JCF Entrance Exam key terms

Recent local and world events reported in the news. Candidates are expected to know major developments from roughly the past year, including politics, the economy, sport and regional matters.

A regional grouping of Caribbean states, headquartered in Georgetown, Guyana, that coordinates trade, security and development policy. Jamaica is a founding member, and CARICOM decisions often appear in current-affairs questions.

A voluntary association of mostly former British territories, now including republics. Its members share institutions such as the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Games, and membership is a frequent general-knowledge topic.

A form of government in which the head of state is an elected or appointed president rather than a monarch. Jamaica's move to replace the British monarch as head of state is a recurring current-affairs and civics topic.

One of Jamaica's fourteen local government areas, such as St Andrew, Portland or Manchester. Each has a capital town and a municipal body, and parish geography is common in general-knowledge questions.

The adjoining parish and city area that form Jamaica's capital region and seat of national government, courts and the main port. Questions about national institutions often assume knowledge of this area.

The central point a passage is built around, which the other sentences support or illustrate. Identifying it means stating what the writer wants the reader to take away, not merely repeating a first sentence.

A sentence, usually near the start of a paragraph, that announces the paragraph's single controlling idea. The remaining sentences develop it with detail, example or explanation.

A conclusion drawn from evidence in the text rather than stated outright. A valid inference must be supported by details in the passage and must not depend on outside assumptions.

The writer's attitude towards the subject, conveyed through word choice and sentence structure. Common labels include critical, sympathetic, ironic, neutral and celebratory.

The emotional or cultural association a word carries beyond its literal meaning. For example, 'thrifty' suggests approval while 'stingy' suggests disapproval, though both describe careful spending.

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, independent of emotional associations. Distinguishing denotation from connotation helps in choosing the most precise word for a context.

The quality of a piece of writing in which ideas are linked logically and flow smoothly from one to the next, often helped by connectives such as 'however', 'therefore' and 'in contrast'.

Agreement between grammatical elements, especially subject and verb in number and person. A singular subject takes a singular verb, as in 'The list of names is long'.

The relationship between a pronoun and the noun it stands for, which must be clear to the reader. Ambiguous reference, as when 'he' could mean either of two people, weakens a sentence.

A comparison of two or more quantities by division, written as 3:2 or 3 to 2. Ratios express relative size only, so the actual amounts may be any multiple of the given numbers.

A statement that two ratios are equal, such as 2:5 = 8:20. Solving a proportion usually means finding the missing term by cross-multiplication or by scaling both parts equally.

A fraction expressed as a part of one hundred, so 45% means 45 out of 100 or 0.45. Percentage change is calculated by dividing the change by the original amount and multiplying by 100.

Interest calculated only on the original principal, using the formula I = P x R x T, where R is the annual rate as a decimal and T is time in years. It ignores interest already earned.

The arithmetic mean, found by adding all values and dividing by how many there are. It is affected by extreme values, unlike the median, which is the middle value of an ordered set.

A measure between 0 and 1 of how likely an event is, calculated as favourable outcomes divided by total equally likely outcomes. A probability of 0 means impossible and 1 means certain.

A form of deductive argument with two premises leading to a conclusion, as in 'All A are B; all B are C; therefore all A are C'. Validity depends on form, not on whether the premises are true.

Reasoning from general statements to a necessary conclusion. If the premises are true and the form is valid, the conclusion must be true, which distinguishes deduction from probabilistic induction.

An error in reasoning that makes an argument unreliable, such as attacking the person rather than the point, or assuming what is to be proved. Recognising fallacies is a common reasoning task.

A comparison based on a relationship between pairs, as in 'hand is to glove as foot is to shoe'. The task is to identify the underlying relation and apply it to a new pair.

A sequence of numbers generated by a rule, such as adding 3, doubling, or combining the two previous terms. Candidates identify the rule and use it to supply the next or missing term.

The supreme body of rules establishing a state's institutions, powers and citizens' rights. Jamaican law derives its authority from the Jamaica Constitution, and ordinary legislation inconsistent with it is invalid.

The division of government into legislative, executive and judicial branches, each with distinct functions and checks on the others. It is intended to prevent concentration of power and protect liberty.

The principle that everyone, including government officials, is subject to the law and answerable before ordinary courts. It requires laws to be public, predictable and applied equally.

Guaranteed protections in a constitution, such as life, liberty, freedom of expression, and freedom from inhuman treatment. In Jamaica these are enforceable in court, though subject to lawful limitations.

The power of courts to examine decisions of public bodies and legislation and declare them unlawful or unconstitutional. It allows citizens to challenge actions that exceed legal authority or breach rights.

A system in which a monarch is head of state but real governing power rests with an elected parliament and cabinet. Jamaica has operated under this arrangement since independence in 1962.

A parliamentary system derived from British practice, with a ceremonial head of state, a prime minister drawn from the legislature, and a cabinet collectively responsible to parliament. Jamaica follows this model.

Jamaica's superior court of first instance for serious civil and criminal matters, which also hears constitutional challenges. Appeals from its decisions go to the Court of Appeal and then the Privy Council.

The elected local authority for a Jamaican parish, responsible for local services such as markets, roads and sanitation. Councillors are elected at local government elections held separately from national polls.

A group of ordinary citizens sworn to decide the facts in a serious criminal trial. In Jamaica a jury returns a unanimous verdict in the Supreme Court, and jurors are chosen from the voters' list.

A constitutional or statutory list of protected freedoms, such as speech, assembly and fair trial, that individuals may enforce against the state. It limits what government may lawfully do to citizens.