JCF Entrance Exam flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Jamaica Independence Date

Jamaica became independent from the United Kingdom on 6 August 1962. Independence Day is a public holiday, and the national flag was raised for the first time on that date.

CARICOM

The Caribbean Community, established in 1973 by the Treaty of Chaguaramas, promotes economic integration and cooperation among Caribbean states. Its headquarters are in Georgetown, Guyana, and Jamaica is a founding member.

Governor-General

The representative of the Jamaican monarch in Jamaica, appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Governor-General assents to bills and performs ceremonial and constitutional functions on the Crown's behalf.

Parishes of Jamaica

Jamaica is divided into 14 parishes, grouped into three counties: Cornwall in the west, Middlesex in the centre, and Surrey in the east. Each parish has a capital town and local administration.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislature with two chambers. Jamaica's Parliament consists of the appointed Senate (21 members) and the elected House of Representatives (63 members), which is the more powerful chamber.

Diaspora Remittances

Money sent home by Jamaicans living abroad, chiefly from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Remittances are a major source of foreign exchange and household income in Jamaica.

Affect vs Effect

'Affect' is usually a verb meaning to influence something. 'Effect' is usually a noun meaning a result. Example: the storm affected crops; the effect was a price rise.

Subject-Verb Agreement

A verb must agree in number with its subject. Singular subjects take singular verbs; compound subjects joined by 'and' take plural verbs unless they form one idea.

Active and Passive Voice

Active voice has the subject performing the action (the dog bit the man). Passive voice makes the object the subject using 'be' plus past participle (the man was bitten).

Direct to Indirect Speech

When reporting speech, shift the tense back one step, adjust pronouns to the reporter, and change time and place words: now becomes then, today becomes that day, here becomes there.

Main Idea

The central point a passage conveys. It is often stated in the first or last sentence, and every supporting detail in the passage should relate to it.

Semicolon Usage

A semicolon joins two independent clauses without a conjunction, or separates items in a list that already contain commas. It signals a closer link than a full stop.

Its vs It's

'Its' is the possessive form (the dog wagged its tail). 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has'. Confusing the two is a common grammar error.

Percentage Change

Percentage change equals the difference between new and old values, divided by the old value, multiplied by 100. A rise from 40 to 50 is a 25 percent increase.

Simple Interest Formula

Simple interest is calculated as I = PRT/100, where P is principal, R is the annual rate in percent, and T is time in years. Interest is paid only on the original principal.

Average Speed

Total distance divided by total time. For equal distances covered at speeds a and b, average speed is the harmonic mean 2ab/(a+b), not the arithmetic average.

Ratio Sharing

To divide a quantity in a given ratio, add the ratio parts, divide the total by that sum, then multiply each part. For 3:5 with total 40, shares are 15 and 25.

Divisibility by 3 and 9

A number is divisible by 3 if its digit sum is divisible by 3, and by 9 if its digit sum is divisible by 9. Example: 738 has digit sum 18, so it is divisible by both.

Combined Work Formula

If worker A completes a job in x days and worker B in y days, together they finish in xy/(x+y) days. This assumes both work at constant rates without interference.

Area of a Circle

The area of a circle is pi times the square of its radius, A = πr². Its circumference is 2πr. Use π approximately 3.14 or 22/7 in mental calculations.

Number Series Rule

To solve a series, test differences first, then ratios, then alternating patterns or squares. Example: 2, 6, 12, 20 follows adding 4, 6, 8 successively.

Syllogism Validity

A syllogism conclusion is valid only if it must follow from the premises. 'All A are B' does not imply 'all B are A', so reversing the terms is a common trap.

Ranking Formula

In a line, total number of people equals rank from the top plus rank from the bottom minus one. A person ranked 5th from both ends is in a line of nine.

Coding-Decoding

A reasoning task where letters of a word are shifted or substituted by a rule. Compare letter positions: a constant shift such as plus one turns CAT into DBU.

Blood Relations

Family-tree problems where relationships are traced through parents, siblings, and children. The brother of your father is your uncle; the son of your brother is your nephew.

Direction Sense

Problems tracking movement on a compass. Draw a sketch, and when the final and starting points form a right angle, use Pythagoras to find the straight-line distance.

Odd One Out

A reasoning item where one option lacks a property shared by the others. Identify the common category first, then test each option against it systematically.

Charter of Fundamental Rights

Jamaica's Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, enacted in 2011, protects rights including life, liberty, freedom of expression, and freedom from discrimination. It replaced earlier constitutional provisions.

Director of Public Prosecutions

Jamaica's DPP is an independent constitutional officer who decides whether to institute or discontinue criminal proceedings. The police investigate cases, but the DPP directs prosecution.

Privy Council Appeals

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London remains Jamaica's final court of appeal. Jamaica has not adopted the Caribbean Court of Justice as its final appellate court.

Electoral Commission of Jamaica

The EOJ administers elections and maintains the voters' list. Jamaican citizens aged 18 and over may register and vote; voting is by secret ballot.

Local Government

Jamaica's local government consists of parish councils and the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, responsible for local services such as roads, markets, and sanitation within their areas.

Bank of Jamaica

Jamaica's central bank, responsible for monetary policy, issuing currency, and regulating the financial system. It aims to maintain price stability and support the financial sector's soundness.