SS1 English Language Exam Past Questions- Second Term

SS1 English Language Exam Past Questions- Second Term. Get complete English questions in PDF by reaching us.

CLASS: SS1

SUBJECT: ENGLISH II

TIME : 2HR

SECTION A: ESSAY

INSTRUCTION: Answer one question only from this section. All questions carry equal marks. Your answer should not be less than 450 words.

Your friend in another school has requested some information about your school to enable him to decide on moving over to your school. Write a letter to him discussing at least three areas in which your school excels.

Write an article for publication in your school magazine, discussing the reasons why children in your area drop out of school and suggesting ways of minimizing this negative trend.

There has been a continued discussion on the evils of unemployment. Write a letter to the Commissioner for Labour highlighting at least three of these evils and suggest ways of addressing them.

You are one of the speakers in a debate on the topic: ‘Women should not be in paid employment while they are still bearing children.’ Write your contribution for or against the proposition.

Write a story ending with the words: I wish I had listened to my father.

SECTION B:    COMPREHENSION

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

One of the basic language skills is reading. In any literate society, reading is a very essential aspect of effective communication in daily activities. Reading has been many things to many people. To some people, it is like looking at printed words while most students see it as a tedious task that has to be performed in order to pass a particular examination. Reading, like any other term, has been described in several ways, such as: ‘Reading is an intellectual activity directed towards the extraction of information form a written piece.’ One of the causes of mass failure in various examinations among candidates is their inability to imbibe a good reading culture. With poor reading habit, learners cannot comprehend the intention of the writer.

The need to cultivate a very good reading culture so as to be well informed and of course to pass examinations cannot be overemphasized. One of the ways of improving the reading culture in our society is through the provision of adequate and relevant textbooks for schools. Textbooks are reservoirs of knowledge. They provide readers an opportunity of interesting with the best of brains living and dead. Facts in the textbooks are researched into and so almost invariably provide scholars with an almost infallible source of knowledge. They are indispensable tools to reading, so they should be readily available to both the teacher and the taught.

Teachers must be well equipped in their chosen profession by consulting various textbooks relating to their disciplines. Moreover, they should live abreast of time in their noble profession by organizing and attending workshops and seminars aimed at educating and refreshing them. In this way they will be purged of outdated or obsolete methods and facts and adorned with modern methods and current facts.

The school environment has to be made inviting if learners are to be encouraged to imbibe a reading culture. The structure in the school must be attractive and well ventilated. They should be adequately furnished and provided with conveniences. The provision of a good and financial library should be a matter of priority.

Questions.

How do students perceive reading?

What is the aim of reading?

Why, according to the writer, do candidates perform poorly in examinations?

How can the culture of reading be improved in the society?

What, according to the writer, should be done to attract learners to read?

‘Textbooks are reservoirs of knowledge’

What figure of speech is used in this expression?

What does it mean?

‘Facts in the textbooks…’

What grammatical name is given to the above expression as used in the

passage?

What is its function?

For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it as it is used in the passage.

Tedious

Extraction

Comprehend

Infallible

Taught

Inviting

SECTION C (SUMMARY)

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

I am proud to be in the one profession which moulds young minds and prepares them for the future. When I voluntarily opted for this profession forty-one years ago. I could easily have chosen any other, such as medicine, accountancy, engineering or law. But I had an irresistible love for children. I loved playing the role of an elder brother or a kind parent. So I chose my profession fully conscious of my action because no other role would have pleased me if it didn’t keep me close to children.

As a learner, I had no problem with mastering facts. I had never been found wanting in my studies. I had great respect for those brilliant teachers who were believed to be walking encyclopedias. Naturally, therefore, I wanted to be admired and respected as a storehouse and dispenser of knowledge. Besides, I wanted to influence the views of others through imparting knowledge. Afterall, most of my own views had been shaped by my teachers, whom I admired.

Moreover, there are circumstances and conditions unique to the profession. I loved the long holidays which exceeded the normal leave period in the civil service or the commercial firms. I also loved the relative peace of mind which was the rule among teachers. Our teachers did quite a number of things in common and even dined together, just like brothers and sisters. To us learners, they were not rivals but colleagues.

So, I plunged myself into it. After secondary school, I opted for a degree in education at the university to the surprise of my parents and friends. Three years in the college of education and another three in the university prepared and shaped me for the career. Today, after thirty-five years in the profession, I ask myself how it has been. Did I err in my judgement? The answer is ‘No’. Factors that endeared the profession to me are still there but times have changed. In all my years as a pupil, I never knew of a learner confronting his teacher nor ever heard of a pupil openly boasting in the class that he possessed supernatural powers to torment his teacher with Now, some of my colleagues receive such threats.

Another unhealthy development is the antagonism of parents of teachers. Lately, I have seen parents burst into the school to threaten of even beast up teachers. And for what? For correcting their children! I know of parents who took their grievances to their secret cults for redress, when the teacher’s only offence was sending the pupils home to buy the prescribed textbooks for their studies. How should a teacher feel when he is betrayed by those who should understand and support him?

I am disheartened by the fact that society holds the teacher responsible for the failure of his pupils. The teacher is generally held responsible for their poor performance in examinations. Yes, it is the teacher who is blamed, even when he overworked himself in order to ensure that his wards pass their examinations. Despite these negative trends, I still look back on my thirty-five years of teaching with some joy and pride. I have turned out a good number of responsible citizens who are now in respectable positions. My products are there in the banks, hospitals, firms, the civil service and in the teaching field. I am also proud of them because I know they love me, and so I am retiring quite satisfied with my lot.

QUESTION

In three sentences, one for each, summarize the writer’s reasons for choosing to be a teacher.

In three sentences, one for each, summarize the recent negative developments which worry the writer.

SECTION D: VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

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

The workers expected management to be _____rather than indifferent to their welfare. A. different from B. interested in C. opposed to D. careful of

Words spoken in the heat of an argument could offend rather than______ A. pacific B. amuse C. inspire D. irritate

Although they have declared the student a suspect, he may turn out to be _______A. miserly B. innocent C. guilty D. extravagant

Some outspoken social critics live a ______family live A. reserved B. happy C. boisterous D. still

While the manger was prudent in his expenditure, his deputy was _______A. miserly B. careful thoughtful D. extravagant

The cultured and the ______ are known by their conduct. A. barbaric

ignorant C. clean D. lazy

Many Africans now live in abject poverty instead of enjoying the ______of the countries A. comfort B. greatness C. possessions D. affluence

Tunde seldom asks questions in class and was_____ very careful when he did. A. hardly B. sometimes C. often D. never

Binetou’s inquisitiveness is in sharp contrast with her sister’s A. indifference B. noisiness C. calmness D. dullness

Though at first it appeared an insignificant idea, it turned out to be quite _________ A. outstanding B. successful C. remarkable D. interesting

SECTION E: 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 as it is used in the sentence.

His father’s death derailed his plans to enter the university A. discouraged B. failed C. moved D. ruined

Adamu inadvertently shot his friend dead. A. deliberately B. spontaneously C. accidentally D. inappropriately

The student made scathing remarks about the vice chancellor. A. critical B. positive C. mild D. damaging

Several cabinet ministers joined the president’s retinue for this summit conference. A. entourage B. vehicle C. followers D. enemies

The manager refused his deputy’s request in reprisal for his disloyalty. A. compensation B. annoyance C. retaliation D. exchange

She spurned the advances of her boss A. accommodated B. accepted C. rejected D. discouraged

Whatever he says is irrevocable final B. false C. debatable D. unclear

Lunatics have some lucid movements A. troubled B. quiet C. noisy D. sane

Don’t expect anything but hypocrisy from politicians. A. promises B. manifestoes C. insincerity D. dishonesty

Within a short time, what was meant to be a peaceful demonstration escalated into a riot. A. rose B. elevated C. expanded D. developed

SECTION F: REGISTERS

In the following passage, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below the passage, four options are given in columns lettered A to D. Choose word that is the most suitable to fill the gaps in the passage.

Passage

– 21 – is hereby given that the 13th – 22 – meeting of the G.U.N.S.A will be – 23 – at the School Auditorium on Friday, October 8, 2023, at 10 a. m. – 24 – for the – 25 – business of the association. The – 26 – for the day is as follows: (a) the adoption of the – 27 – of the previous meeting; (b) consideration of accounts for the – 28 – ending September 30, 2023; (c) the – 29 – to fix the – 30 – of the auditors for the next year.

a. Information b. Announcement c. Notification d. Notice

a. anniversary b. annual c. periodic d. seasonal

a. organized b. held c. done d. performed

a. exactly b. at once c. prompt d. immediately

a. ordinary b. usual c. simple d. common

a. programme b. list c. business d. agenda

a. recordings b. minutes c. accounts d. reports

a. time b. season c. term d. period

a. authorization b. veto c. power d. agreement

a. incentives b. reward c. remuneration d. price

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SS1 English 1 Exam Questions- Second Term[Test of Orals, Grammar/Vocabulary Development]

INSTRUCTION: Answer all questions in sections 1 to 5; and any four (4) questions in the Theory sections
SECTION 1: From the word letter A to D, choose the word that best completes each of the following sentences;
Tests revealed that the winning athlete had taken performance-enhancing ____ . A. drugs B. tablets C. vitamins D. capsules
The lawyer’s client was _____under oath in the law court. A. investigated B. interrogated C. cross-fired D. cross-examined
That Fulani man has a large ______ of cattle A. herd B. flock C. multitude D. swine
The relationship between the couple is ______for lack of communication A. tense B. strained C. relaxed D. uneasy
Many players have complained about biased________by referees. A. officiating B. control C. direction D. handling
Government officials have to swear to _______of secrecy. A. an oath B. avow C. a pledge D. an Act
The student ________the planned meeting with the new principal. A refused B. neglected C. boycotted D. rejected
She won by_______because her opponent the _______for cheating in examinations. A. defeat B. default C. defiance D. defence
Some candidates have developed the _______for cheating in examinations. A. instinct B. addiction C. knack D. habit
The secretary was ______from her job for absenteeism A. evicted B. dismissed C. rejected D. eliminated

SECTION 2: After each of the following sentences, a list of possible interpretations is given. Choose the interpretation that you consider most appropriate for sentence.
Peter was on tenterhooks until the examination results were announced. This means that Peter was____ A. unhappy about the examination B. suspended from school C. anxiously waiting for the results. D. detained by the police
The military leader blazed the trail by handing over power to civilians. This means that the leader___ A. resigned from the army B. supported civilian ideals. C. was against the army. D. set an example
Life is all about “give and take”. This means that: A. people should be willing to compromise. B. life gives and takes C. life is about gifts D. any gift should be accepted.
Jumai’s life was in danger but now she had turned the corner. This means that Jumai A. has given up hope of recovery B. has worsened her situation. C. is recovering D. has died
It is unwise for politicians to make off-hand statements to journalists. This means that politicians A. should insist on their interviews being recorded B. would be wise not to speak to journalists C. should not make any statement to journalists D. should be sure of whatever they say.

SECTION 3: 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

The secretary needs to run_____two hundred copies of the previous minutes for the next meeting. A. off B. on C. out D. over
Let us keep______the plans we made earlier. A. away B. to C. off D. on
To be alive after such a serious accident_____ a celebration. A. is called for B. calls for C. has been called for D. call for
She does not remember ever________ a tiger. A. to see B. to have seen C. seeing D. having to see
The commissioner for education with his secretary_______expected yesterday A. are B. was C. were D. is
After rigorous interrogation, the thief had no alternative_______to confess the truth. A. except B. unless C. but D. rather
The director is open_______criticism. A. for B. to C. on D. about
Tunji divided the money between David and _____ A. he B. him C. himself D. themselves
The jury gave______verdict. A. it’s B. its C. his D. her
No______ person will do that. A. matured B. maturing C. mature D. matures

TEST OF ORALS (OBJECTIVE TEST)
SECTION 4: From the word lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined. An example is given below:
Example: Seat A. sit B. cite C. set D. key
The correct answer is D because only key contains the same vowel sound as the one underlined in seat.
bark A. mass B. ant C. pass D. ward
story A. drought B. spot C. fought D. through
sack A. back B. dark C. task D. false
look A. fool B. could C. boulder D. biology
best A. leopard B. regal C. saying D. legal
cool A. foot B. cook C. pull D. brute
sit A. creature B. colleague C. wanted D. police
rush A. bush B. plough C. put D. rough
SECTION 5: From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same consonant sound(s) as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined. An example is given below.
Example: vice A. cat B. dress C. show D. chalk
The correct answer is B because only dress has the same consonant sound as the one underlined in vice
hang  A. stingy B. tinge C. sing D. hinge
wither A. healthy B. wealthy C. breath D. feather
find  A. handsome B. sandwich C. sandpaper D. handkerchief
pain A. coup B. report C. corps D. receipt
pleasure A. vision B. mansion C. regiment D. pressure
baker A. debt B. lamb C. plumber D. humble
ten A. depot B. listen C. attack D. Christmas

THEORY
Answer any five questions from this section
Complete the transcriptions with one of the following dipthongs:
/eɪ/ /ɑɪ/ /ɔɪ/ /əʊ/ /ɑʊ/ /ɪə/ /eə/ /ʊə/

make /m _ _ k/
sure /ʃ _ _/
bear /b _ _/
island /- – lənd/
employ /ɪmpl _ _/
hear /h _ _/
town /t _ _ n/
home /h _ _ m/
sight /s _ _ t/
know /n _ _ /
Go through the following sentences and identify the part of speech of the underlined words.
Namitha is not coming today.
My mom will be leaving to Bangalore tomorrow.
The teacher asked the students to stand.
He is my brother.
There is a cat under the table.
The clothes did not dry as it was raining all night.
Sheena and her sister dance well.
I am wearing a green dress for the party.
Oh! That is really sad.
She is coming with me.
Identify the pure vowel sounds represented by the letters underlined below with their phonetic symbols:
listen
fill
bin
beat
steal
beat
could
good
room
bloom
Rewrite the following sentences in plural form.
A passerby stops to watch a dwarf performs a dance.
_____________________________________________
She likes to cook spicy octopus with tomato.
_____________________________________________
My mother-in-law owns a buffalo.
_____________________________________________
The trio has been playing a piano for an hour.
_____________________________________________
The child’s pet is a gold fish.

Identify the diphthongs in the following words with their phonetic symbols;
brown
quay
share
slow
guy
boy
ouch
away
eye
Write the plural forms of the following words:
class
fox
pouch
buzz hoof
guppy
study
tray
nanny
loaf
father-in-law
commander-in-chief
Identify the types of phrases used in the sentences below;
The bright red ball bounced directly into a muddy puddle.
The turtle was running quite quickly considering the nature of his species.
Bambi frolicked in the meadow with Thumper.
The princess with long golden hair was trapped in a tower by a dragon.
Walking on the beach is one of my favorite activities.
Gasping for breath, the dachshund barely made it home from his ten-foot walk.
My favorite movie to watch is Little Women.