30 MCQs with answers on the poem Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka

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## 30 MCQs on Wole Soyinka's "Telephone Conversation"

Instructions:

Choose the best answer for each question.

1. What is the central theme of the poem "Telephone Conversation"?

a) The frustrations of dealing with bureaucracy
b) The experience of racial prejudice in a colonial setting
c) The difficulty of long-distance communication
d) The power dynamics in a landlord-tenant relationship

Answer:

b) The experience of racial prejudice in a colonial setting

2. What does the speaker in the poem want to do?

a) Purchase a house
b) Rent an apartment
c) Find a job
d) Visit a friend

Answer:

b) Rent an apartment

3. Who is the speaker talking to on the phone?

a) A potential roommate
b) A real estate agent
c) A landlord
d) A friend

Answer:

c) A landlord

4. What is the speaker's tone in the first few lines of the poem?

a) Excited
b) Nervous
c) Frustrated
d) Optimistic

Answer:

d) Optimistic

5. What does the speaker say he is looking for?

a) A quiet place
b) A spacious apartment
c) A furnished apartment
d) A modern apartment

Answer:

c) A furnished apartment

6. What question does the landlord ask that reveals his prejudice?

a) "Are you married?"
b) "What is your profession?"
c) "Are you a student?"
d) "Are you a Nigerian?"

Answer:

d) "Are you a Nigerian?"

7. What does the speaker's response to the landlord's question reveal about his feelings?

a) He is angry.
b) He is confused.
c) He is embarrassed.
d) He is resigned.

Answer:

c) He is embarrassed.

8. What metaphor does the speaker use to describe the landlord's question?

a) A sword
b) A bomb
c) A lightning bolt
d) A snake

Answer:

a) A sword

9. What is the significance of the speaker's repeated use of the phrase "a coloured man"?

a) It emphasizes the speaker's pride in his heritage.
b) It highlights the absurdity of the landlord's prejudice.
c) It reveals the speaker's fear of being discriminated against.
d) It underscores the speaker's desire to be treated equally.

Answer:

b) It highlights the absurdity of the landlord's prejudice.

10. What does the speaker mean when he says, "You should see me, sir, you should see me?"

a) He is asking the landlord to meet him in person.
b) He is challenging the landlord's assumptions about him.
c) He is trying to explain his situation to the landlord.
d) He is expressing his frustration with the landlord's behavior.

Answer:

b) He is challenging the landlord's assumptions about him.

11. What is the effect of the speaker's use of irony in the poem?

a) It creates a sense of humor.
b) It emphasizes the speaker's anger.
c) It highlights the absurdity of the situation.
d) It reveals the speaker's deep sadness.

Answer:

c) It highlights the absurdity of the situation.

12. What does the speaker ultimately decide to do?

a) Rent the apartment
b) Give up looking for an apartment
c) Find a new landlord
d) Confront the landlord

Answer:

c) Find a new landlord

13. What is the tone of the poem's ending?

a) Hopeful
b) Defeated
c) Resigned
d) Angry

Answer:

a) Hopeful

14. What is the significance of the poem's title, "Telephone Conversation"?

a) It emphasizes the importance of communication.
b) It highlights the limitations of communication.
c) It reveals the speaker's preference for face-to-face interaction.
d) It underscores the challenges of communicating across cultures.

Answer:

b) It highlights the limitations of communication.

15. Which of the following is NOT a key element of the poem's setting?

a) A colonial society
b) A racially divided community
c) A rural environment
d) A telephone

Answer:

c) A rural environment

16. What is the main purpose of the poem's use of dialogue?

a) To create a sense of realism
b) To reveal the characters' personalities
c) To highlight the themes of prejudice and discrimination
d) To create a humorous effect

Answer:

c) To highlight the themes of prejudice and discrimination

17. Which of the following literary devices is NOT used in the poem?

a) Simile
b) Metaphor
c) Personification
d) Irony

Answer:

c) Personification

18. What is the significance of the speaker's repeated use of the word "calm"?

a) It emphasizes the speaker's frustration.
b) It reveals the speaker's inner turmoil.
c) It highlights the speaker's determination.
d) It underscores the speaker's attempts to stay composed.

Answer:

d) It underscores the speaker's attempts to stay composed.

19. What is the effect of the poem's use of repetition?

a) It creates a sense of rhythm.
b) It emphasizes the speaker's anger.
c) It highlights the absurdity of the situation.
d) It reveals the speaker's deep sadness.

Answer:

c) It highlights the absurdity of the situation.

20. What is the significance of the speaker's use of the phrase "my race"?

a) It emphasizes the speaker's pride in his heritage.
b) It highlights the landlord's prejudice.
c) It reveals the speaker's fear of being discriminated against.
d) It underscores the speaker's desire to be treated equally.

Answer:

b) It highlights the landlord's prejudice.

21. Which of the following best describes the tone of the poem?

a) Humorous and lighthearted
b) Bitter and angry
c) Sad and resigned
d) Ironic and satirical

Answer:

d) Ironic and satirical

22. What is the main point that the poem is trying to make about racial prejudice?

a) It is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.
b) It is a subtle and insidious form of discrimination.
c) It is a product of ignorance and fear.
d) It is a result of historical oppression.

Answer:

b) It is a subtle and insidious form of discrimination.

23. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the poem's language?

a) Formal and elevated
b) Conversational and informal
c) Direct and to the point
d) Figurative and symbolic

Answer:

a) Formal and elevated

24. What is the speaker's occupation?

a) A teacher
b) A lawyer
c) A doctor
d) The poem does not reveal his occupation.

Answer:

d) The poem does not reveal his occupation.

25. What is the main point that the poem is trying to make about colonialism?

a) It is a system of oppression and exploitation.
b) It is a force that divides people and creates inequality.
c) It is a source of racial prejudice and discrimination.
d) It is a legacy that continues to have a negative impact on society.

Answer:

c) It is a source of racial prejudice and discrimination.

26. Which of the following best describes the poem's overall message?

a) The importance of communication
b) The power of prejudice
c) The struggle for equality
d) The search for a sense of belonging

Answer:

c) The struggle for equality

27. What is the significance of the poem's use of sound devices?

a) They create a sense of rhythm and flow.
b) They highlight the speaker's frustration.
c) They emphasize the absurdity of the situation.
d) They create a sense of suspense and anticipation.

Answer:

a) They create a sense of rhythm and flow.

28. What is the speaker's reaction to the landlord's assumptions about him?

a) He is initially shocked but then becomes angry.
b) He is resigned to the fact that he will never be accepted.
c) He tries to reason with the landlord and change his mind.
d) He challenges the landlord's assumptions and asserts his own identity.

Answer:

d) He challenges the landlord's assumptions and asserts his own identity.

29. What is the effect of the poem's use of dramatic irony?

a) It creates a sense of humor.
b) It emphasizes the speaker's anger.
c) It highlights the absurdity of the situation.
d) It reveals the speaker's deep sadness.

Answer:

c) It highlights the absurdity of the situation.

30. Which of the following best describes the poem's significance?

a) It is a powerful indictment of racial prejudice.
b) It is a timeless exploration of the human condition.
c) It is a humorous and lighthearted look at everyday life.
d) It is a moving tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.

Answer:

a) It is a powerful indictment of racial prejudice.
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