📖 Use of English — Comprehension and Summary

1. In JAMB Use of English, each comprehension passage in Section A is conventionally about how many words long?

1. 100 words
2. 150 words
3. 200 words
4. 300 words

By long-standing convention, each Section A comprehension passage is about 200 words, drawn from varied disciplines. (JAMB UTME, Use of English — Comprehension/Summary; standard practice) (JAMB UTME, Use of English — Comprehension/Summary (conventional passage length))

2. What is the 'main idea' of a comprehension passage?

1. A minor detail mentioned only once in the passage
2. The central point or overall message the writer wants to communicate
3. The last sentence of the passage regardless of its content
4. A list of every example used by the writer

The main idea is the central thought that all other sentences in the passage support or explain. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (identify main points))

3. Passage: 'Many Nigerian farmers now use mobile phone apps to check weather forecasts, market prices and pest-control tips. This has helped them plan planting seasons better and sell their produce at fairer prices. As a result, some farming communities have recorded higher yields and incomes in recent years.' Which sentence best expresses the main idea of this passage?

1. Mobile phone apps have helped Nigerian farmers improve planning and increase income
2. Nigerian farmers no longer need extension officers
3. Weather forecasts are always accurate when checked on phones
4. Market prices for farm produce have stopped changing

This option summarises the passage's overall point, while the others are exaggerations not supported by the text. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (identify main points/topic sentences))

4. In a well-organised paragraph, the sentence that states the main idea most directly is usually called the ______.

1. supporting sentence
2. topic sentence
3. concluding remark
4. figure of speech

The topic sentence expresses the central point of a paragraph, while other sentences support or explain it. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

5. Passage: 'Deforestation in many parts of Nigeria is often driven by the search for firewood, farmland and timber. While these activities provide short-term economic benefits, they gradually strip the soil of its protective cover, leading to erosion and reduced rainfall in affected areas. Some communities have begun replanting trees to slow this damage, though the pace of replanting still lags behind the rate of tree loss.' The main idea of this passage is best captured by which statement?

1. Firewood is the only cause of deforestation in Nigeria
2. Communities that plant trees no longer experience erosion
3. Deforestation harms the environment despite short-term benefits, and current replanting efforts are not yet enough to reverse the damage
4. Timber production should be banned across Nigeria immediately

This option reflects both the cause-effect relationship and the balanced conclusion of the passage, while the other options overstate or distort details. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (deduce writer's intentions))

6. Which reading strategy is most useful for quickly locating the main idea of a passage before answering detailed questions?

1. Reading only the last paragraph twice
2. Skimming the passage for the topic sentence and concluding lines
3. Memorising every word in the passage
4. Counting the number of paragraphs

Skimming for the topic sentence and concluding statements helps a reader grasp the overall message quickly before tackling details. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

7. In Section A of the JAMB Use of English paper, the single comprehension passage (excluding the cloze passage and the prescribed reading text) carries how many questions?

1. 3 questions
2. 5 questions
3. 8 questions
4. 10 questions

Section A's comprehension passage carries 5 questions, while the cloze passage carries 10 and the prescribed reading text carries 10, making 25 in all. (JAMB Use of English examination structure (per JAMB UTME Syllabus))

8. A comprehension passage that mainly presents events in the order in which they happened is an example of which mode of discourse?

1. Narration
2. Argumentation
3. Exposition
4. Description

Narration presents events in a time sequence, unlike description, exposition or argumentation. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A content (modes of discourse))

9. Passage: 'Governments must invest more in public health because a healthy workforce is the backbone of national development. Countries that neglect health spending eventually pay a higher price through lost productivity and preventable deaths.' Which mode of discourse does this passage mainly represent, and why?

1. Narration, because it describes events in time order
2. Description, because it paints a picture of a health facility
3. Argumentation/persuasion, because it presents a viewpoint and reasons to convince the reader
4. Exposition, because it merely lists health statistics without any viewpoint

The passage argues for a position and gives supporting reasons to convince the reader, which is the hallmark of argumentation/persuasion. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A content (modes of discourse))

10. When a candidate is asked to give a passage an appropriate title, which of the following should the title reflect?

1. A minor example used in only one paragraph
2. The writer's full name
3. The overall main idea of the passage
4. The longest sentence in the passage

An appropriate title should sum up the passage's central idea, not an isolated detail. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

11. Passage: 'Some school administrators argue that banning mobile phones in classrooms improves students' concentration, while others insist that phones, if properly managed, can support research and learning during lessons. Both sides agree, however, that clear rules on phone use are necessary to prevent distraction.' What is the main idea of this passage?

1. Mobile phones must be banned in all schools without exception
2. There is disagreement on classroom phone use, but both sides agree that clear rules are needed
3. Phones are more useful than textbooks for learning
4. Teachers no longer need to supervise students who use phones

The passage presents two opposing views but highlights their shared agreement on the need for clear rules, which is the main idea. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (deduce writer's intentions))

12. As from the 2025 UTME, ten of the sixty Use of English questions are based on which prescribed reading text?

1. The Life Changer by Khadija Abubakar Jalli
2. The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba
3. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
4. The Concubine by Elechi Amadi

JAMB announced in January 2025 that The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba replaced The Life Changer as the prescribed reading text. (JAMB official announcement, January 2025 (jamb.gov.ng))

13. Supporting details in a passage mainly serve to ______.

1. contradict the main idea
2. explain, illustrate or expand on the main idea
3. replace the need for a main idea
4. confuse the reader about the topic

Supporting details back up and clarify the central idea rather than replace or contradict it. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

14. A 'fact' in a passage is best described as a statement that ______.

1. can be proven true or false with evidence
2. reflects only the writer's personal feelings
3. uses words like 'I think' or 'in my view'
4. cannot be checked against reality

Facts are verifiable statements, unlike opinions which express personal beliefs or feelings. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (deduce writer's opinion))

15. An 'opinion' in a passage is best described as a statement that ______.

1. can always be verified with statistics
2. expresses a personal belief, judgement or feeling
3. is copied directly from a dictionary
4. must be accepted by every reader as true

Opinions express the writer's personal views and are not necessarily verifiable, unlike facts. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

16. Which of the following sentences is a FACT rather than an opinion?

1. Lagos is the most beautiful city in Nigeria
2. Nigeria gained independence from Britain in 1960
3. Everyone should visit Lagos at least once
4. Lagos traffic is the worst in the world

Nigeria's 1960 independence is a verifiable historical fact, while the other statements express subjective judgements. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

17. Which of the following sentences expresses an OPINION rather than a fact?

1. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level
2. The examination lasted for two hours
3. This novel is the best one written this year
4. The library opens at 8 a.m. on weekdays

'Best' is a subjective judgement, making this sentence an opinion, while the others are checkable facts. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

18. Which set of words in a passage most often signals that a statement is an opinion rather than a fact?

1. Dates, statistics and measurements
2. Words like 'believe', 'seems', 'should' and 'in my view'
3. Names of places and people
4. Direct quotations from official records

Words such as 'believe,' 'seems' and 'should' signal subjective judgement, marking a statement as an opinion. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

19. Passage: 'The government recently increased the minimum wage for civil servants. In my view, this increase is still too small to cushion the effects of rising prices, and workers deserve much more.' Which part of the passage is a FACT, and which is an OPINION?

1. The whole passage is fact, since it discusses government policy
2. The whole passage is opinion, since it mentions workers' feelings
3. The wage increase is a fact; the claim that it is 'too small' and workers 'deserve much more' is an opinion
4. The wage increase is an opinion; the claim about workers deserving more is a fact

The wage increase is a verifiable event, while judging it as 'too small' reflects the writer's personal opinion. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (deduce writer's mood/attitude/opinion))

20. Why is it important for a candidate to distinguish fact from opinion when answering comprehension questions in the UTME?

1. Because facts are always longer sentences than opinions
2. Because the examiner only asks about opinions
3. Because it helps the candidate correctly judge the writer's attitude and avoid mistaking a viewpoint for established truth
4. Because opinions are never included in JAMB passages

Recognising fact versus opinion helps candidates correctly interpret the writer's intentions and answer inference questions accurately. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (deduce writer's mood, attitude and opinion))

21. Which of these is generally the best way to check whether a statement in a passage is a fact?

1. See if it can be confirmed by evidence or records
2. See if it uses strong adjectives
3. See if it appears in the first sentence
4. See if it is written in the past tense

A fact can be confirmed or disproven using evidence, records or reliable sources, unlike an opinion. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

22. Passage: 'Public transportation fares in the city rose by 20 percent last month. Commuters have complained that this is unfair, arguing that salaries have not risen at the same rate. Some analysts, however, believe the increase was necessary to cover higher fuel costs.' Which statement below correctly separates fact from opinion in the passage?

1. 'Fares rose by 20 percent' is a fact; 'the increase was necessary' is an opinion
2. 'Fares rose by 20 percent' is an opinion; 'the increase was necessary' is a fact
3. Both statements are facts because they come from the passage
4. Both statements are opinions because commuters are unhappy

The fare increase is a measurable, verifiable event, whereas whether the increase was 'necessary' is a matter of judgement. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

23. A passage that mixes factual reporting with the writer's personal judgements is most likely to belong to which mode of discourse?

1. Pure description only
2. Argumentation/persuasion
3. A shopping list
4. A dictionary definition

Argumentative or persuasive passages typically combine facts with the writer's opinions to support a viewpoint. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A content (modes of discourse))

24. If a JAMB comprehension question asks candidates to identify the writer's 'attitude' towards the subject matter, it is mainly testing the ability to ______.

1. count the number of paragraphs in the passage
2. recognise opinions, tone and mood embedded in the passage
3. list all the facts mentioned in the passage
4. identify the passage's publication date

The syllabus requires candidates to deduce the writer's mood, attitude and opinion, which involves recognising subjective elements in the text. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

25. Two sentences from a passage: (1) 'The school has 1,200 students enrolled this session.' (2) 'This school is clearly the best in the state.' Which sentence is a fact and which is an opinion?

1. Sentence 1 is a fact; sentence 2 is an opinion
2. Sentence 1 is an opinion; sentence 2 is a fact
3. Both sentences are facts because they are about the same school
4. Both sentences are opinions because they describe a school

The enrolment figure can be verified as a fact, while calling the school 'the best' is a subjective judgement, making it an opinion. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

26. In the JAMB Use of English syllabus, one of the stated objectives of Section A (Comprehension/Summary) is to test candidates' ability to determine which of the following from a passage?

1. The implied meaning not directly stated by the writer
2. The exact number of paragraphs used by the writer
3. The publisher's name and year of the passage
4. The total word count of the passage

The syllabus explicitly requires candidates to determine implied meaning in a passage, which is the basis of drawing inferences. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

27. Which skill is explicitly listed among the JAMB Section A objectives that most closely defines 'drawing a logical conclusion' from a text?

1. Memorising the passage word for word
2. Deducing or inferring the writer's intentions, mood and attitude
3. Counting the number of figures of speech used
4. Translating the passage into another language

The syllabus lists deducing/inferring the writer's intentions, mood and attitude among Section A objectives. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives)

28. JAMB states that questions on Section A passages will test, among other things, 'coherence and logical reasoning'. Which of the following best falls under this category?

1. Identifying the exact number of sentences in the passage
2. Naming the author's nationality
3. Making deductions and inferences based on evidence in the passage
4. Listing punctuation marks used in the passage

Coherence and logical reasoning in Section A specifically covers deductions and inferences drawn from the passage's content. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A notes)

29. Read the passage: 'Adaeze packed her old textbooks into a carton, wiped the dust off her study table, and taped a fresh timetable to the wall above it.' What can be reasonably inferred about Adaeze?

1. She has decided to stop attending school
2. She is moving out of her family house permanently
3. She dislikes her study table and wants to discard it
4. She is preparing to start a new term of serious study

Clearing old books, cleaning the table and putting up a new timetable together imply she is getting ready for renewed, organised study. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (inference))

30. 'By the time Tunde reached the examination hall, the invigilator was already collecting answer sheets from the front row, and the gate outside had been locked.' What can be inferred from this sentence?

1. Tunde arrived late and may have missed part or all of the examination
2. Tunde arrived early enough to meet the start of the examination
3. The examination had been cancelled before Tunde arrived
4. Tunde was the invigilator's favourite candidate

The details that answer sheets were already being collected and the gate had been locked imply the exam was ending, so Tunde arrived late. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (inference))

31. 'The clouds gathered quickly, the wind grew cold, and market women began covering their wares with tarpaulin.' What is the most logical conclusion to draw from this description?

1. The market is about to close for the day
2. A heavy rain is about to fall
3. A festival is about to begin
4. The women are preparing to relocate their stalls

Gathering clouds, cold wind and covering wares are classic signs that rain is imminent, so that is the logical conclusion. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (inference))

32. 'Mrs. Okafor smiled as she read the letter, then immediately called her husband and asked him to help her look for a bigger apartment.' What can be inferred about the content of the letter?

1. It contained bad news that upset Mrs. Okafor
2. It was a letter demanding that she vacate her current apartment
3. It likely contained good news, such as a promotion or pay rise
4. It was an invitation to a friend's wedding

Smiling at the letter and then seeking a bigger apartment together suggest good financial news making a larger home desirable. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (inference))

33. 'The committee praised the contractor's report as "thorough and impressive," yet awarded the contract to a rival firm whose bid was silent on most of the technical details.' Which conclusion does this passage most strongly support?

1. Technical thoroughness was the committee's main deciding factor
2. The rival firm's bid was actually more detailed than the contractor's report
3. The contractor withdrew from the bidding process
4. Factors other than the quality of the report likely influenced the committee's decision

Praising one report highly but still choosing a less detailed rival bid logically implies other, unstated factors swayed the decision. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (inference))

34. 'Kunle checked his pocket, checked it again, then retraced his steps back to the bus stop, his eyes scanning the ground.' What is Kunle most likely doing?

1. Looking for something he has lost, such as his phone or money
2. Exercising by walking back and forth
3. Waiting to board another bus
4. Counting the number of buses that pass by

Repeatedly checking his pocket and retracing his steps while scanning the ground implies he has misplaced an item and is searching for it. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (inference))

35. 'Even though the lecturer had announced that attendance would count towards the final grade, only half the class showed up for the Friday afternoon class.' What does this best suggest about the students who stayed away?

1. They were unaware that the class held on Fridays
2. They valued something else above the grade benefit of attending that class
3. They had all travelled out of town for the weekend
4. The lecturer cancelled the class before it began

Staying away despite knowing attendance affects their grade implies they prioritised something else over that benefit; the passage does not specify what. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English — Section A objectives (inference))