BECE 2012 English Language Past Questions

PART I

LEXIS AND STRUCTURE
SECTION A
From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each
sentence

1. Two people perished .... the spot.
A. upon
B. in
C. on
D. through

2. Oyo fell ill .... measles.
A. at
B. by
C. of
D. with

3. The doctor gave .... to the patient.
A. some good advice
B. much good advices
C. many good advice
D. some good advices

4. All girls were supposed to wear .... . during the Speech Day.
A. new, white, long, dresses
B. new, long, white, dresses
C. long, white, new, dresses
D. white, new, long, dresses

5. I think you know .... already’, said the host to all the participants.
A. one another
B. each one
C. themselves
D. ourselves

6. The girls asserted that both tennis racquets were ....
A. of Akologos
B. Akologo’s
C. Akologo’s own
D. Akologo

7. Children usually take .... their parents in appearance.
A. after
B. from
C. to
D. up

8. We haven’t had .... rice to eat this week.
A. some
B. little
C. any
D. many

9. The chief praised the .... during the students demonstration.
A. policemen’s behaviours
B. policemen behaviours
C. policemen’s behaviour
D. policemans’ behaviour

10. When the lights went off I .... my supper.
A. have eaten
B. have been eating
C. am eating
D. was eating

11. The doctor said she .... if she had not kept strictly to her diet.
A. has died
B. will die
C. would die
D. would have died

12. We saw the plane .... for Kumasi.
A. take on
B. take of
C. take off
D. take out

13. There are many big houses in our area, .... ?
A. isn’t it
B. aren’t they
C. weren’t there
D. aren’t there

14. You have cut the grass, .... ?
A. haven’t you
B. did you
C. didn’t you
D. had you

15. The new airport .... next year.
A. will be completed
B. shall complete
C. will be completing
D. shall have completed

16. Walking in the rain is not good, .... ?
A. is not
B. is it
C. must not
D. must it

17. Go over your work carefully, .... you?
A. do
B. will
C. may
D. shall

SECTION B

Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.

18. About fifty houses were demolished to make way for the new road.
A. removed
B. attacked
C. destroyed
D. displayed

19. The headmaster took drastic action against the culprits.
A. bold
B. dangerous
C. necessary
D. severe

20. It was forecast that there would be floods this year.
A. deduced
B. predicted
C. imagined
D. observed

21. Many people revered the old man for his charity to the poor.
A. glorified
B. respected
C. feared
D. praised

22. When they reached the frontier, the custom officer stopped the car.
A. fence
B. gate
C. entrance
D. border

SECTION C

In each of the following sentences a group of words has been underlined. Choose from the
alternatives lettered A to D the one that best explains the underlined group of words.

23. Awuni normally feels at home in my house. This means that Awuni .... in my house.
A. feels comfortable
B. lives
C. moves about
D. eats

24. The students were advised to stop building castles in the air. This means that the students should
A. be serious and realistic
B. not worry about castles
C. be serious and hardworking
D. not build any more castles

25. The chief told his linguist not to beat about the bush. This means that the linguist must
A. not stammer
B. go straight to the point
C. not enter the bush
D. cut down the bush

26. Immediately Ekuba’s mother left the house, she let the cat out of the bag. This means that Ekuba
A. bought a cat
B. took the cat from the bag
C. left her house
D. revealed the secret

27. The teacher poured cold water on Sena’s suggestion. This means that the teacher
A. challenged Sena’s suggestion
B. approved of Sena’s suggestion
C. discouraged Sena
D. provoked Sena

SECTION D

From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word underlined in each sentence.

He had applied for a permanent job.
A. a boring
B. a dull
C. an exacting
D. a temporary

29. He has a violent temper.
A. mild
B. natural
C. flexible
D. pleasant

30. His position made him humble.
A. stubborn
B. wicked
C. arrogant
D. selfish

31. That is a genuine painting.
A. bad
B. fake
C. damaged
D. poor

32. The soldier climbed the mountain carefully.
A. descended
B. fell off
C. circled
D. looked up

PART II

LITERATURE

The main idea in a novel or play is the ....
A. suspense
B. plot
C. gist
D. theme

34. The three main forms of literature are prose, drama and .... ..
A. novel
B. satire
C. poetry
D. prosody

Read the following stanza and answer questions 35 and 36.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Bears all its sons away. They fly forgotten, as a dream Dies at the opening day.

35. Time in this stanza is being used as ....
A. symbol
B. simile
C. synecdoche
D. personification

Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Bears all its sons away. They fly forgotten, as a dream Dies at the opening day.

36. The rhyme scheme of the stanza is ....
A. abba
B. bbaa
C. abab
D. baba

37. The place and time of the action of a play or novel is its ....
A. background
B. setting
C. scene
D. atmosphere

38. One of the following helps best to create interest in a work of art:
A. rhythm
B. preface
C. epilogue
D. suspense

39. The main function of imagery in literature is to make readers / listeners ....
A. appreciate the great efforts of writers
B. understand clearly what writers puts across
C. admire how learned writers are
D. know literature is different from other uses of language

40. A character in a play that opposes the hero or heroine is the ....
A. antagonist
B. challenger
C. opponent
D. protagonist