Literature in English Past Questions

Study and practice Literature in English past questions with answers and detailed explanations. Then test your knowledge using our interactive CBT practice platform and prepare confidently for your upcoming examinations.

50 questions JAMB 2378 WAEC 1459 CUSTOM 2
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Past Questions

50 questions
Question 1 of 20 50 total questions
Question 11
jamb 1995

This question is based on Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge.
Characterization in the novel is designed to show that man's fate is determined by

Ahis character
Bforces beyond him
Chis social background
Dhis community
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Question 12
jamb 1995

This question is based on Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge.
What is represented by the characters of Henchard and Farfrae in the novel is the

Acontrast between the old and the new
Bconflict between belief and unbelief
Cconflict between a tragic and a comic hero
Dconflict between foolhardiness and kindness
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Question 13
jamb 1995

This question is based on Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge.
One of the main features that sustains the reader's interest in the novel is the

Acreation and resolution of conflicts
Bsale of Henchard's wife
Cexploration of comic plot
Dwheat business in Casterbridge
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Question 14
jamb 1995

This question is based on zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.
The major concern of the novel is the

Apromotion of simple, rural existence
Bneed for women to assert themselves
Cclash of the old and the new
Dcorrupt nature of urban life
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Question 15
jamb 1995

This question is based on zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.
The dominant tone of the novel is one of

Adetachment
Banger
Cdespondency
Dmilitancy
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Question 16
jamb 1995

This question is based on zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.
Grandma informs Li in the novel that her salt-pot is empty because

Ashe wants to extract money from Li's pocket money
Bshe knows Li has had a gift of money recently
CLi's mother would give her some
Dgrandfather will never part with his money for salt
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Question 17
jamb 1995

This question is based on zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.
'My blood is hot, but my flesh is famished...
The rains have come, the field is prepared,
But my field remains untilled,...
The statement above reflects the

Alaziness of the farmer
Bagony of unfulfilment
Cagony of a wasted fertility
Dconsequences of an unrequited love
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Question 18
jamb 1995

This question is based on zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.
Li got more accustomed to her home because she

Agrew a little more religious
Bhad greater hold on her stern father
Cfound greater solace in an outside relationship
Dbecame closer to tradition
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Question 19
jamb 1995

This question is based on zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.
'And in spite of everything, in the soft cradle of her heart, there was another baby forming'.
What baby is being referred to in the above statement?

AThe stillborn
BThe reunion of Li and Habu
CLi's expected baby
DThe meeting of Shuwa and her father
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Question 20
jamb 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
Wordsworth's 'The Solitary Reaper' is preoccupied with the

Arelieveing effect of the song on the reaper's
Benduring impact of the reaper's song
Csweetest human voice of the poet ever heard
Dsimilarity between the voice of the reaper and the cuckoo-bird
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Question 21
jamb 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
The persona in 'My Last Duchess' regards the painting as

Aa perfectly realistic representation of the Duchess
Bnot quite capturing the Duchess emotions
Chis most highly prized item
Dsomething he is willing to pay dowry for
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Question 22
jamb 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
'The is my son, mine own Telemachus To whom I leave the scepter and the isle.'
In the lines above from Tennyson's Ulysses', scepter' and 'isle' are a poetic device called

Ametonymy
Bsymbol
Callusion
Dallegory
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Question 23
jamb 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
'Returning is not possible
And going forward is a great difficulty'
Sorrow' depict

Ainevitablilty of fate
Bcoollctive failure
Cprogress with stubbornness
Dindividual tragedy
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Question 24
jamb 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
The phrase 'location indifferent' in 'Telephone Conversation' conveys Wole Soyinka's

Anon-concern for space
Bwillingness to take an apartment anywhere
Ccritical need for accommodation
Dawareness of the reluctance ofthe landlady
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Question 25
jamb 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
Oswald Mtshali's 'They Washerwoman's Prayer' is

Aa pious appeal to God
Babout the permanence of apartheid
Cconcerned with laundry
Dabout slave labour
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Question 26
jamb 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
The repetition of the line 'They Too Are Earth' has the effect of

Amaking us more conscious of the earth
Bbeautifying the experience the poem describes
Caccusing us of human insensitivity
Denhancing the imagery of the poem
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Question 27
jamb 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
'The eye that looks down will surely see the nose
The finger that fits should be used to pick the nose
The lines above from 'Hurrah for Thunder' bear two major connotations.
These are

Awatchfulness and awareness
Bsensitiveness and arrogance
Cpatience and caution
Dcaution and justice
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Question 28
jamb 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
In 'Hurrah for Thunder', Christopher Okigbo celebrates

Athunder
Bdestruction
Cchange
Dhunters
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Question 29
jamb 1995

This question is based on Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer.
X: I am told he's a man of an excellent understanding
Y: Is he?
X: Very generous.
Y: I believe I shall like him.
X: Young and brave.
Y: I'm sure I shall like him.
X: And very handsome.
Y:....,I'll have him.
Who are the speakers X and Y and about whom are they speaking ?

ANeville and Kate about Hastings
BKate and her mother about Marlow
CMiss Hardcastle and Mr. Hardcastle about Tony
DMr. Hardcastle and Kate about Marlow
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Question 30
jamb 1995

This question is based on Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer.
The play is concerned principally with

Apresenting the problems of social class and British mannerism
Bchanging the traditional view about comedy in England
Cthe construction and handling of situations and incidents
Dthe presentation of a society without morals
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