BECE 2018 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. Salifu was............ surprised that he could not talk.
   1. A. enough
   2. B. so
   3. C. what
   4. D. which
   Answer: B
2. This amount is all............ I have on me.
   1. A. that
   2. B. this
   3. C. what
   4. D. which
   Answer: A
3. I am told he is a friend of............
   1. A. he
   2. B. him
   3. C. his
   4. D. he's
   Answer: C
4. Rice and beans............ a good meal for children.
   1. A. are
   2. B. have been
   3. C. is
   4. D. is being
   Answer: A
5. Yaw is............ clever to be cheated.
   1. A. quite
   2. B. so
   3. C. too
   4. D. very
   Answer: C
6. The two rivals are fond of insulting............
   1. A. each other
   2. B. one another
   3. C. one and the other
   4. D. themselves
   Answer: A
7. Of all the pupils in the class, Ekua is............
   1. A. prettier
   2. B. prettiest
   3. C. the prettier
   4. D. the prettiest
   Answer: D
8. It is high time Adzo............ home.
   1. A. came
   2. B. comes
   3. C. has come
   4. D. will come
   Answer: A
9. You should be............ more careful about what you say.
   1. A. less
   2. B. least
   3. C. little
   4. D. a little
   Answer: D
10. Atsu is looking forward to............ his friends at the party.
    1. A. see
    2. B. seeing
    3. C. be seeing
    4. D. have seen
    Answer: B

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11. The harder you study,............ your chance of success.
    1. A. greater
    2. B. greatest
    3. C. the great
    4. D. the greater
12. If you had asked me,
    
    I............ you.
    1. A. will help
    2. B. would help
    3. C. will have helped
    4. D. would have helped
13. I don't really know what you want,............ I?
    1. A. am
    2. B. aren't
    3. C. do
    4. D. did
14. I will not walk to school with............ of the boys.
    1. A. each
    2. B. either
    3. C. everyone
    4. D. neither
15. Jane fell ill............ measles.
    1. A. at
    2. B. by
    3. C. of
    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.

16. Aminu's bushy eyebrows gave him a very severe look.
    1. A. bad
    2. B. deadly
    3. C. serious
    4. D. unpleasant
17. My father had the benefit of good education.
    1. A. luck
    2. B. advantage
    3. C. quality
    4. D. value
18. Kwame was too scared to be left alone in the house.
    1. A. afraid
    2. B. anxious
    3. C. uneasy
    4. D. unhappy
19. The new school is ideal for Mr. Mensah's children.
    1. A. good
    2. B. perfect
    3. C. satisfactory
    4. D. suitable
20. The internet is of enormous benefit to education.
    1. A. enviable
    2. B. great
    3. C. much
    4. D. suitable

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.

21. Akua celebrates her birthday today but I cannot make it. This means that the speaker...
    1. A. does not want to be there
    2. B. feels it is necessary to attend
    3. C. has no birthday gift for her friend
    4. D. will not be able to attend
22. The interview was conducted to separate the sheep from the goats. This means that the interview aimed at...
    1. A. finding people who could rear sheep
    2. B. keeping the sheep in a different pen
    3. C. selecting only the humble candidates
    4. D. selecting the best candidates
23. Being the eldest child of the family, Joojo claimed the lion share of the father's property. This means that Joojo had...
    1. A. all the property
    2. B. half of the property
    3. C. the best part
    4. D. the largest part
24. The students were all ears during the presentation. This means that the students...
    1. A. did not enjoy the presentation
    2. B. had big ears
    3. C. listened attentively
    4. D. were very happy
25. Dallies is the pick of the bunch. This means that Dallies...
    1. A. is a farmer
    2. B. is an athlete
    3. C. is preferred to all others
    4. D. works on a banana plantation

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.

26. The headteacher asked the pupils to disperse.
    1. A. assemble
    2. B. come
    3. C. meet
    4. D. stay
27. The current is slow downhill.
    1. A. abrupt
    2. B. fresh
    3. C. running
    4. D. swift
28. The bread is stale.
    1. A. burnt
    2. B. delicious
    3. C. fresh
    4. D. mouldy
29. Akos has nothing to be boastful of.
    1. A. afraid
    2. B. anxious
    3. C. ashamed
    4. D. nervous
30. The pupils are confident of passing the examination
    1. A. determined
    2. B. doubtless
    3. C. uncertain
    4. D. uneasy

Paper 2: Theory

PART A ESSAY WRITING

Answer one question only from this part. Your composition should be about 250 words long.

1. As a School Prefect, write a letter to your District or Municipal or Metropolitan Chief Executive requesting the maintenance of the building in your school.
2. Write arguments for or against the topic: Life in the city is more dangerous than that in the village.
3. Write a report to the Headteacher of your school about how a senior girl beat up a junior boy.

PART B COMPREHENSION

Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow.

4. Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow.
   
   When Pozo adopted Abate and Ali, he vowed to take great care of them. And he did his best. But Abate and Ali did exactly what they were told not to. Their greatest passion was snail-hunting.
   
   As he left home for an important meeting one afternoon, Pozo told the boys that he would be particularly pleased if they did not join any snail-hunting group or go snail-hunting by themselves. He even promised surprise presents if they abstained from snail-hunting for once. It was quite obvious to everyone that there would be snail-hunting as there had been a heavy downpour that morning.
   
   Pozo's meeting was marathon. When he arrived home at 8:30 that night, neither of the boys was at home. He felt that something grave might have happened. He stood still for some time, confused. He switched on his radio and tuned in to his favorite station, Hiawa FM, and the breaking news was: 'Five snail-hunters have been run over at Yaaboi by the early evening in-coming Desuano-bound train.' As the dreadful news hit him, Pozo winced.
   
   Pozo was so stupefied that he did not notice Ali enter the house, sweating and breathless, carrying a head-load of snails. But where was Abate?
   
   Furtively, the back door squeaked open. In stole the other boy, also sweating and breathless under the weight of the head-load of snails. On seeing him, Pozo sighed relieved. He shook his head. 'These boys will surely be the death of me,' he murmured to himself. 'When will they do exactly as they are told?'
   
   a) I. Why was Pozo taking care of the boys?
   
   II. Why do you think Pozo did not want the boys to go snail-hunting?
   
   b) State two reasons why Pozo was sure that the boys would go snail-hunting.
   
   c) What is the meaning of the sentence, 'Pozo's meeting was a marathon'?
   
   d) I. Why was Pozo so worried when he returned from the meeting?
   
   II. How did the news of the rail accident affect Pozo?
   
   e) Explain in your own words the following expressions as used in the passage:
   
   I. have been run over
   
   II. in stole the other boy
   
   III. be the death of me
   
   f) For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the same and can fit into the passage:
   
   I. vowed
   
   II. passion
   
   III. abstained
   
   IV. grave
   
   V. breathless

PART C LITERATURE

Answer all the questions in this part.

5. SACKEY J.A and DARMANI L. (COMP): The Cockcrow
   
   Questions 5(a) to 5(c) are based on the abridged and simplified version of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist
   
   CHARLES DICKENS: Oliver Twist
   
   'Oliver walked 70 miles to London. In such a big city, no one would ever find him! It was chilly and his feet hurt, but he was happy to leave his old, miserable life behind.'
   
   [page 107]
   
   5(a) Two of the people who treated Oliver badly, making him run away to London are............ and ............
   
   5(b) An example of the use of contrast in the extract is............
   
   'I robbed her. Before her body was cold, I robbed her of the one item she had. She could have sold it for food or shelter, but she kept it safe,.............'
   
   5(c) '.............. the one item she had' was ................
   
   Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 5(d) and 5(e)
   
   MERRILL CORNEY: Debbies, Sandy and Pepe
   
   'Well, we'll just have to look after him ourselves there,' she said. 'We'll make a soft nest for him and feed him when he grows up. He will stay in our garden.'
   
   [page 8]
   
   5(d) What did they choose for a nest for Pepe?
   
   5(e) Which figure of speech is mainly used in the extract?
   
   Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 5(f) to 5(h)
   
   AMA ATAA AIDOO: The Dilemma of a Ghost
   
   My spirit Mother ought to have come for me earlier.
   
   Now, what shall I tell them who are gone?
   
   The daughter of slaves who come from the white man's land.
   
   Someone should advise me on how to tell my story.
   
   My children, I am dreading my arrival there,
   
   Where they will ask me news of home.
   
   Shall I tell them or shall I not?
   
   5(f) Who is the speaker?
   
   5(g) What do the following expressions in the extract refer to?
   
   (I) '............ who are gone?'
   
   (II) '............ there'.
   
   Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 5(h) to 5(i)
   
   LAWRENCE DARMANI: Scribbler's Dream
   
   Scribbler,
   
   The dream in your minds fills the shelf.
   
   When upon the shelf you gaze,
   
   Vacuum stares at you.
   
   There is your quill and parchment,
   
   But heavy are your hands.
   
   Why?
   
   Because disuse numbs the wrist.
   
   5(h) What does 'Scribbler' refer to?
   
   5(i) What does 'The dream in your' refer to?

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