Practice Questions: Style And Language

JAMB/UTME English Literature: Style and Language

Q1: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in a line of poetry is called -
(a) Assonance
(b) Alliteration
(c) Consonance
(d) Onomatopoeia

Q2: "The sun smiled down on the village" is an example of -
(a) Hyperbole
(b) Metaphor
(c) Personification
(d) Simile

Q3: In Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart," the use of proverbs serves primarily to -
(a) Display the author's knowledge
(b) Reflect Igbo cultural values and wisdom
(c) Confuse Western readers
(d) Extend the length of dialogue

Q4: The phrase "He is as brave as a lion" contains which literary device?
(a) Metaphor
(b) Personification
(c) Simile
(d) Hyperbole

Q5: A writer's distinctive way of expressing ideas through word choice, sentence structure, and literary devices is called -
(a) Theme
(b) Plot
(c) Style
(d) Setting

Q6: "The classroom was a zoo" is an example of -
(a) Simile
(b) Personification
(c) Hyperbole
(d) Metaphor

Q7: In Wole Soyinka's poetry, the deliberate use of complex syntax and mythological references contributes to a tone that is -
(a) Simple and straightforward
(b) Dense and cerebral
(c) Childlike and naive
(d) Humorous and light

Q8: The repetition of vowel sounds within words in close proximity is known as -
(a) Alliteration
(b) Assonance
(c) Rhyme
(d) Rhythm

Q9: "The wind whispered secrets through the trees" illustrates which device?
(a) Metaphor
(b) Hyperbole
(c) Personification
(d) Irony

Q10: When a writer uses words that imitate natural sounds, such as "buzz" or "hiss," this is called -
(a) Symbolism
(b) Imagery
(c) Alliteration
(d) Onomatopoeia

Q11: In Shakespeare's works, the use of blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter) primarily serves to -
(a) Make the plays easier to memorize
(b) Create natural yet elevated speech patterns
(c) Confuse the audience
(d) Display technical skill only

Q12: "I've told you a million times" is an example of -
(a) Metaphor
(b) Simile
(c) Hyperbole
(d) Understatement

Q13: The overall emotional quality or atmosphere created by a literary work is its -
(a) Theme
(b) Mood
(c) Plot
(d) Conflict

Q14: When a character says one thing but means the opposite, this is called -
(a) Dramatic irony
(b) Situational irony
(c) Verbal irony
(d) Cosmic irony

Q15: In John Munonye's "The Only Son," the simple, direct prose style reflects -
(a) The author's limited vocabulary
(b) The rural setting and characters' worldview
(c) Poor editing
(d) Western literary influence exclusively

Q16: A direct comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as" is -
(a) Simile
(b) Personification
(c) Metaphor
(d) Allusion

Q17: "The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky" demonstrates -
(a) Hyperbole
(b) Simile
(c) Metaphor
(d) Personification

Q18: The author's attitude toward the subject matter or audience is called -
(a) Mood
(b) Tone
(c) Style
(d) Theme

Q19: In African literature, the incorporation of indigenous languages and expressions into English text is called -
(a) Translation
(b) Code-switching
(c) Vernacularization
(d) Pidginization

Q20: "The silence was deafening" is an example of -
(a) Oxymoron
(b) Hyperbole
(c) Metaphor
(d) Personification

Q21: A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or literary work is called -
(a) Symbolism
(b) Imagery
(c) Allusion
(d) Metaphor

Q22: In Gabriel Okara's "The Voice," the unconventional syntax that mirrors Ijaw language structure creates a style that is -
(a) Grammatically incorrect
(b) Deliberately African-centered
(c) Accidental and unintended
(d) Easy to understand

Q23: "He has the heart of a lion" uses which literary device?
(a) Simile
(b) Personification
(c) Hyperbole
(d) Metaphor

Q24: Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses is called -
(a) Diction
(b) Imagery
(c) Syntax
(d) Tone

Q25: When the outcome of a situation is contrary to what was expected, this is -
(a) Foreshadowing
(b) Symbolism
(c) Situational irony
(d) Allegory