All 50 questions from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Literature in English 2024 Objective paper, with the correct answer and a full explanation for each. Free, no signup needed.
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1. A poem that is shaped in the image of the object it talks about is A.
A concrete poem (shape poem) is one where the arrangement of words on the page forms a picture related to the subject, e.g. George Herbert's 'The Altar'. Lyrical, metaphysical and romantic poems focus more on emotional/philosophical aspects rather than visual representation.
2. The choir is on wheels to a convention illustrates A.
Hyperbole exaggerates a point for dramatic effect; saying the choir is 'on wheels' to a convention emphasizes speed/urgency, not literal movement on wheels.
3. Which of the following helps best to create and sustain interest in a literary work? A.
Suspense is a literary device that keeps readers engaged by withholding information or creating uncertainty about outcomes.
4. The dominant device used in Macbeth doth murdered sleep; the innocent sleep is A.
Personification attributes human qualities to non-human/abstract concepts; here sleep is personified as something that can be murdered.
5. A narrative that extols the deeds of a heroic figure is a A.
A panegyric is a formal speech or composition praising a person, celebrating their heroic virtues and accomplishments.
6. She is a woman of great virtue / She is a woman of great vice illustrate A.
Antithesis involves contrasting ideas placed in a balanced manner ('great virtue' vs 'great vice') to create a powerful effect.
7. The overwhelming confidence and pride that lead to the fall of the protagonist is A.
Hubris refers to excessive pride or arrogance, a common tragic flaw leading to the protagonist's downfall through disregard for moral/divine laws.
8. Those you have loved and respected mock you to your face illustrates A.
Irony occurs when the intended meaning differs from the literal meaning; here, those who loved/respected the subject now mock them, a sharp contrast to expectations.
9. The major divisions in a play are A.
Acts are major divisions in a play's structure, larger units containing multiple scenes that mark significant shifts in storyline or character dynamics.
10. (My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains / My sense, as though of hemlock I have drunk) The metrical pattern is A.
In an iambic metrical pattern, each foot consists of two syllables with stress on the second syllable, creating a rhythmic rising and falling motion common in English poetry.
11. The mood of the poet is that of A.
The mood can be inferred from tone and imagery describing physical/emotional discomfort such as aching, numbness and drowsiness, evoking sadness and melancholy.
12. A narrative composed in the form of a letter is A.
An epistolary novel is a narrative composed in the form of letters, diary entries, or other documents written by characters, e.g. Dracula by Bram Stoker.
13. (she gave him lots of cash and tender attention) The device used is A.
Zeugma occurs where a single word governs or modifies two or more words grammatically or logically correct with only one; here 'gave' applies to both 'cash' (concrete) and 'attention' (abstract).
14. The Shakespearean sonnet differs from the petrarchan sonnet by ending with a A.
A Shakespearean (English) sonnet consists of three quatrains followed by a final couplet (14 lines total, rhyme scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGG).
15. (The closing of the day / Is the beginning of the day) The lines A.
A run-on line (enjambment) occurs when a sentence or phrase extends beyond the end of a line without a pause, continuing onto the next line.
16. One of the important means available to a writer of a literary work is a dictation. A.
Diction refers to the choice and use of words and phrases in writing or speech; it significantly impacts the mood, tone, and effectiveness of a literary work.
17. (The curl of my lips, the swing of my waist, / The ride of my breast, the stride of my steps, / Flash of my tech and the palm of my hand) The line is an example of A.
Parallelism is a rhetorical device where parts of a sentence are grammatically similar in construction, sound, meaning or meter; each phrase here follows the same structural pattern.
18. The image created in the line appeals to the sense of A.
The imagery describes physical attributes and movements (curl of lips, swing of waist, flash of teeth) which are primarily visual sensations appealing to sight.
19. Characters in a play that the author uses as a vehicle for commentary is A.
A chorus is a group of characters/actors who serve as a collective voice, providing commentary, insight, or perspective on the events of the play.
20. The ___ comes after the loose ends of the plot have been tied up. A.
The epilogue comes after the loose ends of the plot have been tied up, serving as a final section that provides closure to the story.
21. (Passage about Jenny waiting for John) The passage is about A.
The passage depicts Jenny's anticipation and excitement as she waits for her beloved John to return, portraying the passion of love.
22. The figure of speech used in she was listening to the silence of the room is A.
An oxymoron combines contradictory terms for effect; 'listening to the silence' juxtaposes an active engagement (listening) with the absence of sound (silence).
23. The technique of narration is A.
The passage is narrated from an external perspective describing Jenny's actions/thoughts as an observer, characteristic of third person narration.
24. (In ___ and moved towards the kitchen, like one sleepwalking, the simile portrays one who is) A.
The simile 'like one sleepwalking' compares Jenny's movements to someone in a trance-like state, portraying her as absent minded, acting mechanically without full awareness.
25. The mood is one of A.
The mood is characterised by Jenny's anxious anticipation as she waits for John's return -- her rapid heartbeat, wringing hands, and deliberate movements suggest nervousness and tension.
26. (My heart was in fearful flight / Pursued by cupid, arrow poised...) The poem is about ___ love. A.
The poem describes the persona's heart in 'fearful flight', pursued by Cupid's arrow -- the persona expresses anticipation and fear as they await the unrequited outcome of their love.
27. The lines that provide the evidence for question 26 are A.
'Enslave or enthrall and ravish hopeless / So I'm pining and pining away' (lines 7-8) clearly show the theme of unrequited love.
28. The poem is a A.
A lyric poem expresses the thoughts and emotions of the persona in a musical or melodic manner, focusing on inner feelings of fear, longing and desperation.
29. The dominant image in the poem is A.
The dominant image in the poem is one of flight, as the persona's heart is described as being in 'fearful flight' pursued by Cupid's arrow.
30. In the poem, cupid is A.
Cupid is a well-known figure from classical mythology, referenced as the pursuer of the persona's heart, symbolizing the force of love and desire -- this is an allusion.
31. (Where I have come, great clerks have purposed...) This happens in Act A.
The speaker is Theseus. Theseus addresses Hippolyta about the play that is about to be acted by Peter Quince and his men. This occurs in Act Five, Scene One.
32. The speaker is addressing A.
The speaker (Theseus) is addressing Hippolyta.
33. The speech is in reaction to A.
The speech is in reaction to Philostrate's rejection of the play-within-the-play, claiming that the play by the local men of Athens lacks taste for Theseus.
34. The speaker's experience is that A.
Theseus' experience is that even the eloquent can falter in their speech, as seen in how great clerks (scholars) have shivered and turned pale, incorrectly pausing in the middle of their sentences before him.
35. At the end of the speech, A.
At the end of the speech, Philostrate announces the prologue, following permission given by Theseus.
36. (So should the murdered look; and so should I...) The speaker and the addressee are A.
The speaker and the addressee are Demetrius and Hermia (Act Three, Scene Two).
37. Earlier the addressee has accused the speaker of A.
Earlier, the addressee (Hermia) has accused the speaker (Demetrius) of murder (of Lysander).
38. In turn, the speaker accuses the addressee of A.
In turn, Demetrius accuses Hermia of cruelty ('pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty').
39. The underlined lines portray the addressee as A.
The underlined lines portray Hermia (the addressee) as a traitor, per the interpretation given in the extract.
40. The setting of the extract is A.
The setting of the extract is another part of the wood (Act 3, Scene 2).
41. (The wildest hath not such a heart as you...) The speaker is A.
The speaker is Helena (Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 230-236).
42. The addressee is A.
The addressee is Demetrius.
43. The wildest refers to A.
The expression 'the wildest' refers to wild beasts, as in 'not even the wildest animal is as vicious as you'.
44. The speech is intended to ___ the addressee. A.
The speech is intended to provoke Demetrius, as Helena's speech comes out of provocation because Demetrius has said he would leave her to the mercy of wild beasts.
45. Another character present at the scene is A.
Another character present at the scene is Oberon (King of the fairies), who watches how Demetrius detests Helena and promises to enchant Demetrius to fall in love with Helena.
46. (...you and I in the first line refers to) A.
'You and I' refers to Hermia and Lysander, who plan to meet in the wood to escape the Athenian law and elope.
47. The couple are going to the wood because A.
The couple (Hermia and Lysander) are going to the wood because they are running away from the Athenian law.
48. The underlined means being A.
The underlined expression means being reckless -- 'emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet' means carelessly or recklessly sharing their heart secrets.
49. Farewell, sweet playfellow refers to A.
'Farewell, sweet playfellow' refers to Helena, who is Hermia's friend.
50. Soon after, playfellow decides to A.
Soon after, Helena (sweet playfellow) decides to betray Hermia by telling Demetrius of Hermia's planned escape into the wood, to gain Demetrius' favour.
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