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Directions:Read the passages and choose the best answer to each question.PassageHUMANITIES: The Tain Bo Culainge: Early Irish EpicIreland has the oldest vernacular literature inEurope. Where other early European authors wrotetheir literary works in Latin, the Irish began writingdown their stories in their own language starting at least(5) as early as the 6th century A.D. and continuing to themodern day. While much of the earliest Irish writinghas been lost or destroyed, several manuscripts sur-vive from the late medieval period (12th through 16thcenturies). These books usually contain collections of(10) stories, many of which are much older than the booksthemselves.One of the most famous of these collections is theepic cycle, The Tain Bo Culainge, which in translationmeans “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” It’s often abbre-(15) viated to simply The Tain. In its narrowest sense, theraid refers to a series of battles fought by the north-ern Irish province of Connacht to steal a magic bullfrom the neighboring province of Ulster. However, thecycle includes many other legends that together tell the(20) national story of the people of Ulster, especially dur-ing the reign of the great Ulster king, Conchobor macNessa.According to The Tain, Queen Medb of Connachtorders the raid because there are only two magic bulls(25) in all of Ireland, and, as her husband, Aillil, has thefirst, she determines to acquire the second. Her deter-mination makes more sense when one considers thelaws of the time. Wives were considered legal equalsto men if they came into their marriage with as much(30) or more property than their husbands. If she had less,the wife would be a legal dependent of her husbandand, like a child, would have limited rights of her own.Irish queens were used to having their own politicalautonomy and making their own political deals. Medb’s(35) insistence on equaling the property of her husband wasfor reasons far more serious than vanity.During the cattle raid, Medb’s forces are joinedby Fergus, the former king of Ulster, and his men.The bull is defended by the current king, Conchobor,(40) and the young warrior, Cu Chulainn. The middle ofthe story tells of how Cu Chulainn single-handedlyfends off Medb’s army while Conchobor’s men strug-gle against an ancient curse. In the end, many warriorsdie, both bulls are killed, and peace is re-established(45) between Connacht and Ulster.Of course, this is merely plot. Thematically, thework explores several great issues that would occupymedieval authors for over six hundred years. One ofthe most important was the lovers’ triangle between(50) the king, the queen, and the warrior hero. Think of theromances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and SirLancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband,King Mark. In The Tain, Queen Medb takes up withthe warrior Fergus, with the approval of her husband,(55) in order to guarantee Fergus’ allegiance during the war.Of course, in the early Irish versions, the message isfar more subtle than an extramarital affair. Accord-ing to Irish mythology, Medb was a demigoddess—thepersonification of power itself. As she herself notes,(60) power never goes long without a suitor. Still, evenMedb’s daughter, Finnabair, is tied linguistically tothe Arthurian legend: Finnabair and Guinevere aredifferent spellings of the same name.At least as interesting as the raid itself are the(65) remscela (literally, the “before stories”) that tell howthe situation for the raid came to be. The remscelatell how the bulls were originally two pig-keepers whoknew magic; the stories explain how the Ulstermencame to be cursed with debilitating pain whenever their(70) country was in danger. They explain who Cu Chulainnwas and how he got his name. And, most poignantly,the remscela tell how Fergus lost his crown and whyhe agreed to fight against his countrymen. This laststory, told in the tragic legend of Deirdre and the Sons(75) of Usnech, is one of the most striking of all the Irishmyths.Over twelve hundred years old, The Tain is cer-tainly an epic work—but epic doesn’t necessarily mean“dead.” If the images meet a cultural need, they can(80) come back to life as living artistic works. During theEnglish occupation of Ireland and continuing throughthe Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depthsof Irish mythology to create what they saw as an imageof Ireland free of English cultural repression. Writers(85) still call on The Tain for inspiration, just as ancient Irishbards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell themthe true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.Q.The author most likely includes the information in lines 60–63 (“Still even Medb’s daughter, Finnabair, … same name”) to suggest that:a)some thematic similarities between the King Arthur story and The Táin are very strong.b)medieval authors knew that Finnabair and Guinevere were originally the same person.c)the King Arthur story is an English version of The Táin.d)no medieval kings could fully trust their best warriors.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? for ACT 2025 is part of ACT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the ACT exam syllabus. Information about Directions:Read the passages and choose the best answer to each question.PassageHUMANITIES: The Tain Bo Culainge: Early Irish EpicIreland has the oldest vernacular literature inEurope. Where other early European authors wrotetheir literary works in Latin, the Irish began writingdown their stories in their own language starting at least(5) as early as the 6th century A.D. and continuing to themodern day. While much of the earliest Irish writinghas been lost or destroyed, several manuscripts sur-vive from the late medieval period (12th through 16thcenturies). These books usually contain collections of(10) stories, many of which are much older than the booksthemselves.One of the most famous of these collections is theepic cycle, The Tain Bo Culainge, which in translationmeans “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” It’s often abbre-(15) viated to simply The Tain. In its narrowest sense, theraid refers to a series of battles fought by the north-ern Irish province of Connacht to steal a magic bullfrom the neighboring province of Ulster. However, thecycle includes many other legends that together tell the(20) national story of the people of Ulster, especially dur-ing the reign of the great Ulster king, Conchobor macNessa.According to The Tain, Queen Medb of Connachtorders the raid because there are only two magic bulls(25) in all of Ireland, and, as her husband, Aillil, has thefirst, she determines to acquire the second. Her deter-mination makes more sense when one considers thelaws of the time. Wives were considered legal equalsto men if they came into their marriage with as much(30) or more property than their husbands. If she had less,the wife would be a legal dependent of her husbandand, like a child, would have limited rights of her own.Irish queens were used to having their own politicalautonomy and making their own political deals. Medb’s(35) insistence on equaling the property of her husband wasfor reasons far more serious than vanity.During the cattle raid, Medb’s forces are joinedby Fergus, the former king of Ulster, and his men.The bull is defended by the current king, Conchobor,(40) and the young warrior, Cu Chulainn. The middle ofthe story tells of how Cu Chulainn single-handedlyfends off Medb’s army while Conchobor’s men strug-gle against an ancient curse. In the end, many warriorsdie, both bulls are killed, and peace is re-established(45) between Connacht and Ulster.Of course, this is merely plot. Thematically, thework explores several great issues that would occupymedieval authors for over six hundred years. One ofthe most important was the lovers’ triangle between(50) the king, the queen, and the warrior hero. Think of theromances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and SirLancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband,King Mark. In The Tain, Queen Medb takes up withthe warrior Fergus, with the approval of her husband,(55) in order to guarantee Fergus’ allegiance during the war.Of course, in the early Irish versions, the message isfar more subtle than an extramarital affair. Accord-ing to Irish mythology, Medb was a demigoddess—thepersonification of power itself. As she herself notes,(60) power never goes long without a suitor. Still, evenMedb’s daughter, Finnabair, is tied linguistically tothe Arthurian legend: Finnabair and Guinevere aredifferent spellings of the same name.At least as interesting as the raid itself are the(65) remscela (literally, the “before stories”) that tell howthe situation for the raid came to be. The remscelatell how the bulls were originally two pig-keepers whoknew magic; the stories explain how the Ulstermencame to be cursed with debilitating pain whenever their(70) country was in danger. They explain who Cu Chulainnwas and how he got his name. And, most poignantly,the remscela tell how Fergus lost his crown and whyhe agreed to fight against his countrymen. This laststory, told in the tragic legend of Deirdre and the Sons(75) of Usnech, is one of the most striking of all the Irishmyths.Over twelve hundred years old, The Tain is cer-tainly an epic work—but epic doesn’t necessarily mean“dead.” If the images meet a cultural need, they can(80) come back to life as living artistic works. During theEnglish occupation of Ireland and continuing throughthe Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depthsof Irish mythology to create what they saw as an imageof Ireland free of English cultural repression. Writers(85) still call on The Tain for inspiration, just as ancient Irishbards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell themthe true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.Q.The author most likely includes the information in lines 60–63 (“Still even Medb’s daughter, Finnabair, … same name”) to suggest that:a)some thematic similarities between the King Arthur story and The Táin are very strong.b)medieval authors knew that Finnabair and Guinevere were originally the same person.c)the King Arthur story is an English version of The Táin.d)no medieval kings could fully trust their best warriors.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for ACT 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Directions:Read the passages and choose the best answer to each question.PassageHUMANITIES: The Tain Bo Culainge: Early Irish EpicIreland has the oldest vernacular literature inEurope. Where other early European authors wrotetheir literary works in Latin, the Irish began writingdown their stories in their own language starting at least(5) as early as the 6th century A.D. and continuing to themodern day. While much of the earliest Irish writinghas been lost or destroyed, several manuscripts sur-vive from the late medieval period (12th through 16thcenturies). These books usually contain collections of(10) stories, many of which are much older than the booksthemselves.One of the most famous of these collections is theepic cycle, The Tain Bo Culainge, which in translationmeans “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” It’s often abbre-(15) viated to simply The Tain. In its narrowest sense, theraid refers to a series of battles fought by the north-ern Irish province of Connacht to steal a magic bullfrom the neighboring province of Ulster. However, thecycle includes many other legends that together tell the(20) national story of the people of Ulster, especially dur-ing the reign of the great Ulster king, Conchobor macNessa.According to The Tain, Queen Medb of Connachtorders the raid because there are only two magic bulls(25) in all of Ireland, and, as her husband, Aillil, has thefirst, she determines to acquire the second. Her deter-mination makes more sense when one considers thelaws of the time. Wives were considered legal equalsto men if they came into their marriage with as much(30) or more property than their husbands. If she had less,the wife would be a legal dependent of her husbandand, like a child, would have limited rights of her own.Irish queens were used to having their own politicalautonomy and making their own political deals. Medb’s(35) insistence on equaling the property of her husband wasfor reasons far more serious than vanity.During the cattle raid, Medb’s forces are joinedby Fergus, the former king of Ulster, and his men.The bull is defended by the current king, Conchobor,(40) and the young warrior, Cu Chulainn. The middle ofthe story tells of how Cu Chulainn single-handedlyfends off Medb’s army while Conchobor’s men strug-gle against an ancient curse. In the end, many warriorsdie, both bulls are killed, and peace is re-established(45) between Connacht and Ulster.Of course, this is merely plot. Thematically, thework explores several great issues that would occupymedieval authors for over six hundred years. One ofthe most important was the lovers’ triangle between(50) the king, the queen, and the warrior hero. Think of theromances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and SirLancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband,King Mark. In The Tain, Queen Medb takes up withthe warrior Fergus, with the approval of her husband,(55) in order to guarantee Fergus’ allegiance during the war.Of course, in the early Irish versions, the message isfar more subtle than an extramarital affair. Accord-ing to Irish mythology, Medb was a demigoddess—thepersonification of power itself. As she herself notes,(60) power never goes long without a suitor. Still, evenMedb’s daughter, Finnabair, is tied linguistically tothe Arthurian legend: Finnabair and Guinevere aredifferent spellings of the same name.At least as interesting as the raid itself are the(65) remscela (literally, the “before stories”) that tell howthe situation for the raid came to be. The remscelatell how the bulls were originally two pig-keepers whoknew magic; the stories explain how the Ulstermencame to be cursed with debilitating pain whenever their(70) country was in danger. They explain who Cu Chulainnwas and how he got his name. And, most poignantly,the remscela tell how Fergus lost his crown and whyhe agreed to fight against his countrymen. This laststory, told in the tragic legend of Deirdre and the Sons(75) of Usnech, is one of the most striking of all the Irishmyths.Over twelve hundred years old, The Tain is cer-tainly an epic work—but epic doesn’t necessarily mean“dead.” If the images meet a cultural need, they can(80) come back to life as living artistic works. During theEnglish occupation of Ireland and continuing throughthe Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depthsof Irish mythology to create what they saw as an imageof Ireland free of English cultural repression. Writers(85) still call on The Tain for inspiration, just as ancient Irishbards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell themthe true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.Q.The author most likely includes the information in lines 60–63 (“Still even Medb’s daughter, Finnabair, … same name”) to suggest that:a)some thematic similarities between the King Arthur story and The Táin are very strong.b)medieval authors knew that Finnabair and Guinevere were originally the same person.c)the King Arthur story is an English version of The Táin.d)no medieval kings could fully trust their best warriors.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?.

Solutions for Directions:Read the passages and choose the best answer to each question.PassageHUMANITIES: The Tain Bo Culainge: Early Irish EpicIreland has the oldest vernacular literature inEurope. Where other early European authors wrotetheir literary works in Latin, the Irish began writingdown their stories in their own language starting at least(5) as early as the 6th century A.D. and continuing to themodern day. While much of the earliest Irish writinghas been lost or destroyed, several manuscripts sur-vive from the late medieval period (12th through 16thcenturies). These books usually contain collections of(10) stories, many of which are much older than the booksthemselves.One of the most famous of these collections is theepic cycle, The Tain Bo Culainge, which in translationmeans “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” It’s often abbre-(15) viated to simply The Tain. In its narrowest sense, theraid refers to a series of battles fought by the north-ern Irish province of Connacht to steal a magic bullfrom the neighboring province of Ulster. However, thecycle includes many other legends that together tell the(20) national story of the people of Ulster, especially dur-ing the reign of the great Ulster king, Conchobor macNessa.According to The Tain, Queen Medb of Connachtorders the raid because there are only two magic bulls(25) in all of Ireland, and, as her husband, Aillil, has thefirst, she determines to acquire the second. Her deter-mination makes more sense when one considers thelaws of the time. Wives were considered legal equalsto men if they came into their marriage with as much(30) or more property than their husbands. If she had less,the wife would be a legal dependent of her husbandand, like a child, would have limited rights of her own.Irish queens were used to having their own politicalautonomy and making their own political deals. Medb’s(35) insistence on equaling the property of her husband wasfor reasons far more serious than vanity.During the cattle raid, Medb’s forces are joinedby Fergus, the former king of Ulster, and his men.The bull is defended by the current king, Conchobor,(40) and the young warrior, Cu Chulainn. The middle ofthe story tells of how Cu Chulainn single-handedlyfends off Medb’s army while Conchobor’s men strug-gle against an ancient curse. In the end, many warriorsdie, both bulls are killed, and peace is re-established(45) between Connacht and Ulster.Of course, this is merely plot. Thematically, thework explores several great issues that would occupymedieval authors for over six hundred years. One ofthe most important was the lovers’ triangle between(50) the king, the queen, and the warrior hero. Think of theromances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and SirLancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband,King Mark. In The Tain, Queen Medb takes up withthe warrior Fergus, with the approval of her husband,(55) in order to guarantee Fergus’ allegiance during the war.Of course, in the early Irish versions, the message isfar more subtle than an extramarital affair. Accord-ing to Irish mythology, Medb was a demigoddess—thepersonification of power itself. As she herself notes,(60) power never goes long without a suitor. Still, evenMedb’s daughter, Finnabair, is tied linguistically tothe Arthurian legend: Finnabair and Guinevere aredifferent spellings of the same name.At least as interesting as the raid itself are the(65) remscela (literally, the “before stories”) that tell howthe situation for the raid came to be. The remscelatell how the bulls were originally two pig-keepers whoknew magic; the stories explain how the Ulstermencame to be cursed with debilitating pain whenever their(70) country was in danger. They explain who Cu Chulainnwas and how he got his name. And, most poignantly,the remscela tell how Fergus lost his crown and whyhe agreed to fight against his countrymen. This laststory, told in the tragic legend of Deirdre and the Sons(75) of Usnech, is one of the most striking of all the Irishmyths.Over twelve hundred years old, The Tain is cer-tainly an epic work—but epic doesn’t necessarily mean“dead.” If the images meet a cultural need, they can(80) come back to life as living artistic works. During theEnglish occupation of Ireland and continuing throughthe Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depthsof Irish mythology to create what they saw as an imageof Ireland free of English cultural repression. Writers(85) still call on The Tain for inspiration, just as ancient Irishbards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell themthe true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.Q.The author most likely includes the information in lines 60–63 (“Still even Medb’s daughter, Finnabair, … same name”) to suggest that:a)some thematic similarities between the King Arthur story and The Táin are very strong.b)medieval authors knew that Finnabair and Guinevere were originally the same person.c)the King Arthur story is an English version of The Táin.d)no medieval kings could fully trust their best warriors.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for ACT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for ACT Exam by signing up for free.

Here you can find the meaning of Directions:Read the passages and choose the best answer to each question.PassageHUMANITIES: The Tain Bo Culainge: Early Irish EpicIreland has the oldest vernacular literature inEurope. Where other early European authors wrotetheir literary works in Latin, the Irish began writingdown their stories in their own language starting at least(5) as early as the 6th century A.D. and continuing to themodern day. While much of the earliest Irish writinghas been lost or destroyed, several manuscripts sur-vive from the late medieval period (12th through 16thcenturies). These books usually contain collections of(10) stories, many of which are much older than the booksthemselves.One of the most famous of these collections is theepic cycle, The Tain Bo Culainge, which in translationmeans “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” It’s often abbre-(15) viated to simply The Tain. In its narrowest sense, theraid refers to a series of battles fought by the north-ern Irish province of Connacht to steal a magic bullfrom the neighboring province of Ulster. However, thecycle includes many other legends that together tell the(20) national story of the people of Ulster, especially dur-ing the reign of the great Ulster king, Conchobor macNessa.According to The Tain, Queen Medb of Connachtorders the raid because there are only two magic bulls(25) in all of Ireland, and, as her husband, Aillil, has thefirst, she determines to acquire the second. Her deter-mination makes more sense when one considers thelaws of the time. Wives were considered legal equalsto men if they came into their marriage with as much(30) or more property than their husbands. If she had less,the wife would be a legal dependent of her husbandand, like a child, would have limited rights of her own.Irish queens were used to having their own politicalautonomy and making their own political deals. Medb’s(35) insistence on equaling the property of her husband wasfor reasons far more serious than vanity.During the cattle raid, Medb’s forces are joinedby Fergus, the former king of Ulster, and his men.The bull is defended by the current king, Conchobor,(40) and the young warrior, Cu Chulainn. The middle ofthe story tells of how Cu Chulainn single-handedlyfends off Medb’s army while Conchobor’s men strug-gle against an ancient curse. In the end, many warriorsdie, both bulls are killed, and peace is re-established(45) between Connacht and Ulster.Of course, this is merely plot. Thematically, thework explores several great issues that would occupymedieval authors for over six hundred years. One ofthe most important was the lovers’ triangle between(50) the king, the queen, and the warrior hero. Think of theromances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and SirLancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband,King Mark. In The Tain, Queen Medb takes up withthe warrior Fergus, with the approval of her husband,(55) in order to guarantee Fergus’ allegiance during the war.Of course, in the early Irish versions, the message isfar more subtle than an extramarital affair. Accord-ing to Irish mythology, Medb was a demigoddess—thepersonification of power itself. As she herself notes,(60) power never goes long without a suitor. Still, evenMedb’s daughter, Finnabair, is tied linguistically tothe Arthurian legend: Finnabair and Guinevere aredifferent spellings of the same name.At least as interesting as the raid itself are the(65) remscela (literally, the “before stories”) that tell howthe situation for the raid came to be. The remscelatell how the bulls were originally two pig-keepers whoknew magic; the stories explain how the Ulstermencame to be cursed with debilitating pain whenever their(70) country was in danger. They explain who Cu Chulainnwas and how he got his name. And, most poignantly,the remscela tell how Fergus lost his crown and whyhe agreed to fight against his countrymen. This laststory, told in the tragic legend of Deirdre and the Sons(75) of Usnech, is one of the most striking of all the Irishmyths.Over twelve hundred years old, The Tain is cer-tainly an epic work—but epic doesn’t necessarily mean“dead.” If the images meet a cultural need, they can(80) come back to life as living artistic works. During theEnglish occupation of Ireland and continuing throughthe Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depthsof Irish mythology to create what they saw as an imageof Ireland free of English cultural repression. Writers(85) still call on The Tain for inspiration, just as ancient Irishbards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell themthe true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.Q.The author most likely includes the information in lines 60–63 (“Still even Medb’s daughter, Finnabair, … same name”) to suggest that:a)some thematic similarities between the King Arthur story and The Táin are very strong.b)medieval authors knew that Finnabair and Guinevere were originally the same person.c)the King Arthur story is an English version of The Táin.d)no medieval kings could fully trust their best warriors.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Directions:Read the passages and choose the best answer to each question.PassageHUMANITIES: The Tain Bo Culainge: Early Irish EpicIreland has the oldest vernacular literature inEurope. Where other early European authors wrotetheir literary works in Latin, the Irish began writingdown their stories in their own language starting at least(5) as early as the 6th century A.D. and continuing to themodern day. While much of the earliest Irish writinghas been lost or destroyed, several manuscripts sur-vive from the late medieval period (12th through 16thcenturies). These books usually contain collections of(10) stories, many of which are much older than the booksthemselves.One of the most famous of these collections is theepic cycle, The Tain Bo Culainge, which in translationmeans “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” It’s often abbre-(15) viated to simply The Tain. In its narrowest sense, theraid refers to a series of battles fought by the north-ern Irish province of Connacht to steal a magic bullfrom the neighboring province of Ulster. However, thecycle includes many other legends that together tell the(20) national story of the people of Ulster, especially dur-ing the reign of the great Ulster king, Conchobor macNessa.According to The Tain, Queen Medb of Connachtorders the raid because there are only two magic bulls(25) in all of Ireland, and, as her husband, Aillil, has thefirst, she determines to acquire the second. Her deter-mination makes more sense when one considers thelaws of the time. Wives were considered legal equalsto men if they came into their marriage with as much(30) or more property than their husbands. If she had less,the wife would be a legal dependent of her husbandand, like a child, would have limited rights of her own.Irish queens were used to having their own politicalautonomy and making their own political deals. Medb’s(35) insistence on equaling the property of her husband wasfor reasons far more serious than vanity.During the cattle raid, Medb’s forces are joinedby Fergus, the former king of Ulster, and his men.The bull is defended by the current king, Conchobor,(40) and the young warrior, Cu Chulainn. The middle ofthe story tells of how Cu Chulainn single-handedlyfends off Medb’s army while Conchobor’s men strug-gle against an ancient curse. In the end, many warriorsdie, both bulls are killed, and peace is re-established(45) between Connacht and Ulster.Of course, this is merely plot. Thematically, thework explores several great issues that would occupymedieval authors for over six hundred years. One ofthe most important was the lovers’ triangle between(50) the king, the queen, and the warrior hero. Think of theromances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and SirLancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband,King Mark. In The Tain, Queen Medb takes up withthe warrior Fergus, with the approval of her husband,(55) in order to guarantee Fergus’ allegiance during the war.Of course, in the early Irish versions, the message isfar more subtle than an extramarital affair. Accord-ing to Irish mythology, Medb was a demigoddess—thepersonification of power itself. As she herself notes,(60) power never goes long without a suitor. Still, evenMedb’s daughter, Finnabair, is tied linguistically tothe Arthurian legend: Finnabair and Guinevere aredifferent spellings of the same name.At least as interesting as the raid itself are the(65) remscela (literally, the “before stories”) that tell howthe situation for the raid came to be. The remscelatell how the bulls were originally two pig-keepers whoknew magic; the stories explain how the Ulstermencame to be cursed with debilitating pain whenever their(70) country was in danger. They explain who Cu Chulainnwas and how he got his name. And, most poignantly,the remscela tell how Fergus lost his crown and whyhe agreed to fight against his countrymen. This laststory, told in the tragic legend of Deirdre and the Sons(75) of Usnech, is one of the most striking of all the Irishmyths.Over twelve hundred years old, The Tain is cer-tainly an epic work—but epic doesn’t necessarily mean“dead.” If the images meet a cultural need, they can(80) come back to life as living artistic works. During theEnglish occupation of Ireland and continuing throughthe Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depthsof Irish mythology to create what they saw as an imageof Ireland free of English cultural repression. Writers(85) still call on The Tain for inspiration, just as ancient Irishbards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell themthe true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.Q.The author most likely includes the information in lines 60–63 (“Still even Medb’s daughter, Finnabair, … same name”) to suggest that:a)some thematic similarities between the King Arthur story and The Táin are very strong.b)medieval authors knew that Finnabair and Guinevere were originally the same person.c)the King Arthur story is an English version of The Táin.d)no medieval kings could fully trust their best warriors.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Directions:Read the passages and choose the best answer to each question.PassageHUMANITIES: The Tain Bo Culainge: Early Irish EpicIreland has the oldest vernacular literature inEurope. Where other early European authors wrotetheir literary works in Latin, the Irish began writingdown their stories in their own language starting at least(5) as early as the 6th century A.D. and continuing to themodern day. While much of the earliest Irish writinghas been lost or destroyed, several manuscripts sur-vive from the late medieval period (12th through 16thcenturies). These books usually contain collections of(10) stories, many of which are much older than the booksthemselves.One of the most famous of these collections is theepic cycle, The Tain Bo Culainge, which in translationmeans “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” It’s often abbre-(15) viated to simply The Tain. In its narrowest sense, theraid refers to a series of battles fought by the north-ern Irish province of Connacht to steal a magic bullfrom the neighboring province of Ulster. However, thecycle includes many other legends that together tell the(20) national story of the people of Ulster, especially dur-ing the reign of the great Ulster king, Conchobor macNessa.According to The Tain, Queen Medb of Connachtorders the raid because there are only two magic bulls(25) in all of Ireland, and, as her husband, Aillil, has thefirst, she determines to acquire the second. Her deter-mination makes more sense when one considers thelaws of the time. Wives were considered legal equalsto men if they came into their marriage with as much(30) or more property than their husbands. If she had less,the wife would be a legal dependent of her husbandand, like a child, would have limited rights of her own.Irish queens were used to having their own politicalautonomy and making their own political deals. Medb’s(35) insistence on equaling the property of her husband wasfor reasons far more serious than vanity.During the cattle raid, Medb’s forces are joinedby Fergus, the former king of Ulster, and his men.The bull is defended by the current king, Conchobor,(40) and the young warrior, Cu Chulainn. The middle ofthe story tells of how Cu Chulainn single-handedlyfends off Medb’s army while Conchobor’s men strug-gle against an ancient curse. In the end, many warriorsdie, both bulls are killed, and peace is re-established(45) between Connacht and Ulster.Of course, this is merely plot. Thematically, thework explores several great issues that would occupymedieval authors for over six hundred years. One ofthe most important was the lovers’ triangle between(50) the king, the queen, and the warrior hero. Think of theromances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and SirLancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband,King Mark. In The Tain, Queen Medb takes up withthe warrior Fergus, with the approval of her husband,(55) in order to guarantee Fergus’ allegiance during the war.Of course, in the early Irish versions, the message isfar more subtle than an extramarital affair. Accord-ing to Irish mythology, Medb was a demigoddess—thepersonification of power itself. As she herself notes,(60) power never goes long without a suitor. Still, evenMedb’s daughter, Finnabair, is tied linguistically tothe Arthurian legend: Finnabair and Guinevere aredifferent spellings of the same name.At least as interesting as the raid itself are the(65) remscela (literally, the “before stories”) that tell howthe situation for the raid came to be. The remscelatell how the bulls were originally two pig-keepers whoknew magic; the stories explain how the Ulstermencame to be cursed with debilitating pain whenever their(70) country was in danger. They explain who Cu Chulainnwas and how he got his name. And, most poignantly,the remscela tell how Fergus lost his crown and whyhe agreed to fight against his countrymen. This laststory, told in the tragic legend of Deirdre and the Sons(75) of Usnech, is one of the most striking of all the Irishmyths.Over twelve hundred years old, The Tain is cer-tainly an epic work—but epic doesn’t necessarily mean“dead.” If the images meet a cultural need, they can(80) come back to life as living artistic works. During theEnglish occupation of Ireland and continuing throughthe Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depthsof Irish mythology to create what they saw as an imageof Ireland free of English cultural repression. Writers(85) still call on The Tain for inspiration, just as ancient Irishbards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell themthe true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.Q.The author most likely includes the information in lines 60–63 (“Still even Medb’s daughter, Finnabair, … same name”) to suggest that:a)some thematic similarities between the King Arthur story and The Táin are very strong.b)medieval authors knew that Finnabair and Guinevere were originally the same person.c)the King Arthur story is an English version of The Táin.d)no medieval kings could fully trust their best warriors.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Directions:Read the passages and choose the best answer to each question.PassageHUMANITIES: The Tain Bo Culainge: Early Irish EpicIreland has the oldest vernacular literature inEurope. Where other early European authors wrotetheir literary works in Latin, the Irish began writingdown their stories in their own language starting at least(5) as early as the 6th century A.D. and continuing to themodern day. While much of the earliest Irish writinghas been lost or destroyed, several manuscripts sur-vive from the late medieval period (12th through 16thcenturies). These books usually contain collections of(10) stories, many of which are much older than the booksthemselves.One of the most famous of these collections is theepic cycle, The Tain Bo Culainge, which in translationmeans “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” It’s often abbre-(15) viated to simply The Tain. In its narrowest sense, theraid refers to a series of battles fought by the north-ern Irish province of Connacht to steal a magic bullfrom the neighboring province of Ulster. However, thecycle includes many other legends that together tell the(20) national story of the people of Ulster, especially dur-ing the reign of the great Ulster king, Conchobor macNessa.According to The Tain, Queen Medb of Connachtorders the raid because there are only two magic bulls(25) in all of Ireland, and, as her husband, Aillil, has thefirst, she determines to acquire the second. Her deter-mination makes more sense when one considers thelaws of the time. Wives were considered legal equalsto men if they came into their marriage with as much(30) or more property than their husbands. If she had less,the wife would be a legal dependent of her husbandand, like a child, would have limited rights of her own.Irish queens were used to having their own politicalautonomy and making their own political deals. Medb’s(35) insistence on equaling the property of her husband wasfor reasons far more serious than vanity.During the cattle raid, Medb’s forces are joinedby Fergus, the former king of Ulster, and his men.The bull is defended by the current king, Conchobor,(40) and the young warrior, Cu Chulainn. The middle ofthe story tells of how Cu Chulainn single-handedlyfends off Medb’s army while Conchobor’s men strug-gle against an ancient curse. In the end, many warriorsdie, both bulls are killed, and peace is re-established(45) between Connacht and Ulster.Of course, this is merely plot. Thematically, thework explores several great issues that would occupymedieval authors for over six hundred years. One ofthe most important was the lovers’ triangle between(50) the king, the queen, and the warrior hero. Think of theromances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and SirLancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband,King Mark. In The Tain, Queen Medb takes up withthe warrior Fergus, with the approval of her husband,(55) in order to guarantee Fergus’ allegiance during the war.Of course, in the early Irish versions, the message isfar more subtle than an extramarital affair. Accord-ing to Irish mythology, Medb was a demigoddess—thepersonification of power itself. As she herself notes,(60) power never goes long without a suitor. Still, evenMedb’s daughter, Finnabair, is tied linguistically tothe Arthurian legend: Finnabair and Guinevere aredifferent spellings of the same name.At least as interesting as the raid itself are the(65) remscela (literally, the “before stories”) that tell howthe situation for the raid came to be. The remscelatell how the bulls were originally two pig-keepers whoknew magic; the stories explain how the Ulstermencame to be cursed with debilitating pain whenever their(70) country was in danger. They explain who Cu Chulainnwas and how he got his name. And, most poignantly,the remscela tell how Fergus lost his crown and whyhe agreed to fight against his countrymen. This laststory, told in the tragic legend of Deirdre and the Sons(75) of Usnech, is one of the most striking of all the Irishmyths.Over twelve hundred years old, The Tain is cer-tainly an epic work—but epic doesn’t necessarily mean“dead.” If the images meet a cultural need, they can(80) come back to life as living artistic works. During theEnglish occupation of Ireland and continuing throughthe Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depthsof Irish mythology to create what they saw as an imageof Ireland free of English cultural repression. Writers(85) still call on The Tain for inspiration, just as ancient Irishbards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell themthe true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.Q.The author most likely includes the information in lines 60–63 (“Still even Medb’s daughter, Finnabair, … same name”) to suggest that:a)some thematic similarities between the King Arthur story and The Táin are very strong.b)medieval authors knew that Finnabair and Guinevere were originally the same person.c)the King Arthur story is an English version of The Táin.d)no medieval kings could fully trust their best warriors.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Directions:Read the passages and choose the best answer to each question.PassageHUMANITIES: The Tain Bo Culainge: Early Irish EpicIreland has the oldest vernacular literature inEurope. Where other early European authors wrotetheir literary works in Latin, the Irish began writingdown their stories in their own language starting at least(5) as early as the 6th century A.D. and continuing to themodern day. While much of the earliest Irish writinghas been lost or destroyed, several manuscripts sur-vive from the late medieval period (12th through 16thcenturies). These books usually contain collections of(10) stories, many of which are much older than the booksthemselves.One of the most famous of these collections is theepic cycle, The Tain Bo Culainge, which in translationmeans “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” It’s often abbre-(15) viated to simply The Tain. In its narrowest sense, theraid refers to a series of battles fought by the north-ern Irish province of Connacht to steal a magic bullfrom the neighboring province of Ulster. However, thecycle includes many other legends that together tell the(20) national story of the people of Ulster, especially dur-ing the reign of the great Ulster king, Conchobor macNessa.According to The Tain, Queen Medb of Connachtorders the raid because there are only two magic bulls(25) in all of Ireland, and, as her husband, Aillil, has thefirst, she determines to acquire the second. Her deter-mination makes more sense when one considers thelaws of the time. Wives were considered legal equalsto men if they came into their marriage with as much(30) or more property than their husbands. If she had less,the wife would be a legal dependent of her husbandand, like a child, would have limited rights of her own.Irish queens were used to having their own politicalautonomy and making their own political deals. Medb’s(35) insistence on equaling the property of her husband wasfor reasons far more serious than vanity.During the cattle raid, Medb’s forces are joinedby Fergus, the former king of Ulster, and his men.The bull is defended by the current king, Conchobor,(40) and the young warrior, Cu Chulainn. The middle ofthe story tells of how Cu Chulainn single-handedlyfends off Medb’s army while Conchobor’s men strug-gle against an ancient curse. In the end, many warriorsdie, both bulls are killed, and peace is re-established(45) between Connacht and Ulster.Of course, this is merely plot. Thematically, thework explores several great issues that would occupymedieval authors for over six hundred years. One ofthe most important was the lovers’ triangle between(50) the king, the queen, and the warrior hero. Think of theromances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and SirLancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband,King Mark. In The Tain, Queen Medb takes up withthe warrior Fergus, with the approval of her husband,(55) in order to guarantee Fergus’ allegiance during the war.Of course, in the early Irish versions, the message isfar more subtle than an extramarital affair. Accord-ing to Irish mythology, Medb was a demigoddess—thepersonification of power itself. As she herself notes,(60) power never goes long without a suitor. Still, evenMedb’s daughter, Finnabair, is tied linguistically tothe Arthurian legend: Finnabair and Guinevere aredifferent spellings of the same name.At least as interesting as the raid itself are the(65) remscela (literally, the “before stories”) that tell howthe situation for the raid came to be. The remscelatell how the bulls were originally two pig-keepers whoknew magic; the stories explain how the Ulstermencame to be cursed with debilitating pain whenever their(70) country was in danger. They explain who Cu Chulainnwas and how he got his name. And, most poignantly,the remscela tell how Fergus lost his crown and whyhe agreed to fight against his countrymen. This laststory, told in the tragic legend of Deirdre and the Sons(75) of Usnech, is one of the most striking of all the Irishmyths.Over twelve hundred years old, The Tain is cer-tainly an epic work—but epic doesn’t necessarily mean“dead.” If the images meet a cultural need, they can(80) come back to life as living artistic works. During theEnglish occupation of Ireland and continuing throughthe Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depthsof Irish mythology to create what they saw as an imageof Ireland free of English cultural repression. Writers(85) still call on The Tain for inspiration, just as ancient Irishbards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell themthe true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.Q.The author most likely includes the information in lines 60–63 (“Still even Medb’s daughter, Finnabair, … same name”) to suggest that:a)some thematic similarities between the King Arthur story and The Táin are very strong.b)medieval authors knew that Finnabair and Guinevere were originally the same person.c)the King Arthur story is an English version of The Táin.d)no medieval kings could fully trust their best warriors.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice ACT tests.