His last novel was … by his visit to the prisons

Analyze the question: The sentence is "His last novel was ........ by his visit to the prisons." We need a verb that fits the passive structure (was ___ by) and collocates naturally with "novel" and "visit."

Explain the concept: This is a question on lexis (word choice) and collocation. Let's look at each word's meaning:

• Inspired: to give someone the creative urge or idea to do something. We commonly say a work of art, novel, or song was "inspired by" an event, person, or experience.
• Generated: to produce or cause, usually used for energy, income, interest, or ideas in a general sense (e.g., "generated electricity," "generated controversy"). It is not natural for a novel being motivated by an experience.
• Conceived: to form an idea or plan in the mind. We say "he conceived the idea," or "the novel was conceived in prison." But "conceived by his visit" is awkward, because a person conceives, not a visit.
• Revealed: to make something known. A novel is not "revealed" by a visit.

Step-by-step solution:

1. The agent in the sentence is "his visit to the prisons," which is an experience, not a person.
2. An experience typically inspires creative work.
3. Test: "His last novel was inspired by his visit to the prisons." This is natural and idiomatic.
4. Other options fail: "generated by" is unnatural for a novel, "conceived by" needs a person as the agent, and "revealed by" changes the meaning.

Correct answer: A. inspired

Tip: When you see creative works (novel, poem, song, painting) followed by "by + experience/event," think "inspired by." Memorize collocations like inspired by, conceived of, generated electricity, and revealed a secret, because WASSCE lexis questions often test them.