Answer the following question, choose the option nearest in meaning to the word or phrase underlined Nwankwo…

Analyze the question: The underlined phrase appears to be "on the verge of" (the underline was lost in the text, but "verge" is clearly the key word). We need the option closest in meaning to "verge."

Explain the concept: "On the verge of" means "very close to doing something" or "about to happen." The noun verge means an edge or border. Its related idiom is "on the brink of," which means "at the point of."

Solution:

• "Nwankwo was on the verge of signing a two year contract" means he was about to sign, or at the edge of signing.
• A. brink means the edge of something, and "on the brink of" has the same meaning as "on the verge of." ✔
• B. summit means the top of a mountain, or a high-level meeting. It doesn't fit.
• C. height means the measure of how tall something is, or a peak. It doesn't fit.
• D. shore means the land at the edge of a sea or lake. It sounds like "edge," but it is not used in this idiom.

Substituting: "Nwankwo was on the brink of signing a two year contract with the club." The meaning is unchanged, so the sentence still works.

Answer: A. brink.

Exam tip: Learn these idioms as a group, because JAMB often tests them:

• on the verge of = on the brink of = about to
• on the point of = on the edge of

When a question asks for the word nearest in meaning, put each option into the sentence and check whether the meaning stays the same.