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1. When the audience of a play knows information that a character on stage does not know, this literary device is called
A. verbal irony
B. situational irony
C. dramatic irony
D. sarcasm
Explanation: Dramatic irony occurs when the audience possesses knowledge that one or more characters in the work do not have, creating tension or humour.
2. A story told using 'I' or 'we', in which the narrator is a character within the story, is written from which point of view?
A. Third person omniscient
B. First person
C. Second person
D. Third person limited
Explanation: First-person narration uses pronouns like 'I' or 'we', with the narrator participating directly in the events of the story.
3. The central message or underlying idea that a writer conveys through a literary work is called the:
A. Plot
B. Theme
C. Tone
D. Setting
Explanation: Theme is the central or underlying idea explored in a work, such as the clash of cultures often explored in African literature.
4. When a writer makes an indirect reference to a historical event, person, or another literary work, this is called:
A. Allusion
B. Parody
C. Satire
D. Soliloquy
Explanation: Allusion is a brief, indirect reference to a person, event, or work outside the text, assuming the reader's familiarity with it.
5. When a character in a play speaks his thoughts aloud while alone on stage, unheard by other characters, this is called a
A. dialogue
B. monologue
C. soliloquy
D. aside
Explanation: A soliloquy is a dramatic device in which a character, alone on stage, speaks his or her private thoughts aloud to reveal inner feelings to the audience.
6. When the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what was expected, this literary concept is called:
A. Irony
B. Allusion
C. Motif
D. Foreshadowing
Explanation: Irony occurs when there is a contrast between expectation and reality, such as a fire station burning down.
7. In a literary work, the main character around whom the plot revolves is known as the:
A. Antagonist
B. Protagonist
C. Narrator
D. Foil
Explanation: The protagonist is the central character whose actions and conflicts drive the story forward, such as Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart.
8. A dramatic work characterized by humour and a happy ending is known as a:
A. Tragedy
B. Elegy
C. Comedy
D. Ode
Explanation: A comedy is a light-hearted dramatic work intended to amuse the audience and typically ends happily, as seen in Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel.
9. A long speech given by one character to other characters or the audience, without interruption, is best described as a:
A. Monologue
B. Dialogue
C. Aside
D. Epilogue
Explanation: A monologue is an extended speech by a single character, addressed to others or the audience, unlike a soliloquy which is spoken alone.
10. A story that is told using events that happened before the present time in the narrative, usually to explain something in the past, is called a
A. foreshadowing
B. flashback
C. flash-forward
D. denouement
Explanation: A flashback is a literary device where a scene set in an earlier time interrupts the main narrative to provide background information relevant to the present story.
11. When a story is narrated by a character using pronouns such as 'I' and 'we', the point of view employed is known as
A. third person omniscient
B. first person narration
C. second person narration
D. objective point of view
Explanation: First person narration occurs when the narrator is a character within the story who tells the events using pronouns like 'I' and 'we'.
12. A character who possesses only one or two outstanding traits and does not change throughout a literary work is best described as a
A. round character
B. dynamic character
C. flat character
D. foil character
Explanation: A flat character is simple and one-dimensional, built around a single idea or trait, and remains unchanged from beginning to end of the story.
13. The struggle between opposing forces, which is central to the plot of most literary works, is called:
A. Theme
B. Conflict
C. Resolution
D. Symbol
Explanation: Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces (e.g., man versus society, man versus self) that drives the plot of a story.
14. A recurring element, such as an image, symbol, or idea, that appears throughout a literary work and helps to develop its theme is called a:
A. Motif
B. Climax
C. Epilogue
D. Aside
Explanation: A motif is a repeated element that reinforces the central themes of a work, such as the recurring reference to fire in a novel about conflict.
15. When an object, person, or event is used to represent an idea beyond its literal meaning, it is called a:
A. Symbol
B. Metaphor
C. Motif
D. Simile
Explanation: A symbol is something that represents an idea or concept beyond its literal meaning, such as a broken pot symbolizing a lost tradition.
16. The final resolution or unraveling of the plot at the end of a literary work is called the:
A. Denouement
B. Climax
C. Rising action
D. Exposition
Explanation: Denouement (also called falling action or resolution) refers to the concluding part of a story where the conflict is resolved.
17. A serious play that usually ends in the downfall or death of the main character due to a personal flaw or fate is called a:
A. Comedy
B. Tragedy
C. Farce
D. Melodrama
Explanation: A tragedy is a serious dramatic work in which the protagonist experiences a downfall, often due to a tragic flaw, ending in suffering or death.
18. The method by which a writer creates and develops the personality of a character is known as:
A. Narration
B. Characterization
C. Symbolism
D. Allusion
Explanation: Characterization is the process by which an author reveals a character's personality through actions, speech, thoughts, and description.
19. In many African novels, the python is often used to represent tradition and ancestral spirits. This use of an object to represent a deeper meaning is called
A. hyperbole
B. symbolism
C. personification
D. onomatopoeia
Explanation: Symbolism is a literary device in which an object, person, or idea represents something beyond its literal meaning, such as the python representing tradition.
20. A hint or clue given early in a story about events that will happen later is called:
A. Flashback
B. Foreshadowing
C. Denouement
D. Digression
Explanation: Foreshadowing is a literary technique where the writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story.
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