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Unit 2: Marriage is a Private Affair by Chinua Achebe - Practice Quiz

ENG606 — Contemporary Short Stories 50 Questions
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1 Who is the author of the short story 'Marriage is a Private Affair'?

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

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. Kano
B. Enugu
C. Lagos
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 older than Nnaemeka
D. She is too poor

5 What is Nene’s profession?

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

6 Who had Okeke chosen for Nnaemeka to marry?

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

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

A. She assumes his father will be happy
B. She is terrified
C. She suggests they elope
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. Eight years
C. Five years
D. Ten years

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

14 Which character represents the rigid adherence to tradition?

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

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

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

16 Why does Nnaemeka refuse to marry Ugoye Nweke?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21 What point of view is the story written in?

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

22 Chinua Achebe is often referred to as:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

26 What irony exists in Okeke’s religious beliefs?

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

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

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

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

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

29 How many grandsons does Nene mention in her letter?

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

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

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

31 The story critiques which social system?

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

32 Which adjective best describes Nnaemeka's personality?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A. He is a devout Christian
B. He is cheap
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. The spread of disease
B. Economic inflation
C. Climate change
D. Post-colonial tribal tension and cultural transition

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

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

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

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

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

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

42 How does Nnaemeka describe Ugoye Nweke to his father?

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

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

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

44 What literary term describes the ending of the story?

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

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

A. He values reputation over family happiness
B. He is a social butterfly
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 does not want to come between father and son
B. She wants to avoid the storm
C. She doesn't love him
D. She wants to stay and work

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

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

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

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

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

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

50 The resolution of the conflict is brought about by:

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