Alice, a small fragile-looking Ugandan mother, is dying of AIDS. She lives with her son and daughter in a tin-roofed shack on the .....1... of Kampala.

Analyze the question The sentence needs a word that fits after "on the ___ of Kampala." It describes where Alice lives: a tin-roofed shack, which suggests poverty and a location away from the city centre.

Explain the concept This tests collocation and idiomatic usage, meaning which words naturally go together:

• "On the outskirts of" a city is a fixed phrase meaning the outer edges or areas far from the centre. It is often used for poorer, less developed areas.
• "In the suburbs" is the usual phrase with "suburbs," and it takes "in," not "on the."
• "Interior" refers to the inside of something, such as a building or a country. We don't say "on the interior of Kampala."
• "Outside" is not used as a noun in this structure. We would say "outside Kampala," not "on the outside of Kampala."

Solution

1. The preposition phrase is "on the ___ of Kampala."
2. Test each option: • "on the outskirts of Kampala" is natural and correct. • "on the suburbs of Kampala" is wrong, because it should be "in the suburbs." • "on the interior of Kampala" is illogical and unidiomatic. • "on the outside of Kampala" is awkward and does not mean the city's edge.
3. "Outskirts" also fits the context of a shack on the edge of the city.

Answer: A. Outskirts

Tip Memorise the pairing "on the outskirts of" and "in the suburbs of." In JAMB lexis and structure questions, check which preposition goes with the noun. It often eliminates options quickly.