GENERAL LITERARY PRINCIPLES - Jamb Literature in English Past Questions and Answers

Question 296:

• JAMB 1993

This question is based on selected poems from Wole Soyinka (ed.) poems of Black Africa, E.K. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.) Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
'There where the need for good and ''the doing good'' conflict.'
In these two lines from Lenrie Peters' The Fence', the speaker says that

A. ''doing good'' is the opposite of the need for good
B. He cannot do good deeds
C. Action often conflicts with knowledge
D. He lies on the fence between good and evil

Question 297:

• JAMB 1993

This question is based on selected poems from Wole Soyinka (ed.) poems of Black Africa, E.K. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.) Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
'... And the laughter or cannon, of thunder arraigns the multitude of wills in savage tutelage...'
In the context of these lines from Odia Ofeimun's
For Christopher Okigbo', misfortune was

A. Foressen
B. Predetermined
C. Anticipated
D. Unexpected

Question 298:

• JAMB 1993

This question is based on selected poems from Wole Soyinka (ed.) poems of Black Africa, E.K. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.) Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
'...And your MP with a shining head and triple chin Will mourn your fate in a supplementary question at Question Time'.
These lines in the context of Richard Ntiru's 'The Pauper', portray the MP as being

A. Sympathetic
B. Sad
C. Indifferent
D. Hypocritical

Question 299:

• JAMB 1993

This question is based on selected poems from Wole Soyinka (ed.) poems of Black Africa, E.K. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.) Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
'But even he who sharpened the edge of hearts
Conceived new truths.
Telling us that truth is not truth of swords
But the long buds growing from the ruins.'
These lines suggest to us that Langula in Mazisi
Kunene's To the Soldier Hero', was more interested in

A. Warfare
B. Life
C. Bloodshed
D. Conquest

Question 300:

• JAMB 1993

This question is based on selected poems from Wole Soyinka (ed.) poems of Black Africa, E.K. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.) Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
In' Sunset Sonata', the description 'To stones that strangle the dawn,'is used

A. Metaphorically
B. Literally
C. Imaginatively
D. Figuratively