JAMB 2020 English Language · Question 20

Mr Cham will never tell you everything, he is very …

Question

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word or group of words that best completes each of the following sentences. Mr Cham will never tell you everything, he is very ________

  1. A.secretive
  2. B.quiet
  3. C.reserved
  4. D.realistic

Answer: A. secretive

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question

The sentence says Mr Cham "will never tell you everything." We need the word that best describes someone who deliberately withholds information.

Explain the concept

This is a vocabulary-in-context question. The clue is "will never tell you everything," which shows intentional concealment of information.

  • Secretive: inclined to hide information or keep things private, often deliberately.
  • Quiet: speaks little or makes little noise. It says nothing about hiding information.
  • Reserved: slow to show feelings or open up. It is close, but it usually describes emotional restraint or shyness, not a habit of withholding facts.
  • Realistic: practical and sensible about facts. It has no connection to telling or hiding.

Step-by-step solution

  1. The key clue is "will never tell you everything," so he always keeps some things back.
  2. Eliminate D (realistic), because it has nothing to do with sharing information.
  3. Eliminate B (quiet), because a quiet person may be open when they do speak, and quietness doesn't mean hiding things.
  4. Compare A (secretive) and C (reserved). "Reserved" describes a personality that is emotionally distant. "Secretive" directly describes someone who does not reveal everything and keeps information hidden. The sentence is about not telling everything, so secretive fits best.

Answer: A. secretive

Exam tip: In fill-in-the-blank questions, find the clue phrase in the sentence and match its meaning exactly. Here "never tell you everything" points to secretive. When two options seem close, choose the one that matches the action described (hiding information) rather than a general personality trait.

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