Practice waec model questions vol1 literature_in_english 2020 Past Questions

Question 1 View Details

Read the excerpt: "She stared at the cracked mirror, wondering whether to obey her father's wish to marry the wealthy merchant or follow her own yearning to study at the university." Identify the primary type of conflict depicted in this passage.

Correct A. Man vs self

B. Man vs nature

C. Man vs technology

D. Man vs society

Correct Answer: A

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Question 2 View Details

A short story follows a young boy from a poor village who works tirelessly, fails many times, but eventually wins a national science competition, bringing pride to his community. Which theme best encapsulates the central message of the story?

A. Luck determines outcomes

Correct B. Perseverance and determination lead to success

C. Talent alone ensures victory

D. Hard work guarantees wealth

Correct Answer: B

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Question 3 View Details

In the line "His heart was a locked vault, keeping his feelings hidden from all," what is the effect of the metaphor?

Correct A. It highlights the character's emotional secrecy and inability to share his feelings

B. It suggests the character is wealthy and possesses many secrets

C. It emphasizes the character's physical strength and resilience

D. It indicates the character's openness and willingness to express emotions

Correct Answer: A

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Question 4 View Details

In a drama, at the climax the protagonist steps out of the set and addresses the audience directly, urging them to reflect on the injustice depicted. What is the purpose of this dramatic technique?

Correct A. To break the fourth wall, creating audience involvement and emphasizing the moral message

B. To showcase the actor's improvisational skills without affecting the story

C. To introduce a comic relief scene that lightens the tension

D. To transition to a new setting in the narrative

Correct Answer: A

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Question 5 View Details

A passage describes four symbols: a caged bird, a broken chain, a wilting flower, and a rising sun. Which of these symbols most strongly represents freedom, and why?

A. The wilting flower, because it represents decay and loss

B. The rising sun, because it denotes hope and new beginnings

C. The caged bird, because it symbolizes confinement and longing

Correct D. The broken chain, because it signifies release from bondage

Correct Answer: D

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Question 6 View Details

Read the following excerpt: Line 1: "The sun sank like a bruised orange, spilling molten gold over the thatched roofs." Line 2: "Shadows stretched their long fingers across the fields, whispering secrets to the wind." Line 3: "The night air smelled of damp earth and distant fireflies, their lights flickering like trembling candles." Which line contains a mixed metaphor, and how does this mixed metaphor contribute to the overall mood of the passage?

A. Line 1: "The sun sank like a bruised orange, spilling molten gold over the thatched roofs." The mixed metaphor of a bruised orange and molten gold evokes a hopeful, uplifting mood rather than oppression.

B. Line 3: "The night air smelled of damp earth and distant fireflies, their lights flickering like trembling candles." The mixed metaphor of fireflies and candles produces a surreal effect that makes the mood feel eerie and unsettling.

Correct C. Line 1: "The sun sank like a bruised orange, spilling molten gold over the thatched roofs." The mixed metaphor of a bruised orange and molten gold produces a vivid, unsettling picture that heightens the oppressive, melancholic mood of the passage.

D. Line 2: "Shadows stretched their long fingers across the fields, whispering secrets to the wind." The mixed metaphor of fingers and whispers creates a confusing image that adds a whimsical, light‑hearted tone to the passage.

Correct Answer: C

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Question 7 View Details

Consider the excerpt from a short story: "She watched the market stall, her heart beating like a drum in a silent hall. The colours swirled, but she saw only the shadow of her own doubts. Every laugh around her sounded like a distant bell, reminding her of promises broken." What narrative perspective is employed, and how does the narrator's reliability affect the reader's perception of the protagonist?

A. The passage is narrated in omniscient third‑person perspective. The narrator's all‑knowing stance ensures reliability, leading the reader to fully trust the depiction of the protagonist.

B. The passage is narrated in second‑person perspective. The narrator's direct address creates a sense of unreliability, causing the reader to feel uncertain about the protagonist's inner state.

C. The passage is narrated in first‑person perspective. The narrator's direct involvement makes the account trustworthy, so the reader accepts the protagonist's feelings at face value.

Correct D. The passage is narrated in third‑person limited perspective. The narrator's subjective, emotionally charged descriptions make him somewhat unreliable, causing the reader to view the protagonist's feelings and actions with doubt and to question the accuracy of the portrayal.

Correct Answer: D

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Question 8 View Details

Read the following excerpt from a stage play: [Enter KING, unaware that his son has already been condemned] KING: "My son, you stand before me, innocent as the morning dew." SON: "Father, I have no guilt." The audience, however, knows the son is guilty of treason. Identify the dramatic irony present, and explain how the stage directions enhance the tension in the scene.

Correct A. The dramatic irony lies in the king's belief that his son is innocent while the audience knows the son is guilty. The stage direction "Enter KING, unaware that his son has already been condemned" underscores the king's ignorance, intensifying the tension as the audience awaits the inevitable confrontation.

B. The dramatic irony is that the son pretends innocence while the king knows he is guilty, and the stage direction highlights the son's deception.

C. The scene demonstrates situational irony because the audience expects the king to punish his son, and the stage direction "Enter KING, unaware…" creates suspense.

D. The irony lies in the audience's belief that the king is aware of the son's guilt, while the stage direction emphasizes the king's confidence, heightening tension.

Correct Answer: A

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Question 9 View Details

In the line "The moon smiled down upon the sleeping town," which figure of speech is employed?

A. Hyperbole

Correct B. Personification

C. Metaphor

D. Simile

Correct Answer: B

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Question 10 View Details

Identify the figure of speech in the sentence "He was a lion in the courtroom, roaring his arguments with ferocious confidence," and rewrite the sentence without using that figure of speech while preserving its meaning.

A. Simile; rewritten: "He argued in the courtroom with the confidence of a lion, roaring his points."

B. Hyperbole; rewritten: "He dominated the courtroom with an overwhelming, lion-like confidence in his arguments."

C. Personification; rewritten: "He gave the courtroom a fierce, lion-like presence as he presented his arguments."

Correct D. Metaphor; rewritten: "He argued in the courtroom with great confidence and force."

Correct Answer: D

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Question 11 View Details

Read the following excerpt: "I could hear the rain pattering against the tin roof as I stared at the cracked photograph. The memory of that night still haunted me, but I chose to forget." Identify the narrative technique employed and explain its effect on the reader's perception of the story.

Correct A. First‑person limited narration with a flashback; it creates intimacy and a sense of unreliability that heightens suspense.

B. Third‑person omniscient narration with a flashback; it creates distance and a sense of reliability that heightens suspense.

C. First‑person limited narration with a flashback; it creates intimacy and a sense of unreliability that reduces tension.

D. First‑person limited narration with a linear timeline; it creates intimacy and a sense of reliability that heightens suspense.

Correct Answer: A

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Question 12 View Details

Ada wishes to attend university, but her family expects her to marry early. At the same time, she doubts her own ability to succeed academically. Identify the two conflicts present, classify each (e.g., man‑vs‑society, man‑vs‑self), and state which conflict is the central driver of the plot.

A. Conflict 1: man‑vs‑society (family expectations). Conflict 2: man‑vs‑self (self‑doubt). The central conflict is the man‑vs‑self struggle.

Correct B. Conflict 1: man‑vs‑society (family expectations). Conflict 2: man‑vs‑self (self‑doubt). The central conflict is the man‑vs‑society clash.

C. Conflict 1: man‑vs‑self (family expectations). Conflict 2: man‑vs‑society (self‑doubt). The central conflict is the man‑vs‑self struggle.

D. Conflict 1: man‑vs‑society (family expectations). Conflict 2: man‑vs‑nature (self‑doubt). The central conflict is the man‑vs‑society clash.

Correct Answer: B

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Question 13 View Details

In the line "The moon smiled down on the sleeping village," which literary device is being used?

A. Alliteration

Correct B. Personification

C. Simile

D. Metaphor

Correct Answer: B

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Question 14 View Details

Consider the two excerpts below. Excerpt A: "She walked into the room, her shoulders slumped, eyes downcast, as if the weight of the world rested on her." Excerpt B: "Everyone praised Nkem for her sharp mind and quick decisions during the crisis." For each excerpt, state whether the author uses direct or indirect characterization, and infer one personality trait of the character described.

Correct A. Excerpt A - indirect characterization; trait: anxious/burdened. Excerpt B - direct characterization; trait: intelligent and decisive.

B. Excerpt A - direct characterization; trait: confident. Excerpt B - indirect characterization; trait: timid and hesitant.

C. Excerpt A - indirect characterization; trait: cheerful. Excerpt B - direct characterization; trait: careless and indecisive.

D. Excerpt A - indirect characterization; trait: hopeful. Excerpt B - direct characterization; trait: stubborn.

Correct Answer: A

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Question 15 View Details

Read the following passage from a poem: "The desert sun bleached the dunes to a pale gold, while distant dunes whispered secrets of ancient caravans; the wind sang a mournful tune across the barren expanse." Identify three different types of imagery used in the passage and explain how each contributes to the overall theme of isolation.

A. Visual imagery (golden dunes), gustatory imagery (sweet desert air), and olfactory imagery (aroma of spices); together they evoke a festive atmosphere, not isolation.

B. Auditory imagery (birds chirping), tactile imagery (soft sand), and visual imagery (bright sunrise); together they create a calm, welcoming scene, which does not match the theme of isolation.

Correct C. Visual imagery (bleached dunes), auditory imagery (whispering dunes, wind's mournful tune), and tactile imagery (bleached, barren expanse); together they highlight the stark, lonely, and harsh environment, reinforcing the theme of isolation.

D. Olfactory imagery (scent of distant caravans), gustatory imagery (taste of sand), and kinesthetic imagery (movement of dunes); together they suggest a bustling marketplace, contradicting isolation.

Correct Answer: C

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Question 16 View Details

Read the following brief summary of a short story. Identify which event constitutes the climax of the story. Amara, a young girl, discovers an old diary in her attic (exposition). She reads about a hidden treasure that her late grandfather concealed (rising action). While searching the garden, she uncovers a locked chest but the key is missing (rising action). She remembers a lullaby her grandfather sang, which contains the clue to the key's location; she follows the clue to the attic's floorboard and finds the key (turning point). She opens the chest, revealing the treasure, but also a letter exposing a family secret that changes her view of her heritage (climax). She decides to keep the secret and leaves the treasure untouched, returning home peacefully (resolution).

A. Finding the hidden key beneath the attic floorboard, which resolves the search for the key.

B. Amara's decision to keep the secret and leave the treasure untouched, which concludes the narrative.

Correct C. The opening of the chest that reveals the treasure and the family secret.

D. Amara discovering the diary in the attic, which introduces the story's background.

Correct Answer: C

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Question 17 View Details

In the sentence "The night wrapped the village in a velvet blanket, and the moon whispered secrets to the restless river," which figure of speech is employed in the phrase "the night wrapped the village in a velvet blanket"?

Correct A. Personification

B. Simile

C. Alliteration

D. Metaphor

Correct Answer: A

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Question 18 View Details

Consider the following excerpt: "She walked down the lane, the cobblestones echoing her heartbeat, the rain ticking on the roof like a metronome, and she thought—why now?—why always the same." Which narrative technique is being used here?

A. Free indirect discourse

B. Narrative omniscience

C. Interior monologue

Correct D. Stream of consciousness

Correct Answer: D

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Question 19 View Details

The story is set in a bustling Lagos market during the early 1990s, where traders shout over the clamor of honking motorcycles, and the air is thick with the scent of spices and diesel. Which element of the setting most directly influences the protagonist's decision to flee the market?

A. The historical significance of the market

Correct B. The chaotic social environment of the market

C. The presence of a rival trader

D. The economic downturn of the 1990s

Correct Answer: B

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Question 20 View Details

A narrative begins with the protagonist standing on a cliff, having just said goodbye to his lover. The previous chapter shows the argument that led to this moment, and earlier scenes reveal how they met and fell in love. What is the effect of this non‑chronological (reverse) plot structure on the development of tension?

Correct A. It creates immediate suspense by showing the climax first and then gradually revealing the causes, thereby heightening tension as readers seek the reasons behind the opening scene.

B. It shifts focus to character back‑story rather than tension, using the reverse order to develop relationships instead of heightening suspense.

C. It primarily confuses the reader by disrupting chronological flow, making the story harder to follow rather than building suspense.

D. It lessens tension because the climax is revealed early, leaving little mystery for the reader.

Correct Answer: A

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Question 21 View Details

In Chinua Achebe's novel *Things Fall Apart*, the Igbo calendar has a four‑day week in the order Eke, Orie, Afo, Nkwo. The year is divided into seven months, each consisting of exactly \(28\) days. If the first day of the first month is an Eke, how many days in the entire year fall on an Afo?

A. 35

B. 42

C. 56

Correct D. 49

Correct Answer: D

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Question 22 View Details

Excerpt (i): "The night was a black blanket that smothered the village." Identify the dominant stylistic device in this excerpt and state the specific effect it creates on the reader.

Correct A. Metaphor; it creates an oppressive, suffocating atmosphere.

B. Alliteration; it creates a rhythmic, musical effect.

C. Simile; it creates an oppressive, suffocating atmosphere.

D. Personification; it creates a hopeful, uplifting mood.

Correct Answer: A

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Question 23 View Details

In the play *The Lion and the Jewel*, after the stage direction "Lakunle stands alone, gazing at the sky", he says, "The old ways bind us like chains." What does this soliloquy reveal about Lakunle's attitude toward tradition, and how does the stage direction reinforce that attitude?

A. He embraces tradition, viewing it as comforting; the solitary stance under the sky underscores his connection to cultural roots.

Correct B. He rejects tradition, seeing it as restrictive; the solitary stance under the sky highlights his isolation and modern outlook.

C. He is indifferent to tradition, seeing it as irrelevant; the solitary stance under the sky merely reflects a pause in the action.

D. He fears tradition, considering it dangerous; the solitary stance under the sky suggests his anxiety about change.

Correct Answer: B

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Question 24 View Details

In the sentence "The magistrate's verdict was a merciless blow to the community's fragile hopes," what connotative meaning does the word "merciless" carry, and give a synonym that preserves the negative tone while being slightly less severe.

A. Gentle or compassionate; synonym: kind

B. Neutral or indifferent; synonym: apathetic

Correct C. Harsh or unfeeling; synonym: cruel

D. Mild or forgiving; synonym: lenient

Correct Answer: C

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Question 25 View Details

Consider the following stanza: "Upon the hill the sunrise glows, A golden blaze that softly shows, The meadow wakes in gentle sigh, And birds in chorus fly on high." Determine the rhyme scheme of the stanza and identify the metrical pattern (type of foot) of the first line.

A. AABB; trochaic tetrameter

B. ABAB; trochaic trimeter

Correct C. AABB; iambic tetrameter

D. ABAB; iambic tetrameter

Correct Answer: C

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