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

The correct answer is "It validates the research's originality, accuracy, and contribution to the field."

Key Points

• Peer review is a critical process in the publication of scholarly work, including literary research. It involves scrutiny by one or more experts in the field, apart from the author.
• This process ensures that the research meets the necessary standards of quality before it is published, including originality, rigorous methodology, accurate findings, and a significant contribution to existing knowledge.
• Peer review serves as a form of quality control, screening out unsubstantiated or flawed research, thus maintaining the integrity and credibility of the academic literature.
• Undergoing peer review also provides authors with valuable feedback, which can help improve their work, making the arguments stronger, the methodology more robust, and the conclusions more precise.
• It helps prevent the publication of research that may be biased, unverifiable, or otherwise problematic, ensuring that only scholarly and scientifically sound literature is disseminated.
• The process of peer review not only benefits the immediate field of study but also reinforces the trustworthiness of academic publishing as a whole.

It is a play that deals with the theme of boredom, nothingness and inertia in life.

• The Graveyard school of Poetry was pioneered by Edward Young and Robert Blair, referring to the tendency of some 18th-century writers to harp on death and grave.
• The Satanic School was a name applied by Robert Southey to a class of writers headed by Byron and Shelley, because, according to him, their productions were "characterized by a Satanic spirit of pride and audacious impiety".
• The Fleshly School is the name given by Robert Buchanan to a realistic, sensual school of poets, to which Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Morris, and Algernon Charles Swinburne belong. He accused them of immorality in an article entitled "The Fleshly School of Poetry" in The Contemporary Review in October 1871.
• The "Cockney School" refers to a group of poets and essayists writing in England in the second and third decades of the 19th century

1. Naga-Mandala is a famous play by Indian Playwright Girish Karnad in 1988.
2. The play is based on the folktale of same name.
3. The story of Naga-Mandala is narrated by a special character ‘Story’.
4. The narrator-story is born of a woman’s mind which is strongly agitated due to her suspicion that her husband is carrying affairs with some other woman.
5. Rani and Appanna are married couple, a mis-matched man and woman in a typical Indian society and the snake which changes its form into human being to meet its beloved.
6. The story is open-ended and combines conventional and subversive modes.

The correct option is "The Tatler".

Key Points

• The Tatler is a periodical by Richard Steele in 1709.
• He started the journal under a pen-name of Isaac Bickerstaff Esq. as an editor of this journal.
• This pseudonym is also used by Jonathan Swift who was one of the contributors to this journal along with Joseph Addison. 

Therefore the correct answer is "option 1".

Additional Information

•  Jonathan Swift is an English playwright, satirist, essayist and a political pamphleteer of 18th century.
• His notable includes 'Gulliver's Travels', 'Drapier's Letters', 'Tale of Tub', 'A Modest Proposal'. 

The correct answer is 'The speaker's joyful participation in American life.'

Key Points

• In the opening line, the speaker asserts their presence and claims their right to sing about America. 
• It reflects a positive and assertive attitude, expressing the speaker's desire to participate in the cultural and national narrative.
• The line sets the tone for the poem's exploration of identity, exclusion, and the aspiration for equality.

Therefore, the correct option is ‘Option 3.’

Additional Information 

• Option 1 is incorrect. The speaker does not express reluctance but rather a sense of belonging. 
• Option 2 is incorrect. While exclusion is addressed in the poem, the first line emphasizes the speaker's participation.
• Option 4 is incorrect. The speaker's tone is more affirmative than critical in the opening line.

The correct answer is 'Joyful resilience and defiance.'

Key Points

• The speaker laughs, eats well, and grows strong despite being sent to the kitchen. 
• This shows resilience, defiance, and a refusal to be defeated by discriminatory treatment.

Therefore, the correct option is ‘Option 2.’

Additional Information 

• Option 1 is incorrect. The speaker's response is not resignation but active resilience. 
• Option 3 is incorrect. The speaker's actions and tone do not reflect indifference or apathy.
• Option 4 is incorrect. The speaker's response is not characterized by confusion or frustration.

“furnished interiors, morning walks, / the cake and the cutlery” in the poem represent the life presented in domestic fictions. The first stanza presents a comparison between life of stray cats and domestic cat who lives a comfortable life as depicted in domestic fictions.

Usage

The Pardoner is one of the characters of The Canterbury tales by Chaucer. He is well read and psychologically astute. He is the most marginalized character in the company. His profession is to offered indulgences, or previously written pardons for particular sins, to people who repented of the sin they had committed.

The charitable donation given to pardoner to receiving an indulgence, it looks like one could cleanse oneself of sin by simply paying off the Church. Yet Chaucer places him at the very bottom of humanity because he uses the church and holy, religious objects as tools to profit personally Pardoner has the effrontery and hypocrisy to try to sell one of his “pardons” to the Host.

The correct answer is "Jhumpa Lahiri".

Key Points

• Unaccustomed Earth is a collection of short stories from American author Jhumpa Lahiri. It is her second collection of stories, following Interpreter of Maladies.
• The characters feel alienated within a world of mixed messages, while also grappling with the duties and responsibilities that are culturally foisted upon them. 
• The main characters include Ruma, the central character in the collection’s title story, a Bengali-American woman in her late 30s. She is married to Adam, who is American and white. Together, they have a son named Akash.

Additional Information

• Stephen Edwin King is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels.
• Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known as the author of the novel Little Women and its sequels Little Men and Jo's Boys.

The correct answer is ‘C, D, B, A.’

Key Points

• The Book of the Duchess (C): This is Chaucer's first major work, believed to have been written in the latter part of the 1360s. It is an elegy for Blanche of Lancaster, John of Gaunt's first wife.
• The Parliament of Fowls (D): Thought to have been composed in the early 1380s, this poem delves into themes of love and is often read as a Valentine's Day poem, suggesting its placement after "The Book of the Duchess."
• Troilus and Criseyde (B): This work, crafted in the mid-1380s, is a long poem retelling the tragic love story of Troilus and Criseyde set against the backdrop of the Trojan War. It predates "The Canterbury Tales."
• The Canterbury Tales (A): Begun around 1387 but never completed, this collection of stories told by pilgrims on their way to Canterbury is Chaucer's most famous work and is considered a cornerstone of English literature.
• This chronological order reflects Chaucer's development as a writer, moving from courtly love poems to more complex narratives and finally to the rich tapestry of tales for which he is most celebrated.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• The chronological order reflects the evolution of Chaucer's style from elegiac and romantic works to his most ambitious project, "The Canterbury Tales," that showcases an array of characters and societal themes.
• This progression illustrates Chaucer's development as a writer and his experiment with various genres and storytelling techniques.

• Nancy Chodorow is a feminist sociologist and psychoanalyst best known for her influential book “The Reproduction of Mothering: Psychoanalysis and the Sociology of Gender” which was published in 1978.

• She dealt with the mother-daughter relationship, reproduction of motherhood and female psychology in the book.

• Carol Gilligan was an American feminist and psychoanalyst put a landmark in Feminist theories with her book, A Different Voice and Difference feminists.

• She argued that Psychology had been unknowingly ignoring the voices and experiences of half the human race.

The correct answer is '(Smith & Jones, 2018).'

Key Points

• Use of Ampersand: APA format requires the use of an ampersand "&" between the two authors' last names within the parentheses for in-text citations.
• Year of Publication: The year of publication follows the authors’ names, separated by a comma.
• Parenthetical Format: The entire citation is placed within parentheses.
• Authors' Last Names Only: Only the last names of the authors are used; no initials unless there are multiple authors with the same last name.
• Simplification: This format provides a clear, concise way to reference multiple authors without cluttering the text.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Additional Information

• Option 2: Listing the authors separately with different publication years is incorrect for a single work by two authors.
• Option 3: "And" is used in narrative citations, not within parentheses; for parenthetical citations, "&" is correct.
• Option 4: Initials are not required in parenthetical in-text citations in APA.

The correct answer is 'Comedy of Manners'.

Key Points

• Oscar Wilde was a renowned playwright from the Victorian era, well known for his 'Comedy of Manners' plays. In this genre, the lifestyles, attitudes, and values of the social upper class are often mocked.
• "The Importance of Being Earnest", his best-known play, is a printed demonstration of his razor-sharp wit, verbal dexterity, and his knack for poking fun at the traditional norms and pretension of Victorian society.
• Often using humor, irony, and satire, Wilde portrayed characters whose lifestyles were choked by societal pressures, falseness, and superficiality, thus challenging and critiquing the morality of the Victorian upper class.
• Wilde's comedies not just entertained but depicted the decadence of Victorian society with a light, humorous touch.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

"Linguist, critic, poet, psychologist, I. A. Richards (1893-1979) was one of the great polymaths of the twentieth century. He is best known, however, as one of the founders of modern literary critical theory. Richards revolutionized criticism by turning away from biographical and historical readings as well as from the aesthetic impressionism. Seeking a more exacting approach, he analyzed literary texts as syntactical structures that could be broken down into smaller interacting verbal units of meaning. Practical Criticism, first published in 1929, is a landmark volume in demonstrating this method.".

"Richards' concerns in Practical Criticism went well beyond the merely formal. In the humanist tradition, he believed that the ability to read critically and use language truthfully was culturally regenerative, a necessary skill in the modern world of mass-produced art and advertising. This classic volume will be of interest to teachers of literature, cultural studies specialists, and intellectual historians

• Chartism was a well -known movement for political reform in Britain that existed from 1838 to 1857. It took its name from the People’s Charter of 1838 and was a national protest movement.
• The People’s Charter called for six reforms to make the political system more democratic:

1. A vote for every man twenty-one years of age, of sound mind, and not undergoing punishment for a crime.
2. Vote by secret ballot to protect the elector in the exercise of his vote.
3. No property qualification for Members of Parliament.
4. Payment of Members, enabling tradesmen, working men, or other persons of modest means to leave or interrupt their livelihood to attend to the interests of the nation.
5. Equal constituencies, securing the same amount of representation for the same number of electors.
6. Annual Parliamentary elections.

Darwin's theory. In 1859, Charles Darwin set out his theory of evolution by natural selection as an explanation for adaptation and speciation. He defined natural selection as the "principle by which each slight variation [of a trait], if useful, is preserved".

The correct answer is 'Deep understanding of literary theory'.

Key Points

• A deep understanding of literary theory is crucial for interpreting texts beyond their surface-level meanings, allowing researchers to explore a wide range of interpretations based on various critical lenses (e.g., feminist, Marxist, postcolonial theories).
• Literary theory equips researchers with the tools to uncover deeper insights into texts, including their underlying ideologies, narrative structures, and the influence of historical and cultural contexts on their creation and reception.
• It enables scholars to critically examine how texts reflect, resist, or negotiate cultural norms and values, providing a richer understanding of the work's significance within its specific context.
• Understanding literary theory facilitates a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating perspectives from philosophy, sociology, history, and other fields to enrich the analysis and situate texts within broader societal discourses.
• Mastery of literary theory also helps researchers discern the evolution of genres, tropes, and conventions, and how these elements interact with cultural and historical developments.
• This skill supports a critical examination of the power dynamics at play in the production and consumption of literature, highlighting issues of authorship, censorship, and the canon.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 2.’

Additional Information

• Proficiency in statistical analysis (Option 1) is more relevant for quantitative research fields than for traditional literary studies.
• Ability to read in multiple languages (Option 3) can be beneficial for comparative literature research but is not as universally required as a strong grounding in literary theory.
• Expertise in digital humanities tools (Option 4) offers valuable resources for research but is complementary to the foundational role of literary theory in text analysis.

The correct answer is '1 - C, 2 - D, 3-B, 4 - A  .'

Key Points

• Jacques Derrida is associated with "Of Grammatology," a seminal work in which he develops the concept of "deconstruction." This approach challenges the idea that texts have a fixed and stable meaning.
• Michel Foucault is the author of "The History of Sexuality," a three-volume study of sexuality in the western world. Foucault explores the relationship between power, knowledge, and sexuality, challenging notions of a repressed sexuality since the 17th century.
• Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second Sex" is a foundational text in feminist theory. It explores the treatment of women throughout history and is famous for the quote: "One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman."
• Edward Said's "Orientalism" critiques Western depictions of the Eastern world, or the 'Orient.' He argues that these depictions, rooted in a colonial mindset, serve to reinforce Western identity and superiority.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

The correct answer is 'Holiness.'

Key Points

• Redcrosse is the protagonist of the first book of "The Faerie Queene", which is dedicated to the virtue of holiness. As such, he represents the ideal Christian knight, embodying the spiritual journey towards holiness.
• Throughout Book I, Redcrosse encounters various trials and tribulations that test his faith and virtue, reflecting the Christian narrative of fall and redemption.
• His journey includes battling dragons and facing deceit, embodying the struggle between good and evil that is central to the Christian spiritual journey.
• Redcrosse's association with St. George, the patron saint of England, further emphasizes his role as a symbol of holiness and the Christian fight against evil.
• His eventual victory over the dragon and reunion with Una symbolize the triumph of true faith and the attainment of spiritual grace.
• This book is allegorical, with characters and events representing moral and religious virtues and vices, and Redcrosse's quest for holiness is central to its moral and spiritual teachings.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Option 1, chastity, is the central virtue of Book III, focused on Britomart, a female knight.
• Option 2, justice, is represented by Artegall in Book V of "The Faerie Queene".
• Option 4, temperance, is the focus of Book II and is represented by Sir Guyon.

• Thomas Carlyle was the most noted satirist, philosopher and social critic of the Victorian Period, who influence several writers and philosophers throughout his life. He is termed as the Sage of Chelsea. His writings affects not only Victorian writers but also writers of coming of ages. He had a major effect even on Ruskin and Arnold and on realistic writers like Dickens, Gaskell, Eliot, Disaraeli, Kingsley and others as well.
• In Caryle’s writings, dickens encountered criticism of the social problems of victorian age which impart him better understanding of society and its problemslater painted in his famous novels. moreover, the French revolution: a History was the inspiration behind the creation of novel, “A Tale of two Cities” and a memorable narrative in Charles Dickens’s novel “Hard Times”, whose subtitle “For These Times” is indebted to Carlyle’s essay. Elizabeth Gaskell, a social Novelist also indebted to the famous writings of Carlyle. Her celebrated industrial novel ‘North and South” took inspiration from Carlyle’s writings, and adhere to a Carlylean ideology.

The correct answer is 'The power of compassionate action.'

Key Points

• Embodiment of Virtue: Rose Maylie serves as an embodiment of purity, virtue, and compassion within the novel, showcasing these qualities through her actions and interactions with other characters, including Oliver.
• Influence of Kindness: Through her kind and selfless actions, Rose significantly impacts the lives of those around her, illustrating how compassion and altruism can bring about positive change in others' lives.
• Social Responsibility: Dickens uses Rose's character to highlight the idea of social responsibility among the privileged towards the less fortunate, emphasizing the moral duty to help those in need.
• Contrast to Other Characters: Her gentle nature and willingness to help Oliver starkly contrast with the exploitation and indifference he experiences from many other characters, illuminating the disparities in human decency and compassion within society.
• Representation of Ideals: Rose Maylie represents the Victorian ideal of womanhood—kind, moral, and nurturing—serving as a foil to the darker elements of Victorian society portrayed in the novel and demonstrating the potential for goodness and positive influence.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• Option 1: While class distinctions are explored, Rose represents more than the fragility of the upper class; she embodies the influence of compassion.
• Option 3: The corruption within the orphanage system is addressed elsewhere in the novel, but not specifically through Rose's character.
• Option 4: Although Dickens touches on many social issues, the struggle for women's rights is not a central theme explored through Rose Maylie's character.

The correct answer is "As a peaceful escape from societal expectations".

Key Points

• Nanda Kaul in Anita Desai's "Fire on the Mountain" cherishes her solitude at Carignano, her retreat in the hills. Her solitude represents a deliberate choice to escape the demands and expectations of society and her familial responsibilities.
• Living alone at Carignano enables Nanda Kaul to reject the roles traditionally assigned to her as a wife, mother, and social being. She seeks solace in the natural beauty and quietude of the mountains, which allows her a sense of freedom and self-discovery.
• This peace is disrupted with the arrival of her great-granddaughter, Raka, which forces her to confront her past and the relationships she has abandoned.
• Desai explores themes of isolation, freedom, and the complexity of human relationships through Nanda Kaul's experience of solitude, highlighting the dual nature of solitude as both liberating and alienating.

The correct answer is 'is easy to read and understand'.

 Key Points

• Barthes uses the term "readerly text" to describe a text that is easy to read and understand.
• Readerly texts offer a single, unambiguous meaning and do not require the reader to work hard to interpret them.
• Readerly texts are designed to appeal to a wide audience and to provide a pleasurable reading experience.
• They do not challenge the reader's assumptions or beliefs, and they do not require the reader to think critically about the text.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Additional Information

• Option 2 is incorrect because readerly texts offer a single, but do not offer ambiguous meaning. 
• Option 3 is incorrect because readerly texts do not encourage the reader to engage with the text on a personal level.
• Option 4 is incorrect because readerly texts do not challenge the reader to think critically about the text.

• King Alfred, the Great was a monarch of Wessex, an Anglo-Saxon kingdom from 871 to 899. He is mostly remembered for successfully defended his kingdom against the Viking conquest and for encouraging. the English Language to create National identity. After success against Viking conquest, he imparted his attention to the educational system and proposed that primary education be taught in English and because of only his insistence English became the official written language of England. He retain political control over countries and become the dominant ruler of England.

• King Arthur is a renowned British leader, who played a remarkable role in leading the defense of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and 6th centuries AD. Arthur is a central figure in the legends called matter of Britain. He also served as inspiration for many works, including Morted Arthur, The Lady of Shalott by Tennyson and The Egyptian Maid by Wordsworth.

• Ethelbert of Kent was the ruler of Kent from about 589 to throughout his life. He was best known for being the first English king to convert to Christianity.

• Edward the Elder was the King of Anglo-Saxon Kingdom from 899 until his death. He was the son of Alfred the Great and successor as a king after his death in 899 AD.

The correct answer is "Things Fall Apart".

Key Points

• "Things Fall Apart" is a seminal work by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, published in 1958. It is revered for its deep and poignant exploration of the social, cultural, and political upheavals faced by the Igbo society due to British colonialism and Christian missionary activities in Nigeria.
• The novel is set in the late 19th century and tells the story of Okonkwo, a respected leader in the Igbo community of Umuofia, whose life is disrupted by the arrival of Europeans. Through Okonkwo's tragic story, Achebe illustrates the clash of cultures and the struggle for identity amidst the forces of change.
• Achebe's narrative presents a complex portrayal of Igbo society before and after colonial influence, challenging stereotypical representations of African societies as primitive or uncivilized.
• "Things Fall Apart" is credited with altering the global perception of African literature and narratives, offering an African perspective on colonial history.
• The novel’s title, taken from W.B. Yeats' poem "The Second Coming," symbolizes the destruction of traditional values and the disintegration of Igbo society under colonial rule.
• Achebe masterfully uses the Igbo oral tradition, proverbs, and storytelling, integrating them into the narrative to highlight the richness of Igbo culture and the tragic disruption of those traditions by colonialism.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Additional Information

• "No Longer at Ease" and "The River Between" also address colonial impacts but are not as centrally focused on Igbo society’s initial collision with British colonialism as "Things Fall Apart."
• "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie deals with the Biafran War period, distinct from the colonial themes primarily explored in "Things Fall Apart."

The line occurs in The Mayor of Casterbridge

Evelina also known as the History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World is the first novel written by English author Fanny Burney and first published in 1778. It is an epistolary novel and often considered her best work, and it is certainly her most popular and widely-read.

It is a three volume novel which revolves around the life of Protagonist Evelina. It is a significant precursor to the work of Jane Austen and Maria Edgeworth, whose novels explore many of the same issues.

• The Alchemist” is a comic play by Ben Jonson. Lovewit is the owner of the house where the whole play staged, as well as the employer of Jeremy, the butler or Face. It come to know through Face in the first act that due to Plague in the London Lovewit left his house for the country under the sole charge of him.
• He also informed the subtle that his master will not come back till the plague went out of London so they have safe two weeks to hitch their illegal plan of making money by conning people.