BECE Past Questions & Answers – 1995 (English)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PART 1
OBJECTIVE TEST
45 minutes
SECTION A COMPREHENSION
Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions which follow
PASSAGE I
Where is the performance of songbirds held? It is not in any concert hall but rather on trees, fences and telephone wires. It is from these places that the little feathered creatures blend their voice in one of the most delightful songs in the world.
Songbirds do not just make noise. The male voices in the choir for instance, have two messages.
First, it is a warning to other males not to come near. Secondly, it is an invitation from the bachelors to the female birds. The most vigorous and interesting songs can be heard during breeding season to impress the lady birds.
Songbirds are very remarkable. They can sing three or four notes at once. To the human ear, these sound like one continuous note, but birds can tell the difference because of their keen sense of hearing. At times, what we hear may not be the true song of our winged friends but simply a call to keep flocks together. It may also be warning others of an approaching danger.
Just how birds learn and invent their songs is an interesting subject. Some have their songs fixed in their brains by the time of birth. Other birds, however, try to invent their own unique songs. They will never copy what they hear others sing.
1. According to the passage, members of the chorus can sing without any difficulty because they …….
A. have to sing
B. easily learn to sing
C. have good songs
D. are born good singers
2. The male songbirds sing to ……….
A. encourage others B. attract the females C. entertain others
D. praise nature
3. The most interesting songs are produced
A. during competitions
B. in the morning
C. during mating periods
D. in the evening
4. Unique in the passage means
A. suitable B. similar C. exciting D. special
5. According to the passage which of the following is true? Birds ………
A. are impressive
B. are awesome
C. make too much noise
D. are ridiculous
PASSAGE II
„Locusts are descending‟ was joyfully chanted everywhere. Men, women and children left their work or their play and ran into the open to see the unfamiliar sight. The locusts had not come for many years, and only the old people had seen them before.
At first, a fairly small swarm came. And then, there appeared a slow-moving mass like a sheet of black cloud drifting towards the villages. Soon it covered half the sky. It was an amazing sight full of power and beauty.
Everyone was now about praying that the locust should stay in the village for the night. Although most people had never seen locusts before, they knew by instinct that they were good to eat. At last they descended. They settled on roofs and covered the bare ground. Tree branches broke under them and the whole village turned to brown earth colour with locusts.
Many people who went out with baskets trying to catch them were advised to wait until nightfall. And they were right. The locusts settled in the bushes for the night and their wings became wet with dew. Then all the village folks turned out, in spite of the cold harmattan, to fill their bags and pots with locusts. The next morning they were roasted and spread in the sun until they became dry. For many days after, this rare food was mixed with oil and eaten with relish.
6. Most of the village people were excited about the coming of the locusts because they ………
A. were moving slowly B. had come in a swarm C. were not common
D. had covered the sky
7. Why was it easier to catch the locusts in the night? Because the locusts ………
A. could not fly
B. were settling down C. did not like darkness D. were feeling sleepy
8. According to the passage, the locust were
A. brown B. black C. blind D. bold
9. Turned out in the passage means
A. played outside
B. slept out
C. cried aloud
D. came out
10. Which of the following expressions from the passage indicates that there were a lot of locusts?
A. amazing sight
B. fairly small swarm
C. unfamiliar sight
D. slow-moving mass