Practice neco literature_in_english 2025 Past Questions

Question 1 View Details

Read the following two excerpts from the short story "The Silent Window". Excerpt A: "He lingered by the cracked mirror, tracing the faint lines of his own reflection as if searching for a face he could recognise." Excerpt B: "When the invitation arrived, he rehearsed his acceptance in the same voice he used to apologise for the broken vase." Based on these excerpts, state the character's primary internal conflict.

A. A conflict between his yearning for control and his fear of failure (insecurity about competence)

B. A conflict between his wish for intimacy and his fear of vulnerability (insecurity about love)

Correct C. A conflict between his desire for self‑recognition and his fear of judgment (insecurity about identity)

D. A conflict between his desire for adventure and his fear of responsibility (insecurity about commitment)

Correct Answer: C

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Question 2 View Details

In the novella "Shadows at Noon", chapters 1‑2 are narrated in third‑person limited focusing on Maya, while chapter 3 switches to first‑person narration where Maya says, "I could feel the walls closing in, and I knew I had to act." Identify the narrative technique employed and explain how this shift affects the reader's perception of Maya.

A. A change from third‑person omniscient to second‑person; it distances the reader from Maya, reducing emotional involvement

Correct B. A narrative voice shift from third‑person limited to first‑person; it creates intimacy and lets the reader experience Maya's thoughts directly, deepening empathy

C. A consistent third‑person limited narration throughout; it maintains an objective perspective on Maya's actions

D. A shift from first‑person to third‑person limited; it provides a broader context but less personal insight into Maya's feelings

Correct Answer: B

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Question 3 View Details

The night fell like a curtain, swallowing the town; streetlights flickered, cars hissed, people hurried, voices rose. Identify two stylistic devices used in the passage and discuss how each contributes to the overall atmosphere.

A. Metaphor (night fell like a curtain) - suggests a direct equivalence, intensifying the darkness; Polysyndeton (list of actions with repeated ‘and') - creates a drawn‑out, lingering pace

Correct B. Simile (night fell like a curtain) - creates visual enclosure; Asyndeton (list of actions without ‘and') - gives a rapid, tense rhythm

C. Personification (night fell like a curtain) - gives night human qualities, deepening mood; Parallelism (balanced list of actions) - provides structural symmetry

D. Alliteration (night fell like a curtain) - repeats initial consonant sounds, adding musicality; Anaphora (repetition of ‘people hurried') - emphasizes urgency

Correct Answer: B

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Question 4 View Details

Morning light broke over the meadow, birds sang in golden chorus, hope rose with the dew. The sky turned iron, the fields ran red, silence screamed in the shattered night. Analyse how the poet's tone changes from stanza 1 to stanza 3 and identify the historical event that most likely informs this shift.

Correct A. The tone moves from hopeful optimism in stanza 1 to grim lament in stanza 3; the shift reflects the outbreak of World War I (1914)

B. The tone changes from melancholy reflection in stanza 1 to hopeful renewal in stanza 3; the shift is inspired by the end of the Cold War (1991)

C. The tone moves from joyous celebration in stanza 1 to somber resignation in stanza 3; the shift reflects the Great Depression (1929)

D. The tone shifts from serene tranquility in stanza 1 to angry protest in stanza 3; the change mirrors the French Revolution (1789)

Correct Answer: A

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Question 5 View Details

Soft whispers drift on evening air, The moon's pale smile begins to stare, Leaves rustle in a silent hymn, Night's cool veil draws close to dim. State the rhyme scheme of the quatrain.

A. AAAA

B. ABAB

Correct C. AABB

D. ABBA

Correct Answer: C

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Question 6 View Details

Read the excerpt below: Grey clouds drift over the silent hill, The river sighs in mournful chill, Leaves whisper secrets to the night, Time folds its wings and takes its flight. Based on the diction, metaphor and tone, what single‑word attitude does the poet express toward the passage of time?

A. Indifferent

B. Nostalgic

Correct C. Melancholic

D. Optimistic

Correct Answer: C

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Question 7 View Details

Consider the sentence: "The thunderous applause of the crowd was a roaring sea that swallowed every doubt." Identify the two figures of speech employed and state which one creates the auditory effect.

Correct A. Metaphor and personification; the metaphor creates the auditory effect

B. Metaphor and simile; the simile creates the auditory effect

C. Simile and hyperbole; the hyperbole creates the auditory effect

D. Personification and onomatopoeia; the onomatopoeia creates the auditory effect

Correct Answer: A

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Question 8 View Details

The following line appears in a poem: "She tasted the bitter coffee, felt the rough bark of the old oak, and heard the distant train's mournful whistle." Name the three senses evoked and quote the exact phrase that illustrates each sense.

A. Taste: \"tasted the bitter coffee\"; Touch: \"touched the distant train's mournful whistle\"; Hearing: \"heard the rough bark of the old oak\"

B. Taste: \"tasted the bitter coffee\"; Sight: \"saw the rough bark of the old oak\"; Hearing: \"heard the distant train's mournful whistle\"

C. Sight: \"saw the distant train's mournful whistle\"; Touch: \"felt the rough bark of the old oak\"; Hearing: \"heard the bitter coffee\"

Correct D. Taste: "tasted the bitter coffee"; Touch: "felt the rough bark of the old oak"; Hearing: "heard the distant train's mournful whistle"

Correct Answer: D

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Question 9 View Details

A short story tells that Aisha, a village girl, saves a stray dog every day. One night the dog leads her to a hidden cellar where a stolen heirloom is found, revealing that the dog belongs to the village chief who had hidden the treasure to protect it from thieves. What is the climax of this narrative?

A. The moment when the village chief confronts Aisha about the hidden cellar.

Correct B. The moment when the dog leads Aisha to the hidden cellar and the stolen heirloom is discovered.

C. The moment when Aisha discovers that the dog belongs to the village chief.

D. The moment when Aisha decides to hide the heirloom herself instead of reporting it.

Correct Answer: B

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Question 10 View Details

Examine the stanza: The moon hangs low, a silver lantern, Stars flicker like shy candles, Night whispers soft, a velvet hush, Dreams drift on a silken tide. Determine the rhyme scheme of the stanza using capital letters (e.g., ABAB).

A. AABB

Correct B. ABCD

C. ABBA

D. ABAB

Correct Answer: B

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Question 11 View Details

In a three‑act play, the playwright uses asides and stage directions. The total number of lines that contain either an aside or a stage direction is \(120\). The number of lines with asides is three times the number of lines that contain both an aside and a stage direction, and the number of lines that contain both is \(15\). How many lines contain only stage directions?

A. 45

B. 60

Correct C. 75

D. 90

Correct Answer: C

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Question 12 View Details

A drama is divided into four acts. The number of scenes in successive acts increases by a constant integer. If the first act has \(5\) scenes and the total number of scenes in the drama is \(38\), how many scenes are there in the third act?

Correct A. 11

B. 14

C. 10

D. 12

Correct Answer: A

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Question 13 View Details

A short story that presents a moral lesson through the actions of an animal protagonist is an example of which literary genre?

A. Myth

B. Allegory

Correct C. Fable

D. Parable

Correct Answer: C

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Question 14 View Details

In a poem the poet employs three types of figures of speech: metaphor, simile and personification. The total number of figures used is \(24\). The number of metaphors is twice the number of similes, and the number of personifications is four less than the number of similes. How many similes are there in the poem?

A. 10

B. 8

Correct C. 7

D. 6

Correct Answer: C

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Question 15 View Details

An African novella consists of \(240\) sentences. Twenty percent of the sentences are dialogue, each averaging \(12\) words, while the remaining sentences are narrative, each averaging \(20\) words. A non‑African short story contains \(180\) sentences, each averaging \(22\) words and contains no dialogue. Compute the total word count for each work and state which work has the greater total word count.

A. African novella: 4416 words; Non‑African short story: 4080 words; African novella is greater by 336 words

Correct B. African novella: 4416 words; Non‑African short story: 3960 words; African novella is greater by 456 words

C. African novella: 4416 words; Non‑African short story: 3960 words; African novella is greater by 500 words

D. African novella: 4320 words; Non‑African short story: 3960 words; African novella is greater by 360 words

Correct Answer: B

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Question 16 View Details

In the short story "The River's Whisper", the narrator mentions that the market opens at 6 a.m., the protagonist travels to the town on horseback, and the telegraph is used to send urgent news. Based on these clues, determine the most probable historical century in which the story is set.

A. 20th century

B. 18th century

Correct C. 19th century

D. 21st century

Correct Answer: C

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Question 17 View Details

In the novel "Shadows over Lagos", the physical setting of the boarding school is described as a sprawling colonial mansion with high walls, while the social setting shows a clear division between the elite expatriate teachers and the local Nigerian students. Explain how the physical setting reinforces the social hierarchy among the characters, giving two specific examples from the description.

A. The spacious dormitories assigned to the students indicate that they are given priority over the expatriate teachers, reflecting an inverted social order.

Correct B. The high walls act as a barrier that mirrors the social divide, and the grand ballroom reserved for expatriate teachers while students occupy modest dormitories shows the hierarchy through spatial allocation.

C. The ornate garden paths lead both teachers and students to the same central fountain, suggesting a unified community rather than a hierarchy.

D. The shared cafeteria where teachers and students eat together demonstrates that the physical setting dissolves any social distinctions.

Correct Answer: B

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Question 18 View Details

The following excerpt is taken from a novel where the main character, Ada, discovers a family secret that changes her future plans. "After months of careful preparation, Ada boarded the train to the coastal town, her mind racing with possibilities. ... The revelation she had been fearing finally arrived, and everything she had worked for collapsed." One crucial event is omitted where Ada learns the truth. Identify the most plausible missing event that logically connects her journey to the revelation, and briefly justify your choice.

Correct A. Ada receives a letter (or spoken confession) from her estranged father revealing she is not the biological heir, which shatters her inheritance plans.

B. Ada uncovers an old family portrait (or a recorded message) indicating she is the true heir, which actually confirms her original expectations

C. Ada meets a charismatic stranger (or receives a job offer) on the train, prompting her to change her plans

D. Ada discovers a hidden map (or cryptic diary) that suggests a new adventure, diverting her from the inheritance

Correct Answer: A

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Question 19 View Details

Read the excerpt below. "The rain fell in thin, relentless sheets, each drop a cold whisper against the cracked windowpane. I watched the streetlights flicker, their amber glow fighting a losing battle against the darkness that seemed to seep into my bones. Somewhere beyond the alley, a distant siren sang a mournful hymn, echoing the hollow ache inside me." (a) Identify the narrative perspective used in the passage. (b) Analyse how the author's choice of diction creates a tone of melancholy.

A. (a) Third‑person omniscient narrative. (b) The use of stark, visual‑rich words such as "thin sheets", "cracked windowpane", "amber glow" and "mournful hymn" creates a tense, foreboding tone by highlighting danger and conflict.

B. (a) First‑person narrative. (b) The use of bright, optimistic diction such as "bright lights", "cheerful glow", "hopeful hymn" and "warm whisper" creates an uplifting, hopeful tone by focusing on positivity.

Correct C. (a) First‑person narrative. (b) The use of bleak, sensory‑rich words such as "cold whisper", "cracked windowpane", "losing battle" and "mournful hymn" creates a somber, melancholic tone by foregrounding decay, isolation and emotional pain.

D. (a) Second‑person narrative. (b) The use of calm, soothing words such as "soft rain", "gentle glow", "quiet siren" and "warm whisper" creates a tranquil, comforting tone by evoking peace.

Correct Answer: C

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Question 20 View Details

In the poem "Midnight Harvest", line 3 reads: "The moon drapes the fields in silver sighs." Identify the figurative device used in this line and discuss its effect on the poem's overall imagery.

A. It uses hyperbole (with personification) - the moon is described as \"silver sighs\" to exaggerate its brightness - which overstates the scene instead of providing subtle imagery.

B. It relies on alliteration (with personification) - the repeated 's' sounds in \"silver sighs\" - which emphasizes the sound pattern rather than the visual metaphor.

Correct C. It uses a metaphor (with personification) - the moon is compared to a drape of "silver sighs" - which gives the scene a soft, luminous, tactile image that deepens the poem's serene, night‑time atmosphere.

D. It employs a simile (with personification) - the moon is likened to \"silver sighs\" - which creates a vivid, auditory image but misrepresents the visual focus of the poem.

Correct Answer: C

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Question 21 View Details

Consider the following excerpt from a poem: "When summer's heat begins to wane, The river sighs in silvered tone, Its waters mirror dusk's refrain, And night unveils a star‑strewn throne." (a) Identify the poetic form of the excerpt. (b) The poet uses an ABAB rhyme scheme. Explain how the iambic pentameter pattern, which is hidden in the line lengths, reinforces the theme of transition.

A. The excerpt is a six‑line sestet (a villanelle) written in trochaic tetrameter with an ABAB rhyme scheme; the lively rhythm contrasts the calm transition, undermining the theme of transition.

B. The excerpt is a four‑line quatrain (a ballad stanza) written in iambic pentameter with an AABB rhyme scheme; the regular rhythm emphasizes a static setting rather than the theme of transition.

C. The excerpt is a five‑line cinquain written in iambic pentameter with an ABAB rhyme scheme; the steady rhythm highlights the poem's focus on nature rather than the theme of transition.

Correct D. The excerpt is a four‑line quatrain (a ballad stanza) written in iambic pentameter with an ABAB rhyme scheme; the steady iambic rhythm mirrors the gradual shift from summer to night, reinforcing the theme of transition.

Correct Answer: D

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Question 22 View Details

Two passages describe the same protagonist, Ada, in different environments. Passage A: "The city streets pulsed with neon lights, traffic horns blaring, and crowds that never ceased. Ada moved among strangers, their faces a blur, the constant chatter a deafening river." Passage B: "Beyond the hills, the lone farmhouse stood under a sky of endless stars. The night was silent save for the occasional hoot of an owl; the fields stretched far, empty, and the wind whispered over the dry earth." Which setting is more likely to make Ada feel isolated, and why? Provide two textual clues to support your answer.

Correct A. Passage B - the rural setting - is more likely to make Ada feel isolated; the description of a "lone farmhouse" and "fields stretched far, empty" signals solitude.

B. Passage B - the rural setting - is more likely to make Ada feel isolated; the "neon lights" and "blaring horns" in the description emphasize loneliness.

C. Passage A - the urban setting - is more likely to make Ada feel isolated; the constant traffic horns and crowds create a sense of anonymity.

D. Passage A - the city streets - is more likely to make Ada feel isolated; the "blur" of strangers' faces and "deafening river" of chatter suggest she is cut off.

Correct Answer: A

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Question 23 View Details

Read the excerpt from the play *The Broken Mirror*: [Stage direction: A single spotlight illuminates JONAH, who stands centre stage, holding a cracked mirror.] JONAH: (aside) "What shattered image reflects my own?" Which dramatic technique is employed in JONAH's line, and what is its effect on the audience's understanding of his character?

A. A stage direction; it highlights the cracked mirror visually, underscoring the theme of broken identity without revealing JONAH's personal doubts.

B. A soliloquy; it presents JONAH's thoughts directly to the audience, removing dramatic irony and focusing on his spoken confession.

Correct C. An aside; it lets the audience hear JONAH's private doubt, creating dramatic irony and deepening our understanding of his inner conflict.

D. A monologue; it addresses the other characters onstage, emphasizing JONAH's persuasive speech rather than his inner turmoil.

Correct Answer: C

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Question 24 View Details

In the short story *The Last Harvest*, the narrator writes: "Even as the first frost kissed the wheat, the village elders whispered that hope could still be sown in the heart of winter." Identify the central theme of the story and cite two specific textual elements that support your identification.

A. The central theme is inevitability of change - acceptance of seasonal cycles; evidence includes the image of "the first frost kissed the wheat" symbolizing transition and the elders' statement that "nothing can survive the heart of winter".

B. The central theme is isolation - characters feeling cut off from community; evidence includes the cold imagery of "the first frost kissed the wheat" and the elders' warning that "winter will silence all voices".

Correct C. The central theme is resilience - hope persisting despite hardship; evidence includes the image of "the first frost kissed the wheat" and the elders' claim that "hope could still be sown in the heart of winter".

D. The central theme is nostalgia - yearning for lost traditions; evidence includes the description of "the first frost kissed the wheat" as a reminder of past harvests and the elders' reminiscence about "the golden days before winter".

Correct Answer: C

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Question 25 View Details

In the drama *Echoes of Tomorrow*, the playwright inserts a scene where the protagonist, LARA, suddenly recalls a childhood memory of playing by the river. This memory is presented before the climax where she must decide whether to reveal a secret. What dramatic technique is being used, and how does it affect the development of the plot?

Correct A. A flashback; it supplies crucial background on Lara's trust issues, heightening tension and informing the audience why her forthcoming decision about the secret is so significant.

B. A montage; it quickly shows multiple moments from Lara's past, compressing time rather than deepening her trust issues.

C. A dream sequence; it reveals Lara's subconscious fears without directly explaining her trust issues concerning the secret.

D. A foreshadowing; it hints at future events, creating anticipation but does not provide background on Lara's trust issues.

Correct Answer: A

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