BECE 2022 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. If the family house had been maintained properly, it ........ collapsed.
   1. A. will not have
   2. B. has not
   3. C. had not
   4. D. would not have
   Answer: D
2. She bakes bread as a means ........ making an extra income.
   1. A. for
   2. B. in
   3. C. to
   4. D. of
   Answer: D
3. Deon said he heard the parrot ........
   1. A. sing
   2. B. sang
   3. C. sung
   4. D. to sing
   Answer: A
4. People who live in unhygienic environments easily ........ Cholera.
   1. A. catch
   2. B. attract
   3. C. capture
   4. D. contract
   Answer: D
5. There is ........ water in the fridge.
   1. A. a few
   2. B. few
   3. C. a lot
   4. D. a little
   Answer: D
6. Remy looks forward to ........ Jane at the party.
   1. A. seeing
   2. B. see
   3. C. have been seeing
   4. D. be seeing
   Answer: A
7. The students did not give any reason ........ being late
   1. A. to
   2. B. of
   3. C. for
   4. D. in
   Answer: C
8. What ........ Kwadwo and Adwoa doing when you left the shop?
   1. A. are
   2. B. were
   3. C. was
   4. D. is
   Answer: B
9. Selfish people always consider ........ first.
   1. A. myself
   2. B. ourselves
   3. C. herself
   4. D. themselves
   Answer: D
10. Enyonam asked her friend to ........ her a pen.
    1. A. lend
    2. B. spare
    3. C. borrow
    4. D. excuse
    Answer: A

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11. The accident occurred ........ the driver's mistakes.
    1. A. from
    2. B. on
    3. C. through
    4. D. by
12. I know you are ........, Esi.
    1. A. taller
    2. B. tallest
    3. C. the taller
    4. D. the tall
13. Akesi's mother was not satisfied ........ his explanation.
    1. A. in
    2. B. to
    3. C. with
    4. D. on
14. I have been in this country ........ three years.
    1. A. through
    2. B. within
    3. C. for
    4. D. since
15. Their gardener was ........ old to work.
    1. A. even
    2. B. so
    3. C. too
    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.

16. Her ambition is to own a private jet.
    1. A. target
    2. B. joy
    3. C. plan
    4. D. desire
17. Have you enough money to buy a house?
    1. A. plenty
    2. B. much
    3. C. sufficient
    4. D. full
18. Mr Nunyah slaughtered some of his bulls.
    1. A. killed
    2. B. treated
    3. C. examined
    4. D. castrated
19. Soraya is very lively today.
    1. A. smart
    2. B. active
    3. C. friendly
    4. D. serious
20. The welfare of their students should be the concern of teachers.
    1. A. wealth
    2. B. happiness
    3. C. well-being
    4. D. growth

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. Paul shed crocodile tears when his friend failed the exam.
    1. A. was genuinely sorry for his friend.
    2. B. felt very sad but did not cry.
    3. C. pretended he was sorry for his friend.
    4. D. cried uncontrollably.
22. When the old woman heard the sound of the gun-shots, her hair stood on end.
    1. A. started crying.
    2. B. became inactive.
    3. C. was frightened.
    4. D. was worried.
23. That tailor always takes pains over his sewing.
    1. A. does his sewing with great care.
    2. B. finds sewing very painful.
    3. C. is not happy sewing.
    4. D. is often ill and cannot sew.
24. These herbs grow here in leaps and bounds.
    1. A. gradually and in small numbers.
    2. B. in big circular heaps.
    3. C. in both cold and hot weather.
    4. D. quickly and greatly.
25. Kim is full of himself.
    1. A. arrogant.
    2. B. dangerous.
    3. C. greedy.
    4. D. quarrelsome.

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. Evans wakes up early because he does not sleep much.
    1. A. often
    2. B. at home
    3. C. late
    4. D. on his bed
27. Dora was exhausted after the exercise.
    1. A. cheerful
    2. B. active
    3. C. refreshed
    4. D. strong
28. The demolition of the bridge surprised everyone.
    1. A. construction
    2. B. creation
    3. C. erection
    4. D. relocation
29. They said the film was ancient but I found it
    1. A. relaxing
    2. B. modern
    3. C. difficult
    4. D. interesting
30. The animal will perish under this condition.
    1. A. graze
    2. B. survive
    3. C. starve
    4. D. remain

Paper 2: Theory

PART A ESSAY WRITING

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

1. Write an article for publication in your school magazine on the topic, My Role Model and how he/she has Influenced me.
2. Write an interesting story that ends with the expression, Unfortunately, I realized when it was too late that my friend was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
3. Write a letter to your friend describing two ways in which you prepared for your father's birthday party and tell him/her what made the party a memorable one.

PART B COMPREHENSION

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

4. Ogboo was a very successful businessman. He owned a fleet of vehicles. He was very generous and highly respected in his village. His children were very dear to him, but he did not pamper them. He considered some modern gadgets dangerous, too expensive, and a way of encouraging laziness among children. Therefore, no labour-saving gadgets were found in the kitchen. He insisted that food tasted better when prepared in the traditional way. He was also his children's barber.
   
   At school, his children were the only pupils who received letters, popularly called snail mail. Akwesi, his eldest child, was always the object of ridicule among his peers. He patiently bore all the humiliation. When he completed school and his father made him manage his business, he decided to do things differently. He bought a cellular phone for his mother and equipped the house with modern gadgets. He also installed tracking devices on his father's vehicles and insisted on the drivers using mobile money transfer services. He swore the drivers to secrecy.
   
   In an era when car snatching, drivers cheating their employers, and armed robbery were the order of the day, Ogboo's transport business continued to flourish. He seemed to be insulated against theft. This amazed everyone. Soon, tongues began to wag. Ogboo was accused of possessing magical powers. Others insinuated that he was in league with the armed robbers. People shunned his company. One day, at a meeting organized by the transport owners, Akwesi let the cat out of the bag.
   
   a) Write two things Ogboo did that showed that he did not pamper his children.
   
   b) i) Identify two of the things that Akwesi did differently.
   
   ii) List two adjectives that can be used to describe Akwesi's drivers.
   
   c) What were two of the problems that car owners faced?
   
   d) i) What did Akwesi do?
   
   ii) Why did he let the cat out of the bag?
   
   e) Explain, in your own words, the following expressions as used in the passage:
   
   i) order of the day;
   
   ii) tongues began to wag;
   
   iii) in league with.
   
   f) For each of the following words, give another word or a phrase that means the same and can fit into the passage:
   
   i) highly;
   
   ii) pamper;
   
   iii) manage;
   
   iv) installed;
   
   v) flourish.

PART C LITERATURE

Answer all the questions in this part.

5. SACKEY J.A and DARMANI L. (COMP): The Cockcrow
   
   Questions (a) to (c) are based on the abridged and simplified version of Charles Dicken's Oliver Twist.
   
   CHARLES DICKENS: Oliver Twist
   
   'You know why, son. If a rich and successful man marries a woman whose name is stained because of her birth, it will be quite sad indeed .... wicked people will not let her forget her past, even though it's not her fault.'
   
   (a) 'son' and 'rich and successful man' refer to ......
   
   (b) The speaker is ..........
   
   (c) '.. a woman whose name is stained because of her birth ...' How did her birth stain her name?
   
   Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions (d) and (e).
   
   LAWRENCE DARMANI: Sosu and the Bukari Boys
   
   'Sosu felt his parents were very mean; otherwise, why did they give him such a small amount of money? Look at his friend, Bukari, who always brought a lot of money to school! ... Bukari's father dropped him at school every day while he and Vivian had to walk.'
   
   (d) The extract brings out the theme of ......
   
   (e) The main literary device used in the extract is ......
   
   Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions (f) to (h).
   
   AMA ATA AIDOO: The Dilemma of a Ghost
   
   MONKA: The master-scholar was sitting on the chair studying, so he could not move off!
   
   (f) Monka needed the chair because .......
   
   (g) The scene of this extract is ........
   
   (h) The master-scholar refers to .........
   
   Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions (i) and (j).
   
   LADE WOSORNU: Desert Rivers
   
   'Without a sound
   
   They gush out into the bowels of the seas
   
   Far, far away from the unaided human eyes'
   
   (i) Water/Rivers as used in the poem are symbols of ......
   
   (j) 'If you cannot see our tears It does not mean we do not cry.'
   
   The above lines bring out the theme of .........

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