The coach invited me to his office having found me mettlesome

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the word closest in meaning to "mettlesome" in the sentence: The coach invited me to his office having found me mettlesome.

Explain the concept: "Mettle" means courage, spirit, or the ability to cope well with difficulty. So "mettlesome" describes someone who is spirited, brave, and full of courage and fighting energy. A common expression is "to show your mettle," which means to show your courage and strength of character.

Solution:

• A. Courageous: matches "spirited" and "brave". ✔
• B. Hardworking: describes diligence, not spirit or courage. ✘
• C. Hardhearted: means unkind or without sympathy, which has nothing to do with mettle. ✘ (This is a trap, because "hard" sounds strong.)
• D. Weak: the opposite meaning. ✘

The coach found the student spirited and brave, perhaps on the field, so he invited him to his office. That makes sense in context, for example to offer him a place on the team.

Answer: A. Courageous.

Tip: Link "mettle" to "metal." A person of strong metal is tough and courageous. Don't confuse it with "meddlesome," which means interfering. In JAMB vocabulary questions, look for the root word ("mettle") first, then eliminate the opposites and unrelated options.