UGC NET Paper 2 English Mock Test - 8 - UGC NET MCQ

The correct answer is ‘Edgar is not as passionate as Heathcliff.’

Key Points

• Heathcliff believes that Edgar is incapable of loving Catherine as much as he does because Edgar is not as passionate as he is. 
• He also believes that Edgar's love for Catherine is not as deep as his own.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 1.’

The correct answer is 'It emphasizes the importance of both material conditions and symbolic or discursive practices in shaping culture'. 

Key Points

• Raymond Williams was a Welsh Marxist theorist who introduced the concept of "Cultural Materialism".
• Cultural Materialism, as per Williams, does not solely focus on the economic base of society (the 'base-superstructure' model), unlike what traditional Marxist criticism suggests
• Williams' approach refutes the idea that culture is largely independent of material conditions and also goes beyond the assertion that cultural artefacts merely reflect the ideological superstructure.
• Instead, Williams emphasizes the importance of both material conditions (economic factors, physical environment, etc.) and symbolic or discursive practices in shaping culture, making it a dynamic entity influenced by various factors.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

The correct answer is 'Your'.

Key Points

• In English, "thy" is an archaic or old-fashioned form of the possessive adjective "your".
• It's used to address someone directly, indicating possession or association.
• In the context of the poem 'Koel', the poet uses "thy" to address the cuckoo bird, adding a sense of intimacy and immediacy to the narrative.
• The usage of "thy" gives the poem a lyrical, poetic quality, enhancing the depth and resonance of its message.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

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

Key Points

• New Historicism is a literary theory that emphasizes the interconnectedness of literature and historical context.
• Scholars of New Historicism, like Stephen Greenblatt, argue that literary works cannot be isolated from the cultural and historical circumstances of their creation and reception. Literature is seen as both shaped by and shaping historical and cultural forces.
• Both the assertion and reason align with the principles of New Historicism.
• New Historicism emphasizes the inseparable relationship between literature and its historical context.
• Literary texts are seen as embedded within the larger cultural and historical framework, and they, in turn, contribute to shaping that context.
• Therefore, the reason provides a valid explanation for the assertion.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1.' 

 Additional Information

• Option 2: Both the Assertion and Reason are true, and the Reason explains the Assertion.
• Option 3: The Assertion is true, and the Reason is also true, providing a valid explanation.
• Option 4: The Assertion is false, as New Historicism does emphasize the interconnectedness of literature and history.

The correct answer is 'Yann Martel'.

Key Points

• Yann Martel is a Canadian author who gained worldwide recognition for his novel "Life of Pi," a captivating story that explores themes of faith, spirituality, and the resilience of the human spirit.
• The novel follows the journey of a young Indian boy named Pi, who survives a shipwreck and finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger.
• Martel's imaginative storytelling and philosophical reflections have made "Life of Pi" a beloved work that prompts readers to contemplate the nature of truth, belief, and the power of storytelling.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

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

 Key Points

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

The correct 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 Old Man and the Sea".

Key Points

• "He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish." - This line is the opening line of Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea".
• The Old Man and the Sea is a novella written by Ernest Hemingway in Cayo Blanco in 1951 and released in 1952.
• It was Hemingway's final major work of fiction to be published during his lifetime.
• The epic conflict between an aged, seasoned fisherman and the greatest catch of his life is told in The Old Man and the Sea.
• Santiago, an elderly Cuban fisherman, has been at sea for eighty-four days and has returned empty-handed.
• Hemingway is arguing that being determined and never giving up reveals the type of person one is. This is a recurring theme.
• Reflecting on the old man's experience serves as motivation for living one's own life and dealing with challenges.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 4.

Additional Information

• The Sun Also Rises is Ernest Hemingway's first novel, published in 1926. It depicts American and British exiles traveling from Paris to the Festival of San Fermn in Pamplona to watch the running of the bulls and bullfights.
• Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, was published in 1851. The novel recounts the sailor Ishmael's account of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship Pequod's pursuit for vengeance against Moby Dick, the huge white whale who wounded him on the ship's previous expedition.
• Herman Melville's debut work, Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life, was published in 1846.

The correct answer is the year 1667.

Key Points

• In the 1667 version of Paradise Lost, the poem was divided into ten books. However, in the 1674 edition, the text was reorganized into twelve books.
• Paradise Lost is an epic poem that has 12 books, with more than 10,500 lines.
• Written in blank verse, telling the biblical tale of the Fall of Mankind.
• the moment when Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.
• God banished them from the Garden of Eden forever.
• Paradice lost is written by John Milton.

Therefore the correct answer is Option 1.

The correct answer is 'Ode to a Nightingale.'

 Key Points

• "Ode to a Nightingale" is a significant work by John Keats, exploring the concept of negative capability and the transcendence of human limitations.
• Negative capability refers to the ability to embrace uncertainties and mysteries without pursuing logical answers, a quality exemplified in the poem.
• The poem reflects Keats's contemplation on the transient nature of beauty, the contrast between the ideal and the real, and the power of art to provide an escape from the harsh realities of life.
• Keats uses the nightingale as a symbol of the eternal and the immortal, contrasting it with the fleeting nature of human existence.
• The poem is celebrated for its rich imagery, emotional depth, and philosophical inquiries into the complexities of human experience.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

 Additional Information

• Option 1 is incorrect. "To Autumn" is another ode by Keats, but it focuses on the beauty and melancholy of the autumn season.
• Option 3 is incorrect. "La Belle Dame sans Merci" is a ballad by Keats, known for its romantic and supernatural elements.
• Option 4 is incorrect. "Endymion" is a narrative poem by Keats, exploring the theme of idealized love and the pursuit of beauty.

The correct answer is 'Harper Lee.'

 Key Points

• "To Kill a Mockingbird" was written by Harper Lee and published in 1960.
• The novel is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, and addresses issues of racial injustice and moral growth.
• The story is narrated by Scout Finch, a young girl who observes her father, Atticus Finch, defending a black man wrongly accused of raping a white woman.
• The novel is celebrated for its exploration of empathy, compassion, and the complexities of human nature.
• "To Kill a Mockingbird" has become a staple in American literature courses for its powerful portrayal of societal issues and its enduring impact.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 4'.

 Additional Information

• Option 1 is incorrect. Mark Twain is known for "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."
• Option 2 is incorrect. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote "The Great Gatsby."
• Option 3 is incorrect. J.D. Salinger is the author of "The Catcher in the Rye."

The correct answer is 'It expresses the speaker's desire for a better future.'

Key Points

• The line signifies the speaker's hope for a future where they will be treated equally and will not be excluded from the table. 
• It reflects the aspiration for social and racial progress

Therefore, the correct option is ‘Option 1.’.

Additional Information 

• Option 2 is incorrect. The line is not primarily about the speaker's love for food but about social inclusion.
• Option 3 is incorrect. The line does not indicate a lack of ambition but rather a hopeful anticipation of change.
• Option 4 is incorrect. The line does not suggest the speaker's isolation but rather their expectation of inclusion.

The correct answer is 'Nobody will dare ask them to eat in the kitchen.'

Key Points

• The speaker predicts a future where they will be at the table, and nobody will dare to ask them to eat in the kitchen. 
• This reflects the speaker's anticipation of a time when they will be treated with equality and respect.

Therefore, the correct option is ‘Option 3.’

Additional Information 

• Option 1 is incorrect. The speaker's prediction is about being at the table, not demanding to be served in the kitchen.
• Option 2 is incorrect. The speaker's anticipation is not confrontational but anticipatory of positive change.
• Option 4 is incorrect. The prediction is not about preferring solitude but about being treated equally at the table

The error of interpreting a literary work by referring to evidence outside of itself, such as the design and purpose of the author is called Intentional fallacy.

'Intentional fallacy' is a term used in 20th-century literary criticism to describe the problem involved in trying to assess a work of art by assuming the intent or purpose of the artist who created it. The idea was introduced by W.K. Wimsatt, Jr., and Monroe C. Beardsley in The Verbal Icon (1954).

“New Atlantis” is an unfinished utopian novel by Sir Francis Bacon, published in 1627. In this work, Bacon portrays a sight of the future of human discovery and knowledge, conveying his aspirations and expectations for humankind. The novel depicts the creation of a utopian land where "generosity and enlightenment, dignity and splendor, piety and public spirit" are upheld by the inhabitants of the mythical Bensalem.

The Chicago School of literary criticism was a form of criticism of English literature begun at the University of Chicago in the 1930s, which lasted until the 1950s. It was also called Neo-Aristotelianism, due to its strong emphasis on Aristotleís concepts of plot, character and genre.

The correct answer is "W.H. Auden."

Key Points

• Leader of the Auden Group: W.H. Auden was a central figure in the group of poets known as the Auden Group or "Poets of the 1930s," who are recognized for their political engagement, social consciousness, and opposition to fascism.
• Engagement with Socio-Political Themes: Auden's poetry from this period is marked by its direct engagement with the social, political, and economic issues of the time, including the rise of fascism and the impact of the Great Depression.
• Style and Influence: His work was influential in shaping the style and direction of modern poetry, incorporating both traditional forms and modernist experimentation.
• Collaboration and Community: Auden was known for his collaboration with other poets and intellectuals of his time, contributing to a sense of community among like-minded artists and thinkers.
• Leaving a Legacy: Auden's influence extended beyond the 1930s, leaving a lasting impact on English literature and poetry.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• T.S. Eliot, though influential, was more associated with earlier modernist movements rather than the specific political engagement of the 1930s poets.
• Dylan Thomas, although active around the same time, is not typically classified with the Auden Group.
• Robert Frost, an American poet, was not part of this British-centered movement.
• Works by Ian McEwan

The correct answer is 'Utilizing a portion of the revenue from local bodies and donations'.

Key Points

• Wood's Dispatch recommended utilizing a portion of the revenue from local bodies, along with contributions and donations, to fund the expansion of the education system in British India. This approach was meant to create a sustainable funding model for educational development.
• The Dispatch suggested that education should be partly funded by public funds, understanding that for an education system to be robust and accessible, it required stable financial support.
• By engaging local bodies in the funding process, the Dispatch aimed to foster a sense of community involvement and responsibility towards the educational welfare of the populace.
• The inclusion of donations as a means of funding also opened opportunities for philanthropic contributions to play a significant role in the development of educational infrastructure and resources.
• This funding model was designed to ensure that educational initiatives could be expanded and sustained over time, meeting the needs of a growing population and adapting to changing societal demands.
• By proposing a collaborative approach to funding, Wood's Dispatch laid the groundwork for a more inclusive and community-driven education system, emphasizing the shared responsibility of government, local bodies, and the community in promoting education.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Imposing a special education tax on agricultural produce and redirecting all military spending to education were not recommendations made by Wood's Dispatch.
• Mandating that all educational institutions be self-funded overlooks the Dispatch's emphasis on collective responsibility and shared funding mechanisms for educational development.

The correct answer is 'It converts deep structures into various surface structures.'

Key Points

• Transformational grammar, as part of Chomsky's broader generative grammar framework, focuses on the processes that transform the deep structures of language into the surface structures that are actually spoken or written.
• Deep structures represent the core semantic relations and underlying form of a sentence, which embodies the basic syntactic operations and principles that apply universally across languages.
• The transformational rules then modify these deep structures, applying various syntactic changes that result in the diverse sentences observed in spoken or written language, reflecting differences in voice, emphasis, interrogation, negation, and more.
• This aspect of Chomsky's theory highlights how language can maintain the same basic meaning (deep structure) while being expressed in multiple ways (surface structures), illustrating linguistic creativity and flexibility.
• Transformational grammar underscores the dynamic and generative nature of language, demonstrating how a finite set of rules can account for the infinite variability of human speech and writing.
• By proposing the existence of transformational grammar, Chomsky provided a mechanism for the derivation of sentences and an explanation for the complexity and nuance of language expression.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• Option 1: Incorrect because transformational grammar's role is more about transforming deep structures to surface structures, not defining universal rules.
• Option 3: Incorrect as transformational grammar prioritizes syntax transformations over phonetics.
• Option 4: Incorrect, transformational grammar allows for a wide range of sentence patterns, not restricting language generation.

The correct answer is "Orientalism".

Key Points

• "Orientalism" is a groundbreaking work by Palestinian-American scholar Edward Said, published in 1978. It is foundational in the field of postcolonial studies, introducing the concept of Orientalism as a critical theory.
• Said defines Orientalism as the West's patronizing representations of "The East" — Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. He argues these representations are not based on fact or reality but are constructed to depict the East as exotic, backward, uncivilized, and at times dangerous.
• In "Orientalism," Said critiques Western scholarship for its role in perpetuating these stereotypes, arguing that such representations serve to justify colonial and imperial ambitions, asserting Western dominance over Eastern cultures.
• Said's analysis extends beyond literary texts to include art, politics, and historical writings, demonstrating how Orientalist perspectives permeate Western culture.
• The work has had a profound influence on a range of disciplines, challenging scholars to reconsider their approaches to cultural studies, history, anthropology, and beyond.
• "Orientalism" paved the way for further scholarship in understanding the constructs of cultural hegemony and the power dynamics involved in the representation of other cultures.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• "Culture and Imperialism" extends Said’s critique of Western narratives, focusing on how empire and colonialism have been justified and promoted through Western literature and culture.
• "Covering Islam" and "The Question of Palestine" explore how media and political narratives shape the perception of Islam and the geopolitical issues surrounding Palestine, respectively, but do not introduce the theory of Orientalism.

The correct answer is 'The Early Modern English period'.

Key Points

• The Early Modern English period, spanning from the late 15th century to the mid-to-late 17th century, is recognized as the dawn of the modern form of the English language.
• This period witnessed the standardization of English spelling and grammar, facilitated by the advent of the printing press, which played a crucial role in disseminating standardized language forms.
• The Great Vowel Shift, a major phonetic shift in the pronunciation of English vowels, occurred during this time and is a distinctive linguistic feature that helped to differentiate Early Modern English from Middle English.
• The works of William Shakespeare and the publication of the King James Bible are hallmark achievements of this era, both of which had a profound influence on English literature and language.
• The increase in overseas trade, exploration, and colonization led to the borrowing of words from numerous foreign languages, significantly enriching the English vocabulary.
• Early Modern English laid the groundwork for the grammatical and syntactical structure of contemporary English, making it a pivotal period in the language's evolution.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• Option 1 (The Late Middle English period) preceded the Early Modern English period and saw significant developments in the language but did not mark the beginning of its modern form.
• Option 3 (The Elizabethan Era) falls within the Early Modern English period and, while influential, is a subset rather than the broader period marking the transition to modern English.
• Option 4 (The Contemporary English period) represents the current form of the language, characterized by the influences of technology and globalization, following the development of earlier forms.

Midsummer, also known as St John's Day, is the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, and more specifically the Northern European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice or take place on a day between June 21 and June 25 and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different cultures. The Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr St John the Baptist, and the observance of St John's Day begins the evening before, known as St John's Eve.

The main concern of the novel is with the impact of British colonialism and European modernity on rural African societies in general and Sudanese culture and identity in particular, on the basis of this option 4 is relatable.

 The Prelude (1799), Christable (1800), Adonais (1822), Gryll Grange (1861).

Usage

Nissim Ezekiel - Hymns in Darkness,
Kamala Das - The Sirens,
R. Parthasarthy -- Rough passage,
A. K. Ramanujan -  The Striders

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

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

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

• Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage is a long narrative poem by Romantic Poet, Lord Byron. The poem has constituted in one Epilogue devoted to Lanthe, and four cantos describe the journey of Childe Harold. The poem published between 1812 to 1818 and delivered a huge success to the poet.
• Religious Allegory is a sub type of allegory in which religious ethics and values are represented in the form of characters. For Example, The Pilgrim’s Progress is a moral and religious allegory.
• A fairy tale is a story for children involving folkloric magical events and imaginary characters, such as fairies, dragons, talking animals, unicorn, witches, giants and goblins and the story revolve around the acts of magic and fascinations. It categorized under Literature of children.
• The utopian novel is a literary genre known for literary representations of imaginary places as superior to the present world, serve primarily as vehicles for satire on contemporary human life and society; notable examples are the fourth book of Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels and Samuel Butler’s Erewhon, Samuel Johnson’s Rasselas.

Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded is an epistolary novel by Samuel Richardson, one of the four great pioneer of the English novel. The novel first published in 1740 and tells the story of a young and beautiful maidservant named Pamela.

In 1739 Rivington and Osborne, booksellers, asked Richardson to produce a little book of sample letters which provided models of business and personal letters to help the semi-literate. Richardson began writing Pamela as a book of model letters, but as he was writing, the series of letters turned into a story and the novel get originated.

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.