JAMB UTME - Use of English - 2017

Select the option that best explain the information conveyed in the sentence:

Advising Olu to break his bad habit is like knocking your head against a brick wall.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence "Advising Olu to break his bad habit is like knocking your head against a brick wall" is: - It is trying the impossible. This means that trying to advise or persuade Olu to change his bad habit is as difficult as trying to knock down a brick wall with your head. It implies that the task is almost impossible and not worth the effort, and that it may be better to find another approach or let Olu make his own choices.

Select the option that best explain the information conveyed in the sentence:

The letter was being written by the principal.

Maelezo ya Majibu

When the word 'being' is used in a past continuous tense, as it is in the above question, it means the action is happening sow or was happening before, in or continual manner, just like in the answer, the principal was writing the letter

Choose the option nearest in meaning to the word or phrase in italics:

The children received gifts from doting parents.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The word "doting" means showing excessive love or fondness towards someone, especially a child. Therefore, the option nearest in meaning to "doting" is "loving". The sentence means that the children received gifts from their affectionate and adoring parents.

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence:

I really like working in that office: I find the _____ very friendly.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Means the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or creative work.

This question is based on S. L. Manyika's IN DEFENCE:

According to Tayo the two major problems of Nigeria were.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Chapter Twenty-one (21) of the book gave a narrative about how Tayo had been writing about the problems of Nigeria and how he believed that greed and mismanagement were the root causes of the problems.

Choose the option nearest in meaning to the word or phrase in italics:

This event was a watershed in the company.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The option nearest in meaning to "watershed" in this context is "landmark". A watershed is a turning point or a critical event that marks a significant change or a new beginning, and a landmark is a significant event or a turning point that stands out and is easily recognizable. Therefore, in this context, the phrase "watershed in the company" suggests that this event was a turning point for the company, and that it marked a significant change or a new beginning.

Select the option that best explain the information conveyed in the sentence:

The man's Achilles' heel is women _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The phase 'Achilles heel' means a small problem or weakness in a person or system that can result in failure. The phrase has it origin traced to the legend of Achilles, that tells the talk of Achilles, how he was dipped into the river styx by his mother, That is in order to make him in vulnerable. His heel wasn't covered by the water and he was later killed by a narrow wound to his heel.

Choose the best option that best completes the gap(s):

Garba acquiesced _____ their decision.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The preposition 'in' is used to indicate interest or feeling

When you ________ an opponent's point in a debate, you must do so politely.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Choose the best option that best completes the gap(s):

The crops the farmer planted will be ________ in three months time.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The best option that best completes the gap is "harvested". This means that the crops will be ready to be picked and taken to market in three months time. Harvesting is the process of gathering the crops from the fields once they are mature and ready for consumption. This is an important step for farmers as it is the time when they can sell their crops and make a profit from their hard work.

Choose the option that has the same consonant as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined:

clash

Maelezo ya Majibu

Choose the interpretation that you consider most appropriate for each sentence.

Now that Michael has become rich, Nancy has begun to make much of him. This means _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The sentence "Now that Michael has become rich, Nancy has begun to make much of him" means that Nancy is now showing a lot of attention or importance to Michael because he has become rich. Therefore, the interpretation that best fits the sentence is "now values Michael". The phrase "make much of" in this context means to show a lot of attention or importance towards someone.

In the Novel "Independence" Tayo wrote a biography of _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In chapter 27, Tayo's biography of Lord Lugard became his new success

In the book "Independence" Wearing woolens, lamb cardigans, extra socks, gloves and Balliol scarf signified that Tayo was _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The description of Tayo wearing woolens, lamb cardigans, extra socks, gloves and a Balliol scarf in the book "Independence" indicates that Tayo was cold. This is because these items of clothing are typically worn to keep warm in cold weather. The mention of these items suggests that Tayo was trying to protect himself from the cold weather.

Choose the best option that best completes the gap(s):

_____ a good boy, he was given a prize.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The correct option to complete the sentence is "Being a good boy, he was given a prize." The word "being" is a present participle that functions as the subject of the sentence, indicating the reason for the action that follows. The past participle "been" is not appropriate in this sentence because it is used as the passive voice in conjunction with the auxiliary verb "have" or "had," which is not used in the sentence. Therefore, the correct option is "Being," which conveys the idea that the boy received a prize because he was a good boy.

The number of workers have increased steadily each year means _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The correct statement is "The number of workers has increased steadily each year." This means that the amount of people working has been getting bigger every year, without any sudden jumps or decreases. The word "steadily" emphasizes that the increase has been happening consistently over time. The verb "has" is used because "number" is a singular noun, so it requires a singular verb.

The government has decided to freeze student's grants. This means that government intends to

Maelezo ya Majibu

The government intends to stop paying grants to students. This means that students who were receiving grants from the government will no longer receive any financial assistance from the government to support their education. The freeze on grants means that the government has put a temporary stop to the payment of these grants, but it does not necessarily mean that the grants have been permanently discontinued.

Choose the word that is most nearly opposite in the meaning to the underlined word or group of words that will fill in the sentence.

At first we found life in the town very exciting but soon it became rather _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to "exciting" is "boring". The sentence describes how the speaker's perception of life in the town changed over time, from exciting to something less stimulating. The options "tiring", "disturbing", and "burdensome" all carry negative connotations and do not provide an opposite meaning to "exciting". "Boring", on the other hand, conveys a lack of excitement or interest, making it the best choice for the blank space in the sentence.

Choose the most appropriate stress pattern from the options below:

Constitution

Maelezo ya Majibu

The most appropriate stress pattern for "Constitution" is "con-sti-TU-tion." In this pronunciation, the primary stress is on the third syllable, "TU," while the first and second syllables are unstressed. The stress pattern of a word is the pattern of emphasis on its syllables when the word is pronounced. In English, the stress pattern can change the meaning of a word, and it's important to use the correct stress pattern to be properly understood. In the case of "Constitution," the stress pattern is commonly used in American and British English. It refers to the fundamental principles or laws that govern a country or organization, such as the United States Constitution or the European Union Constitution.

Choose the option nearest in meaning to the word or phrase in italics:

Aisha impelled to the party.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The word "impelled" means to force or drive someone to do something. Therefore, the option nearest in meaning to the phrase "Aisha impelled to the party" is "compelled," which means to require or force someone to do something. It implies that Aisha may not have had a choice in attending the party and that something or someone forced her to go.

In the book "Independence" Tayo's uncle, Kayode, wanted to study Engineering in _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In chapter sixteen, Tayo's uncle, Kayode, revealed to him that he was considering studying engineering at the Insitute du Petrole in France

Choose the most appropriate stress pattern from the options below:

palatable

Maelezo ya Majibu

Choose the option nearest to the statement:

My brother's drunkenness often got on my nerves. This means.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The statement "My brother's drunkenness often got on my nerves" means that the speaker was annoyed or bothered by their brother's behavior while he was drunk. In other words, the speaker found their brother's drunken behavior to be irritating or frustrating. The correct option that best reflects the meaning of the statement is "made me angry."

Choose the best option that best completes the gap(s):

The delegates were given _____ .

Maelezo ya Majibu

- a two-hour break

Choose the options that have the same consonant as the ones represented by the letter(s) underlined:

leisure

Maelezo ya Majibu

Choose the option to which the given sentence relates:

My Boss has an amiable DISPOSITION.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Still going by the rule when answering questions on emphatic stress, the option that doesn't have the emphasized word. In this case 'DISPOSITION' is the emphasized word on the only option without it is option D

Choose the option to which the given sentence relates:

Aderonke STATED she had a right to her privacy.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In the novel "Independence" Tayo lied to Vanassa that Christine was his _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In the novel "Independence", Tayo lied to Vanassa that Christine was his cousin. This means that he pretended that Christine was a member of his family who was related to him through shared ancestry. A cousin is a relative that one shares a grandparent with.

Choose the option opposite in meaning to the underlined word:

The delegates found it better to resort to consultation rather than _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Consultation means the action or process of formally consulting or discussing.
A serious disagreement or argument

Choose the option that has the same consonant as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined:

who

Maelezo ya Majibu

The consonant represented by the underlined letters in "who" is "h". The option that has the same consonant is "hammer". The letter "h" is the initial consonant in both "who" and "hammer".

Choose the interpretation that you consider most appropriate for each sentence.

Despite their newness on the job, the workers were remunerated rather handsomely. This means that _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The word 'remunerate' as used in the sentence means paid for services rendered or work done, while the word 'handsomely' means to a large degree, substantially and also connotes attractiveness

From the options, choose the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word:

He is quite an outspoken young man but his father is ________.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Outspoken means to be direct and open in speech and expression.
To be reserved or uncommunicative in speech and expression

Tayo opted to remain in Nigeria because he had a duty to serve his

Maelezo ya Majibu

Tayo chose to stay in Nigeria because he believed he had a responsibility to fulfill. This responsibility could be related to any aspect of his life, such as his job, community, or family. It is not specified in the given information whether Tayo had a wife, friends, or brothers, nor is it clear whether he was serving students. Therefore, it is impossible to determine which specific duty he had to fulfill.

Fill in the gap:

The press will no longer be free when the new government starts to _____ newspapers.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The press will no longer be free when the new government starts to "censor" newspapers. "Censorship" means that the government has the power to control what is written and published in the media, including newspapers. This can limit freedom of expression and the ability of journalists to report on important issues without interference. When a government censors newspapers, they may remove or change information that they deem inappropriate or harmful to their interests. This can lead to biased or incomplete reporting and can be detrimental to democracy. Therefore, if a government censors newspapers, the press will no longer be free.

Choose the best option that best completes the gap(s):

The _____ event takes place every two years.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The best option to complete the sentence is "biennial." Biennial means occurring every two years, and it is commonly used to describe events that happen once every two years. "Bienial" and "biannal" are misspellings of "biennial," and they do not exist in the English language. "Biannual" is a word that means occurring twice a year, so it would not be the best choice to describe an event that happens every two years.

The first time Paul met Ngozi, her beauty caught his eye. This means that _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Explanation provided by Omotoso Olamide

From the options, choose the word nearest in meaning to the underline word:

By working hard, Benjamin outshone his elder brother instead of being _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The word nearest in meaning to "outshone" is "overshadowed." To "outshine" someone means to be brighter or more successful, and to be "overshadowed" means to be made less noticeable or important by someone else's greater success or prominence. So in the sentence, "By working hard, Benjamin outshone his elder brother instead of being overshadowed," it means that Benjamin worked hard and became more successful and noticeable than his elder brother, instead of the other way around where his elder brother would have made Benjamin less important or noticeable.

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same consonant sound(s):

Strange

Maelezo ya Majibu

The consonant sound is |dz| which has the same sound with logic

Choose the most appropriate stress pattern from the options. The stressed are written in capital letters:

Judiciary

Maelezo ya Majibu

The most appropriate stress pattern for "Judiciary" is juDIciary. This means that the stress is on the third syllable from the beginning, and the first syllable is unstressed. The word "judiciary" refers to the branch of government responsible for interpreting and applying the law, and it is pronounced with the stress on the third syllable in standard English. When pronouncing this word, it is important to emphasize the syllable "di" and make it louder and longer than the other syllables. This will help to ensure that the word is pronounced correctly and clearly, and that the meaning is communicated effectively.

Choose the option opposite in meaning to the word or phrase in italics:

They come here on bootless errand.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The option opposite in meaning to "bootless" is "worthwhile". "Bootless" means unsuccessful, pointless, or unproductive, so if someone is on a "bootless errand", it means they are doing something that is unlikely to succeed or achieve their intended goal. On the other hand, "worthwhile" means something that is worth the time, effort, or money invested in it. If someone is on a "worthwhile errand", it means they are doing something that has a good chance of succeeding and achieving their goal. Therefore, "worthwhile" is the opposite of "bootless".

Choose the option opposite in meaning to the word or phrase in italics:

The chairman is parsimonious.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The option opposite in meaning to "parsimonious" is "generous." When someone is described as "parsimonious," it means that they are very frugal with their money and resources, often to the point of being excessively stingy or miserly. On the other hand, someone who is "generous" is willing to give freely and abundantly, often without expecting anything in return. The other options are not opposite in meaning to "parsimonious." "Avaricious" means having an extreme desire for wealth or material gain, which is similar to "parsimonious" in some ways. "Thrifty" means being careful with money and resources, which is similar to "parsimonious" but not necessarily to an excessive degree. "Accustomed" means being familiar with something, which is not related to the meaning of "parsimonious."

Select the option that best explain the information conveyed in the sentence:

The painting was beautifully faked.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The painting being beautifully faced could also be described as a good deceptive replica, which means there is almost no difference in the fake painting and the original.

Suleiman's reason for becoming a Muslim in the novel is because Islam brings sense of _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

In chapter 30, Suleiman was resolute about tracing his roots and finally finding his identity amongst his people in Africa and in the religion, Islam

Choose the option opposite in meaning to the word or phrase in italics:

The students received a mild reproof from the teacher.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The option opposite in meaning to the word "reproof" is "commendation". "Reproof" means mild criticism or disapproval, whereas "commendation" means praise or approval. So, the sentence implies that the teacher gave the students mild criticism or disapproval for something. The other options, "exhortation", "opposition", and "appropriation", do not provide an opposite meaning to "reproof" and are not suitable for the blank space in the sentence.

Choose the most appropriate stress pattern from the options.

The stressed are written in capital letters:

departmental

Maelezo ya Majibu

de|part|MEN|tal

Choose the best option that best completes the gap(s):

Snakes and ladders always _____ me happy these days.

Maelezo ya Majibu

According to the pluralia tantrums law of concord; whenever a pluralia tantrum appears, it must be followed by a singular verb. Pluralia tantrum are nouns that appear in plural forms, some of these words have finals, while some do not e.g Mathematics, economics, Darts, Snakes and ladders e.t.c.

Fill in the gap:

Mr Collins does not allow his name to be published in connection with the philanthropy because he _________ publicity.

Maelezo ya Majibu

Mr Collins does not allow his name to be published in connection with philanthropy because he detests publicity. This means that Mr Collins strongly dislikes or hates publicity or the attention that comes with publicizing his philanthropic activities. He prefers to remain anonymous or keep a low profile, rather than being recognized for his charitable deeds. By detesting publicity, Mr Collins wants to avoid any unnecessary attention or recognition and instead focus on the cause he supports without any external pressure or scrutiny.

Choose the option nearest in meaning to the word underlined:

One of the twins was as daring as the other was _____.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The word "daring" means bold and fearless. The opposite of "daring" is "timid," which means shy and lacking courage. So, the answer to the question "One of the twins was as daring as the other was _____?" is "timid."

From the options given, choose the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word.:

This house which was sealed off years ago has now been ________.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The opposite in meaning to "sealed" is "re-opened". When something is sealed, it means that it is closed off tightly to prevent access or entry. Therefore, "re-opened" would be the correct opposite in meaning in this context. It means that the house, which was once closed off, is now accessible again. "Rebuilt" means to build again from scratch; "re-roofed" means to repair or replace the roof, and "restored" means to bring something back to its original condition or state. While these words may also be used to describe renovating a house, they are not exact opposites of "sealed".

Choose the option nearest in meaning to the word or phrase in italics:

This case is within the jurisdiction of the council.

Maelezo ya Majibu

The word "jurisdiction" refers to the legal authority that a particular court or government body has to make decisions and enforce laws within a certain area or over a particular group of people. So, the option nearest in meaning to the word "jurisdiction" is (C) authority. In this sentence, it means that the council has the legal power and right to make decisions and enforce laws related to this case.