CYCLE: 2ND CYCLE
LEVEL: 2ND YEAR
OPTION: ENGLISH MODERN LETTERS
PAPER 1: ENGLISH MODERN LETTERS
SESSION: JULY 2010
DURATION: 3 HOURS
Question 1: Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow it.
The Mosquito
The mosquito defiles my coy lady,
The puny insect devours her skin.
The cruel creature leaves its odious
Bites on her beautiful body
5Now in need of a soothing balm
While my eyes feast her glorious
Body, the mosquito gorges on her.
The wretch takes without wooing what
With persuasion is beyond me.
10Do I dare to debauch her?
Do I yield to the id
And call in question civilization?
Should my id taker the driver’s seat
And drive home the throbbing car?
15The mosquito attacks and violates:
It seizes, sucks and succeeds.
The beast grabs and ravishes my lady
And then abandons her with bleeding
Scars. Yea, the brainless brute has an
20Id to satisfy, but I have an ego to defend.
a. In a page, give the meaning of the poem, stating clearly its theme, the movement of the poet’s thoughts and his attitude to his subject matter.
b. Comment on the effective use of metaphor in the poem.
c. Give the meaning, in context, of the following words and expressions:
I. Punny (line 2)
II. Gorges (line 7)
III. Yield to the id (line 11)
IV. Brainless brute (line 19)
d. Comment on the moral problem facing the poet in this poem
Question 2: Discuss the theme of the dregs of humanity in “I Will Marry When I Want” OR Discuss the them of the hypocrisy in “The Trials of Brother Jero”
Question 3: Discuss the role of Teacher in Armah’s “The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born”