Post-UTME English Language 2009 Objective Past Questions
All 21 questions from the Post-UTME Screening (Post-UTME) English Language 2009 Objective paper, with the correct answer and a full explanation for each. Free, no signup needed.
[Passage: Alan, a friend who likes country life, is fishing in a river; the fish slips off the hook, flies over his head and lands in a field where picnickers are gathered. When they ask what he's doing, he claims fish jump out of the river to look for flies, then secretly finds his fish in the grass and shows it to them, pretending to be hunting for another.] Why did the fish land in the field?
A. It had wings
B. It was a flying fish
C. It was looking for food
D. It fell off the hook.Correct
Explanation
The fish slipped off the hook and flew over Alan's head into the field.
[Passage: Alan, a friend who likes country life, is fishing in a river; the fish slips off the hook, flies over his head and lands in a field where picnickers are gathered. When they ask what he's doing, he claims fish jump out of the river to look for flies, then secretly finds his fish in the grass and shows it to them, pretending to be hunting for another.] The picnickers were-
A. Farmers
B. from the nearby villageCorrect
C. tourists
D. People from the city.
Explanation
The picnickers are presented as local/nearby residents enjoying a day out in the field.
[Passage: Alan, a friend who likes country life, is fishing in a river; the fish slips off the hook, flies over his head and lands in a field where picnickers are gathered. When they ask what he's doing, he claims fish jump out of the river to look for flies, then secretly finds his fish in the grass and shows it to them, pretending to be hunting for another.] Where was Alan looking for his fish?
A. In the grassCorrect
B. Down in the river
C. In front of the gate
D. In his basket
Explanation
Having lost the fish into the field, Alan searched for it in the grass.
[Passage: Alan, a friend who likes country life, is fishing in a river; the fish slips off the hook, flies over his head and lands in a field where picnickers are gathered. When they ask what he's doing, he claims fish jump out of the river to look for flies, then secretly finds his fish in the grass and shows it to them, pretending to be hunting for another.] Alan made the picnickers believe that fish jump out of the river to look for flies by
A. Telling a storyCorrect
B. Finding his trout and showing it to them
C. Picking up a fish and looking for more
D. taking them down to the river
Explanation
Alan invents and tells the picnickers a story to explain his odd behaviour.
[Passage: Alan, a friend who likes country life, is fishing in a river; the fish slips off the hook, flies over his head and lands in a field where picnickers are gathered. When they ask what he's doing, he claims fish jump out of the river to look for flies, then secretly finds his fish in the grass and shows it to them, pretending to be hunting for another.] 'He laughs best who laughs last' (Proverb). It is true for this story because
A. The picnickers were enjoying themselves
B. he finally found his fish
C. Alan played a good trick on the picnickersCorrect
D. Fishing is a pastime
Explanation
Alan's clever fabricated story fooled the picnickers, making him the one who ultimately 'won' (laughed last) through his trick.
While Damisah denounced the principal's approach to the issue of discipline in the school, Osagie......... the approach. (opposite in meaning to 'denounced')
A. renounced
B. laudedCorrect
C. condemned
D. refused
Explanation
'Denounced' (strongly criticized) is opposed by 'lauded' (praised).
John BOUGHT the book yesterday. (choose the emphatic question this answers)
A. Did John win the book yesterday?
B. when did John buy the book?
C. Who bought the book yesterday?Correct
D. Has John received the book he bought yesterday?
Explanation
The emphatic stress on 'BOUGHT' (as opposed to who did the buying) is best answered by a question emphasizing the action's agent: 'Who bought the book yesterday?'