JAMB Past Questions

JAMB Literature In English 2010
Questions & Answers

39 questions · Correct answers highlighted · 39 with explanations

39 Total Questions
2010 Exam Year
39 With Explanations
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1
Question 1 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In J.C. De Graft’s Sons and Daughters, what is the central theme explored through the family conflicts?

A. Political ambition
B. Career choices and parental expectations
C. Romantic relationships
D. Economic hardship
Explanation

The central theme of 'Sons and Daughters' revolves around career choices and parental expectations, as characters like Maanan face pressure from Lawyer B and Mrs. B regarding their aspirations.

2
Question 2 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In J.C. De Graft’s Sons and Daughters, the speaker says, 'I simply don’t understand what’s the matter with everybody today. Everybody let me down.' Who is the speaker referring to?

A. Fosuwa and Maidservant
B. Hannah and George
C. Aaron and Maanan
D. Lawyer B and Mrs. B
Explanation

The speaker, Maanan, is disappointed with Lawyer B and Mrs. B for their actions in the play.

3
Question 3 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In J.C. De Graft’s Sons and Daughters, Maanan expresses dislike for Lawyer B because of

A. his condemnation of her career choice
B. his advances towards her
C. his betrayal of her father’s trust
D. his betrayal of his wife’s trust
Explanation

Maanan dislikes Lawyer B because he condemns her career choice, as depicted in the play.

4
Question 4 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

J.C. De Graft’s Sons and Daughters is mostly written in

A. blank verse
B. free verse
C. iambic pentameter
D. rhymed couplets
Explanation

'Sons and Daughters' is written in free verse, lacking a consistent metrical structure.

5
Question 5 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

Where does J.C. De Graft’s Sons and Daughters primarily take place?

A. On the street
B. In George’s place
C. In Aunt’s house
D. In Ofosu’s place
Explanation

The play 'Sons and Daughters' is set in Aunt’s house.

6
Question 6 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, ‘O deadly sin! O rude unthankfulness! Thy fault our law calls death…’ refers to the

A. suicide of Juliet
B. suicide of Romeo
C. murder of Paris
D. murder of Tybalt
Explanation

The 'deadly sin' refers to Romeo’s murder of Tybalt, leading to his banishment.

7
Question 7 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is mostly written in

A. blank verse
B. free verse
C. sonnet form
D. prose
Explanation

'Romeo and Juliet' is primarily written in blank verse, unrhymed iambic pentameter.

8
Question 8 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, ‘O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!’ refers to

A. Juliet
B. Romeo
C. Tybalt
D. Benvolio
Explanation

Juliet refers to Romeo as having a 'serpent heart' after he kills Tybalt.

9
Question 9 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

The spatial setting of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is

A. Athens
B. Verona
C. Padua
D. Venice
Explanation

'Romeo and Juliet' is set in Verona, Italy.

10
Question 10 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is banished to Mantua because he

A. kills Tybalt in a street duel
B. marries Juliet without consent
C. attends Capulet’s party uninvited
D. attempts to kill Paris
Explanation

Romeo is banished for killing Tybalt in a duel.

11
Question 11 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood, the society places high value on

A. egalitarianism
B. male ascendancy
C. procreation
D. gender equity
Explanation

The society in 'The Joys of Motherhood' prioritizes male ascendancy.

12
Question 12 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood, the lump on Nnu Ego’s head at birth is linked to the

A. admirable physical qualities
B. wound on the slave woman
C. curse of infertility
D. blessing of wealth
Explanation

The lump is linked to the wound on the slave woman buried with Agbadi’s wife.

13
Question 13 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood, the constant companions of Nnaife’s family are

A. togetherness and happiness
B. poverty and hunger
C. sickness and joblessness
D. disagreement and humiliation
Explanation

Nnaife’s family constantly faces poverty and hunger.

14
Question 14 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Ferdinand Oyono’s The Old Man and the Medal, the disagreement between Mwondo and Nti centres on Nti’s claim to have

A. assisted Meka in getting the medal
B. eaten the entire entrails of a sheep
C. eaten more than his share of food
D. been in a white man’s office
Explanation

Nti claims to have assisted Meka in getting the medal.

15
Question 15 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Ferdinand Oyono’s The Old Man and the Medal, Meka can be best described as

A. an egocentric old man
B. a simple-hearted old man
C. an impulsive old man
D. a religious bigot
Explanation

Meka is portrayed as a simple-hearted old man.

16
Question 16 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Ferdinand Oyono’s The Old Man and the Medal, the colonialists treat the Africans with

A. respect
B. disdain
C. indifference
D. honour
Explanation

The colonialists treat Africans with indifference.

17
Question 17 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, the Ministry of Peace is concerned with making

A. instruments
B. weapons
C. wars
D. reconciliation
Explanation

The Ministry of Peace ironically produces weapons.

18
Question 18 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, the subject matter of the novel is

A. totalitarianism
B. romance
C. adventure
D. comedy
Explanation

The novel focuses on totalitarianism and control.

19
Question 19 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, Winston starts his rebellion by

A. engaging in anti-party activities
B. keeping a private diary
C. starting a secret affair
D. spying on the party
Explanation

Winston’s rebellion begins with keeping a private diary.

20
Question 20 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

Satirical writing employs

A. sarcasm
B. onomatopoeia
C. irony
D. enjambment
Explanation

Satirical writing uses irony to critique society.

21
Question 21 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Adeoti’s Naked Soles, the imagery of dancers on glass chips conveys a shift from

A. joy to excitement
B. inaction to action
C. pain to grief
D. sorrow to joy
Explanation

The imagery suggests pain leading to grief.

22
Question 22 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Rubadiri’s An African Thunderstorm, during the thunderstorm, the village

A. women cook food
B. children play in the rain
C. children are delighted
D. women and children are delighted
Explanation

The poem describes children being delighted by the thunderstorm.

23
Question 23 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Acquah’s In the Navel of the Soul, the phrase ‘foetal throb’ symbolizes

A. hope
B. despair
C. anxiety
D. happiness
Explanation

The ‘foetal throb’ symbolizes hope for new beginnings.

24
Question 24 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Marvel’s To His Coy Mistress, the poet is willing to praise the lady’s eyes for

A. thirty thousand years
B. six decades
C. two centuries
D. a century
Explanation

The poet claims he would spend ‘thirty thousand years’ praising her eyes.

25
Question 25 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Launko’s End of the War, the poet mistakes the bats for

A. owls
B. swallows
C. sparrows
D. pigeons
Explanation

The poet mistakes bats for owls.

26
Question 26 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

The theme of the poem Give Me The Minstrel’s Seat centres on

A. fortune
B. marriage
C. companionship
D. divorce
Explanation

The poem focuses on companionship.

27
Question 27 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Eliot’s Journey of the Magi, the magi are aided by

A. donkeys
B. horses
C. camels
D. chariots
Explanation

The magi travel with camels.

28
Question 28 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

According to Cope’s Sonnet VII, poetry is basically

A. boring
B. therapeutic
C. philosophical
D. inspiring
Explanation

Cope’s Sonnet VII describes poetry as therapeutic.

29
Question 29 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In Lawrence’s Bat, the poet mistakes the bats for

A. owls
B. swallows
C. sparrows
D. pigeons
Explanation

The poet mistakes bats for swallows.

30
Question 30 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

The extract from Acquah’s In the Navel of the Soul is

A. allegory
B. eulogy
C. enjambment
D. elegy
Explanation

The extract uses allegory to convey deeper meaning.

31
Question 31 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

A play aiming to provoke excessive laughter is called

A. tragi-comedy
B. comedy
C. farce
D. satire
Explanation

A farce provokes laughter through exaggerated situations.

32
Question 32 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

Both comedy and tragedy have

A. happy ending
B. climax
C. tragic hero
D. stanza
Explanation

Both have a climax, a narrative turning point.

33
Question 33 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

A formal speech praising a person for their deeds is

A. premiere
B. eulogy
C. anthology
D. lampoon
Explanation

A eulogy praises someone for their deeds.

34
Question 34 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

The narrative style where the hero tells their own story is

A. objective
B. subjective
C. first-person
D. third-person
Explanation

First-person narrative involves the hero telling their story.

35
Question 35 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

The background of a literary work is referred to as

A. episode
B. plot
C. time
D. setting
Explanation

The setting is the work’s background.

36
Question 36 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

A plot structure defying chronology is described as

A. open-ended
B. circular
C. episodic
D. organic
Explanation

A circular plot loops back, defying chronology.

37
Question 37 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

Pun as a literary device deals with

A. opposite phrases
B. playing on words
C. animal imagery
D. opposite ideas
Explanation

A pun plays on words with multiple meanings.

38
Question 38 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

In a narrative poem, the poet attempts to

A. summarize a story
B. describe a place
C. preach a sermon
D. tell a story
Explanation

A narrative poem tells a story through verse.

39
Question 39 of 39
JAMB · Literature In English · 2010

An account of journey experiences is known as

A. travelogue
B. autobiography
C. catalogue
D. memoir
Explanation

A travelogue details journey experiences.

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