JAMB (Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board) is an examination body in Nigeria that conducts the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions.
One of the subjects offered in JAMB is Literature in English, which tests candidates’ understanding of literary works and various literary elements.
In this blog post, we will delve into some randomly selected JAMB Literature in English repeated questions and their corresponding answers, focusing on the different literary elements discussed.
- Limericks and Funny Poems: The first question presented a poem excerpt and asked for the poetic form. The correct answer is a limerick. A limerick is a humorous poem consisting of five lines, often characterized by a specific rhyme scheme and a witty or comical theme.
- Personification: The most common figure of speech identified in the poem excerpt was personification. Personification is a literary device that attributes human qualities or actions to inanimate objects or abstract concepts. In this case, the poet expresses dismay about bedbugs by depicting them as “awful parasites” and “sucking blood from my poor head.”
- Metaphor and Onomatopoeia: The subsequent questions touched on other figures of speech. A metaphor, as explained, is a comparison between two unrelated things that share common similarities. Onomatopoeia, on the other hand, refers to words that imitate the natural sounds of things. These figures of speech add expressiveness and interest to descriptions and engage the reader’s senses.
- Lampoon and Apostrophe: The question about lampoon provided the definition of this figure of speech, which is a form of infectious, virulent satire in verse or prose. Lampoon involves malicious or unjust attacks on individuals, institutions, or activities. Apostrophe, as highlighted, is another figure of speech represented by an exclamation such as “oh.” It is often used to address an absent person, an abstract idea, or an inanimate object.
- Farce, Oxymoron, and Onomatopoeia: The subsequent questions introduced other literary terms and genres. Farce, as mentioned, is a type of comedy that utilizes exaggerated and funny situations to entertain the audience. Oxymoron refers to the juxtaposition of contradictory words in a sentence, creating a paradoxical effect. Onomatopoeia, reiterated in another question, involves sound effects that mimic the described thing, enhancing the expressiveness of the description.
- Characterization and Allegory: The questions then shifted to elements of narrative and symbolism. Characterization, defined as the way characters are revealed to the reader, is crucial for understanding a novel’s plot and themes. Allegory, another term discussed, refers to a literary work in which characters and events are used as symbols representing abstract ideas or moral qualities.
- Drama and Caricatures: The question about drama clarified that it involves the representation of a complete series of actions through speech, movement, and gestures for the stage, screen, or radio. Caricatures, as mentioned, are exaggerated representations of individuals, often used in editorial cartoons or entertainment media.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we explored a selection of randomly repeated questions from JAMB Literature in English exams.
By understanding and familiarizing ourselves with literary elements such as limericks, personification, metaphors, onomatopoeia, lampoon, allegory, and more, students can enhance their comprehension and analytical skills when approaching literature-based questions.
Remember, practice and thorough revision of past questions are valuable resources for success in JAMB and similar examinations.