BECE - Basic Education Certificate Examination Literary Devices in Prose Questions and Answers

Question 1

Read the following sentence: 'The old house groaned under the weight of the storm, and the wind screamed through the broken window panes.' Which literary device is used to describe the house and the wind?

Accepted Answer

Personification

Answer

Personification is the correct answer because human qualities are given to non-human things. The house is described as 'groaning' and the wind as 'screaming', which are actions associated with living beings.

Question 2

An author writes, 'Just as the child was about to leave for the beach party, dark clouds gathered ominously in the sky.' What is the primary literary device the author is using in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Foreshadowing

Answer

Foreshadowing is the use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in a story. The gathering of dark clouds hints at potential trouble or disappointment for the child's beach party, building suspense for the reader.

Question 3

Which of the following sentences contains a metaphor?

Accepted Answer

Her voice was music to his ears.

Answer

A metaphor is a direct comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'. The sentence 'Her voice was music to his ears' directly equates her voice with music, which is a metaphorical comparison. The other options are a simile ('like a roaring fire'), another simile ('as fast as a cheetah'), and personification ('sun smiled').

Question 4

Read the passage: 'The smell of freshly baked bread filled the air, mixing with the sharp scent of pine from the nearby forest. He could hear the crackle of the fire and feel the rough texture of the wool blanket.' The author is primarily using which literary device to engage the reader?

Accepted Answer

Imagery

Answer

Imagery is the use of descriptive language that appeals to the reader's five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. This passage appeals to the sense of smell ('freshly baked bread', 'sharp scent of pine'), hearing ('crackle of the fire'), and touch ('rough texture'), creating a vivid picture for the reader.

Question 5

In a story, a character who is a professional firefighter has his own house burn down because he forgot to check the batteries in his smoke alarm. This situation is an example of which literary device?

Accepted Answer

Situational Irony

Answer

Situational irony occurs when the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what is expected. It is ironic that a firefighter, whose job is to prevent and stop fires, would have his own house burn down due to a preventable fire safety issue.

(BECE) Basic Education Certificate Examination Practice Test

(BECE) Basic Education Certificate Examination Practice Test

BECE - Basic Education Certificate Examination Literary Devices in Prose Questions and Answers