UGC NET Paper 2 English Mock Test - 4 - UGC NET MCQ

The correct answer is ‘Crime and Punishment.’

Key Points

• Crime and Punishment is a psychological novel that delves into the themes of existentialism, morality, and the nature of free will.
• The novel follows the protagonist, Raskolnikov, a former student who murders a pawnbroker in order to prove his theory that he is an extraordinary individual who is above the law.
• Raskolnikov's actions lead him on a journey of guilt, remorse, and self-discovery as he grapples with the consequences of his crime.
• Dostoevsky uses Raskolnikov's story to explore the complex relationship between morality and free will, questioning whether humans are truly free to choose their actions or whether they are predetermined by their circumstances.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 4.’

Additional Information

• (1) The Idiot: This novel explores the themes of goodness, innocence, and the destructive power of society on the individual.
• (2) Demons: This novel delves into the themes of political extremism, nihilism, and the dangers of revolutionary ideology.
• (3) The Brothers Karamazov: This novel explores the themes of faith, doubt, and the search for meaning in life through the story of four brothers.

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

Key Points

•  The given works are critical works by the respective authors.
• 'Ars Poetica' is a poem by Horace. The poem is a critical work that deals with function and nature of poetry. Horace talks about three major part poesis (subject matter), poema (form), and poeta (the poet). 
• ​'Poetics' is a critical work on dramatic theory by Aristotle that discusses in details the structure of verse drama. 
• 'Institutio Oratorio' is a twelve volume-work by Quintillian that deals with the practice of rhetoric.
• 'Timber; or Discoveries' by Ben Jonson is a critique on the dramatic practice of his contemporary times.

Therefore the correct answer is "option 2". 

Additional Information

•  Horace was a Roman lyric poet during the time of Roman King Augustus. His notable works are 'Epistles', 'Epodes' and odes.
• Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and a student of Plato. He is the founder of Peripatetic School of philosophy. 
• Marcus Fabius Quintilianus or Quintillian was a Roman educator from Hispania. His works contributed to the education of his time and he also worked as an educator of Roman King Domitian.
• Ben Jonson was an English playwright and satirist during the Jacobean period. He popularized the genre comedy of humors. Some of his notable works are 'Volpone', 'Every Man in His Humor'. 

The correct answer is ‘ All of the above.’

Key Points

• The speaker wonders what we shall turn churches into when they fall completely out of use.
• He wonders if we shall keep a few cathedrals chronically on show, with their parchment, plate and pyx in locked cases.
• He wonders if we shall let the rest rent-free to rain and sheep.
• He wonders if we shall avoid them as unlucky places.
• He wonders if dubious women will come to make their children touch a particular stone or pick simples for a cancer.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 4.’

The correct answer is 'Hardika, Aruna, Smita'.

Key Points

• The play 'Final Solutions' by Mahesh Dattani is structured around the lives of three generations of a Hindu family.
• The first generation character Hardika is portrayed as a grandmother who had unfortunately witnessed terrible religious violence during the pre-independence era, and she carries this trauma with her.
• The second generation is represented by the character of Aruna, Hardika's daughter. Aruna represents the typical post-independence generation that has moved on from the traumas of the partition but continues to harbor subconscious prejudices.
• Lastly, the third generation is depicted through Smita, who is more secular and open-minded, representing the modern generation that seeks to break away from the communal biases present in the previous generations.

The correct answer is  Option 4.

The correct answer is 'Judith Wright'.

Key Points

• Judith Wright is an Australian author, advocator of aboriginal rights and environmentalist. 
• 'Bora Ring'  is a poetry collection by Judith Wright. 
• Bora rings are traditionally religious and cremation sites of the Australian aboriginals.
• In the poem, Wright talks about the loss of this tradition, a hallmark of the aboriginals. 

Therefore the correct answer is option 1. 

Additional Information

• Sally Morgan is an Australian artist, author and dramatist.
  • ​​Some of her works are:
    • ​Sally's story
    • My Place
    • Cruel Wild Woman
• Alexis Wright is an Aboriginal Australian writer.
  • ​Some of her works are:
    • ​Plains of Promise
    • Carpenteria
    • The Swan 

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘the author's intention is irrelevant to the meaning of the text'.

Key Points

• Barthes' concept of the "death of the author" means that the author's intention is irrelevant to the meaning of the text.
• Barthes argues that the meaning of a text is created by the reader, not by the author.
• He believes that the author's intention is only one of many factors that can influence the meaning of a text, and that the reader's own experiences and knowledge are just as important.
• Barthes' concept of the death of the author has been influential in literary theory and criticism, and it has led to a new focus on the role of the reader in the creation of meaning.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Additional Information

• Option 2 is incorrect because Barthes believes that the reader is not the sole creator of the meaning of the text.
• Option 3 is incorrect because Barthes believes that the text does not exist independently of the author and the reader.
• Option 4 is incorrect because Barthes believes that the author's biography is less important than the text itself.

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

 Key Points

• Renaissance (A) emerged in the 16th and 17th centuries.
• Neoclassicism (B) emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries.
• Romanticism (C) emerged in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
• Victorianism (D) emerged in the 19th century.
• Modernism (E) emerged in the early 20th century.
• These major movements in English literature reflect the changing cultural, intellectual, and social values of their time.
• They are characterized by distinct literary styles, themes, and preoccupations.
• These movements have had a profound impact on the development of English literature.

The correct answer is 'Gavin Douglas'.

Key Points

• Gavin Douglas, a Scottish bishop and poet, is known for translating Virgil's Aeneid into the Scots dialect. His translation, titled "Eneados", was the first complete translation of any major work of classical antiquity into an Anglic language.
• Douglas's translation is an important milestone in Scottish literature and a testament to the influence of classical works on the Scottish Chaucerians.
• The other poets listed, while significant figures in the Scottish Chaucerian tradition, did not translate Virgil's Aeneid into Scots.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

The correct answer is Jean-François Lyotard.

Key Points

• Jean-François Lyotard, a prominent postmodernist philosopher and critic, is associated with the quote mentioned. 
• Lyotard's work, particularly his book "The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge," explores the shift from modernity to postmodernity and the impact of this transition on various aspects of society.
• According to Lyotard, postmodernism arises when the modernist project of progress and rationality reaches its limits and becomes self-aware of its inherent constraints and limitations.
• Postmodernism questions grand narratives, challenges notions of truth and objective knowledge, and emphasizes the fragmentation and plurality of perspectives in a diverse and interconnected world.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1) Jean-François Lyotard.

The correct answer is "(1-A), (2-B), (3-C), (4-D)"

Key Points

• 'The Coffin' is a poem by Harindranath Chattopadhyay.
• 'The Algebra of Infinite Justice' is a collection of essays by Arundhati Roy. The essay collection talks about the political achievements of India, impact of public projects on nature and others.
• 'Fire on the Mountains' is a novel by Anita Desai. The work explores gender roles of women amidst social forces.
• 'The Incendiary Circumstances' is a novel by Amitava Ghosh.
• The work depicts the political ravages and nature.

​Therefore the correct option is "option 1".

Important Points

• These mentioned authors are Indian poets and authors writing in Indian English.
• Indian English is an English dialect spoken by Indians and diasporic community. 
• These mentioned authors have enriched the Indian English literature by depicting different socio-cultural and political events since India's Independence. 

 Additional Information

•  Arundhati Roy is an Indian author and a political activist. She received Booker Prize for her famous work God of Small Things.
• Anita Desai (birth Anita Mazumdar) is an Indian author. She received Sahitya Academy Award for her work 'Fire on the Mountains'.
• Harindranath Chattopadhyay is an Indian poet, dramatist, actor and member of 1st Lok Sabha. He was the brother of Sarojini Naidu, an Indian writer as well the second woman President of India. His work Beside the Death Bed is a philosophical poem that talks about the relation between life and death. 
•  Amitava Ghosh is an Indian author and has won 54th Jnanpith Award in 2018. He won Sahitya Academy Award for his famous work The Shadow Lines.

The correct answer is ' Arthur Conan Doyle'.

Key Points

•  The Dying Detective or 'The Adventure of the Dying Detective' is a short story written by British writer and physician Arthur Conan Doyle.
•   It was published in 1913. 
•  Conan created the character of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. 
•  In the story, Sherlock Holmes pretends to be terribly ill in order to expose a man who is responsible for killing his own nephew.

Thus, it is clear that 'The Dying Detective' is written by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Additional Information

•  Mark Twain ( Samuel Langhorne Clemens)  was an American writer, humorist, publisher and lecturer.  American writer William Faulkner referred to Mark Twain as  'the father of American literature'. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are two of his most famous works.
•  Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist, dark romantic and short story writer. His works explored the themes of moral conflict, religion and history. The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables are two of his famous novels.
• Ruskin Bond is an contemporary  Indian writer of British descent. He is best-known for his children's books. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1992 for his novel 'Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra'. The Room on the Roof, The Blue Umbrella and Angry River are some of his other notable works.

The correct answer is "The Road".

Key Points

• American author Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic novel "The Road" was published in 2006.
• In the book, a father and his young son travel arduously for several months across a terrain that has been ravaged by an unknown catastrophe that has wiped out industrial society and practically all life.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 4.

Additional Information

• Thomas Pynchon's first book, "V", was released in 1963. It tells the story of a former member of the U.S. Navy named Benny Profane, his reunion in New York with the Whole Sick Crew, a gang of fictitious artists and hangers-on, and an elderly traveller named Herbert Stencil's mission to find the enigmatic being he only knows as "V." 
• American author Thomas Pynchon published "The Crying of Lot 49" in 1966. The story centers on Oedipa Maas, a young Californian who adopts a conspiracy belief when she possibly discovers a centuries-old conflict between two mail delivery services. Thurn and Taxis, one of these services, truly existed (1806–1867) and was the first private company to deliver mail.
• American novelist Thomas Pynchon's book "Inherent Vice" was first released in August 2009. A darkly humorous detective story that takes place in 1970s California follows investigator Larry "Doc" Sportello after his ex-girlfriend requests that he look into a conspiracy involving a well-known land developer.

The correct answer is 'Andrew Marvell and Robert Herrick.'

Key Points

• The Cavalier Poets were a group of 17th-century poets associated with the court of Charles I.
• Andrew Marvell and Robert Herrick are two prominent Cavalier Poets who expressed themes of love, carpe diem, and the pleasures of life.
• Marvell's famous works include "To His Coy Mistress," exploring themes of time and seduction.
• Herrick is known for his carpe diem poetry, celebrating the transient nature of life, as seen in poems like "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time."
• **The Cavalier Poets often contrasted with the metaphysical poets of the same period, emphasizing sensuality and enjoyment of life.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Option 1 is incorrect. John Donne and George Herbert are associated with the Metaphysical Poets, not the Cavalier Poets.
• Option 2 is incorrect. Ben Jonson and Christopher Marlowe are Elizabethan/Jacobean playwrights, not Cavalier Poets.
• Option 4 is incorrect. John Milton and Edmund Spenser belong to different literary periods and styles, not the Cavalier Poets.

The correct answer is 'English education would help to preserve Indian culture and traditions.'

Key Points

• Macaulay argued that English education would create a class of Indians who would be interpreters between the British rulers and the Indian masses.
• He also believed that English education would lead to the spread of Western knowledge and ideas in India, and that this would create a loyal and obedient Indian population.
• However, Macaulay did not argue that English education would help to preserve Indian culture and traditions.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Option (1) English education would create a class of Indians who would be interpreters between the British rulers and the Indian masses.
• Option (2) English education would lead to the spread of Western knowledge and ideas in India.
• Option (4) English education would create a loyal and obedient Indian population.

The narrative poem by Lord Tennyson that presents the story of a fisherman turned merchant sailor who, after a shipwreck, is marooned on a desert island is “Enoch Arden”.
“Enoch Arden” is a narrative poem published in 1864 by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892). The poem was written during a time when Tennyson was England's poet laureate. The protagonist of the poem is a fisherman turned merchant sailor named Enoch Arden, who after an accident is rendered poor and leaves his wife Annie and three children to go to sea with his old captain. He believes that he would bring wealth to sustain his family in a better way. The story thus presents Enoch as a masculine hero. Unfortunately, during his voyage, Enoch is shipwrecked and ends up in a deserted island with two companions (who eventually die). Enoch remains missing for ten years, during which, his wife Annie (under the impression that Enoch is dead) happily married to her childhood friend Philips and has a child with him. Enoch comes back but never reveals to his wife and children that he is alive, so as not to ruin their happiness. Enoch ultimately dies with a broken heart.Main characters: Enoch Arden, Anne Lee, Philip Ray, Miriam Lane
Let us read important notes on each of the literary poems given in the options:

• “Crossing the Bar”- An 1889 poem, “Crossing the Bar”, is considered an elegy, which Tennyson wrote three years before he died. The poem has a calm approach to death. The poem uses ‘sandbar’ as a metaphor for the barrier between life and death.
• “Tithonus”- “Tithonus” by Alfred Tennyson first appeared in the February edition of the Cornhill Magazine in 1860. The poem tells the story of a Greek mythical character named Tithonus who wishes for death. He had been granted the gift of immortality and is now tired of it as he is very old now. The poem is in the form of a dramatic monologue, where Tithonus addresses his consort Eos, the goddess of the dawn.
• “Maud”- “Maud” (1855) is a significant poem, known for its romantic narrative and sharp social criticism. The poem begins with a violent recollection of the narrator about his father’s suicide, owing to the financial crisis. Sad and alone, the narrator falls in love with the daughter (Maud) of the person who cheated his father and caused the financial crisis. After killing Maud’s brother, the narrator leaves the country and goes insane after learning about Maud’s death. Finally, he finds peace through service in the war.

Published on 4 April 1755 and written by Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, sometimes published as Johnson's Dictionary, is among the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language. ... Johnson produced several revised editions during his life.

Nadine Gordimer (20 November 1923 – 13 July 2014) was a South African writer, political activist and recipient of the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature. She was recognized as a woman "who through her magnificent epic writing has – in the words of Alfred Nobel – been of very great benefit to humanity".

"Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences" by Jacques Derrida is a significant essay which begins the journey of Deconstruction in Western Critical theory.

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

Key Points

• "Moby-Dick" is a seminal work in American literature written by Herman Melville, matching with option (iii). This novel is known for its ambitious exploration of good and evil, depicted through the obsessive quest of Ahab, the captain of the whaler the Pequod, for the titular white whale.
• "Beloved" is authored by Toni Morrison, aligning with option (ii). Morrison’s narrative, centered around the life of a former slave years after the end of the Civil War, delves deeply into the psychological trauma of slavery and its enduring legacy on those who survived it.
• "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, pairs with option (i). Fitzgerald’s critique of the American Dream through the tragic story of Jay Gatsby and his undying love for Daisy Buchanan captures the disillusionment of the Roaring Twenties.
• "The Scarlet Letter" is a classic novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, which corresponds with option (iv). Set in 17th-century Puritan Massachusetts, the novel explores themes of sin, guilt, and redemption through the story of Hester Prynne, who bears an illegitimate child and struggles to create a new life of dignity and repentance.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• Option 1 incorrectly matches the authors with the works not associated with them based on the provided options.
• Option 3 mixes up the works and their authors, attributing novels to authors who didn't write them.
• Option 4 also gives incorrect matchups, further complicating the relationship between the given works and authors.

The correct answer is 'The practice of promoting a more powerful culture over a less dominant one'.

Key Points

• Cultural imperialism involves the creation and maintenance of unequal relationships between civilizations favoring the more powerful civilization.
• It often involves the imposition of one society's culture on another, influencing it through media, language, education, and religion, without direct military or political control.
• This can lead to the erosion of the less dominant culture's values, norms, and customs, replacing them or heavily influencing them with those of the more dominant power.
• Cultural imperialism can result in cultural homogenization, where local cultures diminish in favor of a more dominant foreign culture, often leading to global consumerism.
• It can be seen in the spread of American movies, music, and fast-food cultures around the world, which can sometimes overshadow or replace local cultures and traditions.
• The phenomenon is tied to global capitalism, where multinational corporations promote and disseminate their cultural products globally to access new markets.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Option 1: Refers to direct military control rather than cultural influence.
• Option 2: Over-simplifies the concept by limiting it to fashion trends.
• Option 4: Suggests a mutual and equal cultural exchange, which doesn't align with the concept of imperialism

The correct answer is 'The transient nature of worldly success.'

Key Points

• In "The Last Ride Together" by Robert Browning, the speaker reflects on the transient and ephemeral nature of worldly success and achievements.
• The poem narrates the story of a rejected lover who, instead of succumbing to despair, chooses to ride together with the beloved for one last time.
• Browning explores the theme of the inadequacy of worldly success in bringing lasting happiness.
• The speaker realizes that the transient moments of joy with the beloved hold more significance than worldly accomplishments.
• The poem emphasizes the transformative power of choosing love and experience over material success.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2.'

Additional Information

• Option 1: The poem does not primarily focus on a failed romantic relationship.
• Option 3: While mortality is a theme in the poem, it is not the central focus.
• Option 4: Unrequited love is not the primary theme explored in "The Last Ride Together."

The correct answer is 'The difficulty for someone to leave her'.

Key Points

• Jane implies that having beauty and wealth could have made it as hard for the person she addresses to leave her as it is now for her to leave them.
• This statement underlines the societal influence on relationships, where attractiveness and financial means are seen as factors that can bind people together.
• Jane is critiquing the superficial values that govern social interactions and the forming or breaking of bonds between individuals.
• It points toward the unfair advantage that societal standards give to those with wealth and beauty, in matters of love and affection.
• The mention of these attributes in the context of leaving suggests that Jane understands their perceived value in retaining personal relationships.
• This highlights Brontë's commentary on the transactional nature of relationships during the Victorian era, guided by societal expectations and not just personal affection or compatibility.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 4'.

Additional Information

• Jane's aspirations, fondness for reading, and relationship status: While these are integral parts of the novel, they are not directly related to the implications of beauty and wealth as mentioned in the excerpt.

The correct answer is 'Harpsichord'.

Key Points

• "A Song for St. Cecilia's Day" by John Dryden is a poem that glorifies music and its power to evoke various emotions and responses.
• Dryden employs rich imagery and symbolism, associating different instruments with specific qualities and effects.
• Instruments like the trumpet, violin, and organ are each mentioned and celebrated for their unique contributions to the canon of music and their symbolic significance within the poem.
• The harpsichord, while a popular instrument of the baroque period, is not specifically mentioned in Dryden's poem. The focus is instead on other instruments that symbolize aspects of the human experience and the divine.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 4'.

The correct answer is 'Incorporating cultural context and real-life communication situations from the beginning'.

Key Points

• Incorporating cultural context aids in understanding the practical use of language in its native setting, making learning more relevant and engaging.
• Real-life communication situations provide context that helps students understand how language is used in everyday scenarios, enhancing retention and practical skills.
• This approach aligns with communicative language teaching (CLT), which emphasizes interaction as both the means and the ultimate goal of learning a language.
• By introducing the cultural and communicative aspects early, learners develop a deeper connection with the language, fostering motivation and a more profound learning experience.
• It helps learners to not only grasp the language but also understand the social and cultural nuance, preparing them for more effective and appropriate communication.
• Encouraging early exposure to real-life situations helps in building confidence and reducing the fear of making mistakes.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Option 1 is ineffective as it can overwhelm learners with complexity before they understand the basics.
• Option 2 lacks practical engagement, which is crucial for developing communication skills in a new language.
• Option 4 can be too rigid and may not address the practical usage of the language in everyday contexts.

The correct answer is 'Spiritual rebirth'

Key Points

• In 'Sailing to Byzantium', the speaker, presumably an older person, seeks a spiritual rebirth in the ancient city of Byzantium.
• Byzantium represents a place of timeless art and spiritual depth, where the physical limitations of age and mortality can be transcended.
• The speaker wishes to cast off the physical constraints of his 'dying animal' body and become a part of the timeless, spiritual world represented by Byzantium.
• Yeats uses Byzantium as a metaphor for a realm where the soul exists beyond the bodily existence, suggesting the desire for a transformation that is spiritual in nature.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

Antonin Artaud in 1930s put forth a theory for a Surrealist experimental theater called the Theater of Cruelty that shades a major influence on avant-grade 20th-century theater. This form of theater launches an attack on the spectators subconscious in an attempt to release deep-rooted fears and anxieties that are normally suppressed, forcing people to view themselves and their natures without the shield of civilization. By cruelty, he meant often a violent, physical determination to shatter the false reality.

Plato censured poetry because he believed it distorts reality

• Idylls of the King, is a collection of twelve narrative poems by the English poet Alfred Tennyson which published between 1859 and 1885. These poems recounts the legend of King Arthur, his knights, his love for Guinevere and her tragic betrayal of him, and the rise and fall of Arthur’s kingdom.
• The Idylls are written in blank verse. The Passing of Arthur or Morted’ Arthur is one of the twelve sections of the collection and retells the story of Arthur’s death after receiving a mortal wound when battled with Mordred. This section of the Idylls is a much expanded and altered version of Thomas Malory’s Morte d’Arthur.

• Kinetic imagery is one of the five imageries, which corresponds our five senses. It includes movement, sense of touch, feelings and temperature also.
• Here, in the given poem velvet head is an example of visual imagery as it represents the beauty and delicacy of the bird’s head.
• The other three are examples of Kinetic imagery as these are reflecting the movements of the bird.