II-TREE MODEL ACADEMY

Nurturing Brilliance
A Co-Educational School
Aleniboro, off Hajj Camp, Ilorin, Kwara State. Tell: 07083099395, 08023684460

SECOND TERM EXAMINATION 2019/2020 ACADEMIC

SESSION
SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASS: SSS2 TIME ALLOWED: 1 HOUR 45MINS

PAPER 1
SECTION A- COMPOSITION
Answer four questions in all: one question from section A and all questions B and C. Essays, should be
not be less than 450 words

1. Your father insists that you must study medicine at the university, but you have an entirely
different course in mind. Write a letter to him explaining why you prefer this other course and
why he should allow you to make your own choice.
2. Your school will resume for a new session, but due to some problems, you are not likely to
resume as scheduled. Write a letter to your principal stating these problems and requesting
permission to resume at a later date.
3. You are the chief speaker in a debate on the topic: "Wealth is more important than health".
Write your speech for or against the topic.
4. Write a story on the topic: "An experience I'd love to have again".

SECTION B: COMPREHENSION

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions on it.

When Eze was invited to spend his Easter holidays with uncle Chike in Lagos, he jumped for joy!
He had always pictured Lagos as a wonderland of bright lights, paved roads, elegant people riding
by in their expensive cars, and beautiful residential quarters. This invitation was the wonderful
opportunity for him to leave his small village for the first time and experience first-hand good life
of the city that he had imagined so much about. The fateful day came and Eze, happy as a lark, bid
an excited good-bye to his family. The first leg of his trip started modestly in the back of the rickety
lorry that piled the dirt road linking his village to the rest of the world, but Eze was sure that he
would ride later triumphantly into Lagos on one of those legendary luxury buses that he admired so
much. This was also an experience to look forward to. When he arrived Lagos, it was almost dark.
The first things that struck him as he alighted from the bus were the teeming crowd with their
desperate unsmiling faces, the deafening noise of the ceaseless traffic, the polluted air with its acrid
smell of exhaust fumes and decay, the endless rows of dirty and crumbling concrete buildings, and
 the filth everywhere. What a sharp contrast with the city he had built up in his imagination! But
surely there must still be much to look forward to. Back in the village, Uncle Chike was regarded
as a well-to-do trader. So Eze was further surprised and disappointed to find that he lived in a single
room in a sleazy part of the city. At night, it got hot and stuffy, but they dared not open the windows
as this would bring an invasion of mosquitoes. Eze woke up the next morning feeling clammy, but
he could still not have a bath. As his uncle took him a to a shack across the street for a hurried
breakfast of thin tea and mouldy bread, he explained that they usually bought water from a mobile
tanker that had not come around for some time. Eze was still recovering from his surprise at this
information when they rushed off for his uncle's market stall, and he had his first unpleasant ride in
one of the notorious molue buses of the city. As they struggled down from the bus, shoving against
the solid mass of desperate, bad-temperature commuters, Eze thought of his village, and the city
suddenly lost whatever was left of his attraction for him. True, the village was small; life there was
monotonous, and it lacked some essential amenities. But it was peaceful; you drank clean water and
ate what you wanted fresh; you moved about freely and breathed clean air; and everyone was
friendly and helpful. Greatly disillusioned with the city, Eze longed to return to his beloved village!

QUESTIONS
(a) State two experiences that Eze looked forward to.
(b) Mention any two features of the city that Eze noticed at once.
(c) What two discoveries surprised and disappointed Eze when he arrived in the city?
(d) Mention any two experiences that Eze found unpleasant.
(e) What conclusions did Eze draw from his experience n the city?
(f) " ... happy as a lark ..." What figure of speech is contained in this expression?
(g) "When he arrived in Lagos ..." (i) what grammatical name is given to this expression as it is
used in the passage? (ii) What is its function?
(h) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same and which
can replace it as it is used in the passage.
a. Pictured
b. Stuffy
c. Invasion
d. Hurried
e. Attraction
f. Monotonous

SECTION C: SUMMARY PASSAGE

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it. For some, grass is just the
green stuff outside the house that they have to mow. For farmers and football players, it is indispensable.
For children, it is the ideal playground. And those who live in most urban areas assume they have very
little to do with grass of any sort. However, almost all of us have daily contact with some type of grass
and the product • made from it. Grass makes up a major part of the vegetation that covers the earth. And
no wonder, since it is one of the most adaptable plant groups on earth, growing Polar Regions and
deserts, in tropical rain forests, and on wind-swept mountain slopes. Entire vegetation areas are
dominated by grass. Unlike many other plants, grass grows, not at the tip, but in growth areas above the
nodes. New shoots might start from stems growing horizontally on or under the ground. So when the
lawn mower or the cow cuts away the tip, or fire rages through a field, grass keeps growing, whereas
many other plants stop. Furthermore, with most grasses, if the stem is bent over by the wind or trodden
underfoot, it can raise itself erect by growing faster on the side facing the ground. For these reasons,
grass usually recovers quickly after being damaged, which gives it an edge over other plants in the fight
for sunlight. Grass is not only the most abundant but also the most important flowering plant family on
earth. A botanist once described grass as the foundation of our food. It is "like dam protecting mankind
from famine". Try to remember what you ate today; Did you start with a bowl of cereal made with
millet, rice, oats or sorghum? Well, then, you ate grass seeds. Or perhaps you had a roll or other kind
of bread. The flour used was made from grass kernels — wheat, rye, barely, and other grains are all
grasses. Cornflakes and other products are no exception, as corn or maize is a grass too. You had sugar
in your coffee or tea? More than half of all sugar is made from sugarcane, a grass. Grass is not only
good for food, however, if your house has walls made of clay and straw, it is grass that gives them the
necessary strength. In different parts of the world, roofs are thatched with grass. One of the advantages
of such roofs is that they keep the interior of the buildings cool regardless of the external temperature.
Grass covers and adorns much of the earth. Apart from the beautiful, peaceful, and relaxing sight of a
green meadow or a well-kept lawn, grass is a major oxygen supplier, because of the sheer mass of the
green vegetation that it produces.
Finally, its fine roots perform the all-important function of protecting the soil from erosion. Keeping it
versatility in mind, we are not surprised to learn that the usage and cultivation of grass has a long history.
The next time you see a waving cornfield, a lush green meadow, or just humble blades of grass growing
between stones is a sidewalk; you might stop and think of this marvelous and mostly versatile plant
family!
(a) In two sentences, one for each, summarize the two reasons why grass forms a major part of the
earth's vegetation.
(b) In four sentences, one for each, summarize the four ways in which grass is useful to humans.

PAPER 2 - OBJECTIVES
SECTION ONE: In each of the following sentences, there is one word or group of words underlined
and one gap. From the list of words or group of words lettered A — D, choose the one that is most
nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word or group of words and that will, at the same time
correctly fill the gap in the sentence.
1. My uncle is a prosperous business man; unfortunately, is quite [a] unskillful [b] dishonest [c]
unsuccessful [d] unqualified
2. The university has a large yearly intake; very few___ take place. [a] turnouts [b] rejections [c]
expulsions [d] obstructions
3. Rather than make derogatory remarks about the host, a guest should make ones. [a] polite [b]
complimentary [c] interesting [d] honest
4. Our mechanized services contrast sharply with the___ operations we had before. [a] electrical [b]
controlled [c] original [d] democratic
5. After Ade had listened to some advice, his rigid ideas became more__ [a] friendly [b] compromising
[c] flexible [d] democratic
6. The polices of this government favor the elite rather than the__ [a] masses [b] oppressed [c] public
[d] unemployed
7. God opposes the proud and rewards the__ [a] poor [b] honest [c] humble [d] faithful
8. The pilot says that it is easier to take off from the airport than to____ on the tarmac. [a] land [b] come
down [c] alight [d] drop
9. Although Chide's manners are quite refined, his colleagues are rather [a] bold [b] crude [c] hostile
[d] rash
10. I am quite outspoken but my brother is [a] dumb [b] indolent [c] taciturn [d] modest

SECTION TWO: From the words lettered A — D, choose the word that best completes each of
the following sentences.

11, All the people in the bus died in that___ accident. [a] serious [b] reckless [c] fatal [d] dangerous
12. What a___! The more you look, the less you see. [a] wonder [b] miracle [c] challenge [d]
paradox
13. The soldiers pledged their___ loyalty to the new government. [a] enduring [b] tireless [c] complete
[d] questionable
14. There is an interesting article in the____ issue of West Africa. [a] existing [b] current [c]
contemporary [d] actual
15. After interrogation, the police____ the information from the suspect. [a] exposed [b] wrung [c]
received [d] obtained
16. Mr. Cham will never tell you everything, he's very.___ [a] secretive [b] quiet [c] reserved [d]
realistic
17. The two trade unions decided to___ in order to form a stronger organization. [a] intermix [b]
amalgamate [c] consolidate [d] join
18. Many countries no longer have___ punishment as the penalty for murder. [a] mortal [b] corporal [c]
capital [d] fatal
19.___ Packages should always be handled with care. [a] insecure [b] fragile [c] weak [d] boxed
20. Because of the hard times, many workers live in___ poverty. [a] repulsive [b] ridiculous [c] abject
[d] unpardonable

SECTION THREE: From the words lettered A — D below each of the following sentences, choose
the word or group of words that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word as it is used in the
sentence.

21. The marathon is a guelling race. [a] powerful [b] exhausting [c] interesting [d] distant
22. The works of art in this gallery are priceless [a] irreplaceable [b] precious [c] invaluable [d] durable
23. The detective was perplexed when the clues pointed to several suspects. [a] excited [b] worried [c]
confused [d] discouraged
24. My father was skeptical about the story I told him. [a] ignorant [b] doubtful [c] embarrassed [d]
lukewarm
25. The suspect refused to divulge the source of this information. [a] confirm [b] disclose [c] extract [d]
affirm
26. My uncle was so engrossed in his work that he didn't hear me come in. [a] fascinated [b] thrilled [c]
absorbed [d] overwhelmed
27. The politician has an inordinate desire to become president. [a] unproven [b] excessive [c] incessant
[d] incredible
28. The chairman was given a tumultuous welcome. [a] strange [b] pleasant [c] noisy [d] well-organized
29. Mr. Okoro has implicit confidence in his son's ability. [a] absolute [b] normal [c] partial [d] faithful
30. The evidence of the witness was corroborated by the accused. [a] verified [b] alleged [c] confirmed
[d] signed

SECTION FOUR: From the words or groups of words lettered A - D, choose the word or group
of words that best completes each of the following sentences.
31. Do you speak French? 'Only__ I'm afraid'. [a] small [b] negligible [c] a little [d] few
32. Whatever you buy, always look for the__ bargain. [a] good [b] best [c] better [d] more
33. We heard grandfather__ the organ. [a] plays [b] played [c] play [d] to play
34. Are you sure this is__ shop? [a] John's and Elizabeth [b] John and Elizabeth's [c] John's and
Elizabeth's [d] John and Elizabeth
35. The driver risked___ the car ahead of him. [a] overtaking [b] to overtake [c] overtake [d] overtaken
36. You can count on___ boys to finish the work. [a] we [b] us [c] they [d] them
37. You think am being difficult,___ ? [a] am I [b] isn't [c] aren't [d] don't you
38. It took him ages to get___ his father's death. [a] through [b] past [c] over [d] by
39. I have never read___ book in all my life. [a] the more frightening [b] the frightening [c] a most
frightening [d] a more frightening
40. Mbinki runs___ as fast as I. [a] indeed [b] pretty [c] much [d] just
41. This is an improvement____ your last report. [a] of [b] on [c] over [d] against
42. He threw the banana skin___ the window. [a] by [b] over [c] at [d] through
43. Each of the footballers___ to receive $1000.00. [a] are [b] is [c] have [d] were
44. Our tour of the tower came to an end all___ soon. [a] much [b] rather [c] too [d]' more
45. How I wish they___ the note before coming. [a] receive [b] had receive [c] have received [d]
received 46. You___ to me when you were away. [a] have not written [b] had not written [c] did not
write [d] are not writing
47. No matter___ you look at it, her lawyer will lose the case. [a] how [b] when [c] however [d]
whichever
48. By the time school open, I___ here for eight weeks. [a] worked [b] will work [c] will be working
[d] will have worked
49. Your mobile phone has___ ten times in the last hour. [a] rang [b] rung [c] been ringing [d] being
rung
50. The manager wanted to study the document___ the background of the latest development. [a] against
[b] with [c] in [d] over

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 3 -TEST OF ORALS

SECTION 1
From the words lettered A - D, choose the word that has the same vowel sound as the one represented
by the letter(s) underlined.
1. Sit [a] quilt [b] clique [c] marine [d] sardine
2. Wed [a] days [b] says [c] meal [d] deal
3. Card [a] bat [b] hat [c] class [d] glad
4. Bought [a] grouse [b] loss [c] worse [d] horse
5. Who [a] bull [b] wood [c] rush [d] lose
6. Serve [a] harp [b] come [c] journey [d] beg
7. Man [a] dam [b] basket [c] parch [d] park
8. Bottle [a] holy [b] prowess [c] grower [d] modern
9. Cut [a] butcher [b] touch [c] pouch [d] pull
10. Should [a] push [b] mould [c] cousin [d] gush
11. Seat [a] sit [b] cite [c] set [d]key
12. Hoot [a] foot [b] hook [c] food [d] hood
13. Rehearse [a] worship [b] head [c] hear [d] help
14. Fire [a] gear [b] carrier [c] dear [d] care
15. College [a] regime [b] bit [c]bite [d] leg

SECTION 2.
From the words lettered A - D, choose the word that has the same consonant sound as the one
represented by the letter(s) underlined.
16. vice [a] cat [b] dress [c] show [d] chalk
17. Play [a] help [b] blame [c] delay [d] dimple
18. Fusion [a] mission [b] relation [c] prestige [d] leg
19. Atheist [a] theme [b] thyme [c] further [d] smooth
20. Dove [a] half [b] of [c] off [d] daft
21. Huge [a] bug [b] fog [c] hug [d] joy
22. Wanted [a] reduce [b] handsome [c] sandwich [d] handkerchief
23. Match [a] machine [b] charade [c] moustache [d] chunk
24. Gas [a] debris [b] reverse [c] island [d] aisle
25. Those [a] thrive [b] scathing [c] worthless [d] threat
26. Knife [a] sink [b] bank [c] gnaw [d] single
27. Feather [a] victor [b] vendor [c] physics [d] brave
28. Face [a] lose [b] shoes [c] tease [d] rats
29. Nation [a] anxious [b] decision [c] explosion [d] equation
30. Cool [a] ceiling [b] architect [c] attaché [d] brochure

SECTION 3
From the words lettered A- D, choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given
phonetic symbol.
31. /w/ [a] mango [b] market [c] branch [d] plant
32. /D:/ [a] border [b] bother [c] boring [d] brother
33. /u:/ [a] full [b] bush [c] shampoo [d] wool
34. /a/ [a] warning [b] party [c] exhaust [d] grandeur
35. /d/ [a] handsome [b] adjust [c] round [d] passed
36. /w/ [a] write [b] world [c] wrestle [d] wring
37. /J/ [a] rush [b] chimney [c] vision [d] charity
38. /k/ [a] champion [b] chief [c] chorus [d] champagne
39. /8/ [a] writhe [b] smooth [c] northern [d] worth
40. /A/ [a] colour [b] loss [c] though [d] collar
SECTION 4
From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that rhymes with the given word.
41. Deceit [a] receipt [b] appeal [c] reset [d] conceive
42. Buy [a] bull [b] boil [c] bye [d] boy
43. Food [a] fold [b] blood [c] reset [d]relay
44. Obtain [a] detain [b] detail [c] claim [d] relay
45. Function [a] action [b] puncture [c] sanction [d] junction In the following options lettered A to D,
choose word with the different stress pattern from the rest.
46. [a] beautiful [b] incumbent [c] capital [d] monitor
47. [a] away [b] apart [c] behind [d] river
48. [a] impudent [b] important [c] intensive [d] inclusive
49. [a] column [b] portion [c] collated [d] sudden
50. [a] pretext [b] prefer [c] withdraw [d] bazaar

SECTION 5
In each of the following questions, the main /primary stress is indicated by writing the syllable on
which it occurs in capital letters. Choose the correct word from the words lettered A to D
51. Ho-cus-po-cus [a] HO-cus-po-cus [b] ho-cus-PO-cus [c] ho-CUS-po-cus [d] ho-cus-po-CUS
52. Democratic [a] DE-mo-cra-tic [b] de-MO-cra-tic [c] de-mo-CRA-tic [d] de-mo-cra-TIC
53. Metonymy [a] me-TO-ny-my [b] ME-to-ny-my [c] me-to-NY-my [d] mo-to-ny-MY
54. Justification [a] JU-sti-fi-ca-tion [b] ju-STI-fi-ca-tion [c] ju-sti-fi-CA-tion [d] ju-sti-fi-ca-TION
55. Oceanography [a] 0-cea-no-gra-phy [b] o-CEA-no-gra-phy [c] o-cea-NO-gra-phy [d] o-cea-no-
GRA-ph

SECTION 6
Choose from the options lettered A - D, the question that is best answered by statement containing
the stressed word which is written in CAPITAL letters.
56. The CELEBRATED author visited our school. [a] Did the celebrated author visit their school? [b]
Did the celebrated author visit your school? [c] Did the celebrated author visit our school? [d] Did the
unknown author visit our school?
57. Children learn LANGUAGES faster than adults. [a] Do old people learn languages faster than
adults? [b] Do children learn Mathematics faster than adults? [c] Do children learn languages more
slowly than adults? [d] Do children learn languages faster than adolescents?
58. Auxino Medical Laboratory is the BEST in this town. [a] Is Auxino Medical Centre the best in that
town? [b] Is Auxino Medical Laboratory the worst in this town? [c] Is Auxino Medical Equipment the
best in this area? [d] Is Auxino Medical Laboratory the best in this town?
59. Finally the jury ACQUITTED him of murder [a] Did the jury acquit him of theft? [b] Did the jury
acquit hind of murder? [c] Did the jury finally convict him of murder? [d] What will he be finally
acquitted of?
60. She rejected the offer to work in the factory. [a] Did he accept the offer to work in the factory?
[b]Did she reject the offer to work in the industry? [c] Did she reject the offer to work in the company?
[d] Which offer did she reject?