BECE JHS English Language 2010 Past Questions

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
Our teacher was late for school because he ……..a flat tyre.

```Answer one question only from this part.```

Write a letter to your father asking permission to join your school mates who are going on an excursion.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
We had dinner at a Chinese restaurant where I ………….fried chicken.

```Answer one question only from this part.```

Write an article for publication in a local newspaper on the topic:
Every school should have a library.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
Ama’s father asked her to choose …………John and William.

```Answer one question only from this part.```

Write a short story illustrating the saying:
“All that glitters is not gold.”

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
Willie has malaria and is not ………..enough to go to school.

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

When I was about eleven years old, I was unable to stay at one place for long; I was always on the move.
Many people thought and said I was troublesome. Prominent among those who described me as such was my aunt, Araba Oboshea.
Aunt Araba was particularly mean. She would sit on her stool under the gum tree in front of the house and wait for
me to return from wherever I had gone. As soon as I arrived she would call me and, without asking me any question
or telling me anything, take my left ear between the forefinger and the thumb of her right hand and give my ear a silent,
violent and painful twist. I cannot describe the pain I endured. She would do the same to my right ear.
She explained that she was paying for my absence that I had sold to her! Aunt Araba would continue to twist both ears
of mine simultaneously with her forefingers and thumbs.
I would scream silently, gritting my teeth so that I could not utter any sound because of pain. That way I was spared the
next stage of being given countless strokes of any stick she could lay hands on. One strange thing about Aunt Araba
was that she would never hit me with her hands.
Aunt Araba went on treating me this way because she could hardly understand why I was always on the move. I could also
not have the courage to explain why it was so because I was afraid of her and
began to hate her.
One Thursday evening when I was going through my usual ordeal, an elderly man, Agya Manu who usually visited her
appeared on the scene. He pleaded with her to leave me, and asked for the reason for such punishment.
After he had been told of my “sin”, Agya Manu, who knew me very well, explained to my auntie that I was always on the move
not because I was in any bad company, but because I was favourite for any errand. I had been running several errands for him
and many other people. Agya Manu then advised me not to spend all my time running errands for others but rather, do all my
duties at home.```

a) What was the writer’s behaviour when he was about eleven years old?

b) … I was always on the move.
What is the meaning of this expression?

c) From the passage, what is the character of Aunt Araba?

d) Why did Aunt Araba keep punishing the writer

e) How did Agya Manu rescue the writer

f) For each of the following words, give one word or phrase which means the same:

(i) endured
(ii) countless

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
The school band …………two days a week.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
Philomena ………passed the examination if she had tried harder.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
The law was passed according to strict legal ………….

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
The book, as well as several others, ………..interesting reading.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
……………….. Joe scored the first goal, he was injured in the process.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
Neither Kojo nor his friend ……… the issue clearly.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
The ………..centre is located on the hill.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
One of the cows …………from the herd.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
At the party, the guests placed an order for a large…………of drinks.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
The hall was so small that it could …………contain all of us.

```From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence```
If I were a manager, I …………satisfy my customers.

```Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.```
Florence performs creditably in all examinations.

```Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.```
The choir sang some melodious songs at the function.

```Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.```
Jane is always immaculately dressed.

```Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.```
The village was enveloped in a thick fog.

```Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.```
The inquisitive stranger asked many questions.

```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.```
Whenever Kweku goes to Kumasi, he puts up with his uncle. This means that Kweku ……….

```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.```
I glanced over the papers as I walked home. This means that I quickly ……….the papers.

```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.```
The woman entered the room to find her daughter with her eyes glued to the television.
This means that her daughter was …………the television.

```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.```
Kojo was dragged to the farm like a lamb to the slaughter. This means that Kojo was dragged …….

```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.```
The bully was ordered to leave his younger brother alone. This means that the bully was told …….

```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```
Some of the guests at the party were rude.

```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```
The lawyer supported his argument with copious evidence.

```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```
If you want to be believed, you must be objective.

```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```
In all boarding schools, going out in the night is prohibited.

```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```
The surest way to avoid defeat is to strive for …….

```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```
Suddenly the sky became dark and there was a rainstorm.

```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```
The athlete looked dejected at the end of the race.

```Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 33 to 36```
‘Young lady, you are like…..
The moon that walks beautifully across the sky,
An eagle feather worn by a husband

The extract is an example of …………….

```Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 33 to 36```
The extract is about ……………

```Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 33 to 36```
'The moon that walks beautifully across the sky' is an example of

```Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 33 to 36```
'Young lady, you are like …
An eagle feather worn by a husband'
The above extract is an example of

```Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 33 to 36```
The writer of a poem is called

```Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 33 to 36```
'The potter puts the pots in the pans' is an example of

```Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 33 to 36```
'Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.'

The rhyme scheme of the above verse is

```Read the following extract carefully and answer Questions 33 to 36```
'Afua Bonsu is the apple of my eye'.
This is an example of