2014 JAMB LITERATURE PAST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Leave a Comment / Jamb Literature / By Jamb Tutor Report a question What’s wrong with this question? You cannot submit an empty report. Please add some details. 0% 0 votes, 0 avg Created by Jamb TutorJamb Literature 2014 JAMB LITERATURE PAST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 1. Which Question Paper Type of Literature-in- English is given to you? a) Type F b) Type S c) Type L d) Type S This question tests the candidate’s knowledge of the specific Literature-in-English question paper type used in the examination. Understanding the different types helps in better preparation and strategy during the exam. 2 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 2. In the play, the gods are portrayed as a) helpless b) architects of man's destiny c) amorous d) saviours of mankind This question examines the portrayal of gods in Femi Osofisan’s “Women of Owu”. Understanding the characterization of divine beings is crucial to interpreting the themes and messages of the play. 3 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 3. Orisaye describes Balogun Kusa as a) a great warrior b) an enemy and a butcher c) a friend in need d) a good leader This question focuses on the characterization of Balogun Kusa in “Women of Owu”. Recognizing how characters are depicted aids in understanding their roles and the narrative structure of the play. 4 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 4. Erelu is a) the oldest wife of the Oba Akinjobi b) a courtier to the Alaafin of Oyo c) the most brilliant woman in Owu d) the first wife of the Oba This question explores the role of Erelu in “Women of Owu”. Understanding the relationships and titles within the play helps in comprehending the social and political dynamics portrayed by the author. 5 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 5. Balogun Kusa is killed by a a) god b) herbalist c) lunatic d) soldier This question assesses the circumstances surrounding Balogun Kusa’s death in “Women of Owu”. Identifying the cause of a character’s demise is key to understanding the plot and underlying themes of the play. 6 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 6. In the play, Ariel is identified as a) leader of the spirits b) Prospero's daughter c) Alonso's wife d) assistant to Sycorax This question delves into the character of Ariel in William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”. Recognizing Ariel’s role is essential to understanding the supernatural elements and power dynamics within the play. 7 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 7. Before the shipwreck that occurs at the beginning of the play, Prospero and his daughter have lived in the Island for a) two decades b) twelve years c) forty days d) eighteen months This question examines the backstory of Prospero and Miranda in “The Tempest”. Knowing the duration of their exile provides insight into their relationship and Prospero’s motivations throughout the play. 8 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 8. Caliban’s intention to rape Miranda is born out of the desire to a) destroy the Island b) compete with Ferdinand c) populate the Island with Calibans d) marry her This question explores Caliban’s motives in “The Tempest”. Understanding his intentions helps in analyzing themes of power, colonialism, and human nature within the play. 9 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 9. The character associated with savagery in the play is a) Ariel b) Stephano c) Caliban d) Ferdinand This question identifies the character embodying savagery in “The Tempest”. Recognizing such characters aids in understanding the play’s exploration of civilization versus nature. 10 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 10. Prospero is portrayed as a man who is a) full of mistrust for everybody b) more interested in studying than in governance c) dependent on the spirits for his survival d) eager to conquer the world This question focuses on Prospero’s character in “The Tempest”. Understanding his traits is crucial to analyzing his role as a protagonist and his relationships with other characters in the play. 11 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 11. The novel explores the theme of a) exploitation of the African woman b) sex discrimination in Ghana c) women liberation in Nigeria d) child quest of an African woman This question addresses the central theme of Asare Konadu’s “A Woman in Her Prime”. Identifying themes is essential for literary analysis and understanding the author’s message. 12 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 12. According to the novel, the worst calamity that can befall a woman is a) inability to bear male b) inability to marry c) divorce children d) barrenness This question explores societal perceptions within “A Woman in Her Prime”. Understanding the novel’s commentary on women’s challenges provides deeper insight into its themes and character motivations. 13 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 13. In the novel, Asogo is a game in which a) fathers narrate animal stories b) boys abuse girls with music c) girls sing songs of praise admonition d) mothers lure their babies to sleep This question examines cultural elements in “A Woman in Her Prime”. Recognizing traditional games enhances the understanding of the cultural context and character interactions within the novel. 14 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 14. In the novel, one of the changes introduced into St. Agnes’ church by Father is that a) there must be fasting every month b) the Credo must be recited in Igbo c) the Kyrie must be rendered only in Latin d) everyone must take holy communion This question focuses on the influence of religious figures in Chimamanda Adichie’s “Purple Hibiscus”. Understanding these changes helps in analyzing the impact of religion on the characters and community. 15 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 15. Eugene Achike in the novel is portrayed as a) a soft and gentle husband b) an uncompromising traditionalist c) a fanatical Catholic adherent d) a tough retired soldier This question explores the characterization of Eugene Achike in “Purple Hibiscus”. Understanding his traits is essential to analyzing his influence on the family dynamics and themes of the novel. 16 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 16. In the Achike family, the character who is central to the theme is a) Kambili b) Mama c) Sisi d) Jaja This question identifies the protagonist in “Purple Hibiscus”. Recognizing the central character is crucial for understanding the novel’s perspective and thematic development. 17 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 17. In the novel, the type of fish caught by Santiago after days of effort is a) shark b) iris c) marlin d) geisha This question addresses the central conflict in Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”. Identifying the fish is key to understanding Santiago’s struggle and determination throughout the narrative. 18 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 18. The novel demonstrates the a) attempt to catch fish b) desire to understand life c) influence of the sea on man d) struggle of man against-defeat This question explores the overarching themes in “The Old Man and the Sea”. Understanding these themes is essential for a deeper analysis of the protagonist’s journey and the author’s message. 19 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 19. In the novel, the attitude of the old man toward nature is quite a) cautious and sceptical b) hostile and callous c) careless and indifferent d) warm and friendly This question examines Santiago’s relationship with nature in “The Old Man and the Sea”. Understanding his attitude provides insight into his character and the novel’s exploration of man versus nature. 20 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 20. Santiago’s second dream occurs a) the night before his fishing expedition b) in his house c) at the end of the book d) when he sleeps on the boat for a few hours This question focuses on the symbolic elements in “The Old Man and the Sea”. Recognizing the timing of Santiago’s dreams helps in interpreting their significance to the narrative and his personal journey. 21 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 21. The dominant image in Adeoti’s Hard Lines is a) auditory b) gustatory c) visual d) tactile This question assesses the use of imagery in African poetry. Identifying the dominant sensory image aids in understanding the poet’s intent and the emotional resonance of the poem. 22 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 22. The tone of Umeh’s Ambassadors of Poverty can be described as a) metaphorical b) sarcastic c) admonitory d) panegyrical This question explores the emotional and attitudinal quality of Umeh’s poetry. Understanding the tone is essential for interpreting the poet’s message and the mood conveyed to the reader. 23 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 23. Owonibi’s Homeless, not Hopeless, the persona explains that street beggars a) always worry about heaven b) rarely sleep and dream c) attend conferences in towns d) are concerned with their daily needs This question examines themes of hope and despair in African poetry. Understanding the persona’s perspective on street beggars provides insight into societal issues and the poet’s commentary on them. 24 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 24. Cheney-Coker’s Myopia is a a) dirge b) lament c) sonnet d) ballad This question identifies the poetic form used in Cheney-Coker’s “Myopia”. Recognizing the structure aids in appreciating the poem’s rhythm, flow, and thematic expression. 25 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 25. Jared Angira is an African poet from a) Sierra-Leone b) Kenya c) South Africa d) Ghana This question assesses knowledge of African poets and their origins. Understanding the background of poets like Jared Angira enriches the study of their work and cultural influences. 26 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 26. The dominant technique used in Serenade is a) metaphor b) simile c) oxymoron d) apostrophe This question explores the literary devices employed in African poetry. Identifying techniques like apostrophe helps in analyzing how poets convey their messages and evoke emotions. 27 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 27. The sun in Donne’s The Sun Rising is depicted through the use of a) invocation b) ellipsis c) enjambment d) apostrophe This question examines the use of literary devices in John Donne’s poetry. Understanding how the sun is portrayed through figures of speech enhances the interpretation of the poem’s themes and imagery. 28 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 28. In Raleigh’s The Soul’s Errand, the soul is portrayed as a a) friend of suffering masses b) fearless message-bearer c) restorer of lost glory d) messenger of hope and peace This question explores the symbolic representation of the soul in literature. Understanding its portrayal in Raleigh’s work provides insight into the poem’s message and philosophical underpinnings. 29 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 29. The allusion in Hughes’s The Negro Speaks of Rivers is mainly a) biblical b) historical c) classical d) literary This question assesses the use of allusion in Langston Hughes’s poetry. Identifying the nature of allusions helps in understanding the historical and cultural references that enrich the poem’s meaning. 30 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 30. Fletcher’s Upon An Honest Man’s Fortune encourages people to a) condemn soothsaying b) move in the direction of God c) accept soothsaying d) accept life as it is This question examines the moral or lesson conveyed in Fletcher’s poetry. Understanding what the poet encourages helps in interpreting the poem’s intent and societal commentary. 31 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 31. An action in a play that stimulates the audience to pity a character is a) pathos b) parody c) pyrrhic d) props This question explores dramatic devices used to elicit emotions from the audience. Recognizing elements like pathos is essential for analyzing how plays engage and affect viewers emotionally. 32 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 32. Purgation of emotion, pity and fear is a) epilogue b) exposition c) catharsis d) catastrophe This question addresses the concept of catharsis in literature. Understanding purgation helps in analyzing how plays and stories provide emotional release for both characters and audiences. 33 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 33. A device in drama where a character speaks alone is a) apostrophe b) dialogue c) soliloquy d) aside This question identifies soliloquy as a dramatic device. Recognizing soliloquies helps in understanding character development and the internal thoughts that drive the narrative forward in plays. 34 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 34. A plot in a literary work is about a) resolution of conflicts b) law of poetic justice c) character delineation d) causal arrangement of events This question explores the fundamental structure of literary works. Understanding the plot’s role in arranging events causally is crucial for analyzing narrative flow and thematic development. 35 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 35. Tone and mood of a poem refer to a) setting b) space c) locale d) atmosphere This question distinguishes between tone and mood in poetry. Understanding these elements is essential for interpreting the emotional landscape and the poet’s attitude within a poem. 36 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 36. A funny incident within a serious situation is a) comic relief b) tragicomedy c) tragic hero d) comedy This question identifies the use of comic relief in literature. Recognizing such elements helps in understanding how authors balance humor with serious themes to enhance the narrative and engage the audience. 37 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 37. In literature, a flat character can be described as one who a) dies abruptly b) achieves greatness c) is undeveloped d) undergoes changes This question explores character development in literature. Understanding what constitutes a flat character aids in analyzing character complexity and their role within the narrative structure. 38 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 38. Dramatis personae in a play refers to a) cast list b) protagonist and antagonist c) list of characters d) order of appearance This question defines a key term in drama. Knowing that “dramatis personae” refers to the list of characters helps in understanding the structure and organization of a play. 39 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 39. The speech made at the end of a dramatic performance is generally called a) a dirge b) a monologue c) a prologue d) an epilogue This question identifies the term “epilogue” in drama. Recognizing the role of an epilogue helps in understanding how plays conclude and leave the audience with final thoughts or resolutions. 40 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 40. Which of the following is central to narrative fiction? a) Objectivity b) Subjectivity c) Verisimilitude d) Dialogue This question assesses the essential elements of narrative fiction. Understanding what drives narrative structure is crucial for analyzing storytelling techniques and authorial intent. 41 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 41. He put himself in uniform, made one for his five-year-old son, and marched with the infant from dawn till noon every market day, on the main road singing `Kayiwawa beturi… a) energetic b) a policeman c) a soldier d) abnormal This excerpt portrays a persona through descriptive actions. Analyzing such portrayals helps in understanding character traits and the underlying themes being conveyed in the narrative. 42 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 42. He is a faithful liar a) epigram b) oxymoron c) euphemism d) antithesis This line exemplifies the use of oxymoron in literature. Understanding how contradictory terms are used together enhances the interpretation of the poet’s intent and the complexity of the concepts being described. 43 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 43. Fights by the book of arithmetic a) hyperbole b) Euphemism c) Litotes d) Innuendo This line utilizes a specific figure of speech to convey meaning. Identifying the figure of speech used helps in analyzing the poet’s technique and the deeper significance of the imagery presented. 44 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 44. And when you trudge on one horny pads Gullied like the soles of modern shoes Pads that even jiggers cannot conquer a) policeman b) madman c) sole of a pauper d) sole of a soldier This excerpt employs metaphor to describe physical hardship. Understanding such references aids in interpreting the emotional and physical struggles depicted in the poem. 45 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 45. ‘Lift not the painted veil which those who live call life: though unreal shapes be picture there, And it but mimic all we would believe With colours idly spread-behind, lurk fear.’ a) quatrain b) sonnet c) couplet d) sestet This stanza showcases a couplet in poetry. Recognizing poetic structures like couplets helps in analyzing the rhythm, rhyme scheme, and overall flow of the poem. 46 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 46. I wonder how long, you awful parasites, shall share with me this little bed, And awake me, from my sweet dreams be lost, sucking blood from my poor head… a) limerick b) lampoon c) light verse d) light opera This excerpt is an example of lampoon, a form of satirical writing aimed at mocking or criticizing. Identifying such forms helps in understanding the poet’s intent to convey disapproval or ridicule. 47 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 47. The poet persona expresses dismay about a) bat b) cockroaches c) grasshoppers d) light opera This question identifies the subject of the poet’s dismay in the given excerpt. Understanding the focus of the poet’s frustration aids in interpreting the emotional tone and underlying messages of the poem. 48 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 48. The most dominant figure of speech in the excerpt is a) metaphor b) simile c) personification d) hyperbole This question explores the literary devices used in the excerpt. Recognizing personification enhances the analysis of how non-human elements are given human traits to convey deeper meanings. 49 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 49. You Your head is like a drum that is beaten for spirits. You Your ears are like the fans used for blowing fire. a) caricature b) ridicule c) satire d) lampoon This excerpt is a good example of simile, a figure of speech comparing two different things using “like” or “as”. Identifying similes helps in understanding the vivid imagery and comparisons made by the poet. 50 / 50 Category: Jamb Literature 2014 50. ‘This thing you are doing is too heavy for you, he said. I went to school only a little but I have killed many many more years in this world than you have’. a) listener is wise b) speaker is a porter c) listener is more experienced d) speaker is more experienced This passage can be inferred to reflect the speaker’s experience and wisdom despite limited formal education. Understanding character dynamics through dialogue aids in interpreting themes of knowledge and experience in the narrative. Your score is The average score is 0% LinkedIn Facebook Twitter VKontakte 0% Restart quiz Anonymous feedback Send feedback