Uganda Certificate of Education
PRE – REGISTRATION EXAMINATIONS
LITERATURE IN ENGLISH (208/1)
TIME: 2HOURS 30MINUTES
Instructions
Answer five questions on the five books given
Choosing two questions on two books from Section A, one of which must cover a Play and a Novel.
Then attempt any three questions from Section B on three books.
SECTION A
SUB – SECTION I
Select one of the passages 1-2, read it carefully and answer the questions after it as concisely as possible.
Either 1.
Francis Imbuga – Betrayal in the City.
Regina Jusper, you promised. You promised to be a good boy.
Do you now talk of revenge? Remember what my brother
Told you before you left prison. What did he say? What did
he tell you to do?
Jusper To close my eyes, block my ears and pretend that nothing
Is happening. But he was wrong. Madmen don’t pretend.
Regina, don’t take sides with them. They only use us as
scapegoats, a kind of outlet for their anger. It is shame.
Regina It’s a shame to wear that thing in the streets, and worse
to have it on under my humble roof. Don’t they teach
you manners at that university?
Jusper I am a philosophy student, not a student of manners.
Regina, the street disease has caught up with you.
You have lost your fighting spirit like everyone else
in the street. As we marched up and down, some of
them even shouted abusive words at us. Beggars
leaning on street walls told us we were wasting time.
Regina They were right; you waste wasting time.
Jusper It is a year ago since we lost more than time.
All the students want is his photograph printed
in the local newspapers. We are prepared to pay for it.
Regina You cannot force them.
Jusper That is the tragedy of it all. We can’t force the
freedom of the press to favour us. Just a photograph
with the word THANKS above it; that’s all we want.
Regina What would you achieve by that?
Jusper Nothing, but it is what is done in the circumstances.
Why should he be an exception?
Regina Jusper, no good will come out of this struggle.
Like you, I only have two close friends left in
this world. You and my brother, but my brother
is inside. If anything should go wrong, we’ll all be
wiped out. What then is the use of this raving?
Those beggars who abused you were right. They
know better than to fight stones. If your brother
had kept his mouth shut, he would be with us now,
and if my brother had also kept quiet, he would not
be wasting anyway in a dungeon.
Questions
- What events lead to this passage? (6marks)
- Describe the character of Regina and Jusper as revealed in the passage. (4marks)
- Identify and explain the themes shown in the passage above. (4marks)
- What happens after this Scene? (6marks)
Or 2
Laury Lawrence Ocen – The Alien Woman
‘Actually if you should recall, my message is straightforward. Even at the moment, I know what is occupying your mind. I don’t want to beat about the bush. The plain fact is I love you. I have fallen for you. Not today, neither last week, nor last month. Surely you noticed it, perhaps even a long time ago. I know it is a rather unusual thing to do, it contravenes most customs for a woman to tell a man “I love you”. But women like men are ruled by instincts. They have feelings, but you see, society is a bit unfair. Women can only express sentiments of joy, hate or contempt but they cannot say ‘I love you’ to a man. They take her to be prostitute.’ Margaret said this and averted her face to gaze at the wall.
‘I don’t quite understand what you are saying – it is anyway straightforward – but still I think it becomes different for me.’ “I know what it means to you, but still you should understand that I have taken this tough line not because I have failed to get a man. Even some few students here. I know I am somehow isolated here for some funny, funny reasons. Still I have admirers. But I cannot give in to any man simply because I want to overcome this isolation. I must work by choice and as far as I am concerned, you are my choice. Please, don’t frustrate me. I will break down because I truly love you. I want a man I can stay with in future.’
‘I know you not only love but respect me too. It took me some time to understand your attitude about me. The whole thing at first appeared strange and unrealistic to me. But as I thought about it reason by reason, and logic by logic, I came to conclude that love is a strange and powerful thing. It does not take into account concrete obstacles. What I am saying is that future coupleship between me and you is impossible. Not that I don’t want to reciprocate your feelings towards me, but because I have carefully examined the whole thing and I have found out that it can’t work.’
‘From the way you talk, it appears you fear we shall have problems should we consummate our relationship in marriage,’ Margaret said with a sorrowful look.
Questions
- When and where does the above extract take place? (6marks)
- What is the Character of Obina and Margaret as revealed in the extract? (4marks)
- Explain your feelings towards Margaret at this particular point. (4marks)
- What happens after this incident? (6marks)
SUB-SECTION II
Choose one question from this Sub-Section
If you attempted a Play in Sub-Section I, attempt a Novel now and if you attempted a Novel, attempt a Play now.
Francis Imbuga – Betrayal in the City
Either
3. In what ways is the theme of fear brought out in the play, Betrayal in the City?
Or
4. How relevant is the Play, Betrayal in the City to a student of Literature?
Laury Lawrence Ocen – The Alien Woman
Either
5. How are women portrayed in the novel, The Alien Woman?
Or
6. Why do villagers fear Ogang Apur in Abela Village?
SECTION B
Answer three questions from this Section. One question must be on Poetry. Not more than one question should be attempted on any one text.
Nikolai Gogol – The Government Inspector
Either
7. Explain the problems that the people in The Government Inspector face.
Or
8. In what ways does Gogol attack the authorities?
Binwell Sinyangwe – A Cowrie of Hope.
Either
9. What circumstances surround the nineties in the novel, A Cowrie of Hope.
Or
10. Explain the theme of hope in the novel, A Cowrie of Hope.
Mary Karoro Okurut. The Curse of the Sacred Cow
Either
11. What major issues does Mary Karoro Okurut pass on in the Play?
Or
12. What lessons do you draw from reading the play? The Curse of the Sacred Cow.
David Rubadiri – Growing up with Poetry
Either
13. Read the Poem below and answer questions that follow.
Protest from a Bushman
This is my native land
My real native land
I know every tree or bush by its name
I know every bird or beast by its name
I care not that I am poor
I have lived in this land
And hunted all over these mountains
And have looked at the skies
An wondered how the stars
And the moon and the sun and the
Rainbow and the Milky Way rush
From day to day like busy people
I have enjoyed this life
The light in the stars
The lilt in the music or songs
The joy in the flowers
The plumage of the birds
The charm in women’s breasts
The inward warmth and rich vitality
The distant music of cowbells
All these lightened the burdens of my sorrow
I have nothing outside this body
I have neither a house nor property
I roamed where I liked and entered where I chose
And have enjoyed the bounce of youth
And stayed where I chose
I have danced in the sun
I have danced in the wind
I have danced around the fire place
But now and I say now there is
A swelling crescendo of sorrow
That makes goose-pimples on my body
There is no more joy in me
I live in sick apprehension.
Albert Malikongwa (Botswana)
Questions
- Identify the Speaker. (2marks)
- What is the Poem about? (5marks)
- Characterise the Speaker. (5marks)
- What makes the Poem above Interesting (8marks)
Or
14. Choose a poem from Growing up with Poetry by David Rubadiri on the Theme Freedom and answer the questions below.
a) What is the title and name of the Poet? (4marks)
b) What lessons do you learn from the Poem? (4marks)
c) What feelings does the Poem arouse in you? (6marks)
d) How has the Poet made the Poem interesting? (6marks)
**END **
