Kerala SET Paper 2 Mock Test - 1 (English) - KTET MCQ

The correct answer is ‘The House of Fame.'

 Key Points

• Philosophical Exploration: The House of Fame is a dream vision poem where Chaucer explores philosophical themes, including the nature of truth, fame, and the reliability of human senses.
• Dream Journey: The poem's protagonist experiences a dream journey to the House of Fame, encountering allegorical figures and exploring the complexities of perception.
• Influence of Boethius: Chaucer draws inspiration from Boethius' 'Consolation of Philosophy,' incorporating philosophical discussions and moral reflections.
• Narrative Structure: The poem has a complex structure, with dream sequences, allegorical characters, and discussions on the nature of knowledge.
• Rhetorical Devices: Chaucer employs rhetorical devices, such as irony and satire, to enhance the depth of the philosophical inquiries.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1.'

 Additional Information

• Option 2: The Parliament of Fowls is a dream vision poem but focuses on the theme of love and courtship among birds.
• Option 3: The Legend of Good Women is a poem that celebrates virtuous women and addresses themes of love and fidelity.
• Option 4: The Boke of the Duchesse is an elegy mourning the death of Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster.

The correct answer is Leo Tolstoy. Key Points

• "The Three Questions" is a short story by author Leo Tolstoy.
• It is a parable which tells the story of a king who is in search of answers to three philosophical questions in life. 
• The moral of the story is to live in the present moment, rather than grumbling about the past and being anxious about tomorrow.

          Hence, 'option 1' is the correct answer.​ Additional Information

• Leo Tolstoy was a 19th century Russian writer known for his famous novels and short stories.

The correct answer is 'Suffering is always unique and personal to each individual.'

Key Points

• The speaker states that "suffering is exact," suggesting that it is unique and specific to each individual. 
• This is supported by the fact that the speaker's own suffering is described in vivid and personal detail.
• The speaker's use of the word "exact" implies that suffering is precise and cannot be generalized or compared to the suffering of others.
• The speaker does not suggest that suffering is always fair, just, predictable, or caused by external factors.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 3.’

The correct answer is 'The speaker pities him and believes he was also deceived.'

Key Points

• The speaker states that the man was "stumbling up the breathless stair / To burst into fulfillment's desolate attic," suggesting that he was also misled and disappointed by the encounter. 
• The speaker also says that they "would not dare / Console [the man] if [they] could," implying that they feel some sympathy for him.
• The speaker's use of the word "desolate" to describe the man's fulfillment suggests that the speaker believes that the man's actions were ultimately self-destructive.
• The speaker does not express hatred, indifference, or admiration towards the man.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 3.’

The correct answer is ‘A, B, C, D, E.’

 Key Points

• The Tatler (A) was founded in 1709.
• The Spectator (B) was founded in 1711.
• The Rambler (C) was founded in 1750.
• The Idler (D) was founded in 1758.
• The Lounger (E) was founded in 1785.
• Literary journals are periodicals that publish literary works, such as poems, short stories, essays, and reviews.
• Literary journals play an important role in promoting new and emerging writers.
• Literary journals often reflect the changing literary and cultural trends of their time.

The correct answer is 'J.L. Austin.'

 Key Points

• J.L. Austin, a British philosopher (1911–1960), is renowned for his work on the philosophy of language.
• In "How to Do Things with Words" (1962), Austin introduces the concept of performative utterances, where saying something is not just describing a state of affairs but performing an action.
• He distinguishes between constative (descriptive) and performative (action-oriented) uses of language.
• Examples of performative utterances include promises, vows, or declarations that bring about a change in the external world.
• Austin's work laid the foundation for speech act theory, influencing subsequent developments in philosophy of language.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

 Additional Information

• Option 1 is incorrect. Ludwig Wittgenstein is a significant figure in analytical philosophy but not the author of "How to Do Things with Words."
• Option 3 is incorrect. John Searle, influenced by Austin, expanded on speech act theory but did not write "How to Do Things with Words."
• Option 4 is incorrect. Noam Chomsky is a linguist and cognitive scientist known for his work on generative grammar, not speech act theory.

Nadine Gordimer (20 November 1923 – 13 July 2014) was a South African writer, political .... In a 1979–80 interview Gordimer identified herself as an atheist, but added: "I ... The House Gun (1998) was Gordimer's second post-apartheid novel.

The correct answer is 'The poem represents a complex interplay between the poet's internal emotional turmoil and the external socio-political climate of the time'.

Key Points

• "Dejection: An Ode" can be seen as embodying more than just a personal expression of sadness; it subtly reflects the anxieties and challenges of the broader socio-political climate during Coleridge's time, including reactions to the French Revolution and its aftermath, economic hardship, and the industrial revolution's early stages.
• The ode's exploration of dejection is intertwined with a sensitive awareness of the natural world, suggesting an environmental consciousness that transcends personal grief and points to a deeper disquiet about humanity's disconnect from nature amidst rapid societal changes.
• Coleridge's articulation of despair and alienation resonates with the disillusionment felt by many during a period of significant upheaval, serving as a poignant critique of his era's optimism about progress and the Enlightenment beliefs in reason and individualism.
• The poem’s structure and use of language act as vehicles for critiquing the era’s intellectual and philosophical ethos, subtly questioning the viability of Romantic idealism as a means to comprehend and navigate the complexities of human experience within a changing world.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 3.’

Additional Information

• Celebrating the natural world's beauty (Option 1) is a theme in Coleridge's work but doesn't capture the depth of "Dejection: An Ode."
• A straightforward lament about unrequited love (Option 2) overlooks the poem's broader existential and socio-political reflections.
• Abstract exploration of poetic form (Option 4) undervalues the poem's engagement with personal and historical content.

The correct answer is ‘A - III, B - II, C - I, D - IV'.

 Key Points

• William Wordsworth (A) is known for his poem "Tintern Abbey" (III).
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge (B) is known for his poem "Kubla Khan" (II).
• John Keats (C) is known for his poem "Ode to a Nightingale" (I).
• Percy Bysshe Shelley (D) is known for his poem "Ozymandias" (IV).
• These Romantic poets are considered to be among the most important figures in English literature.
• Their works are characterized by their focus on emotion, imagination, and the natural world.
• The Romantic poets had a profound influence on the development of English literature.

The correct answer is ‘A, B, C, D, E.’

 Key Points

• Aristotle's Poetics (A) was written in the 4th century BCE.
• Sidney's Apology for Poetry (B) was published in 1595.
• Dryden's Essay of Dramatic Poesy (C) was published in 1668.
• Johnson's Preface to Shakespeare (D) was published in 1765.
• Coleridge's Biographia Literaria (E) was published in 1817.
• These works represent some of the most important and influential works of literary criticism ever written.
• They have had a profound impact on the way we think about and understand literature.
• These works reflect the changing critical and cultural values of their time.

The correct answer is Edward Bond's Bingo.

Important Points

• Bingo: Scenes of Money and Death is a play written by English playwright Edward Bond in 1973.
• It shows an ageing William Shakespeare at his Warwickshire home in 1615 and 1616.
• Here, Bond had put the character of Shakespeare on stage and is showed that he was suffering because he signed a contract that protected his landholdings, on the condition that he would not interfere with an enclosure of common lands that would hurt the local peasant farmers.
• Although the play is fictional, this contract has a factual basis. 
• Bingo is a political drama heavily influenced by Bertolt Brecht and Epic Theatre.
• Some have praised Bond’s portrayal of Shakespeare while others have criticized it.  

Thus, option 1 is correct.

Additional Information

• Mountain Language is a one-act play written by Harold Pinter. It concerns a group of women who have been waiting all day outside a prison in the hope of seeing their menfolk inside. 
• Loot is a two-act play by the English playwright Joe Orton. The play is a dark farce that satirises the Roman Catholic Church, social attitudes to death, and the integrity of the police force.

'Don Quixote' is a novel by Miguel de Cervantes (1547 – 1616). The book is considered to be the first modern novel and was published in two parts (1605 and 1615). It was first written in Spanish, and was soon afterwards translated to English by Thomas Shelton.

The correct answer is 'Augustan Age, Neo-Classical Age, Victorian Age, Modern Age'.

Key Points

• The Augustan Age, often included within the broader Neo-Classical Age, refers to the early part of the 18th century, specifically under the reign of Queen Anne and the early years of George I, roughly from 1700 to 1740. This period is marked by an emphasis on clarity, order, and elegance, inspired by classical models.
• The Neo-Classical Age follows the Restoration Era, which saw a revival of interest in classical antiquity and its principles, stretching from the late 17th century through the mid-18th century. It fundamentally embraced the same ideals as the Augustan Age but is often considered to extend up to the late 18th century, leading into the Romantic Age.
• The Victorian Age follows after the Romantic Period, beginning with the reign of Queen Victoria in 1837 and lasting until her death in 1901. It is characterized by a complex society, industrial advancements, moral strictness, and a flourishing of literature and arts influenced by both Romantic and realist characteristics.
• The Modern Age in literature is marked by a break from the conventional writing styles of the Victorian era, ushering in new forms of narrative such as stream of consciousness and multiple narratives. This period is generally considered to start around the early 20th century (circa 1910) and include the interwar period, up until the late 20th century.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• Options 1 and 3 reverse the chronological order of these ages, mixing up the placement of the Victorian and the Neo-Classical/Augustan Ages.
• Option 4 places the Modern Age incorrectly before all other options, which contradicts the historical progression of English literature.

• The Golden Gate is the first novel by poet and novelist Vikram Seth. The work is a novel in verse composed of 590 Onegin stanzas. It was inspired by Charles Johnston's translation of Pushkin's Eugene Onegin.  
• Show Business is a postmodern satirical novel by Shashi Tharoor.  
• India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium is a book, written by late former President of India A P J Abdul Kalam, before his tenure as the President, and Mr. Yagnaswami Sundara Rajan.
• Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition is a 2011 novel by Chetan Bhagat Its story is concerned with a love triangle, corruption and a journey of self-discovery. R2020 has addressed the issue of how private coaching institutions exploit aspiring engineering students.

T. S. Eliot is one of the major writers of 20th century. He wrote verse plays, poems and critical essays as well. He was born into nineteenth-century Bostonian Unitarianism family which had its distant roots in Calvinism. But with the time he found theology of Unitarianism, the provinciality of its culture and the parochialism of its moralism, dreadfully inadequate for the intellectual and spiritual life he yearns.

He was confirmed in the Church of England in 1927 also gave up his American citizenship and became a British subject in the same year. He became a warden of his parish church, London, and a life member of the Society of King Charles the Martyr.

He specifically identified as Anglo-Catholic, proclaiming himself “classicist in literature, royalist in politics, and anglo-catholic in religion. His faith became more widely known with the publication of “Ash Wednesday” in 1930, a poem showing the difficult search for truth and the discovery of a faith, faith in Christianity that will last.

The correct answer is 'All of the above'.

 Key Points

• In the poem, the speaker remembers many things about his childhood in the Caribbean, including the beauty of the beaches, the warmth of the people, and the sound of the steel drums.
• The speaker's memories are tinged with nostalgia and longing.
• The poem is a celebration of the speaker's Caribbean heritage.
• "A Far Cry from Africa" is one of Walcott's most famous poems and is considered a classic of Caribbean literature.

The correct answer is 'Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion.'

 Key Points

• Intentional Fallacy: The Intentional Fallacy is a term used in literary criticism to describe the error of interpreting a literary work based solely on the author's intentions or biographical information.
• New Critics' Focus on the Text: New Critics argue that the meaning of a literary work should be derived from the text itself, independent of the author's intentions. They believe that the author's intentions are irrelevant to the interpretation of the text, as the text is a self-contained object with its own inherent meaning.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1.' 

 Additional Information

• Option 2: Both the Assertion and Reason are true, and the Reason explains the Assertion.
• Option 3: The Assertion is true, and the Reason is also true, providing a valid explanation.
• Option 4: The Assertion is false, as the Intentional Fallacy is recognized within New Criticism as an error in literary interpretation.

• Discourse, as defined by Foucault, refers to: ways of constituting knowledge, together with the social practices, forms of subjectivity and power relations which inhere in such knowledges and relations between them. Discourses are more than ways of thinking and producing meaning.

• They constitute the ‘nature’ of the body, unconscious and conscious mind and emotional life of the subjects they seek to govern (Weedon, 1987, p. 108). according to Foucault, discourse is a framework that constructs knowledge and assemblage of text what it is possible to talk about and what is not and enables some mode of thought and denies or severely constrain certain others.

Mount Helicon is a mountain in the region of Thespiai in Boeotia, Greece, celebrated in Greek mythology. With an altitude of 1,749 metres (5,738 ft), it is located approximately 10 kilometres (6 mi) from the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth. Some researchers[who?] maintain that Helicon was also the Greek name of mount Rocca Salvatesta in Sicily as a river started from it was called also Helikon

The correct answer is 'Subalternity'.

Key Points

• Subalternity is a concept critical to Subaltern Studies, introduced to highlight and analyze the perspectives and experiences of those marginalized by mainstream historical and political narratives.
• The term "Subaltern" was popularized in postcolonial studies by the Subaltern Studies Group, an interdisciplinary group of scholars interested in the history and societies of South Asia.
• Subaltern Studies aim to recover the viewpoints of people who are outside the social, economic, and political hegemony, including peasants, women, and other minority groups.
• This approach challenges Eurocentric views of history and seeks to give voice to those historically silenced or marginalized.
• By focusing on Subalternity, researchers in Humanities emphasize the significance of diverse narratives, conducting research that inclusively represents different societal layers and cultures.
• It underlines the importance of recognizing and integrating these marginalized voices into academic discourses to create a more comprehensive understanding of history and society.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Orientalism, a term popularized by Edward Said, critiques Western portrayals of the Eastern societies but does not specifically focus on the concept of subalternity.
• Structural Functionalism is a sociological theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability, not directly related to Subaltern Studies.
• Hermeneutics involves the theory and methodology of interpretation, especially of scriptural text, rather than focusing on marginalized voices.

Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour:

England hath need of thee: she is a fen

Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen,

Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower,

Have forfeited their ancient English dower

Of inward happiness. We are selfish men;

Oh! raise us up, return to us again;

And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power.

Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:

Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:

Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,

So didst thou travel on life's common way,

In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart

The lowliest duties on herself did lay.

The correct answer is ‘Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.’

 Key Points

• The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was a group of English artists who rejected the conventional art of their time.
• They believed that art should be based on a close observation of nature and should reflect the beauty of the natural world.
• The Pre-Raphaelites were influenced by the art of the early Italian Renaissance, which they believed was more naturalistic and expressive than the art of their own time.
• Some of the most famous Pre-Raphaelite artists include Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais, and William Holman Hunt.
• The Pre-Raphaelites also published a magazine called The Germ, in which they shared their ideas about art and literature.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 1.’

 Additional Information

• b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A: This option is incorrect because R is the correct explanation of A.
• c) A is true but R is false: This option is incorrect because both A and R are true.
• d) A is false but R is true: This option is incorrect because both A and R are true.

The correct answer is ‘A, B, C, D, E.’

 Key Points

• Death of a Naturalist (A) was published in 1966.
• North (B) was published in 1975.
• Wintering Out (C) was published in 1972.
• The Spirit Level (D) was published in 1996.
• District and Circle (E) was published in 2006.
• Seamus Heaney is one of the most important Irish poets of the 20th century.
• His poems are known for their exploration of rural life, history, and the Irish landscape.
• Heaney's poems have been praised for their beauty, their emotional depth, and their intellectual rigor.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 1.’

'The Movement' was a term coined in 1954 to describe a group of writers including Philip Larkin, Kingsley Amis, Donald Davie, D. J. Enright, John Wain, Elizabeth Jennings, Thom Gunn and Robert Conquest. The term was coined by J. D. Scott. The Movement only included English poets. Those from the other parts of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland were not involved.

The Movement poets were considered anti-romantic, but Larkin and Hughes showed romantic elements. The Movement took into account Britain's declining supremacy in world politics. The members of the Movement were opposed to modernism, which was reflected in the Englishness of their poetry. The noteworthy elements of the poems were the pastoral images that depicted nostalgia as Britain transited from the rural to the urban.

New Criticism developed as a reaction to the older philological and literary history schools of the US North, which, influenced by nineteenth-century German scholarship, focused on the history and meaning of individual words and their relation to foreign and ancient languages, comparative sources, and the biographical circumstances of the authors.

The correct answer is 'The enrichment of the English vocabulary with Norman French words.'

Key Points

• The Norman Conquest of England in 1066, led by William the Conqueror, marked the beginning of a profound influence of Norman French on the English language, which is most noticeably seen in the significant borrowing of vocabulary.
• This period, part of the Middle English era, saw the introduction of a vast number of Norman French words into the English lexicon, particularly in areas of law, art, literature, religion, and government, reflecting the dominance of the Norman ruling class.
• The incorporation of Norman French vocabulary resulted in a dual language system where English remained the language of the common people, while Norman French was the language of the courts, the clergy, and the aristocracy.
• Over time, these Norman French words became fully integrated into the English language, significantly enriching its vocabulary and leading to the linguistic complexity for which English is known today.
• The influence of Norman French also contributed to the simplification of Old English grammar, in part due to the bilingual environment that required simplification for communication between speakers of the two languages.
• This extensive borrowing from Norman French significantly diminished the Old English vocabulary's dominance and permanently transformed the English linguistic landscape.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Option 1: Incorrect because the decline of Celtic languages in England began prior to the Norman Conquest and was due to previous Anglo-Saxon invasions.
• Option 2: Incorrect as the introduction of the Germanic alphabet into England is associated with the earlier Anglo-Saxon period, not the Norman Conquest.
• Option 4: Incorrect because the creation of a new English syntax system was not a direct consequence of the Norman Conquest; rather, gradual changes in syntax emerged over time, influenced by various factors including but not limited to Norman French influence.

The speaker dissolves his anger with his friend by speaking about it. But when he has anger for his foe, he does not talk about it and it grows. The idea here is that if one suppresses his anger, it will fester and grow, maybe into something even worse. 

In the second stanza, the speaker illustrates how he has developed and cultivated this anger. He uses the metaphor of raising/growing a plant as a way.

• Twelfth Night is one of the most praised comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written around 1601–02. The play has love triangle and expanded on the musical interludes. The play was not published until its inclusion in the 1623 “First Folio.
• She Stoops to Conquer is a comedy by Anglo-Irish author Oliver Goldsmith that was first performed in London in 1773. Initially the play was titled Mistakes of a Night, has been adapted into a film several times, including in 1914 and 1923.
• Blithe Spirit is a comic play by Noel Coward and was first seen in 1941. It created a new long-run record for non-musical British plays of 1,997 performances.
• The Importance of Being Earnest is a comic play by Oscar Wilde, first performed in 1895 at London. It is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personae to escape burdensome social obligations.
• Pygmalion is the most beloved and popularly received comic play of G. B. Shaw. Several film versions have been made of the play which helped Shaw to become the first and only man ever to win the much coveted Double: the Nobel Prize for literature and an Academy Award.

The “Battle of Books” is a short satire penned by Jonathan Swift, the greatest satirist of English Literature. It was published in 1704 as a part of “A Tale of Tub” by Swift.

The Battle of the Books” begins with a note from the bookseller to the reader, telling the reader that it refers to a “famous dispute about ancient and modern learning. ”

It describes the famous battle between books ancient and Modern which literally took place in King’s Library.

It was known for one of the most important collections of books and pamphlets of the Age of Enlightenment.

However, the manuscript about the battle is incomplete, so we still do not know who won.

Isaac Bashevi's Singer was a Polish-born American writer of novels, short stories, and essays in Yiddish