NECTA LITERATURE IN ENGLISH PAST PAPER 2025 WITH ANSWERS

THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL OF TANZANIA
CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
2025

024 LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
(For Both School and Private Candidates)

Instructions:
1. This paper consists of sections A, B and C with a total of eleven (11) questions.
2. Answer all questions in sections A and B and two (2) questions from section C.
3. Section A carries sixteen (16) marks, section B fifty four (54) marks and section C carries thirty (30) marks.
4. All writing must be in black or blue ink.
5. Communication device and any unauthorised materials are not allowed in the examination room.
6. Write your Examination Number on every page of your answer booklet(s).
7. Time Allowed: 3 Hours

SECTION A (16 Marks)

1.

For each of the items (i) - (x), choose the correct answer from the given alternatives and write its letter beside the corresponding item number in the answer booklet provided.

(i) Which word denotes a cultural or religious custom that does not allow people to do, use or talk about certain things?

A. Litotes B. Barbarism C. Taboo D. Enjambment E. Euphemism

(ii) When composing a story, the following should be considered except;

A. Setting B. Characters C. Point of view D. Stage direction E. Simple plot

(iii) Identify the stage of plot development where conflicts in the work of art come to their logical conclusion.

A. Climax B. Denouement C. Falling action D. Exposition E. Crisis

(iv) Which literary device does the expression "Nothing that is not theirs" represent?

A. Litotes B. Hyperbole C. Metaphor D. Synecdoche E. Antithesis

(v) In what category of drama does the play, The Trials of Brother Jero by Wole Soyinka fall?

A. Tragedy B. Tragedy-comedy C. Comedy D. Melo-drama E. Historical drama

(vi) Which one among the following does not reflect the significance of reading literary works?

A. It is part of refreshment. B. It is the best word builder of language mastery. C. It is a source of income. D. It helps one learn about the society. E. It improves the thinking capacity of a person.

(vii) Which one of the following is not characteristic of poetry?

A. The speaker in a poem is the persona. B. Poetry employs language economy. C. In poetry, lines and verses are grouped to form stanzas. D. Poetry consists of musical features. E. It involves capitalisation at the beginning of each line.

(viii) How can flash-forward be correctly defined?

A. Arrangement of incidents in a hierarchical order from beginning to end. B. Arrangement where the first incident becomes the last and last becomes first. C. The arrangement in which incidents occur in a sequence. D. Signal of what will happen next is shown at the beginning of the story. E. It is a sudden jump of unnecessary incidents in the story.

(ix) The following are the functions of stage directions in a play except;

A. Expressing the mood of a character in the play. B. Describing the scene of the events in the play. C. Revealing the setting of the play. D. Revealing what will happen at the end of a play. E. Guiding characters on what to do at each scene.

(x) Why is a rhetorical question used in literature?

A. Testing whether someone understands B. Communicating artistically the fact that the answer is obvious C. Showing that some characters are not serious in listening to others D. Seeking clarification E. Communicating the arrogance of the speaker

2.

Match the descriptions of oral literature forms in List A with the corresponding literary terms in List B by writing the letter of the correct response beside the corresponding item number in the answer booklet provided.

List A

List B

(i) Mysteries in which challengers pose a question and respondents provide solutions. (ii) Short expressions that advise or emphasize a particular code of conduct. (iii) Stories that talk about how things originated, like why animals live the way they do. (iv) True stories with indicators showing the way things happen as narrated. (v) Stories that end with an explanation of why things happen the way they do. (vi) Prayer songs that are sung for religious purposes.

A. Legends B. Proverbs C. Folktales D. Chants E. Myths F. Riddles G. Saying H. Fables

SECTION B (54 Marks)

3.

When composing a poem there are some rules that are unique. Justify this quotation based on the given rules in (a) - (f).
(a) Poetry uses language economically.
(b) The classification of poems into modern and traditional poems does not depend on time.
(c) Poets are allowed to violate grammatical rules when composing poems.
(d) The basic unit of a poem is a line.
(e) In closed verse poems, a refrain plays an important role.
(f) The tone of a poet may affect the mood of a reader.

4.

Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow:

Africa my Africa

Africa my Africa
Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannah
Africa of whom my grandmother sings
On the bank of the distant river
I have never known you
But your blood flows in my veins
Your beautiful black blood that irrigate the fields
The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery
The slavery of your children
Africa tell me Africa
Is this your back that is bent?
This black that breaks under the weight of humiliation
This black trembling with red scars
And saying yes to die whip under the midday sun
But a grave voice answers me
Impetuous son that tree young and strong
That tree there
In splendid loneliness amidst whit and faded flowers
That is Africa your Africa
That grows again patiently obstinately
And its fruits gradually acquire
The bitter test of liberty

Questions:
(a) What is the poem about?
(b) What type of poem is this? Give a reason.
(c) With examples, briefly explain two literary devices used in the poem.
(d) What message do you get from this poem?
(e) Identify two possible themes from the poem.
(f) Briefly explain the relevance of the poem to society.

5.

Define and state the use of each of the following literary devices:
(a) Symbolism   (b) Imagery   (c) Personification   (d) Alliteration   (e) Sarcasm   (f) Hyperbole

6.

Briefly differentiate the following oral literature terms:
(a) Dirges and Chants
(b) Riddles and idioms
(c) Jokes and anecdotes
(d) Lullaby and legends
(e) Tongue twisters and epics
(f) Myth and folktales

7.

Each of the situations in (a) - (f), can be addressed by using an appropriate genre of oral literature. Identify the genres and state how effective they are in addressing the respective situations.
(a) Explaining the reason why snakes have no legs while millipedes have too many legs.
(b) A new learner of a language wants to improve his/her fluency in pronunciation.
(c) Helping a person who fails to concentrate on reading verses from religious books.
(d) Consoling the sorrowful and lamenting bereaved.
(e) Calming down a tired, angry and uncomfortable baby whose mother needs a break.
(f) Someone wants to identify a clever child who knows many society related things.

8.

Why novels, plays, poems and short stories are categorized as fiction? Briefly explain by giving six points.

SECTION C (30 Marks)

Answer two (2) questions from this section.

LIST OF READINGS
Plays: The Lion and the Jewel (Soyinka, W.), The Trials of Brother Jero (Soyinka, W.), The Dilemma of a Ghost (Aidoo, A.A.), The Government Inspector (Gogol, N.).
Novels: A Walk in the Night and Other Stories (Guma, A.), Houseboy (Oyono, F.), The Old Man and the Medal (Oyono, F.), The Concubine (Amadi, E.).
Poetry: Selected Poems (TIE), Growing up with Poetry (David Rubadiri).

9.

By making reference to two novels you have read in this course, explain the causes for the conflicts in a society by providing three points from each novel.

10.

Society is full of challenges that need solutions. By using two plays you have read in this course, suggest solutions to the problems that face the society. Give three points from each play.

11.

By using the poems "Building the Nation" by Henry Barlow and "Your Pain" by Armando Guebuza, justify the truth that the presence of classes in society has been portrayed as one of the major causes of oppression, exploitation and humiliation. Give three points from each poem.

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