Ethiopian Proverbs- Literature Multiple Choice
An Ethiopian proverb says, “What one hopes for is always better than what one has.” Which familiar proverb teaches the same thing?
“The grass is always greener on the other side.”
“A fool and his money are soon parted.”
“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”
“It was out of the frying pan and into the fire.”
Proverbs in African oral traditions are used mainly to
create lengthy epic poetry.
convey cultural wisdom.
help people mourn the dead.
inspire hunters before the hunt.
Which one of the following familiar sayings is closest to the meaning of The Destiny of a Wolf-Cub?
“Dog is man’s best friend.”
“One picture is worth a thousand words.”
“A leopard never changes its spots.”
“People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.”
What does If You Cannot Stand a Sting teach about the consequences of people’s actions?
People cannot predict the consequences of their actions.
People sometimes suffer unjustly as a result of their actions.
People often must experience pain to achieve a goal.
People should consider consequences before they act.
Which of the following statements is true of an anecdote?
An anecdote applies only to people of a single culture.
An anecdote often has a broader meaning than is first apparent.
The reader usually needs prior knowledge to understand an anecdote.
The author usually provides an interpretation of the anecdote.
Which of the following is a reason for early African oral traditions in literature?
Much of African literature is ritual drama.
There are so many different African languages.
Only the Aksum kingdom developed written language.
Many words in African languages use tonal quality to convey meaning.
What caused many early Africans to leave eastern Africa to find new kingdoms to the south and west?
a written alphabet
drought conditions
trade routes to India
religious differences
Arabic culture’s greatest contributions to the Western world include:
operas based on myths and fables.
advanced agricultural methods.
new trade routes.
translations of Greek and Roman manuscripts.
In Unmarked Boxes, the poet Rumi compares a poet talking about the gold of baked bread with a town in the desert looking “up at stars on a clear night.” This comparison is an example of:
a folk tale.
antithesis.
analogy.
parallelism.
An epic teaches the values of the society that creates it. Which pair of qualities best represents the values of Sundiata’s culture?
courage and loyalty
modesty and patience riosity and wisdom
kindness and gentleness
Which of the following excerpts is an example of antithesis?
“Hell burns fiercely and Paradise is brought near.”
“You shall be gratified with what your Lord will ive you.”
“You alone we worship, and to You alone we pray for help.”
“No, your compatriot is not mad. He saw him on the clear horizon.”
The line that opens The Exordium from the Koran contains the prayer in Allah’s name for guidance to “The path of those whom You have favored, / Not of those who have incurred Your wrath.” This is an example of
allegory.
antithesis.
a moral.
elegy.
Memorial
