Quiz: African literature

Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection “African Proverbs.”

____ 1. Which of the following proverbs advises people to be cautious?

a. “Time destroys all things.” c. “Restless feet may walk into a snake pit.”
b. “Rain does not fall on one roof alone.” d. “The fool is thirsty in the midst of water.”
____ 2. An Ethiopian proverb says, “What one hopes for is always better than what one has.” Which familiar proverb
teaches the same thing?
a. “The grass is always greener on the other side.”
b. “A fool and his money are soon parted.”
c. “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”
d. “It was out of the frying pan and into the fire.”
____ 3. The Ashanti proverb “Rain beats a leopard’s skin, but it does not wash out the spots” means that —
a. catastrophes can change people c. real beauty is in a person’s heart
b. cleanliness is important d. people tend to stay the same
____ 4. A proverb from Cameroon says that “Rain does not fall on one roof alone,” meaning that —
a. the weather is unpredictable
b. people are only as strong as their beliefs
c. everyone suffers and rejoices together
d. only well-built houses can withstand storms
____ 5. Which proverb from the Ashanti culture says that you can only learn through experience?
a. “Only when you have crossed the river, can you say the crocodile has a lump on his
snout.”
b. “Hunger is felt by a slave and hunger is felt by a king.”
c. “Rain beats a leopard’s skin, but it does not wash out the spots.”
d. “What is bad luck for one man is good luck for another.”
____ 6. How can a fool be “thirsty in the midst of water,” as an Ethiopian proverb says?
a. The fool is not really thirsty.
b. The fool would rather be thirsty than drink water.
c. The fool does not like water.
d. The fool ignores the water all around him.
____ 7. The proverb “You cannot build a house for last year’s summer” reminds listeners to —
a. prepare for disaster before it happens c. let go of regrets about the past
b. build houses that will last for years d. dwell on mistakes to learn from them
____ 8. The Kenyan proverb “He who is unable to dance says that the yard is stony” describes someone who —
a. wants to learn to dance c. admits to his shortcomings
b. makes excuses for himself d. takes responsibility for himself
____ 9. A proverb from Madagascar says, “Cross the river in a crowd and the crocodile won’t eat you.” Which
familiar proverb says about the same thing?
a. “Birds of a feather flock together.”
b. “March to the beat of a different drummer.”
c. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
d. “There is safety in numbers.”
____ 10. “He who does not mend his clothes will soon have none” counsels listeners to —
a. keep up with daily responsibilities c. give unneeded items to charity
b. make a good first impression on others d. ask others to help with chores

Literary Focus: Proverb

The questions below refer to the selection “African Proverbs.”

____ 11. Proverbs in African oral traditions are used mainly to —

a. create lengthy epic poetry c. help people mourn the dead
b. convey cultural wisdom d. inspire hunters before the hunt
____ 12. Which proverb could be used to discourage insults?
a. “One camel does not make fun of the other camel’s hump.”
b. “When you know who his friend is, you know who he is.”
c. “If you speak, speak to him who understands you.”
d. “There is no cure that does not cost.”
____ 13. “No matter how long the night, the day is sure to come” is a proverb that is meant to bring —
a. self-control in a time of anger c. comfort in a time of sorrow
b. gravity to a lighthearted situation d. friendship in a time of loneliness
____ 14. Which proverb shows an example of parallelism?
a. “Time destroys all things.”
b. “Where there is no shame, there is no honor.”
c. “Even an ant may harm an elephant.”
d. “An eel that was not caught is as big as your thigh.”

Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection “The African Oral Tradition.”

____ 15. “Elephant-Hunter, Take Your Bow!” describes the night forest as if it were —
a. an elephant c. a human
b. a paradise d. a house
____ 16. The singers remind each other that elephants are —
a. strong and fearless c. hungry and impatient
b. dangerous and loud d. handsome and proud
____ 17. In “Why We Tell Stories About Spider,” why must Anaanu bring a swarm of bees, a python, and a leopard to
God?
a. To show his sorrow for his disrespectful behavior
b. To prove he is worthy of having stories told about him
c. To show that he is capable of becoming king of the forest
d. To prove that he is clever even though he is small in size
____ 18. How does Anaanu achieve his goal of bringing the bees, python, and leopard to God?
a. He kills them with poison.
b. He tricks them into being captured.
c. He overpowers them with his mighty strength.
d. He convinces them to help him.
____ 19. Leopard promises not to eat Anaanu and his family because —
a. spiders don’t taste good c. the spiders are saving his life
b. the spiders might bite and sicken him d. spiders are too small to sustain a leopard
____ 20. In “The Five Helpers,” what happens after the girl and the python marry?
a. The girl dies. c. They are very happy.
 b. The girl tells a story. d. They become rich.
____ 21. The talents of the five helpers can best be described as —
a. useless c. extraordinary
b. ironic d. commonplace
____ 22. The tone of “Talk” is —
a. judgmental c. ominous
b. humorous d. serious
____ 23. What word best describes the chief’s reaction to the story of the farmer and his companions?
a. Curious c. Excited
b. Disapproving d. Frightened
____ 24. Which of the following statements best describes the ending of “Talk”?
a. All the men begin arguing with the stool.
b. The farmer finally realizes that a yam can talk.
c. The chief refuses to believe that a yam can talk.
d. The chief’s stool expresses amazement that a yam can talk.

Literary Focus: Oral Traditions

The questions below refer to the selection “The African Oral Tradition.”

____ 25. Which technique do both “Talk” and “Why We Tell Stories About Spider” use to help storytellers remember
the tales?
a. Irony c. Rhyme
b. Repetition d. Free verse
____ 26. Which line from “Elephant-Hunter, Take Your Bow!” was most likely a refrain repeated by the people
listening to the song?
a. “Elephant-hunter, take your bow!”
b. “Hunter, lift up your heart, leap, and walk.”
c. “In the sky the stars have fled trembling.”
d. “Father elephant, you have been heard from afar.”

Reading Skills: Understanding Cultural Characteristics

The questions below refer to the selection “The African Oral Tradition."

____ 27. Singers of “Elephant-Hunter, Take Your Bow!” most likely —

a. hunted the elephant while singing the song
b. acted out the hunt while singing the song
c. sang the song to complain against nature
d. sang the song to attract the elephants’ attention
____ 28. These examples from the African oral tradition treat the natural world with —
a. fear and awe c. respect and admiration
b. alarm and suspicion d. arrogance and domination

Short Answer

Constructed Response
The question below refers to the selection “African Proverbs.”
29. Explain why proverbs are so important to cultures whose literary tradition is oral. Then, tell how the
following proverb could be used to instruct people how to live in harmony with others: “A man who
continually laments is not heeded.”

Constructed Response
The question below refers to the selection “The African Oral Tradition.”

30. “The Five Helpers” is a dilemma tale that ends with this question: “Now which of those five men did best?”
Answer this question. Be sure to support your response with details from the story. Then, discuss the moral
that you think “The Five Helpers” is trying to teach. How does the question help the reader understand the
moral of the story?