Welcome to our WAEC past question and answer series. In this post, we will be sharing Literature in English 2018 past questions and their answers for various subjects. Stay tuned enjoy while learning.
1. The Main Character in a Play or Novel is the ____________
A. Protagonist
B. Narrator
C. Villain
D. Antagonist
2. A dramatic performance with ONLY bodily movements and no speech is a _____________
A. Farce
B. Mime
C. Slapstick
D. Burlesque
3. Before a play is performed, it is ___________
A. Auditioned
B. Applauded
C. Rehearsed
D. Recited
4. A play that moves the audience to pity and fear is a ____________
A. Comedy
B. Farce
C. Pantomime
D. Tragedy
5. A Sonnet has a final couplet when it has___________
A. A sestet
B. An octave
C. Two sestets
D. Three quatrains
6. He is my most beloved enemy illustrates…
A. Synecdoche
B. Oxymoron
C. Metonymy
D. Litotes
7. The cast appears at the end of a play for the ___________-
A. Musical
B. Curtain Call
C. Intermission
D. Introduction
8. Diction is a writer’s choice of___________-
A. Style
B. Syntax
C. Rhythm
D. Words
9. A poem which celebrates simple country life is___________
A. A dirge
B. An ode
C. An epic
D. A pastoral
10. Oh spite! Oh Hell!! I see you are all bent
To set against me for your merriment.
The lines illustrate__________
A. Epitaph
B. Epigram
C. Apostrophe
D. Allusion
11. Hamartia, in a literary work refers to a hero’s_________
A. Tragic flaw
B. Inordinate ambition
C. strength of character
D. Good works
12. Who lied in the chapel
Now lies in the Abbey
The dominant device used is___________-
A. Paradox
B. Pun
C. Chiasmus
D. Zeugma
13. A short play performed during the pause between the acts of a longer play is____________-
A. An Interlude
B. An epilogue
C. A prologue
D. An interval
14. Weeping Pillow illustrates________
A. Dramatic Monologue
B. Pathetic Fallacy
C. Transferred epithet
D. Dramatic Irony
15. But the towering earth was tired of sitting in one position.
She moved suddenly and the houses crumbled, the mountains heaved horrible, and the work of a million years was lost
The predominant figure of speech in the extract is____________
A. Oxymoron
B. Personification
C. Contrast
D. Paradox
16. But the towering earth was tired of sitting in one position.
She moved suddenly and the houses crumbled, the mountains heaved horrible, and the work of a million years was lost
The extract is about____________
A. An earthquake
B. A flood
C. An explosion
D. A storm
17. But the towering earth was tired of sitting in one position.
She moved suddenly and the houses crumbled, the mountains heaved horrible, and the work of a million years was lost
The effect of the extract is conveyed through the use of___________
A. Antithesis
B. Parallelism
C. Conceit
D. Climax
18. Beware her faintly failing health, and gentle gallands around her speed Illustrates_________
A. Oxymoron
B. Alliteration
C. Synecdoche
D. Repetition
19. The eight-line part of a Petrarchan sonnet is the________________
A. Quatrain
B. Octave
C. Octameter
D. Quartet
20. The metrical beat in the The Splendor falls on castle walls is___________
A. Anapaestic
B. Dactylic
C. Trochaic
D. Iambic
21. Jame’s heart beat madly as he and Alice approached the beeping metal detector at the entrance. The oblivious swinging door hugged the couple with inviting, outstretched arms and ushered them into the lobby in genial welcome. The receptionist asked James to surrender any valuable items he had; if they got lost, management would be liable.
James looked at Alice, his wife returned his guilt-stricken, dubious look with an innocent, trusting smile. What would he do if jewels went missing? How would he explain it to himself? What would he have gained by his mischief? What had come over James so shamelessly to decide to rob his own wife? The swindled woman stood innocently beside her unrepentant husband as he took the key to their room with hands the shook slightly.
The expression door hugged the couple illustrates_________
A. Euphemism
B. Personification
C. Litotes
D. Onomatopoeia
22. Jame’s heart beat madly as he and Alice approached the beeping metal detector at the entrance. The oblivious swinging door hugged the couple with inviting, outstretched arms and ushered them into the lobby in genial welcome. The receptionist asked James to surrender any valuable items he had; if they got lost, management would be liable.
James looked at Alice, his wife returned his guilt-stricken, dubious look with an innocent, trusting smile. What would he do if jewels went missing? How would he explain it to himself? What would he have gained by his mischief? What had come over James so shamelessly to decide to rob his own wife? The swindled woman stood innocently beside her unrepentant husband as he took the key to their room with hands the shook slightly.
The narrative technique is___________
A. First person
B. Stream of consciousness
C. Third person
D. Interior monologue
23. Jame’s heart beat madly as he and Alice approached the beeping metal detector at the entrance. The oblivious swinging door hugged the couple with inviting, outstretched arms and ushered them into the lobby in genial welcome. The receptionist asked James to surrender any valuable items he had; if they got lost, management would be liable.
James looked at Alice, his wife returned his guilt-stricken, dubious look with an innocent, trusting smile. What would he do if jewels went missing? How would he explain it to himself? What would he have gained by his mischief? What had come over James so shamelessly to decide to rob his own wife? The swindled woman stood innocently beside her unrepentant husband as he took the key to their room with hands the shook slightly.
How would he explain it to himself? exemplifies________
A. Hyperbole
B. Parallelism
C. Rhetorical question
D. Understatement
24. Jame’s heart beat madly as he and Alice approached the beeping metal detector at the entrance. The oblivious swinging door hugged the couple with inviting, outstretched arms and ushered them into the lobby in genial welcome. The receptionist asked James to surrender any valuable items he had; if they got lost, management would be liable.
James looked at Alice, his wife returned his guilt-stricken, dubious look with an innocent, trusting smile. What would he do if jewels went missing? How would he explain it to himself? What would he have gained by his mischief? What had come over James so shamelessly to decide to rob his own wife? The swindled woman stood innocently beside her unrepentant husband as he took the key to their room with hands the shook slightly.
The writer’s attitude towards James is ONE of ______
A. Sympathy
B. Distrust
C. Support
D. Disapproval
25. Jame’s heart beat madly as he and Alice approached the beeping metal detector at the entrance. The oblivious swinging door hugged the couple with inviting, outstretched arms and ushered them into the lobby in genial welcome. The receptionist asked James to surrender any valuable items he had; if they got lost, management would be liable.
James looked at Alice, his wife returned his guilt-stricken, dubious look with an innocent, trusting smile. What would he do if jewels went missing? How would he explain it to himself? What would he have gained by his mischief? What had come over James so shamelessly to decide to rob his own wife? The swindled woman stood innocently beside her unrepentant husband as he took the key to their room with hands the shook slightly.
The setting is_____________
A. The couple’s home
B. A modern hotel
C. The airport
D. A school
26. Poison ivy came up like a rose
in red and thorny garb
I look, liked and did dare touch
my pals my avid touch espied
with green and frosty eyes
I should’ve only looked, and not leapt,
For away and over my rising moon she flew
On clipped wings of my dream
Now a song-filled air pocket of serenades
A love’s wretch, my dream is a hornbill
Flightless and tottering.
My dream remains a dream still
Now my dream is a locked-up serenade
The mood of the persona is one of___________
A. Contempt
B. Hilarity
C. Despondency
D. Hopefulness
27. Poison ivy came up like a rose
in red and thorny garb
I look, liked and did dare touch
my pals my avid touch espied
with green and frosty eyes
I should’ve only looked, and not leapt,
For away and over my rising moon she flew
On clipped wings of my dream
Now a song-filled air pocket of serenades
A love’s wretch, my dream is a hornbill
Flightless and tottering.
My dream remains a dream still
Now my dream is a locked-up serenade
The theme of the poem is_______
A. Love in the garden
B. The acceptance
C. The rising moon
D. Unrequited Love
28. Poison ivy came up like a rose
in red and thorny garb
I look, liked and did dare touch
my pals my avid touch espied
with green and frosty eyes
I should’ve only looked, and not leapt,
For away and over my rising moon she flew
On clipped wings of my dream
Now a song-filled air pocket of serenades
A love’s wretch, my dream is a hornbill
Flightless and tottering.
My dream remains a dream still
Now my dream is a locked-up serenade
The envy of the persona’s friends is expressed in the __________
A. Avid touch
B. Clipped wings
C. Green and Frosty eyes
D. Song-filled air pocket
29. Poison ivy came up like a rose
in red and thorny garb
I look, liked and did dare touch
my pals my avid touch espied
with green and frosty eyes
I should’ve only looked, and not leapt,
For away and over my rising moon she flew
On clipped wings of my dream
Now a song-filled air pocket of serenades
A love’s wretch, my dream is a hornbill
Flightless and tottering.
My dream remains a dream still
Now my dream is a locked-up serenade
Line 2 is in iambic___________
A. Trimether
B. Tetrameter
C. Pentameter
D. Hexameter
30. Poison ivy came up like a rose
in red and thorny garb
I look, liked and did dare touch
my pals my avid touch espied
with green and frosty eyes
I should’ve only looked, and not leapt,
For away and over my rising moon she flew
On clipped wings of my dream
Now a song-filled air pocket of serenades
A love’s wretch, my dream is a hornbill
Flightless and tottering.
My dream remains a dream still
Now my dream is a locked-up serenade
The last line illustrates___________
A. Parallelism
B. Contrast
C. Hyperbole
D. Metaphor
31. Othello: Not I. I must be found
My parts, my title, and my perfect soul
Shall manifest me rightly, is it they?
Iago: By Janus, I think so
Othello: The servants of the Duke? And my Lieutenant?
The goodness of the night upon you, friends
What is the news?
(Act 1, Scene Two, Lines 29 – 34)
Just before this, Iago advises Othello to____________
A. Stay there
B. Go in
C. Show concern
D. Be fair
32. Othello: Not I. I must be found
My parts, my title, and my perfect soul
Shall manifest me rightly, is it they?
Iago: By Janus, I think so
Othello: The servants of the Duke? And my Lieutenant?
The goodness of the night upon you, friends
What is the news?
(Act 1, Scene Two, Lines 29 – 34)
By Janus is_____________
A. Flashback
B. Foregrounding
C. An allusion
D. Euphemism
33. Othello: Not I. I must be found
My parts, my title, and my perfect soul
Shall manifest me rightly, is it they?
Iago: By Janus, I think so
Othello: The servants of the Duke? And my Lieutenant?
The goodness of the night upon you, friends
What is the news?
(Act 1, Scene Two, Lines 29 – 34)
The news Othello receives is that he must___________
A. Set sail for Cyprus
B. Reconcile the Brabantio
C. Prepare a Military strategy
D. Appear before the council
34. Othello: Not I. I must be found
My parts, my title, and my perfect soul
Shall manifest me rightly, is it they?
Iago: By Janus, I think so
Othello: The servants of the Duke? And my Lieutenant?
The goodness of the night upon you, friends
What is the news?
(Act 1, Scene Two, Lines 29 – 34)
Duke is in council that night because of_____________
A. Brabantio’s complaint
B. Iago’s demotion
C. The Turkish threat
D. Cassio’s Dismissal as Lieutenant
35. Othello: Not I. I must be found
My parts, my title, and my perfect soul
Shall manifest me rightly, is it they?
Iago: By Janus, I think so
Othello: The servants of the Duke? And my Lieutenant?
The goodness of the night upon you, friends
What is the news?
(Act 1, Scene Two, Lines 29 – 34)
Later on, Brabantio accuses Othello of___________
A. Being unfair to Iago
B. Instigating a brawl
C. Stealing his daughter
D. Being a Knave
36. Speaker: Let me speak like yourself and
Lay a sentence
Which, as a grise or step, may help these lovers, When
remediea are past, the griefs are ended
By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended
(Act !, Scene Three, lines 198-201)
The speaker is_________
A. Brabantio
B. Duke
C. Montano
D. Lodovico
37. Speaker: Let me speak like yourself and
Lay a sentence
Which, as a grise or step, may help these lovers, When
remediea are past, the griefs are ended
By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended
(Act !, Scene Three, lines 198-201)
He is responding to_________
A. Montano
B. Iago
C. Roderigo
D. Brabantio
38. Speaker: Let me speak like yourself and
Lay a sentence
Which, as a grise or step, may help these lovers, When
remediea are past, the griefs are ended
By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended
(Act !, Scene Three, lines 198-201)
The setting is_____________-
A. A council chamber
B. Venice, a street
C. Another street outside the Sagittary
D. The citadel of cyprus
39. Speaker: Let me speak like yourself and
Lay a sentence
Which, as a grise or step, may help these lovers, When
remediea are past, the griefs are ended
By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended
(Act !, Scene Three, lines 198-201)
These lovers refers to_________
A. Iago and Emilia
B. Cassio and Bianca
C. Roderigo and Desdemona
D. Othello and Desdemona
40. Speaker: Let me speak like yourself and
Lay a sentence
Which, as a grise or step, may help these lovers, When
remediea are past, the griefs are ended
By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended
(Act !, Scene Three, lines 198-201)
The expression lay a sentence means _________
A. Decide who is guilty
B. Offer criticism
C. Give advice
D. Speak politely
41. Othello: Why, how now, ho? from whence ariseth this?
Are we turned Turks, and to Ourselves do that
Which heaven hath forbid the ottomites?
For Christian shame put by this barbarous brawl!
He hat stirs next to carve for his own rage
Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.
Silence the dreadful bell, it frights the isle
From her propriety, What is the matter, masters?
Honest Iago, that looks dead with grieving
Speak, Who began this? On thy love, I charge thee
Iago: I do not know
(Acts II, Scene Three, Lines 155 – 165)
Othello is brought to the scene because___________
A. Iago is drunk
B. A bell has been rung
C. People are fighting
D. Cassio has stabbed Montano
42. Othello: Why, how now, ho? from whence ariseth this?
Are we turned Turks, and to Ourselves do that
Which heaven hath forbid the ottomites?
For Christian shame put by this barbarous brawl!
He hat stirs next to carve for his own rage
Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.
Silence the dreadful bell, it frights the isle
From her propriety, What is the matter, masters?
Honest Iago, that looks dead with grieving
Speak, Who began this? On thy love, I charge thee
Iago: I do not know
(Acts II, Scene Three, Lines 155 – 165)
The underlined expression refers to the____________
A. Intervention of the storm in the war
B. Return of the victorious army to Cyprus
C. Killing of Roderigo by Iago
D. Stabbing of Montano by Cassio
43. Othello: Why, how now, ho? from whence ariseth this?
Are we turned Turks, and to Ourselves do that
Which heaven hath forbid the ottomites?
For Christian shame put by this barbarous brawl!
He hat stirs next to carve for his own rage
Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.
Silence the dreadful bell, it frights the isle
From her propriety, What is the matter, masters?
Honest Iago, that looks dead with grieving
Speak, Who began this? On thy love, I charge thee
Iago: I do not know
(Acts II, Scene Three, Lines 155 – 165)
In “Who began this” This refers to the ______________
A. Theft
B. War
C. Bell
D. Brawl
44. Othello: Why, how now, ho? from whence ariseth this?
Are we turned Turks, and to Ourselves do that
Which heaven hath forbid the ottomites?
For Christian shame put by this barbarous brawl!
He hat stirs next to carve for his own rage
Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.
Silence the dreadful bell, it frights the isle
From her propriety, What is the matter, masters?
Honest Iago, that looks dead with grieving
Speak, Who began this? On thy love, I charge thee
Iago: I do not know
(Acts II, Scene Three, Lines 155 – 165)
To Othello, Iago is________________
A. Sincere
B. A negligent guard
C. Untrustworthy
D. A loyal senator
45. Othello: Why, how now, ho? from whence ariseth this?
Are we turned Turks, and to Ourselves do that
Which heaven hath forbid the ottomites?
For Christian shame put by this barbarous brawl!
He hat stirs next to carve for his own rage
Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.
Silence the dreadful bell, it frights the isle
From her propriety, What is the matter, masters?
Honest Iago, that looks dead with grieving
Speak, Who began this? On thy love, I charge thee
Iago: I do not know
(Acts II, Scene Three, Lines 155 – 165)
The major consequence of the brawl is that___________
A. Montano is killed
B. Roderigo demands his money back
C. Cassio is dismissed
D. Iago is given charge of the city
46. Speaker: I durst, my Lord, to wager she is honest
Lay down my soul at stake. If you think other,
Remove your thought. It doth abuse your bosom
If any wretch have put this your head,
Let heaven requite it with the serpents curse
For if she be not honest, chaste and true
There’s no man happy. The purest of their wives
Is foul as slander
(Acts IV, Scene Two, Lines 12-19)
The speaker is__________—
A. Iago
B. Desdemona
C. Cassio
D. Emilia
47. Speaker: I durst, my Lord, to wager she is honest
Lay down my soul at stake. If you think other,
Remove your thought. It doth abuse your bosom
If any wretch have put this your head,
Let heaven requite it with the serpents curse
For if she be not honest, chaste and true
There’s no man happy. The purest of their wives
Is foul as slander
(Acts IV, Scene Two, Lines 12-19)
The speaker is addressing__________
A. Othello
B. Montano
C. Duke
D. Roderigo
48. Speaker: I durst, my Lord, to wager she is honest
Lay down my soul at stake. If you think other,
Remove your thought. It doth abuse your bosom
If any wretch have put this your head,
Let heaven requite it with the serpents curse
For if she be not honest, chaste and true
There’s no man happy. The purest of their wives
Is foul as slander
(Acts IV, Scene Two, Lines 12-19)
The speech is in response to___________
A. The allegation that the speaker has lied about Desdemona
B. Iago’s disdain for Othello
C. Othello’s suspicion that Cassio and Desdemona are lovers
D. Brabantio’s rejection of his daughter
49. Speaker: I durst, my Lord, to wager she is honest
Lay down my soul at stake. If you think other,
Remove your thought. It doth abuse your bosom
If any wretch have put this your head,
Let heaven requite it with the serpents curse
For if she be not honest, chaste and true
There’s no man happy. The purest of their wives
Is foul as slander
(Acts IV, Scene Two, Lines 12-19)
The line “Remove your thought, It doth abuse your bossom” Is best paraphrased ______________
A. You are not wise
B. Do not kill yourself
C. You are ungrateful
D. You demean yourself by thinking so
50. Speaker: I durst, my Lord, to wager she is honest
Lay down my soul at stake. If you think other,
Remove your thought. It doth abuse your bosom
If any wretch have put this your head,
Let heaven requite it with the serpents curse
For if she be not honest, chaste and true
There’s no man happy. The purest of their wives
Is foul as slander
(Acts IV, Scene Two, Lines 12-19)
The character being spoken of is described as___________
A. Unhappy
B. Virtuous
C. Generous
D. Wretched
Answers To Questions
- A
- B
- C
- D
- D
- B
- B
- D
- D
- C
- A
- B
- A
- B
- B
- A
- D
- B
- B
- D
- B
- B
- C
- B
- B
- C
- D
- C
- A
- D
- B
- A
- D
- C
- C
- B
- D
- A
- D
- C
- D
- A
- D
- A
- C
- D
- A
- C
- D
- B
