UGC NET Paper 2 English Mock Test - 1 - UGC NET MCQ

The correct answer is 'Deconstruction.'

Key Points

• Deconstruction, associated with Jacques Derrida, questions the stability and binary oppositions in language.
• It explores the inherent contradictions and complexities in language.
• Language is seen as a system of differences without fixed meanings.
• Deconstruction reveals power dynamics and hierarchies embedded in language use.
• The approach challenges traditional notions of meaning and truth.

Therefore, the correct option is ‘Option 1.’

Additional Information

• Marxism (Option 2) focuses on class struggles and societal structures.
• Psychoanalytic Criticism (Option 3) analyzes the influence of the unconscious mind.
• Reader-Response Criticism (Option 4) explores the role of the reader in interpreting texts.

The correct answer is '2. A demon'.

Key Points

• In Yeats' "The Second Coming," the speaker describes the arrival of a mysterious figure who is associated with chaos and destruction, not salvation.
• The poem suggests that the world is entering a new, dark age.
• The figure is often interpreted as a demon or a harbinger of doom.
• Yeats' "The Second Coming" also explores the theme of the cyclical nature of history.
• The poem suggests that the world is moving through a series of cycles, each of which ends in destruction and renewal.
• The figure that arrives at the end of the poem may represent the beginning of a new cycle.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• The poem is often read as a commentary on the political and social turmoil of the early 20th century.

The correct answer is ‘Graham Greene’.

Key Points 

• R.K. Narayan’s Swami and Friends is the first novel of his literary career, published in 1935.
• The story is set in a fictional town named Malgudi, which served as the setting for his later works as well.
• The novel narrates a ten-year old boy named Swami’s adventures in the fictional town of Malgudi.
• Graham Greene came across the manuscript of the novel through a common friend, arranging for a publisher for the book and suggesting its present title.
• According to Greene, the novel bore a resemblance to Rudyard Kipling’s Stalky and Co.
• Graham Greene and R.K. Narayan had an enduring friendship which lasted for many years.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 4.

Additional Information 

• Raja Rao was an Indian-American novelist and short-story writer, best known for his novel Kanthapura (1938).
• William Walsh was a poet, critic and politician from England, during the late 17th century. He is mainly remembered for being a friend and correspondent to the poet Alexander Pope.
• Mulk Raj Anand was an Indian writer in English, best known for his novels on the downtrodden castes in Indian society, like Untouchable (1935), Coolie (1936), and Two Leaves and a Bud (1937).

The correct answer is 'A Dictionary of the English Language'.

Key Points

• "A Dictionary of the English Language," published by Samuel Johnson in 1755, was a monumental work in the field of lexicography and a significant contribution to non-fiction literature.
• It was not the first English dictionary, but it was the most comprehensive and scholarly of its time. Johnson's dictionary provided not just definitions but also quotations from a broad range of sources, demonstrating the usage of words.
• The dictionary played a crucial role in standardizing English spelling and usage, and it remained an authoritative reference for over a century.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

The correct answer is 'William Wordsworth.'

Key Points

• William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was a prominent English Romantic poet.
• The excerpt is from his famous poem titled "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" or "Daffodils."
• Wordsworth is known for his celebration of nature and its impact on human emotions.
• This poem reflects his connection with nature and the joy it brings.
• The daffodils in the poem symbolize beauty, inspiration, and the enduring power of nature.
• Wordsworth was one of the key figures in the Romantic movement, emphasizing emotions and individual experiences in poetry.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Additional Information

• John Keats (Option 2) was another notable Romantic poet, known for his odes and emphasis on sensuous imagery. 
• Percy Bysshe Shelley (Option 3) was a major poet of the Romantic era, associated with radical political and social ideas.
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Option 4) was a Romantic poet and close associate of Wordsworth, known for "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Kubla Khan."

The Two Cultures is the first part of an influential 1959 Rede Lecture by British scientist and novelist C. P. Snow. Its thesis was that "the intellectual life of the whole of western society" was split into the titular two cultures – namely the sciences and the humanities – and that this was a major hindrance to solving the world's problems.

Utopia is the most famous work of Thomas More and the founding novel of a literary genre called Utopian Novel. The book is divided into two parts, in the second part, Raphael Hythloday describes various features of the island, called utopia. He tells that Utopians works for six hours per day and sleep on average about eight hours a day.

Hence, they left with plenty of free time, which they are free to use as they wish, but not to spend it in festivities or idleness. Most people use their free time to engage in intellectual pursuits and public lecturing. They also involve themselves in music, gardening, and other physical activities. Playing cards and dicing are not a part of their leisure pastimes.

• Pygmalion therefore tries to illustrate the arbitrariness of basing a person's worth on his or her pronunciation.  
• The necessity for the artist to be free from domestic entanglements is a major theme of Love among the Artists (1881).  
• Caesar and Cleopatra : The hollowness of hero-worship
• Misalliance : Man-Woman relationship

(A) is true but (R) is false.

Ottava rima, Italian stanza form composed of eight 11-syllable lines, rhyming abababcc. It originated in the late 13th and early 14th centuries and was developed by Tuscan poets for religious verse and drama and in troubadour songs.

Tono-Bungay is a realist semiautobiographical novel written by H. G. Wells ... His nephew engineers his uncle's escape from England in an experimental aircraft he has built, but the ruined .... These novels are very personal as well, treating aspects of Wells's own life, matters which would come under attack ...

The correct answer is '(a) - (ii), (b) - (iii), (c) - (i), (d) - (iv)'.

Key Points

• The Mirror Stage is associated with Jacques Lacan and describes a stage where the infant recognizes their reflection as themselves, which is crucial for the development of the ego.
• Object Relations Theory, developed by Melanie Klein, focuses on the relationships between individuals, especially between children and their primary caregivers, and how these relationships impact psychological development.
• The Oedipus Complex, a concept introduced by Sigmund Freud, involves a child's unconscious desire for the opposite-sex parent and jealousy toward the same-sex parent.
• The Death Drive, another of Freud's contributions, refers to the hypothesized drive towards death, destruction, or a return to the inorganic state.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

The correct answer is 'The Norman Conquest'.

Key Points

• The Norman Conquest of 1066 marked a pivotal moment in the history of the English language, leading to significant changes in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.
• The introduction of Norman French as the language of the ruling class introduced a vast number of French words into the English language, particularly in areas of law, art, literature, and government.
• This bilingual environment for several centuries led to English re-emerging as the dominant language, albeit heavily influenced by French, evidencing the language's ability to evolve and adapt.
• The convergence of Old English and Norman French accelerated the transition from Old to Middle English, laying the foundation for Modern English.
• The Norman Conquest illustrates how political and social changes can have profound and lasting impacts on language evolution.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• While the Viking invasions and the invention of the printing press also contributed to the development of the English language, Joseph Williams highlights the Norman Conquest as a key factor.
• The isolation of the British Isles affected early linguistic development but did not contribute as rapidly to the evolution of English as the Norman Conquest.

The correct answer is 'It is a cultural logic of late capitalism'.

Key Points

• Jameson posits postmodernism as the cultural expression of late capitalism, suggesting that economic and cultural spheres are interlinked.
• He describes postmodernism as a phase where global capitalism influences cultural products, leading to phenomena like pastiche, depthlessness, and the commodification of culture.
• According to Jameson, the stylistic innovation and eclecticism seen in postmodern culture reflect the fragmentation and superficiality bred by capitalist modes of production and consumption.
• This perspective suggests that postmodernism mirrors the complexities and contradictions of late capitalist societies, including their emphasis on consumerism, media saturation, and disconnection from historical and critical perspectives.
• Jameson argues that understanding postmodernism as a cultural form of late capitalism allows us to critically engage with its implications on identity, history, and politics.
• This relation underscores the importance of analyzing cultural phenomena through an economic and sociopolitical lens to fully grasp their significance and impact.

The correct answer is ' Isolated moorland farmhouse'.

Key Points

• Wuthering Heights is situated in an isolated moorland setting, contributing to the eerie and desolate atmosphere of the novel.
• The isolated location reflects the wild and passionate nature of the characters, particularly Heathcliff.
• The farmhouse serves as a symbol of the harsh and unforgiving environment, mirroring the tumultuous relationships within the story.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• The isolated moorland setting plays a crucial role in shaping the tone and mood of the narrative.

The correct answer is Fredric Jameson.

Key Points

• Fredric Jameson is an American literary critic and Marxist political theorist. He is often associated with postmodern theory.
• While 'pastiche' as a concept has existed before, Jameson popularized its application in postmodern literature.
• According to Jameson, pastiche is a "blank parody", a mimicry without any humor or satirical impulse, often employed in postmodern works.
• In postmodern literature, pastiche signifies the utilization of styles or voices that do not originally belong to the author, reflecting the multiplicity and fragmentation of the postmodern world.
  

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

The correct answer is "Taking a bath".

Key Points

• The speaker mentions the need to take a bath to purify himself after being touched, which indicates the belief in physical cleanliness as a form of caste purity.
• This act of bathing as purification reflects the ritual practices aimed at maintaining caste boundaries and social purity.
• It highlights the severity of caste-based 'defilement' where even an unintentional touch necessitates religious or ritual cleansing.
• The emphasis on the new dhoti and shirt reinforces the belief in physical contamination through caste-based contact, showing how deeply caste prejudices are ingrained in daily life and personal pride.
• This response underscores the societal norms and rituals designed to uphold the caste system, illustrating the pervasive and controlling nature of caste-based discrimination.

Nineteen Eighty-Four, arguably the most famous English novel of the 20th century, is a zeitgeist book. Orwell's dystopian vision was deeply rooted both in its author's political morality and in its time, the postwar years of western Europe. Its themes (the threat of the totalitarian state, censorship and the manipulation of language) continue to reverberate, with prophetic menace, like distant gunfire, into the present

A Modest Proposal, is a Juvenalian satirical essay written and published anonymously by Jonathan Swift in 1729.

• Quilp, Daniel An evil dwarf in The Old Curiosity Shop, who lends money to Nell's grandfather (who gambles it away and flees). Quilp attempts to find Nell and her grandfather as they travel through the country. Later Quilp is pursued by the police and, lost in the fog, drowns in the Thames.
• Toodle, Polly (Richards) Little Paul Dombey's nurse, known in the Dombey household as Richards.
• Dodger is a pickpocket, so called for his skill and cunning in that respect. Pumblechook, Mr. is Joe Gargerys uncle, (ìbut Mrs. Joe appropriated him) in Great Expectations. Conceited and utterly materialistic, he is awell-to-do corn- chandler in the nearest town, [with] his own chaise-cart.
• Jack Dawkins, better known as the Artful Dodger, is a character in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist.

Cavalier poetry is different from traditional poetry in its subject matter. Instead of tackling issues like religion, philosophy, and the arts, cavalier poetry aims to express the joy and simple gratification of celebratory things much livelier than the traditional works of their predecessors.

It is usually assumed that all Gothic novels are much the same, and that the form is defined by the presence of some stock devices. ... As a historical form the Gothic novel flourished between 1764 and 1820; Walpole's The Castle of Otranto and Maturin's Melmoth the Wanderer are its limits of demarcation

True History of the Kelly Gang is a novel by Australian writer Peter Carey, based loosely on the history of the Kelly Gang. It was first published in Brisbane by the University of Queensland Press in 2000. It won the 2001 Booker Prize and the Commonwealth Writers Prize in the same year. Despite its title, the book is fiction and a variation on the Ned Kelly story.

In an effort to attract foreign readers to the story, the book's American publisher, Alfred Knopf, heralded the book as a "Great American Novel", even though the novel takes place entirely within Australia. The claim that this book is an "American novel" appears to be based on the fact that author Peter Carey, an Australian, has lived in New York City for many years.

The Caretaker is a play in three acts by Harold Pinter. Although it was the sixth of his major works for stage and television, this psychological study of the confluence of power, allegiance, innocence, and corruption among two brothers and a tramp, became Pinter's first significant commercial success.It premiered at the Arts Theatre Club in London's West End on 27 April 1960 and transferred to the Duchess Theatre the following month, where it ran for 444 performances before departing London for Broadway 

Learners acquire language by trying to use it in real situations such as going shopping, introducing yourself, making calls, expressing your opinion and many more. Learner practice in particular communicative situations, illustrated with exemplary dialogues, vocabulary and important idioms. Learner’s first language or mother tongue also plays an important role in learning any other languages, specifically in translation method of language learning. Through communicative activities, students can learn to use language in real communication.

It is important that activities in Communicative Language Teaching focus on students to practice using the target language in the classroom. As all four parts of language learning are important, equally in themselves so language cannot be acquired if more stress given on writing rather than speech in the target language.

In linguistics, a homonym is one of a group of similar words that have different meanings.

They have same pronunciation and spelling, but different meanings, it means homonym has to be both a homograph and a homophone, or can it be just one or the other.

For example:

to/two/too

there/their/they’re

pray/prey

Tristram Shandy, full title The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman was written between 1759 and 1767 by Laurence Sterne and remarkable for its highly unconventional narrative technique. The book was published in five separate installments, each containing two volumes except the last, which included only the final Volume 9.

The first two volume appearing in 1759, and seven others following over the next seven years as vols. 3 and 4 in 1761; vols. 5 and 6 in 1762, vols. 7 and 8 in 1765 and lastly vol. 9 in 1767. It has been read widely and appreciated.

Preface to Shakespeare is an essay written by Samuel Johnson as an introduction for a book about Shakespeare. It is divided into three parts and published in 1765. In the third part of the essay Johnson discuss three unities. He states that Shakespeare has followed unity of action in his all plays, whether tragedy or comedy or historical plays.

Although the plots are complex in nature, but have a beginning, middle and an end, one event is logically connected with another and the plot makes gradual advancement towards the denouement. He disregards the other two unities and Johnson defend him for it by saying that Drama is a deception, and it has no limits.

Therefore, there is no absurdity in showing different actions in diverse places and in different time period as well. Therefore, unity of Action alone is sufficient as the other two unities arise from false beliefs. Hence it is good that Shakespeare violates them.

“Waiting for Godot” is an absurd play by Samuel Beckett, which revolves around the two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who are waiting for the arrival of someone named Godot who never arrives, Vladimir is one of the two main characters and seems to be the more responsible and mature of the two.

He is called Didi by Estragon. Another one is Estragon seems weak and helpless, always looking for Vladimir’s protection called Gogo by Vladimir.

The Mimic Men is a novel by V. S. Naipaul a Nobel Prize-winning British writer of Trinidad first published in 1967. The novel Centred on a protagonist, Ralph Singh, an East Indian-West Indian politician from Isabella.

Wide Sargasso Sea is a postcolonial novel by the British author Jean Rhys in 1966. The novel is written as a prequel and response to Charlotte Bronte’s noted novel Jane Eyre.

Indigo is a novel written by Marina Warner published in 1992. The novel is a modernized and altered retelling of William Shakespeare s, famous Romantic comedy The Tempest.

Foe is a novel by South African-born Nobel laureate J. M. Coetzee written in 1986. the famous novel is woven around the existing plot of Robinson Crusoe with the protagonist Susan Barton.