BECE 2016 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. He is............ poor that he cannot pay his bills.
   1. A. so
   2. B. too
   3. C. very
   4. D. rather
   Answer: A
2. You will be late............ you hurry.
   1. A. if
   2. B. or
   3. C. unless
   4. D. since
   Answer: C
3. Aminu has been absent from class............ one month.
   1. A. in
   2. B. for
   3. C. from
   4. D. since
   Answer: B
4. Many people have been invited, but............ will be employed.
   1. A. few
   2. B. little
   3. C. none
   4. D. some
   Answer: A
5. The teacher told the girl he had received............ of the two exercises.
   1. A. all
   2. B. some
   3. C. none
   4. D. both
   Answer: C
6. My father has bought a............ car.
   1. A. private brand new
   2. B. private new brand
   3. C. new brand private
   4. D. brand new private
   Answer: D
7. Mama is never............ ready for anything.
   1. A. so
   2. B. even
   3. C. too
   4. D. rather
   Answer: B
8. Akua was............ that she won four prizes.
   1. A. a girl so brilliant
   2. B. a so brilliant girl
   3. C. so brilliant a girl
   4. D. a brilliant so girl
   Answer: C
9. Before he entered the classroom, we............ the chalkboard.
   1. A. cleaned
   2. B. have cleaned
   3. C. had cleaned
   4. D. are cleaning
   Answer: C
10. I have forgotten all............ my friend told me.
    1. A. this
    2. B. that
    3. C. what
    4. D. which
    Answer: B

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11. The supervisor will ask the............ to come and repair the pipe in the bath room.
    1. A. mason
    2. B. repairer
    3. C. plumber
    4. D. lumber
12. The stone fell into the river with a loud.............
    1. A. bang
    2. B. crash
    3. C. noise
    4. D. splash
13. Aggie got............ mark for French in the examination.
    1. A. bad
    2. B. worse
    3. C. the worse
    4. D. the worst
14. We won the school debating contest,............ we?
    1. A. hadn't
    2. B. didn't
    3. C. couldn't
    4. D. did
15. Kwame looks very handsome,.............?
    1. A. isn't he
    2. B. isn't it
    3. C. doesn't he
    4. D. does he
16. Nana Yaa was suffering............ measles.
    1. A. by
    2. B. with
    3. C. from
    4. D. through
17. The suspect was charged............ pickpocketing.
    1. A. of
    2. B. for
    3. C. on
    4. D. with

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. One essential item for making local soap is soda ash.
    1. A. correct
    2. B. main
    3. C. real
    4. D. important
19. Pupils are to read the instructions carefully.
    1. A. notice
    2. B. demands
    3. C. commands
    4. D. directives
20. The dog saw its image in the water.
    1. A. nature
    2. B. condition
    3. C. reflection
    4. D. attraction
21. We shall have the final rehearsal for the play tonight.
    1. A. meeting
    2. B. practice
    3. C. trial
    4. D. preparation
22. My mother is skilled in domestic affairs.
    1. A. local
    2. B. internal
    3. C. everyday
    4. D. household

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. Akwely was taken aback on seeing a stranger in her room. This means Akwely was very...
    1. A. angry
    2. B. afraid
    3. C. confused
    4. D. surprised
24. The employees saw eye to eye with their manager. This means that the employees...
    1. A. agreed completely with him
    2. B. were very close to him
    3. C. rarely saw him
    4. D. greatly respect him
25. The priest was in high spirits during the sermon. This means that he was...
    1. A. content
    2. B. cheerful
    3. C. spiritual
    4. D. annoyed
26. The opponents decided to bury the hatchet. This means that they decided to...
    1. A. make peace
    2. B. bury their guns
    3. C. hold discussions
    4. D. suspend the fighting
27. The headmaster took the students' version of the theft with a pinch of salt. This means that the headmaster...
    1. A. believed the students' version
    2. B. doubted the students' version
    3. C. accepted the students' version
    4. D. ignored the students' version

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 judge acquitted four of the accused but........... the rest.
    1. A. convicted
    2. B. discharged
    3. C. cautioned
    4. D. rebuked
29. It pays to be courteous rather than being...........
    1. A. rude
    2. B. wicked
    3. C. disobedient
    4. D. boastful
30. Drivers who do not drive with care are sometimes charged with...........
    1. A. speeding
    2. B. drunkenness
    3. C. disobedient
    4. D. recklessness
31. King David was the heir to the throne while the brother was the...........
    1. A. usurper
    2. B. successor
    3. C. claimant
    4. D. descendant
32. The secretary intentionally hid the documents but the clerk........... burnt them.
    1. A. willingly
    2. B. hastily
    3. C. mistakenly
    4. D. carelessly

Section E

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

33. A poem of six lines is called a/an.............
    1. A. octave
    2. B. opera
    3. C. sextet
    4. D. sonnet
34. The sudden change in the weather frightened Araba. The bright orange colour of the sunset sky had quickly turned dull as the grey clouds gathered, rumbling, dark and angry. The booming voice of thunder was intimidating. Lightning flashed shards of light from his formidable torch. Araba was a cornered rat. How would she get home if the worst happened?
    
    The atmosphere is.............
    1. A. cheerful
    2. B. friendly
    3. C. frightening
    4. D. undaunting
35. The sudden change in the weather frightened Araba. The bright orange colour of the sunset sky had quickly turned dull as the grey clouds gathered, rumbling, dark and angry. The booming voice of thunder was intimidating. Lightning flashed shards of light from his formidable torch. Araba was a cornered rat. How would she get home if the worst happened?
    
    The state of the weather is emphasized by the word.............
    1. A. angry
    2. B. cloud
    3. C. flashed
    4. D. grey
36. The sudden change in the weather frightened Araba. The bright orange colour of the sunset sky had quickly turned dull as the grey clouds gathered, rumbling, dark and angry. The booming voice of thunder was intimidating. Lightning flashed shards of light from his formidable torch. Araba was a cornered rat. How would she get home if the worst happened?
    
    'Lightning flashed............. light from............. torch' is an example of.............
    1. A. alliteration
    2. B. ellipsis
    3. C. parallelism
    4. D. personification
37. The sudden change in the weather frightened Araba. The bright orange colour of the sunset sky had quickly turned dull as the grey clouds gathered, rumbling, dark and angry. The booming voice of thunder was intimidating. Lightning flashed shards of light from his formidable torch. Araba was a cornered rat. How would she get home if the worst happened?
    
    What is being referred to by the question, 'How would she............ happened?'
    1. A. Current calm
    2. B. Imminent rain
    3. C. Latent sky
    4. D. Rumbling clouds
38. The sudden change in the weather frightened Araba. The bright orange colour of the sunset sky had quickly turned dull as the grey clouds gathered, rumbling, dark and angry. The booming voice of thunder was intimidating. Lightning flashed shards of light from his formidable torch. Araba was a cornered rat. How would she get home if the worst happened?
    
    The extract is.............
    1. A. drama
    2. B. poetry
    3. C. prose
    4. D. story
39. One special feature of prose is the.............
    1. A. paragraph
    2. B. stanza
    3. C. stage direction
    4. D. rhyme
40. The work of the novelist is in.............
    1. A. drama
    2. B. poetry
    3. C. prose
    4. D. verse

Paper 2: Theory

1. Write a letter to your friend describing how you saved a child who was in danger.
2. Write an article for publication in your school magazine on the topic: The relationship between parents and their children should be cordial.
3. Write a story which ends with the sentence: We were lucky that night.
4. Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow.
   
   One major cause of environmental degradation in Ghana is gold mining. In the name of natural resource development, land is given to mining companies owned by foreigners. These foreigners milk the country dry and destroy the heritage of the people.
   
   From the vast concessions granted them by the government, they extract the gold, destroy the rivers and other water bodies in the communities before going home, leaving the land worthless. Yet their operations are legal.
   
   Approved mining is, however, not the sole gold mining activity. There is also what is regarded as unauthorized mining, called galamsey. In this enterprise, adventurous Ghanaians set out to do private mining as a livelihood. They dig up the earth with tools that are not as sophisticated as those of foreigners who also dig for the precious metal.
   
   Mining activities destroy the environment. So far, it appears that nothing can be done to reclaim the land degraded by miners; the damage is irreversible. Vast tracts of arable land have become desolate mounds because of gold digging. Nothing can grow where galamsey has taken place.
   
   Besides, the main water sources of communities have been polluted by the activities of both legal and illegal miners. The gold extracted from dirt requires cleaning with chemicals and rinsing in water. By the time the gold searchers succeed in producing a glittering handful, large stretches of rivers, ponds of water, and some lakes have become poisoned.
   
   Pollution leaves little drinking water for man and beast. Fishes die and humans contract various diseases.
   
   Questions:
   
   a) Name the types of mining activities discussed in the passage.
   
   b) I. Which groups of people engage in mining?
   
   II. Why does the government give licenses to miners?
   
   c) How are the people and the land affected by the mining activities?
   
   I. How are people affected by the mining activities?
   
   II. How is the land affected by the mining activities?
   
   d) I. How does the writer feel about mining?
   
   II. Why does the writer think that nothing can be done about the effects of mining?
   
   e) Explain the following expressions in your own words:
   
   I. milk the country dry
   
   II. leaving the land worthless
   
   f) For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the same and can fit into the passage:
   
   I. vast
   
   II. sole
   
   III. reclaim
   
   IV. mounds
   
   V. glittering

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