ABU English Language 2020/2021 Past Questions

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

Question 1
```PASSAGE I
Africa, in a way corresponding to her vital statistics on the map of the world, carries a question mark in her heart. This is a question within herself, and a question about her to the rest of the world. The reason for the question is that Africa is just passing through the birth throes of a new life. She has suffered for centuries. Her illness has been written off as chronic and her sickness as sickness unto death or at best, something that would leave her more dead than alive. She has suffered so much because she has been callously and frequently raped and despoiled by the strong ones of the world who are adepts in the act of benevolent exploitation and civilized savagery. Even now there are organs of her body which are under torture and cruel assault and consequently, she is still more or less a sick personality. Nevertheless, she is not without friends. There have been those who have given their lives, their time, or their substance in order to heal her ‘’open sore’’ which has various manifestations. Such friends are still few and far between, and the quality of friendship is always a baffling question. There are those who have graciously given her a place in the newly imagined ‘’Third World’’ which stands in sharp contradistinction to the ‘’First World’’ of Europe and the ‘’second World’’ of America. Even these are divided in their attitude to her: should she be accorded the status of a corporate personality worthy in her own right to stand on equal footing with any order continent? Is she still not too immature or crude to be recognized fully as a full sister continent? And her sons and daughters, whatever their education, achievements, or status, would they ever be admitted across the subtle but palpable line of demarcation which separates the elder (the stronger of the world) from the younger (the weaker ‘coloured’ ones)? One thing that is certain is that while they are die hard enemies of her life because they think that her death or chronic infantilism is of benefit to them, she has an unfailing fund of condescending paternalism and generous patronage. Where she behaves herself according to prescription and accepts an inferior position, benevolence which becomes her poverty is assured, and for this she shows herself deeply and humbly grateful. If for any reason she shakes it into her head to be self –assertive and claim a footing of equality, then she brings upon herself a frown; she is called names; she is persecuted openly or by indirect means; she is helped to be divided against herself.
Adapted from Idowu, Bolaji E. African traditional - A definition London: SCM press```
According to the passage, who are those described as having inflicted pains on Africa?
  • A.The third world countries
  • B.the supposed friends of Africa
  • C.the second world countries
  • D.the first world countries
Objective
Question 2
```PASSAGE I
Africa, in a way corresponding to her vital statistics on the map of the world, carries a question mark in her heart. This is a question within herself, and a question about her to the rest of the world. The reason for the question is that Africa is just passing through the birth throes of a new life. She has suffered for centuries. Her illness has been written off as chronic and her sickness as sickness unto death or at best, something that would leave her more dead than alive. She has suffered so much because she has been callously and frequently raped and despoiled by the strong ones of the world who are adepts in the act of benevolent exploitation and civilized savagery. Even now there are organs of her body which are under torture and cruel assault and consequently, she is still more or less a sick personality. Nevertheless, she is not without friends. There have been those who have given their lives, their time, or their substance in order to heal her ‘’open sore’’ which has various manifestations. Such friends are still few and far between, and the quality of friendship is always a baffling question. There are those who have graciously given her a place in the newly imagined ‘’Third World’’ which stands in sharp contradistinction to the ‘’First World’’ of Europe and the ‘’second World’’ of America. Even these are divided in their attitude to her: should she be accorded the status of a corporate personality worthy in her own right to stand on equal footing with any order continent? Is she still not too immature or crude to be recognized fully as a full sister continent? And her sons and daughters, whatever their education, achievements, or status, would they ever be admitted across the subtle but palpable line of demarcation which separates the elder (the stronger of the world) from the younger (the weaker ‘coloured’ ones)? One thing that is certain is that while they are die hard enemies of her life because they think that her death or chronic infantilism is of benefit to them, she has an unfailing fund of condescending paternalism and generous patronage. Where she behaves herself according to prescription and accepts an inferior position, benevolence which becomes her poverty is assured, and for this she shows herself deeply and humbly grateful. If for any reason she shakes it into her head to be self –assertive and claim a footing of equality, then she brings upon herself a frown; she is called names; she is persecuted openly or by indirect means; she is helped to be divided against herself.
Adapted from Idowu, Bolaji E. African traditional - A definition London: SCM press```
It can be inferred from the passage that patronage Africa gets from her super friends is to
  • A.make her stronger economically
  • B.cause confusion in the continent
  • C.make her self-reliant
  • D.tie her to their apron strings
Objective
Question 3
```PASSAGE I
Africa, in a way corresponding to her vital statistics on the map of the world, carries a question mark in her heart. This is a question within herself, and a question about her to the rest of the world. The reason for the question is that Africa is just passing through the birth throes of a new life. She has suffered for centuries. Her illness has been written off as chronic and her sickness as sickness unto death or at best, something that would leave her more dead than alive. She has suffered so much because she has been callously and frequently raped and despoiled by the strong ones of the world who are adepts in the act of benevolent exploitation and civilized savagery. Even now there are organs of her body which are under torture and cruel assault and consequently, she is still more or less a sick personality. Nevertheless, she is not without friends. There have been those who have given their lives, their time, or their substance in order to heal her ‘’open sore’’ which has various manifestations. Such friends are still few and far between, and the quality of friendship is always a baffling question. There are those who have graciously given her a place in the newly imagined ‘’Third World’’ which stands in sharp contradistinction to the ‘’First World’’ of Europe and the ‘’second World’’ of America. Even these are divided in their attitude to her: should she be accorded the status of a corporate personality worthy in her own right to stand on equal footing with any order continent? Is she still not too immature or crude to be recognized fully as a full sister continent? And her sons and daughters, whatever their education, achievements, or status, would they ever be admitted across the subtle but palpable line of demarcation which separates the elder (the stronger of the world) from the younger (the weaker ‘coloured’ ones)? One thing that is certain is that while they are die hard enemies of her life because they think that her death or chronic infantilism is of benefit to them, she has an unfailing fund of condescending paternalism and generous patronage. Where she behaves herself according to prescription and accepts an inferior position, benevolence which becomes her poverty is assured, and for this she shows herself deeply and humbly grateful. If for any reason she shakes it into her head to be self –assertive and claim a footing of equality, then she brings upon herself a frown; she is called names; she is persecuted openly or by indirect means; she is helped to be divided against herself.
Adapted from Idowu, Bolaji E. African traditional - A definition London: SCM press```
It has been impossible for Africa to assert herself because
  • A.she is opposed to the first
  • B.her super friends may react negatively
  • C.she suffers from a chronic illness
  • D.her people are unwilling
Objective
Question 4
```PASSAGE I
Africa, in a way corresponding to her vital statistics on the map of the world, carries a question mark in her heart. This is a question within herself, and a question about her to the rest of the world. The reason for the question is that Africa is just passing through the birth throes of a new life. She has suffered for centuries. Her illness has been written off as chronic and her sickness as sickness unto death or at best, something that would leave her more dead than alive. She has suffered so much because she has been callously and frequently raped and despoiled by the strong ones of the world who are adepts in the act of benevolent exploitation and civilized savagery. Even now there are organs of her body which are under torture and cruel assault and consequently, she is still more or less a sick personality. Nevertheless, she is not without friends. There have been those who have given their lives, their time, or their substance in order to heal her ‘’open sore’’ which has various manifestations. Such friends are still few and far between, and the quality of friendship is always a baffling question. There are those who have graciously given her a place in the newly imagined ‘’Third World’’ which stands in sharp contradistinction to the ‘’First World’’ of Europe and the ‘’second World’’ of America. Even these are divided in their attitude to her: should she be accorded the status of a corporate personality worthy in her own right to stand on equal footing with any order continent? Is she still not too immature or crude to be recognized fully as a full sister continent? And her sons and daughters, whatever their education, achievements, or status, would they ever be admitted across the subtle but palpable line of demarcation which separates the elder (the stronger of the world) from the younger (the weaker ‘coloured’ ones)? One thing that is certain is that while they are die hard enemies of her life because they think that her death or chronic infantilism is of benefit to them, she has an unfailing fund of condescending paternalism and generous patronage. Where she behaves herself according to prescription and accepts an inferior position, benevolence which becomes her poverty is assured, and for this she shows herself deeply and humbly grateful. If for any reason she shakes it into her head to be self –assertive and claim a footing of equality, then she brings upon herself a frown; she is called names; she is persecuted openly or by indirect means; she is helped to be divided against herself.
Adapted from Idowu, Bolaji E. African traditional - A definition London: SCM press```
What does the phrase a question mark in her heart suggest about Africa?
  • A.she is pondering over a lot of things
  • B.she keeps an open heart to the outside world
  • C.she is proud of her place in world affairs
  • D.she is disturbed about her present circumstances
Objective
Question 5
```PASSAGE I
Africa, in a way corresponding to her vital statistics on the map of the world, carries a question mark in her heart. This is a question within herself, and a question about her to the rest of the world. The reason for the question is that Africa is just passing through the birth throes of a new life. She has suffered for centuries. Her illness has been written off as chronic and her sickness as sickness unto death or at best, something that would leave her more dead than alive. She has suffered so much because she has been callously and frequently raped and despoiled by the strong ones of the world who are adepts in the act of benevolent exploitation and civilized savagery. Even now there are organs of her body which are under torture and cruel assault and consequently, she is still more or less a sick personality. Nevertheless, she is not without friends. There have been those who have given their lives, their time, or their substance in order to heal her ‘’open sore’’ which has various manifestations. Such friends are still few and far between, and the quality of friendship is always a baffling question. There are those who have graciously given her a place in the newly imagined ‘’Third World’’ which stands in sharp contradistinction to the ‘’First World’’ of Europe and the ‘’second World’’ of America. Even these are divided in their attitude to her: should she be accorded the status of a corporate personality worthy in her own right to stand on equal footing with any order continent? Is she still not too immature or crude to be recognized fully as a full sister continent? And her sons and daughters, whatever their education, achievements, or status, would they ever be admitted across the subtle but palpable line of demarcation which separates the elder (the stronger of the world) from the younger (the weaker ‘coloured’ ones)? One thing that is certain is that while they are die hard enemies of her life because they think that her death or chronic infantilism is of benefit to them, she has an unfailing fund of condescending paternalism and generous patronage. Where she behaves herself according to prescription and accepts an inferior position, benevolence which becomes her poverty is assured, and for this she shows herself deeply and humbly grateful. If for any reason she shakes it into her head to be self –assertive and claim a footing of equality, then she brings upon herself a frown; she is called names; she is persecuted openly or by indirect means; she is helped to be divided against herself.
Adapted from Idowu, Bolaji E. African traditional - A definition London: SCM press```
A suitable title for the passage is
  • A.Africa and the first world
  • B.politics in Africa
  • C.Africa and her friends
  • D.Africa and world politics
Objective
Question 6
```PASSAGE II The passage below has gaps numbered 6 to 15 immediately following each gap, four options are provided. Choose most appropriate option for each gap ```
As in English idiom, keeping up with the Joneses means trying to do things which the neighbours, especially those of high status. In other words, it means straining oneself to live up to the …………6………… of others a social animals, human beings will always live forever in groups and collectively form societies.
  • A.Standard
  • B.measurement
  • C.influence
  • D.admiration
Objective