BECE 2014 English Language Past Questions and Answers

Paper 1: Objectives

Section A: LEXIS AND STRUCTURE

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

1. The students were hostile............ the lazy teacher.
   1. A. on
   2. B. to
   3. C. from
   4. D. with
   Answer: B
2. The............ met at the mess.
   1. A. commander-in-chief
   2. B. commander-in-chiefs
   3. C. commanders-in-chief
   4. D. commanders-in-chiefs
   Answer: C
3. The workers are demonstrating............ management.
   1. A. at
   2. B. on
   3. C. upon
   4. D. against
   Answer: D
4. ............ failed the examination, Doris was dismissed from the school.
   1. A. Having
   2. B. In having
   3. C. On having
   4. D. To having
   Answer: A
5. The building he bought............ millions of cedis.
   1. A. cost
   2. B. costs
   3. C. coated
   4. D. costing
   Answer: B
6. The dresses are............
   1. A. you
   2. B. your's
   3. C. our's
   4. D. ours
   Answer: D
7. We shall invite him when he............ from America.
   1. A. will return
   2. B. had returned
   3. C. returns
   4. D. returned
   Answer: C
8. The students were congratulated............ their brilliant performance.
   1. A. by
   2. B. on
   3. C. with
   4. D. about
   Answer: B
9. By this time next year
   
   I............ school.
   1. A. will leave
   2. B. would leave
   3. C. might leave
   4. D. will have left
   Answer: D
10. Isn't that girl............ old to play with toys?
    1. A. as
    2. B. so
    3. C. too
    4. D. very
    Answer: C

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11. You usually come to school early,............
    1. A. can you
    2. B. will you
    3. C. aren't you
    4. D. don't you
12. I am............ faithfully.
    1. A. your
    2. B. yours'
    3. C. yours
    4. D. your's
13. No sooner had we arrived............ he came back from work.
    1. A. than
    2. B. then
    3. C. when
    4. D. before
14. Kofi and Ama love............
    1. A. another
    2. B. their selves
    3. C. each other
    4. D. one another
15. It's no good............ to him.
    1. A. to be talking
    2. B. talked
    3. C. talking
    4. D. about talking
16. Since our last meeting,
    
    I............ ill.
    1. A. am
    2. B. was
    3. C. had been
    4. D. have been
17. I was............ tired that I couldn't go any further.
    1. A. so
    2. B. too
    3. C. much
    4. D. very

Section B

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

18. The elders were advised not to meddle in chieftaincy affairs.
    1. A. indulge
    2. B. intrude
    3. C. interfere
    4. D. intervene
19. The accountant corrected all the mistakes made by the Chief Executive.
    1. A. refused
    2. B. erased
    3. C. nullified
    4. D. rectified
20. Elorm's decision was superb.
    1. A. right
    2. B. good
    3. C. excellent
    4. D. wonderful
21. The students complained that the rules were too rigid.
    1. A. strong
    2. B. hard
    3. C. strict
    4. D. bad
22. The new headmaster met the staff and made his maiden speech.
    1. A. first
    2. B. fresh
    3. C. official
    4. D. original

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.

23. The student was caught red-handed breaking the louvers. This means that the student was caught............
    1. A. while committing the offence.
    2. B. with blood on his hands.
    3. C. before the act.
    4. D. after the act.
24. We knew it was a cock and bull story. This means that the story was............
    1. A. difficult to believe.
    2. B. about a cock and a bull.
    3. C. real.
    4. D. false.
25. The thieves were armed to the teeth when they entered the house. This means that the thieves were............
    1. A. well trained.
    2. B. experienced.
    3. C. fully armed.
    4. D. violent.
26. Mr. Abban instructed his wife to keep an eye on their daughter. This means that their daughter should be............
    1. A. pampered.
    2. B. disciplined.
    3. C. controlled properly.
    4. D. watched closely.
27. The president hit the nail on the head when he complained that most of the minister were corrupt. This means that the president spoke............
    1. A. the exact truth
    2. B. in detail
    3. C. harshly
    4. D. clearly

Section D

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.

28. The man was disgraced in public.
    1. A. respected
    2. B. honoured
    3. C. welcomed
    4. D. accepted
29. Akosua accepted the offer.
    1. A. disliked
    2. B. declined
    3. C. withdrew
    4. D. ignored
30. Food is abundant in the rural areas.
    1. A. scarce
    2. B. less
    3. C. few
    4. D. cheap
31. Doctors have withdrawn their services.
    1. A. hidden
    2. B. registered
    3. C. offered
    4. D. displayed
32. By our constitution, it is obligatory to vote.
    1. A. good
    2. B. necessary
    3. C. optional
    4. D. right

Section E

From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that correctly answers each question or completes the sentence.

33. Which of the following is not example of oral literature?
    1. A. Myth
    2. B. Folktale
    3. C. Proverb
    4. D. Melodrama
34. The dominant idea in a literary work constitutes its............
    1. A. plot
    2. B. theme
    3. C. diction
    4. D. structure
35. The expression 'The world is a stage' is an example of............
    1. A. metonymy
    2. B. simile
    3. C. personification
    4. D. metaphor
36. A genre is............
    1. A. any kind of poetry
    2. B. another name of prose
    3. C. a subdivision of drama
    4. D. any of the three forms of literature
37. Sweet sensation rises in pressure
    Tiny legs kick with pleasure
    Sleep comes gently and strong
    Sleep whispers softly and strong
    
    The device used in 'Sleep comes gently and strong' is............
    1. A. irony
    2. B. hyperbole
    3. C. euphemism
    4. D. personification
38. Sweet sensation rises in pressure
    Tiny legs kick with pleasure
    Sleep comes gently and strong
    Sleep whispers softly and strong
    
    The rhyme scheme of the stanza is............
    1. A. abba
    2. B. bbaa
    3. C. aabb
    4. D. abab
39. The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,
    The furrow followed free;
    We were the first that burst
    Into the silent sea.
    
    The main sound device used in the stanza is............
    1. A. pun
    2. B. rhyme
    3. C. alliteration
    4. D. onomatopoeia
40. The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,
    The furrow followed free;
    We were the first that burst
    Into the silent sea.
    
    The device helps to express............
    1. A. the silence of the sea
    2. B. the whiteness of the foam
    3. C. the fairness of the weather
    4. D. the smoothness of the movement

Paper 2: Theory

1. You have been offered admission to a Senior High School to pursue a programme which you do not like. Write a letter to the headmaster of the school stating at least two reasons why you want the programme changed.
2. Write an article to be published in a national newspaper on why every school should have a library.
3. Write the speech you would give at your school's graduation day on The school's achievements and failures in the academic year.
4. Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow.
   
   Fatimeh was always silent. She learnt a lot within a short time. In one month, she could milk cows, separate butter and cheese from the milk, ferment the milk and cook nearly as well as Rikku's mother. At first, she went with Rikku's mother to hawk the sour milk, she was beginning to find her way to and from town.
   
   Fatimeh was always chewing tobacco flower and so her lips, teeth and gums became red. Hodio noticed that her looks had improved since she came to live with the family, her skin was smooth and shiny; she had also put on more flesh.
   
   Towards nightfall, when Fatimeh came home, she would take a pot and go down to the stream where she bathed and drew water. Sometimes, she went with Leibe or Shaitu; she was never alone.
   
   One evening, Hodio followed Fatimeh quietly to the stream when the place was quiet and he could hear the sound of his own footsteps on the dusty road. When he caught up with Fatimeh, he suggested to her to run away with him because he loved her dearly and wanted her to be his wife. Fatimeh refused. She knew very well that, as a slave, she could never hope to marry a freeborn and proud Fulani like Hodio Sunsaye.
   
   Hodio did not give up. He spoke to her again. He tried to persuade her to run away with him and live in a town where no one cared about tradition and custom. Eventually, Fatimeh agreed to consider his proposal.
   
   Hodio's father, old Sunsaye, was the first person who missed Fatimeh. He called his wife, Shaitu, and asked her if she has seen Fatimeh. She replied in the negative. He asked Rikku and Leibe. No one could tell him where Hodio and Fatimeh were. They then looked behind the hut; the horse was not there.
   
   Questions:
   
   a) What two things did the girl learn to do in one month?
   
   b) Give two adjectives that describe Fatimeh as presented in the first paragraph.
   
   c) What was Hodio's main reason for following Fatimeh to the stream?
   
   d) I. What did Fatimeh refuse to do at first?
   
   II. Why did she refuse Hodio's proposal?
   
   e) Why did Hodio want to live in a town?
   
   f) For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the same and can fit into the passage:
   
   I. silent
   
   II. sour
   
   III. improved
   
   IV. drew
   
   V. proposal

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