Barely six months after his father's demise, he has nothing left again of his patrimony

Analyze the question: The underlined word is patrimony. We need the option closest in meaning to it. The sentence says that only six months after his father's death, he has nothing left of his patrimony. That points to something passed down from the father.

Explain the concept: Patrimony comes from the Latin pater, meaning "father". It means property or estate passed down from a father or ancestors, so it is essentially an inheritance. The "patri-" root also appears in paternal, patriarch and patriot (love of one's fatherland).

Solution:

• A. inheritance: This matches. It is what is handed down from a parent after death, and the context ("after his father's demise") supports it.
• B. property: This is too general. Property can be acquired by anyone in any way and need not come from a father.
• C. reputation: This is about good name, not wealth. A related word would be "legacy" in some contexts, but it doesn't fit "nothing left".
• D. valuables: This means precious items. It is not specifically tied to being inherited.

Answer: A. inheritance

Tip: Look for word roots. Patri- means father (patrimony is what comes from the father), and matri- means mother (matrimony relates to marriage and motherhood). Context clues such as "his father's demise" often give the answer away in JAMB Lexis questions.