Use Of English 2015 Jamb Examination

In A.H. Mohammed's novel, The Last Days at Forcados High School, this dialogue occurs during a tense moment between the two brothers. Jimi returns home to find his estranged older brother, Wole, in the house. Because Wole is the 'black sheep' of the family and has a very volatile relationship with their father, Mr. Solade, Jimi is immediately concerned about the consequences of Wole being there. He asks these questions because he knows that if their father finds out Wole is in the house without permission, it will lead to a major confrontation. This highlights the contrast between Jimi, the golden boy, and Wole, the troubled sibling.

Rite (noun) - /raɪt/
A 'rite' is a formal or ceremonial act or procedure customary in religious or other solemn use. In the context of a funeral or burial, the plural form 'rites' is standardly used to refer to the collective ceremonies performed for the deceased (funeral rites). The word 'right' refers to a moral or legal entitlement, and 'rights' is the plural of that entitlement. Since the sentence refers to a ceremonial burial event, the term for the religious or solemn ceremony is required.

In the novel, Efua Coker is a new student who is often misunderstood and the subject of much gossip at Forcados High School. When she first arrives at the school to be enrolled, Jimi and Seyi Lawal (the Head Boy) happen to see her and her mother as they are exiting the Principal's office. This moment is significant as it serves as the initial introduction of Efua to the main characters and sets the stage for the mystery surrounding her character and her previous school.

This detail comes from a scene where Wole is in Jimi's room. Wole, who has a history of delinquency and stealing, often snoops around. While looking at Jimi's things—which represent Jimi's status as a studious and 'normal' teenager (textbooks and CDs)—Wole picks up Jimi's expensive-looking watch. This action subtly emphasizes the tension between the two, as Wole's interest in Jimi's belongings often hints at his envy or his habitual inclination towards theft, which caused his original rift with their father.

Possess (verb) - /pəˈzes/
The word 'possess' must be spelled with double 's' in both instances: p-o-s-s-e-s-s. The option 'posses' is incorrect in this context as it lacks the final 's' required for the verb form. Note that 'posse' (singular) refers to a group of people, but in a list of words like 'occurrence' (correctly spelled with double 'c' and double 'r'), 'surprise' (correctly spelled with 'r' before the 'p'), and 'personnel' (correctly spelled with double 'n'), 'posses' stands out as a spelling error of the common verb.

Mr. Okoro is a teacher at Forcados High School known for his strictness and his frequent use of corporal punishment. The nickname 'Cane' is a student-derived epithet that reflects his disciplinary style. In the novel, the students have various nicknames for their teachers, which helps establish the atmosphere of the secondary school setting and the students' perceptions of the authority figures around them.

Privilege (noun) - /ˈprɪv.əl.ɪdʒ/
The correct spelling of this word is 'privilege'. It is frequently misspelled because the pronunciation can be deceptive. It follows the pattern of 'i-i-e'. Many people mistakenly add a 'd' before the 'g' (as in 'bridge') or use an 'e' in the first syllable, but 'privilege' is the standard United Kingdom English spelling derived from the Latin 'privilegium'.

In the novel, Efua Coker lives with her aunt, whose name is Aunt Moni. This relationship is important because Efua's mother is often away or emotionally distant, and Aunt Moni provides the household context for Efua's life in the story. The interactions in Aunt Moni's house reveal much about Efua's reserved nature and the pressures she faces outside of the school environment.

Seat - /siːt/
The underlined 'ea' in 'seat' represents the long high front unrounded vowel /iː/.
Hide - /haɪd/ (contains the diphthong /aɪ/)
Peasant - /ˈpez.ənt/ (contains the short vowel /e/)
Head - /hed/ (contains the short vowel /e/)
People - /ˈpiː.pəl/ (contains the long vowel /iː/)
The word 'people' uses the same long /iː/ sound as 'seat', despite the different spelling. 'Peasant' and 'head' are common distractors because they share the 'ea' spelling but are pronounced with a short /e/ sound.

Yours (pronoun) - /jɔːz/
The word 'yours' is a possessive pronoun used to show ownership. In English grammar, possessive pronouns (mine, yours, hers, ours, theirs) never take an apostrophe. 'Your' is a possessive adjective and must be followed by a noun (e.g., 'your choice'). Since the word stands alone at the end of the sentence to replace 'your choice', the pronoun 'yours' is the only grammatically correct option. 'Your's' and 'yours'' are incorrect forms that do not exist in standard English.