UGC NET Paper 2 English Mock Test - 5 - UGC NET MCQ

The correct answer is ‘B and E only’.

Key Points

• "The Tell-Tale Heart" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, not Alice Munro. It is a classic example of Poe's gothic horror narrative style, published in 1843, and known for its psychological depth and eerie ambiance.
• "The Gift of the Magi" is a short story written by O. Henry (a pen name for William Sydney Porter), not Alice Munro. This story was published in 1905 and is widely celebrated for its message about love, sacrifice, and the true spirit of giving.
• Alice Munro, a Canadian short story writer renowned for her comprehensive and intricate narratives capturing human relationships and societal dynamics, wrote "The Beggar Maid," "Friend of My Youth," and "Runaway." These collections showcase her exceptional ability to weave compelling, realistic stories set predominantly in rural and small-town Canada.
• Munro's work is characterized by her nuanced exploration of the human condition, often through the lens of women's lives and experiences, distinguishing her narratives from the stylings of Poe and O. Henry.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 4.’

Additional Information

• Alice Munro is considered one of the most important short story writers of the 20th and 21st centuries.
• Her work has been translated into more than 30 languages.

The correct answer is ‘The Brothers Karamazov.’

Key Points

• The Brothers Karamazov is a philosophical novel that explores the themes of faith, doubt, and the search for meaning in life.
• The novel follows the story of four brothers, each representing different aspects of human nature and belief.
• Through the interactions of the brothers and their relationships with a mysterious stranger, Dostoevsky delves into the complex questions of morality, free will, and the existence of God.
• The novel is considered one of Dostoevsky's greatest works and is known for its profound insights into human psychology and the nature of good and evil.

Therefore, the correct answer is  ‘Option 3.’ 

 Additional Information

• The Double: This novel explores the theme of the doppelgänger and the duality of human nature.
• Notes from Underground: This novel is a psychological exploration of the inner turmoil and alienation of an unnamed protagonist.
• The Possessed: This novel delves into the themes of nihilism, political extremism, and the dangers of revolutionary ideology.

The correct answer is ''3''.

Key Points

• The novel "Man-Eaters of Malgudi" was written by novelist R. K. Narayan and published in 1961.
• The story centers on the character of Nataraj, an Indian publisher who resides in the fictional town of Malgudi in the southern region of his country. 

​Therefore, Option 3 is the correct answer.

Additional Information

• The novel "Fire  on the Mountain" was written by Anita Desai in the year 1988, which is a different version of history that depicts the realm as it might have been.
• The novel "The Interpreter of Maladies" was written by Jhumpa Lahiri in the year 1999, which is a collection of nine short stories.

The correct answer is 'Worldliness'.

Key Points

• Arnold argues that "sweetness and light" are the two most important qualities for a truly civilized person.
• He defines "sweetness" as a kind of gentleness and kindness, and "light" as a kind of intelligence and knowledge.
• Arnold believes that these two qualities are essential for creating a harmonious and just society.
• Arnold argues that "sweetness and light" are the two most important qualities for a truly civilized person.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 4.’

The correct answer is '1638'.

Key Points

Milton's elegy 'Lycidas' is also known as monody which is in the form of a pastoral elegy written in 1637 to lament the accidental death, by drowning of Milton’s friend Edward King who was a promising young man of great intelligence.

• However, It first appeared in a 1638 collection of elegies, entitled Justa Edouardo King Naufrago
• The elegy takes its name from the subject matter, not its form.
• No rules are laid down for the meter.
• The theme of the elegy is mournful or sadly reflective. 

Thus, we can conclude that In 1637, Milton's lycidas was written.

The correct answer is 'Ralph Ellison'.

Key Points

• Ralph Ellison is the author of the novel "Invisible Man," a groundbreaking work in African American literature.
• The novel delves into the experiences of an unnamed African American narrator grappling with racial identity and societal marginalization.
• While James Baldwin, Richard Wright, and Toni Morrison are significant figures in African American literature, it is Ralph Ellison who wrote "Invisible Man."

The correct answer is "Webster".

Key Points

• 'Lexicography' is the study of lexicons or words that are required for the art of compiling and editing dictionaries. It finds its use in other academic disciplines.
•  Noah Webster is an American lexicographer, English-language spelling reformer, editor, author and political leader.
• An American Dictionary of the English Language published in 1828 also known as Merriam-Webster dictionary is one of his important works.

Therefore, the correct option is option 1.

The correct answer is 'Romanticism'.

Key Points

• Romanticism was a literary and artistic movement that spanned the late 18th to the mid-19th century, placing a strong emphasis on emotional depth, the beauty and mystery of nature, and the significance of individual experience and expression.
• Emotional intensity is a hallmark of Romantic literature and art, with creatives striving to evoke strong feelings and conjure vivid imagery to connect deeply with audiences on an emotional level.
• Nature, in Romanticism, is not just a backdrop for stories but a central character. It is revered and depicted as a source of solace, inspiration, and wisdom, often contrasted with the industrialized, urban world.
• The focus on Individualism and personal subjectivity during the Romantic period marked a departure from the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and collective societal progress. Romantics valued personal freedom, the exploration of the self, and the expression of one's innermost thoughts and desires.
• The movement was also characterized by a fascination with the unconventional, the supernatural, and the sublime—elements that were often woven into the exploration of nature and the self.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information:

• Imagism (Option 1) is a movement that came later, focusing on clarity, precision, and economy of language. It is characterized by vivid imagery and clear, sharp language.
• Symbolism (Option 2) was prevalent at the end of the 19th century and emphasized the use of symbols to represent ideas and emotions, often in a mysterious or abstract manner.
• Aestheticism (Option 4) arose in the late 19th century with the motto "Art for art's sake," focusing on the pursuit of beauty and the creation of art free from moral, political, or utilitarian considerations.

The Tree of Man is the fourth published novel by the Australian novelist and 1973 Nobel Prize-winner, Patrick White. It is a domestic drama chronicling the lives of the Parker family and their changing fortunes over many decades.
Voss (1957) is the fifth published novel of Patrick White. It is based upon the life of the nineteenth-century Prussian explorer and naturalist Ludwig Leichhardt who disappeared whilst on an expedition into the Australian outback.

1, 3, 5 are correct
Participles are identified with certain verbal tenses. In English, there are two major types of participles. These are present participle and past participle and not so common the perfect participle.
The past participle, also sometimes called the passive or perfect participle, is identical to the past tense form (ending in -ed) in the case of regular verbs, for example "loaded", "boiled", "mounted", but takes various forms in the case of irregular verbs, such as done, sung, written, put, gone, etc.
present participles include swimming, laughing, and playing. The present participle can function as an adjective and modify nouns in sentences. For example, in the sentence “The winning athlete gets a trophy,” the present participle winning describes the noun athlete.

• R. K. Narayana regarded Graham Greene as a mentor and friend as well. Greene possessed the credit of the publication of the first book of R. K. Narayana and also advised him to shorten his name to become more familiar with the English Language audience. Greene also indebted to Narayana for granting him an experience of Indian life. For him, Narayan was “the novelist, I most admire in the English language”Narayana himself admit that without Greene’s encouragement he can never attain world wide acclaim.

• Mulk Raj Anand met E. M. Forster during his job at The Criterion. They were good friends throughout the life. Forster wrote the preface for Anand ‘s first novel Untouchable, which helped him to secure a place as a novelist. Anand praised Forster for his support. Anand held A Passage to India to be the best fictional writing on his homeland.

Shakespeare acted in Every Man in his humour though he was not part of the production.

The Auden Group or the Auden Generation is a group of British and Irish writers active in the 1930s that included W. H. Auden, Louis MacNeice, Cecil Day-Lewis, Stephen Spender, Christopher Isherwood, and sometimes Edward Upward and Rex Warner. They were sometimes called simply the Thirties poets.

The correct answer is 'Christopher Marlowe.'

Key Points

• Christopher Marlowe was a significant figure among the University Wits during the Elizabethan era.
• University Wits were a group of English scholars and writers who were educated at the universities and contributed to the literary scene.
• Marlowe's works, such as "Doctor Faustus," exemplify the style and intellectual depth associated with the University Wits.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1.'

Additional Information

• Options 2, 3, and 4: While Shakespeare, Jonson, and Kyd were notable playwrights of the time, they were not specifically considered University Wits

The correct answer is 'Name'.

Key Points

• The poem distinctly notes, "He is called by thy name, For he calls himself a Lamb," explicitly stating the commonality in name between the lamb and the creator.
• This shared naming serves to symbolize a deep connection and identification between God and one of His creations, highlighting themes of humility and innocence.
• The use of "Lamb" as a name for both the creature and the creator evokes Christian iconography where Jesus Christ is referred to as the "Lamb of God," underscoring the traits of meekness, purity, and sacrificial love.
• The poem constructs an analogy that bridges the natural and the divine, inferring that the qualities possessed by the lamb—innocence, gentleness—are reflective of God's nature.
• By emphasizing the shared nomenclature, Blake underlines a fundamental theological assertion of resemblance and unity between Creator and creation, consistent with Christian teachings.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Options 1 ('Joyfulness'), 2 ('Innocence'), and 4 ('Strength') represent qualities that could be ascribed to the lamb or the creator but do not directly relate to the poem's explicit statement of shared identity through naming.

The correct answer is 'God'.

Key Points

• The poem implies a creator who has given the lamb life and provisions for survival, highlighted by expressions of nurturing and creation.
• The peaceful and idyllic imagery of living "By the stream & o'er the mead" alludes to divine care and provision.
• The mention of "Gave thee clothing of delight, / Softest clothing wooly bright" suggests a creator who not only gives life but also ensures comfort and safety, aligning with biblical depictions of God's care for his creations.
• The reference to the lamb's "tender voice" that makes "all the vales rejoice" symbolizes the joy and innocence that God's creations bring to the world.
• The poem's thematic underpinnings point towards a divine creator's loving and nurturing aspects, made evident through the provisioning and creating of life, consistent with God's characterization in Christian theology.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Options 1 ('A shepherd') and 2 ('Nature') could be plausible interpretations but lack direct textual support for the creation and endowment of life.
• Option 4 ('The poet') is incorrect as there is no indication that the poet assumes the role of creator within the poem.

The correct answer is 'Norse through the Viking invasions.'

Key Points

• Language Contact and Borrowing: The Viking invasions of England during the 8th to 11th centuries introduced Norse speakers to the Anglo-Saxon population, leading to significant language contact and borrowing.
• Lexical Contributions: Norse contributed a substantial number of words to the English lexicon, particularly in everyday vocabulary, place names, and even in the realm of law and governance.
• Phonetic Influence: The interactions between Old English and Old Norse speakers are also believed to have influenced the phonetic development of English, including changes in vowel sounds and the simplification of consonant clusters.
• Grammar and Syntax: The influence extended beyond vocabulary; it had impacts on grammar and syntax, with some scholars suggesting that the similarity between the two languages facilitated mutual intelligibility and borrowing.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• Option 1: While Latin had a significant influence on the English language, it was primarily through the Christianization of England rather than the Roman Conquest.
• Option 3: French had a profound influence on English vocabulary, but this occurred later, primarily after the Norman Conquest in 1066, affecting Middle English.
• Option 4: Greek has indeed influenced the vocabulary of English, particularly in the fields of science and medicine, but this influence was more pronounced in later periods, through scholarly and academic works, not during the Old English period.
• Cultural Impact: Norse influence reflects in English culture and language, showcasing the depth of integration between Viking settlers and Anglo-Saxon inhabitants.

The correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Key Points

• The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga offers a dark and cynical perspective on the class struggle in a globalized India.
• The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai deals with issues of global migration and the lingering impacts of colonialism.
• Such a Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry explores the life of a Parsi bank clerk in Bombay before the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
• The Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh intricately weaves personal and political stories across India and England.
• These novels each provide a unique insight into different segments of Indian society and history, highlighting the complexities and intertwined destinies.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Additional Information

• Rohinton Mistry, Kiran Desai, Aravind Adiga, and Amitav Ghosh have all received critical acclaim for their work, which reflects on various aspects of Indian and global history, politics, and society, showcasing the depth and diversity of Indian English literature.

The correct answer is 'Metaphor.'

Key Points

• Metaphors are pervasive throughout "Astrophel and Stella", with Sidney frequently using them to draw elaborate comparisons between his emotions or Stella’s traits and various abstract or concrete concepts, thereby vividly conveying the intensity and complexity of Astrophel's unrequited love for Stella.
• Sidney employs metaphors to elevate Stella's beauty and virtue, comparing her features and the effects they have on Astrophel to heavenly bodies, natural phenomena, and divine attributes. This not only amplifies her allure but also reflects on the overwhelming impact she has on the speaker.
• Through metaphorical language, Sidney explores the paradoxes of love - such as the coexistence of joy and sorrow, desire and despair, indicating the complex emotional landscape that characterizes unrequited love.
• The use of metaphor allows Sidney to indirectly express the societal and personal obstacles to Astrophel’s love for Stella, exploring themes such as duty, honor, and social expectations without direct confrontation.
• Sidney's innovative use of metaphor in "Astrophel and Stella" has been influential, setting a precedent for metaphysical poetry and demonstrating the power of metaphor in exploring emotional depths and intellectual concepts.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• Irony is utilized in the sequence but is not the predominant device; it often emerges in the contrast between Astrophel’s idealization of Stella and the reality of his unrequited love.
• Apostrophe occurs when Astrophel directly addresses Stella, or abstract concepts such as love or virtue, but while present, it is not the central literary device.
• Hyperbole is used to emphasize the extremes of Astrophel’s feelings and the exalted nature of Stella’s beauty, but it serves more as a supportive device to the metaphors rather than the primary method of expression.

The correct answer is 'The performativity of gender'.

Key Points

• "Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity" (1990) by Judith Butler introduces and explores the concept of the performativity of gender.
• Butler argues that gender is not a stable identity or locus of agency from which various acts proceed; instead, it is an identity tenuously constituted in time and through a stylized repetition of acts.
• This performativity concept challenges the traditional, essentialist views of gender as a fixed and coherent identity inhering in the individual.
• Butler's theory suggests that gender identities are performed and constructed through repeated social performances, implying that the gender binary system is not innate or natural but a social construct.
• "Gender Trouble" has had a profound influence on feminist theory, queer theory, and cultural studies, reshaping understandings of gender and identity politics.
• The work highlights the potential for gender performance to resist and subvert normative gender expectations, opening possibilities for diverse gender expressions and identities.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• "The archive fever" refers to Derrida's concept exploring the nature of archives and their relationships to history and memory but is unrelated to Butler’s examination of gender performativity.
• "The unconscious of culture" implies a psychoanalytic approach to cultural studies not directly explored by Butler in "Gender Trouble".
• "The structuration theory" is a social theory proposed by Anthony Giddens regarding the interrelations of social structure and individual actions, not connected to Butler’s gender performativity concept.

The correct answer is 'Eliza Doolittle'.

Key Points

• "Pygmalion" is a play by George Bernard Shaw, centered around the theme of social mobility and transformation through education.
• Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl, undergoes the most profound transformation, both in terms of speech and manners, under the guidance of Henry Higgins.
• Eliza's journey from the streets to high society challenges the rigid British class system and highlights issues of identity and independence.
• This transformation is not merely external; Eliza develops self-awareness, confidence, and a firm stance on her own dignity and worth by the end of the play.
• Her character arc is central to the play's critique of societal norms and the exploration of the impact of education and personal willpower on one's destiny.

Romanticism originated in the 2nd half of the 18th century at the same time as the French Revolution. 

The French Revolution played a huge role in influencing Romantic writers. As the Revolution began to play out, the absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in only three years. This resulted in a complete transformation of society. A majority of the population was greatly in favor of this as the working class had been suffering oppression for many years. According to Albert Hancock, in his book The French Revolution and the English Poets: a study in historical criticism, "The French Revolution came, bringing with it the promise of a brighter day, the promise of a regenerated man and regenerated earth. It was hailed with joy and acclamation by the oppressed, by the ardent lovers of humanity, by the poets, whose task it is to voice the human spirit."

A common theme among some of the most widely known romantic poets is their acceptance and approval of the French Revolution. William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, and Percy Shelley all shared the same view of the French Revolution as it being the beginning of a change in the current ways of society and helping to improve the lives of the oppressed. As the French Revolution changed the lives of virtually everyone in the nation and even continent because of its drastic and immediate shift in social reformation, it greatly influenced many writers at the time. 

Its often said that the works of Colombian novelist and short-story writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez are quintessential examples of magic realism: fiction that integrates elements of fantasy into otherwise realistic settings.

Epiphany, James Joyce  

Nihilism is the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated. It is often associated with extreme pessimism and a radical skepticism that condemns existence. A true nihilist would believe in nothing, have no loyalties, and no purpose other than, perhaps, an impulse to destroy.

England Made Me or The Shipwrecked is an early novel by Graham Greene. It was first published in 1935, and was republished as The Shipwrecked in 1953.

It is set in Stockholm (which Greene visited in 1933 to prepare for writing the novel) and concerns the travails of ne'er-do-well Anthony Farrant who finds himself working as a bodyguard to a dubious Swedish financier whose character is loosely inspired by Ivar Kreuger. In typical Greene fashion, the seedy antihero wrestles with his conscience as murky moral dilemmas begin to trouble even his disreputable soul.

Anthony, in his thirties, charming and broke, is back in London from the Far East after being fired from every job, kicked out of every club and left by every woman. His twin sister Kate comes over from Stockholm to rescue him. She is secretary and mistress to Krogh, a self-made millionaire who owns a multinational financial empire. The austere Krogh likes Anthony's devil-may-care attitude and hires him as a personal bodyguard. But Anthony always lets people down. He lets down Kate, who hoped for his company as an antidote to Krogh's, by chasing women. And he lets down Krogh by failing to protect him from an embittered employee, upon which an old associate of Krogh's called Hall beats the man up. Unhappy with the job, Anthony betrays both Kate and Krogh by resigning. When a further betrayal emerges, that Anthony has been leaking secrets of Krogh's private life and business to the press, Hall quietly kills him and tips the body into the sea. Losing brother, lover and job, Kate decides to move on 'like Anthony' heading for Copenhagen. Krogh has lost his right-hand woman and bedmate, but his fraudulent empire continues.

In 1919, the President of the Board of Education, HAL Fisher, appointed a Departmental Committee to inquire into the position occupied by English in the educational system of England.

The first major report on The Teaching of English in England was published in 1921 known as the Newbolt Report named after The Chair of the Committee, Sir Henry Newbolt.

He was an English poet and historian and a powerful government adviser as well.

A - (ii), B - (i),  (C) - (iv), D - (iii)
 

A. “Christabel” → S. T. Coleridge (ii)

• Explanation: “Christabel” is a narrative poem written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It is known for its supernatural themes and was left unfinished.

B. Milton → William Blake (i)

• Explanation: “Milton: A Poem” is a prophetic book by William Blake, not to be confused with the poet John Milton himself. Blake wrote this work as a visionary poem, where the spirit of Milton returns to redeem English poetry.

C. Queen Mab → P. B. Shelley (iv)

• Explanation: “Queen Mab” is a philosophical poem written by Percy Bysshe Shelley. It reflects his radical social and political views and is one of his early works.

D. The Excursion → William Wordsworth (iii)

• Explanation: “The Excursion” is a long philosophical poem by William Wordsworth, dealing with themes of nature, humanity, and faith. It forms part of his larger, unfinished project The Recluse.

Robert Browning was a Victorian poet and dramatist and can be regarded as the king of Dramatic monologues. Rabbi Ben Ezra is a dramatic monologue by Browning based on the life of a 12th century scholar and poet named Abraham Ibn Ezra.

The scholar is the only character and narrator of the poem as well, moreover the poem has no clear audience or dramatic situation. The Rabbi invites his audience to “grow old along with [him] ” stresses that age is where the best of life is realized, whereas “youth shows but half.

The narrator is an older man who is more content wiser and intelligible now compared to his youth. Hence he advocates old age against youth in the poem.

Romesh Chunder Dutt
He was an Indian historian and writer of Indian English.
He is well-known for translations of Ramayana and Mahabhartha.
A. K. Ramanujan
A. K. Ramanujan is an Indian poet in English.
He translated Speaking of Siva, a collection of free-verse lyrics written by four major saints of the great ‘bhakti ‘protest movement.
Mohini Chatterjee
He was a Bengali scholar and member of Theosophical society.
He is known as one of the translators of The Bhagvad Gita into English.
Manmatha Nath Dutt
He is a Bengali origin scholar of Sanskrit and known as India’s most prolific translator of Hindu epics and scriptures.
He translated various Indian classics including The Mahbhartha into English.