless king
(c) a benevolent leader
(d) a magnanimous democrat

45. the response to the advertisement has been phenomenal
(a) spiritual
(b) frightened
(c) unimpressive
(d) catastrophic

46. My father lived a Spartan life before his death
(a) extravagant
(b) peaceful
(c) quite
(d) luxurious

47. Bola’s parent went through an acrimonious divorce
(a) a bitter
(b) an acrid
(c) a sour
(d) a peaceful

48. lliya account of the  incident is appalling
(a)tasking
(b) fascinating
(c) horrifying
(d) ridiculous

49. she encapsulate her view of the nature of life in a poem
(a) summed up
(b) explained
(c) expatiated on
(d) reflected

50. we were held spellbound by his eloquence
(a) unimpressed
(b) freed
(c) deceived
(d) unenlightened

In each of question 51to 65, choose the option nearest to the word or phrase in italics.

51. We were at a loss to understand w0hy oli should retract his statement before the judge
(a) assert
(b) repeat
(c) withdraw
(d) reiterate

52. The workers hope to appear before the arbitration panel to resolve the lingering dispute
(a) trial
(b) legislative
(c) investigative
(d) reconciliatory

53. He went to the polls in defiance of sound advice and recorded an abysmal performance
(a) surprisingly good
(b) disappointingly bad
(c) mediocre
(d) landslide

54. he was not able to9 withstand the attack from his immediate family
(a) survive
(b) overcome
(c) match
(d) resist

55. Your effort to bring peace between us is futile because you are biased
(a) convinced
(b) clever
(c) prejudiced
(d) worried

56. Our front door is always kept ajar
(a) locked
(b) sealed
(c) half-closed
(d) permanently open

57. His embroidery was an exacting task for the tailor
(a) an unwarranted
(b) an exciting
(c) a demanding
(d) a disturbing

58. The student’s remonstrance were rebuffed by the authority
(a) protest
(b) suggestions
(c) complaints
(d) regrets

59. I had to make my way through the throng of people in the church
(a) group
(b) crowd
(c) gathering
(d) theme

60. The man’s wife has her misgiving about him
(a) fears for
(b) distrust of
(c) hatred for
(d) love for

61. Violent crime is only one of the maladies afflictions modern society
(a) damages
(b) illnesses
(c) wounds
(d) crises

62. Tade has an aquiline nose
(a) a large and curve nose
(b) a wide and straight nose
(c) a big and pointed nose
(d) a small and attractive nose

63. Everyone talking about the camaraderie in the club
(a) companionship
(b) quarrelsome
(c) commissioning
(d) disunity

64. you’re impossible; she said to me
(a) unreasoned
(b) unforgiving
(c) daft
(d) strong

65. I was being diorected by my sixth sense all through the ordeal
(a) intelligent
(b) judgment
(c) intuition
(d) imagination

In each of question 66 to 85, choose the option that best complete the gap(s)

66. they…. [A would get  B would have got C will Have get D had got]wet if they had gone out the rain

67. The students are still …. [ A very so B much too C very much D much so ] in the dark regarding the principal decision

68. When I came in, I ….. [  A laid on the floor B lie on the floor C lain on the floor D lay on the floor]

69. Either the teacher or the student… [ A is B are C has being D are being ]to blame

70. I will  pay my dept … [A instalmentally B by instalmentally C in instalments D in instalmentally ]

71. You should anticipate and prepare for changes …[A that has taken place B which takes place C taking place D that would take place] in your office

72. the scholar examined ….[ A three a part analyzed B a part- three analysis C a three-part analysis D three part analysis] of the subject

73. The litigants finally opted …[ by an out of court B in an out of court C to an out of court D for an out of court ] settlement

74. she refrained ….[ A at B off C from Din] smoking

75. Birds whistle while bears … [ A gibber B purr C growl D bellow ]

76. I am not surprised that Zali had a road accident; he was always too fast,… [A isn’t he B wasn’t he C didn’t he D did he]

77. Oduma had… enough money to pay the fines so he went to jail for disturbing libellious…. [A no/brochures B not/circular C no/publication D not/pamphlets]

78. the principal said he….. so many visitors that day that he…..[ A had been having/ felt  B has been having / feels C was having/feels D is having/felt] exhausted.

79. His mother always reprimands him for being a ….. [ A vicious B veracious C vivacious D voracious] reader  of cheap novels

80. femi has been… [A lacking B lagging C larking D lurking ] behinds in classroom

81. judging ……[A at B through C with D by ] his face, he is not guilty

82.  what were the ……[ A species B desserts C diets D condiments ]served in the restaurant

83. she… her hair…. In the room before we left [A smoothened/off B smoothened/on C smoothened/up  D smoothed/down ]

84. This is a village where… knows… [A everyone/everyone else B anyone/anyone C every person/themselves D someone/ someone else ]

85. did you say that you saw him…..[ A crossed B cross C to be crossing D  crosses] the road yesterday

In each of question 86 to 88, choose the option that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined

86. key    A sit B bet C seat D tread

87. taught  A law B aunt C count D plateau

88. Dutch  A lottery B love C loud D lurch

I n each of question 89to 91, choose the option that has the same consonant sound as the none represented by the letter(s) underlined

89. both A bother B thaw C the D there

90. bouquet A bucket B banquet C liquid D squeeze

91. houses A rice B rise C curse  D course

In each of question 92 to 94, choose the option that rhymes with the given words

92. say A treason B weigh C fright D saw

93. Knew A tool B dawn C. night D. Queue.

94.  Tony A. torn B.take  C. foil D. tour.

In each of question 95 to 97, choose the appropriate street pattern from the option. The syllables are written in capital letters

95.  Comfortable A. COMfortable B. Comfortable C. ComfortaBLE  d. ComfortTable

96.  Incapacitate A.inCAacitate B.  IncaFORtable C. Incapacitate D. incapacitate

97.  Encouragement A. Encouragement B. enCOU5ragement C. encouRAgement D. encouragement.

In each of question 98 to 100, the word in capital letter has the emphatic stress. Choose the option to which the given sentence relates.

98.  THEIR children speakbetter French than English. A. Do their husband’s speakbetter French than English?  B. What language do their children speak better than English?  C. Do their children speak better French than English?  D. Whose children speak better French than English?

99.  They RAN to the playground. A. Where did they run to?  B. Did they walk to the playground?  C. Who ran to the playground?  D. Did they run from the playground?

100.  Timi BOUGHT a new car   A did timi hire a new car B doe’s timi deals in cars? C has timi acquires a new car D does timi have a new car?

Hope this will help you. The ExamsGuru.Net Team wishes to success in your exams, see you on top! Remember to share this tips to your friends.

 

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