WAEC Literature in English 2008 Past Questions

Practice each question, then open it to see the full details.

Question 21
UNSEEN POETRY AND PROSE

Read the poem and answer the question

At the onset of the rain
The drought-stricken land
Suck up the wetness
And the gates to the field
Are flung widely open.
It is the signal for planting!
It is time for joyous toiling!
At various times of day
The hard and erect hoe
Would thrust and dig deep
Into the receiving wet soil.
Seeds on different quantities
Seeds of varying potency
Are broadcasted in layers
Into the womb of the earth
With time and much labour
The seed now transformed
Blossoms and grows into new life!

The subject matter of the extract is
  • A.harvesting
  • B.rain
  • C.time
  • D.farming
Objective
Question 22
UNSEEN POETRY AND PROSE

Read the poem and answer the question

At the onset of the rain
The drought-stricken land
Suck up the wetness
And the gates to the field
Are flung widely open.
It is the signal for planting!
It is time for joyous toiling!
At various times of day
The hard and erect hoe
Would thrust and dig deep
Into the receiving wet soil.
Seeds on different quantities
Seeds of varying potency
Are broadcasted in layers
Into the womb of the earth
With time and much labour
The seed now transformed
Blossoms and grows into new life!

The dominant device used in the extract is
  • A.metaphor
  • B.paradox
  • C.symbolism
  • D.simile
Objective
Question 23
UNSEEN POETRY AND PROSE

Read the poem and answer the question

At the onset of the rain
The drought-stricken land
Suck up the wetness
And the gates to the field
Are flung widely open.
It is the signal for planting!
It is time for joyous toiling!
At various times of day
The hard and erect hoe
Would thrust and dig deep
Into the receiving wet soil.
Seeds on different quantities
Seeds of varying potency
Are broadcasted in layers
Into the womb of the earth
With time and much labour
The seed now transformed
Blossoms and grows into new life!

''The hard and erect hoe'' connotes
  • A.uprooting of weeds
  • B.the sowing of seeds
  • C.digging of the soil
  • D.farming implement
Objective
Question 24
UNSEEN POETRY AND PROSE

Read the poem and answer the question

At the onset of the rain
The drought-stricken land
Suck up the wetness
And the gates to the field
Are flung widely open.
It is the signal for planting!
It is time for joyous toiling!
At various times of day
The hard and erect hoe
Would thrust and dig deep
Into the receiving wet soil.
Seeds on different quantities
Seeds of varying potency
Are broadcasted in layers
Into the womb of the earth
With time and much labour
The seed now transformed
Blossoms and grows into new life!

''Joyous toiling'' is an example of
  • A.onomatopeia
  • B.oxymoron
  • C.irony
  • D.metaphor
Objective
Question 25
UNSEEN POETRY AND PROSE

Read the poem and answer the question

At the onset of the rain
The drought-stricken land
Suck up the wetness
And the gates to the field
Are flung widely open.
It is the signal for planting!
It is time for joyous toiling!
At various times of day
The hard and erect hoe
Would thrust and dig deep
Into the receiving wet soil.
Seeds on different quantities
Seeds of varying potency
Are broadcasted in layers
Into the womb of the earth
With time and much labour
The seed now transformed
Blossoms and grows into new life!

The last line of the extract suggested the
  • A.growth of a seed
  • B.birth of a child
  • C.harvesting of fruits
  • D.flourishing of flowers
Objective
Question 26
Read the passage and answer the question

Ralph wormed his way though the thicket towards the forest, keeping as far as possible beneath the smoke. Presently, he saw an open space and the green leaves of the edge of the thicket . A smallish savage was standing between him and the rest of the forest, a savage striped red and white, and carrying a spear. He was coughing, and smearing the paint about his eyes with the back of his hand as he tried to see through the increasing smoke.

Ralph launched himself like a cat: stabbed, snarling, with the spear, and the savage doubled up. There was a shout from beyond the thicket and then Ralph was running with the swiftness of fear through the undergrowth. He came to a pig-run, followed it for perhaps a hundred yards and then swerved off. Behind him the ululation swept across the island once more and a single voice shouted three times. He guessed that was the signal to advance and sped away again till his chest was like fire.

Then he flung himself down under a bush and waited for a moment till his breathing steadied. He passed his tongue tentatively over his teeth and lips and heard far off the ululation of the pursuers.

The passage is
  • A.narrative
  • B.expository
  • C.descriptive
  • D.argumentative
Objective
Question 27
Read the passage and answer the question

Ralph wormed his way though the thicket towards the forest, keeping as far as possible beneath the smoke. Presently, he saw an open space and the green leaves of the edge of the thicket . A smallish savage was standing between him and the rest of the forest, a savage striped red and white, and carrying a spear. He was coughing, and smearing the paint about his eyes with the back of his hand as he tried to see through the increasing smoke.

Ralph launched himself like a cat: stabbed, snarling, with the spear, and the savage doubled up. There was a shout from beyond the thicket and then Ralph was running with the swiftness of fear through the undergrowth. He came to a pig-run, followed it for perhaps a hundred yards and then swerved off. Behind him the ululation swept across the island once more and a single voice shouted three times. He guessed that was the signal to advance and sped away again till his chest was like fire.

Then he flung himself down under a bush and waited for a moment till his breathing steadied. He passed his tongue tentatively over his teeth and lips and heard far off the ululation of the pursuers.

''Ralph wormed his way'' is an example of
  • A.irony
  • B.apostrophe
  • C.metaphor
  • D.allusion
Objective
Question 28
Read the passage and answer the question

Ralph wormed his way though the thicket towards the forest, keeping as far as possible beneath the smoke. Presently, he saw an open space and the green leaves of the edge of the thicket . A smallish savage was standing between him and the rest of the forest, a savage striped red and white, and carrying a spear. He was coughing, and smearing the paint about his eyes with the back of his hand as he tried to see through the increasing smoke.

Ralph launched himself like a cat: stabbed, snarling, with the spear, and the savage doubled up. There was a shout from beyond the thicket and then Ralph was running with the swiftness of fear through the undergrowth. He came to a pig-run, followed it for perhaps a hundred yards and then swerved off. Behind him the ululation swept across the island once more and a single voice shouted three times. He guessed that was the signal to advance and sped away again till his chest was like fire.

Then he flung himself down under a bush and waited for a moment till his breathing steadied. He passed his tongue tentatively over his teeth and lips and heard far off the ululation of the pursuers.

The literary device used in ''Ralph launched himself like a cat'' is
  • A.assonance
  • B.simile
  • C.contrast
  • D.personification
Objective
Question 29
Read the passage and answer the question

Ralph wormed his way though the thicket towards the forest, keeping as far as possible beneath the smoke. Presently, he saw an open space and the green leaves of the edge of the thicket . A smallish savage was standing between him and the rest of the forest, a savage striped red and white, and carrying a spear. He was coughing, and smearing the paint about his eyes with the back of his hand as he tried to see through the increasing smoke.

Ralph launched himself like a cat: stabbed, snarling, with the spear, and the savage doubled up. There was a shout from beyond the thicket and then Ralph was running with the swiftness of fear through the undergrowth. He came to a pig-run, followed it for perhaps a hundred yards and then swerved off. Behind him the ululation swept across the island once more and a single voice shouted three times. He guessed that was the signal to advance and sped away again till his chest was like fire.

Then he flung himself down under a bush and waited for a moment till his breathing steadied. He passed his tongue tentatively over his teeth and lips and heard far off the ululation of the pursuers.

The writer's diction portrays
  • A.repetition
  • B.irony
  • C.tension
  • D.humour
Objective