BECE Past Questions & Answers – 1996 (English)

11. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?
A. The ceremony must be performed before sunrise
B. The elder dipped the head of the child into the calabash
C. The first elder did not know the name of the child
D. The ceremony was well attended.

SECTION B

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

12. The thieves who raided the house last night have been rounded up.
A. killed B. beaten C. arrested
D. wounded

13. When you come across a new word look it up in a dictionary.
A. examine it
B. observe it
C. find the meaning
D. record the meaning

14. The radio won‟t talk because it is defective.
A. dirty
B. broken C. faulty D. tuned

15. Our team was eliminated at the semi-final stage.
A. forgotten B. kicked out C. wiped off D. promoted

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 words

16. The boy, reluctant to go on the errand, walked at a snail‟s pac e.
A. carefully
B. slowly
C. noisily
D. carelessly

17. It was a red-letter day. This means it was a ……………
A. day I got a red letter
B. day I was sad
C. memorable day
D. real day

This means that the boy walked ……….

18. I have a bone to pick with my prefect for reporting me. This means …………

A. the prefect and I are going to chat
B. I have to report the prefect
C. I have to take the bone to the prefect
D. I have a quarrel with the prefect.

19. His failure in the examination came out of the blue. This means his failure was
A. destined
B. obvious
C. surprising
D. sent from the blue

20. Efua behaves like a fish out of water among boys. This means Efua …………….among boys.
A. breathes heavily
B. feels uncomfortable
C. swims better
D. looks quite happy

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

21. These fruits are stale; please take them away.
A. juicy B. sour C. fresh D. nice

22. Moses is on a temporary appointment.
A. daily
B. permanent
C. probationary
D. weekly

23. The beggar vanished when he saw the policeman.
A. showed B. defected C. jumped
D appeared

24. The taxi driver drove recklessly throughout the journey.
A. speedily

B. carefully
C. noisily
D. leisurely

25. Those machines are not genuine brands.
A. fine
B. tested
C. fake
D. new

SECTION E

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

26. I am free to sleep now, I ……..my work.
A. completed
B. do complete
C. have completed
D. complete

27. After Roderick ……….the dress, he looked round for a pair of shoes that would match it.
A. has bought
B. is buying
C. had bought
D. was buying

28. I saw him while he …………the cloth.
A. is folding
B. has been folding
C. was folding
D. had been folding

29. You can‟t eat all, ………?
A. can‟t you
B. do you C. can you D. don‟t you

30. Not only was she pretty …………intelligent.
A. or
B. nor
C. but also
D. and also