Use Of English 2015 Jamb Examination

In A.H. Mohammed's novel, *The Last Days at Forcados High School*, this observation is made by Nene Ekpo during a conversation with Ansa. She is referring to Jimi Solade, whose vibrant and energetic personality makes him easily recognizable even from a distance. Jimi is a central figure in the school, known for his popularity and athletic skills, and this description serves to reinforce his 'life of the party' persona. Nene and Ansa often discuss Jimi's antics and his impact on the school social climate, and this particular comment highlights the contrast between Jimi's outgoing nature and Ansa's more reserved and observant character.

Zoo - /zuː/
The underlined 'Z' represents the voiced alveolar sibilant /z/.
assault - /əˈsɔːlt/ (contains the voiceless /s/)
assist - /əˈsɪst/ (contains the voiceless /s/)
release - /rɪˈliːs/ (ends in the voiceless /s/)
please - /pliːz/ (ends in the voiced /z/)
In United Kingdom English, the 's' in 'please' is voiced because it occurs after a long vowel and at the end of a syllable, resulting in the /z/ sound. The other options all feature the voiceless counterpart /s/. Therefore, 'please' is the correct phonetic match for the voiced consonant sound found in 'zoo'.

Chalet - /ˈʃæl.eɪ/
The underlined 'Ch' in 'chalet' represents the voiceless postalveolar fricative /ʃ/. This is a French loanword, which explains why the 'ch' is pronounced as 'sh'.
champion - /ˈtʃæm.pi.ən/ (contains the affricate /tʃ/)
chair - /tʃeə/ (contains the affricate /tʃ/)
champagne - /ʃæmˈpeɪn/ (contains the fricative /ʃ/)
cheapen - /ˈtʃiː.pən/ (contains the affricate /tʃ/)
Both 'chalet' and 'champagne' are words of French origin where the 'ch' spelling is realized phonetically as /ʃ/ (the sound in 'ship'). In contrast, 'champion', 'chair', and 'cheapen' use the standard English affricate sound /tʃ/ (the sound in 'church').

In the novel, the Solade family has three sons. Jimi is the youngest and the protagonist. Wole is the troubled middle brother who returns home and causes significant friction. The eldest brother, who is mentioned as living and working abroad (specifically in the United Kingdom), is Femi Solade. Femi represents the success and stability that Mr Solade expects from his children, which further complicates the father's relationship with Wole, who is seen as a failure by comparison. Femi's absence from the daily drama of the household allows him to remain a distant figure of comparison for the younger brothers.

Dice - /daɪs/
The underlined 'ce' in 'dice' represents the voiceless alveolar sibilant /s/.
shame - /ʃeɪm/ (contains the postalveolar fricative /ʃ/)
cue - /kjuː/ (contains the initial velar plosive /k/)
chair - /tʃeə/ (contains the postalveolar affricate /tʃ/)
loss - /lɒs/ (ends in the voiceless alveolar sibilant /s/)
The word 'loss' ends with the same /s/ sound as 'dice'. While 'dice' uses the 'ce' spelling to produce the /s/ sound, 'loss' uses the 'ss' spelling. Phonetically, they are identical matches for that specific consonant sound. The other options feature different consonant phonemes such as 'sh', 'k', and 'ch'.

Advice (noun) - /ədˈvaɪs/
Advise (verb) - /ədˈvaɪz/
In United Kingdom English, it is vital to distinguish between the noun and the verb forms of this word. In the first gap, the word follows the possessive pronoun 'My', which indicates that a noun is required to function as the subject of the sentence. Therefore, 'advice' (with a 'c') is the correct choice. In the second gap, the word follows the definite article 'the', which also indicates that a noun is needed. 'The advice of the wicked' refers to the suggestions or counsel offered by them. Both gaps require the noun form 'advice'. The word 'advise' is only used when an action is being performed, such as 'I advise you to stay'.

Occurrence (noun) - /əˈkʌr.əns/
The spelling of 'occurrence' is frequently tested because it requires double consonants in two different places. In United Kingdom English, the word is derived from the verb 'occur'. When a suffix beginning with a vowel is added to a word ending in a stressed vowel-consonant combination, the final consonant is doubled (occur + ence = occurrence). Additionally, the word begins with 'occ-'. Therefore, the correct spelling must have double 'c', double 'r', and end with the suffix '-ence'. Option B is a common error as it misses the second 'r', while options C and D represent incorrect phonetic spellings.

Mother - /ˈmʌð.ə/
The underlined 'e' in 'mother' represents the schwa sound /ə/, which is the most common and unstressed vowel sound in the English language.
labour - /ˈleɪ.bə/ (The 'our' is pronounced as /ə/)
cargo - /ˈkɑː.ɡəʊ/ (Ends in the diphthong /əʊ/)
exhibit - /ɪɡˈzɪb.ɪt/ (The vowels are /ɪ/)
council - /ˈkaʊn.səl/ (The 'i' can be a schwa, but the 'our' in 'labour' is a more classic example of the unstressed terminal schwa match).
In United Kingdom English (non-rhotic), the word 'mother' ends in a pure schwa sound because the 'r' is not pronounced. Similarly, in 'labour', the terminal 'our' is reduced to the same unstressed /ə/ sound. This makes 'labour' the correct phonetic match for the vowel sound found in the final syllable of 'mother'.

Seize (verb) - /siːz/
The word 'seize' means to take hold of something suddenly and forcibly, or in a legal context, to take possession of something by warrant or legal right. This fits the context of an officer taking a suspect's car. The spelling follows the 'e' before 'i' pattern, which is an exception to the common 'i before e' rule. Option B, 'cease', means to bring something to an end or stop, which does not fit the context of taking a car. Option C is a common misspelling that incorrectly applies the 'i before e' rule, and option D is not a recognised English word.

Coup (noun) - /kuː/
The term 'coup' (short for coup d'état) refers to a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government. In this context, it describes the action taken by 'mutineers' (soldiers or sailors rebelling against authority). The word is of French origin, which is why the 'p' is silent. Option D, 'coupe', refers to a car with a fixed roof and two doors, which is pronounced /kuː.peɪ/. Options A and B are incorrect spellings or unrelated words. Therefore, 'coup' is the only word that logically completes a sentence regarding mutiny and court-martialing.