Free JAMB UTME English Exam Questions and Answers

1978: PASSAGE A All over the world till lately, and in most of the world still today, mankind has been following the course of nature, that is to say, it has been breeding up to the maximum. To let nature take her extravagant course in the reproduction of the human race may have made sense in an age in which we were also letting her take her course in decimating mankind by the casualities of war, pestilence, and famine. Being human, we have at last revolted against that senseless waste. We have started to impose on nature's heartless play a humane new order of our own. But, when once man has begun to interfere with nature, he cannot afford to stop half way. We cannot with impunity, cut down the death-rate and at the same time allow the birth-rate to go on taking nature's course. We must consciously try to establish an equilibrium or, sooner or later, famine will stalk abroad again. The author observes that

• AA. war; pestilence and famine were caused by the extravagance of nature
• BB. nature was heartless and senseless.
• CC. there was a time when uncontrolled birth made sense
• DD. it was wise at a time when mankind did not interfere with normal reproduction
• EE. nature was heartless in its reproductive process.

1978: PASSAGE A All over the world till lately, and in most of the world still today, mankind has been following the course of nature, that is to say, it has been breeding up to the maximum. To let nature take her extravagant course in the reproduction of the human race may have made sense in an age in which we were also letting her take her course in decimating mankind by the casualities of war, pestilence, and famine. Being human, we have at last revolted against that senseless waste. We have started to impose on nature's heartless play a humane new order of our own. But, when once man has begun to interfere with nature, he cannot afford to stop half way. We cannot with impunity, cut down the death-rate and at the same time allow the birth-rate to go on taking nature's course. We must consciously try to establish an equilibrium or, sooner or later, famine will stalk abroad again. Which of the these statements does not express the opinion of the author?

• AA. mankind has started to interfere with the work of nature
• BB. many people had died in the past through want and disease
• CC. mankind should not have the maximum number of children possible
• DD. mankind should take care of its children
• EE. man's present relationship with nature in matters of birth and death is a happy one.

1978: PASSAGE A All over the world till lately, and in most of the world still today, mankind has been following the course of nature, that is to say, it has been breeding up to the maximum. To let nature take her extravagant course in the reproduction of the human race may have made sense in an age in which we were also letting her take her course in decimating mankind by the casualities of war, pestilence, and famine. Being human, we have at last revolted against that senseless waste. We have started to impose on nature's heartless play a humane new order of our own. But, when once man has begun to interfere with nature, he cannot afford to stop half way. We cannot with impunity, cut down the death-rate and at the same time allow the birth-rate to go on taking nature's course. We must consciously try to establish an equilibrium or, sooner or later, famine will stalk abroad again. 'Humane' as used in the passage means

• AA. sensible
• BB. wise
• CC. human
• DD. benevolent
• EE. thorough.

1978: PASSAGE A All over the world till lately, and in most of the world still today, mankind has been following the course of nature, that is to say, it has been breeding up to the maximum. To let nature take her extravagant course in the reproduction of the human race may have made sense in an age in which we were also letting her take her course in decimating mankind by the casualities of war, pestilence, and famine. Being human, we have at last revolted against that senseless waste. We have started to impose on nature's heartless play a humane new order of our own. But, when once man has begun to interfere with nature, he cannot afford to stop half way. We cannot with impunity, cut down the death-rate and at the same time allow the birth-rate to go on taking nature's course. We must consciously try to establish an equilibrium or, sooner or later, famine will stalk abroad again. 'We must consciously try to establish an equilibrium, (line 13) implies that mankind must

• AA. realistically find an equation.
• BB. strive not to be wasteful
• CC. deliberately try to fight nature
• DD. try to fight nature
• EE. purposely find a balance.

1978: PASSAGE A All over the world till lately, and in most of the world still today, mankind has been following the course of nature, that is to say, it has been breeding up to the maximum. To let nature take her extravagant course in the reproduction of the human race may have made sense in an age in which we were also letting her take her course in decimating mankind by the casualities of war, pestilence, and famine. Being human, we have at last revolted against that senseless waste. We have started to impose on nature's heartless play a humane new order of our own. But, when once man has begun to interfere with nature, he cannot afford to stop half way. We cannot with impunity, cut down the death-rate and at the same time allow the birth-rate to go on taking nature's course. We must consciously try to establish an equilibrium or, sooner or later, famine will stalk abroad again. The main idea of this passage is that

• AA. nature is heartless
• BB. man should control the birth rate
• CC. mankind will soon perish of starvation
• DD. pestilence causes more deaths than war
• EE. man should change nature's course gradually.

1978: PASSAGE B The endeavour to maintain proper standards of fairness in journalism must be pursued. It is fatally easy for the journalist to deviate from the straight path. There is his natural desire to 'make a story' and insidious temptation to twist facts to square with his paper's policy. Both are as indefensible as the framing of misleading headlines for the sake of effect. The conscientious journalist must check any tendency to bias, and guard against the dangers inherent in personal antipathies or friendships, and in traditional opposition between rival schools of thought. When a political opponent, whose stupidity habitually provokes attack, makes an effective speech, honesty requires that he be given credit for it. Where personal relationships might make it easier and more congenial to keep silent than to criticize, the journalist must never forget his duty to the public and the supreme importance of recording the truth. A journalist would be able to uphold the tenets of his profession if

• AA. he seeks publicity
• BB. he tries to achieve popularity
• CC. he resists temptation to bias
• DD. he can manipulate his story to please his employers
• EE. he tries to protect his friends.

1978: PASSAGE B The endeavour to maintain proper standards of fairness in journalism must be pursued. It is fatally easy for the journalist to deviate from the straight path. There is his natural desire to 'make a story' and insidious temptation to twist facts to square with his paper's policy. Both are as indefensible as the framing of misleading headlines for the sake of effect. The conscientious journalist must check any tendency to bias, and guard against the dangers inherent in personal antipathies or friendships, and in traditional opposition between rival schools of thought. When a political opponent, whose stupidity habitually provokes attack, makes an effective speech, honesty requires that he be given credit for it. Where personal relationships might make it easier and more congenial to keep silent than to criticize, the journalist must never forget his duty to the public and the supreme importance of recording the truth. 'Insidious' (line 4) means

• AA. subtle
• BB. wicked
• CC. natural
• DD. unusual
• EE. wild

1978: PASSAGE B The endeavour to maintain proper standards of fairness in journalism must be pursued. It is fatally easy for the journalist to deviate from the straight path. There is his natural desire to 'make a story' and insidious temptation to twist facts to square with his paper's policy. Both are as indefensible as the framing of misleading headlines for the sake of effect. The conscientious journalist must check any tendency to bias, and guard against the dangers inherent in personal antipathies or friendships, and in traditional opposition between rival schools of thought. When a political opponent, whose stupidity habitually provokes attack, makes an effective speech, honesty requires that he be given credit for it. Where personal relationships might make it easier and more congenial to keep silent than to criticize, the journalist must never forget his duty to the public and the supreme importance of recording the truth. A dutiful journalist must

• AA. read widely
• BB. have political acumen
• CC. make no enemies but friends
• DD. be able to make an effective speech
• EE. be able to recognize merit wherever found.

1978: PASSAGE B The endeavour to maintain proper standards of fairness in journalism must be pursued. It is fatally easy for the journalist to deviate from the straight path. There is his natural desire to 'make a story' and insidious temptation to twist facts to square with his paper's policy. Both are as indefensible as the framing of misleading headlines for the sake of effect. The conscientious journalist must check any tendency to bias, and guard against the dangers inherent in personal antipathies or friendships, and in traditional opposition between rival schools of thought. When a political opponent, whose stupidity habitually provokes attack, makes an effective speech, honesty requires that he be given credit for it. Where personal relationships might make it easier and more congenial to keep silent than to criticize, the journalist must never forget his duty to the public and the supreme importance of recording the truth. The duty of the journalist to the public entails

• AA. giving credit to his political enemies
• BB. keeping quiet when necessary
• CC. trying to 'make a story'
• DD. telling the truth
• EE. defending the weak.

1978: PASSAGE C So far I have been speaking of science in its universality, viewed from the perspective of the world at large. For in the context of our own country and our sister developing countries, many of the factors mentioned earlier are not very important. For example, pollution, deterioration of the environment and population explosion are not yet serious problems for us in this country. Let me now turn to a more specific area, namely the question of scientific choice for developing countries. There is no doubt that the role which science and technology have played in the upliftment of the material and economic well-being of the developed nations will, and does, influence the criteria that the Third World nations must choose in order to establish their science policies and priorities. But the criteria to be used by these nations do not have to be the same as those which have brought the developed countries to their present stage of evolution. For while human beings have the same problems, their solutions, to be meaningful will have to be sought within some relevant frame of reference, such as the available resources and expertise, social values, place and time in the historical scale. 'frame of reference' in this passage (line 17) means

• AA. point of information
• BB. range of authority
• CC. economic pattern
• DD. context of situation
• EE. wholesome choice