LITERATURE EXAM QUESTIONS FOR SS3 FIRST TERM
SS3 LITERATURE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FIRST TERM – EDUDELIGHT.COM
FIRST TERM EXAMINATION
Examination malpractices may lead to a repeat of the subject or suspensions don’t be involved.
SUBJECT: LIT-IN-ENGLISH TIME:2HRS CLASS: SS 3
SECTION A
OBJECTIVES:
1. The protagonist is the ______(a) author (b) villain (c) hero (d) speaker (e) antagonist.
2. As chapter is to prose, so ___ is to poetry. (a) couplet (b) stanza (c) line (d) chorus (e) paraphrasing.
3. Verbal irony occurs when a speaker on stage (a) says the opposite of what the speaker means (b) is misunderstood (c) tries to deceive the audience (d) is alone (e) is funny.
4. A humorous scene in a play intended to ease tension is (a) climax (b) tragi-comedy (c) comic relief (d) comedy (e) tragedy.
5. A dead metaphor is one that is _______ (a) overused and ineffective (b) extended in meaning (c) implied (d) mixed (e) not funny.
6. ‘My bounty is as boundless as the sea; My love as deep’ is an example of ___ (a) hyperbole (b) litotes (c) euphemism (d) paradox (e) metaphor.
7. Through the trees I’ll hear a single ringing sound, a cowbell jingle. The underlined illustrate _______ rhyme. (a) end (b) decasyllabic (c) internal (d) dimeter (e) middle rhyme.
8. A literary work is a satire when it ______ (a) finds fault (b) humorously criticises to improve a situation (c) proves laughter (d) teaches a lesson for social improvement (e) it’s not a comedy.
9. A mountain of fufu was placed before the hungry visitors. The device used above is _________ (a) hyperbole (b) euphemism (c) alliteration (d) assonance (e) simile.
10. The omniscient narrator is _____ (a) all knowing (b) limited (c) realistic (d) always humorous (e) God.
11. Which of the following does not define a character? (a) What the character does (b) what the character says (c) what others say about the character (d) the way the character appears (e) the character’s mannerism.
12. Which of the following is not a type of play?(a) Tragedy (b) Tragic flaw (c) Comedy (d) Tragi-comedy (e) farce.
13. A short introductory speech delivered as a part of a play is called (a) a preamble (b) a prologue (c) an introduction (d) an epilogue (e) first words.
14. Pick the odd one of the option listed. (a) euphemism (b) oxymoron (c) hyperbole (d) rhythm (e) simile
15. The major distinctive feature of drama is (a) dialogue (b) setting (c) epilogue (d) plot (e) singing
16. A poem written in praise of someone or something is (a) a ballad (b) an epic (c) a sonnet (d) an ode (e) lullaby
17. The central idea of a story or poem is the (a) title (b) climax (c) theme (d) conflict (e) topic
18. The timing and location of a literary work is ______ (a) theme (b) plot (c) setting (d) atmosphere (e) timing
19. The elegy ____ (a) conforms to a fixed pattern of lines (b) is set in the countryside (c) has a mournful tone (d) celebrates heroic deeds (e) is a church poem.
20. The major genre of literature are ______ (a) fiction, non-fiction, drama (b) prose, farce, comedy (c) prose, drama, poetry (d) poetry, prose, fiction (e) comedy, drama and prose
21. “Poetry gets bored of being alone. It wants to go outdoors to chew on the winds.” The dominant figure of speech in the above lines a ________ (a)paradox(b) pun (c) parallelism (d) personification (e) irony
22. A poem consisting of fourteen lines is ____ (a) a narrative (b) a sonnet (c) an ode (d) an elegy (e) lyric
23. The most exciting and tense part of a story is the (a) epilogue (b) climax (c) prologue (d) exposition (e) middle
24. Lines of unrhymed poetry are known as__ (a) blank verse (b) assonance (c) consonance (d) free verse (e) verse
25. A dramatic performance with only bodily movements and without words is _____ (a) a mime (b) an aside (c) a soliloquy (d) an opera (e) farce
26. A short poem lamenting the death of someone is a____ (a) lyric (b) sonnet (c) ballad (d) threnody (e) lullaby
27. In a story, the adversary of the protagonist is the ___(a) hero (b) heroine (c) antagonist (d) foil (e) cast
28. “Tell me not, sweet, i am unkind” illustrates_____ (a) inversion (b) paradox (c) humour (d) mood (e) satire
29. The art of giving human attributes to non-human object is _____ (a) personification (b) allegory (c) anecdote (d) allusion (e) simile
30. A long narrative poem which deals with heroic deeds is _____ (a) lyric (b) epic (c) ode (d) euphony (e) sonnet
UNSEEN PROSE AND POETRY
Read the poem and answer questions 31 – 35.
At dawn must I rise to till the rock
That our land has turn 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 was scorched at non-day night
And our land has turned to hoeing rock.
31. The theme of the poem is
(a) famine and disease (b) drought and bear
(c) abomination and retribution (d) sickness and death
32. The mood of the poet is one of
(a) recklessness (b) hopelessness
(c) happiness (d) loneliness
33. “The earth has stopped breathing and sighed” illustrates
(a) Bathos (b) Climax (c) Personification (d) Paradox
34. The run-on lines convey the speaker’s
(a) Indignation (b) Lamentation (c) Disappointment (d) Defiance
35. There is a predominance of word associated with
(a) Celebration (b) Nature (c) Governance (d) Nurture
UNSEEN PROSE
The goldsmith at work is a priest at the altar. As though he were performing the Eucharist, he is engaged in deliberate motions of reverence. The small vials of various liquids such as mercury are little vessels of communion wine. The minuscule rings of intricately crafted gold are like miniature waters.
He dips one tiny into a liquid, lifts it up to the sky and presses it onto a space in the growing length of necklace. It fits – it is like dipping bread into wine and slipping it between the parted lips of a communicant.
Our lent vigils are not as solemn as the goldsmith’s silent solemnity that directs his work. We look on as the wizardry of the master craftsman displays itself. We are held in thrall…
36. The subject matter of the passage is
(a) Goldsmith at work (b) celebrating the Eucharist
(c) A priest at the alter (d) Communion wine and waters
37. The dominant figures of speech used are ________________
(a) Personification and irony (b) Parallelism and repetition
(c) Metaphor and simile (d) Metonymy and synecdoche
38. The use of the above devices creates an atmosphere of
(a) Fear (b) Doom (c) Hope (d) Awe
39. The writer’s attitude is one of ____________
(a) Bewilderment (b) Reverence
(c) Indifference (d) Arrogance
40. The narrative technique captures the ______________ of the scene.
(a) Seriousness (b) Vividness
(c) Ordinariness (d) Loneliness
Read the following passages very carefully before you answer the question.
They are based on William Shakespeare’s Othello
I will in (____)’s lodging lose this napkin
And let him find it. trifles light as air
Are to the jealous confirmations strong
As proofs of holy writ. This may do something.
The Moor already changes with my poison.
(Act III, Scene 3)
41. Who utters the above passage?
(a) Cassio (b) Lago (c) Emelia (d) Othello
42. Whose lodging is the excerpt referring to?
(a) Cassio’s (b) Lago’s (c) Emelia’s (d) Othello’s
43. “Trifles light as air” refers to
(a) lies of deceit (b) drunkenness
(c) handkerchiefs (d) love of violence
44. “holy writ” refers to
(a) Bible (b) Scriptures (c) Holy Scrolls (d) Holy Poison
45. “The Moor already changes with my poison” is evidence of deliberate.
(a) gallantry (b) mischief (c) dishonesty (d) ambition
The following quotation is with regard to questions 46 – 50.
She was here even now. She haunts me in every place.
I was the other day talking on the sea-bank with
certain Ventians, and thither comes the baubles.
By this hand, she falls thus about my neck –
(Act IV, Scene 1)
46. Who is speaking?
(a) Roderigo (b) Lago (c) Cassio (d) Othello
47. The speaker is speaking with who?
(a) Othello (b) Bianca (c) Roderigo (d) Lago
48. Yet another character is eavesdropping. Who is the one?
(a) Lodovico (b) Othello (c) Brabantio (d) Lagos
49. Who is the subject of the discourse?
(a) Bianca (b) Desdemona (c) Emelia (d) Gratian’s Sister
50. The eavesdropper thought the speaker was making reference to
(a) Bianca (b) Desdemona (c) Emelia (d) Gratian’s Sister
SS3 LITERATURE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FIRST TERM – EDUDELIGHT.COM
PAPER II
Instruction: Answer TWO questions in all.
ONE question from each PART
PART A
AFRICAN PROSE
FACELESS By Amma Darko
1. “Single parenting can be disastrous.” Discuss
2. Discuss the theme of fear in the novel.
Lonely Days By Bayo Adebowale
3. Comment on the cap-picking ceremony and its significance in the novel.
4. Yaremi is the protagonist of the novel. Discuss
PART B
NON – AFRICAN PROSE
NATIVE SON By Richard Wright
5. Discuss the theme of racial discrimination in the novel.
6. “Bigger is a product of his society” Discuss
Horace Walpole: castle of otranto
7. examine the use of irony in the novel .
8. comment on the attitude of women to their roles in the novel
Instruction: Answer FOUR questions in all, ONE question from each section.
SECTION A: Non-Africa Drama
A Raising In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
1. What are the differences and similarities between “house” and “home” in A Raisin in the Sun?
2. Explain the role of two major characters in the play.
She Stoops To Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith
3. Discuss the importance of mistaken identity in the play.
4. Describe any two of the following characters.
a. Tony Lumpkin b. Mr. Hardcastle
c. Miss Kate Hardcastle
SECTION B: African Drama
Harvest of Corruption by Frank Ogodo Ogbeche
5. Discuss Chief Haladu Ade-Amaka’s activities as a “pen-robber”.
6. Analyze the character of Ogeyi Ogar and discuss her significance in the play.
The Blood Of A Stranger by Dele Charley
7. Mr. Parker is an embarrassment to African values. Discuss
8. Discuss the theme of patriotism and resistance to oppression.
SECTION C: African Poetry
9. “The Anvil and the Hammer” is a study of the coming together of African and Europe. Discuss.
10. Discuss the subject matter of the poem “Vanity” by Birago Diop.
SECTION D: Non – African Poetry
11. Discuss the theme “Supremacy of God” in the poem “The Proud King”.
12. “The Pulley” is a poem about God’s omnipotence. Discuss.
SS3 LITERATURE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FIRST TERM – EDUDELIGHT.COM
