WAEC SSCE - Literature In English - 2011

Read the poem and answer the question

Here stood our ancestral home
The crumbling wall marks the spot
Here a sheep was led to the slaughter
To appease the goods and atone
For fauilts which our destiny
Has blossomed into crimes
There my cursed father once stood
And shouted to us, his children
To come back from our play
To our evening meal and sleep.

''To appease the gods''...''implies

Answer Details

"To appease the gods" implies seeking the favor of the gods. In the context of the poem, it suggests that the sheep was being offered as a sacrifice to the gods to ask for forgiveness for the faults that led to their present-day crimes. The phrase suggests that the speaker's ancestors believed that their misfortunes were caused by divine wrath, and by offering a sacrifice, they hoped to gain the gods' favor and avoid further punishment.

A humorous scene in a play intended to ease tension is

Answer Details

A humorous scene in a play intended to ease tension is called comic relief. This is when a moment of humor or levity is introduced in a work that is otherwise serious or dramatic. The purpose of comic relief is to give the audience a break from the tension and emotion of the story, and to provide a moment of release and enjoyment. It can also serve to highlight the seriousness of the surrounding material by creating a contrast.

A mountain of fufu was placed before the hungry visitors. The device used above is

Read the extract and answer the question

Here lies our sovereign Lord the King
Whose word no man relies on
Who never said a foolish thing
And never did a wise one.

Which of the following is not a type of play?

Answer Details

The passage does not provide information about a "tragic flaw," so this is the option that is not a type of play. A tragic flaw is a literary term that refers to a character trait that leads to the downfall of a tragic hero in a tragedy. The passage is a satirical epitaph that suggests the king was neither wise nor foolish, which is why it cannot be used to determine the types of plays.

As chapter is to prose, so ...is to poetry

Answer Details

As chapter is to prose, so stanza is to poetry. A chapter is a division of prose that groups together related ideas and events, while a stanza is a similar division in poetry that groups together lines of verse. Just as a chapter can be composed of multiple paragraphs, a stanza can be composed of multiple lines. Stanzas are often used to organize the themes and structure of a poem, and they can vary in length, rhyme scheme, and meter.

Read the extract and answer the question

Tell me, heavenly bow,
If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the queen? Since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandalled company
I have forsworn.
(Act IV, scene one lines 86-91)

The character addressed is

Answer Details

The character addressed in the given extract is "Iris". In this extract, the speaker is Prospero who is asking the rainbow, personified as the "heavenly bow," whether Venus or Cupid (her son) is attending the queen's court. Prospero is a character in William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest".

Read the extract and answer the question

Faith, sir you need not fear. When we were boys,
Who would believe that there were mountaineers
Dew-lapped like bulls, whose throats had hanging at'em
Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men
Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find
Each putter-out of five for one will bring us
Good warrant of.
(Act 111, scene Three, lines 44-49)

The speaker is

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: The Tempest

Read the extract and answer the question

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometime voices,
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again.And then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open, and show riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.
(Act 111, scene two, lines 132-140)

The speaker is

Answer Details

The speaker in this passage is Caliban. In the play "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare, Caliban is a native of the island and serves as a slave to Prospero, the protagonist of the play. In this particular scene, Caliban is speaking to two other characters, Stephano and Trinculo, about the noises he hears on the island. He describes the sounds as both delightful and frightening, and mentions that they sometimes make him fall asleep and dream of riches.

Read the extract and answer the question

Tell me, heavenly bow,
If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the queen? Since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandalled company
I have forsworn.
(Act IV, scene one lines 86-91)

The 'heavenly bow' refers to

A patter of beats to denote movement in poetry is

Answer Details

The patter of beats to denote movement in poetry is called "metre". Metre is a rhythmic pattern created by a sequence of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. The pattern is determined by the number of syllables in each foot, or unit of stressed and unstressed syllables. Metre helps to create a musical quality in poetry and can vary widely depending on the style and form of the poem.

Read the extract and answer the question

Here lies our sovereign Lord the King
Whose word no man relies on
Who never said a foolish thing
And never did a wise one.

The ominscient narrator is

Answer Details

The omniscient narrator is a narrative voice that has complete knowledge of all the characters, events and situations in the story. In this particular extract, the narrator is making a statement about the king who has passed away. The narrator is not a character in the story, but rather an all-knowing observer who provides a commentary on the king's character. Therefore, the answer to the question is: "all-knowing".

UNSEEN PROSE AND POETRY

Read the passage and answer the question

Each profession, intellectual or manual, deserves consideration, whether it requires painful physical effort or manual dexterity, wide knowledge or the patience of an ant. Ours, like that of the doctor, does not allow for any mistake. You don't joke with life, and life is both body and mind. To warp a soul is as much a sacrilege as murder. Teachers _ at kindergarten level, as at university level _ form a noble army accomplishing daily feats, never praised, never decorated. An army forever on the move, forever vigilant: an army without drums, without gleaming uniforms. This army, thwarting traps and snares, everywhere plants the flag of knowledge and morality.

The writer of the passage is a _

Read the extract and answer the question

...The Duke of Milan
And his more braver daughter could control thee,
If now't were fit to do't. At the first sight
They have changed eyes. Delicate Ariet,
I''ll set thee free for this!
(Act 1, scene two, lines 441-445)

What does ''they have changed eyes'' mean?

Read the extract and answer the question

...The Duke of Milan
And his more braver daughter could control thee,
If now't were fit to do't. At the first sight
They have changed eyes. Delicate Ariet,
I''ll set thee free for this!
(Act 1, scene two, lines 441-445)

''Thee'' in line two refers to

Read the extract and answer the question

Faith, sir you need not fear. When we were boys,
Who would believe that there were mountaineers
Dew-lapped like bulls, whose throats had hanging at'em
Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men
Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find
Each putter-out of five for one will bring us
Good warrant of.
(Act 111, scene Three, lines 44-49)

In the extract a _ is laid before them

Read the poem and answer the question

Here stood our ancestral home
The crumbling wall marks the spot
Here a sheep was led to the slaughter
To appease the goods and atone
For fauilts which our destiny
Has blossomed into crimes
There my cursed father once stood
And shouted to us, his children
To come back from our play
To our evening meal and sleep.

The image used in line six is taken from

UNSEEN PROSE AND POETRY

Read the passage and answer the question

Each profession, intellectual or manual, deserves consideration, whether it requires painful physical effort or manual dexterity, wide knowledge or the patience of an ant. Ours, like that of the doctor, does not allow for any mistake. You don't joke with life, and life is both body and mind. To warp a soul is as much a sacrilege as murder. Teachers _ at kindergarten level, as at university level _ form a noble army accomplishing daily feats, never praised, never decorated. An army forever on the move, forever vigilant: an army without drums, without gleaming uniforms. This army, thwarting traps and snares, everywhere plants the flag of knowledge and morality.

The writer's mood is that of _

Answer Details

The writer's mood is that of optimism. The passage is about the noble nature of the teaching profession, where the writer considers teachers at all levels as an army accomplishing daily feats, never praised or decorated, but forever vigilant in planting the flag of knowledge and morality. The use of words such as "noble army," "accomplishing daily feats," and "forever vigilant" all indicate a positive and optimistic tone towards the teaching profession. Therefore, the correct answer is optimism.

Read the poem and answer the question

Here stood our ancestral home
The crumbling wall marks the spot
Here a sheep was led to the slaughter
To appease the goods and atone
For fauilts which our destiny
Has blossomed into crimes
There my cursed father once stood
And shouted to us, his children
To come back from our play
To our evening meal and sleep.

The underlined means that

Answer Details

The underlined means that their ancestral home is no longer standing, but only a crumbling wall is left to mark where it once stood. This suggests that their family has experienced some kind of loss or decline.

Read the extract and answer the question

...The Duke of Milan
And his more braver daughter could control thee,
If now't were fit to do't. At the first sight
They have changed eyes. Delicate Ariet,
I''ll set thee free for this!
(Act 1, scene two, lines 441-445)

''They'' in extract refers to

Foreshadowing is a device used to

Answer Details

Foreshadowing is a literary device used by writers to hint at what is to come in a story. It prepares the reader for the direction the plot will take, often by giving clues or hints about future events, character development, or themes. It can help to build suspense, create tension, and engage the reader by making them curious about what will happen next. Therefore, the correct option is: prepare the reader for the direction a plot will take.

Read the extract and answer the question

Tell me, heavenly bow,
If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the queen? Since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandalled company
I have forsworn.
(Act IV, scene one lines 86-91)

The purpose of the gathering is to

The protagonist is the

Answer Details

The protagonist is the hero of a story, novel or play. They are the central character who drives the plot forward and with whom the audience typically identifies or sympathizes. The protagonist's actions and decisions are crucial to the development of the story, and they are usually the character that undergoes the most significant transformation over the course of the narrative.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: The Tempest

Read the extract and answer the question

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometime voices,
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again.And then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open, and show riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.
(Act 111, scene two, lines 132-140)

What are 'noises' in the extract?

Answer Details

'Noises' in the extract refer to various sounds that are heard on the island, such as the sounds of music, sweet airs, and voices. These sounds are described as being pleasant and harmless, and they often cause the speaker to feel drowsy or fall asleep. The noises are not specified to be shouting, clapping, or thunder, although they could include those sounds as well as others.

Read the extract and answer the question

Here lies our sovereign Lord the King
Whose word no man relies on
Who never said a foolish thing
And never did a wise one.

Which of the following does not defin a character?

Read the extract and answer the question

Tell me, heavenly bow,
If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the queen? Since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandalled company
I have forsworn.
(Act IV, scene one lines 86-91)

The speaker is

Answer Details

The speaker in this extract is Ceres. She is asking a heavenly bow if Venus or her son is attending the queen, and explaining that she has forsworn the company of her daughter and her blind boy, as they were involved in plotting the means of her daughter's abduction by "dusky Dis" (the god of the underworld).

Read the extract and answer the question

Tell me, heavenly bow,
If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,
Do now attend the queen? Since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
Her and her blind boy's scandalled company
I have forsworn.
(Act IV, scene one lines 86-91)


The speaker is a

Read the extract and answer the question

...The Duke of Milan
And his more braver daughter could control thee,
If now't were fit to do't. At the first sight
They have changed eyes. Delicate Ariet,
I''ll set thee free for this!
(Act 1, scene two, lines 441-445)

The speaker is

Answer Details

The speaker is Prospero. This can be inferred from the context of the lines provided, where he mentions the Duke of Milan and his daughter, who are his enemies, and refers to "Delicate Ariel" whom he will set free as a reward for carrying out his commands. Prospero is the main character and protagonist of Shakespeare's play "The Tempest."

UNSEEN PROSE AND POETRY

Read the passage and answer the question

Each profession, intellectual or manual, deserves consideration, whether it requires painful physical effort or manual dexterity, wide knowledge or the patience of an ant. Ours, like that of the doctor, does not allow for any mistake. You don't joke with life, and life is both body and mind. To warp a soul is as much a sacrilege as murder. Teachers _ at kindergarten level, as at university level _ form a noble army accomplishing daily feats, never praised, never decorated. An army forever on the move, forever vigilant: an army without drums, without gleaming uniforms. This army, thwarting traps and snares, everywhere plants the flag of knowledge and morality.

''The flag of knowledge and morality'' illustrates

Answer Details

The phrase "the flag of knowledge and morality" is an example of a metaphor. A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two things without using the words "like" or "as". In this passage, the teacher is compared to a soldier, and the knowledge and morality that the teacher imparts are compared to a flag. The metaphor emphasizes the importance of the teacher's role in society and the significance of the knowledge and morality that they impart to their students.

Read the extract and answer the question

...The Duke of Milan
And his more braver daughter could control thee,
If now't were fit to do't. At the first sight
They have changed eyes. Delicate Ariet,
I''ll set thee free for this!
(Act 1, scene two, lines 441-445)

The character addressed

Answer Details

The character addressed in the extract is Ariel. In the passage, the speaker Prospero is telling Ariel that if it were appropriate, the Duke of Milan and his daughter could control him (Ariel). Prospero then goes on to praise Ariel, calling him delicate and saying he will set him free for his recent good deed.

Verbal irony occurs when a speaker on stage

Answer Details

Verbal irony occurs when a speaker on stage says the opposite of what the speaker means. It is a figure of speech in which words are used in a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. The speaker intentionally says something that is opposite or contradictory to their true beliefs or feelings in order to express their attitude or to emphasize a point. Verbal irony is often used for humorous or dramatic effect, and it requires the audience to understand the intended meaning behind the words.

A literary work is a satire when it

Answer Details

A literary work is considered a satire when it humorously criticizes a person, group of people, or society as a whole with the aim of improving the situation or bringing about social change. Satire is a form of literature that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize human vices, foolishness, and shortcomings. The goal of satire is not only to entertain but also to provoke thought and encourage people to reflect on their behaviors and beliefs in order to make positive changes in society.

UNSEEN PROSE AND POETRY

Read the passage and answer the question

Each profession, intellectual or manual, deserves consideration, whether it requires painful physical effort or manual dexterity, wide knowledge or the patience of an ant. Ours, like that of the doctor, does not allow for any mistake. You don't joke with life, and life is both body and mind. To warp a soul is as much a sacrilege as murder. Teachers _ at kindergarten level, as at university level _ form a noble army accomplishing daily feats, never praised, never decorated. An army forever on the move, forever vigilant: an army without drums, without gleaming uniforms. This army, thwarting traps and snares, everywhere plants the flag of knowledge and morality.

The dominant image in the passage is that of

''My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep'' is an example of

Answer Details

The phrase "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep" is an example of hyperbole. Hyperbole is a figure of speech that involves exaggeration for emphasis or effect. In this case, the speaker is using hyperbole to emphasize the boundlessness of their love and generosity.

UNSEEN PROSE AND POETRY

Read the passage and answer the question

Each profession, intellectual or manual, deserves consideration, whether it requires painful physical effort or manual dexterity, wide knowledge or the patience of an ant. Ours, like that of the doctor, does not allow for any mistake. You don't joke with life, and life is both body and mind. To warp a soul is as much a sacrilege as murder. Teachers _ at kindergarten level, as at university level _ form a noble army accomplishing daily feats, never praised, never decorated. An army forever on the move, forever vigilant: an army without drums, without gleaming uniforms. This army, thwarting traps and snares, everywhere plants the flag of knowledge and morality.

The underlined illustrates

Read the extract and answer the question

Here lies our sovereign Lord the King
Whose word no man relies on
Who never said a foolish thing
And never did a wise one.

A poem whose shape resembles the object described is a/an

Read the poem and answer the question

Here stood our ancestral home
The crumbling wall marks the spot
Here a sheep was led to the slaughter
To appease the goods and atone
For fauilts which our destiny
Has blossomed into crimes
There my cursed father once stood
And shouted to us, his children
To come back from our play
To our evening meal and sleep.

The sheep was led to the slaughter

Answer Details

The sheep was led to the slaughter as a sacrifice to their gods. This was done in order to appease the gods and atone for faults which their destiny had turned into crimes. The act of sacrifice was a common religious practice in many ancient cultures, where an animal was offered to the gods in order to seek their favor or forgiveness.

Read the extract and answer the question

Here lies our sovereign Lord the King
Whose word no man relies on
Who never said a foolish thing
And never did a wise one.

The attitude of an author towards the subject matter is

Answer Details

The answer is "tone". The tone of the author in this extract is sarcastic and critical of the king. The author's tone is evident from the way he praises the king for never saying a foolish thing, but then adds that the king also never did a wise one. This suggests that the author does not have a high opinion of the king and is using irony to make a point. Therefore, the author's tone in this extract is sarcastic and critical.

A dead metaphor is one that is

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: The Tempest

Read the extract and answer the question

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometime voices,
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again.And then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open, and show riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.
(Act 111, scene two, lines 132-140)

The character addressed is

Read the extract and answer the question

Here lies our sovereign Lord the King
Whose word no man relies on
Who never said a foolish thing
And never did a wise one.

The extract is an example of a/an

Read the extract and answer the question

Faith, sir you need not fear. When we were boys,
Who would believe that there were mountaineers
Dew-lapped like bulls, whose throats had hanging at'em
Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men
Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find
Each putter-out of five for one will bring us
Good warrant of.
(Act 111, scene Three, lines 44-49)

The character addressed is

Read the poem and answer the question

Here stood our ancestral home
The crumbling wall marks the spot
Here a sheep was led to the slaughter
To appease the goods and atone
For fauilts which our destiny
Has blossomed into crimes
There my cursed father once stood
And shouted to us, his children
To come back from our play
To our evening meal and sleep.

The mood of the poem is

Read the extract and answer the question

Here lies our sovereign Lord the King
Whose word no man relies on
Who never said a foolish thing
And never did a wise one.

A bard is a

Answer Details

A bard is a poet.

Read the extract and answer the question

Here lies our sovereign Lord the King
Whose word no man relies on
Who never said a foolish thing
And never did a wise one.

The tone of the extract is one of

Answer Details

The tone of the extract is sarcasm. The speaker seems to be mocking the King by presenting him as someone whose words are not reliable, and who has never said or done anything wise, despite his position of power and authority. The use of irony in describing the King in this way suggests a critical and sarcastic tone.

Read the extract and answer the question

Here lies our sovereign Lord the King
Whose word no man relies on
Who never said a foolish thing
And never did a wise one.

A literary work that vividly portrays life can be described as

Answer Details

A literary work that vividly portrays life can be described as realistic. The excerpt given, however, is sarcastic because it is making fun of the king by suggesting that he never said anything wise and never did anything foolish.

Through the trees l'll hear a single ringing sound, a cowbell jingle. The underlined illustrate _ rhyme.

Answer Details

The underlined text illustrates end rhyme. End rhyme is a type of rhyme that occurs at the end of the lines of poetry, where the last words in each line rhyme with each other. In this case, "sound" and "jingle" are the words that rhyme at the end of the lines.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: The Tempest

Read the extract and answer the question

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometime voices,
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again.And then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open, and show riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.
(Act 111, scene two, lines 132-140)

The speaker is a

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: The Tempest

Read the extract and answer the question

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometime voices,
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again.And then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open, and show riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.
(Act 111, scene two, lines 132-140)

Another character presents is

Read the extract and answer the question

Faith, sir you need not fear. When we were boys,
Who would believe that there were mountaineers
Dew-lapped like bulls, whose throats had hanging at'em
Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men
Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find
Each putter-out of five for one will bring us
Good warrant of.
(Act 111, scene Three, lines 44-49)

What happens to the spirits?

The above lines illustrate

NON-AFRICAN POETRY

Examine the theme of loneliness in "Daffodils "

Answer Details

None

NON-AFRICAN DRAMA 

OSCAR WILDE: The Importance of Being Earnest

Analyse the deceptive nature of Algernon.

Answer Details

None

AFRICAN DRAMA

FEMI OSOFISAN: Women of Owu

Justify the assertion that the people of Owu are the architects of their own destruction. 

Answer Details

None

NON-AFRICAN POETRY

Comment on the poet's message to 'the court', 'Church', and Potentates in 'the soul's Errand". 

Answer Details

None

AFRICAN PROSE

ASARE KONADU: A Woman In Her Prime

Narrate Pokuwaa's experience with her first two husbands.

Answer Details

None

NON-AFRICAN PROSE

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: The Old Man and The Sea

Discuss the theme of perseverance in the novel

Answer Details

None

NON-AFRICAN PROSE

WILLIAM GOLDING: Lord of the Flies

How does Ralph's exercise of authority differ from Jack's? 

Answer Details

None

NON-AFRICAN PROSE

WILLIAM GOLDING: Lord of the Flies

Give an account of the novel as a story of adventure. 

Answer Details

None

AFRICAN POETRY 

Discuss the poet's diction in "The fence." 

Answer Details

None

NON-AFRICAN PROSE

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: The Old Man and The Sea

 Examine the character of Manolin.

Answer Details

None

NON-AFRICAN DRAMA 

OSCAR WILDE: The Importance of Being Earnest

How important is Miss Prism in the play? 

Answer Details

None

AFRICAN POETRY 

How do the 'Patriots and the 'elite' contribute to poverty in "Ambassadors of Poverty"?

Answer Details

None

AFRICAN DRAMA

FEMI OSOFISAN: Women of Owu

Discuss the plight of women in the play. 

Answer Details

None

AFRICAN PROSE

ASARE KONADU: A Woman In Her Prime

How would you describe the relationship between Kwadwo and Pokuwaa? 

Answer Details

None

AFRICAN DRAMA

KOBINA SEKYI: The Blinkards.

Analyse the character of Mr. Onyimdze

Answer Details

None

AFRICAN PROSE

ADICHIE CHIMAMANDA NGOZI: Purple Hibiscus

Assess Eugene's relationship with his immediate family. 

Answer Details

None

AFRICAN PROSE

ADICHIE CHIMAMANDA NGOZI: Purple Hibiscus

Comment on the character of Jaja. 

Answer Details

None

NON-AFRICAN DRAMA 

BERNARD SHAW: Arms and the Man

Comment on the relationship between the Petkoffs and their servants.

Answer Details

None

AFRICAN DRAMA

KOBINA SEKYI: The Blinkards.

To what extent is Mrs. Borofosem a blind imitator of the English ways of life? 

Answer Details

None

NON-AFRICAN DRAMA 

BERNARD SHAW: Arms and the Man

Assess the character of Raina Petkoff

Answer Details

None