Use Of English 2019 Jamb Examination

In 'Sweet Sixteen', Mr. Bello mentions his friend, Mr. Shittu. This reference usually comes up during his discussions about social interactions, professionalism, or personal anecdotes that he shares with Aliya to illustrate his points about adult life and relationships.

The protagonist is the central character who drives the story forward. In this novel, Aliya is the protagonist; the story is told from her perspective (first-person narrative) as she navigates the transition from childhood to young adulthood on her sixteenth birthday.

The word 'derogatory' means showing a critical or disrespectful attitude. In this context, 'unsavoury' is the closest match as it describes something unpleasant or morally offensive. 'Complimentary' is the opposite, 'unwarranted' means unnecessary, and 'lack luster' means uninspiring.

The idiom 'a taste of their own medicine' means to treat someone in the same bad way they have treated others. This is essentially a form of retaliation or 'revenge' in kind. Therefore, 'revenged on' is the most suitable interpretation among the choices.

In a political or legal sense, 'sovereignty' refers to the authority of a state to govern itself or the right of an individual/group to self-governance. 'Autonomy' is the closest synonym, meaning the right or condition of self-government or independence.

The sentence emphasizes that despite the success, there were challenges. 'Indeed' is used here as an intensifier to emphasize the truth of the success before introducing the contrast. While 'however' and 'but' are markers of contrast, 'indeed' fits the internal clausal structure to affirm the success mentioned.

The word 'thyme' (the herb) is pronounced exactly like the word 'time' /taɪm/. Both have the silent 'h' or silent 'e' and the same long 'i' vowel sound followed by the 'm' consonant sound.

A 'virtuous' person is someone who has high moral standards. 'Upright' is the nearest synonym, as it describes someone who is strictly honest and moral. 'Devilish' is the antonym, while 'clever' and 'intelligent' refer to mental ability rather than morality.

When something is 'typical', it is a characteristic or representative example of a particular group or type. Although the option provided is the plural 'characteristics' (which is a slight typo in the exam—it should be 'characteristic'), it remains the closest match to the meaning of 'typical'.

The 'ae' in 'orthopaedic' is pronounced as a long 'i' sound /iː/ (UK English). The 'e' in 'elite' /eɪˈliːt/ also carries the same long /iː/ sound in the second syllable. This matches the phonetic value found in the 'ae' of orthopaedic.