Unseen Passages

183 questions

Question 141Question

Read the poetic extract below carefully:

Silent streams through meadows glide,
Beneath the silver moonlit sky;
The whispering winds of eventide
Sweep softly as the hours pass by.
No shadows haunt the peaceful lake,
Where quiet dreams at last awake.

What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: ababcc

Answer

The rhyme scheme of the stanza is ababcc.
The correct answer is ababcc because line 1 ('glide') and line 3 ('eventide') share sound 'a', line 2 ('sky') and line 4 ('by') share sound 'b', and lines 5 and 6 ('lake' and 'awake') form a closing rhyming couplet assigned sound 'c'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assign the first lowercase letter 'a' to the end word of Line 1.
Line 1 ends with 'glide' (a).
Rhyme schemes begin by designating the first line's ending sound with the letter 'a'.
2
Examine Line 2 and Line 3 end sounds.
Line 2 ends with 'sky' (new sound -> b). Line 3 ends with 'eventide', which rhymes with 'glide' (sound -> a).
Identical end sounds receive the same letter marker.
3
Examine Line 4, Line 5, and Line 6 end sounds.
Line 4 ends with 'by' (rhymes with 'sky' -> b). Line 5 ends with 'lake' (new sound -> c). Line 6 ends with 'awake' (rhymes with 'lake' -> c).
Completing the letter assignments for all six lines yields the sequence a-b-a-b-c-c.

Key Concept

End-Rhyme Scheme Mapping
Question 142Question

Read the passage below carefully:

"I walked cautiously through the deserted market square, clutching the silver key tight in my trembling palm. Every shadow seemed to stretch toward me, but I knew I had to reach the old wooden door before dusk settled over the town."

Which narrative point of view is used in the passage?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: First-person point of view

Answer

First-person point of view
The passage uses first-person point of view because the narrator is a character within the story recounting personal experiences, as evidenced by first-person personal pronouns such as 'I' and 'my'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the pronouns used by the narrator in the passage
The pronouns 'I' and 'my' are used repeatedly.
Narrative point of view is determined by the perspective and pronoun markers of the speaker.
2
Determine if the narrator is an active participant in the events described
The speaker describes their own actions ('I walked') and feelings ('my trembling palm').
First-person narration occurs when a character tells their own story from their personal perspective.

Key Concept

Identification of Narrative Point of View
Estimated Time:45s
Question 143Question

Read the unseen dramatic extract below carefully:

CHIEF OGBU: (Pounding his staff on the ground, voice trembling)
The ancestral stool is not a prize for the highest bidder!
EBERE: (Stepping forward, lowering her eyes)
Yet the market is filled with buyers, My Lord, and the silence of the elders is loud.
CHIEF OGBU: Let them bring their gold! The river does not turn back because a bucket seeks to swallow it.
EBERE: (Whispering to herself as she moves toward the exit)
He relies on ancient river currents, unaware that the dam was built last night.

Match each line of dialogue or stage direction from the extract (Left) with the primary dramatic element or literary device it demonstrates (Right).

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

(Pounding his staff on the ground, voice trembling)
...and the silence of the elders is loud.
The river does not turn back because a bucket seeks to swallow it.
(Whispering to herself as she moves toward the exit) He relies on ancient river currents, unaware that the dam was built last night.

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The stage direction in parentheses indicates physical gesture and tone; the phrase describing silence as loud is a paradox; comparing authority to an unyielding river is a metaphor; and the whispered private utterance serves as an aside.
Each dramatic line and instruction aligns precisely with its functional device: parenthetical notes guide stage movement and emotion; contrasting silence with loudness forms a paradox; direct comparison of authority to a river forms a metaphor; and a secret utterance while sharing the stage functions as an aside.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the non-spoken parenthetical text for Chief Ogbu.
Identified physical gestures and vocal delivery instructions, matching stage directions.
Stage directions provide instructions for actor movements and voice modulation.
2
Analyze the figurative language in Ebere's observation about the elders' silence.
Identified 'silence... is loud' as a paradox.
A paradox couples contradictory concepts to highlight a deeper underlying meaning.
3
Evaluate Chief Ogbu's figurative statement regarding the river and the bucket.
Identified the comparison as a metaphor representing unyielding power.
The river directly represents tradition without using 'like' or 'as'.
4
Determine the function of Ebere's final whispered utterance.
Identified the private remark as an aside.
An aside is spoken by a character to themselves or the audience, unheard by other characters on stage.

Key Concept

Identification and analysis of dramatic conventions, literary devices, and stage directions within unseen script extracts.
Question 144Question

Read the unseen excerpt below carefully:

"The ancient marketplace throbbed like a wounded beast under the relentless sun [1]. I dragged my weary feet through the dust [2], watching Mama's bright yellow headscarf bobbing through the crowd. Around us, vendor calls clashed with the steady thrum of passing motorbikes [3], weaving a chaotic tapestry of sound [4]."

Match each numbered excerpt or feature from the passage (Left Column) to its corresponding narrative point of view or stylistic device (Right Column).

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

[1] "throbbed like a wounded beast"
[2] "I dragged my weary feet"
[3] "vendor calls clashed with the steady thrum"
[4] "chaotic tapestry of sound"

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Excerpt [1] matches the simile comparison; Excerpt [2] matches the first-person point of view; Excerpt [3] matches auditory imagery with alliterative sound elements; Excerpt [4] matches the metaphor equating sound to a fabric.
Each text excerpt is correctly mapped to its distinct narrative device: [1] features a comparative simile with 'like', [2] exhibits first-person narrative perspective via 'I', [3] depicts auditory imagery with sound repetition, and [4] presents a metaphor comparing sound to a tapestry.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the narrative point of view in excerpt [2]
The presence of the pronoun 'I' signifies a first-person narrator recounting events firsthand.
First-person narrative perspective relies on first-person pronouns ('I', 'me', 'my') to present subjective narrative experiences.
2
Analyze figurative language in excerpt [1] and excerpt [4]
Excerpt [1] uses 'like' to form a simile, whereas excerpt [4] directly asserts that sound is a 'tapestry' to form a metaphor.
Similes require explicit comparative words ('like' or 'as'), while metaphors make direct figurative substitutions without comparative conjunctions.
3
Examine sensory details and sound devices in excerpt [3]
Excerpt [3] employs auditory imagery and sound repetition ('calls clashed') to emulate chaotic market noises.
Descriptions engaging the sense of hearing through sound patterns represent auditory imagery combined with stylistic alliteration.

Key Concept

Identification of Narrative Point of View and Style in Unseen Prose
Question 145Question

Consider the following unseen prose extract:

"As the old locomotive chugged out of the station, Kwesi leaned against the window frame, watching the familiar hills fade into the dusty horizon. He wondered if his sister had received the letter, unaware that she was already aboard the rear carriage looking for him."

True or False: The narrator in this extract employs a third-person omniscient point of view.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: True

Answer

The statement is True.
The passage employs a third-person omniscient point of view because an external narrator knows not only Kwesi's private thoughts ('He wondered') but also events taking place elsewhere beyond Kwesi's knowledge ('unaware that she was already aboard the rear carriage'). Therefore, classifying the narrative perspective as third-person omniscient is accurate.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the pronouns used in the passage.
The narrative uses third-person pronouns such as 'he', 'his', and 'she'.
Determines whether the narrator is a character inside the story (first-person) or an outside observer (third-person).
2
Analyze the extent of the narrator's knowledge and perspective.
The narrator reveals Kwesi's internal thought ('He wondered if...') as well as facts outside Kwesi's awareness ('unaware that she was already aboard...').
Differentiates between third-person limited (restricted to one character's awareness) and third-person omniscient (all-knowing access to multiple perspectives and facts).
3
Evaluate the true/false claim based on the point of view analysis.
Since the narrator is an all-knowing third-person observer, the claim that the passage uses a third-person omniscient point of view is true.
Confirms the correct evaluation of the statement.

Key Concept

Third-Person Omniscient Point of View
Question 146Question

Read the unseen passage below carefully:

"We gathered our fishing nets before the morning dew could dry off the high grass. As father launched the wooden canoe into the calm creeks of the Niger Delta, my younger brother and I took our positions at the stern, watching the sleepy village fade into the misty distance."

Which narrative point of view is employed in the passage above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: First-person point of view

Answer

First-person point of view
The passage is told from the first-person perspective because the narrator is an active participant in the story, using first-person pronouns such as 'We' and 'my' to describe the trip.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the pronouns used by the speaker/narrator in the excerpt.
Pronouns found in the text include 'We' and 'my'.
Narrative point of view is primarily indicated by the choice of narrative pronouns.
2
Determine the relationship between the narrator and the actions described.
The narrator participates directly in the action alongside their brother and father.
Participating in the events while using personal pronouns confirms an inside perspective.
3
Match the narrative characteristics to the corresponding literary perspective.
Direct participation combined with first-person plural and singular pronouns defines the first-person point of view.
This establishes the narrator as a character within the story.

Key Concept

First-Person Narrative Point of View
Estimated Time:45s
Question 147Question

Read the prose extract below carefully:

"The apothecary closed the iron-bound chest without touching the blue vials on the upper shelf. He handed the captain's courier a small linen pouch filled only with crushed willow bark, avoiding the messenger's eyes while accepting the heavy pouch of gold. 'Tell your master this will abate the fever before dawn,' he whispered, hastily snuffing out the tallow lamp before the courier had crossed the threshold."

What can be deduced about the apothecary's conduct from the extract above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: He provides a routine herbal mixture while withholding the more effective treatment despite collecting substantial payment.

Answer

The apothecary provides a routine herbal mixture while withholding the more effective treatment despite collecting substantial payment.
The text highlights specific gestures—ignoring the upper shelf blue vials, avoiding eye contact, taking a heavy pouch of gold for common willow bark, and blowing out the lamp in haste—which together deduce that the apothecary is acting deceitfully by charging excessively for an ordinary remedy while keeping the premium or effective medicine back.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze key physical actions in the passage.
The apothecary deliberately ignores the top-shelf blue vials, hands over simple willow bark, avoids eye contact, accepts gold, and snuffs out the candle hastily.
Implied character disposition and motivation are revealed through behavioral clues rather than explicit narration.
2
Synthesize the behavioral clues to infer implicit meaning.
Avoiding eye contact and rushing the courier out in the dark indicates guilt and dishonesty, while accepting heavy gold for basic willow bark shows he is overcharging for an inferior product while keeping the potent medicine (blue vials) untouched.
Deduction requires combining implicit text details to form a logical conclusion.

Key Concept

Drawing logical inferences from implicit textual evidence in prose extracts
Question 148Question

Read the poetic passage below carefully:

The winter wind begins its bitter howl,
Across the barren field the shadows creep,
While weary travelers prepare to sleep,
And hungry wolves in distant forests prowl.
The hearth glows warm against the freezing night,
Filling the cozy room with golden light.

What is the rhyme scheme of the passage above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: abba cc

Answer

The rhyme scheme of the passage is abba cc.
The first line ending in 'howl' and fourth line ending in 'prowl' rhyme together ('a'), enclosing the second line ('creep') and third line ('sleep') which rhyme together ('b'), forming an envelope rhyme (abba). The fifth line ('night') and sixth line ('light') rhyme with each other using a new sound ('c'), making the total rhyme scheme abba cc.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the end-rhymes of the first four lines
Line 1 ('howl') rhymes with Line 4 ('prowl'), designated as 'a'. Line 2 ('creep') rhymes with Line 3 ('sleep'), designated as 'b'. This produces the pattern abba (envelope rhyme).
Assigning identical letters to rhyming end-words establishes the initial stanza structure.
2
Examine the end-rhymes of the remaining two lines
Line 5 ('night') rhymes with Line 6 ('light'), introducing a new rhyme sound designated as 'c'. This forms the couplet pattern cc.
New rhyming sounds receive subsequent letters of the alphabet.
3
Combine the line patterns to determine the complete rhyme scheme
Joining the first four lines (abba) with the final two lines (cc) yields abba cc.
The full sequence represents the overarching rhyme structure of the six-line poem.

Key Concept

Rhyme Scheme Mapping
Question 149Question

Examine the unseen literary extracts provided below and match each extract to the correct narrative point of view or stylistic technique it demonstrates.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

"I held my breath in the darkness, waiting for the footsteps to fade down the narrow corridor."
"The dark valley shrieked in agony as thunder shattered the midnight silence."
"Obi glanced at his brother, wondering if he too felt the cold dread creeping into the room."
"Silver stars sparkle silently across the slumbering sky."

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Extract 1 matches First-person narrative point of view; Extract 2 matches Personification; Extract 3 matches Third-person limited narrative point of view; Extract 4 matches Alliteration.
Each extract uniquely aligns with its defined literary technique: direct self-narration via 'I' corresponds to first-person POV; assigning human agony to a valley exemplifies personification; focalizing third-person narrative strictly through one character's awareness represents third-person limited POV; and repeating initial /s/ sounds represents alliteration.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Extract 1 for narrative pronouns and perspective.
Identified 'I', indicating personal narration from inside the narrator's mind.
First-person POV is characterized by self-referential pronouns such as 'I' and 'my'.
2
Analyze Extract 2 for figurative language.
'The dark valley shrieked in agony' endows an inanimate physical location with human emotional response.
Giving human characteristics to non-human elements defines personification.
3
Analyze Extract 3 for narrative scope and pronouns.
Uses third-person pronouns ('Obi', 'he') while filtering the scene's emotional context through Obi's thoughts alone.
Third-person limited POV restricts insight to a single character's internal state while narrating in the third person.
4
Analyze Extract 4 for phonetic patterns.
Repeated initial /s/ sound across 'Silver stars sparkle silently... slumbering'.
Repetition of initial consonant sounds in close succession creates alliteration.

Key Concept

Identification of Narrative Point of View and Stylistic Devices in Unseen Texts
Question 150Question

Read the unseen prose excerpt below carefully:

"Every evening, Mama Folake set up her small kerosene lamp beside the railway tracks of Offa station. For thirty years, while steam engines gave way to diesel locomotives and passengers transformed from quiet rural traders into hurried city commuters clad in synthetic suits, her fried bean cakes remained unchanged in taste and texture. She watched young boys board the night train to Lagos with cardboard suitcases and boundless expectations, only to see a few return years later with hollow eyes and quiet steps. Though the town around her expanded with concrete structures, her small wooden tray remained the steady anchor of the old quarter."

What is the central theme explored in the passage above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The persistence of traditional cultural anchors amidst societal modernization

Answer

The central theme explored in the passage is the persistence of traditional cultural anchors amidst societal modernization.
The correct answer accurately synthesizes the passage's main focus: the contrast between relentless urban and technological changes over thirty years and the steady, enduring presence of traditional community elements symbolized by Mama Folake's tray.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the core contrast in the passage
The passage contrasts sweeping external changes (steam to diesel engines, quiet traders to hurried commuters, concrete expansion) with Mama Folake's unchanging stall and bean cakes.
Identifying contrast between setting elements reveals the author's primary focus.
2
Evaluate the narrative climax and conclusion
The text explicitly states that 'her small wooden tray remained the steady anchor of the old quarter.'
The concluding statement synthesizes the passage's main message regarding endurance and continuity.
3
Distinguish between central theme and peripheral details
References to migrating youths and changing locomotives are supporting details illustrating broader modernization, not the central thesis itself.
Eliminating overly specific details and overgeneralized claims pinpoints the exact thematic focus.

Key Concept

Identifying Theme and Main Idea in Unseen Prose Excerpts
Question 151Question

Read the unseen dramatic extract below carefully:

NWANKWO: (Gazing into the dark horizon, whispering to himself) The river does not overflow its banks without a reason... yet the village elders dance in the rain as if the floods bring honey.
EZINNE: (Entering hastily, clutching a lantern) Nwankwo! They have accepted the stranger's gold!
NWANKWO: (Turning slowly, a bitter smile on his face) Then let the soil drink its own poison.
EZINNE: Why speak in riddles when the fire is at our doorstep?

Match each dialogue excerpt or stage direction from the extract on the left with its correct dramatic element or dialogue function on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

(Gazing into the dark horizon, whispering to himself)
yet the village elders dance in the rain as if the floods bring honey
Then let the soil drink its own poison
Why speak in riddles when the fire is at our doorstep?

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct pairing links: (1) the initial stage direction to the establishment of soliloquy-like introspection; (2) the line about elders dancing in floods to ironical imagery of foolish celebration; (3) the line about soil drinking poison to metaphorical foreshadowing of self-inflicted doom; and (4) the question about speaking in riddles to a direct critique of figurative evasiveness during a crisis.
Each match correctly aligns the excerpt's dramatic device or structural feature with its analytical interpretation: stage directions signal internal reflection, contrast imagery highlights irony, poison metaphors signal tragic resolution, and direct questions reveal character tension over communication styles.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze stage directions and character delivery mode
Identify that whispering to oneself while gazing into the distance serves as a dramatic technique for internal reflection.
Stage directions guide actor delivery and establish dramatic atmosphere.
2
Examine figurative language and tone in dialogue lines
Connect specific metaphors (floods bringing honey, soil drinking poison) to their literary effects (ironic contrast and tragic outcome).
Dramatic dialogue carries symbolic weight and thematic foreshadowing.
3
Evaluate character interaction and conflict in dialogue
Identify Ezinne's response as a pragmatic counterweight demanding clarity during danger.
Dialogue analysis requires understanding how characters clash or respond to one another's speaking styles.

Key Concept

Analysis of Dramatic Elements and Dialogue in Unseen Extracts
Question 152Question

Consider the unseen poetic extract below:

High on the sea-cliff stands the lonely tower,
Watching the churning waves that crash below;
It braves the fury of the tempest's power,
While fleeting generations come and go.
Unshaken by the tide,
It stands in silent pride.

Match each structural feature or section of the poem on the left with its correct poetic classification on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

Lines 1–4 ('High on the sea-cliff... come and go.')
Lines 5–6 ('Unshaken by the tide... silent pride.')
Overall rhyme scheme of the six-line passage
Overall stanzaic form of the passage

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Lines 1–4 match the alternate-rhyming quatrain (abab); Lines 5–6 match the concluding rhyming couplet (cc); the overall rhyme scheme matches ababcc; and the total stanza form matches a sestet composed of a quatrain and a couplet.
The passage consists of six lines in total (a sestet). Lines 1–4 follow an alternating end-rhyme pattern (abab), designating it as a quatrain. Lines 5–6 feature two consecutive rhyming lines (cc), forming a couplet. Combining these elements produces the complete rhyme scheme ababcc.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the end-rhymes line by line to determine the rhyme notation.
Line 1 'tower' (a), Line 2 'below' (b), Line 3 'power' (a), Line 4 'go' (b), Line 5 'tide' (c), Line 6 'pride' (c).
Rhyme scheme identification requires assigning matching lowercase letters to identical end sounds.
2
Group the lines into structural units based on line counts and rhyme groupings.
Lines 1–4 form a 4-line unit (quatrain) with abab rhymes. Lines 5–6 form a 2-line unit (couplet) with cc rhymes.
Poetic structure is analyzed by evaluating line groupings such as quatrains (4 lines) and couplets (2 lines).
3
Determine the overarching stanzaic classification.
The entire 6-line passage is classified as a sestet.
A stanza or self-contained poem of six lines is formally called a sestet.

Key Concept

Analysis of Poetic Form, Structure, and Rhyme Scheme
Question 153Question

Read the unseen excerpt below:

"The weaver bends above the wooden frame,
Her nimble fingers guide the silver thread;
She crafts a world without a single name,
Where forgotten paths and quiet shadows tread.
Though twilight falls and dims the fading light,
She weaves until the pattern turns to gold;
Preserving memories against the night,
In stories that can never be retold."

What is the end-rhyme scheme of the passage above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: ababcdcd

Answer

ababcdcd
The correct answer is ababcdcd because the poem consists of two quatrains using alternate rhyme: 'frame' and 'name' (a), 'thread' and 'tread' (b), 'light' and 'night' (c), and 'gold' and 'retold' (d).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the end words of the first four lines (quatrain 1).
Line 1 ('frame') rhymes with Line 3 ('name'), assigned letter 'a'. Line 2 ('thread') rhymes with Line 4 ('tread'), assigned letter 'b'. Pattern: abab.
Determining the alternating rhyme pattern for the first strophic unit.
2
Analyze the end words of the last four lines (quatrain 2).
Line 5 ('light') rhymes with Line 7 ('night'), assigned letter 'c'. Line 6 ('gold') rhymes with Line 8 ('retold'), assigned letter 'd'. Pattern: cdcd.
Assigning new sequential letters to new end-rhyme sounds in the second unit.
3
Combine the stanza patterns sequentially.
The overall end-rhyme scheme is ababcdcd.
Synthesizing the structural pattern across all eight lines.

Key Concept

End-rhyme scheme identification in unseen poetry
Question 154Question

Read the unseen passage below carefully:

"The quartermaster locked the iron grating of the armory, carefully slipping the brass key into his inner doublet rather than hanging it on the customary wall hook. He cast a lingering glance at the young sentry standing by the courtyard gate, shook his head silently, and extinguished the main lantern, leaving only the faint perimeter lamp burning."

Based on the passage above, what can be inferred about the quartermaster's attitude toward the sentry?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: He lacks confidence in the sentry's vigilance to safeguard the armory key.

Answer

The quartermaster lacks confidence in the sentry's vigilance to safeguard the armory key.
The passage highlights a deliberate deviation from custom: the quartermaster hides the key in his inner clothing rather than hanging it on the open wall hook. Combined with his gesture of looking at the sentry and shaking his head, the reader can logically infer that he doubts the sentry's ability or alertness to protect the armory.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the quartermaster's actions regarding the key.
He hides the brass key in his inner doublet instead of leaving it on the customary wall hook where keys are normally stored.
Deviating from an established routine indicates deliberate caution.
2
Analyze the interaction between the quartermaster and the sentry.
He looks at the young sentry, shakes his head silently, and leaves minimal light on.
Shaking the head while looking at the guard signals disapproval or lack of trust in the guard's alertness.
3
Synthesize the contextual clues to draw a deduction.
Combining the hidden key action with the disapproving gesture reveals the quartermaster does not trust the sentry to keep watch over an accessible key.
Deductions in unseen passages must rely strictly on implicit textual evidence.

Key Concept

Drawing Inferences from Unseen Narrative Prose
Question 155Question

Match each of the following unseen prose extracts with the central theme or main idea it predominantly explores.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

Extract 1: The ancient cocoa warehouse at the edge of the creek stood as a silent witness to forgotten prosperity. Its corrugated iron roof, eaten away by salt air and neglect, creaked under the weight of memory. Old Pa Tari sat on a discarded wooden crate, watching young men load glittering plastic crates of imported carbonated drinks onto diesel trucks. The scent of fermented cocoa beans had long vanished, replaced by the acrid fumes of exhaust. He remembered when the harbor thrived on soil-grown wealth, when every harvest united the village in communal labor. Now, speed and synthetic commerce dictated the rhythm of daily life.
Extract 2: Behind the polished mahogany desk of the Ministry of Land Reclamation, Chief Audu smoothed his immaculate Agbada while scrutinizing the stack of eviction notices. Outside his air-conditioned office, displaced tenants from the waterfront settlement chanted under the scorching sun, holding faded title deeds passed down through generations. To Chief Audu, the crowd was merely a statistical impediment to the multi-billion naira 'Ocean View Estate' project. He signed the final directive without hesitation, convinced that urban modernization demanded the sacrifice of ancestral settlements, viewing human displacement as an inevitable cost of civic progress.
Extract 3: As darkness fell over the drought-stricken plains of Kware, Amina carefully divided the remaining bowl of millet gruel among her three younger siblings, leaving her own wooden spoon dry. Her mother had journeyed to the distant well before dawn and had not yet returned. Despite the sharp pangs in her stomach and the lingering uncertainty of their survival, Amina began humming a comforting folk tune, drawing the children close near the dying embers of the hearth. In the harsh silence of adversity, her quiet resolve provided a sanctuary of hope for the vulnerable family.

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Extract 1 matches 'The erosion of traditional agrarian communal life by modern synthetic commerce.'; Extract 2 matches 'The displacement of vulnerable communities due to bureaucratic elite-driven urbanization.'; Extract 3 matches 'Selfless sacrifice and familial fortitude amidst severe environmental and economic hardship.'
Each extract is correctly paired with its main idea based on specific textual evidence: Extract 1 focuses on agrarian tradition versus modern commerce; Extract 2 focuses on bureaucratic urban displacement; Extract 3 focuses on familial sacrifice during crisis.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Extract 1 for core imagery and thematic focus.
The text contrasts old cocoa warehousing and communal labor with modern imported goods and exhaust fumes, pointing to the erosion of traditional agrarian life.
Identifying key imagery and contrasts reveals the primary thematic focus of the excerpt.
2
Analyze Extract 2 for character motivation and central conflict.
The narrative highlights a high-ranking official dismissing ancestral claims to clear waterfront land for estate development, representing bureaucratic urban displacement.
Examining the conflict between the bureaucrat and displaced residents exposes the main idea.
3
Analyze Extract 3 for central actions and tone.
The excerpt focuses on Amina starving herself to feed her siblings during a drought while keeping their spirits up, demonstrating familial fortitude.
Observing character actions under adversity isolates the underlying theme.

Key Concept

Identifying themes and main ideas in unseen prose passages by analyzing narrative contrast, conflict, and character motivation.
Question 156Question

Read the unseen prose extract below carefully:

"The brass bell tolled six times across the quiet compound. Bisi wiped the perspiration from her forehead and glanced nervously at the closed mahogany door. Behind it, the panel was deciding her fate, though she knew nothing of the secret dossier tucked beneath the chairman's desk, nor of the cable that had arrived from Lagos an hour prior."

Which narrative point of view is deployed in the excerpt above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Third-person omniscient perspective

Answer

Third-person omniscient perspective
The correct answer is the third-person omniscient perspective. The narrator operates outside the story space while demonstrating an all-knowing awareness, sharing details about the secret dossier and the incoming cable from Lagos that the character Bisi is explicitly unaware of.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the pronouns used to refer to the character in the passage.
The text uses third-person pronouns such as "she" and "her".
Determines whether the narrative operates in first-person or third-person.
2
Analyze the scope of the narrator's knowledge.
The narrator reveals information that Bisi explicitly does not know ("she knew nothing of the secret dossier... nor of the cable").
Differentiates third-person limited (restricted to one character's awareness) from third-person omniscient (all-knowing).
3
Conclude the narrative point of view based on scope and voice.
Because the narrator is all-knowing and uses third-person references, the perspective is third-person omniscient.
Matches the defined literary characteristics of the point of view.

Key Concept

Third-Person Omniscient Narrative Perspective
Question 157Question

Read the unseen poetic extract below:

*Upon the silent mountain crest,*
*The golden light begins to fade,*
*While darkness deepens in the glade,*
*And weary birds return to rest.*
*The quiet earth is gently blessed,*
*In starry robes of night arrayed;*
*Yet suddenly a sound is made—*
*A sudden storm breaks from the west!*

Which of the following correctly identifies the rhyme scheme of the stanza above?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: abbaabba

Answer

The rhyme scheme of the octave is abbaabba.
The rhyme scheme is abbaabba because the first, fourth, fifth, and eighth lines end with rhyming words ('crest', 'rest', 'blessed', 'west'), designated by 'a'. The second, third, sixth, and seventh lines end with rhyming words ('fade', 'glade', 'arrayed', 'made'), designated by 'b'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assign the first end-rhyme letter 'a'
Line 1 ends with 'crest' (a).
The first line of a poem is always assigned the letter 'a'.
2
Examine line 2 and 3 end-words
Line 2 ends with 'fade' (b) and line 3 ends with 'glade' (b). Line 4 ends with 'rest' (a).
'fade' does not rhyme with 'crest', so it receives 'b'. 'glade' rhymes with 'fade' (b). 'rest' rhymes with 'crest' (a). The first quatrain is abba.
3
Analyze the second quatrain (lines 5-8)
Line 5 'blessed' (a), line 6 'arrayed' (b), line 7 'made' (b), line 8 'west' (a).
'blessed' and 'west' rhyme with 'crest'/'rest' (a), while 'arrayed' and 'made' rhyme with 'fade'/'glade' (b).
4
Combine the full pattern across all 8 lines
The combined rhyme pattern is abbaabba.
This 8-line structure matches the enclosed octave characteristic of a Petrarchan sonnet.

Key Concept

Rhyme Scheme Analysis in Petrarchan Octaves
Question 158Question

Read the unseen prose extract below carefully and match each highlighted word from the passage to its precise contextual meaning:

"The old merchant regarded the young suitor's mercenary intentions with cold detachment. Having accumulated vast wealth through decades of frugal living, he was not about to let a profligate youth squander his estate on ephemeral pleasures. Although the young man presented a specious argument regarding his honorable devotion to the family, the merchant remained impervious to such calculated charm."

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

mercenary
profligate
specious
impervious

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'mercenary' matches 'Motivated primarily by financial greed'; 'profligate' matches 'Recklessly extravagant and wasteful'; 'specious' matches 'Superficially plausible but deceptive'; 'impervious' matches 'Unmoved and unaffected by persuasion'.
Each word aligns precisely with the narrative dynamics of the excerpt: 'mercenary' underscores greed for wealth, 'profligate' denotes extravagant wastefulness, 'specious' highlights misleading reasoning, and 'impervious' emphasizes unyielding resistance.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the narrative context for each highlighted vocabulary word.
The passage depicts a cautious merchant assessing an insincere suitor who seeks his accumulated fortune.
Contextual clues in the text reveal character motives and specific shades of meaning.
2
Map 'mercenary' and 'profligate' to their contextual definitions.
'Mercenary' connects to financial greed, while 'profligate' connects to wasteful spending habits.
The merchant worries about his wealth being targeted for profit and wasted on ephemeral pleasures.
3
Map 'specious' and 'impervious' to their contextual definitions.
'Specious' connects to deceptive plausibility, and 'impervious' connects to being unswayed by charm.
The suitor's apparently honorable argument is misleading, and the merchant remains cold and resistant.

Key Concept

Contextual Word Meaning and Vocabulary in Unseen Passages
Question 159Question

Read the passage below:

"The wind howled through the dilapidated corridors of the abandoned manor as Clara pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. She had always believed the rumors about the haunting were mere village superstition, yet every shadow stretching across the floorboards seemed to whisper secrets she was not prepared to hear."

Which narrative perspective and dominant literary technique are employed in the passage?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Third-person limited perspective combined with personification

Answer

Third-person limited perspective combined with personification
The correct answer identifies that the excerpt employs third-person pronouns ('she', 'her') while remaining focused entirely on Clara's personal thoughts and reactions, establishing a third-person limited point of view. Furthermore, giving human capabilities such as howling and whispering to wind and shadows is a clear use of personification.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the narrative pronouns and depth of character insight.
The excerpt uses third-person pronouns ('she', 'her') and reveals only Clara's internal beliefs and feelings.
Filtering events strictly through one character's consciousness using third-person pronouns defines a third-person limited point of view.
2
Identify the primary figurative device in the atmospheric descriptions.
The wind is described as 'howling' and shadows as 'whispering secrets'.
Attributing human actions and qualities to inanimate elements (wind and shadows) constitutes personification.
3
Combine the point of view analysis with the device analysis.
The text pairs third-person limited narration with personification.
This matches the complete stylistic identity of the unseen prose excerpt.

Key Concept

Identification of third-person limited point of view and personification in unseen prose
Question 160Question

Read the unseen dramatic extract below carefully:

KWAME: (Pacing slowly near the edge of the cliff, muttering under his breath)
The shadow grows longer than the tree that cast it, yet the village sleeps. If I strike now, they will call me a traitor; if I wait, a coward.

SERWAH: (Stepping out from behind a baobab tree, addressing the audience silently with a smirk)
He wrestles with his conscience while the crown is already forged in my mind.

KWAME: (Turning suddenly, startled)
Serwah! How long have you been standing there, listening to the night?

SERWAH: Long enough to know that a hesitating blade cuts nothing.

Match each dialogue excerpt or speech on the left with its corresponding dramatic device and character function on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

KWAME: "The shadow grows longer than the tree that cast it, yet the village sleeps. If I strike now, they will call me a traitor; if I wait, a coward."
SERWAH: "(Stepping out... addressing the audience silently...) He wrestles with his conscience while the crown is already forged in my mind."
SERWAH: "Long enough to know that a hesitating blade cuts nothing."

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

KWAME's opening monologue corresponds to a soliloquy revealing internal conflict; SERWAH's speech to the audience corresponds to an aside exposing hidden ambition; SERWAH's sharp reply corresponds to epigrammatic dialogue accentuating character contrast.
KWAME's speech illustrates a soliloquy because he voices his inner moral struggle aloud. SERWAH's speech is explicitly marked as addressing the audience, which makes it an aside exposing secret ambition. Her response utilizes concise, proverb-like wisdom (epigrammatic speech) to contrast her decisiveness with KWAME's indecision.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze KWAME's first speech
KWAME speaks his thoughts aloud to himself while pacing, debating whether to strike or wait.
A character articulating inner moral debate alone or unheard by others on stage demonstrates a soliloquy.
2
Analyze SERWAH's stage direction and speech in the second line
The stage direction explicitly notes she addresses the audience silently regarding KWAME's weakness.
A brief comment intended for the audience and concealed from other characters present is an aside.
3
Analyze SERWAH's brief response to KWAME
SERWAH delivers a short, proverb-like statement ('a hesitating blade cuts nothing').
Concise, aphoristic phrasing used in dialogue to highlight opposing attitudes forms epigrammatic dialogue.

Key Concept

Analysis of Dramatic Elements and Dialogue in Unseen Extracts
PreviousPage 8 / 10Next
Unseen Passages Practice Questions — JAMB UTME — Page 8 | Examkin