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 21:

  I cannot rest from travel: I will drink, life to the lees, all times I have enjoyed greatly, have suffered greatly. A.L. Tennyson: Ulysses

  The lines above inform the reader that the poet

  Options:
  A) Is determined to suffer
  B) Has his poetic imagination kindled
  C) Will cure his sour mood
  D) Will not drink much
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is B .
• Question 22: This question is based on selected poems from R. Johnson and D. Ker, et al (ed.): New poetry from Africa; Wole Soyinka (ed.): poems 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: E.W. Parker (ed.): A Pageant of Longer poems and D.I. Nwoga (ed.): West African Verse. The major theme of Thomas Gray''s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard'' is that death renders life Options:
  A) meaningless for the rich
  B) meaningful for the poor
  C) meaningless for all
  D) meaningful for all
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is C .
• Question 23:

  This question is based on the Literary Appreciation

  'James started showing interest in Buchi a long time ago. In playing the hunter, he realised that he needed a bait.

  This turned out to be his frequent offer of assistance to the needy young woman. But Buchi has proved to be a difficult game.

  The more James trailed her the more he realised that she could not be easily caught.'The choice of words in the passage above is remarkable because it is

  Options:
  A) largely confusing
  B) very difficult
  C) quite appropriate
  D) drawn from hunting
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is D .
• Question 24:

  A formal dignified speech or writing praising a person or a thing for past or present deeds is

  Options:
  A) lampoon
  B) eulogy
  C) premiere
  D) anthology
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is B .
• Question 25: These questions are based on selected poems from Ker,D. et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa; Soyinka,(ed.): Poems of Black Africa; Selection of African Poetry; Umukoro, M et al (eds.): Exam Focus: Literature in English; Eruvbetine, A,E. et al (eds.): Longman Examination Guides and Nwoga, D.I. (eds.): West Africa Verse.The theme of the Acquah's In the Navel of the Soul is Options:
  A) the conflict of traditions
  B) the futility of man and his tradition
  C) the strenght in diversity of culture and traditional views
  D) ensuring that traditions and beliefs were strictly observed
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is B .
• Question 26:

  This question is based on Wole Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel.

  'This is the words of women. At this moment our star sits in the center of the sky

  We are supreme.'

  These words were spoken by

  Options:
  A) The favourite
  B) Sadiku
  C) Sidi
  D) the third girl
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is B .
• Question 27:

  This question is based on Literary Appreciation

  'Thathat is why wwe must acc-c-cept the universal d-d-dome,b-b-because ththere is no d-d-d-direction. The b-b-bridge is the d-d-dome of rreligion and b-b-bridges d-ddon't jjjust g-g-go from hhhere to ththere; a birdge also faces backwards'

  Wole Soyinka, The Interpreters

  The idiolectal feature of the character's speech is the

  Options:
  A) repetition of consonant sounds
  B) multiplication of medial consonant sounds
  C) repetition of initial consonant sound
  D) duplication of consonant sounds clusters
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is C .
• Question 28:

  This question is based on Chinua Achebe's Arrow of God.

  '....a man who brings ant-ridden faggots into his hut should expect the visit of lizards...

  What does Nwaka refer to as 'ant-ridden faggots' in this context?

  Options:
  A) The visit of the court messenger
  B) The unexpected consultation of Ezeulu with the chiefs of Umuaro
  C) The friendship between Ezeulu and the whiteman
  D) Ezeulu's rejection of the kind gesture of some chiefs to accompany him to Okperi
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is C .
• Question 29:

  This question is based on Literary Principles.

  The branch of knowledge that places emphasis on beauty is

  Options:
  A) censure
  B) aesthetics
  C) philosophy
  D) philology
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is B .
• Question 30: This question is based on Camara Laye's The African Child.Laye learns early in life that his society respects Options:
  A) spirits and ghosts
  B) human beings and spirits
  C) animals and witches
  D) gold and magicians
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is A .