Lagos State Examination Board JSS 3 Basic Education Certificate Examination BECE 2024

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

SECTION A – THEORY

INSTRUCTION: ANSWER FIVE (5) QUESTIONS FROM THIS SECTION. DO EITHER 1(a) OR 1(b). QUESTIONS 1, 2, 3 ARE COMPULSORY AND (1) EACH FROM SECTIONS 4 AND 5.

1. LETTER WRITING

A. Write a letter to your friend in another school giving him or her three reasons your school is better than his or her school and persuading him or her to seek transfer to your school.

OR

B. Write a composition on “My Hero”.

Note: Your composition should not be less than 250 words.

 

2. COMPREHENSION PASSAGE

Interestingly, lyanda was not totally disappointed by the sheer display of self-centredness of Mr. Ballie, his master, who connived with the fraudsters to raise the spirit and dash the hope of this ambitious and enterprising young officer. Of course, he knew his boss like the palm of his hand; very callous to the extreme.

However, he erroneously wrapped himself in a delusion of grandeur presuming that he deserved maximum protection from his superintendent being his loyal close aide.

In no time, the rumour of Mr Ballie’s maltreatment of his personal assistant became rife but none of the co-workers was bold enough to ask questions on or protest against this overt inhumanity to humanity. “Wonders shall never end. Why would the manager invite con men to meet lyanda?” A staff member querulously murmured and consciously looked round so as to be sure his soliloquy was free from eavesdropping. Everyone was in the loop that the fear of Mr. Ballie was the beginning of wisdom. After all the agony of losing a job was better imagined than experienced.

In one fell swoop, the police officers, having followed many false leads for the first four days of their preliminary investigation, arrested the criminals together with Mr Ballie in their hideout and were summarily brought to book.

Nostalgia rent the air as the co-workers did not only jubilate the sack of the devil but also mourned the pyrrhic justice for lyanda who was at the convalescent home recuperating from severe despondency occasioned by unrequited loyalty.

Nevertheless, the criminals were cooling off their heels behind bars.

 

QUESTIONS

1. Why was lyanda disappointed?

2. What did the feelings of workers suggest about Mr. Ballie according to the passage?

3. What does the expression “everyone was in the loop” mean?

5. Quote a word from the passage that suggests workers were both happy and unhappy.

4. Give a suitable title to the passage.

 

3. SUMMARY

The teaching profession is one of the underrated professions in Nigeria and does not earn the respect it really deserves.

This profession is downgraded because teachers in Nigeria are poorly remunerated compared to their counterparts in the medical field, banking sector to mention but a few who are all product of teachers.

One begins to wonder why products are rated higher than producers. The counterparts of teachers in other fields of human endeavour are well remunerated and honoured. The situation is lamentable when many of the students come to their alma mater for one document or the other; look down on teachers simply because they now live a life of luxury.

The situation is disheartening when parents bombard schools to beat up a teacher for correcting their children thereby inflicting injuries on the teacher. It suffices to say here that the students as well as their parents dislike teachers.

No wonder most children never want to become teachers except when circumstances of life force them to be and the few who have the passion to become teachers are discouraged by the treatment of teachers in our society.

Looking at the standard of living in Nigeria, certain premium residential areas cannot be afforded

by most teachers. Teachers who are supposed to be given kingly treatment are subjected to nothing but slavery. Most teachers cannot ride desired cars nor afford a simple life-style like their well-remunerated counterparts. What a pity!

Well, teachers should not be discouraged because the greatest assets any nation can have are teachers and the greatest reward of a teacher is the joy derived from moulding lives rather than helping to destroy lives.

1. In one (1) sentence, state why teachers are looked down upon.

2. State the central idea of the passage.

3. Why don’t children like to become teachers?

4. In two (2) sentences, state the positive roles of teachers in the nation.

 

4. PROSE

A. THE CAVE OF A MILLION EYES-IGELE MICHAEL

1. Who was Dr Nwantufur?

2. Why was Dr Nwantufur awarded a doctoral degree?

3. Why did hunters fail to visit the forest?

4. Mention the names of two (2) of the students who went to the forest.

OR

B. A FILES VICTORIA AFE INEGBEDION

1. What exists between Nita and Adesuwa is known as

2. “I have good news and bad news”. What is the good news?

3. Describe each of the persons below in relation to Nita?

a. Damilola

b. Mrs Alabi

c. List one (1) thing that happens on Nita’s first day at Maidstone College.

OR

C. IYE JULIE A.OMEIKE

1. Why was Mrs Agnes Osahor called lye?

2. What was the major topic of discussion between lye and Ivie during her first unannounced visit to her daughter in Lagos.

3. Describe the importance of Bolanle’s friendship with Ivie.

4. Mention a reason why Odiase should be considered as a bad husband.

OR

D. THE TOBACCONIST – DELE DELANI

1. According to the novel, what is the meaning of Amukoko Oyinbodudu?

2. Why didn’t king Oluronke I accept the proposal of the white man to allow his children to go to school?

3. In one sentence, state what made Boripe’s grandson stop smoking?

4. ‘Oyinbodudu’-used in describing Boripe. What is the literary device of this expression?

 

5. DRAMA

A. DILEMMA OF A CURRENCY BY KUNLE DAGUNRO

1. Give three (3) ways that the naira is abused in this story and by whom.

2. Explain the irony in what happens to Goke’s son.

3. ‘Mama is not dead yet, Fabiyi’ What news is Chief Fabiyi waiting for?

4. Mention two (2) members of the Nigeria Currency Abuse Protection Volunteer Service?

OR

B. INTO THE LIGHT BY CEEJAY CHIBUIKE

1. “Mama Aboy is a bad model for his son.” What does she do for her son?

2. Mention the female members of Techie’s Group.

3. What happens to the king’s son at the end?

4. Who is Yori?

OR

C. RAGS TO RICHES BY ADENIKE AKINJOBI

1. Why did Chief Erinfolami want Bayo to marry Moni?

2. Whose daughter is Moni?

3. Who does Moni’s father want her to marry?

4. Who did Moni marry?

 

SECTION B (OBJECTIVE)

INSTRUCTION: CHOOSE THE WORD WHICH IS NEAREST IN MEANING TO THE BOLD WORD IN EACH SENTENCE.

1. The woman was too pig-headed to listen to advice.

a. stubborn

b. calm

c. quiet

d. reserved

 

2. The woman failed principally because of her arrogance.

a. trivially

b. mainly

c. insignificantly

d. partially

 

3. The students were given ample time to do the exercise.

a. insufficient

b. enough

c. inaccurate

d. little

 

4. A philanthropist has promised to give scholarship to indigent students.

a. poor

b. rich

c. wealthy

d. affluent

 

5. We had a sizzling Christmas holiday.

a. boring

b. uninteresting

c. exciting

d. lack-lustre

 

INSTRUCTION: FROM THE OPTIONS A – D, CHOOSE THE WORD THAT IS NEARLY OPPOSITE IN MEANING TO THE BOLD WORD IN EACH SENTENCE. 

6. Rukayat yelled at the top of her voice.

a. screamed

b. whispered

c. shouted

d. cried

 

7. The Williams locked up their invaluable belongings in the penthouse.

a. worthless

b. priceless

c. genuine

d. fake

 

8. Is it a myth that you cannot pass an examination without cheating?

a. a fallacy

b. a lie

c. a fact

d. a belief

 

9. You can’t accuse the praise singer of embellishing the truth.

a. exaggeration

b. overstating

c. understating

d. emphasizing

 

10. While Mr Coker lives in affluence in America, his family lives in Nigeria.

a. pain

b. fame

c. need

d. poverty

 

INSTRUCTION: FROM THE OPTIONS LETTERED A – D, CHOOSE THE MOST SUITABLE WORD TO FILL THE GAP IN EACH SENTENCE. 

11. He introduced himself as

a. a police

b. an army

c. a soldier

d. a staff

 

12. We have bought _____ for the office.

a. an equipment

b. many equipments

c. some equipment

d. some equipments

 

13. One of the _____ gone.

a. boys has

b. boys have

c. boy has

d. boy have

 

14. How I wish I _____ my mother’s advice.

a. had heeded

b. have heeded

c. heed

d. will heed

 

15. When the hawker was tired, she _____ down by the roadside.

a. lied

b. lay

c. laid

d. layed

 

16. If you want distinction in your examinations, you _____ work for it.

a. have better

b. better

c. had better

d. would better

 

17. We met _____ at the park.

a. a young black handsome Ghanaian

b. a handsome young black Ghananian

c. a young black handsome Ghananian

d. a handsome young black Ghanaian

 

18. The new house is _____ than the old one.

a. much better

b. much more better

c. more better

d. precious

 

19. The students are not _____.

a. much

b. many

c. plenty

d. a lot

 

20. _____ are good friends.

a. He and I

b. I and him

c. I and he

d. He and me

 

21. This loaf of bread is to be shared between _____.

a. us and them

b. we and them

c. us and they

d. we and they

 

22. I expect everybody to respect _____.

a. itself

b. ourselves

c. himself

d. oneself

 

23. Akin will not come _____ he is asked.

a. after

b. provided

c. unless

d. because

 

24. _____ he switches on the light, the shadow disappears.

a. Whenever

b. Since

c. Except

d. Until

 

25. She opened the envelope carefully _____. She did not want to tear the letter.

a. and

b. but

c. also

d. for

 

26. The woman was hesitant _____ whether to stay or leave.

a. over

b. on

c. for

d. at

 

27. We _____ your result when we met.

a. discuss about

d. discussed

c. discussed about

b. discuss

 

28. My three siblings are fluent _____ French.

a. at

b. with

c. in

d. for

 

REGISTER

Mrs Nwankwo was sick and was taken to the hospital by her husband. When they got to the hospital, the doctor asked her to mention some of the ___29___ she noticed so that he would be able to ___30___ the nature of her illness and ___31___ the right ___32___. After the first stage, the doctor examined her body temperature with a ___33___ and later checked her blood pressure with a ___34___. After checking the blood pressure, the doctor discovered her blood pressure had risen and had to give her ___35___ to normalise it.

She was thereafter ___36___ in the ___37___ for some days for observation. It was later discovered that the ___38___ was not only ___39___ from malaria but also pregnant and needed to start ___40___ in earnest.

 

29. A. symptoms B. signs C. signals D. ailment

30. A. diagnose B. diagnosis C. consult D. assess

31. A. proscribe B. operate C. test D. prescribe

32. A. dose B. injection C. syringe D. medication

33. A. thermostat B. tester C. thermometer D. syringe

34. A. bandage B. thermometer C. needle D. sphyg

35. A. sedative B. analgesic C. palliative D. anaesthetic

36. A. admitted B. delayed C. discharged D. out-patient

37. A. room B. ward C. casualty D. in-patient

38. A. patience B. customer C. casualty D. patient

39. A. battling B. attacked C. suffering D. dealing

40. A. clinic B. surgery C. sleeping D. ante-natal

 

INSTRUCTION: FILL IN THE GAP IN EACH SENTENCE WITH THE CORRECT FORM OF THE WORD IN THE OPTIONS A – D.

41. Two of them are on _____ committees.

a. separate

b. seperate

c. seprate

d. serparate

 

42. Her pronunciation was excellent on the _____ day of the programme.

a. twelveth

b. twelveth

c. twelfth

d. twelve

 

43. We missed the _____ of the movie.

a. begnining

b. beginning

c. begginning

d. begining

 

44. The students expressed a _____ interest in the idea.

a. genueine

b. genue

c. genuine

d. geneuine

 

45. The bout between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is _____ for September.

a. skedaddled

b. schedulled

c. scheeduled

d. scheduled

 

INSTRUCTION: FROM THE OPTIONS LETTERED A – D, CHOOSE THE ONE THAT BEST INTERPRETS THE UNDERLINED EXPRESSION IN EACH SENTENCE. 

46. My plan to travel to America fell through.

a. failed

b. succeeded

c. almost falled

d, almost succeeded

 

47. We ran into each other at the park.

a. collided

b. met expectedly

c. met unexpectedly

d. had an appointment

 

48. The couple blazed the trail in selling grocery in the community,

a. stopped

b. started

c. joined

d. encourage

 

49. What you offer is chicken feed?

a. chicken change

b. meagre

c. a lot

d. unnecessary

 

50. I used to smoke.

a. I still smoke

b. I have not stopped smoking

c. I have stopped smoking

d. Smoking is a habit

 

INSTRUCTION: COMPLETE THE STATEMENTS BELOW WITH THE CORRECT TAGS. 

51. He is from Spain, _____?

a. aren’t he

b. isn’t he

c. wasn’t he

d. didn’t he

 

52. I like noodles so much, _____?

a. liken’t I

b. don’t I

c. isn’t I

d. aren’t!

 

53. You won’t be going to the theatre again, _____?

a. would you

b. will you

c. wouldn’t you

d. can you

 

INSTRUCTION: MAKE THE FOLLOWING DIRECT SPEECH FORMS TO INDIRECT BY CHOOSING THE MOST APPROPRIATE OPTION.

54. “I will be there next week”, said Bola.

a. Bola said she would be there the following week.

b. Bola will be there next week.

c. Bola asked that she would be there the following week.

d. I will be there next week says Bola.

 

55. “Give me your phone”, said the man.

a. The man commanded me to give him his phone.

b. The man asked me to collect my phone.

c. The man gave my phone to you.

d. The man commanded me to give him my phone.

 

INSTRUCTION: FROM THE OPTIONS LETTERED A – D, CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE WORD THAT HAS THE VOWEL SOUND OF THE LETTER OR LETTERS IN BOLD. 

56. creature

a. meagre

b. tinker

c. message

d. drape

 

57. leopard

a. pants

b. snarl

c. snazzy

d. submit

 

58. buoy

a. tortoise

b. poise

c. purpose

d. yawn

 

59. glory

a. gawk

b. God

c. waft

d. vowel

 

60. olive

a. once

b. ghost

c. omnibus

d. Olympics

 

61. zucchini

a. champión

b. card

c chips

d. cypress

 

62. chalet

a. dent

b. make

c. lettuce

d. shriek

 

63. Christian

a. champagne

b. chauvinism

c. chatter

d. central

 

64. checked

a. rape

b. tank

c. deck

d. divided

 

65. autumn

a. dance

b. map

c. lantern

d. sing

 

66. The write up that summarisés a play is called _____.

a. prologue

b. climax

c. epilogue

d. flashback

 

67. An expression from which one derives a mental picture is called _____.

a. photography

b. exaggeration

c. Imagery

d. melodrama

 

68. The trees bowed their heads to the roaring breeze.

a. Irony

b. Simile

c. Personification

d. Euphemism

 

69. All the guests gave the own a standing ovation.

a. Euphemism

b. Personification

c. Irony

d. Metonymy

 

70. Should I ile to you without caution?” is an example of _____.

a. hyperbole

b. satire

c. personification

d. rhetorical question

 

POETRY

Sunrise Poetry – Olusola Fadiya

71. “In 1973, you were born, Civil War and National Unity are your parents. The first line refers to _____.

a. the poet

b. the civil war

c. national unity

d. National Youth Service Corps

 

72. The Poem “National Service Corps” has one of these as its major theme.

a. Hatred

b. Disunity

c. Love

d. Segregation

 

“Economy” – Olusola Fadiya

73. What constitute the strength of the economy are the distribution of _____.

a. human and material resources

b. distribution of financial resources

c. balancing international trade

d. all of the above

 

“Education for All” – Olusola Fadiya

74. In “Education for All” the poem states _____.

a. the functions of education only

b. the functions and benefits of education to children

c. the stakeholders of education are cruel

d. the functions of ‘SUBEB’

 

“Keep Your Head Above Water” – Kazeem Kareem Esq

75. In the poem ‘Keep Your Head Above Water’, the overriding message is that you should _____.

a. always swim with your head above water

b. endeavour to reach the shore

c. never giving up on life

d. enjoy the challenges that come to you

 

76. According to the poem “Leadership”, a good leader should possess these qualities EXCEPT _____.

a. a good leader must bear the welfare of others in mind.

b. a good leader must be a leader and not a dictator

c. a good leader must be selfless

d. a good leader must embezzle money

 

77. In “My Pen Cries”, the poet is worried about all these EXCEPT _____.

a. equal distribution of the nation’s wealth

b. poor wages and salaries

c. education malpractice

d. brain drain and killing innocent souls

 

78. In the poem “Which is not a child”. The major theme is _____.

a. inheritance

b. preference for girls

c. gender discrimination

d. love for children

 

79. Attire for Satire My Bed teaches us these EXCEPT _____.

a. diligence

b. time consciousness

c. hardwork leads to realisation of dream

d. laziness brings realisation of dream

 

80. In the poem “Light Fingers”, the mood of the poem is _____.

a. personal

b. displeasure

c. personification.

d. exciting