gce model questions vol1 2020 literature_in_english | Essay

Prepare for your exams with gce model questions vol1 questions? Reviewing past/model questions is one of the most effective ways to guarantee a high score. This practice hub features authentic 2020 literature_in_english (Essay) questions designed to simulate the real exam environment.

Practice these randomly selected questions to test your readiness.

Question 1 View Details
Read the following excerpt taken from William Shakespeare’s tragedy *Othello* (Act 1, Scene 3).\n\n“...For that I do suspect the lusty Moor\nWill not be jealous of my love;\nBut, O, I think my wife will be\nA faithful, loving wife, and I\nWill not be the cause of any discord…"\n\nUsing this passage, answer the questions that follow.
Question Parts
(a)
Identify the literary genre of the passage and give a brief definition of that genre.
(b)
Outline three characteristic features of this genre, illustrating each with a reference to the excerpt or to the play as a whole.
(c)
Evaluate how effectively the passage conforms to the characteristics you have listed.
Detailed Essay Solution & Marking Scheme Available

Get the step-by-step mathematical proofs, key points required by examiners, and a comprehensive breakdown from our AI Tutor.

Reveal Answer
Question 2 View Details
Read the following passage from Guy de Maupassant’s short story *The Necklace* (1884).\n\n“...She was one of those women who are always looking for something, who are never satisfied with what they have, and who always think that the world owes them something. She had a habit of comparing herself with other women, of measuring herself against the standards of fashion, and she felt that she was always falling short.”\n\nAnswer the three parts that follow.
Question Parts
(a)
Identify three literary devices employed in the passage and name each device.
(b)
Explain how each of the three devices you have identified contributes to the overall effect of the passage.
(c)
Compare the use of these devices in *The Necklace* with their use in another short story of your choice, explaining any similarity or difference in purpose.
Detailed Essay Solution & Marking Scheme Available

Get the step-by-step mathematical proofs, key points required by examiners, and a comprehensive breakdown from our AI Tutor.

Reveal Answer
Question 3 View Details
Read the following excerpt from the poem *Twilight on the River*: "The river sighs beneath the amber sky, Its surface mirrors clouds that drift and sigh. A lone barge drifts, its timber worn and old, While shadows stretch, their stories left untold. The water hums a low, relentless tune, A chorus formed of night and waning moon. Each ripple writes a fleeting, silver line, And fades as dawn erases night’s design." Answer the questions that follow.
Question Parts
(a)
Identify two poetic devices used in the excerpt and explain how each contributes to the overall effect of the poem.
(b)
Discuss how the poet’s choice of form (e.g., stanza length, rhyme scheme, meter) enhances the meaning conveyed in the excerpt.
(c)
Evaluate the relevance of the poem’s central theme to contemporary society, giving at least one specific modern example to support your argument.
Detailed Essay Solution & Marking Scheme Available

Get the step-by-step mathematical proofs, key points required by examiners, and a comprehensive breakdown from our AI Tutor.

Reveal Answer
Question 4 View Details
Read the following excerpt from the short story *The Last Bus*: "The rain had turned the city streets into a mirror of grey, reflecting the neon signs that flickered like tired fireflies. Maya stood under the sagging awning of the bus stop, her coat pulled tight around a thin frame that seemed to shrink with each passing minute. She watched the traffic lights pulse red, then amber, then green, as if the city itself were breathing. A distant horn sounded, a mournful wail that rose above the drizzle, and for a moment Maya felt the weight of every postponed promise settle on her shoulders. When the bus finally hissed into view, its doors opening with a sigh, she stepped forward, not knowing whether the journey ahead would carry her toward a new beginning or simply another stop on an endless route." Answer the questions that follow.
Question Parts
(a)
Analyse the narrator’s point of view and discuss how it influences the reader’s perception of Maya’s emotional state.
(b)
Examine how the author uses setting – both physical and atmospheric – to reinforce the central conflict of the passage.
(c)
Critically assess the effectiveness of the ending in resolving (or not resolving) the central tension introduced earlier in the excerpt.
Detailed Essay Solution & Marking Scheme Available

Get the step-by-step mathematical proofs, key points required by examiners, and a comprehensive breakdown from our AI Tutor.

Reveal Answer
Question 5 View Details
Read the excerpts from the two plays below. The first is from a Shakespearean tragedy, and the second is from a contemporary African drama. Both playwrights explore the consequences of personal ambition and societal expectations. Excerpt A (Shakespeare): "...And oftentimes, to win the crown, men must betray their own hearts..." Excerpt B (Contemporary African drama): "...The drums of the village echo the cries of those who dared to rise above the prescribed path..." Using these excerpts as a starting point, answer the following:
Question Parts
(a)
Explain how each playwright uses dramatic irony to heighten the audience’s awareness of the protagonists’ impending downfall.
(b)
Analyse the climax in each play, focusing on how the playwright structures the turning point and the emotional impact on the audience.
(c)
Compare the development of the two protagonists from the beginning of the excerpts to the climax, highlighting how their ambitions are portrayed and ultimately lead to their downfall.
Detailed Essay Solution & Marking Scheme Available

Get the step-by-step mathematical proofs, key points required by examiners, and a comprehensive breakdown from our AI Tutor.

Reveal Answer
Question 6 View Details
Consider the following passage from a novel set in pre‑colonial Nigeria, in which the author introduces the central hero, a young warrior named Ikenna, and his mentor, the elderly storyteller Nnamdi. "Ikenna’s shoulders bore the weight of his father's expectations, yet his eyes sparkled with a restless fire that no elder could tame. Nnamdi, with his weathered hands, traced the ancient symbols on the bark, his voice a low river that carried the wisdom of generations." Answer the questions that follow, focusing on the methods of characterization employed by the author:
Question Parts
(a)
Identify and explain two direct methods of characterization used for Ikenna in the passage.
(b)
Discuss three indirect methods of characterization that reveal Nnamdi’s personality and role in the community.
(c)
Evaluate how the combination of direct and indirect characterization in the passage shapes the reader’s perception of the relationship between Ikenna and Nnamdi.
Detailed Essay Solution & Marking Scheme Available

Get the step-by-step mathematical proofs, key points required by examiners, and a comprehensive breakdown from our AI Tutor.

Reveal Answer
Question 7 View Details
The short story “The Silent Bell” tells of a small coastal village where the ancient church bell, which has not rung for a century, suddenly sounds on a stormy night. The protagonist, Amara, a young fisherwoman, discovers that the bell’s toll is linked to a hidden treasure beneath the old lighthouse. As she investigates, she faces opposition from the village elder, learns of a family curse, and must decide whether to claim the treasure or preserve the village’s heritage. The climax occurs when the storm reaches its peak and the lighthouse collapses, threatening the villagers. In the resolution, Amara chooses to silence the bell forever, restoring peace but leaving the treasure undiscovered.
Question Parts
(a)
Identify the five parts of the plot structure (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution) as they appear in the summary.
(b)
Explain two techniques the author uses to build tension leading up to the climax.
(c)
Discuss how the resolution influences the overall theme of the story.
Detailed Essay Solution & Marking Scheme Available

Get the step-by-step mathematical proofs, key points required by examiners, and a comprehensive breakdown from our AI Tutor.

Reveal Answer
Question 8 View Details
In the novel “Shadows over Kuroba”, the author sets the narrative in a bustling market town situated on the banks of a wide river that floods each rainy season. The town’s architecture blends colonial stone buildings with traditional mud‑brick houses. Nighttime is described with lanterns flickering over narrow alleys, while the river’s mist creates a perpetual haze. The protagonist, Kofi, navigates this environment while confronting social inequality and political unrest.
Question Parts
(a)
Describe how the physical setting (geography, architecture, climate) is portrayed through sensory details.
(b)
Analyse how this setting influences Kofi’s character development and the novel’s central themes.
(c)
Evaluate the effectiveness of the author’s use of setting as a symbolic device in the story.
Detailed Essay Solution & Marking Scheme Available

Get the step-by-step mathematical proofs, key points required by examiners, and a comprehensive breakdown from our AI Tutor.

Reveal Answer
Question 9 View Details
Read the following excerpt from the short story *The River's Whisper*: "Ada stood at the edge of the river, the night market lights flickering on the water like fireflies. She could hear her mother's voice from the kitchen, urging her to return before the curfew, but the river sang a different song – one of freedom, of a world beyond the narrow alleys of Lagos. As the current tugged at her feet, Ada felt the weight of the expectations that had been handed down for generations, and the pull of a future she could only imagine." Discuss the central theme of the excerpt and explain how the author develops this theme through characterisation, setting, and language. Use specific references to the passage in your answer.
Detailed Essay Solution & Marking Scheme Available

Get the step-by-step mathematical proofs, key points required by examiners, and a comprehensive breakdown from our AI Tutor.

Reveal Answer
Question 10 View Details
Read the following passage from the novel *Shadows of the Bazaar*: "I had never seen the market so still; the usual clamor was muffled as if the stalls themselves were holding their breath. From the corner of my eye, I caught the glint of a silver coin slipping into a child's palm, a silent transaction that no one seemed to notice. Suddenly, the narrator's voice shifted, recalling a memory of a rainy afternoon years ago, when the same stall owner had offered him a mango, sweet and dripping, as a promise of friendship. The present and the past intertwined, leaving me to wonder whose story I was truly following." Analyse the narrative techniques employed in the passage, focusing on point of view, temporal shifts, and the use of sensory imagery. Explain how these techniques affect the reader’s understanding of the narrative.
Detailed Essay Solution & Marking Scheme Available

Get the step-by-step mathematical proofs, key points required by examiners, and a comprehensive breakdown from our AI Tutor.

Reveal Answer

Master the Exam!

You've seen a preview, but there are thousands more questions plus AI tutor to break down complex solutions.

Unlock Full Access Available for Android & Windows
Help others prepare! Share this practice hub:
Chat with Support