80 JAMB Objective Literature in English Questions

1. A play that combines elements of both tragedy and comedy is called a

A. melodrama
B. tragicomedy
C. farce
D. opera

2. In drama, a speech delivered by a character alone on stage, revealing inner

thoughts, is known as a
A. monologue
B. dialogue
C. soliloquy
D. aside

3. The use of costumes and scenery in a play primarily serves to

A. entertain the audience
B. enhance visual appeal
C. reflect the socio-political context
D. develop character relationships

4. In Wole Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel, the character Lakunle represents
A. traditional African values
B. colonial oppression
C. modern Western ideals
D. religious authority

5. The central conflict in John Osborne's Look Back in Anger revolves around
A. political corruption
B. marital discord and class struggle
C. racial discrimination
D. economic hardship

6. A farce is best described as a

A. serious drama with a tragic ending
B. light comedy that aims to amuse through exaggerated situations
C. musical performance within a play
D. dramatic monologue expressing deep emotions
7. In drama, the term 'dénouement' refers to the
A. introduction of characters
B. climax of the plot
C. resolution or conclusion of the story
D. main conflict between protagonist and antagonist

8. The use of a character's dialogue to reveal their thoughts without other

characters hearing is called
A. soliloquy
B. aside
C. monologue
D. dialogue

9. In The Lion and the Jewel, the 'jewel' symbolizes

A. wealth and power
B. Sidi's beauty and virginity
C. Lakunle's ambitions
D. the village's cultural heritage

10. The setting of a play refers to its

A. thematic concerns
B. time and place of action
C. sequence of events
D. moral lessons

11. A novel that depicts the psychological growth of its protagonist is known as a
A. dystopian novel
B. bildungsroman
C. gothic novel
D. epistolary novel

12. The narrative technique where the story is told from the 'I' perspective is called
A. third-person omniscient
B. second-person narration
C. first-person point of view
D. stream of consciousness

13. In Buchi Emecheta's Second Class Citizen, the protagonist's main struggle is
against
A. colonial rulers
B. gender and racial discrimination
C. financial instability
D. family expectations

14. The term 'faction' in literature refers to a

A. fictional story based on real events
B. division within a narrative
C. combination of multiple genres
D. fictional work with allegorical elements

15. In Alex Agyei-Agyiri's Unexpected Joy at Dawn, the theme of displacement is

explored through
A. political exile
B. economic migration
C. cultural assimilation
D. religious persecution

16. A character who undergoes significant change throughout a story is termed

A. static
B. flat
C. dynamic
D. stock

17. The use of letters and diary entries to tell a story is characteristic of a
A. picaresque novel
B. epistolary novel
C. historical novel
D. pastoral novel

18. The climax of a narrative is the point where

A. the story begins
B. tension reaches its highest level
C. background information is provided
D. the conflict is introduced

19. In Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, the relationship between Heathcliff and
Catherine is best described as
A. platonic friendship
B. unrequited love
C. passionate and tumultuous
D. superficial infatuation
20. The setting of a prose work includes
A. only the physical location
B. the time period and physical location
C. the main characters' backgrounds
D. the author's biography

21. A 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme is known as a

A. limerick
B. haiku
C. sonnet
D. ode

22. The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in poetry is called
A. assonance
B. consonance
C. alliteration
D. onomatopoeia

23. In Leopold Sedar Senghor's Black Woman, the 'black woman' symbolizes
A. oppression and suffering
B. beauty and mother Africa
C. mystery and darkness
D. rebellion and strength

24. The persona in a poem refers to

A. the poet themselves
B. the narrator or speaker of the poem
C. the main character in the poem
D. the reader's interpretation

25. A poem that laments the death of an individual is called

A. an ode
B. a ballad
C. an elegy
D. a sonnet

26. In Niyi Osundare's The Leader and the Led, the poet uses animals to
A. depict a pastoral scene
B. criticize political leadership
C. explore human-animal relationships
D. entertain children
27. The term 'enjambment' in poetry refers to
A. the repetition of vowel sounds
B. the continuation of a sentence beyond a line break
C. the use of rhyme at the end of lines
D. the structured rhythm of a poem

28. Maya Angelou's Caged Bird contrasts the experiences of free and caged birds
to highlight themes of
A. nature and nurture
B. freedom and oppression
C. love and loss
D. hope and despair

29. The 'turn' or shift in thought in a sonnet, typically occurring between the octave
and sestet, is known as the
A. volta
B. caesura
C. enjambment
D. refrain

30. In poetry, 'diction' refers to

A. the poem's rhythm and meter
B. the choice and use of words
C. the visual layout on the page
D. the use of symbolic language

31. A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unrelated
things without using 'like' or 'as' is a
A. simile
B. metaphor
C. hyperbole
D. personification

32. The use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in a story is called
A. flashback
B. climax
C. foreshadowing
D. irony
33. A character that contrasts with another character, usually the protagonist, to
highlight particular qualities is called a
A. hero
B. foil
C. antagonist
D. narrator

34. The use of exaggeration for emphasis or effect is known as

A. euphemism
B. irony
C. hyperbole
D. paradox

35. A situation where the opposite of what is expected occurs is called

A. dramatic irony
B. verbal irony
C. situational irony
D. sarcasm

36. The central idea or message of a literary work is called its

A. plot
B. setting
C. theme
D. tone

37. A literary work that ridicules societal vices with the intent of correcting them is
called
A. parody
B. satire
C. farce
D. elegy

38. The atmosphere or emotional setting of a literary work is its

A. tone
B. mood
C. theme
D. setting

39. Giving human characteristics to non-human things is known as

A. metaphor
B. irony
C. personification
D. symbolism

40. A short, fictional story that teaches a moral lesson is called a

A. novel
B. drama
C. fable
D. myth

41. In Second Class Citizen, Adah’s ambition to go to the UK is primarily driven

by
A. her love for Western culture
B. her desire for education and success
C. her husband's influence
D. fear of her family

42. In The Last Duty by Isidore Okpewho, the conflict arises from
A. family rivalry
B. ethnic war and its consequences
C. political competition
D. religious crisis

43. In Unexpected Joy at Dawn, Mama Orojo's dedication to her church shows her
A. hypocrisy
B. religious fanaticism
C. kindness and resilience
D. greed

44. The theme of Second Class Citizen includes all of the following EXCEPT
A. racial discrimination
B. gender inequality
C. religious extremism
D. marital oppression

45. In The Last Duty, the narrative technique used is mainly

A. third-person omniscient
B. first-person narrative
C. stream of consciousness
D. second-person narration
46. In Wuthering Heights, the setting contributes to the novel's
A. romantic mood
B. tragic atmosphere
C. comedic tone
D. political allegory

47. Heathcliff is best described as a

A. comic relief
B. tragic villain
C. noble hero
D. passive observer

48. The narrative technique used in Wuthering Heights is

A. omniscient narration
B. double narrative
C. diary entry
D. monologue

49. Emily Brontë uses the motif of ghosts and dreams to

A. frighten the reader
B. explain the supernatural
C. emphasize psychological trauma and longing
D. justify violence

50. A major theme in Wuthering Heights is

A. racial conflict
B. industrial revolution
C. revenge and passion
D. Christian salvation

51. In The Lion and the Jewel, Baroka represents

A. colonial rule
B. modern education
C. traditional authority
D. religious influence

52. Sidi refuses Lakunle’s proposal because

A. he is too old
B. he lacks money
C. he refuses to pay the bride price
D. he is not handsome
53. A key theme in The Lion and the Jewel is
A. feminism
B. generational conflict
C. cultural conflict between tradition and modernity
D. economic rivalry

54. Lakunle’s view on women and tradition can be described as

A. conservative
B. revolutionary
C. indifferent
D. traditional

55. In Soyinka's play, the dance and mime are used to

A. confuse the audience
B. add humor
C. narrate past events
D. decorate the stage

56. In Look Back in Anger, Jimmy is often angry because

A. he is sick
B. his wife cheats on him
C. he is frustrated with the British class system
D. he lost his job

57. The relationship between Jimmy and Alison can best be described as
A. romantic and peaceful
B. emotionally strained and turbulent
C. loving and secure
D. respectful and distant

58. Osborne uses Jimmy’s rants to

A. provide comic relief
B. express political ideologies
C. explore post-war disillusionment
D. show his love for Alison

59. Helena’s character represents

A. stability
B. domestic chaos
C. middle-class hypocrisy
D. feminine empowerment
60. A dominant theme in Look Back in Anger is
A. colonial resistance
B. class struggle and alienation
C. war trauma
D. traditional marriage roles

61. In The Leader and the Led, the message is that

A. the lion should rule all
B. only strong animals make good leaders
C. leadership requires a blend of qualities
D. weakness leads to downfall

62. In Black Woman, the poet uses the woman to represent

A. a goddess
B. a mother
C. Africa
D. nature

63. The tone of Black Woman is primarily

A. sarcastic
B. ironic
C. admiring and reverent
D. bitter

64. In Piano and Drums, the poet contrasts

A. education and ignorance
B. war and peace
C. tradition and modernity
D. wealth and poverty

65. The poem Vanity by Birago Diop emphasizes

A. self-praise
B. materialism
C. the neglect of ancestral wisdom
D. political freedom

66. In The Proud King, the king's downfall is caused by his

A. wisdom
B. humility
C. arrogance
D. kindness
67. Maya Angelou’s Caged Bird uses the bird as a symbol of
A. slavery and oppression
B. love and betrayal
C. hope and freedom
D. strength and unity

68. The free bird represents

A. restriction
B. comfort
C. privilege and liberty
D. fear

69. The central theme of The Good Morrow by John Donne is

A. heartbreak
B. spiritual love
C. adventure
D. loss

70. The poetic device used predominantly in Birches by Robert Frost is

A. metaphor
B. simile
C. rhyme
D. irony

71. A subplot is
A. the main story in a drama
B. a secondary storyline that complements the main plot
C. an unexpected climax
D. the moral lesson of a story

72. The function of a prologue is to

A. summarize the story
B. describe characters
C. introduce background information
D. end the play

73. An anti-hero is a protagonist who

A. always wins
B. possesses no heroic qualities
C. is morally upright
D. obeys the law
74. The rising action in a plot refers to
A. resolution of the conflict
B. events leading to the climax
C. background information
D. final confrontation

75. A metaphor is
A. an indirect comparison using ‘like’ or ‘as’
B. a direct comparison without ‘like’ or ‘as’
C. repetition of sounds
D. a poetic meter

76. A narrative poem

A. only describes objects
B. tells a story
C. teaches moral lessons
D. explores romantic feelings

77. The poet's attitude in a poem is referred to as the

A. theme
B. tone
C. motif
D. persona

78. Conflict in literature is important because it

A. confuses the reader
B. builds suspense and drives the plot
C. entertains the audience
D. resolves all problems

79. Irony in literature is used to

A. express joy
B. create suspense
C. highlight contradictions between appearance and reality
D. simplify language

80. A foil character helps to

A. confuse the reader
B. distract from the plot
C. contrast with another character to highlight traits
D. resolve the conflict