All 50 questions from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Literature in English 2015 Theory paper, with the correct answer and a full explanation for each. Free, no signup needed.
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1. A speech in a play in which a character speaks his or her thoughts alone is
A soliloquy is a dramatic device in which a character speaks his thoughts alone on stage, revealing them directly to the audience.
2. In Literature, repetition is used essentially for
Repetition places emphasis on certain words or ideas, making them the focus of the reader's/listener's attention.
3. The pattern or a poem without reference to its content is described as the
Form refers to the structure of a poem (e.g. sonnet, limerick, haiku) independent of its subject matter or content.
4. The performers in a play constitute the
The cast is the comprehensive list of performers and the roles they play in a production.
5. Read the stanza ("Pan, O great Pan, to thee / Thus do we sing! ...") and answer this question. The stanza is an example of
The stanza directly addresses Pan, an absent/spiritual being, which is the definition of apostrophe.
6. Pan is used here as
In the poem, Pan functions as a symbol representing regeneration and chastity.
7. The rhyme scheme of the stanza is
The rhyme scheme is ababcdd, based on the end words: thee(a), sing(b), free(a), spring(b), spake(c), broke(d), unyoke(d).
8. A metrical foot in which a stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable is
In trochaic feet, a stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed one, e.g. 'Make me look like angel' (the reverse of iambic).
9. ....... is the location of the action of the plot.
Setting refers to the time and place in which the action of a literary work occurs.
10. A ballad is essentially a ........ poem.
A ballad is a narrative poem in the manner of oral folk tradition, telling a story in song-like form, e.g. Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'.
11. The first four lines of the Shakespearean sonnet rhyme
The Shakespearean sonnet follows the rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, so the first four lines rhyme abab.
12. A story in which characters or actions represent abstract ideas or moral qualities is
An allegory is a literary work in which characters and actions represent abstract qualities such as good, evil, etc., e.g. Bunyan's 'The Pilgrim's Progress'.
13. The use of imagery in prose or verse
Imagery is a literary device that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste) by painting mental pictures.
14. Use the lines to answer this question and question 15: "Our leaders will not compromise freedom / Nor will our heads give up liberty". The lines illustrate
Contrast (antithesis) is shown through the juxtaposition of opposing statements; the inverted word order in the second line prevents true parallelism.
15. 'Heads' in the second line is an example of
Synecdoche is the use of a part to represent the whole; 'heads' stands for the people themselves.
16. A character that develops in the course of a novel or play is described as
A round character develops in the course of events through relationships with other characters, unlike a flat character.
17. A dirge is a poem sung
A dirge is a song of mourning or lamentation, especially one intended for a funeral.
18. In drama, the ....... creates humour.
In drama, clownish characters (clowns, jesters, buffoons) are used to create humour, especially in comic scenes.
19. 'Let me not love thee if I love thee not' illustrates
The statement is self-contradictory on the surface yet makes sense on reflection, which is the definition of paradox.
20. ....... is a literary device used to express something unpleasant in a more acceptable manner.
Euphemism substitutes a mild or indirect expression for one considered harsh or unpleasant, e.g. 'passed away' for 'died'.
21. Read the passage ("A modest two-room hut built of mud...") and answer questions 21-25. The writer's attitude to the couple is one of
The writer's tone shows a lack of interest, care or concern towards the couple; the closing rhetorical question confirms this indifference.
22. The dominant literary device used in the passage is
Personification, the attribution of human qualities to inanimate objects, is used throughout, e.g. 'the kind earthenware pot willingly kept company'.
23. The rhetorical question that ends the passage stresses the
The closing rhetorical question, 'Would any thief be tempted to peep into such a rude room of such a poor pair?', emphasises how poor the couple is.
24. The expression 'such a rude room of such a poor pair' illustrates
The expression is identified in the key as an example of onomatopoeia, using sound to suggest meaning within the poverty imagery.
25. The setting is
Details in the passage (e.g. reference to 'the cold night air') indicate the setting is night.
26. Read the poem ("Proud mothers of the coming age...") and answer questions 26-30. The rhyme scheme is
Analysing the end sounds of each line shows the pattern aabb ccdd eeff.
27. The theme of the poem is
The poet appreciates and admires women's hard work, describing them as 'proud mothers of the coming age' whose labour deserves admiration.
28. The literary device used in line 7 is
'It gives young Africa's throbbing soul' personifies the continent of Africa as a living being with a soul.
29. The poet's tone is one of
The poet's admiration for young African women's work runs through the poem with an evidently joyful tone.
30. "To bring forth sons and daughters brave" illustrates
The natural word order 'to bring forth brave sons and daughters' is rearranged, which is inversion.
31. Read the extract ("Silence! One word more...An advocate for an impostor! Hush!" Act I, Scene Two, lines 478-480) and answer questions 31-35. The speaker is
Prospero speaks these words, chiding Miranda for pleading on behalf of Ferdinand.
32. The addressee is
Prospero is addressing his daughter Miranda, who has spoken up in defence of Ferdinand.
33. The "impostor" is
Ferdinand is the 'impostor' Prospero refers to, since Prospero pretends Ferdinand is a spy/pretender as part of testing him.
34. The "advocate" and the imposter" are
Miranda (the advocate) and Ferdinand (the 'impostor') have fallen in love with each other at first sight.
35. The speaker's utterance betrays his
Prospero is only pretending to be angry with Ferdinand as part of a test to prove his worth; his true feelings are not hostile.
36. Read the extract ("You cram these words into mine ears against...My son is lost, and in my rate, she too." Act II, Scene One, lines 99-102) and answer questions 36-40. The speaker is
Alonso, mourning the apparent loss of his son Ferdinand, speaks these lines.
37. "these words" refer to
Gonzalo has been trying to console Alonso by speaking of his daughter Claribel's wedding, words Alonso finds unwelcome.
38. Where did the wedding take place?
Alonso's daughter Claribel was married to the King of Tunis.
39. The setting is
Act II, Scene One is set in another part of the island where Alonso and the shipwrecked courtiers find themselves.
40. "...in my rate" means
'In my rate' means 'in my reckoning/estimation', i.e. so far as Alonso can see or judge.
41. Read the extract ("Ariel: At hail, great master!...Ariel and all his quality." Act I, Scene Two, lines 189-193) and answer questions 41-45. Ariel has 'come' because
Ariel appears because he has been summoned/invited by his master Prospero, ready to carry out his commands.
42. Prospero has actually
Prospero, through Ariel's magic, raised the tempest (storm) that wrecked the ship carrying Alonso and his party.
43. Before Ariel's entry
Just before summoning Ariel, Prospero had finished telling Miranda his story and put her to sleep.
44. 'Ariel and all his quality' mean
The phrase refers to Ariel together with the band/tribe of spirits under his command.
45. Soon after, Ariel
Ariel goes on to describe to Prospero the chaos and confusion he created aboard the ship during the tempest.
46. Read the extract ("X: We two, my lord, Will guard your person while you take your rest And watch your safety. Y: Thank you. - Wondrous heavy." Act II, Scene One, lines 184-187) and answer questions 46-50. X and Y are
X (speaking on behalf of himself and Sebastian) is Antonio, offering to guard Alonso (Y), who feels unusually sleepy.
47. "We two" are
'We two' refers to Antonio and Sebastian, who offer to stand watch over the sleeping King Alonso.
48. The situation in the extract is highly
It is ironical because Antonio and Sebastian offer to 'guard' Alonso while secretly plotting to kill him.
49. What has happened to all the other characters in the scene?
Through Ariel's magic, the rest of the shipwrecked party has fallen into a mysterious, sudden sleep, leaving Antonio and Sebastian awake.
50. The 'two' later plot to
Antonio persuades Sebastian to seize the opportunity and kill Alonso and Gonzalo so that Sebastian can become king.
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