NDA USE OF ENGLISH 2017 PAST QUESTIONS
COMPREHENSION
There was a time I wronged my uncle, my father's elder brother, who brought me up. On this occasion, my cousin and I had overstayed our specific time on the farm, causing the whole household a lot of panic. We had been instructed not to stay beyond late afternoon at the farmstead, no matter what work we might be doing on the farm. That day, because we were hunting small game, we forgot ourselves. The early afternoon grew into early evening, and then darkness was setting in. The farther into the bush we hunted the more game we caught. We were oblivious of the risks to which we exposed ourselves. Cases of child-kidnapping were rampant then, though we had never had a brush with the child-hunting ritual killers. Suddenly, darkness descended like a dark curtain. It dawns on us that there was someone at home whose rules we had violated.
Quickly, we ran home, but it was too late; the whole household had set out to look for us at the farmstead which we had left hours earlier for the bush. Their panic had multiplied by the time they arrived at the farmstead. Getting home, and discovering that only granny was in, we knew we had had it. Meanwhile, my uncle and his luckless team went from one farmstead to another searching for us. When it was too dark for them to find their way around, they bent their steps towards home to plan the next search strategy. But then they found us waiting.
The old man was too tired, too angry to beat us. He just stared like the devil at us. Oh! How much that stare froze me! I wished I could just melt away before his eyes. I wished he had taken a whip and thrashed me. But he didn't! He simply sat in that dark corner of the room, bent double like a tired masquerade. Looking at his pathetic figure down there, I couldn't bear it any longer, I started crying. It was then that I discovered that my cousin had indeed set the pace only that he had been sobbing quietly.
QUESTIONS
1. What specific order had the writer and his cousin been given?A. The instruction was that they should not stay beyond night on the farmstead.
on the farmstead
B. The instruction was that they should overstay on the farmstead.
C. The instruction was that they should not hunt for a game into the bush.
D. The instruction was that they should not stay beyond late afternoon on the farmstead
2. What prevailing situation had warranted this?
A. There had been many cases of child kidnapping
B. There had been many cases of ritual sacrifice
C. Their uncle had been scared of their disappearance into the bush.
D. Because they may not find their way home.
3. What had made the two forget the order?
A. They were playing games right into the bush.
B. They forgot their uncle will be angry.
C. The prospect of catching more game made them forget the order.
D. They worked late and forgot the order.
4. The writer cried because
A. he was afraid of beating.
B. they went out looking for them.
C. he felt guilty for causing his uncle anguish.
D. his uncle was tired and uncomfortable.
5. The figure of speech, "How much that stare froze me?" as used in the passage is a:
A. a simile
B. a metaphor
C. a personification
D. an oxymoron.
6. What figure of speech is "darkness descended like a dark curtain?"
A. metaphor
B. simile
C. irony
D. an ode
7. The writer used the sentence "It dawned on us that there was someone at home whose rules we had violated". The word "violated" as used in the passage means:
A. Abused
B. Desecrated
C. Defiled
D. Broken
8. The word "oblivious" in the passage means all of the words written below except
A. Ignorant
B. Unmindful
C. Unaware
D. Conscious.
9. Which of the words in the alternatives given below does not have the same meaning as the word thrashed as used in the passage:
A. Blew
B. Flogged
C. Whipped
D. Caned
10. The most appropriate title for the passage is
A. The most memorable day of y life.
B. My experience at the farmstead.
C. My experience at bush gaming.
D. The day I wronged my uncle.
LEXIS
From the words lettered A to D in questions 11-20. choose the word that is the nearest meaning to the underlined word:11. The princess was praised by her sister-in-law for her impeccable behaviour.
A. spotless
B. appropriate
C. beautiful
D. faultless
12. The commandant warned the final-year cadets about the consequences of procrastination.
A. haste
B. delay
C. protesting
D. rioting
13. The Guest Speaker's explanation of that point was quite lucid.
A. lengthy
B. complicated
C. clear
D. surprising
14. The criminal was incarcerated
A. arrested
B. pardoned
C. imprisoned
D. cautioned
15. The plaintiff was dissatisfied with the judgement passed by the Chief Magistrate.
A. solicitor
B. accused
C. complainant
D. respondent
16. Only a depraved mind would think of spanking a baby.
A. Immature
B. Corrigible
C. Brave
D. Sordid
17. Mr Farouq Yahaya was one of the redoubtable ministers in the cabinet.
A. Formidable
B. Indispensable
C. Remediable
D. Redeemable
18. At the Party's Convention, many politicians overtly declared their support for the ruling party.
A. badly
B. cleverly
C. vehemently
D. publicly
19. Members of the Trade Union commiserated with their colleagues over the death of his wife.
A. mourned
B. identified
C. condoled
D. sympathized
20. The person who purportedly made away with the students' transcripts has not been caught.
A. deliberately
B. secretly
C. allegedly
D. cleverly
Instructions: In each of questions 21-25, choose the most appropriate option opposite in meaning to the word underlined.
21. The student averred that she had seen Nwosu at the scene of the crime.
A. argued
B. confirmed
C. denied
D. affirmed
22. The high cost of living in cities calls for a lot of frugality.
A. extravagance
B. recklessness
C. Economy
D. prudence
23. Ayafa's reaction underscores the point the lawyer was making.
A. justified
B. emphasizes
C. summarizes
D. contradicts
24. All the staff appreciated the Director's adroit handling of the crises in the Agency.
A. clever
B. tactless
C. skilful
D. clumsy
25. The Headmaster took exception to the ignoble role teacher played in the matter
A. embarrassing
B. honourable
C. extraordinary
D. dishonourable
Instructions: From the words or group of words lettered A to D in questions 26-30, choose the one that best completes each of the following sentences.
26. Ekoyo is neither too tall ___ short
A. and too
B. nor too
C. or too
D. or very
27. She hurt herself,___?
A. does she?
B. isn't it?
C. didn't she?
D. doesn't she?
28. The car wasn't serviceable, ----?
A. it was
B. didn't it?
C. is it?
D. was it?
29. We lost because we ___ cope with the tempo of the game.
A. cannot
B. could not be able
C. could not
D. cannot be able
30. The woman walked ___ fast that the little girl couldn't catch up with her.
A. too
B. very
C. so
D. quite
SECTION C
InstructionsFrom the words lettered A — D in questions 31-35, choose the word or group of words that best completes each of the following sentences.
31. The girls in the hostel must be______ bed by 10.00 p.m.
A. on
B. in
C. within
D. inside
32. He was congratulated ___ his performance
A. about
B. by
C. for
D. on
33. Is this your new uniform?
A. No, it is
B. No, it wasn't
C. Yes, it is
D. Yes, it's mine
34. I prefer eba ___amala.
A. than
B. to
C. more than
D. better
35. A __ board of inquiry ____ been set up to investigate the cause of the fire outbreak.
A. five-men, have
B. five-man, have
C. five-men, has
D. five-man, has
Instructions: After each of the following sentences in questions 36-40, a list of possible interpretations of the sentences are given. Choose the interpretation that you consider most appropriate
for each sentence
36. The students stuck to their guns even after the principal had appealed to them to go back to their classes. This means that students
A. went back willingly
B. refused to go back
C. went back reluctantly
D. attacked the school authorities
37. The last promotion exercise was the bone of contention between the two friends. This means that the last promotion exercise
A. was the cause of their dispute
B. forced them to reason together
C. make them become enemies
D. united them in their fight against their common enemy
38. The accountant falsified the records in order to feather his own nest. This means that the accountant tried to
A. deceive his boss
B. put a feather in his cap
C. make himself rich
D. avenge wrong done to him by his boss
39. The cashier wanted to pull the wool over my eyes by making me sign for the money I didn't receive. This means that the cashier wanted to
A. deceive me
B. blindfold me
C. rub my eyes with cotton wool
D. become suspicious
40. The officer urged the soldiers to gird up their loins for the task ahead. This means that soldiers should ___
A. wake up early the next morning
B. guard their hungry
C. wear a new battle uniform
D. be on a full alert
ANSWERS
2. A
3. C
4. C
5. B
6. B
7. D
8. D
9. A
10. D
11. D
12. B
13. C
14. C
15. C
16. D
17. A
18. D
19. C
20. C
21. C
22. A
22. A
23. D
23. D
24. B
25. B
26. B
27. C
28. D
30. C
31. B
32. C
33. C
34. B
35. D
36. B
37. A
38. C
39. A
40. D
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