Literature in English Exam Questions for JSS1 First Term

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Introduction to Literature in English as a School Subject

Literature in English is the study of written works—such as prose, poetry, and drama—that express ideas, emotions, and human experiences through creative language. As a school subject, it goes beyond mere reading; it involves analyzing themes, characters, settings, and styles to understand deeper meanings and cultural contexts.

Literature helps students develop critical thinking, improve language skills, and appreciate diverse perspectives. It also fosters creativity and empathy by allowing learners to explore the lives, beliefs, and values of people from different times and places. Through Literature in English, students are equipped not only to enjoy stories but also to interpret and evaluate them meaningfully.

Literature in English Exam Questions for JSS1 First Term

Literature in English Exam Questions for JSS1 First Term are divided into two parts:

• Part One
• Part Two

The first part, namely, Part One is the objective test, and students are expected to attempt all questions in the section. Part two is the theory part, and students are expected to follow specific instruction and answer the required number of questions.

Note that what you have below are JSS1 Literature in English First Term Exam Past Questions made available to assist students in their revision for 1st term examinations and also teachers in structuring standard examinations.

PART ONE: Objectives

Instruction: Answer all questions in this section by choosing from the options lettered A—D. Each question carries equal marks.

1. Which figure of speech is used in the phrase “He is as brave as a lion”?
A. Simile            B. Personification
C. Metaphor      D. Hyperbole

2. Which branch of literature focuses on stories that are made up or imagined?
A. Fiction        B. Poetry
C. Drama        D. Nonfiction

3. What figure of speech is used in the phrase “Her smile was a ray of sunshine”?
A. Simile            B. Personification
C. Metaphor      D. Hyperbole

4. Which branch of literature includes plays and scripts meant to be performed on stage?
A. Drama         B. Fiction
C. Poetry         D. Nonfiction

5. What figure of speech is used in the phrase “The wind whispered through the trees”?
A. Simile           B. Personification
C. Metaphor     D. Hyperbole

6. What branch of literature uses rhythmic and expressive language to evoke emotions and imagery?
A. Poetry               B. Drama
C. Fiction               D. Non-fiction

7. All these are characteristics of drama except ___________.
A. it involves dialogue
B. it involves actions
C. it is usually divided into acts and scenes
D. it is usually divided into paragraphs

8. ___________ is a poem that is used to mourn the death of a person?
A. ode         B. lullaby
C. elegy       D. epic

9. In fables, the characters are usually __________ or ___________.
A. animate or inanimate objects
B. letters or dictionaries
C. males or females
D. prose or poetry

10. Which of these is an account of a person’s life written by him/herself.
A. fable         B. biography
C. drama       D. autobiography

11. A play that ends sadly is known as __________.
A. comedy
B. tragic-comedy
C. computer play
D. tragedy play

12. Which figure of speech is used in the phrase “Time flies”?
A. Simile           B. Personification
C. Metaphor     D. Hyperbole

13. Which branch of literature focuses on real events, people, and facts?
A. Nonfiction       B. Fiction
C. Poetry              D. Drama

14. What figure of speech is used in the phrase “The stars danced in the sky”?
A. Simile            B. Personification
C. Metaphor      D. Hyperbole

15. Which branch of literature includes novels, short stories, and fairy tales?
A. Fiction         B. Poetry
C. Drama         D. Non-fiction

16. How many genres of literature exist artistically?
A. two        B. three
C. five         D. six

17. Drama as a literary genre is written in scripts by?
A. playwright        B. poet
C. playright           D. prosaist

18. When holidays does performance on a stage take place?
A. theatre         B. arena
C. studio           D. civic hall

19. Who is the god of fertility in Greek?
A. Dionysus      B. Zeus
C. Apollo          D. Diana

20. The figure of speech used in “you must be very clever for scoring 20% in your examination”, is _________.
A. Simile            B. Personification
C. Metaphor      D. Hyperbole

21. A poem of five lines is known as ___________.
A. couplet         B. triplet
C. quatrain        D. quintet

22. All these are forms of prose except ______________.
A. autobiography
B. fable
C. biography
D. epistolary novel

23. The writer of a poem is called ____________.
A. Poet          B. Dramatist
C. Novelist     D. Poemist

24. The presentation of an unpleasant thing or experience in a pleasant way is known as ____________.
A. hyperbole        B. simile
C. euphemism      D. assonance

25. Which type of literature is practiced by our ancestors?
A. Modern literature
B. Oral literature
C. Realistic literature
D. English literature

26. What figure of speech is used in the phrase “His voice is music to my ears”?
A. Simile            B. Personification
C. Metaphor      D. Hyperbole

27. Which branch of literature uses dialogue and stage directions to tell a story?
A. Drama           B. Fiction
C. Poetry           D. Non-fiction

28. What figure of speech is used in the phrase “The world is my oyster”?
A. Simile             B. Personification
C. Metaphor       D. Hyperbole

29. Which branch of literature uses words and language to create imaginative and artistic expressions?
A. Poetry           B. Drama
C. Fiction           D. Non-fiction

30. What figure of speech is used in the phrase “Her eyes were sparkling diamonds”?
A. Simile            B. Personification
C. Metaphor      D. Hyperbole

31. Which branch of literature includes biographies, memoirs, and textbooks?
A. Drama         B. Fiction
C. Poetry         D. Non-fiction

32. What figure of speech is used in the phrase “The thunder roared angrily”?
A. Simile           B. Personification
C. Metaphor     D. Hyperbole

33. Which branch of literature focuses on the beauty and rhythm of language?
A. Poetry          B. Drama
C. Fiction          D. Non-fiction

34. “The boy with the bed and his belt”. The repeated ‘e’ sound in this expression is an example of ___________.
A. assonance   B. hyperbole
C. vowel           D. alliteration

35. ________ is an introductory speech before a play.
A. epilogue       B. diction
C. prologue       D. plot

36. A play is a drama, because it can be _________.
A. sung on an assembly
B. acted on a stage
C. watched on your phones
D. acted only in our homes

37. The use of facial expressions and gestures to tell a story is __________.
A. tales by moonlight
B. dance-drama
C. super stories
D. mime

38. Another name for ‘Hero’ is __________.
A. heroine B. antagonist
C. actor D. protagonist

39. These except one is not true about literature.
A. Literature teaches moral values.
B. Literature is entertaining and educative.
C. Literature deals only on past events.
D. Literature can sell ideas or products.

40. What figure of speech is used in the phrase “She is a shining star”?
A. Simile             B. Personification
C. Metaphor       D. Hyperbole

41. Which branch of literature includes epic poems, sonnets and haikus?
A. Poetry         B. Drama
C. Fiction         D. Non-fiction

42. What figure of speech is used in the phrase “The flowers nodded their heads”?
A. Simile           B. Personification
C. Metaphor     D. Hyperbole

43. Which branch of literature includes myths, legends, and folktales?
A. prose             B. Poetry
C. Drama            D. Nonfiction

44. What figure of speech is used in the phrase “The world is a stage”?
A. Simile            B. Personification
C. Metaphor      D. Hyperbole

45. Which branch of literature focuses on works written in chapters and paragraphs?
A. prose            B. Poetry
C. Drama          D. lyrics

46. Who is the writer of poetry?
A. prosaist        B. singer
C. poet             D. persona

47. Where did literature evolved from historically?
A. Latin           B. Greek
C. Rome          D. England

48. Which branch of literature is the oldest?
A. poetry           B. drama
C. prose             D. ballad

49. Which form of drama ends on a happy note?
A. tragedy        B. comedy
C. mime           D. ode

50. Who is a performer on a stage?
A. actor            B. dramatist
C. prompter     D. audience

51. Which group of people watch live performance on a stage?
A. students       B. married men
C. harlots          D. audience

52. What type of attire is worn by actors during performance?
A. costume        B. chieftaincy
C. lace               D. uniform

53. Which form of drama makes use of music without spoken words?
A. opera        B. melodrama
C. farce          D. mask drama

54. Who is the writer of books?
A. author       B. poet
C. bard          D. secretary

55. Which form of drama ends on a sad note?
A. comedy       B. tragedy
C. mime           D. opera

56. Who induces laughter in a comic event?
A. jester           B. actor
C. dramatist     D. hero

57. A novel written in form of a letter is referred to as ___________.
A. informal letters
B. epistolary novel
C. novelist
D. formal letters

58. A song composed to be sung to children with a view to making them sleep is known as ___________.
A. epic
B. lullaby
C. descriptive poem
D. pastoral poem

59. ___________ is a figure of speech that refers to the repetition of identical vowel sounds to give a particular effect.
A. assonance
B. alliteration
C. simile
D. euphemism

60. Which of these terms refer to the word choice used by writers in any literary work?
A. diction       B. theme
C. plot            D. setting

PART TWO: Essay

SECTION ONE

INSTRUCTION – Answer any four (4) questions in this section.

1. Briefly explain the following literary terms:
(i) setting         (ii) plot
(iii) theme        (iv) characters
(v) style

2a. What is poetry?
2b. List four characteristics of poetry.

3a. What is prose?
3b. List and explain four forms of prose.

4a. What is literature?
4b. Briefly explain the following types of literature:
(i) oral literature
(ii) historical literature
(iii) miming
(iv) dance-drama
(v) fables

5a. Who is a character?
5b. Give a detailed explanation of the following types of character:
(i) eponymous character
(ii) flat character
(iii) round character
(iv) antagonist
(v) protagonist
5c. What do we mean by the term ‘Characterization’ in drama?

SECTION TWO

INSTRUCTION – Answer all the questions in this section.

1. Who was Obiageli’s step mother in the novel Destined to Survive?

2. Who was revealed to be the killer of Mr. Ebue?

3. Who abducted Obiageli for ritual purpose?

4. Who supported Obiageli’s business with five million naira?

5. Who was Gift’s fiance in the novel ‘The Verdict’?

6. Who assassinated Chief Amadi?

7. What was the art project that Kwame’s class started in the novel ‘The power of diversity’?

8. Who were the four boys from different cultural background?

9. Who developed a foundation for aspiring artists with disabilities?

10. Who was the lost princess in the novel ‘Lost Princess’?

11. What evidence did the guards from the palace present to Amaka to prove her royalty?

12. Who was Zainab in the story?

13. How many people conspired against the king?

14. Who was the Prince of Idoko kingdom?

15. Who was the head of the royal guard?

Answers to Literature in English Exam Questions for JSS1 First Term

Answers to PART ONE (Objective Test)

The following table gives the correct answers to the objective section of Literature in English exam questions for JSS1 First term. If you are using a mobile device, hold the table and scroll to the right or left for a complete view.

So here you have the answers to the objective section of Literature in English Exam Questions for JSS1 First term. Use the comments section to let me know if you have any questions you would want me to clarify or discuss further.

Answers to PART TWO (Theory)

SECTION 1

No 1.

1. Briefly explain the following literary terms:

(i) Setting – This refers to the time and place in which the events of a story take place. It includes the physical location, historical period, and social environment.

(ii) Plot – This is the sequence of events in a story. It shows how the story begins, develops, and ends.

(iii) Theme – This is the main idea, central message, or lesson that the author wants to communicate through the story.

(iv) Characters – These are the people, animals, or beings that take part in the events of a story.

(v) Style – This refers to the way a writer uses language, including word choice, sentence structure, and literary devices.

No 2.

2a. What is poetry?

Poetry is a form of literary expression that uses rhythmic, creative, and often condensed language to evoke emotions, paint images, or convey ideas.

2b. Four characteristics of poetry:

• It uses rhythm and meter.
• Ít often makes use of figurative language such as similes and metaphors.
• It may have rhyme patterns.
• It focuses on imagery and emotion.

No 3.

3a. What is prose?

Prose is a form of written or spoken language that follows natural speech patterns, without the structured meter or rhyme found in poetry.

3b. Four forms of prose:

• Autobiography – The story of a person’s life written by themselves.
• Biography – The story of a person’s life written by someone else.
• Fable – A short story, often with animal characters, that teaches a moral lesson.
• Epistolary Novel – A novel written in the form of letters.

No 4.

4a. What is literature?

Literature is the artistic expression of ideas, emotions, and experiences through written or spoken words.

4b. Types of literature:

(i) Oral literature – Stories, poems, and songs passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation.

(ii) Historical literature – Literary works that record and explain past events.

(iii) Miming – A dramatic performance that uses facial expressions and gestures instead of speech.

(iv) Dance-drama – A performance that combines dancing and acting to tell a story.

(v) Fables – Short stories with moral lessons, often involving animals as characters.

No 5.

5a. Who is a character?

A character is a person, animal, or figure represented in a literary work who takes part in the events of the story.

5b. Types of character:

(i) Eponymous character – A character whose name is also the title of the literary work (e.g., “Othello” in Shakespeare’s Othello).

(ii) Flat character – A simple character with limited traits and no significant change throughout the story.

(iii) Round character – A complex character with varied traits and emotions, who may change during the story.

(iv) Antagonist – The character who opposes the main character, creating conflict in the story.

(v) Protagonist – The main character or hero of the story, often facing challenges to achieve their goal.

5c. Characterization in drama:

Characterization is the process by which a playwright or author reveals the personality, traits, and motivations of characters in a story. This can be done through their actions, speech, thoughts, appearance, and how other characters react to them.

Read Also: Literature in English Exam Questions for JSS1 Third Term

How to Pass Literature in English Exam Questions for JSS1 First Term

Passing your Literature in English exam questions for JSS1 First term requires a combination of preparation, understanding, and strategy. Here are actionable tips to help you excel:

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