JAMB UTME - Literature In English - 1979

Question 1 Report

In a 'Portrait', a poet writes:
At mankind's feast,i take my place
In solemn,sanctimonious state,
And have the air of saying grace
While i defile the dinner plate.
The tone of this passage may be described as

solemn

self-mocking

dead earnest

serious

angry

Answer Details

Read lesson note on Poetry (JAMB)

Poetry

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Question 2 Report

Kalu Uka's 'Earth to Earth' is about one of the following

death

urine

flowers

goddess of the Earth

love

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Question 3 Report

'Exposition' in a play means

the initial unfolding of the necessary background of the play

its climax

the marriage of the hero and heroine

the untangling of the plot

the private speech of a character

Answer Details

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General Literary Principles

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Question 4 Report

In 'The Executioner's Dream',the first line 'I dream I saw an eye,a pretty eye' is

ironical

complimentary

exclamatory

rhetorical

interrogatory

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 5 Report

Mr Johnson always buys beautiful things for his wife Bamu because

he has plenty of money

he loves to see beautiful things onher

she demands them from him

his friends buy such things for their wives

they are always cheap

Answer Details

Read lesson note on Literary Appreciation (JAMB)

Literary Appreciation

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Question 6 Report

In 'Telephone Conversation', the tone of the question 'You mean-like plain or milk chocolate? is

sarcastic

complimentary

admissive

pleading

commanding

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 7 Report

The difference between tragedy and comedy is

that tragey contains soliloquies,but comedy does not

that comedy contains disguise but tragedy does not

that tragedy is imaginative but comedy is not

that comedy deals with love but tragedy does not

none of the above

Answer Details

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Drama

Poetry

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Question 8 Report

One of the following is a mark of good poetry

An interesting story

Imaginative use of language

Realistic Characterisation

Flashback

Audience participation

Answer Details

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Poetry

General Literary Principles

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Question 9 Report

Dennis Brutus' 'A Troubadour I Traverse' is on the following

a poem of resistance against oppression

a poem about a lost lover

a poem about a journey of exploration

a poem of satisfaction with one's society

none of the above

Answer Details

Read lesson note on Poetry (JAMB)

Poetry

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Question 10 Report

Events in The Concubine are dominated by

Ihuoma

Emenike

The Sea god

supernatural elements

Ekwueme

Answer Details

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Poetry

Prose

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Question 11 Report

A Raisin' in the Sun
That's it.There you are.Man say to his woman got me a dream.His woman got me a dream.His woman say:I got to take hold of this here world,baby!And a woman will say:Eat your eggs and go to work....
'a dream' in this speech refers to

a liquor store

a prosperous academic career

a political career

a family estate in Clybourne Park

a film industry

Answer Details

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Drama

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Question 12 Report

I lingered over the choice
But in the darkness of my doubts
You lifted the lamp of love
And i saw in your face
The road that i should take
In 'The Mesh' the poet 'lingered over the choice' because

he had quarelled with the lady

he is not yet sure of the lady's love

he is not yet sure of his love for the lady

the lady is not beautiful

the lady is too possesive

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 13 Report

Although the following statement is not a direct quotation from any books,it serves as as an aid to identifying characters that appear in the works.Read it carefully and say which character is likely to make it: 'How could i have succumbed to the pressures of the corrupt society?I thought i would be a successful social reformer but now i am as bad as those i criticize'

Ihuoma

Tom

Clara

Emenike

Obi Okonkwo

Answer Details

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Drama

Poetry

General Literary Principles

Prose

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Question 14 Report

'The Choir master's Burial' shows man

gratitude

ingratitude

devotion

spineless

courage

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Question 15 Report

In 'The Duel' the line 'And the swords clicked and scrapped,and the onsets sped' indicates

the depth of their fatique

the loftiness of their hopes

the abjectness of their fears

the fervour of their prayers

the fierceness of the fight

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 16 Report

We returned to our places,these kingdoms ,
But no longer at ease here,in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their goods.
I should be glad of another death.
The author of these lines is

W.B. Yeats

Chinua Achebe

Thomas Hardy

T.S. Elliot

E.G. Okara

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 17 Report

Romeo and Juliet
"O'Romeo,Romeo!Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy father and refuse thy name"
Juliet makes this statement because

she hates Romeo

she hates Romeo's father

she is anxiuos to marry Romeo

she finds the name Romeo unromantic

she wants Romeo to bear a particular name

Answer Details

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Drama

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Question 18 Report

In 'Come Away My Love' Kariuki deals with the problems of

love in the abstract

reflections on shop windows

the music of the piano

love between people of different races

the light from the candle

Answer Details

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Drama

Poetry

Prose

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Question 19 Report

Peter Abraham's Mine Boy is about one of the following

opression through labour

the dignity of labour

happy childhood

conflict of the culture

none of the above

Answer Details

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Prose

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Question 20 Report

Point out the odd item in this list

Romeo and Juliet

Ozidi

Tom Sawyer

A Raisin in the Sun

Kongi's Harvest

Answer Details

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Drama

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Question 21 Report

In 'Tell Freedom' injustice is symbolized by

the author's life at Elsburg

Peter's friendship with Anne

the Indian provison shops

the sign'Reserved for Europeans Only'

the activities of the street gangs

Answer Details

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Prose

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Question 22 Report

In Birago Diop's 'Vanity',these two lines 'Sad complaining voices of beggars
Who indeed will hear them without laughter?'contain

an exaggeration

a hyperbole

a paradox

an understatement

an illogicallity

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 23 Report

The central theme of Shakespeare's As You Like It is

wrestling

disguise

forest life

disagreement between brothers

the nature of true love

Answer Details

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream

General Literary Principles

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Question 24 Report

The Adventure of Tom Sawyer depicts Tom's

naivety

crass stupidity

ingenuity

hard heartedness

riches

Answer Details

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General Literary Principles

Prose

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Question 25 Report

In Night of Seine,the word'dark' in 'listen to our dark blood beat' is used

biologically

scientifically

figuratively

literally

sociologically

Answer Details

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General Literary Principles

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Question 26 Report

A novel can be described as

a narration of facts

a story

a brief description of a concept or point of view

an extended prose narrative covering a wide range of characters and experience

a narration of an incedent

Answer Details

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General Literary Principles

Prose

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Question 27 Report

In 'The Vultures' the vultures are

birds of prey

African hunters

colonial masters

vampires

sacrificial animals

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 28 Report

Kontiki Expedition demonstrates human

rashness

wastefulness

tactlessness

courage

recklessness

Answer Details

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General Literary Principles

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Question 29 Report

In 'Night',Soyinka describes night as

horrifying

terrifying

protective

soothing

both protective and terrifying

Answer Details

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Literary Appreciation

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Question 30 Report

The dominant feeling in Leopold Sedar Senghor's 'In Memoriam' is

happiness

nostalgia

sadness

despair

hatred

Answer Details

Read lesson note on “Black Woman” By Leopold Sedar Senghor (WAEC)

“Black Woman” By Leopold Sedar Senghor

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Question 31 Report

The woods decay,the woods decay and fall,
The vapors weep their burden to the ground,
Man comes and fills the field and lies beneath,
And after many a summer dies the swan.
The theme of these lines is

the falling of leaves

the ground on which the leaves fall

man as a farmer

the power of death over every life

the flight of birds in certain reasons

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Question 32 Report

'Stream-side Exchange' primarily shows J.P Clark's interest in

birds

children

trade

rivers

destiny

Answer Details

Read lesson note on “a Government Driver On His Retirement” By Onu Chi (WAEC)

“a Government Driver On His Retirement” By Onu Chi

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Question 33 Report

Pick out the odd one

Metaphor

Characterization

Personification

Rythm

Simile

Answer Details

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Drama

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Question 34 Report

In Kossoh Town Boy,the hero presents his father as

tyrannical

despotic

strict

weak

selfish

Answer Details

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Drama

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Question 35 Report

In 'The Call of the River Nun','O'incomprehensible God!' expresses the poet's

anger against God

horror of God

acceptance of God

rejection of God

inability to understand life

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 36 Report

Mtchali's 'Nightfall in Soweto'is about one of the following

moonlight play at night

disease that attacks the body

a man fighting against a dangerous animal

an animal attacking a helpless man

a wicked man opressing a helpless man

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 37 Report

In 'Wild Grapes' the narrator says 'You see me celebrate two birthdays,And give myself out as two different ages because

she is reincarnated

she has first declared a false age

the incident of the poem begins a new chapter in her life

the grapes are wilder than herself

the grapes are older than herself

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 38 Report

Our attitude to the hero of George Elliot's Sill Marner is one of

contempt

fear

sympathy

hatred

none of the above

Answer Details

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General Literary Principles

Prose

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Question 39 Report

A woman cried out.The policeman who was edging nearer had been joined by another.Both were edging nearer.Carefully and slowly.But it was not that that had made the woman cry out.She had seen one of the men's hand slip.He was now holding on by one hand only.The crowd was tense.This was the Kill.Automatically they moved forward in a body.The doctor was in the lead.
The author of this passage creates in the reader

disbelief

a feeling of nostalgia

a feeling of light hearted relaxation

suspense

unconcern

Answer Details

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Poetry

Literary Appreciation

General Literary Principles

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Question 40 Report

Which of the following statements is true of Shakespeare's Macbeth

Macbeth is a wicked woman who does not love her husband

The Birnam wood actually moved

The tragedy of Macbeth is caused by Macbeth's ambition and some other factors

Macbeth is the only cause of his own tragedy

The witches have only good news for Macbeth

Answer Details

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Drama

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Question 41 Report

A good plot must posses

many exciting events

good,interesting characters

a pleasant setting

intrigue

single,complete and ordered action

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Question 42 Report

'Strange Meeting' reveals the absurdity of

cowardice

love

hatred

war

friendship

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 43 Report

A play is drama because

it contains characters

it does not contain any story

it cannot be read silently

it can be acted on the stage

it is written in verse

Answer Details

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Drama

Poetry

General Literary Principles

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Question 44 Report

Which of these secondary characters stands out from the others in the development of the action in Ozidi?

Ofe

Azezabife

Oguaran

Agbogidi

Odogu

Answer Details

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Drama

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Question 45 Report

Kenneth Kaunda's Zambia Shall Be Free is a non-fictional work because

it is about politics

it has no characters

it evokes no feelings

it is not written by a novelist

it deals with real life events

Answer Details

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General Literary Principles

Prose

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Question 46 Report

She rose up.She walked up to the table.She stirred up the food once more,and lifted it up from the hot plate.She picked up the second pan and placed it on the red coils.From underneath,in the cardboard box,she collected two enamel plates green with a red band.she wiped them with a white napkin hanging on the line over the bed.she brought out two forks and two spoons.
By using details, the author of the above passage makes the scene

monotonous

unattractive

realistic

bewildering

strange

Answer Details

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General Literary Principles

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Question 47 Report

'The Sacrilege' ends on a note of the complexity of

revenge

ambition

faith

fate

existence

Answer Details

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Poetry

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Question 48 Report

Modern African Stories
In Alex la Guma's A Matter of Taste, it is a matter of taste to eat exactly what you want because

that is your own favourite choice

you can afford it

friends can always get it for you

you can always have it as bonus at work

your taste is always available

Answer Details

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Question 49 Report

The most quarrelsome character in Romeo and Juliet is

Benvolio

Tybalt

Paris

Mercutio

Juliet's nurse

Answer Details

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Drama

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Question 50 Report

The Concubine
'Ihuoma,my child' Wigwe began at last,'really i ought to have come here with more people,but i have avoided formalities because i want to spare myself any embarrassment.Formalities will come later if all goes well'.
Wigwe has come to Ihuoma in order to

marry her clandestinely

gain her consent before coming with relations

persuade her to marry his own son

dissuade her from marrying his own son

inquire about her health

Answer Details

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General Literary Principles

Prose

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