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WAEC Literature In English 2017
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40 questions · Correct answers highlighted · 40 with explanations

40 Total Questions
2017 Exam Year
40 With Explanations
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1
Question 1 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

A praise poem is

A. a ballad
B. a panegyric
C. an allegory
D. an epigram
Explanation

A panegyric is a poem or oration in praise of an individual or a thing, often formal and eulogistic.

2
Question 2 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

A literary work in which the characters are animals is a

A. lampoon
B. fable
C. parody
D. pantomime
Explanation

A fable is a short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral lesson.

3
Question 3 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

A short single act drama is called a

A. opera
B. allusion
C. farce
D. playlet
Explanation

A playlet is a short dramatic work, typically one act or less.

4
Question 4 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

Read the following excerpt from an unspecified poem and answer the question that follows. Excerpt: 'Through the trees, I'll hear a single ringing sound, a cowbell jingle.' The underlined phrase is an example of

A. end rhyme
B. feminine
C. internal rhyme
D. masculine
Explanation

Feminine rhyme involves a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one, as in 'jingle' (stressed on 'jin-' and unstressed '-gle').

5
Question 5 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

Read the following excerpt from Alexander Pope's 'The Rape of the Lock' and answer the question that follows. Excerpt: 'Yet, let me flap this bug with gilded wings, This painted child of dirt, that stinks and stings.' The alliteration in 'stinks and stings' effectively conveys

A. distaste
B. admiration
C. indifference
D. approval
Explanation

The repeated 'st' sound emphasizes the repulsive qualities of the bug, conveying the speaker's distaste.

6
Question 6 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from Alexander Pope's 'The Rape of the Lock': 'Yet, let me flap this bug with gilded wings, This painted child of dirt, that stinks and stings.' The poet’s intention is to

A. create humour
B. arouse empathy
C. create fear
D. show contempt
Explanation

The mocking description of the bug as a 'painted child of dirt' shows the speaker's contempt for the trivial vanity.

7
Question 7 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from Alexander Pope's 'The Rape of the Lock': 'Yet, let me flap this bug with gilded wings, This painted child of dirt, that stinks and stings.' The lines illustrate

A. blank verse
B. end rhyme
C. internal rhyme
D. free verse
Explanation

The lines end with rhyming words 'wings' and 'stings', exemplifying end rhyme in heroic couplets.

8
Question 8 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

A play on words for literary effect is

A. a paradox
B. a pun
C. a satire
D. an elegy
Explanation

A pun is a form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for effect.

9
Question 9 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

'It is a matter of sad joy' illustrates

A. metonymy
B. oxymoron
C. euphemism
D. irony
Explanation

An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction, like 'sad joy'.

10
Question 10 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

The leading character in a literary work is the

A. foil
B. villain
C. antagonist
D. protagonist
Explanation

The protagonist is the main character around whom the plot revolves.

11
Question 11 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

A long narrative poem that relates heroic exploits is an

A. epilogue
B. epitaph
C. epic
D. epigram
Explanation

An epic is a lengthy narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds in a grand style.

12
Question 12 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

'Over the cobbles it clattered and crashed' is an example of

A. oxymoron
B. pun
C. onomatopoeia
D. paradox
Explanation

Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words imitate the sound they describe, like 'clattered and crashed'.

13
Question 13 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

An essential feature of drama is

A. soliloquy
B. conflict
C. irony
D. aside
Explanation

Conflict is the central element driving the action and development in drama.

14
Question 14 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

A humorous poem with five lines, the first two rhyming with the last, is an

A. ode
B. sestet
C. octave
D. limerick
Explanation

A limerick is a five-line poem with an AABBA rhyme scheme, often humorous and absurd.

15
Question 15 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

'Death be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful' from John Donne's 'Holy Sonnet 10' is an example of

A. euphemism
B. metaphor
C. apostrophe
D. alliteration
Explanation

Apostrophe is a direct address to an absent or abstract entity, here personifying and addressing Death.

16
Question 16 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

An essential part of the plot is

A. characterization
B. exposition
C. atmosphere
D. foreshadowing
Explanation

Exposition introduces background information necessary for understanding the plot.

17
Question 17 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

The climax in a literary work is the

A. middle
B. beginning
C. central part of the dialogue
D. peak of the conflict
Explanation

The climax is the turning point or moment of greatest intensity in the conflict.

18
Question 18 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

Dramatis personae is the same as

A. chorus
B. prompter
C. foil
D. cast
Explanation

Dramatis personae is a list of characters in a play, equivalent to the cast.

19
Question 19 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

'Ten thousand saw I at a glance' from William Wordsworth's 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud' illustrates

A. caesura
B. climax
C. bathos
D. hyperbole
Explanation

Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration for emphasis, here exaggerating the number of daffodils.

20
Question 20 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

Catharsis is normally associated with

A. pantomime
B. tragedy
C. comedy
D. farce
Explanation

Catharsis refers to the emotional purging experienced by the audience in Greek tragedy.

21
Question 21 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

Read the following excerpt and answer the question that follows. Excerpt: 'We did not go to school on that Friday morning. The night before had been rough. It was turbulent and scary. The strange cry 'non-indigenes must go' rent the air. Little did I know what it meant. That cry all the same haunted me in my sleep. My dreams were horrible. Why was Mum troubled? Why was Dad suddenly so pale and sickly? That night Mum and Dad had a foreboding silence. They looked at each other, they did not smile. They were utterly silent. Their silence spoke millions. Fear ruled the silence. When the family bell summoned us to the family altar, it seemed that it tolled its last for humans. Death tolled in the air, death was in the smell in the eyes...But why? We were not told. Yes, during the prayer at the family altar, Dad had told us there was trouble in town. No one who was a non-indigene was safe.' The dominant feeling in the passage is that of

A. hostility
B. anger
C. anxiety
D. bitterness
Explanation

The passage conveys a pervasive sense of impending danger and unease through descriptions of fear and silence.

22
Question 22 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from the above novel: 'We did not go to school on that Friday morning... No one who was a non-indigene was safe.' This feeling is conveyed by the use of

A. long sentences
B. visual images
C. tactile images
D. short sentences
Explanation

Visual images like 'pale and sickly' faces and 'death in the eyes' heighten the anxiety.

23
Question 23 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from the above novel: 'We did not go to school on that Friday morning... No one who was a non-indigene was safe.' 'Their silence spoke millions' illustrates

A. oxymoron
B. litotes
C. tactile images
D. personification
Explanation

Personification attributes human qualities to silence, making it 'speak' to convey deep emotion.

24
Question 24 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from the above novel: 'We did not go to school on that Friday morning... No one who was a non-indigene was safe.' 'The family bell summoned us' is an example of

A. apostrophe
B. personification
C. metaphor
D. hyperbole
Explanation

Personification gives the bell human ability to 'summon,' enhancing the ominous tone.

25
Question 25 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from the above novel: 'We did not go to school on that Friday morning... No one who was a non-indigene was safe.' The passage is

A. in first person
B. in third person
C. a dialogue
D. a monologue
Explanation

The narrator uses 'I' and 'my' to recount personal experiences.

26
Question 26 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

Read the following excerpt and answer the question that follows. Excerpt: 'I know not, Amina When again on your brightness of smile My eyes will rest awhile Nor when again of your softness of voice My ears will drink by eager choice When again into the silver moonshine You early at night or late venture As is your wont in weather fine Astute, awake in bed as doters may, I’ll lie Dreaming of grasping your velvety texture.' The first stanza is a

A. tercet
B. couplet
C. quatrain
D. sestet
Explanation

The first four lines form a quatrain, a four-line stanza.

27
Question 27 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from the above poem: 'I know not, Amina... Dreaming of grasping your velvety texture.' The poem evokes the senses of

A. smell and sight
B. smell and hearing
C. sight and hearing
D. touch and smell
Explanation

References to 'brightness of smile' (sight) and 'softness of voice' (hearing) dominate.

28
Question 28 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from the above poem: 'I know not, Amina... Dreaming of grasping your velvety texture.' The dominant literary device used in the poem is

A. allusion
B. repetition
C. allegory
D. metonymy
Explanation

Repetition of 'when again' emphasizes longing and uncertainty.

29
Question 29 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from the above poem: 'I know not, Amina... Dreaming of grasping your velvety texture.' The poet’s tone is one of

A. anxiety
B. defiance
C. nostalgia
D. regret
Explanation

The reflective yearning for past intimacies evokes nostalgia.

30
Question 30 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from the above poem: 'I know not, Amina... Dreaming of grasping your velvety texture.' 'My ears will drink by eager choice' illustrates

A. oxymoron
B. onomatopoeia
C. synecdoche
D. metaphor
Explanation

Metaphor compares ears drinking sound to eager consumption.

31
Question 31 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

Read the following excerpt from William Shakespeare's 'Othello' (Act I, Scene Three, Lines 171-174) and answer the question that follows. Excerpt: 'I think this tale would win my daughter too, Good Brabantio, take up this mangled matter at best Men do their broken weapons rather use Than their bare hands.' The speaker is

A. Duke
B. Othello
C. Brabantio
D. Cassio
Explanation

The Duke advises Brabantio, speaking in the context of the trial scene.

32
Question 32 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from William Shakespeare's 'Othello' (Act I, Scene Three): 'I think this tale would win my daughter too... Than their bare hands.' The tale being referred to is

A. Duke’s war exploits
B. Brabantio’s rejection of Othello and Desdemona’s relationship
C. Othello’s war exploits
D. Cassio’s promotion as Othello’s lieutenant
Explanation

Othello's recounted adventures charmed Desdemona, justifying their marriage.

33
Question 33 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from William Shakespeare's 'Othello' (Act I, Scene Three): 'I think this tale would win my daughter too... Than their bare hands.' ...this tale justifies

A. Roderigo’s unrequited love for Desdemona
B. Cassio’s promotion above Iago
C. Desdemona’s attraction to Othello
D. Brabantio’s rejection of Othello’s love for his daughter
Explanation

The Duke notes the tale's appeal, explaining Desdemona's love for Othello.

34
Question 34 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from William Shakespeare's 'Othello' (Act I, Scene Three): 'I think this tale would win my daughter too... Than their bare hands.' The underlined expression 'take up this mangled matter at best' means

A. seek counsel elsewhere
B. wait till the war is ended
C. take your revenge
D. make the best out of this
Explanation

The Duke urges Brabantio to resolve the messy situation constructively.

35
Question 35 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from William Shakespeare's 'Othello' (Act I, Scene Three): 'I think this tale would win my daughter too... Than their bare hands.' According to the speaker

A. the tale was good enough to win a woman’s heart
B. the fight was unnecessary
C. the charges were a waste of time
D. there were other matters demanding the attention of the senate
Explanation

The Duke suggests Othello's tale could captivate any woman, validating the marriage.

36
Question 36 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

Read the following excerpt from William Shakespeare's 'Othello' (Act I, Scene Three, Lines 279-283) and answer the question that follows. Excerpt: 'So please, your grace, my ancient A man he is of honesty and trust To his conveyance I assign my wife, With what else needful your good Grace shall think To be sent after me.' Othello is speaking to

A. Brabantio
B. Duke
C. Montano
D. Roderigo
Explanation

Othello addresses the Duke, requesting permission for his ensign's role.

37
Question 37 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from William Shakespeare's 'Othello' (Act I, Scene Three): 'So please, your grace, my ancient... To be sent after me.' The speech illustrates the use of

A. irony
B. litotes
C. paradox
D. comic relief
Explanation

Dramatic irony arises from Othello's trust in Iago, unknown to be treacherous.

38
Question 38 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from William Shakespeare's 'Othello' (Act I, Scene Three): 'So please, your grace, my ancient... To be sent after me.' 'A man he is of honesty and trust' refers to

A. Cassio
B. Lodovico
C. Gratiano
D. Iago
Explanation

'Ancient' is Othello's term for Iago, his trusted ensign.

39
Question 39 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from William Shakespeare's 'Othello' (Act I, Scene Three): 'So please, your grace, my ancient... To be sent after me.' Othello is leaving to

A. fight in Rhodes
B. make peace with the Turks
C. meet the government of Cyprus
D. take the government of Cyprus
Explanation

Othello is appointed to command in Cyprus against the Turkish threat.

40
Question 40 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2017

In the excerpt from William Shakespeare's 'Othello' (Act I, Scene Three): 'So please, your grace, my ancient... To be sent after me.' Othello then

A. leaves with Desdemona
B. entrusts Desdemona to Iago’s care
C. calls his lieutenant
D. confers with Duke
Explanation

Othello assigns Iago to escort Desdemona to Cyprus safely.

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