THE WEST AFRICAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL GHANA

Basic Education Certificate Examination

English Language 2019

OBJECTIVE TEST

SECTION A

From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence.

Question 1

One of the balls............ from the herd.

Question 2

I saw the dog.......... out of the house.

Question 3

Habib goes to school............ train.

Question 4

This phone is not mine; it is............

Question 5

Their sister wore a............ dress to the party.

Question 6

I wish I............ my friend next week.

Question 7

Aba took............ her mother to many ways.

Question 8

That girl is allergic............ dust.

Question 9

My brother, with his children, ............ travelling to Salaga next week.

Question 10

It is high time we............ for the meeting.

Question 11

The accused person refused to appear before the............ pane.

Question 12

The stories her children told her made her............

Question 13

They have not bought............ of the two prescribed books.

Question 14

The boy found the assignment............ to do.

Question 15

The oxen lay on bare floor,............?

SECTION B

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

Question 16

The officials made a __sudden__ visit to the school.

Question 17

Some of the students __grumbled__ about the assignment.

Question 18

It is __impolite__ to talk loudly in the presence of the elderly.

Question 19

She is fond of talking about __trivial__ matters.

Question 20

The __curious__ child likes to ask a lot of questions.

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.

Question 21

Araba's visit was a __bolt from the blue__. This means that the was..........

Question 22

My uncle loves to __cast his bread upon waters__. This means that my uncle..........

Question 23

When he lost his job, Yaro was __left to sink or swim__. That means that Yaro..........

Question 24

I was informed __at the eleventh hour__ about his decision to leave. This means that I heard about his decision...........

Question 25

John had to __eat his words__ when our team won the match. This means that John..........

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.

Question 26

The girl __intentionally__ tore her dress.

Question 27

We __initiated__ several projects last year.

Question 28

Most of the rules were __observed__.

Question 29

The results will be __released__ very soon.

Question 30

No one enjoyed the old man's __humourless__ stories.

THEORY

THEORY QUESTIONS

This paper consists of three parts: A, B and C. Answer three questions in all;one question from Part A and all the questions in Part B and Part C. Answer all the questions in your answer booklet. Credit will be given for clarity of expression and orderly presentation of material.

Question 1

Write a letter to your headmaster discussing two games that should be encouraged among the students in your school

Question 2

Write an article for publication in your school magazine on why every student should be computer-literate.

Question 3

Write an interesting story which ends with the words, It pays to be kind to strangers.

Question 4

Friends are meant to help each other when the need arises. At school, some people develop friendly relationships which continue throughout their lives. One thing which helps people to stay together as __intimate__ friends is the ability to communicate freely among themselves and endeavour to be each other's keeper. What destroys friendships mostly is friends being suspicious of each other. That is why a popular __adage__ says, "Suspicious is the bane of friendship". People attend school not only because they want to make friends but also to acquire knowledge and skills for employment. Education helps people to be __polished__ in their manners. The school prepares its students to become useful citizens Fortune separated us. I travelled abroad for further studies. I stay away for two decades. On my return, I went to my former school for my certificate. There, I met a middle-age gentleman who also came to the office for the same purpose. I could not recognize him because time had wiped off all memories of school life. However, the names on the certificates revealed that we were classmates. After further discussion, Tono invited me to his business partner.

Question 5

State one thing which helps people to be close.
How can friendships get destroyed?

Question 6

Give **two** reasons why people go to school.

Question 7

Why did people avoid Tono's company?
State Tono's reason for visiting his former school.

Question 8

Why could the writer not recognise Tono?

Question 9

Explain, in your own words, the following expressions as used in the passage:

was not in the good books of the teachers;
with the passage of time;
by leaps and bounds.

Question 10

For each of the following words, give another word or a phrase that means the same and can fit into the passage:

PART AESSAY WRITING

Answer one question only from this part. Your composition should be about 250 words long.

Questions for this section are in the printed paper.

PART BCOMPREHENSION [30 MARKS]

Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow.

Questions for this section are in the printed paper.

LITERATURE

PART C LITERATURE [10 marks]

Answer all the questions in this part.

Question 1

CHARLES DICKENS: Oliver Twist "Stop, thief!" he shouted, thinking Oliver had robbed him. The poor boy found himself being chased by people and even dogs! Someone in the crowd, __a young man with purple lips and red sores all over his hands__, grabbed Oliver and knocked him down............"

Question 2

Who is referred to as _our young Miss_?

Question 3

The literary device used in __heavily laden with all the good things of the earth is..........__

Question 4

The speaker represented by 'X' in the extract is............?

Question 5

According to Ato, what is preventing him and his wife from having children?

Question 6

The figure of speech that describes _she leaves_ us in the extract is...........

Question 7

Write one group of words in the extract that brings out the theme of uncleanliness.

Question 8

The words _Head bent, rags all around the upside down pan_ appeal to the reader's sense of............