NDA USE OF ENGLISH 2016 PAST QUESTIONS
SECTION A: COMPREHENSION
Passage I
Recognizing the need for objectivity in their work, the early report writers worked to develop a writing style which would convey this altitude. They reasoned that the source of the subjectivity quality in a report is the human being. And they reasoned that objectivity is best attained by emphasizing the factual materials of a report rather than the personalities involved. So they worked to remove the human beings from their writing. Impersonal writing style was the result. By impersonal writing it meant writing in the third person - without i's, we's or you's.
In recent years, impersonal writing has been strenuously questioned by many writers. These writers point out that personal writing is more forceful and direct than impersonal writing. They contend that writing which brings both reader and writer into the picture is more like conversation and therefore more interesting. And they answer to the point on objectivity with a reply that objectivity is an attitude of mind and not a matter of person. A report, they say, can be just as objective when written in personal style as when in an impersonal style. Frequently, they counter, with the argument that impersonal writing leads to an overuse of passive and general dull writing style. This last argument, however, lacks substance. Impersonal writing can and should be interesting. Any dullness it may have is wholly the fault of the writer. As proof, one has only to look at the lively styles used by the writers for newspapers news magazines and journals. Most of this writing is impersonal - and usually, it is not dull.
As in most cases of controversy, there is some merit to the arguments on both sides. There are situations in which either style is appropriate. The writer must decide at the onset of his work which style is best for his own situation.
His decision should be based on the circumstances of each report situation. First, he should consider the expectations or desires of those for whom he is preparing the report. More than likely he will find a preference for impersonal style, for, like most human beings, businessmen have been slow to break tradition. Next, the writer should consider the formality of the report situation. If the situation is informed, as when the report is really a personal communication of information between business associates, personal writing is appropriate, but if the situation is formal, as in the case of most repo conventional impersonal is best.
- Lesikar, R. V., Report Writing for Business.1. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Most report writing is characterized by the sparing use of the impersonal style
B. The impersonal helps to achieve a measure of objectivity in report writing
C. The impersonal style has been acclaimed
D. Most writers use the impersonal style to achieve objectivity in their reports
3. From the passage, what determines the appropriateness of a style is the ___.
A. situation
B. reader
C. writer
D. theme
4. According to the passage, most of the writing in newspapers, news magazines and journals is ___.
A. impersonal and interesting
B. impersonal and uninteresting
C. personal and interesting
D personal and uninteresting
5. Which of the following best describes the writer of the passage?
A. He cannot be said to be objective.
B. He is completely non-committal
C. He recognizes the need to be critical of report writing
D. He is being unnecessarily analytic
Passage II
Instructions: The passage below has gaps numbered 6 - 15. Immediately following each gap. four options are provided, choose the most appropriate option for each gap.It is the business of the Scientist to accumulate knowledge about the universe and all that is in it, and to find, if he is able, common __6___[A. experiments B. instruments C. approaches D. factors] which underlie and account for the fact that lie knows. He chooses when he can, the method of the controlled common __7___ [A. respondents B. experiment C. system D. data]. If he wants to find out the effects 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; 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 can be clearly seen. In the course of his __10___[A. findings B. queries C. experiments D. inquiries], the scientist may find what he thinks is one common explanation for an increasing number of facts.
SECTION B: LEXIS AND STRUCTURE
11. I will tell you the mysteries of life when you ___ to my house.
A. are coming
B. will come
C. were coming
D. come
12. Last week, I ___ a bad toothache.
B. have
C. any having
D. might have
13. The new officer cadet will do as you say if you ___him I sent you.
A. would tell
B. tell
C. are telling
D. had told
14. We won't be ready to blow up the rock ___ 19th May
A. by
B. for
C. at
D. since
15. By next year I___ an agent for 18 years
A. will have been
B. will be
C. have been
D. had been
16. Plans to install the atomic energy plant ____ for the day after tomorrow
A. are set
B. have been set
C. will be set
D. had been set
17. Before he fired it, I _____.
A. had snatched the gun from him
B. snatches the gun from him
C. snatched the gun from him
D. will snatched the gun from him
18. Tomorrow it will have been a week since the explosion _____.
A. has gone off
B. have gone off
C. went off
D. goes off
19. Ever since the new device was made, intelligence agents _____.
A. make use of it
B. will make use of it
C. have been making use of it
D. made use or it
20. Till yesterday I ___ the bill.
A. had not paid
B. have not paid
C. do not paid
D. might not have paid
21. The disease was not easily ....
A. discovered
B. decided
C. diagnosed
D. seen
22. Which of these is a wrong plural?
A. growns-up
B. passers-by
C. hand-full
D. door-bills
23. Akintade likes dancing and ___.
A. so I do
B. I do so
C. I so do
D. So do I
24. The murder suspect implicated him but the evidence presented ___ him
A. exonerated
B. convicted
C. involved
D. condemned
25. The bank will make a turn ............... of one hundred thousand naira this month.
A. over
B. out
C. up
D. in
Instructions: In each of Questions 26 to 30, select the option that best explains the information. conveyed in the sentence.
26. The class has fallen in with the teacher's plan.
A. The class has accepted the plans
B. The class has ignored the plans
C. The class has modified the plans
D. The class has rejected the plans
27. I owe you less than you owe me.
A. I owe you something, but you owe me much more
B. Your debt is not much greater than mine
C. What we owe each other is approximately the same
D. My debt to you is greater than yours
28. He had hardly spoken when the bell rang.
A. He found it difficult to speak, and then the bell rang
B. The bell rang, very soon after he spoke
C. When the bell rang, he was still speaking
D. He spoke in a harsh
Aliyu takes his father; he frowns upon anyone with influence.
A. Aliyu, who looks like his father, follows rich and influential people about
B. Aliyu, who always follows his father, tries to act like an influential man
C. Like his father, Aliyu hates influential people
D. Like his father, Aliyu likes to flatter people with influence in society
30. A tier the war, the victors became increasingly vindictive.
A. Repressive measures were taken against those who lost the war
B. Those who won the war became treacherous
C. Vengeful attacks were incessantly carried out on those who lost the war
D . Friendly measure were taken to heal the wounds
Instructions: From Questions 31-35, choose from alternatives A - D the word or group of words have exact opposite or almost opposite in meaning to the underlined word.
31. He has shown himself to be quite an amiable character.
A. aggressive
B. antagonistic
C. friendly
D. peaceful
32. The chaotic manner she conducted things put everyone off.
A. hazardous
B. organized
C. simple
D. messed up
33. There was abundance of rainfall last year.
A. insufficient
B. death
C. shortfall
D. inappropriate
34. The measures that are being taken by the government will alleviate the pressures on us as a nation.
A. deflate
B. account for
C. aggravate
D. discount
35. The ambassador was subjected to a servile treatment throughout his incarceration.
A. prestigious
B. diplomatic
C. gigantic
D. gracious
Instructions: From Questions 36-40, choose from Alternatives A - D. the word nearest in meaning to the underlined word.
36. The Social Studies tutor with his myriad of problems is a thorn in the flesh of the government
A. multitude
B. few
C. reduced
D. plenty
37. The aggression in Zainab's speech made it clear that she was ready for anything.
A. pride
B. force
C. calm
D. playfulness
38. The military commander is grossly lacking in human relations.
A. slightly
B. mainly
C. greatly
D. deficiently
39. Reasonable leadership hardly toys with fragile issues.
A. unserious
B. hard
C. delicate
D. serious
40. The militants have problems on how to manage the spoils of war .
A. gains
B. dead
C. spoilt
D. wounded
ANSWERS
1. B
2. A
3. A
4. A
5. C
6. A
7. D
8. D
9. A
10. C
11. D
12. A
13. B
14. A
15. A
16. A
17. C
18. C
19. C
20.C
21. C
22. A
23. D
24. A
25. A
26. A
27. A
28. B
29. D
30. A
31. B
32. B
33. C
34. C
35. D
36. D
37. B
38. D
39. C
40. A
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