Literature-in-English past questions: WAEC SSCE 2022

49 objective questions, with answers. Free to read and practise.

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49 questions, one at a time, marked as you go or at the end. No account needed.

1.
A novel that features spiritual apparitions as major character is
1. A.Epistolary
2. B.Gothic
3. C.Historical
4. D.Socialogical
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Answer: B Gothic
2.
A novel that recounts the adventures of a likeable rogue is
1. A.panegyric
2. B.gothic
3. C.picaresque
4. D.grotesque
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Answer: C picaresque
3.
A short play performed between the acts of a bigger play for entertainment is
1. A.an in media res
2. B.an interlude
3. C.an incantation
4. D.a deux ex machina
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Answer: B an interlude
4.
A story with elements that have both literal and figurative meanings is
1. A.an allegory
2. B.a fable
3. C.a novella
4. D.an epistle
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Answer: A an allegory
5.
A word or a phrase that is repeated at regular intervals in a poem or a play is a
1. A.dirge
2. B.refrain
3. C.lullaby
4. D.verse
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Answer: B refrain
6.
An aside in drama is used mostly to create a sense of
1. A.admiration
2. B.conspiracy
3. C.greatness
4. D.superiority
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Answer: B conspiracy
7.
At the fall of their house, the widow lost her husband, her sewing machine and her ear-rings illustrates
1. A.bathos
2. B.epigram
3. C.pathos
4. D.oxymoron
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Answer: A bathos
8.
But they have soothed us calmly, your lies illustrate
1. A.paradox
2. B.irony
3. C.synecdoche
4. D.zeugma
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Answer: B irony
9.
Did your read our minds in your lies? exemplifies
1. A.personification
2. B.oxymoron
3. C.pathetic fallacy
4. D.rhetorical question
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Answer: D rhetorical question
10.
Disguise in drama mostly portrays the theme of
1. A.known identity
2. B.plain identity
3. C.unknown identity
4. D.mistaken identity
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Answer: D mistaken identity
11.
Flood waters met in a mocking kiss illustrates
1. A.contrast
2. B.euphemism
3. C.personification
4. D.litotes
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Answer: C personification
12.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream It is a state of
1. A.deception
2. B.ignorance
3. C.illusion
4. D.innocence
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Answer: C illusion
13.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream Philostrate is
1. A.Clown of Hippolyta
2. B.Duke's entertainer
3. C.Fairy king's cuckold
4. D.Rival of Puck
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Answer: B Duke's entertainer
14.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream Speaker Y speaks in the voice of
1. A.Bottom
2. B.Demetrius
3. C.Oberon
4. D.Lysander
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Answer: D Lysander
15.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream Speaker Y's intention is to stop
1. A.plan
2. B.fight
3. C.plot
4. D.flight
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Answer: B fight
16.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream Speakers X and Y are
1. A.Demetrious and Puck
2. B.Lysander and Demetrius
3. C.Hermia and Helen
4. D.Lysander and Puck
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Answer: A Demetrious and Puck
17.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream The architect of the speaker's current state is
1. A.Hippolyta
2. B.Oberon
3. C.Titania
4. D.Theseus
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Answer: B Oberon
18.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream The pair are lovers by
1. A.accident
2. B.fate
3. C.design
4. D.fortune
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Answer: C design
19.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream The relationship between the speaker and thou in the first line is one of
1. A.companionship
2. B.friendship
3. C.king and courtier
4. D.master and errand boy
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Answer: C king and courtier
20.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream The speaker has just come out of
1. A.an appalling experience
2. B.a nightmare
3. C.an induced sleep
4. D.a rehearsal
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Answer: A an appalling experience
21.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream The speaker is
1. A.Bottom
2. B.Puck
3. C.Quince
4. D.Peaseblossom
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Answer: A Bottom
22.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream The speaker's attitude towards melancholy is
1. A.adoration
2. B.dislike
3. C.intolerance
4. D.tolerance
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Answer: C intolerance
23.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream The wars are over
1. A.Helena
2. B.Titania
3. C.Hermia
4. D.Hippolyta
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Answer: A Helena
24.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream This sweet sight refers to
1. A.Bottom and Titania
2. B.Demetrius and Helena
3. C.Lysander and Hermia
4. D.Pyramus and Thisbe
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Answer: A Bottom and Titania
25.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream While the speaker is talking
1. A.Egeus departs
2. B.Flute arrives
3. C.the fairies sing
4. D.Philostrate departs
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Answer: D Philostrate departs
26.
From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream Who is the speaker?
1. A.Demetrius
2. B.Egeus
3. C.Hermia
4. D.Theseus
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Answer: D Theseus
27.
In drama, catharsis is the
1. A.change of setting
2. B.conflict between two characters
3. C.resolution of conflict
4. D.purgation of emotion from tension
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Answer: D purgation of emotion from tension
28.
In literature, the two components of diction are
1. A.sentence construction and punctuation
2. B.vocabulary and punctuation
3. C.syntax and sentence construction
4. D.vocabulary and syntax
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Answer: D vocabulary and syntax
29.
Lines 3 and 4 illustrate
1. A.antithesis
2. B.oxymoron
3. C.anti-climax
4. D.metonymy
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Answer: A antithesis
30.
Men swift to see things done , do not run their commanding. The words in italics exemplify
1. A.pun
2. B.end rhyme
3. C.internal rhyme
4. D.paradox
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Answer: C internal rhyme
31.
More haste, less speed illustrates the use of
1. A.anaphora
2. B.paradox
3. C.litotes
4. D.synecdoche
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Answer: B paradox
32.
My bounty is as boundless as the sea my love as deep The above lines illustrate
1. A.apostrophe
2. B.epigram
3. C.hyperbole
4. D.euphemism
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Answer: C hyperbole
33.
Poetry gets bored of being alone It wants to go outdoors to chew the winds. The mental picture evoked in the above lines is that of
1. A.smell and touch
2. B.sight and hearing
3. C.taste and touch
4. D.sight and taste
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Answer: D sight and taste
34.
Read the extract below and answer the following questions ... Man is but an ass if he go about to expound this dream. Methought I was - there is no man can tell what. Methought I was, and methought I had - but man is But a patched fool, if he will offer To say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream was (Act IV, Scene One, Lines 201 - 207) From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream The speaker's language is best described as
1. A.comic
2. B.satiric
3. C.conceit
4. D.metaphoric
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Answer: A comic
35.
Read the extract below and answer the following questions ... seest thou this sweet sight? Her dotage now I do begin to pity; For meeting her of late behind the wood, Seeking sweet favours for this hateful fool, I did upbraid her, and fall out with her. For she his hairy temples then had rounded With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers; (Act IV, Scene One, Lines 42 - 28) From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream The speaker appears to be
1. A.blaming himself
2. B.commending the addressee
3. C.enjoying himself
4. D.lamenting the sight
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Answer: A blaming himself
36.
Read the extract below and answer the following questions A little learning is a dangerous thing: Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring The shallow droughts intoxicate the brain And drinking largely sobers us again The poem is
1. A.allegoric
2. B.didactic
3. C.metaphysical
4. D.romantic
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Answer: B didactic
37.
Read the extract below and answer the following questions A little learning is a dangerous thing: Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring The shallow droughts intoxicate the brain And drinking largely sobers us again The tone of the poet is
1. A.jocular
2. B.harsh
3. C.mournful
4. D.sombre
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Answer: D sombre
38.
Read the extract below and answer the following questions Speaker X: Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled? Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head? Speaker Y: Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars, Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars, And wilt not come? Come, recreant, come, thou child; I'll whip thee with a rod. He is defiled That draws a sword on thee. (Act III, Scene Two, Lines 405 - 411) From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream Speaker Y's speech can be described as
1. A.cowardly
2. B.solemn
3. C.taunting
4. D.silly
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Answer: C taunting
39.
Read the poem below and answer the following questions Your lies are the withering strokes still, they come from the inner recesses of your dungeoned heart. And though venomous than the venom, they inspire our once dociled minds to disorders even as your angels of death pass us by with messages of hopeless hope. Did you read our mind in your lies? We know the seat of power in a castle of your evil heart; where your lies are imprisoned to be released again and again; they are never in rain! but they have soothed us calmly , your lies; the war is not of you anymore, it is of the angels who pass us by with messages of peace. The last lines of both stanzas present
1. A.Negative but similar ideas
2. B.opposite ideas
3. C.Positive but opposite ideas
4. D.similar ideas
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Answer: D similar ideas
40.
Several hands stretched out for free meals at the refugee camp illustrates
1. A.Antithesis
2. B.Euphemism
3. C.Litotes
4. D.Synecdoche
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Answer: D Synecdoche
41.
The literary term describing individuals in a work of literature is
1. A.characters
2. B.protagonist
3. C.narrator
4. D.villain
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Answer: A characters
42.
The main theme of the poem is
1. A.evil of lying
2. B.hopeless hope
3. C.message of peace
4. D.message of war
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Answer: A evil of lying
43.
The narrative technique used is
1. A.1st person
2. B.Dialogue
3. C.3rd person
4. D.stream of consciousness
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Answer: D stream of consciousness
44.
The overall feeling evoked by the passage is one of
1. A.anger
2. B.empathy
3. C.love
4. D.relief
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Answer: B empathy
45.
The reference to mountain illustrates
1. A.allusion
2. B.irony
3. C.parallelism
4. D.antithesis
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Answer: A allusion
46.
The tone of the speaker shows
1. A.contentment
2. B.helplessness
3. C.patience
4. D.resilience
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Answer: B helplessness
47.
The warriors conquered my men and my country illustrates the use of
1. A.Paradox
2. B.Litotes
3. C.Parallelism
4. D.Zeugma
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Answer: D Zeugma
48.
Unseen Prose and Poetry Read the passage below and answer the following questions Marooned, Akpatse felt imprisoned. It was fifteen days since the storm. The flood waters were not receding; neither did Akpatse see any sign of help coming. Akpatse could not swim the expanse of flood waters. He meditated: when one looks upon the mountain for help and help comes from the Lord ... where does the Lord sit - in the cloud or on the mountain, or in the valley? Well, Akpatse looked for salvation in the distance, far across the ocean of flood - the intimidating expense of his great gaoler - up to where the sky and the lips of the flood waters met in a mocking kiss. He had forgotten the feeling of hunger but knew he did not have any energy. What a foolish thing to think! He had not had any food for days. True. But hunger never said hello from the hollow of his 'person-tree' as they say in his language. Akpatse saw no help coming. The last sentence conveys the mood of
1. A.anxiety
2. B.despondency
3. C.excitement
4. D.nonchalance
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Answer: B despondency
49.
William Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream Read the extract below and answer the following questions Go, Philostrate, Sir up the Athenian youth to merriments; Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth; Turn melancholy forth to funerals: The pale companion is not our pomp Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword, And won thy love doing thee injuries; But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp with triumph, and with reveling ( Act 1, Scene One, Lines 12-20) From the novel; A Midsummer Night's Dream To win Hippolyta's love, the speaker
1. A.disowned his friends
2. B.had to fight against her
3. C.killed his father
4. D.sent Puck away
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Answer: B had to fight against her

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