Jamb Literature in English 1981 Past Questions and Answers

Question 21:

• JAMB 1981

'Such drizzling can go on for many days', she said in a dull voice. They both relapsed into silence, making a picture of bereaved children from whom life has suddenly lost warmth, colour, and excitement. There was no fire in the hearth. The mood caught in this scene is one of

A. Excitement
B. Warmth
C. Hopefulness
D. High spirits
E. Sadness.

Question 22:

• JAMB 1981

'Had I the heaven's embroidered cloths; Enwrought with golden and silver light, The blue and the dim and the dark cloths of night and light and the half-lighgt i would spread the cloths under your feet: But |, being poor, have only my dreams; l have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams'.
The poet of these lines

A. Shows cheap love
B. Is incapable of seriousness
C. Consider heaven's cloth worthless
D. Is a sensitive, serious lover
E. Is an unrealistic, wishful man

Question 23:

• JAMB 1981

'During this speech the elders who didn't understand a word of what their learned secretary was saying nodded approval intermittently. When it was over the elders said yes, they had a learned man indeed, a man who could speak for them, a man who knew the wisdom of the old white people, not like the small boys nowadays who cant even read a telegram'.
In these passage the elders are presented as

A. Very admireable people
B. Decent and honest
C. Impressed by the secretary
D. Impressively learned
E. Distinctly progressive

Question 24:

• JAMB 1981

'The celebration is now ended
but the echoes are all around
whirling like a harmattan
whirl-wind throwing dust around
and hands cover faces and feet grope'
There are strong suggestions in the last lines that the occasion celebrated

A. Brought peace to the land
B. Did not kead to joyful times
C. Did not recieve general approval
D. Produced more merriment
E. Affected climate conditions.

Question 25:

• JAMB 1981

'Now the bells are tolling
A year is dead.
And my heart is slowly beating
the Nunc Dimittis
to all my hopes and mute
yearnings of a year
and ghost hover round
dream beyond dream'.
For this poet, the passing year has

A. Been one of satisfaction and fulfilment
B. Has nothing to do with his personal life
C. Brought death to his relatives
D. Meant unrealized hopes
E. Brought changes