UTME CBT FREE Practice Test – Use of English (Set 9)

Hello and Welcome to UTME CBT FREE Practice Test – Use of English (Set 9)

  1. You are to attempt 60 Objectives Questions ONLY.
  2. Time Allowed is 45 minutes (JAMB Standard)
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  4. You can attempt as many times as possible

Comprehension

Those who have been following the arguments for and against the deregulation of the oil industry in Nigeria may have got the impression that deregulation connotes lack of control or indifference on the part of the Government. But there is nothing so far from official quarters to suggest that deregulation will cause the Government to relinquish its control of the oil industry because the absence of direct control does not mean that it will surrender all its rights to the entrepreneurs who may want to participate in the industry. Yet the opposition expressed so far against deregulation stems from the fear that the Government would leave Nigerians at the mercy of a heartless cartel who would command the heights of the oil industry and cause the pump price of fuel to rise above the means of most Nigerians.

As a result of such fears, many Nigerians have become resentful of deregulation and, in fact, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to ‘deregulate’ the Government if it should go ahead with the deregulation plan. But Nigerians have not fared any better with the economy totally in the Government control.

Until recently, the most important sectors of the economy were in the hands of the Government. Today, the deregulation of some of these sectors has broken its monopoly and introduced healthy competition to make things a little easier for Nigerians. A good example is the breaking of the stifling monopoly of Nigeria Airways. Today, the traveller is king at the domestic airports as opposed to the struggle that air travels used to be under Nigeria Airways monopoly. Before, it was almost easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for travellers to board a plane.

Following from this, the apostles of deregulation rightly heap all the blame for the problems associated with petroleum products distribution in this country squarely on the Government, which owns all the refineries and which sells fuel to local consumers through its agency, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). In the same way, the Government argues that if the current NNPC monopoly were broken with the introduction of entrepreneurs to the refining and sale of petroleum products in the country, the Nigerian people would be all the better for it.

It stands to reason that once the Government continues to fix maximum prices for petroleum products in this country, the deregulation of the oil sector should bring some relief to the people by ensuring that wastage, corruption and inefficiency are reduced to the minimum. Consumers will also have the last laugh because competition will result in the availability of the products at reasonable prices. This appears to be the sense in deregulation.

1. Which of these correctly summarises the arguments adduced by the advocates of deregulation?

A. Deregulating the economy will make the NNPC more efficient and less wasteful.
B. The Government should deregulate every aspect of the Nigerian economy.
C. Competition in the oil industry will be beneficial to several Nigerians.
D. Competition should be allowed in the production and distribution of petroleum products.

2. Which of the following conclusions can be reached from the passage?

A. The deregulation of the economy will solve all the problems of petroleum products distribution.
B. The Government is hell-bent on leaving Nigerians at the mercy of a heartless cartel
C. Nigerians cannot buy fuel at exorbitant prices.
D. The deregulation of the oil industry does not preclude the Government from exerting its influence.

4. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. The Nigeria Labour Congress has been able to prevent the Government from deregulating the economy.
B. The introduction of entrepreneurs to the oil industry will make life easy only for a few Nigerians.
C. The opposition to the deregulation of the oil industry is not unanimous.
D. A better life for all Nigerians is conditional upon the deregulation of the economy.

5. The writer seems to suggest that ______

A. Nigerians do not understand the sense in deregulation.
B. the anxiety caused by the deregulation question is groundless.
C. a deregulated economy will cause the Government to be indifferent to the plight of ordinary Nigerians.
D. only a heartless cartel will benefit by the deregulation of the oil industry.

which underlie and account for the facts that he knows. He chooses when he can, the method of the controlled …..7.. [A. respondent B. experiment C. system D. data]

If he wants to find out the effect of light on growing plants, he takes many plants, as alike as possible. Some he stands in the sun, some in the shade, some in the dark and all the time keeping all other …..8… [A. studies B. procedures C. objects D. conditions]

(temperature, moisture, nourishment) the same. In this way, by keeping other variables …..9… [A. constant B. good C. dark D. natural] , and by varying the light only, the effect of light on plants can be clearly seen.

This…10…… [A. research B. method C. tool D. rationale] of using ‘controls’ can be applied to a variety of situations,

and can be used to find the answers to questions as widely different as ‘must moisture be present if …11… [A. an alloy B. gold C. bar D. iron] is to rust?

And which variety of beans gives the greatest yield in one …12… [A. climate B. period C. season D. weather]?

In the course of his …13… [A. findings B. queries C. experiment D. inquiries], the scientist may find what he thinks is one common explanation for an increasing number of facts.

The explanation, if it seems consistently to fit the various facts, is called …14… [A. an antithesis B. a principle C. a thesis D. a hypothesis].

If this continues to stand the test of numerous experiments and remains  unshaken, it becomes a …15…[A. deduction B. law C. notion D thesis].



Questions 16 – 25 are on the Reading Text – The Life Changer By Khadija Abubakar Jalli

16. Mohammed Kabir, according to The Life Changer, is a _________

A. Professor of Biological Sciences
B. Dr. of Philosophy
C. lecturer in the department of HOD
D. Labouratory Technologist

17. The only blemish Mohammed Kabir had on his character was ______

A. laziness
B. talkactive
C. love for easy money
D. adultery

18. 'Rumour had it that no matter how much money he had, he would always lose it at the cards'.

The figure of speech expressed above is ________

A. simile
B. idomatic expression
C. personification
D. metaphor

19. Someone who loses money at the cards is referred to as ________

A. money doubler
B. money changer
C. gambler
D. bereau de change

22. According to the book The Life Changer, the leader of the gambling group is referred to as _______

A. area boy
B. area father
C. kartagi
D. land grabber

23. It was not in me, as a mother, to underscore his feeling of despondency over the affairs of the world. Or indeed his disenchantment with the social set up as a whole.

Another word for despondency as used in the passage is _______

A. hopeless
B. excitement
C. great joy
D. trust

24. It was not in me, as a mother, to underscore his feeling of despondency over the affairs of the world. Or indeed his disenchantment with the social set up as a whole.

Another word for disenchantment as used in the passage is _______

A. false belief
B. excitement
C. great joy
D. trust

25. “That is my comeuppance,” strangely that was what Kabir heard in his head before he passed out".

Another word for comeuppance as used in the sentence above is ______

A. deserts
B. joint
C. last point
D. desire




Lexis and Structure
(a) Synonyms

In each of questions 26 to 30, choose the option opposite in meaning to the word(s) or phrase in italics.

26. The witness averred that she had seen Dosun at the scene of the crime.

A. argued
B. confirmed
C. denied
D. affirmed

27. The high cost of living these days calls for a lot of frugality.

A. extravagance
B. economy
C. recklessness
D. prudence

28. Tunde’s reaction underscores the point I was making.

A. justifies
B. emphasizes
C. summarizes
D. contradicts

29. Everyone admired the manager’s adroit handling of the crises in the company.

A. clever
B. tactless
C. skillful
D. clumsy

30. The principal took exception to the ignoble role the teacher played in the matter.

A. embarrassing
B. honourable
C. extraordinary
D. dishonourable


(b) Antonyms
In each of questions 31 to 35, choose the option nearest in meaning to the word(s) or phrase in italics.

31. Practising medicine is not as lucrative as many people think.

A. know
B. understand
C. consider
D. assume

32. He is a stringer for a newspaper.

A. a financier of
B. an editor of
C. a freelancer for
D. a reporter for

34. Tortoises need cool climates and must have places where they can hibernate.

A. reproduce
B. hide at night
C. sleep deeply
D. relax

35. The manager made disparaging remarks about the retiring officer.

A. rude
B. derogatory
C. parochial
D. cynical


(c) Sentence Interpretation
In each of questions 36 to 40, select the option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence.

36. The organization is constantly in a state of flux.

A. There are periodic changes in the organization.
B. The organization is facing a difficult period.
C. The organization is experiencing good times.
D. The organization is moribund.

37. His meteoric rise to fame surprised everyone.

A. His rise to fame was only temporary.
B. People were amazed at his rapid success.
C. He became successful very suddenly.
D. He rose to the top quite unexpectedly.

38. The politician was pilloried by the press for his inflammatory remarks.

A. The politician was snubbed by the press for his remarks.
B. The politician was criticized by the press for his remarks.
C. The politician was closely questioned by the press for his remarks.
D. The politician was ridiculed by the press for his remarks.

39. After the successful operation, he recovered by leaps and bounds.

A. He got well very rapidly.
B. His well-bounds aided his recovery.
C. He did a lot of keep-fit exercise.
D. He used to jog regularly.

40. Audu was taken bad in the middle of the night.

A. He was caught
B. He was robbed
C. He was ill
D. He was drunk

42. If one perseveres ______ will surely succeed.

A. she
B. one
C. he
D. they

43. Musa has lived here for the five years but he does not seem able to get over the enormously ______ and elaborate rules that govern the society.

A. absurd
B. bizarre
C. fantastic
D. intricate

44. As election day draws near, the party looks _____ because many of its members have _____ other parties.

A. successful/declared for
B. vulnerable / defected to
C. cheerful/moved to
D. cheerless/cross-carpeted from

45. ______ a motorcycle can be harmful ______ your health.

A. Riding/for
B. Riding/to
C. To ride/for
D. To ride/with

46. The future of the company is _____ though many seem ____ about it.

A. okay/optimistic
B. promising/nostalgic
C. rosy/pessimistic
D. dicey/unsatisfied

47. Ali has been cured of his amnesia; he no longer suffers from _____

A. rounds of anxiety
B. loss of memory
C. pains in his arms
D. bouts of malaria

48. By this time next year, I _____ twenty years old.

A. would have been
B. will be
C. could have been
D. will have been

49. The operations of the bank _____ not ____ cottage and small-scale industries.

A. does/covered
B. does/cover
C. did/covered
D. do/cover

50. The members of the other team agreed ______ all the terms of the contract.

A. by
B. to
C. on
D. with



Oral Forms
In each of questions 51 to 53, choose the option that has the same consonant sound as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined.

51. business

A. grace
B. rice
C. eyes
D. sink

53. preached

A. question
B. castle
C. past
D. lotion


In each of questions 54 to 56, choose the option that has a different vowel sound from the others.

54.

A. rough
B. dog
C. cough
D. rot

55.

A. tear (verb)
B. hear
C. weird
D. mere

56.

A. does
B. flood
C. world
D. son


In each of questions 57 to 60, the word in capital letters has the emphatic stress. Choose the option that best fits the expression in the sentence.

57. He travelled ONLY 20 kilometres before his car stopped.

A. Did he travel only 20 kilometres after his car stopped?
B. Did he travel exactly 20 kilometres before his car stopped?
C. Did you walk only 20 kilometres before the vehicle stopped?
D. Did he travel more than 20 kilometres before his car stopped?

58. The king RAN to the palace.

A. Where did the king run to?
B. Did the king walk to the palace?
C. Did the queen run to the palace?
D. Who ran to the palace?

59. The University has been TEMPORARILY closed.

A. Has the campus been permanently closed?
B. Has the university been permanently open?
C. Has the university been permanently closed?
D. Has the college been temporarily closed?

60. The man BOUGHT the newspaper.

A. Is this the newspaper which the man bought?
B. Did the man read the newspaper?
C. Who bought the newspaper?
D. What did the man buy?

 

 

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