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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.

179 questions JAMB 2378 WAEC 1459 CUSTOM 2

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Past Questions

179 questions

Question 1 of 20 179 total questions

Question 61

waec 1998

The choice of appropriate words to convey the thoughts of an author is called

Aidiomatic language

Bsetting

Cfigure of speech

Ddiction

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Question 62

waec 1998

The basic elements of drama are

Acharacter, plot, episode

Bdialogue, chorus, plot

Ccharacter, action, setting

Dcharacter, monoloue, plot

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Question 63

waec 1998

A poem written or rendered in praise of a person or thing is called

Aa lyric

Ban ode

Can elegy

Da panegyric

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Question 64

waec 1998

The birds fly high over
the hills beyond the corn fields.
The poetic device used in the above extract is

Aassonance

Balliteration

Cmetaphor

Dmetonymy

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Question 65

waec 1998

Pick the odd item from the list below

ANight Rain

BThings fall Apart

CStanley Meets Mutesa

DNightfall in Soweto

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Question 66

waec 1998

The image depicted in the extract is one of

Adestruction

Bmerriment

Chappiness

Damiration

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Question 67

waec 1998

The subject matter of the above extract is

Aearthquake

Bhouse movement

Csea waves

Dstorm

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Question 68

waec 1998

The predominant figure of speech in the above extracts is

AOxymoron

BMetaphor

CSimile

DPersonification

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Question 69

waec 1998

Beauty in poetry depends mainly on

Aexpression and rhythm

Blength and theme

Cvowels and consonants

Dmood and verse form

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Question 70

waec 1998

The three major forms of literature are

Atragedy,comedy, tragi-comedy

Bpoetry,drama,folktales

Cdrama,lyric,prose fiction

Dpoetry, drama,prose

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Question 71

waec 1998

Which of the following is common to all forms of literature?

Alanguage

Bchorus

Caction

Dnarrator

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Question 72

jamb 1998

This question is based on Wole Soyinka's The Trials of Brother Jero.

Amope is dissatisfied with her husband's status as a

Abicycle owner

Bchief clerk

Cchief messenger

Ddeputy to Jero

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Question 73

jamb 1998

This question is based on Wole Soyinka's The Trials of Brother Jero.

Brother Chume as a member of Jero's congregation is

Aan informed disciple

Ba messenger to Brother Jero

Ca loyalist and a good husband

Da disgruntled and gullible follower

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Question 74

jamb 1998

This question is based on Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops To Conquer.

'If my dear Hastings be out constant, i make no doubt to be too hard for her at last. '
The lines above in the play are delivered by

AKate

BTony

CMarlow

DConstance

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Question 75

jamb 1998

This question is based on Literary Principles.
'And why must we be sad When the messiahs are with us to hound us and butt-gun us into greater tomorrow.'
Odia Ofeimun, ' The Messiahs'
The tone of the lines above is

Asatiric

Bsarcastic

Cindicting

Dself-pitying

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Question 76

jamb 1998

This question is based on Literary Principles.
'They came for him that Sunday. He had just returned from a night's vigil on the mountain. He was resting on his bed, Bible open at the Book of Revelation, when two police constables, one tall, the other short, knocked at the door.'
Ngugi, 'Petals of Blood'
The writer of the passage above arrests the interest of the reader by employing

Aa suspenseful opening

Ban appropriate setting

Cshort clear sentences

Dimages of violence

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Question 77

jamb 1998

This question is based on Literary Principles.
'The strong desire he felt for her fade away. As he had done the previous night, he tried desperately to excite himself mentally. Not a nerve in his body responded. He felt ill. He perspired. He, the stallion who usually flung himself at women, was like pulp.'
Sembane Ousmane, 'Xala'

The terseness of the prose above is employed to

Acapture a climax

Bdepict tension

Ccondemn the man

Dsympathize with the girl

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Question 78

jamb 1998

This question is based on Literary Principles.
'El - Hadji Abdou Kader Beye was received in princely style at the girl's home. The food was exquisite and the scent of incense filled N'Gone's small wooden room. Nothing was omitted in the careful process of conditioning the man.'
Sembane Ousmane, 'Xala'
The writer suggests in the passage above that El-Hadji is

Aa prince

Ba food lover

Cbeing entertained

Dbeing manipulated

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Question 79

jamb 1998

This question is based on Literary Principles.
'At the start of the winter came the permanent rain and with the rain came the cholera.
But it was checked and in the end only seven thousand died of it in the army'.
Hemingway 'Farewell to Arms'
The passage above is an example of

Ahyperbolism

Bjuxtaposition

Cunderstatement

Ddidactism

View Explanation & Discuss

Question 80

jamb 1998

This question is based on Literary Principles.
Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore so do our minutes hasten to their end.'
In the lines above, Shakespeare is thinking of the

Apassing of time and shortness of life

Bswift passing of waves from shore to shore

Cpassing of time from hours to minutes and second

Dmovement of pebbles to the shore

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