MH SET Paper 2 Mock Test - 2 (English) - MAHA TET MCQ

The correct answer is ‘The discovery of her forged signature.’

 Key Points

• Nora's forgery of her father's signature on a loan document is discovered by Krogstad, a moneylender.
• Krogstad threatens to expose Nora's crime unless she convinces her husband to give him a promotion at the bank.
• Nora is terrified of the consequences of her actions and realizes that she has been living a lie.
• She is forced to confront the reality of her situation and make a life-altering decision in order to protect herself and her family.
• The discovery of the forged signature is the catalyst for Nora's awakening and her eventual decision to leave her husband and start a new life.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 3.’

 Additional Information

• The arrival of Dr. Rank: Dr. Rank's arrival forces Nora to confront the reality of her own mortality and the fragility of her marriage.
• The return of Kristine Linde: Kristine's return helps Nora to see the truth about her marriage and her own unhappiness.
• The threat of foreclosure on her home: The threat of foreclosure is a financial crisis that forces Nora to take action to save her family.

The correct answer is 'United States'.

Key Points

• The critical theory known as "New Criticism" emerged primarily in the United States during the early to mid-20th century.
• New Criticism focused on close reading of the text, emphasizing the inherent meaning and value within the literary work itself, rather than considering external factors like the author's intentions or historical context.
• Leading figures associated with New Criticism include Cleanth Brooks, John Crowe Ransom, Robert Penn Warren, and Allen Tate, who were part of the literary and academic circles in the United States.
• New Criticism had a significant impact on the study of literature in American universities and contributed to the development of formalist literary criticism.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

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 'The speaker's joyful participation in American life.'

Key Points

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

Therefore, the correct option is ‘Option 3.’

Additional Information 

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

The correct answer is 'To illustrate racial segregation and discrimination.'

Key Points

• The mention of being sent to the kitchen reflects the racial segregation and discrimination prevalent in society. 
• The speaker is excluded from the main dining area when guests arrive, indicating the racial inequality and social injustice faced by African Americans.

Therefore, the correct option is ‘Option 3.’

Additional Information 

• Option 1 is incorrect. The mention of the kitchen is not about the speaker's domestic role but a result of racial discrimination. 
• Option 2 is incorrect. The speaker's love for cooking is not the focus; it's about the unjust treatment.
• Option 4 is incorrect. The kitchen is not portrayed as a preference but as a place of segregation.

The correct answer is "The Tempest".

Key Points

• The title of Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World derives from Miranda's speech in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, Act V, Scene I.
• Miranda speaks the following lines:

               "O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here!

                 How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, "

Therefore, the correct answer is option 1.

Additional Information

• One of Shakespeare's best plays, Macbeth depicts a man's conscience and the psychological impact of guilt. Macbeth is a violent and brutal play that examines the natural order, reality and illusion, witchcraft and the paranormal, ambition and kingship, light and life, darkness and death, and witchcraft.
• Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, also known as The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, was written between 1599 and 1601.
• William Shakespeare wrote the tragedy King Lear. It is based on Britain's mythical Leir. After the English Restoration, the play was frequently rewritten for audiences who despised its dark and depressing tone.

Ngugi wa Thiong’o is a well known writer from Kenya. The bundle of his creations includes novels, plays, short stories, and essays, which ranges from literary and social criticism to children’s literature. He used to write in English previously, but He renounced English Language and also Christianity, as a sign of the colonialist.

He changed his name from James Ngugi to Ngugi wa Thiong’o, and began to write in his native language Gikuyu and Swahili. He is also the founder and editor of the Gikuyu-language journal Mutiiri. 

The correct answer is 'The inherent instability of meaning within the text'.

Key Points

• Post-structuralism challenges the idea that texts can have a single, fixed meaning, instead arguing that meanings are fluid and subject to the interpretation of the reader.
• This approach emphasizes the role of language in shaping reality and suggests that language itself is incapable of fully capturing or conveying fixed meanings.
• Post-structuralist analysis often focuses on how meanings are constructed, deconstructed, and reconstructed by readers, highlighting the multiplicity of interpretations rather than seeking a 'true' or 'original' meaning.
• It also investigates the binary oppositions within texts (e.g., good vs. evil, male vs. female) and how these distinctions are socially constructed and subject to deconstruction.
• Through this lens, the reader's interaction with the text becomes a focal point, where each reading can unveil new meanings, thereby destabilizing any authoritative interpretation.
• This approach implicitly critiques the notion of an all-knowing, all-powerful author, instead foregrounding the active role of the reader in generating meaning.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 3.’

Additional Information

• The author's intention and biography (Option 1) are emphasized in biographical criticism, not post-structuralism.
• The cultural and historical context of the text (Option 2) aligns more with historical criticism or cultural studies.
• Economic factors influencing the text's creation (Option 4) are the focus of Marxist literary criticism

The correct answer is 'To gain knowledge'.

Key Points

• According to Bacon's "Of Studies," reading is for "weighing and considering" – in other words, it is a source of knowledge. Bacon suggests that reading allows us to benefit from the insights and experiences of others.
• He emphasizes that reading helps us not only to memorize factual information but also to understand, weigh, and consider these facts. It equips us with intellectual tools that allow us to form opinions, make decisions, and apply knowledge in different contexts.
• Bacon does not dismiss the role of reading in developing original thought, refining writing skills, and cultivating worldly wisdom. However, he underscores that its primary purpose is to serve as a source of knowledge. He implies that original thought, improved writing, and wisdom are products of proper reading, but they are not the immediate purpose of the act itself.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

W. B. Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright who won the Nobel award in year 923. He was the leading force behind Irish Literary Revival along with Lady Gregory and others. He wrote a poem in memory of Major Robert Gregory, Lady Gregory’s son, to console her and for all those soldiers who lost their lives to the horrors of wars. In his poem Yeats also reminisce three of his other dear friends who died young.

The first two mentioned, Lionel Johnson and John Synge, had died in their thirties and the third one is George Pollexfen, Yeats’ uncle, very close to him. In stanza 4 he wrote, “And that enquiring man John Synge comes next, That dying chose the living world for text……… Towards nightfall upon a race passionate and simple like his heart”.

"Ode to a Nightingale" is a poem by John Keats written either in the garden of the Spaniards Inn, Hampstead, London or, according to Keats' friend Charles Armitage Brown, under a plum tree in the garden of Keats' house at Wentworth Place, also in Hampstead. According to Brown, a nightingale had built its nest near the house Keats and Brown shared in the spring of 1819. Inspired by the bird's song, Keats composed the poem in one day.

"To a Skylark" is a poem completed by Percy Bysshe Shelley in late June 1820 and published accompanying his lyrical drama Prometheus Unbound by Charles and James Collier in London.

Gerard Manley Hopkins  (28 July 1844 – 8 June 1889) was an English poet and Jesuit priest, whose posthumous fame established him among the leading Victorian poets. His manipulation of prosody (particularly his concept of sprung rhythm and use of imagery) established him as an innovative writer of verse. Two of his major themes were nature and religion. Falcon is written by G. H. Hopkins.

There is a poem by Ted Hughes called Hawk Roosting. Hughes included this poem in his second book of poetry called Lupercal, which was published in 1960. Hughes was met with almost instant acclaim in 1957 after his first book of poetry, Hawk in the Rain, was published; it catapulted Hughes into the spotlight. Hughes was born in England in 1930; he received his formal education at Cambridge, and he even served in the Royal Air Force. Hughes married American poet Sylvia Plath in 1956. Hughes and Plath had two children, but the majority of their marriage was rocky and unstable. Plath ended her life in 1963. Hughes served as Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death of cancer in 1998. Birthday Letters, the last book of poetry published before his death, explored the complex relationship he shared with Plath.

The correct answer is '(i), (ii), and (iii)'.

Key Points

• "Death and the King's Horseman" is a play that explores themes of cultural conflict and duty, based on a real event in Nigeria during British colonial rule.
• "The Swamp Dwellers" delves into the struggle between old traditions and the new ways brought by modernity in a rapidly changing Africa.
• "The Lion and the Jewel" is a comedy that critiques the clash between modern European customs and traditional African culture, showcasing Soyinka's talent in handling both serious themes and humor.
• Wole Soyinka is the first African laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature (1986), recognized for his work encompassing plays, poetry, essays, and novels that express his radical ideas and his commitment to human rights and political freedom.
• His writing is characterized by its exploration of cultural identity, colonialism, and the complexities of African and Western societies intersecting.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• Option 1 only captures two of Soyinka's notable works but omits "The Lion and the Jewel."
• Option 3 incorrectly includes "Things Fall Apart," which is a novel by Chinua Achebe, another prominent Nigerian author.
• Option 4 mistakenly pairs "Death and the King's Horseman" with "Things Fall Apart," overlooking key works by Soyinka

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

Key Points

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

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Additional Information

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

The correct answer is 'Comedy of Manners'.

Key Points

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

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

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

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

The correct answer is "a - II, b - I, c - IV, d - III".

Key Points

• Sir John Falstaff is a character in William Shakespeare's play "The Merry Wives of Windsor". Two housewives, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page are pursued by a big, dishonourable Sir John Falstaff, but they outsmart and humiliate him in the process.
• Shakespeare's Macbeth has a fictional figure named King Duncan. He is the father of two young sons and the victim of his dependable commander Macbeth's well-planned regicide in an attempt to seize power.
• In Shakespeare's play Cymbeline, King Cymbeline's daughter is named Imogen.
  • William Hazlitt referred to her as "probably the most sensitive and the most artless" of all the women in Shakespeare's plays.
• One of the conspirators in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar was the Roman commander Marcus Brutus. Despite being a man of honour and a friend of Caesar, Brutus participates in the plot to assassinate him by persuading himself that Caesar's demise is in the best interests of Rome.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 1.

The correct answer is ‘Major Barbara.’

 Key Points

• Major Barbara is a play by G.B. Shaw, that features a character named Andrew Undershaft, a wealthy arms manufacturer who believes that war is a necessary evil.
• Undershaft's daughter, Barbara, is a major in the Salvation Army, and she is horrified by her father's beliefs.
• The play explores the themes of poverty, salvation, and the role of the church in society.
• Barbara eventually comes to understand her father's point of view, but she also remains committed to her own beliefs.
• Major Barbara is a complex and challenging play that explores the nature of good and evil, and the role of individuals in society.

Therefore, the correct option is ‘Option 1.’

 Additional Information

• Heartbreak House: This play explores the themes of love, war, and the decline of the British upper class.
• Back to Methuselah: This play is a philosophical drama that explores the themes of evolution, mortality, and the meaning of life.
• The Apple Cart: This play is a political satire that explores the themes of democracy, monarchy, and the role of the individual in society.

The correct answer is 'The harm principle'.

Key Points

• John Stuart Mill's philosophy, particularly as outlined in his seminal work "On Liberty," is fundamentally associated with the harm principle. This principle asserts that the only justification for exercising power over any member of a civilized community, against their will, is to prevent harm to others.
• Mill argues for the importance of individuality and freedom of expression, insisting that freedom should only be limited to prevent harm to others, thus promoting societal progress through the free exchange of ideas.
• This concept reflects Mill's utilitarian ethics, aiming at the greatest happiness for the greatest number, by suggesting that protecting individuals' freedom to pursue their own good, in their own way, is essential to maximizing overall happiness.
• The harm principle is crucial for understanding Mill's arguments for free speech and against censorship. He believed that allowing diverse opinions and expressions, even those considered wrong or harmful by the majority, contributes to the pursuit of truth and the betterment of society.
• Through this principle, Mill advocates for minimal interference of government in the lives of individuals, except where directly necessary to prevent harm to others, emphasizing the value of personal autonomy and the dangers of overreaching authority.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 3.’

Additional Information

• The divine right of kings and the categorical imperative are not concepts associated with Mill's philosophy; they belong to monarchical theory and Immanuel Kant's philosophy, respectively.
• While the social contract is a significant concept in political philosophy, it is more closely associated with philosophers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Thomas Hobbes than with Mill's work on liberty

The correct answer is ‘Surfacing.’

 Key Points

• Surfacing is a novel that explores the themes of environmental degradation, climate change, and the interconnectedness of all living beings through the protagonist's journey into the wilderness.
• The novel follows the protagonist, a woman named Margaret, as she retreats to a cabin in the woods to escape the pressures of her urban life.
• Through her experiences in the wilderness, Margaret comes to a deeper understanding of the natural world and the ways in which humans are harming the environment.
• Atwood uses Margaret's journey to raise awareness about the urgent need for environmental action and to highlight the consequences of human disregard for the planet.

Therefore, the correct answer is ‘Option 3.’

 Additional Information

• The Handmaid's Tale: This novel focuses on the themes of female oppression, totalitarian control, and the loss of individual freedom in a dystopian society.
• Oryx and Crake: This novel explores the themes of genetic engineering, cloning, and the ethical implications of scientific advancement.
• Cat's Eye: This novel delves into the themes of female empowerment, self-discovery, and the complexities of human relationships.

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

Key Points

• Autonomy of Literary Language: Russian Formalism emphasizes the autonomy of literary language, meaning that it considers literary language as a self-contained system with its own unique properties and structures.
• Intrinsic Qualities of the Text: Russian Formalists focus on the intrinsic qualities of the text, such as its language, structure, imagery, and sound patterns, rather than external factors like the author's intention or historical context.
• Meaning Derived from Formal Features: According to Russian Formalists, the meaning of a literary work is not inherent or fixed but is generated through the interaction between the text and the reader. The formal features of the text play a crucial role in shaping the reader's experience and interpretation.
• Both Assertion and Reason are true and the Reason provides a valid explanation for the Assertion in the context of Russian Formalism.

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 Russian Formalism indeed emphasizes the autonomy of literary language.

The correct answer is "Edward Fitzgerald".

Key Points

• Edward FitzGerald (1809–1883) translated and adapted Omar Khayyám's (1048–1131) "The Rubáiyát" into English.
• Khayyám was a Persian polymath who was born in Neyshapur, in modern-day Iran.
• He was a mathematician, philosopher, astronomer, physician, and poet. One of the foremost mathematicians and astronomers of the medieval era, Khayyám wrote treatises on mechanics, geography, and music.
• His few remaining philosophical writings and his importance as a philosopher and teacher have not garnered the same prominence as his scientific and artistic accomplishments.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 1.

Additional Information

• Algernon Charles Swinburne was an English poet, playwright, writer, and critic. In addition to writing multiple books and poetry collections like Poems and Ballads, he also made a significant contribution to the Encyclopaedia Britannica's renowned Eleventh Edition.
  • Swinburne wrote about a variety of taboo subjects, including anti-theism, lesbianism, and sado-masochism. His poetry frequently references the ocean, time, and death.
• British textile designer, poet, artist, author of architectural design, printer, translator, and socialist activist William Morris was a member of the British Arts and Crafts Movement.
• Matthew Arnold stands out among the other notable Victorian authors in that his fame is based equally on his poetry and his poetry criticism.

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.

Saturday (2005) is a novel by Ian McEwan set in Fitzrovia, London, on Saturday, 15 February 2003, as a large demonstration is taking place against the United States' 2003 invasion of Iraq. The protagonist, Henry Perowne, a 48-year-old neurosurgeon, has planned a series of chores and pleasures culminating in a family dinner in the evening. As he goes about his day, he ponders the meaning of the protest and the problems that inspired it; however, the day is disrupted by an encounter with a violent, troubled man.

The correct answer is ​ Betty Friedan.

Key Points

• The Feminine Mystique, a landmark book by feminist Betty Friedan was published in 1963.
• It described the pervasive dissatisfaction among women in mainstream American society in the post-World War II period.
• She coined the term feminine mystique to describe the societal assumption that women could find fulfilment through housework, marriage, sexual passivity, and child-rearing alone.
• Further, prevailing attitudes held that “truly feminine” women had no desire for higher education, careers, or a political voice; rather, they found complete satisfaction in their domestic responsibilities.

Therefore the correct answer is Option 1.

Additional Information

• Toni Morrison, was an American novelist. Her first novel, The Bluest Eye, was published in 1970. The critically acclaimed Song of Solomon brought her national attention and won the National Book Critics Circle Award.
• Alice Walker is an American writer whose novels, short stories, and poems are noted for their insightful treatment of African American culture. Her novels, most notably The Color Purple (1982), focus particularly on women.

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

 Key Points

• Close Reading: New Criticism is a school of literary criticism that emphasizes the close reading of a literary text, paying meticulous attention to its language, structure, imagery, and other intrinsic qualities.
• Intrinsic Qualities: New Critics argue that the meaning of a literary work resides within the text itself, independent of external factors such as the author's intentions, historical context, or reader's response. They believe that the text is a self-contained object that can be analyzed and interpreted solely on its own terms.
• Both the Assertion and Reason are true, and the Reason is the correct explanation for the Assertion. New Critics believe that the text is a self-contained object that can be analyzed and interpreted solely on its own terms.

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 Criticism indeed advocates for a close reading independent of authorial intentions or historical context.

The correct answer is "semi-autobiographical novel".

Key Points

• Samuel Butler's semi-autobiographical book The Way of All Flesh, also known as Ernest Pontifex or The Way of All Flesh, criticizes Victorian-era hypocrisy.
• It follows the Pontifex family through four generations and was written between 1873 and 1884.
• Butler didn't publish it while he was alive, it was published in 1903.
• It was acknowledged as a part of the overall backlash against Victorianism.
• Butler's manuscript underwent significant revisions by R. A. Streatfeild, before being published posthumously in 1903.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 1.

Additional Information

• Prose literature has a subgenre known as the picaresque novel. It tells the story of the exploits of a roguish yet "appealing hero," typically from a lower socioeconomic level, who makes a living off his wits in a crooked world. Realistic writing is usually used in picaresque literature. Comedy and sarcasm are frequently present.
• A Bildungsroman is a type of novel that emphasizes the protagonist's moral and psychological development from childhood to adulthood, with a strong emphasis on character development. 
• A short story is a work of prose fiction that is meant to be read in one sitting and concentrates on a single event or a chain of connected events with the goal of creating a certain feeling or emotion.

John Anthony Burgess is an English writer (majorly a comic writer) and composer who was born in 1917 and died in 1993. Few of his famous works include the Malayan trilogy, 'The Long Day Wanes' (3 books are 'Time for a Tiger', 'The Enemy in the Blanket' and 'Beds in the East') and his dystopian novel 'A Clockwork Orange.'

'A Dead Man in Deptford' is the last novel of the author which was published in 1993. The novel depicts life and character of Christopher Marlowe, the renowned playwright of the Elizabethan age. The novel explores the life of Marlowe as a sex addict and his love for theatre.

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.

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

Key Points

• "Middlesex" is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Jeffrey Eugenides. It is a multigenerational saga, tracing the history of a Greek-American family and the complex heritage that influences their identity, particularly that of the intersex protagonist, making (a) matched with (ii) precise.
• "The Blind Assassin" is a novel by Margaret Atwood. It won the Booker Prize and combines elements of historical and speculative fiction, weaving together two related stories to explore themes of memory, identity, and storytelling, correctly pairing (b) with (i).
• "The Goldfinch" is a novel by Donna Tartt that won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It tells the story of a young boy who survives a terrorist attack at an art museum, which drastically changes the course of his life, making the match (c) with (iii) accurate.
• Salman Rushdie's controversial work, "The Satanic Verses", is correctly paired with option (iv). This novel sparked considerable global debate and led to Rushdie living under a fatwa for many years.

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.