Short Forms of Oral Literature

17 Grade 10 Literature in English questions on Short Forms of Oral Literature, with worked marking schemes. 17 questions are available on this topic in full.

1. Question 1

   1 mark

   Which feature is most essential to a tongue twister such as "Six slim sisters sell sweet sukuma at Sagana"?

   A. A moral lesson drawn from the long experience of elders

   B. Repeated similar sounds that are hard to say quickly

   C. A hidden meaning that the audience must guess correctly

   D. A short story in which animals behave like people

   (1 mark)

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2. Question 2

   1 mark

   Which of the following is true of a proverb but not of a riddle?

   A. It states a truth or advice instead of a puzzle

   B. It is always sung by a soloist and a responding chorus

   C. It must be performed only at night by young children

   D. It is composed fresh by each speaker for every occasion

   (1 mark)

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3. Question 3

   6 marks

   Explain the meaning of each of the following proverbs and state a situation in which each could be used.

   (a) "The river that forgets its source soon runs dry." (2 marks)

   (b) "One hand cannot tie a bundle of firewood." (2 marks)

   (c) "The cock that crows before dawn wakes the hyena." (2 marks)

   (6 marks)

   Marking scheme

   For each proverb, 1 mark for the meaning and 1 mark for a suitable situation (6 marks): (a) Meaning: a person who forgets or despises their roots, or the people who helped them, will lose support and fail. Situation: warning a successful person who looks down on their home village, parents or former school; or advising someone to stay connected to their culture. (b) Meaning: success needs cooperation; one person cannot achieve much alone. Situation: encouraging group work, a harambee, a community clean-up, or teamwork in a school project or sports team. (c) Meaning: speaking, boasting or acting too early or carelessly exposes one to danger or alerts one's rivals. Situation: cautioning someone who boasts about an unfinished plan, for example a candidate revealing campaign plans to rivals or a learner announcing results before they are released. Accept other reasonable interpretations that fit the imagery.

4. Question 4

   4 marks

   Read the proverb below and answer the question that follows. "Slowly, slowly, the porridge cools; hurry, hurry, the tongue burns." Identify two stylistic features used in the proverb and illustrate each. (4 marks)

   (4 marks)

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5. Question 5

   5 marks

   (a) Compose an original tongue twister of at least eight words set in a Kenyan market. (3 marks)

   (b) Explain one way in which practising tongue twisters benefits a learner of English. (2 marks)

   (5 marks)

   Marking scheme

   (a) 3 marks: - At least eight words (1 mark) - Close repetition of similar or difficult sounds (alliteration/consonance) that makes it hard to say quickly (1 mark) - A sensible meaning with a recognisable Kenyan market setting (1 mark) Example: "Pretty Pendo packs purple plums in plastic packets at Pumwani market." (b) Any one of the following, 1 mark for the benefit and 1 mark for the explanation (2 marks): - It improves pronunciation and articulation: repeating hard sounds helps a learner tell apart sounds such as /l/ and /r/ or /s/ and /sh/. - It improves fluency: saying the lines faster and faster trains smooth, quick speech. - It builds confidence in public speaking: performing before peers reduces fear of speaking. - It sharpens concentration and memory: the learner must focus closely to avoid mistakes. - It reveals speech difficulties so that the teacher can help correct them.

6. Question 6

   4 marks

   Distinguish between a proverb and a wise saying, giving an example of each. (4 marks)

   (4 marks)

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7. Question 7

   4 marks

   Compose two original riddles about objects commonly found in a Kenyan home. Give the answer to each riddle. (4 marks)

   (4 marks)

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8. Question 8

   1 mark

   "A goat that wanders from the herd becomes the hyena's supper." Which of the following best explains the meaning of this proverb?

   A. Hyenas only ever attack goats that are already weak

   B. A good herder must count his goats every single evening

   C. One who leaves the group's protection invites danger

   D. Those who wander always find richer pasture than others

   (1 mark)

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9. Question 9

   3 marks

   Outline three things a performer should do to perform a tongue twister effectively before an audience. (3 marks)

   (3 marks)

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10. Question 10

    1 mark

    A tailor at Gikomba market was asked how business was going. He sighed and replied, "Sew-sew." The humour in this reply depends mainly on

    A. A contradiction between what he says and what he does

    B. Two words that sound alike but differ in meaning

    C. A comparison of the tailor to a busy sewing machine

    D. An exaggeration of the tailor's poverty and hard work

    (1 mark)

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11. Question 11

    4 marks

    Explain two ways in which composing short forms of oral literature, such as riddles and puns, enhances a learner's creativity and imagination. (4 marks)

    (4 marks)

    Marking scheme

    Any two of the following, 2 marks each (1 mark for the way and 1 mark for the explanation) (4 marks): - Composing riddles makes the learner find hidden likenesses between unrelated things, which builds metaphorical thinking. - Creating puns means playing with the sounds and double meanings of words, which widens vocabulary and verbal inventiveness. - The learner invents fresh images from everyday surroundings rather than repeating familiar ones. - Packing an idea into a few memorable words trains originality and economy of expression. - Thinking from the audience's point of view, so that a riddle is solvable or a joke is funny, develops imaginative empathy. - Experimenting with sound patterns, as in tongue twisters, encourages creative play with language. - Peer review and performance push the learner to revise and improve their own compositions.

12. Question 12

    4 marks

    Describe the procedure followed in a typical riddling session in Kenyan communities. (4 marks)

    (4 marks)

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13. Question 13

    4 marks

    Explain two functions of jokes in society. (4 marks)

    (4 marks)

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14. Question 14

    1 mark

    Which of the following is a key function of riddling sessions among children in Kenyan communities?

    A. They settle disputes among village elders

    B. They mourn members who have recently died

    C. They record the official history of clans

    D. They sharpen thinking and quick recall

    (1 mark)

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15. Question 15

    6 marks

    A Grade 10 learner collected the following items from her grandmother in Kakamega for her oral literature portfolio. Study them and answer the questions that follow.

    (i) "My father's house stands on a single pillar." - "A mushroom."

    (ii) "Bright brown bread baked by Baraka's brother burns badly."

    (iii) "The pot that boils too fast soon cracks at its base."

    (iv) "Why did the farmer from Molo plant coins in his shamba? He wanted his savings to grow."

    (a) Identify the short form of oral literature represented by each item. (4 marks)

    (b) Explain the two meanings of the word "grow" on which the humour of item (iv) depends. (2 marks)

    (6 marks)

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16. Question 16

    1 mark

    Read the following item from an oral performance. Challenger: "A thin soldier stands in the shamba all day; the birds fear him, though he never moves." Audience: "A scarecrow!" Which short form of oral literature is this?

    A. Proverb

    B. Tongue twister

    C. Riddle

    D. Pun

    (1 mark)

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17. Question 17

    6 marks

    Explain three functions of proverbs in society. (6 marks)

    (6 marks)

    Marking scheme

    Any three of the following, 2 marks each (1 mark for the function and 1 mark for the explanation or example) (6 marks): - They teach moral values and give advice, for example on hard work, patience and respect. - They warn or caution people against wrong or risky behaviour. - They strengthen arguments in speeches; elders use them to persuade and to sum up a point. - They help elders settle disputes and pass judgement wisely. - They preserve the wisdom, beliefs and experience of a community. - They show the speaker's wisdom and eloquence and earn respect. - They enrich language with imagery and make speech more vivid. - They let a speaker rebuke or criticise indirectly without causing offence. - They console or encourage people facing difficulty. - They express a community's shared identity and world view.

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