Instruction
In questions 37 to 54, choose the option nearest in meaning to the word(s) or phrase(s) in italics.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2001.
Some children mimic their teachers
A
imitate
B
mime
C
ridicule
D
tease
Correct Answer: A
"Mimic" means to imitate.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2002.
He works long hours collecting trash to make out a livelihood
A
try a living
B
struggle for a living
C
make a living
D
carve out a living
Correct Answer: C
"Make out a livelihood" = make a living.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2003.
Everybody complained of a lean harvest last year
A
surplus
B
abundant
C
poor
D
thin
Correct Answer: C
"Lean harvest" means a poor or meagre harvest.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2004.
He is very modest in his demands
A
honest
B
bogus
C
extravagant
D
humble
Correct Answer: D
"Modest" means humble — not excessive in demands.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2005.
The patient disregarded the advice of the doctor
A
ignored
B
disobeyed
C
questioned
D
respected
Correct Answer: A
"Disregarded" means ignored or paid no attention to.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2006.
The newly elected leader has pledged to ensure better life for the citizens
A
vowed
B
agreed
C
undertaken
D
undertaking
Correct Answer: A
"Pledged" means solemnly promised — vowed.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2007.
Statesmen are revered for their objectivity
A
referred
B
respected
C
remembered
D
rejected
Correct Answer: B
"Revered" means deeply respected.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2008.
He has been advised to keep his head, the confusion notwithstanding
A
avoid been beaten or insulted
B
keep calm
C
save his head
D
prevent himself
Correct Answer: B
"Keep his head" is an idiom meaning stay calm under pressure.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2009.
The police ran the criminal to earth
A
jailed him
B
knocked him down
C
discovered him
D
buried him
Correct Answer: C
"Ran to earth" means discovered after a search — tracked down.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2010.
Garba always puts his shoulder to the wheel
A
sits with his shoulder straight when driving
B
works energetically at the task in hand
C
performs tasks assigned him grudgingly
D
holds the steering wheel firmly when he is driving
Correct Answer: B
"Puts his shoulder to the wheel" means works hard at a task.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2011.
He reneged on the agreement between him and his employees
A
kept
B
failed to keep
C
failed to approve
D
failed to sign
Correct Answer: B
"Reneged on" means failed to honour — went back on an agreement.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2012.
He is credulous
A
credible
B
creditable
C
gullible
D
fallible
Correct Answer: C
"Credulous" means too ready to believe things — gullible.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2013.
The company has gone under
A
suffered some loss
B
broken up
C
become broke
D
become bankrupt
Correct Answer: D
"Gone under" means become bankrupt — the standard idiom.
Instruction
In questions 55 to 95, choose the word(s) or phrase(s) which best fill(s) the gap(s).
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2014.
Many people believe that nuclear power will solve our energy problems ...., this has not been proved to be true
A
Indeed
B
But
C
However
D
On the contrary
Correct Answer: C
"However" is the correct contrastive connector between the two clauses.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2015.
...., sign post words are used to readers
A
Conclusively
B
To conclude
C
In conclusion
D
The conclusion
Correct Answer: B
"To conclude" is the correct phrase for the closing statement.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2016.
Every programming language and software package .... limitations
A
have its
B
have their
C
has its
D
has their
Correct Answer: C
"Every" is singular — "has its" is correct.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2017.
A programme of good exercise may help a person fight .... cold
Correct Answer: D
"Fight off" is the phrasal verb meaning to resist or ward off illness.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2018.
Baba and .... participated in the tournament
Correct Answer: C
Subject pronoun "he" is required — "Baba and he participated."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2019.
It was .... who fought the civil war?
A
they
B
them
C
those
D
theirs
Correct Answer: A
"It was they who" — subject pronoun after "it was."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2020.
The physicians have more people in .... waiting rooms than ....
A
his/he
B
there/they
C
their/they
D
them/they
Correct Answer: C
"Their waiting rooms" (possessive) and "than they" (subject).
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2021.
Before mechanization, workers .... water out of fabrics with their hands
A
wring
B
wrung
C
wrang
D
wringed
Correct Answer: B
Past tense of "wring" is "wrung."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2022.
Four engineers .... on this system since March
A
worked
B
are working
C
had worked
D
have been working
Correct Answer: D
"Since March" + ongoing action = present perfect continuous "have been working."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2023.
Having worked all night, the security man .... a sense of accomplishment
A
had felt
B
felt
C
is feeling
D
has felt
Correct Answer: B
The participial phrase "having worked" takes simple past "felt" in the main clause.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2024.
Three quarters of the Physics class .... dramatically
A
improve
B
improves
C
are improving
D
is improving
Correct Answer: B
"Three quarters" as a fraction of the class is singular — "improves."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2025.
A number of students .... missed the opportunity to re-register
Correct Answer: C
"A number of" takes a plural verb — "have."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2026.
It seems to be a well thought .... scheme
A
over
B
out
C
off
D
into
Correct Answer: B
"Well thought out" is the standard phrase.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2027.
Adekunle is prepared for a .... with his opponent following his defeat last season
A
show-off
B
show-down
C
show-out
D
show up
Correct Answer: B
"Show-down" means a decisive confrontation.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2028.
Tosin refused to be .... though he has written the same examination three times
A
sad
B
placated
C
frustrated
D
indifferent
Correct Answer: C
"Frustrated" fits — repeated failure would frustrate most people.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2029.
On his .... of office, the new president announced some drastic measures
A
assumption
B
ascension
C
acceptance
D
appointment
Correct Answer: A
"Assumption of office" is the standard phrase.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2030.
The .... was filled .... the Ilorin Magistrate Court
A
suit/in
B
case/in
C
suit/at
D
case/at
Correct Answer: A
"Suit" is filed in a court; "the suit was filled at the Ilorin Magistrate Court" — using "at" for a specific location.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2031.
The plaintiff .... the court to restrain the defendants from further action
A
asked
B
begged
C
demanded of
D
prayed
Correct Answer: D
"Prayed the court" is legal language for formally requesting.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2032.
My experience in Lagos last week was .... about
A
something to excite
B
nothing to explain at home
C
nothing to write home
D
something to celebrate
Correct Answer: C
"Nothing to write home about" is the idiom meaning not worth mentioning.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2033.
.... him around, I would have informed you
A
Had I seen
B
Have I seen
C
Should I see
D
If I saw
Correct Answer: A
Inverted third conditional — "Had I seen" = if I had seen.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2034.
Ahmed is one of the boys who always .... good work
A
does
B
would do
C
do
D
done
Correct Answer: C
"Who" refers to "boys" (plural) — "do."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2035.
I sent .... news to the press yesterday
A
a parcel of
B
a flash of
C
an item of
D
a number of
Correct Answer: C
"An item of news" is the standard collocation.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2036.
The university has a large collection of sporting ....
A
equipment
B
equipments
C
costumes
D
aids
Correct Answer: A
"Equipment" is uncountable — no plural form.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2037.
He keeps his .... clean always
A
surroundings
B
surrounding
C
premise
D
environments
Correct Answer: A
"Surroundings" is the standard plural — the area around him.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2038.
She has a set of gold ....
A
earing
B
earings
C
earring
D
ear-ring
Correct Answer: C
"Earring" — no extra vowel — is correct.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2039.
I have stopped writing letters application because I .... that all the vacancies are filled
A
have heard
B
had heard
C
heard
D
hear
Correct Answer: A
Present perfect "have heard" matches "I have stopped."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2040.
A survey of opinions on how pupils feel about their teachers .... carried out
A
has been
B
have been
C
are being
D
is been
Correct Answer: A
"A survey" is singular — "has been carried out."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2041.
The police are looking for ....
A
two big cars black
B
two cars big black
C
two big black cars
D
two black big cars
Correct Answer: C
Adjective order: quantity → size → colour → noun. "Two big black cars."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2042.
Adaobi is contemptuous .... dishonest people
Correct Answer: D
"Contemptuous of" is the standard collocation.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2043.
My goats are grazing .... the field
Correct Answer: B
"In the field" — grazing within a field.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2044.
It .... easier if he told us himself
A
would be
B
would have been
C
would had been
D
will be
Correct Answer: A
Second conditional — "would be" is correct.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2045.
Our principal and chairman of the occasion .... just arrived
A
has
B
having
C
have
D
had
Correct Answer: A
The same person holds both roles — singular "has."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2046.
From 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., he .... hot chocolate, often not having time for his own breakfast
A
is kept busy serving
B
keeps busy to serve
C
is busied serving
D
kept busy to serve
Correct Answer: A
"Is kept busy serving" — passive + gerund.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2047.
One of the .... selective marking of errors
A
school of thought suggested
B
schools of thought suggest
C
school of thoughts suggested
D
schools of thought suggests
Correct Answer: A
"Schools of thought" (plural) + "suggest."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2048.
You avoid facing .... the reality of life
A
at
B
up
C
up to
D
on to
Correct Answer: C
"Facing up to reality" — the standard phrasal expression.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2049.
In .... we, as politicians, are identified with the masses
A
a more deeper sense
B
a much deeper sense
C
a most deeper sense
D
much more deeper sense
Correct Answer: B
"A much deeper sense" — correct comparative adverb.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1992
Q2050.
In addition, their comments are vague and abstract, .... difficult to interpret
A
which students find them
B
but students find it
C
so students find them
D
but students find them
Correct Answer: D
"But students find them difficult to interpret" — contrast with correct pronoun.