Instruction
In questions 36 to 53, choose the option opposite in meaning to the word(s) in italics.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2601.
To almost everyone in the little village, Ada's behaviour was most odious
A
repulsive
B
difficult
C
attractive
D
charming
Correct Answer: D
"Odious" means hateful; the opposite is "charming."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2602.
Aduma was so vociferous during the meeting of the congregation that he succeeded in incurring the wrath of the chairman.
A
anger
B
admiration
C
displeasure
D
sympathy
Correct Answer: B
"Wrath" means anger; the opposite is "admiration."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2603.
It was an inopportune moment for you to make that suggestion.
A
an ideal
B
a wrong
C
an exact
D
a sad
Correct Answer: A
"Inopportune" means badly timed; the opposite is "an ideal."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2604.
He devoted too much time to the peripheral aspects.
A
unimportant
B
superficial
C
minor
D
main
Correct Answer: D
"Peripheral" means on the edge; the opposite is "main."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2605.
The climate of Nigeria is an enervating one.
A
a weakening
B
an energy sapping
C
an invigorating
D
a sluggish
Correct Answer: C
"Enervating" means draining energy; the opposite is "invigorating."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2606.
The girl's idiosyncrasy was a passion for bread and butter
A
stupid outburst
B
general tendency
C
singular characteristic
D
occupational calling
Correct Answer: B
"Idiosyncrasy" means a peculiar personal trait; the opposite is a "general tendency."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2607.
Once he has decided that something needs doing, my brother is very unswerving of purpose.
A
erratic
B
tenacious
C
stubborn
D
simple
Correct Answer: A
"Unswerving" means steady and firm; the opposite is "erratic."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2608.
Those were the days of the fallacy that some languages are primitive while others are not
A
argument
B
excuse
C
misconception
D
truth
Correct Answer: D
"Fallacy" means a false belief; the opposite is "truth."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2609.
She is immune to the flattery of young men.
A
resistant
B
susceptible
C
insensible
D
unresponsive
Correct Answer: B
"Immune to" means not affected by; the opposite is "susceptible to."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2610.
Events in South Africa indicate a kind of political renascence
A
rejuvenation
B
decline
C
turbulence
D
upheaval
Correct Answer: B
"Renascence" means rebirth; the opposite is "decline."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2611.
If we must live together as one people, we must learn to tolerate disparate dispositions.
A
converging
B
accommodating
C
conflicting
D
opposing
Correct Answer: A
"Disparate" means different; the opposite is "converging."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2612.
The presidential aspirant warned of the political catastrophe that would follow if the elections were rigged.
A
problem
B
turmoil
C
success
D
conflagration
Correct Answer: C
"Catastrophe" means disaster; the opposite is "success."
Instruction
In questions 54 to 73, choose the option nearest in meaning to the word(s) or phrase(s) in italics.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2613.
The material in the book is presented with an eclectic framework.
A
a simple
B
a broad
C
a restricted
D
a clumsy
Correct Answer: B
"Eclectic" means drawing from many sources — broad.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2614.
Ohiokhen had a brainwave as to how she could deal with the problem.
A
an imagination
B
a desire
C
a headache
D
an idea
Correct Answer: D
"Brainwave" means a sudden clever idea.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2615.
Surely, Ahmed is a ball of fire.
A
a quarrelsome person
B
a hot-hearted activist
C
a fiery speaker or writer
D
a very energetic person
Correct Answer: D
"A ball of fire" is an idiom for a very energetic person.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2616.
This time, she will be competing with a dark horse.
A
a weak and low-spirited person
B
a person about whom little is known
C
an unpopular candidate
D
a person as strong as a horse
Correct Answer: B
A "dark horse" is a little-known competitor who may surprise.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2617.
In answer to the question as to how life is treating him, the stranger said 'it never rains but it pours'
A
the blessings of life shower on him like a heavy rain
B
he is contented with his improved fortunes
C
things are getting decidedly worse
D
his financial status is deteriorating
Correct Answer: C
"It never rains but it pours" means troubles come all at once.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2618.
After many years of struggle as a trader, he struck gold
A
became quite rich
B
won a big contract
C
became a gold miner
D
became a goldsmith
Correct Answer: A
"Struck gold" means became suddenly wealthy.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2619.
One significant characteristic of the jet age is that it encourages people to cut corners
A
not to face all problems
B
to want to become rich quickly
C
to want to avoid necessary hardships
D
not to do the proper thing at the right time
Correct Answer: C
"Cut corners" means to take shortcuts — avoid proper procedure.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2620.
Any student found guilty of examination malpractice should be allowed to stew in his own juice
A
taste a repeat of the examination
B
suffer the consequences of his action
C
bear the brunt of the disgrace
D
forfeit the opportunity of further education
Correct Answer: B
"Stew in his own juice" means suffer the consequences of one's actions.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2621.
The lady who won the beauty contest had a good gait.
A
stature
B
figure
C
elegance
D
carriage
Correct Answer: D
"Gait" means manner of walking — carriage.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2622.
It would need a high flyer to make a first class degree in university.
A
a smart performer
B
an outright genius
C
an outstanding scholar
D
an unmitigated swot
Correct Answer: C
"High flyer" means a very successful person — an outstanding scholar.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2623.
What you will find in the book is a bird's eye view of the subject.
A
a detailed account
B
a balanced discussion
C
a biased treatment
D
a general survey
Correct Answer: D
"Bird's eye view" means a general overview.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2624.
Hers was a chequered career
A
an interesting and successful career
B
a career full of sorrow and tears
C
a bright and memorable career
D
a career full of ups and downs
Correct Answer: D
"Chequered career" means a career with both successes and failures.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2625.
If experience is anything to go by, this action will prove a political minefield
A
source of political benefits
B
a way out of political trouble
C
a cause of political joy
D
an invitation to political problems
Correct Answer: D
"Minefield" means a situation full of hidden dangers.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2626.
In my view, the play didn't come off.
A
succeed
B
fail
C
attract pleasure
D
take place
Correct Answer: A
"Come off" means to succeed.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2627.
When the chips are down, we will know those who have the courage to stand.
A
When we get to crisis point
B
In the final analysis
C
When the blocks are lowered
D
When we get to the end of the road
Correct Answer: A
"When the chips are down" means at the moment of crisis.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2628.
She said boxing is in fact her pet aversion
A
something she likes very much
B
something she dislikes very much
C
a hobby she loves to pursue
D
one thing she can't miss
Correct Answer: B
"Pet aversion" means something strongly disliked.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2629.
The gateman does his work perfunctorily.
A
without commitment
B
with speed
C
grudgingly
D
enthusiastically
Correct Answer: A
"Perfunctorily" means done as a routine without care — without commitment.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2630.
Members of the panel were working at cross purposes
A
in harmony
B
in disunity
C
for selfish purpose
D
for selfless purposes
Correct Answer: B
"At cross purposes" means misunderstanding each other — in disunity.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2631.
The young man who distributed political pamphlets on campus was promptly repudiated.
A
disowned
B
arrested
C
warned
D
killed
Correct Answer: A
"Repudiated" means disowned or rejected.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2632.
Adayi is a die-hard criminal.
A
hard to kill
B
hard to arrest
C
remorseless
D
relentless
Correct Answer: C
"Die-hard" means stubbornly resistant — remorseless.
Instruction
In questions 74 to 100, choose the word(s) or phrase(s) which best fill(s) the gap(s).
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2633.
In moments of serious economic hardship, many people are .... to turn to God.
A
concerned
B
inclined
C
disposed
D
propended
Correct Answer: B
"Inclined to" means having a tendency to — the standard collocation.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2634.
We cannot all wear expensive shoes in a situation of ....
A
divergent demand and supply
B
uneven wear and tear
C
differing purchasing power
D
unpredictable national income
Correct Answer: C
"Differing purchasing power" explains why not everyone can afford expensive shoes.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2635.
That centre-forward was ....: consequently the goal was not disallowed.
A
in an off-side position
B
very well positioned
C
a brilliant player
D
the captain of the team
Correct Answer: B
Since the goal was not disallowed, the player must have been well positioned.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2636.
AIDS is .... disease that it kills slowly but surely.
A
too much a deadly
B
a very deadly a
C
so deadly a
D
such deadly a
Correct Answer: C
"So deadly a disease that..." — the correct result construction.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2637.
We had a dull evening because ....
A
hardly the talk had begun when the lights went off
B
hardly had the talk begun when the lights went off
C
the talk had hardly begun when the lights had gone out
D
the lights had hardly gone out when the talk began
Correct Answer: B
"Hardly had... when" — the correct inverted construction.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2638.
Soyinka's masterful .... of the atmosphere of his childhood helped to make his book, Ake, an overnight success.
A
evocation
B
invocation
C
convocation
D
revocation
Correct Answer: A
"Evocation" means calling up memories — the correct word.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2639.
Students will always blame their teachers when examination results are unfavourable ....
A
won't they
B
wouldn't they
C
isn't it
D
can't they
Correct Answer: A
Tag for "will always blame" is "won't they."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2640.
Okonkwo is a stubborn man; he will never .... his words.
A
chew
B
spit
C
eat
D
bite
Correct Answer: C
"Eat his words" — the correct idiom for retracting a statement.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2641.
Kindly .... me your book because my friend has .... mine.
A
borrow/borrowed
B
borrow/lent
C
lend/lent
D
lend/borrowed
Correct Answer: D
"Lend me your book because my friend has borrowed mine" — lend = give, borrow = take.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2642.
Three quarters of the church .... painted by members the previous day.
Correct Answer: B
"Three quarters" of the church is singular — "was painted."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2643.
Two young boys have been caught with parts of the stolen machine but .... admitted stealing it.
A
neither of them has
B
neither of them have
C
none of them has
D
none of them have
Correct Answer: A
"Neither of them has" — singular verb with "neither."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2644.
Watching carefully, I could see the fish .... along the bottom.
A
doting
B
crawling
C
diving
D
darting
Correct Answer: D
"Darting" means moving quickly — the correct verb for fish.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2645.
Emeka is now a .... student but it took him years to ....
A
matured/mature
B
mature/mature
C
mature/matured
D
matured/matured
Correct Answer: C
"Mature student" (adjective) and "to mature" (verb).
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2646.
The rebels will soon fight back. We have been informed .... their ....
A
off/predicament
B
about/indulgence
C
on/rearmament
D
as for/advancement
Correct Answer: C
"Informed on their rearmament" — the correct phrase.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2647.
Ali was honest and quiet as a schoolboy, but too much drinking has now changed his .... and .... his tongue.
A
temperature/injured
B
character/tightened
C
temperament/loosened
D
innocence/worsened
Correct Answer: C
"Changed his temperament and loosened his tongue" — drinking makes him talk freely.
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2648.
The hospital was closed .... because there were no beds to put patients ....
A
again/upon
B
off/on
C
down/at
D
up/in
Correct Answer: B
"Closed off" (shut down) and "put patients on" (beds).
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2649.
The judge with his son .... travelling to Lagos now.
A
were
B
shall
C
is
D
are
Correct Answer: C
"The judge" (singular subject) — "is travelling."
JAMB (UTME)
English Language
1998
Q2650.
A university teacher is an ....
A
academic
B
academics
C
academician
D
academia
Correct Answer: A
"An academic" — a university teacher is called an academic.