Structure of Final Exam – ENG4U – January 2016
Your exam is 3 hours, and will be composed of FIVE SECTIONS.
Section A: Short Answer – Illustrating Literary and Critical Concept with Evidence
5 x 5 marks = 25 marks
30 mins
For 5 of the following concepts, use elements/characters/ideas/examples from ONE
of the texts listed below to prove your understanding.
You may only use each text ONCE.
Fate vs. Free Will
Appearance vs. Reality
Postmodernism
Feminist Critical Reading
Motif
Character Foil
Genre
Thesis
Allegory
Dramatic Irony
Irony
TEXTS
The Bet
Hills Like White Elephants
Shooting an Elephant
The Necklace
The Garden Party
“Imagine There’s No Heaven”
Slaughterhouse Five
Hamlet
Theme
Passion vs. Reason
Marxist Critical Reading
Post-Colonial Critical Reading
Imagery
Style
Satire
Allusion
Soliloquy
Innocence vs. Experience
Point-of-View
“Once More to the Lake”
A Good Man is Hard to Find
A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings
The Chrysanthemums
“A Modest Proposal”
“What if Shakespeare Had Had a Sister?”
Not Wanted on the Voyage
Othello
How to prepare:
Well, it’s simple really – start to define, explain, and arrange your responses
regarding each of the above concepts with direct examples/explanations from your
selected text. Quotations are not necessary, but direct and specific examples are.
Section B: Short Sight Poem – Analysis of Poetic Expression
20 marks – a series of short questions
30 mins
You will be provided with two poems from our course (we have studied this poem
before in class – but no more hints) and you will have to respond to questions about
it.
 review not simply the definitions of the poetic devices and examples of figurative
language we covered in this course, but practice identifying them and working with
them in new texts
 review your poetry test/poetry seminar assignment
 review the poems we did together as a group
 use the practice poems that have been upload for you
Section C: Concise Shakespeare Essay (choice 1/2 questions)
30 marks
50 mins
You will compose a four paragraph essay in defence of a strong central thesis
statement, in response to a question selected from a short list provided to you.
How to prepare:
 Review all of the work we completed on your play – develop your ideas regarding
the main thematic/argumentative areas of the piece.
 develop possible thesis statements, then outlines that support them
 review the prep material from your seminar/unit test/wiki comprehension
questions
 grab a few short and useful quotations that can be adapted to fit your thesis
 review and practice excellent paragraph structures – introduction, body
paragraphs, conclusion
Section D: Long Answer: Demonstrating Understanding of Major Themes and Ideas
from the novel study through textual analysis.
15 marks
25 minutes
You will use a thorough and sophisticated knowledge and understanding of your
novel, as well as specific examples, to respond to ONE question from a list provided
to you. While this response is not a formal essay, it requires organization,
development, and detailed evidence in support of a central idea.
How to prepare:
 review all of the major themes/purposes/effects of the novel
 review all of your responses to the wiki questions
 review the partner activities on the wiki
 review your notations
 make lists of potential questions (remember what we did for the short fiction
test?) and practice those questions!!
Section E: Metacognitive Paragraph
10 marks
15 minutes
You will be asked a question regarding the use and abuse of technology in everyday
life. You will compose a well organized response in your own voice. While it is not an
academic paragraph, you must assert and explain your opinion and evaluation of the
issue/question. We will practice these the last week of the semester.
 Review your Personal Essay assignment.