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

Question 331:

• JAMB 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
'Returning is not possible
And going forward is a great difficulty'
Sorrow' depict

A. Inevitablilty of fate
B. Coollctive failure
C. Progress with stubbornness
D. Individual tragedy

Question 332:

• JAMB 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
'The is my son, mine own Telemachus To whom I leave the scepter and the isle.'
In the lines above from Tennyson's Ulysses', scepter' and 'isle' are a poetic device called

A. Metonymy
B. Symbol
C. Allusion
D. Allegory

Question 333:

• JAMB 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
The persona in 'My Last Duchess' regards the painting as

A. A perfectly realistic representation of the Duchess
B. Not quite capturing the Duchess emotions
C. His most highly prized item
D. Something he is willing to pay dowry for

Question 334:

• JAMB 1995

This question is based on selected poems from D. Ker, C. Maduka et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa, Wole Soyinka (ed.): Poems of Black Africa, K.E. Senanu and T. Vincent (eds.): A Selection of African poetry and E.W. Parker (ed.) A Pageant of Longer Poems.
Wordsworth's 'The Solitary Reaper' is preoccupied with the

A. Relieveing effect of the song on the reaper's
B. Enduring impact of the reaper's song
C. Sweetest human voice of the poet ever heard
D. Similarity between the voice of the reaper and the cuckoo-bird

Question 335:

• JAMB 1995

This question is based on General Literary Principles.
An inherent quality of the lyric is that it must

A. Be sung to a musical instrument
B. Be sung by the poet who composes it
C. Express the poet's subjective emotions
D. Be simple and successful.