BECE 1990 English Language Past Questions and Answers

Paper 1: Objectives

Section A: COMPREHENSION

Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions that follow.

1. The classroom was quiet because the pupils ......
   1. A. wanted the lesson to end quickly
   2. B. did not understand the lesson.
   3. C. were preparing for their final examination.
   4. D. had stolen some pawpaw
   5. E. had heard that Mr. Odumba had fallen down.
   Answer: B
2. Mr. Odumba came to the school ......
   1. A. because he wanted to beat one of the pupils.
   2. B. to search for those who had stolen his pawpaw.
   3. C. to return the bucket to the school.
   4. D. to converse with one of the teachers.
   5. E. to learn about 'if' clauses.
   Answer: B
3. How did Mr. Odumba's visit to the school affect the pupils?
   1. A. They were frightened
   2. B. He disturbed them
   3. C. They were happy
   4. D. They felt sorry for him
   5. E. They were ashamed
   Answer: C
4. Which of the following statements is not true according to the passage?
   1. A. The pupils were weak in grammar
   2. B. Mr. Odumba fell down once
   3. C. The lesson was not understood
   4. D. The pupils' hands smelt of pawpaw
   5. E. Mr. Odumba kept a garden
   Answer: D
5. Mr. Odumba's big head came round the door. This means Mr. Odumba's head
   1. A. appeared at the entrance.
   2. B. hit the door.
   3. C. blocked the entrance.
   4. D. pushed the door open.
   5. E. turned round at the door.
   Answer: A
6. The expression, Can I have a word with you? means, let me .....
   1. A. help you teach.
   2. B. teach you a word.
   3. C. give you something.
   4. D. have my pawpaw back.
   5. E. speak to you.
   Answer: E

Section A

Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions that follow.

7. According to the passage when one comes across two dogs fighting, one ......
   1. A. becomes both attracted and frightened.
   2. B. must run away from them.
   3. C. must hit their necks with a stick.
   4. D. must shout to separate them.
   5. E. becomes both sorry and happy.
   Answer: A
8. The spectators thought Whisky had won the fight because he ......
   1. A. had once attacked and defeated a lizard.
   2. B. knew how to fight.
   3. C. was able to jump higher than Sandy
   4. D. pushed Sandy to the ground.
   5. E. showed his sharp teeth.
   Answer: D
9. Whisky was defeated because Sandy ......
   1. A. had the support of the crowd.
   2. B. bit his legs.
   3. C. held his throat.
   4. D. turned the tide.
   5. E. attacked first.
   Answer: C
10. Sandy played it cool means that Sandy ......
    1. A. enjoyed the fight.
    2. B. felt very cold.
    3. C. did not bark.
    4. D. remained undisturbed.
    5. E. stopped fighting.
    Answer: D

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11. The tide turned as used in the passage means ......
    1. A. the situation changed.
    2. B. it became windy.
    3. C. the weather became more violent.
    4. D. the fight became more violent.
    5. E. spectators changed their minds.

Section

From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word underlined in each sentence.

12. The traders agreed to pay extra money to the council.
    1. A. tried
    2. B. struggled
    3. C. refused
    4. D. remembered
    5. E. wanted
13. The boxer displayed a high degree of bravery in the fight.
    1. A. speed
    2. B. cowardice
    3. C. alertness
    4. D. competence
    5. E. skill
14. It is a fact that Zaibu often gives accurate answers to questions.
    1. A. long
    2. B. silly
    3. C. interesting
    4. D. quick
    5. E. wrong
15. The students rejected the prefect chosen by the staff.
    1. A. admired
    2. B. advised
    3. C. relied on
    4. D. accepted
    5. E. helped

Section C

In each of the following sentences a word or group of words has been underlined. Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one that best explains the underlined word or group of words.

16. At the end of the investigations the police said the hands of the accused were clean. This means ......
    1. A. police praised the accused for his neatness.
    2. B. accused was blameless.
    3. C. accused had washed his hands.
    4. D. police saw the accused's fingerprints.
    5. E. police said the accused told the truth.
17. It's only 2 o'clock, Martin. You needn't go yet. This means that Martin ......
    1. A. doesn't go out.
    2. B. can't go yet.
    3. C. doesn't have to go yet.
    4. D. isn't going yet.
    5. E. doesn't want to go.
18. He feared that his father would ask where he had been. This means that ......
    1. A. he was afraid when his father asked him where he had been.,
    2. B. he would be afraid if his father asked him where he had been.
    3. C. he was afraid of his father so he did not tell him where he had been.
    4. D. he was afraid that his father would want to know where he had been.
    5. E. he was frightened by the way his father asked him where he had been.
19. I don't like people who blow their own trumpet. This means I dislike people who ......
    1. A. are noisy.
    2. B. are selfish.
    3. C. blow trumpets.
    4. D. are quarrelsome.
    5. E. are boastful.
20. If Mantey had passed the examination his father would have bought him a present. This means Mantey......
    1. A. failed the examination so he had no present.
    2. B. did not usually do well in examination.
    3. C. usually received presents from his father after examinations.
    4. D. would be given a present for being successful in the examination.
    5. E. knew that his father would buy him a present to help pass examination.
21. Put this money aside against a rainy day, Kwesi. Kwesi is being told ......
    1. A. to keep the money until he really needs it.
    2. B. to keep the money until it rains.
    3. C. not to waste money when it rains
    4. D. to put all his money in the bank.
    5. E. give out money on the day it rain.

Section D

From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence.

22. Eshun is a good singer, ......?
    1. A. isn't it
    2. B. wasn't he
    3. C. is he
    4. D. isn't he
23. You shouldn't work so late, ......?
    1. A. won't you
    2. B. do you
    3. C. should you
    4. D. don't you
24. You'll travel by train to Kumasi, ......?
    1. A. won't you
    2. B. can't you
    3. C. shouldn't you
    4. D. wouldn't you
25. You are not afraid of snakes, ......?
    1. A. aren't you
    2. B. are you
    3. C. do you
    4. D. won't you
26. I can go to bed now because I ...... my assignment.
    1. A. am finishing
    2. B. will finished
    3. C. finished
    4. D. have finished
27. No one can be expected to ...... such bad behaviour.
    1. A. put up with
    2. B. put in for
    3. C. put across to
    4. D. put down against
28. I can't hear him; I wish he ...... louder.
    1. A. will speak
    2. B. is speaking
    3. C. would speak
    4. D. had spoken
29. If Sampson had spoken the truth the teacher ...... him.
    1. A. shouldn't have punished
    2. B. won't have punished
    3. C. wouldn't have punished
    4. D. wouldn't punish
30. The head teacher advised the students to ...... if they wanted to do well in their examination.
    1. A. sit back
    2. B. sit by
    3. C. sit on
    4. D. sit up
31. At these words, the students ...... laughter.
    1. A. burst with
    2. B. burst into
    3. C. burst for
    4. D. burst in
32. My uncle will go on a short course before he ...... his new job.
    1. A. takes to
    2. B. takes up
    3. C. takes out
    4. D. takes
33. The prefect made the boy ...... the assembly hall.
    1. A. swept
    2. B. sweeps
    3. C. to sweep
    4. D. sweep

Section E

Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.

34. It is not always good to believe all newspaper accounts.
    1. A. cartoons
    2. B. headlines
    3. C. reports
    4. D. jokes
    5. E. columns
35. Everybody should have a goal in life.
    1. A. a choice
    2. B. a skill
    3. C. an opinion
    4. D. an aim
    5. E. a result
36. Mr. Mensah was worn out after walking up the hill.
    1. A. tired
    2. B. sweating
    3. C. hungry
    4. D. worried
    5. E. sleepy
37. Elephants are becoming rare in some parts of Africa.
    1. A. unimportant
    2. B. uncommon
    3. C. unknown
    4. D. exposed
    5. E. destructive
38. On the doctor's advice, Mr. Smith cut out smoking altogether.
    1. A. stopped
    2. B. dismissed
    3. C. postponed
    4. D. interrupted
    5. E. decreased
39. The old man told us a tall story about a soldier who fought a war with a spoon.
    1. A. a sad story
    2. B. an adventurous
    3. C. a funny story
    4. D. a long story
    5. E. an incredible story
40. All my clothes are outmoded.
    1. A. worn out
    2. B. old-fashioned
    3. C. handmade
    4. D. ready-made
    5. E. specially made

Paper 2: Theory

1. Write a letter to a friend telling him or her about plans you have for an excursion and inviting him or her to join you.
2. You have finished junior secondary school and would like to improve on your best skill. Write a letter of application to the owner of a company for apprenticeship.
3. Describe what you normally do on Sundays.
4. You were in the house when you heard drumming and singing. Describe what you saw when you came out of the house.

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