JAMB UTME - Literature In English - 1997

This question is based on Literary Principles.

'In the arena

They began to sing my song,

We could hear it faintly

Passing through the air'

Okot p'Bitek, 'Song of Lawino'

What is the figure of speech used in the passage above?

Answer Details

The figure of speech used in the passage above is personification. Personification is a literary device in which non-human objects are given human-like qualities. In the passage, the song is given the human-like quality of being able to sing and move through the air.

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This question is based on General Literary Principles.

The Christs

Are still in performing miracles

In the market places

Heroding the masses with imperatives

Feeding the hungry

With 21-gun salutes

For victories that are yet to be won.'

Odia Ofeimun, 'The Messiahs'

The attitude of the poet to his subject in the lines above is

Answer Details

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.

What notion dominates Oswald Mtshali's 'The washerwoman's Prayer'?

Answer Details

The notion that dominates Oswald Mtshali's 'The washerwoman's Prayer' is Inequality. The poem is a lamentation of a washerwoman who has been reduced to a state of servitude and poverty in a society that values power and wealth. The poet uses vivid and poignant images to convey the washerwoman's plea for equality and dignity. She prays to God to change her condition, to end her suffering, and to grant her the same rights and opportunities as those who are privileged. The poem highlights the pervasive inequality in society and calls for a just and fair system that recognizes and values the contributions of all people.

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

One of the enriching factors of the comedy is the

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The enriching factor of the comedy "She Stoops To Conquer" by Oliver Goldsmith is the manipulation of appearance and reality. Throughout the play, characters pretend to be someone else, mistake one person for another, and misunderstand situations, leading to hilarious and unexpected outcomes. This manipulation of appearances and reality adds to the humor and entertainment of the play and keeps the audience engaged.

This question is based on Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge.

Susan concealed the true parentage of Elizabeth Jane in order to

Answer Details

This question is based on Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge.

Which of the following events marks the climax of the novel ?

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This question is based on Wole Soyinka's

The Trials of Brother Jero.

CHUME: Who said you were? Does the prophet live here?

SAME MAN: Yes. Over there. That house

CHUME: So...so..so...s...

Chume's reaction in the exchange above reflects

Answer Details

Chume's reaction in the exchange above reflects awareness. Chume is surprised to learn that the prophet lives in the house and he repeats "so" three times to confirm what he has just heard. This shows that he has become aware of the fact that the prophet he is looking for is actually living in the house pointed out by the man he is speaking to. Therefore, the most appropriate option is awareness.

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

The term assonance refers of

Answer Details

This question is based on Zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.

What is the author's final message in the novel?

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The author's final message in the novel is that man must confront his fate. Throughout the novel, the characters face challenges and events that are beyond their control, and they must confront their own mortality and the inevitability of fate. This theme is exemplified in the character of Li, who ultimately succumbs to her illness despite her efforts to resist it. The novel also portrays the struggles of the people in a changing society and the need to adapt to new circumstances. Therefore, the novel emphasizes the importance of accepting one's fate and finding meaning and purpose in life despite its challenges.

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

Hyperbole refers specifically to

Answer Details

Hyperbole refers specifically to exaggeration for emphasis. Hyperbole is a literary device that involves exaggerating or overstating something to make a point, add humor, or create emphasis. It is often used in poetry, prose, and everyday speech to heighten the impact of a statement. The exaggeration is usually obvious and not meant to be taken literally, but rather to make a point more strongly.

This question is based on Zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.

Habu Adams ends up in the novel as a

Answer Details

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

The technique found in drama in which the audience knows what the actor does not know is called

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Dramatic irony is the technique found in drama in which the audience knows something that the character(s) on stage do not know. This creates tension and anticipation in the audience and allows them to feel more involved in the story. For example, in Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet," the audience knows that Juliet is not really dead, but Romeo does not, and this creates a sense of dramatic irony that heightens the emotional impact of the scene.

This question is based on Zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.

What is the most striking feature of the setting in the novel?

Answer Details

The question asks about the most striking feature of the setting in Zaynab Alkali's novel, "The Stillborn." The answer is that the most striking feature of the setting is "the effective employment of contrasts." The novel's setting is a rural Nigerian village, and Alkali masterfully presents the stark contrasts between tradition and modernity, rural and urban life, and the rich and the poor. These contrasts play a crucial role in the story's themes of identity, culture, and social change. The other options are not correct as they do not accurately describe the setting of the novel.

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

'...My son is not to live by his learning. I don't think a boy wants much learning to spend fifteen hundred a year.'

What provokes this response from the speaker is the accusation that

Answer Details

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 my last Duchess', the poet complains about the Duchess'

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This question is based on General Literary Principles.

'When to the Sessions of sweet silent thought,

I summon up remembrance of things past,...

Shakespeare, 'Sonnet XXX'

The lines above contain the predominant use of

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This question is based on Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge.

A major irony in the Henchard-Farfrae relationship is that

Answer Details

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

Point of view is a technique that is commonly associated with

Answer Details

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

What is an epic?

Answer Details

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

Mrs. Hard: ..Anybody that looks in his face may

see he's consumptive.

Hard: Ay, if growing too fat be one of

the symptoms.

Mrs. Hard: He coughs sometimes,

Hard: Yes, when his liquor goes the wrong way

Mrs. Hard: I'm actually afraid of his lungs.

Hard: And truly so am I;...

What takes place immediately after this brief exchange?

Answer Details

This question is based on Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge.

'Come, 'said Donald quietly, 'a man o'your position should ken better, sir!It is tyrannical and no worthy of you.'

Which of Henchard's actions is tyrannical?

Answer Details

This question is based on Wole Soyinka's

The Trials of Brother Jero.

JERO: In that case, since, Brother Chume,

your wife seems such a wicked, willful sinner,

I think ....

CHUME: Yes, Holy One...?

JERO: You must take her home tonight...

Jero concedes to Chume taking his wife home and beating her in order to

Answer Details

Jero concedes to Chume taking his wife home and beating her in order to keep his secret a secret. Jero is a fraudulent and manipulative character who pretends to be a powerful spiritual leader in order to deceive and exploit his followers. He is afraid that if Chume's wife tells others about his fraudulent activities, his reputation and power will be ruined. Therefore, he suggests that Chume take his wife home and beat her to prevent her from spreading the news. This shows how Jero is willing to sacrifice the well-being of others for his own selfish interests.

This question is based on Wole Soyinka's

The Trials of Brother Jero.

Jero's opening speech in the is a

Answer Details

Jero's opening speech in The Trials of Brother Jero is a monologue. In a monologue, a character speaks to himself or an audience and reveals his thoughts and feelings without any interruption. In this opening speech, Jero is directly addressing the audience and shares his thoughts, ambitions, and his tactics of duping his clients into believing he has a special connection with God.

This question is based on Literary Principles.

'Ocol rejects the old type.

He is in love with a modern woman

He is in love with a beautiful girl

Who speaks English.'

Okot p'Bitek, 'Song of Lawino'

The writer of the lines above

Answer Details

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

When a protagonist is purged of the dominant emotions of pity and fear at the end of a tragedy, it is called

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The term used to describe the process of purging or cleansing the emotions of pity and fear in the audience or protagonist at the end of a tragedy is called "catharsis." This is a concept developed by the Greek philosopher Aristotle and refers to the idea that experiencing intense emotions through art can be a form of emotional purification or release. In the context of a tragedy, catharsis is achieved when the audience or protagonist is able to achieve a sense of emotional resolution and closure after experiencing the intense emotions that come with witnessing the tragic events of the play.

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

A playwright who solves the dilemma of his characters by rescuing them from impossible circumstances using extra human device has employed

Answer Details

The playwright has employed "deus ex machina". This term refers to a plot device in which an apparently unsolvable problem is suddenly resolved by an unexpected and improbable intervention. The term is Latin for "god from the machine," referring to ancient Greek plays in which a god would descend onto the stage with the aid of a mechanical crane to resolve the plot. This technique can be seen as a contrived manipulation of the plot and characters, and it often produces a sudden dramatic reversal of the story's direction.

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

I have received your letter. By way of a reply, I am beginning this diary, my prop is my distress. Our long association has taught me that confiding in others allays pain.

Mariama Ba, 'So Long a Letter'

By employing the first person narrator, the author of the passage above achieves

Answer Details

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 recurrence of the first person pronoun 'I' in Gabriel Okara's 'The callof the River Nun' creates the feeling of

Answer Details

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, 'pressurized good-breeding' from Wole Soyinka's 'Telephone Conversation', refers to the

Answer Details

In Wole Soyinka's 'Telephone Conversation', the phrase "pressurized good-breeding" refers to the white man's upbringing. The speaker is using the phrase to describe the white man's behavior on the telephone, which is polite but condescending. The phrase "pressurized good-breeding" suggests that the white man's politeness is forced, and not genuine, as if he has been trained to be polite but doesn't really believe in it. The phrase implies that the white man's behavior is a result of his upbringing and social conditioning, rather than his true personality.

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.

What is the dominant poetic device used in Christopher Okigbo's 'Hurrah for Thunder?

Answer Details

The dominant poetic device used in Christopher Okigbo's "Hurrah for Thunder" is symbolism. Symbolism refers to the use of symbols or images to represent abstract ideas or concepts. In the poem, the "thunder" is used as a symbol of power and liberation, and the "rain" is used as a symbol of renewal and regeneration. The poem celebrates the power of the natural world to bring about change and transformation. The use of vivid and powerful symbols is a characteristic feature of Okigbo's poetry and contributes to the richness and complexity of his work.

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

'There was something very disturbing about his features today, there was something which suggested an untidiness of a sort rather like a cotton dress washed in salty water and worn until it reeks of human sweet. There was something very vulnerable about his looks, something quite restless.

Nuruddin Farah, 'Sweet and Sour Milk'

The passage above illustrates the use of

Answer Details

The passage above illustrates the use of suspense. Suspense is a literary technique used to create a feeling of anticipation or tension in the reader. In this passage, the author uses descriptive language to create a sense of unease and restlessness about the character's appearance, leaving the reader curious and eager to know what might happen next. The use of words such as "disturbing," "untidiness," "vulnerable," and "restless" heighten the suspense and create a sense of foreboding.

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

'From Debbie's room comes the sound of the typewriter. It is an old mechanical typewriter, its noises are metallic and clicking. It chitters onto the end of a line musical, or almost musical 'cling' of the little bell.'

A.S Byatt, 'Artwork'

A striking figure of speech used in the passage above is

Answer Details

The striking figure of speech used in the passage above is onomatopoeia. Onomatopoeia is a literary device that imitates a sound. In the passage, the sounds of the typewriter are described as "metallic and clicking" and the "little bell" is described as "musical or almost musical 'cling'". The use of onomatopoeia helps to create a vivid and realistic image of the sounds in the reader's mind.

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

A story which explains the origin of a natural phenomenon is a

Answer Details

A story which explains the origin of a natural phenomenon is a myth. Myths are traditional stories that are often used to explain natural phenomena or historical events. They may feature gods, goddesses, or other supernatural beings and are often passed down through oral tradition.

This question is based on Wole Soyinka's

The Trials of Brother Jero.

The most sensitive of Jero's disciples is

Answer Details

This question is based on Wole Soyinka's

The Trials of Brother Jero.

Which of the following qualities best describes Jero's ability to keep his followers?

Answer Details

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.

'BEHOLD her, single in the field,

You solitary Highland Lass!

Reaping and singing by herself;...

O listen! for the Vale profound

Is overflowing with the sound.'

The lines above from William Wordsworth's 'The Solitary Reaper' constitute

Answer Details

The lines above from William Wordsworth's 'The Solitary Reaper' constitute an apostrophe. This is a literary device in which a speaker addresses someone or something that is not present or cannot respond directly. In this case, the speaker addresses the solitary Highland lass and invites the reader to listen to her singing, as the sound fills the valley. The use of an apostrophe creates a sense of intimacy and immediacy between the speaker, the reader, and the subject of the poem.

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

When a statement is made on stage to the hearing of only the audience, it is called

Answer Details

When an actor in a play makes a statement intended to be heard only by the audience and not by the other characters on stage, it is called an aside. This allows the actor to share their thoughts, feelings, or intentions with the audience without the other characters being aware of them. As such, it is a type of dramatic convention that can be used to reveal character, provide exposition, or add humor to a play.

This question is based on Literary Principles.

'SINCE I am coming to that Holy roome,

Where, with thy Quire of Saints for evermore

I shall be made thy Musique; As I come

I tune the Instrument here at the dore,

And what I must doe then, thinke here before.'

John Donne, 'hymn to God my God'

In the stanza above, the poet recognizes that

Answer Details

In the stanza above, the poet recognizes that he is near his death. The stanza is from John Donne's poem 'hymn to God my God' and in this stanza, he expresses his belief that he is getting closer to death and to God's holy room where he will be among the choir of saints forever. He describes himself as tuning his instrument at the door, meaning that he is preparing himself spiritually for the afterlife.

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

Sound effects in the theater are realizable through the use of

Answer Details

This question is based on Zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.

The two major pervasive sources of social problems in the community of the stillborn are

Answer Details

In Zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn, the two major pervasive sources of social problems in the community are ignorance and poverty. The characters in the novel are living in a rural community that is characterized by poverty and lack of access to education, which makes them vulnerable to various social issues such as teenage pregnancy, early marriage, and gender-based violence. The lack of education also makes them susceptible to superstition and witchcraft, which further exacerbates the problems in the community. These issues are portrayed in the novel through the experiences of the main character, Sa'adatu, and her interactions with the people in her community.

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

Mr. Hardcastle asks Young Marlow to leave his house because

Answer Details

This question is based on Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge.

The novel is about growth because

Answer Details

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

The comic in the play is found in the

Answer Details

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.

Browning's 'My Last Duchess'is

Answer Details

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

Answer Details

This question is based on Zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn.

The dialogue at the end of the novel reveals

Answer Details

This question is based on Literary Principles.

'Otto's wife was a potter. Nessa remembered Sandra Davis telling her this. Not just a wife, not just a mother - as Nessa's own mother had been, as all the women in her childhood were and were expected to be; cooks and floor scrubbers, fanatical table polishers and chairback starchers, nest builders.

Georgina Hammick, 'Habits'

In the passage above, it can be inferred that Otto's wife

Answer Details

In the passage above, it can be inferred that Otto's wife was a potter in addition to being a wife and mother. The passage suggests that the women in Nessa's childhood were expected to perform domestic tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and making nests. However, Otto's wife is described as a potter, which implies that she had a profession beyond these traditional domestic roles. The phrase "not just a wife, not just a mother" suggests that she had additional responsibilities and interests, and her profession as a potter is mentioned specifically. Therefore, it can be inferred that Otto's wife was a potter in addition to being a wife and mother.

This question is based on Literary Principles.'The reception for this third marriage was being held at the home of the young girl's parents. In this, ancient custom was being more tan just respected, it was revived. The house had been invaded since early morning.

Male female griots welcomed guests'.

Sembene Ousmane, 'Xala'

The atmosphere captured in the passage above is

Answer Details

The atmosphere captured in the passage above is grandiose and joyful. The reception for the third marriage is being held at the young girl's parents' house, and the ancient custom is not just being respected but being revived. The house has been invaded since early morning, and male and female griots are welcoming guests, which suggests a grand and joyful celebration.

This question is based on General Literary Principles.

Which of the following are literary genres?

Answer Details

Literary genres are categories of literary composition characterized by similarities in style, form, or subject matter. Poetry, fiction, and drama are all considered literary genres. Farce and faction are also literary genres, but they are less common and not as widely recognized as the other options. Orthography, on the other hand, refers to the conventional spelling system of a language and is not a literary genre. Therefore, the correct option is "Fiction, poetry, and drama."