Back to Subject
View Notes

Unit 2 - Practice Quiz

ENG606

1 Who is the author of the short story 'Marriage is a Private Affair'?

A. Wole Soyinka
B. Ngugi wa Thiong'o
C. Chinua Achebe
D. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

2 Which country is Chinua Achebe from?

A. Kenya
B. South Africa
C. Ghana
D. Nigeria

3 What is the primary setting where Nnaemeka and Nene live?

A. Enugu
B. Lagos
C. Kano
D. Ibadan

4 What is the main reason Nnaemeka’s father, Okeke, objects to Nene?

A. She is not a Christian
B. She is not from the Ibo tribe
C. She is too poor
D. She is older than Nnaemeka

5 What is Nene’s profession?

A. Nurse
B. Teacher
C. Seamstress
D. Secretary

6 Who had Okeke chosen for Nnaemeka to marry?

A. Nene Atang
B. Ugoye Nweke
C. Chinedu Okonkwo
D. Adanna Obi

7 How does Nene initially react to the idea of Nnaemeka telling his father about their engagement?

A. She is terrified
B. She suggests they elope
C. She assumes his father will be happy
D. She refuses to let him go

8 What reason does Okeke give for disliking Nene’s profession as a teacher?

A. It pays too little
B. The Bible forbids women from teaching
C. It is too dangerous
D. It takes time away from cooking

9 How long does the estrangement between Nnaemeka and his father last?

A. Two years
B. Five years
C. Eight years
D. Ten years

10 What suggestion do the village neighbors make to Okeke to 'cure' his son?

A. Disown him legally
B. Consult a native doctor for herbal medicine
C. Kidnap him
D. Beat him

11 What is the central conflict in 'Marriage is a Private Affair'?

A. Man vs. Nature
B. Tradition vs. Modernity
C. Rich vs. Poor
D. Christianity vs. Islam

12 What does Nene send to Okeke that eventually breaks his resolve?

A. Money
B. A picture of Nnaemeka
C. A letter about his grandsons
D. A bible

13 How does the Ibo community in Lagos react to the marriage initially?

A. They celebrate it
B. They ignore it
C. They disprove of it strongly
D. They offer to mediate

14 Which character represents the rigid adherence to tradition?

A. Nene
B. Nnaemeka
C. Okeke
D. Ugoye

15 What literary device is used when the weather reflects Okeke’s internal turmoil at the end of the story?

A. Alliteration
B. Pathetic Fallacy
C. Hyperbole
D. Oxymoron

16 Why does Nnaemeka refuse to marry Ugoye Nweke?

A. She is too old
B. He does not love her
C. She is not a Christian
D. She is from a rival tribe

17 What does Okeke do with the wedding photo Nnaemeka sends him?

A. He frames it
B. He burns it
C. He cuts Nene out of it and returns it
D. He hides it in a drawer

18 The title 'Marriage is a Private Affair' is significant because:

A. It suggests weddings should be secret
B. It highlights the shift from communal to individual choice
C. It implies the government shouldn't be involved
D. It refers to an affair outside of marriage

19 How does the village eventually view Nene after Nnaemeka visits home years later?

A. They still hate her
B. They admit she is a good housekeeper and wife
C. They refuse to speak to her
D. They banish her

20 What is Okeke’s greatest fear as he tries to sleep during the storm?

A. That the roof will leak
B. That he will die without making it up to his grandsons
C. That Nnaemeka will never return
D. That the village will mock him

21 What point of view is the story written in?

A. First Person (Nnaemeka)
B. First Person (Okeke)
C. Third Person Limited
D. Third Person Omniscient

22 Chinua Achebe is often referred to as:

A. The Poet Laureate of Africa
B. The Father of African Literature
C. The Shakespeare of Nigeria
D. The Voice of the Zulu

23 Which theme is highlighted by Nene's struggle to be accepted?

A. The dangers of city life
B. Prejudice and tribalism
C. The importance of money
D. Religious hypocrisy

24 What quality does Nnaemeka display when speaking to his father about the marriage?

A. Disrespect
B. Fear
C. Firmness mixed with respect
D. Indifference

25 In the context of the story, what does Lagos symbolize?

A. Moral decay
B. A melting pot of cultures and modernity
C. Dangerous crime
D. Traditional values

26 What irony exists in Okeke’s religious beliefs?

A. He is actually a pagan
B. He uses Christianity to justify lack of forgiveness
C. He doesn't read the Bible
D. He wants Nnaemeka to be a priest

27 Who is described as having 'an Amazon of a girl' physique?

A. Nene
B. Ugoye Nweke
C. Mrs. Ochuba
D. Nnaemeka's mother

28 What does the phrase 'It is Satan’s work' refer to in Okeke's speech?

A. The storm outside
B. Nnaemeka's job in the city
C. Nnaemeka’s refusal to marry Ugoye
D. The native doctor's medicine

29 How many grandsons does Nene mention in her letter?

A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four

30 What emotion does Okeke fight against after reading the letter?

A. Anger
B. Affection/Softness
C. Greed
D. Jealousy

31 The story critiques which social system?

A. The education system
B. The caste system
C. The arranged marriage system
D. The banking system

32 Which adjective best describes Nnaemeka's personality?

A. Rebellious and rude
B. Modern and progressive
C. Traditional and shy
D. Violent and aggressive

33 What does the ending of the story suggest about tradition?

A. It is indestructible
B. It must eventually yield to human connection
C. It is the only way to live
D. It destroys everyone

34 Why does Nene not go with Nnaemeka to the village to break the news?

A. She is sick
B. She is afraid
C. Nnaemeka thinks it is better he goes alone
D. Okeke banned her

35 What specific stylistic device is found in the sentence: 'The sky was black with clouds and... it began to rain'?

A. Metaphor
B. Simile
C. Symbolism
D. Personification

36 What is the tone of the narrator towards Nnaemeka and Nene?

A. Judgmental
B. Sympathetic
C. Mocking
D. Indifferent

37 Why does Okeke reject the herbalist but accept the condemnation of his son?

A. He is cheap
B. He is a devout Christian
C. He dislikes the herbalist personally
D. He thinks the herbalist is a fake

38 The story serves as a microcosm for what larger issue in Nigeria/Africa?

A. Climate change
B. Post-colonial tribal tension and cultural transition
C. Economic inflation
D. The spread of disease

39 What does Nene’s letter imply about the children’s knowledge of their grandfather?

A. They hate him
B. They don't know he exists
C. They have heard of him and want to see him
D. They are afraid of him

40 Which character undergoes the most significant internal change (dynamic character)?

A. Nene
B. Nnaemeka
C. Okeke
D. Ugoye

41 What represents the 'barrier' between father and son?

A. A physical wall
B. Silence
C. Money
D. Language

42 How does Nnaemeka describe Ugoye Nweke to his father?

A. A lovely girl
B. A good Christian
C. A girl with a good character
D. A silly girl with an excessive appetite

43 The fact that Nene is from Calabar means she is likely:

A. Ibo
B. Hausa
C. Yoruba
D. Ibibio

44 What literary term describes the ending of the story?

A. Tragic
B. Open-ended/Hopeful
C. Circular
D. Cliffhanger

45 What does Okeke’s obsession with 'what the neighbors say' reveal about him?

A. He is a social butterfly
B. He values reputation over family happiness
C. He is running for office
D. He is lonely

46 Why does Nene tell Nnaemeka she doesn't mind if he goes to the village alone?

A. She doesn't love him
B. She wants to stay and work
C. She wants to avoid the storm
D. She does not want to come between father and son

47 Which word best describes the narrative pacing of the story?

A. Real-time
B. Episodic with time jumps
C. Reverse chronological
D. Stream of consciousness

48 Achebe’s style in this story can be described as:

A. Surreal and abstract
B. Realistic and accessible
C. Poetic and archaic
D. Non-linear and chaotic

49 What does the silence of the village regarding Nene's success suggest?

A. They are plotting against her
B. They are indifferent
C. They are forced to tacitly admit they were wrong
D. They don't know about it

50 The resolution of the conflict is brought about by:

A. The death of Okeke
B. The intervention of the church
C. The innocence of children
D. Nnaemeka's apology