NECO 2009 English Language · Question 8

This means that Uduak — From the options lettered A - E, choose the one that is the most appropriate…

Question

From the options lettered A - E, choose the one that is the most appropriate interpretation of the expression in italics After Uduak had killed his wife, he attempted to cover his tracks by making her death appear like suicide. This means that Uduak

A.covered the face of his dead wife with a track-suit
B.decided to raise an alarm
C.insisted on killing himself too
D.tried to hide what he had done
E.was embittered about the act

Answer: D. tried to hide what he had done

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Step 1: Analyze the question The italicized expression is "cover his tracks". We are asked what it means in the sentence about Uduak.

Step 2: Explain the concept "To cover one's tracks" is an idiom. It means to hide evidence of what you have done so that nobody can find out or trace the act back to you. The word "tracks" here does not mean a path or a track-suit. It means the traces or evidence left behind.

Step 3: Apply it to the sentence Uduak killed his wife. He then tried to make her death look like suicide. Making a murder look like suicide is a way of hiding his guilt and misleading investigators.

Step 4: Check the options

A. Covering her face with a track-suit takes the idiom literally. It is wrong.
B. Raising an alarm would draw attention to the death, not hide anything. It is wrong.
C. Nothing suggests he wanted to kill himself. It is wrong.
D. Tried to hide what he had done. This matches the meaning of the idiom exactly.
E. Being embittered is about feeling resentful, which has nothing to do with concealing a crime. It is wrong.

Exam tip: With idioms, never take the words literally. Ask what the whole phrase means in context. Similar idioms are "leave no stone unturned" (try every possible means) and "cover up" (conceal).

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