ALPHA-BETA OLaC Use of English drillers – compiled by Mazi Onyema

Grammar
1. During the holiday, we visited some of our ___ .
(a) brothers’-in-laws (b) brothers-in-law (c) brother-in-laws (d) brothers-in-laws
2. I ___ the stain on your shirt from a distance but ___ the same shirt so rumpled makes it worse.
(a) could see/to see (b) can see/seeing (c) could see/I see (d) can see/to see
3. It ___ that, by 2050, world population ___ twice as much as it is now.
(a) appeared/would have rising (c) appears/will have risen
(b) has appeared/will be rising (d) will appear/would rise
4. It was too late! The doctor ___ help the patient. He told the family that they ___ too long before calling him.
(a) wouldn’t/had been waiting (b) could/have waited
(b) couldn’t/had waited (d) couldn’t/has waited
5. ___ the beginning of time, people have always made war ___ each other.
(a) From/for (b) Since/with (c) During/within (d) Since/against
6. ___ have a valuable collection of stamps, some of which were issued for famous inventors and ___ inventions
which have made ___ lives better.
(a) We/their/theirs (b) I/their/our (c) We/our/their (d) I/our/their
7. He’s ___ but he still works out in the gym.
(a) sixty-two year old (b) sixty-two years old (c) a sixty two years old man (d) a sixty-old year old man
8. Mr. Kewsi bought ___ yesterday.
(a) a cupboard French attractive new (c) French attractive a new cupboard
(b) a new attractive French cupboard (d) an attractive new French cupboard
9. You have no excuse ___ late.
(a) in being (b) for been (c) been (d) for being
10. Our school will ___ one hundred and twenty students this year.
(a) turn in (b) turn on (c) turn out (d) turn over

Word choice
11. When they saw that resistance was ___ the soldiers stopped fighting.
(a) inadequate (b) futile (c) inefficient (d) unnecessary
12. Europeans often find tropical sun ___ .
(a) unbearable (b) deplorable (c) unpopular (d) intolerant
13. The expert said that the stone was not a jewel and was therefore ___ .
(a) profitless (b) priceless (c) valueless (d) invaluable
14. After going 5 – 0 at half time, we can say that the trailing team is fighting a ___ battle.
(a) loss (b) losing (c) lost (d) loosing
15. His doctor insisted on a strict ___ after the successful surgery.
(a) regimen (b) regiment (c) regicide (d) regent

Nearest in meaning
16. Some people believe that “the earth is spherical” is a false claim.
(a) a candid (b) an indubitable (c) a precise (d) a specious
17. It was galling to have to play the devil’s advocate in the debate.
(a) blissful (b) exasperating (c) idyllic (d) delightful
18. Soft parents will give their kids enough liberty.
(a) latitude (b) restraint (c) repression (d) subjugation
19. Nobody survived the massacre.
(a) mirth (b) carnage (c) glee (d) vitiation
20. Most yahoo boys legalize their loot through the church.
(a) sully (b) vilify (c) launder (d) malign

Opposite in meaning
 21. Our eyes are susceptible to ultraviolet light.
(a) vulnerable (b) resistant (c) defenseless (d) fragile
22. Showboating while losing an important game is childish.
(a) Grandstanding (b) Marauding (c) Ennobling (d) Flaunting
23. He’s facing double whammy in his marriage.
(a) chaos (b) equanimity (c) pandemonium (d) turmoil
24. She was advised to drink water which was insalubrious.
(a) hale and hearty (b) filthy (c) injurious (d) fit
25. I’m an implacable fan of Lionel Messi.
(a) a ruthless (b) an impassioned (c) an ardent (d) a compromising

Interpretation
26. Stanley saw it as a vote of confidence in his abilities when the manager asked him to …
(a) think about getting the job (c) manage the new office in Umuahia
(b) tender his resignation letter (d) apologize to the colleague he offended
27. Classical music isn’t really Mary’s cup of tea, so when I offered to take her to a Johan Sebastian Bach’s concert,
she …
(a) wasn’t excited (b) was really excited (c) was impolite (d) was shocked
28. When the new boss assumed duty, many workers were knocked off their perch. This means that they were…
(a) compensated (b) sacked (c) promoted (d) laid off
29. If Musa had woken up earlier, he would not have missed breakfast. This means that …
(a) he woke late but still had breakfast (c) he didn’t want breakfast, so he intentionally avoided it
(b) he overslept, and therefore didn’t eat his breakfast (d) he will eat his breakfast if he wakes up early
30. Neither the driver nor the passengers are to blame for the accident. This means that …
(a) the passengers caused the accident (c) the driver alone caused the accident
(b) both the driver and his passengers caused the accident (d) it was probably a mechanical fault

Vowel sounds
31. /Ʌ/ (a) monkey (b) put (c) rock (d) count
32. obey (a) old (b) hope (c) bookish (d) wire
33. /eə/ (a) queer (b) really (c) beard (d) their
34. year (a) weapon (b) pear (c) waiver (d) fur
35. leopard (a) doer (b) bury (c) wear (d) trio

Consonant sounds
36. healthy (a) southern (b) gather (c) thigh (d) teethe
37. /tʃ/ (a) thyme (b) winch (c) lotion (d) badge
38. /j/ (a) germ (b) jet (c) ewe (d) blue
39. schedule (a) scheme (b) dash (c) scam (d) pleasure
40. /g/ (a) gnat (b) tight (c) taxi (d) exact

Different stress placement

41. (a) beware (b) indeed (c) lady (d) commit
42. (a) justice (b) dental (c) wrinkle (d) minute (adj)
43. (a) satisfy (b) develop (c) confident (d) prominent
44. (a) duvet (b) begin (c) insert (d) exhaust
45. (a) admire (b) compare (c) machine (d) photo

Rhymes
46. higher (a) tire (b) lawyer (c) fighter (d) hover
47. comb (a) loam (b) tomb (c) cone (d) moan
48. straight (a) freight (b) height (c) street (d) stated
49. tossed (a) paved (b) tugged (c) cost (d) must
50. prayer (a) pray (b) royal (c) pair (d) mayor
Emphatic stress
51. The driver turned to the LEFT.
(a) did the driver turn? (c) did the driver turn to the right?
(b) who turned to the left? (d) did the driver dance to the left?
52. Mr. David bought a NEW house.
(a) who bought a new house? (c) what did Mr. David buy?
(b) did Mr. David buy an old house? (d) did Mr. David sell a new house?
53. He borrowed my newspaper.
(a) What did he borrow? (c) did he steal my newspaper?
(b) Who borrowed my newspaper (d) what did he borrowed?
54. The accused hasn’t even been TRIED yet.
(a) Was the accused sentenced to life imprisonment? (c) has the suspect been apprehended?
(b) Why hasn’t the accused been tried yet? (d) was the accused handed over to the police?
55. She works at the hospital.
(a) Who works at the hospital (c) where does she work?
(b) Does she work at the hospital? (d) what does she do at the hospital?

Primary stress placement

56. comprehensible (a) comPREhensible (b) compreHENsible (c) comprehenSIble (d) COMprehensible
57. insubordination (a) insuBORdination (b) inSUbordination (c) insuborDInation (d) insubordiNAtion
58. confrontational (a) conFRONtational (b) CONfrontational (c) confronTAtional (d) confrontaTIONal
59. popularity (a) popuLArity (b) POpularity (c) popuLArity (d)populaRIty
60. laboratory (a) laboRAtory (b) LAboratory (c) laboraTOry (d) laBOratory