BECE English Language 2021 Past Questions

Practice each question, then open it to see the full details.

Question 1
Read the passages below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate of the options lettered A-E (Nos 1-10).
PASSAGE I
There are four different species off kangaroo. They are the only large animals that use hopping as their primary method of locomotion. Their large tails provide balance as they hop around quickly on two legs or walk around slowly on all four legs.
Kangaroos can jump very high, sometimes three times their own height and they can also swim. On land, they move their hind legs together, however in water, they kick each leg independently to swim.
They eat grass, leaves, herbs and roots. They use little water to enable them go far distances. Kangaroos are social animals which stay in groups of at least three or four individuals. Some groups can have up to one hundred kangaroos, most of which are active at nights.
They usually have one young usually females have a bag in which babies live and drink milk for eight months. Kangaroos usually live about six years in the forest.
The passage is mainly ...... in nature.
  • A.argunmentative
  • B.descriptive
  • C.expository
  • D.narrative
  • E.persuasive
Objective
Question 2
Read the passages below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate of the options lettered A-E (Nos 1-10).
PASSAGE I
There are four different species off kangaroo. They are the only large animals that use hopping as their primary method of locomotion. Their large tails provide balance as they hop around quickly on two legs or walk around slowly on all four legs.
Kangaroos can jump very high, sometimes three times their own height and they can also swim. On land, they move their hind legs together, however in water, they kick each leg independently to swim.
They eat grass, leaves, herbs and roots. They use little water to enable them go far distances. Kangaroos are social animals which stay in groups of at least three or four individuals. Some groups can have up to one hundred kangaroos, most of which are active at nights.
They usually have one young usually females have a bag in which babies live and drink milk for eight months. Kangaroos usually live about six years in the forest.
Which of these is NOT true according to the passage?
  • A.All Kangaroos are active at night
  • B.Antelope Kangaroo is a species of the Kangaroo
  • C.Baby Kangaroos drink milk for eight months
  • D.Kangaroos have large tails
  • E.Most Kangaroos are active at night
Objective
Question 3
Read the passages below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate of the options lettered A-E (Nos 1-10).
PASSAGE I
There are four different species off kangaroo. They are the only large animals that use hopping as their primary method of locomotion. Their large tails provide balance as they hop around quickly on two legs or walk around slowly on all four legs.
Kangaroos can jump very high, sometimes three times their own height and they can also swim. On land, they move their hind legs together, however in water, they kick each leg independently to swim.
They eat grass, leaves, herbs and roots. They use little water to enable them go far distances. Kangaroos are social animals which stay in groups of at least three or four individuals. Some groups can have up to one hundred kangaroos, most of which are active at nights.
They usually have one young usually females have a bag in which babies live and drink milk for eight months. Kangaroos usually live about six years in the forest.
Kangaroos are social animals because they
  • A.active mostly at night
  • B.are always in clusters
  • C.can swim
  • D.can travel far
  • E.give birth to young ones yearly
Objective
Question 4
Read the passages below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate of the options lettered A-E (Nos 1-10).
PASSAGE I
There are four different species off kangaroo. They are the only large animals that use hopping as their primary method of locomotion. Their large tails provide balance as they hop around quickly on two legs or walk around slowly on all four legs.
Kangaroos can jump very high, sometimes three times their own height and they can also swim. On land, they move their hind legs together, however in water, they kick each leg independently to swim.
They eat grass, leaves, herbs and roots. They use little water to enable them go far distances. Kangaroos are social animals which stay in groups of at least three or four individuals. Some groups can have up to one hundred kangaroos, most of which are active at nights.
They usually have one young usually females have a bag in which babies live and drink milk for eight months. Kangaroos usually live about six years in the forest.
From the passage it can be deduced that Kangaroos are ....... animals.
  • A.aquatic
  • B.carnivorous
  • C.domestic
  • D.herbivorous
  • E.omnivorous
Objective
Question 5
Read the passages below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate of the options lettered A-E (Nos 1-10).
PASSAGE I
There are four different species off kangaroo. They are the only large animals that use hopping as their primary method of locomotion. Their large tails provide balance as they hop around quickly on two legs or walk around slowly on all four legs.
Kangaroos can jump very high, sometimes three times their own height and they can also swim. On land, they move their hind legs together, however in water, they kick each leg independently to swim.
They eat grass, leaves, herbs and roots. They use little water to enable them go far distances. Kangaroos are social animals which stay in groups of at least three or four individuals. Some groups can have up to one hundred kangaroos, most of which are active at nights.
They usually have one young usually females have a bag in which babies live and drink milk for eight months. Kangaroos usually live about six years in the forest.
Which of the following can replace the word 'independently' as used in the passage?
  • A.Carefully
  • B.Confidently
  • C.Forcefully
  • D.Quickly
  • E.Separately
Objective
Question 6
PASSAGE II
I was fifiteen when I left home for Conakry, where I was to pursue a course in technical studies at the George-Poiet, now known as the Technical College.
I was leaving my parents for the second time. The first time was immediately after I finished my scholarship examination, when I has acted as an interpreter to an officer who has come to the land in our district in part of the neighbouring Sudan. But on this second occassion, I was taking a much lenthier leave of them.
For a whole week, my mother had been collecting together some provisions for me. Conakry is 400 miles from Kouroussa, and to my mother it was unknown, if not unexplored land, where God knows if I would get enough to eat. And so collected together couscous, meat, fish, yams, rice and potatoes. The previous week, my mother had undertaken a tour of the most celebrated witch-doctors, consulting them about my future and making sacrifices. She had offered up an ox in memory of father and had involved the aid of her ancestors in order that good fortune might attend to me on the voyage which, in her eyes, was rather like a savage land; the fact that Conakry is the capital of Guinea only served to accentuate the character of the place where I was going.
On the eve of my departure, all the marabouts and witch-doctors, friends and notable, and whoever cared to cross our threshold, all attended a feast in our compund. For my mother believed on this occassion no one should be turned away; that the blessing I was to take with me would be complete. Moreover, this was the reason why marabouts had requested such large quantities of foof. And so each guest, after having eaten his fill, would seize me by the hand and bless me, saying: "May good fortune favour you! May your studies be fruitful! And may the Lord protect you!"
According to the passage, what role did the writer play during the maaping out of the land? The writer
  • A.gathered information for the officer
  • B.pursued a course in technical studies
  • C.served as an interpreter to the officer
  • D.travelled around with the officer
  • E.was the messenger in the district
Objective
Question 7
PASSAGE II
I was fifiteen when I left home for Conakry, where I was to pursue a course in technical studies at the George-Poiet, now known as the Technical College.
I was leaving my parents for the second time. The first time was immediately after I finished my scholarship examination, when I has acted as an interpreter to an officer who has come to the land in our district in part of the neighbouring Sudan. But on this second occassion, I was taking a much lenthier leave of them.
For a whole week, my mother had been collecting together some provisions for me. Conakry is 400 miles from Kouroussa, and to my mother it was unknown, if not unexplored land, where God knows if I would get enough to eat. And so collected together couscous, meat, fish, yams, rice and potatoes. The previous week, my mother had undertaken a tour of the most celebrated witch-doctors, consulting them about my future and making sacrifices. She had offered up an ox in memory of father and had involved the aid of her ancestors in order that good fortune might attend to me on the voyage which, in her eyes, was rather like a savage land; the fact that Conakry is the capital of Guinea only served to accentuate the character of the place where I was going.
On the eve of my departure, all the marabouts and witch-doctors, friends and notable, and whoever cared to cross our threshold, all attended a feast in our compund. For my mother believed on this occassion no one should be turned away; that the blessing I was to take with me would be complete. Moreover, this was the reason why marabouts had requested such large quantities of foof. And so each guest, after having eaten his fill, would seize me by the hand and bless me, saying: "May good fortune favour you! May your studies be fruitful! And may the Lord protect you!"
The writer's mother gathered food items for her son because
  • A.Conakry was far from the Kouroussa
  • B.she did not want him to eat food from Conakry
  • C.she wanted to celebrate a magnificient feast
  • D.she wanted to guard against the unknown
  • E.there was no sufficient food in Conakry
Objective
Question 8
PASSAGE II
I was fifiteen when I left home for Conakry, where I was to pursue a course in technical studies at the George-Poiet, now known as the Technical College.
I was leaving my parents for the second time. The first time was immediately after I finished my scholarship examination, when I has acted as an interpreter to an officer who has come to the land in our district in part of the neighbouring Sudan. But on this second occassion, I was taking a much lenthier leave of them.
For a whole week, my mother had been collecting together some provisions for me. Conakry is 400 miles from Kouroussa, and to my mother it was unknown, if not unexplored land, where God knows if I would get enough to eat. And so collected together couscous, meat, fish, yams, rice and potatoes. The previous week, my mother had undertaken a tour of the most celebrated witch-doctors, consulting them about my future and making sacrifices. She had offered up an ox in memory of father and had involved the aid of her ancestors in order that good fortune might attend to me on the voyage which, in her eyes, was rather like a savage land; the fact that Conakry is the capital of Guinea only served to accentuate the character of the place where I was going.
On the eve of my departure, all the marabouts and witch-doctors, friends and notable, and whoever cared to cross our threshold, all attended a feast in our compund. For my mother believed on this occassion no one should be turned away; that the blessing I was to take with me would be complete. Moreover, this was the reason why marabouts had requested such large quantities of foof. And so each guest, after having eaten his fill, would seize me by the hand and bless me, saying: "May good fortune favour you! May your studies be fruitful! And may the Lord protect you!"
Why did the marabouts request for large quantities of food?
  • A.It was to enable the writer receive more blessings
  • B.The guest would have more to take home
  • C.The marabouts would eat to their satisfaction
  • D.The writer was leaving his parents for the second time
  • E.The writer's mother wanted to make the occassion memorable
Objective
Question 9
PASSAGE II
I was fifiteen when I left home for Conakry, where I was to pursue a course in technical studies at the George-Poiet, now known as the Technical College.
I was leaving my parents for the second time. The first time was immediately after I finished my scholarship examination, when I has acted as an interpreter to an officer who has come to the land in our district in part of the neighbouring Sudan. But on this second occassion, I was taking a much lenthier leave of them.
For a whole week, my mother had been collecting together some provisions for me. Conakry is 400 miles from Kouroussa, and to my mother it was unknown, if not unexplored land, where God knows if I would get enough to eat. And so collected together couscous, meat, fish, yams, rice and potatoes. The previous week, my mother had undertaken a tour of the most celebrated witch-doctors, consulting them about my future and making sacrifices. She had offered up an ox in memory of father and had involved the aid of her ancestors in order that good fortune might attend to me on the voyage which, in her eyes, was rather like a savage land; the fact that Conakry is the capital of Guinea only served to accentuate the character of the place where I was going.
On the eve of my departure, all the marabouts and witch-doctors, friends and notable, and whoever cared to cross our threshold, all attended a feast in our compund. For my mother believed on this occassion no one should be turned away; that the blessing I was to take with me would be complete. Moreover, this was the reason why marabouts had requested such large quantities of foof. And so each guest, after having eaten his fill, would seize me by the hand and bless me, saying: "May good fortune favour you! May your studies be fruitful! And may the Lord protect you!"
It can be deduced from the passage that the writer's mother is a
  • A.fortune teller
  • B.marabout
  • C.trader
  • D.traditionalist
  • E.witch-doctor
Objective
Question 10
PASSAGE II
I was fifiteen when I left home for Conakry, where I was to pursue a course in technical studies at the George-Poiet, now known as the Technical College.
I was leaving my parents for the second time. The first time was immediately after I finished my scholarship examination, when I has acted as an interpreter to an officer who has come to the land in our district in part of the neighbouring Sudan. But on this second occassion, I was taking a much lenthier leave of them.
For a whole week, my mother had been collecting together some provisions for me. Conakry is 400 miles from Kouroussa, and to my mother it was unknown, if not unexplored land, where God knows if I would get enough to eat. And so collected together couscous, meat, fish, yams, rice and potatoes. The previous week, my mother had undertaken a tour of the most celebrated witch-doctors, consulting them about my future and making sacrifices. She had offered up an ox in memory of father and had involved the aid of her ancestors in order that good fortune might attend to me on the voyage which, in her eyes, was rather like a savage land; the fact that Conakry is the capital of Guinea only served to accentuate the character of the place where I was going.
On the eve of my departure, all the marabouts and witch-doctors, friends and notable, and whoever cared to cross our threshold, all attended a feast in our compund. For my mother believed on this occassion no one should be turned away; that the blessing I was to take with me would be complete. Moreover, this was the reason why marabouts had requested such large quantities of foof. And so each guest, after having eaten his fill, would seize me by the hand and bless me, saying: "May good fortune favour you! May your studies be fruitful! And may the Lord protect you!"
What did the guests do after eating?
  • A.gave him gifts
  • B.invoked the memory of their ancestors
  • C.shook the writer's hand properly
  • D.thanked the writer's mother
  • E.wished the writer well
Objective