Literature-In-English Exam Past Questions and Answers | JAMB, WAEC and NECO

Literature in English is the study of works written in the English language. It includes all forms of writing, such as novels, plays, short stories, and poetry. This subject involves exploring and analyzing these texts to understand their themes and meanings.

• Question 11:

  This question is based on selected poems from R. Johnson and D. Ker 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; M. Umukoro and A Sani et al (eds.): Exam Focus: Literature in English; A.E. Eruvbetine and M. Jibril et al (eds.): Longman Examination Guides: Poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.): A Pageant of Longer Poems.

  In Browning's My Last Duchess' the poet- persona's attitude to the Duchess is that of

  Options:
  A) anger
  B) love
  C) sadness
  D) scorn
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is A .
• Question 12: In J.P Clarks 'Abiku' the word 'threshold' means Options:
  A) a line separating the living from the dead
  B) a relic of Abiku's previous life
  C) a mark of a healthy stock
  D) the home of the living
  E) the home of the dead
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is D .
• Question 13: This question is based on selected poem from Ker, D. et al (eds.):New Poetry from Africa; Soyinka, W. (ed.):Poems of Black Africa; Senanu, K.E. and Vincent, T. (eds):A selection of African poetry; Umukoro, M. et al (eds.): Exam Focus Literature in English; Eruvbetine, A.E. et al (eds.); Longman Examination Guides; Nwoga, D.I.(ed.); West Africa Verse and Adeoti G.: Naked Soles
  Thorn in Adeotiu's Naked Soles symbolizes Options:
  A) victory
  B) bleakness
  C) destruction
  D) suffering
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is D .
• Question 14: This question is based on Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood.
  Ona has to leave her father's house because Options:
  A) of her love for Agbadi
  B) that is the tradition
  C) her father is dead
  D) of the safety of her child
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is A .
• Question 15:

  This question is based on General Literary Principles.

  The three main unities in drama are those of

  Options:
  A) action, time and place
  B) time, space and action
  C) place, time and space
  D) space, action and time
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is A .
• Question 16:

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

  By allowing Sule to return to the village in spite of his earlier vow, the author suggests the existence of

  Options:
  A) a destiny that awaits mankind
  B) a bond between man and his roots
  C) homesickness in city dwellers
  D) kind feelings in all villagers
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is B .
• Question 17:

  This question is based on William Golding's Lord of the Flies.

  The character in the novel who best symbolizes man's pride in his ability to reason is

  Options:
  A) Henry
  B) Maurice
  C) Piggy
  D) Roger
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is C .
• Question 18:

  Read the poem and answer questions

  At dawn must I rise to till the rock
  That our land has turned into
  The land where on we'd gleefully harvested paddy
  Planted and nurtured and tended on plots marshy
  Our woes are bloody woes of accursed revenges
  Of the land spirits aggrieved by paltry human respect
  For the life of fellow man by his fellow
  Kindred blood has counted for less than no value
  Brother's wife has been wife to other brother's brother
  Communal loot has emptied our country silos
  The earth has stopped breathing and sighed
  Soldered tears has the moon shed
  The earth was scorched at noon-day night
  And our land has turned to hoeing rock.

  
  The theme of the poem is__________

  Options:
  A) drought and heat
  B) abomination and retribution
  C) sickness and death
  D) famine and disease
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is B .
• Question 19:

  This question is based on Literary Principles.

  '' The road was endless. One road led to a thousand others. Which in turn fed into paths, which fed into dirt tracks, which become streets, which ended in avenues and cul-de-sacs''

  The Famished Road by Ben Okri.

  The description above suggests

  Options:
  A) urban disorder
  B) a labyrinth
  C) clutter
  D) disharmony
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is A .
• Question 20:

  In drama, the antagonist is_____________

  Options:
  A) the director of the drama
  B) the evil witch
  C) the character opposing the lead character
  D) the “harsh guy
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is C .