Worksheet: Bob Dylan: The Voice of a Generation | Class 7 English Alive PDF Download

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Q1: What is notable about Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize in Literature?

(a) He is the youngest recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

(b) He is the first musician to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

(c) He is the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

(d) He declined the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Ans: (b) He is the first musician to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Explanation: Bob Dylan is the first musician ever to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, acknowledging his significant contribution to creating new poetic expressions in the American song tradition.

Q2: Which of the following authors did Bob Dylan mention in his Nobel Banquet Speech as influences?

(a) William Faulkner and Jane Austen

(b) Kipling, Shaw, and Hemingway

(c) Tolstoy, Dickens, and Poe

(d) Frost, Whitman, and Thoreau

Ans: (b) Kipling, Shaw, and Hemingway

Explanation: In his speech, Dylan specifically mentions Kipling, Shaw, Thomas Mann, Pearl Buck, Albert Camus, and Hemingway as giants of literature whose works have made a deep impression on him.

Q3: What did Bob Dylan compare his expectation of winning the Nobel Prize to?

(a) Being a bestselling author

(b) Standing on the moon

(c) Winning an Olympic gold medal

(d) Discovering a new continent

Ans: (b) Standing on the moon

Explanation: Bob Dylan humorously notes that the odds of him winning the Nobel Prize were as unlikely as standing on the moon, emphasizing the unexpected nature of his win.

Q4: Which song did Bob Dylan perform at a White House concert?

(a) "Like a Rolling Stone"

(b) "Mr. Tambourine Man"

(c) "Blowin' in the Wind"

(d) "The Times They Are a-Changin'"

Ans: (d) "The Times They Are a-Changin'"

Explanation: At a concert honoring music from the civil rights movement at the White House, Dylan performed "The Times They Are a-Changin'", a song emblematic of social change.

Q5: What did Bob Dylan say about the number of people he performs for?

A) It is easier to perform for larger crowds.

B) Performing for smaller groups is more challenging.

C) He prefers performing for middle-sized crowds.

D) The size of the audience does not affect his performance.

Ans: (b) Performing for smaller groups is more challenging.

Explanation: Dylan remarks that playing for fifty people is harder than playing for fifty thousand, as smaller audiences have more individual presence and clarity in perception.

Fill in the Blanks

Q1: Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in the year ________.

Ans: 2016

Q2: The Nobel Banquet Speech on behalf of Bob Dylan was delivered by ________, the United States Ambassador to Sweden.

Ans: Azita Raji

Q3: Early in his career, Bob Dylan primarily identified as a ________ singer.

Ans: folk

Q4: Dylan's works have resonated across various ________, impacting numerous lives worldwide.

Ans: cultures

Q5: In his Nobel Banquet Speech, Dylan questioned whether his songs could be considered as ________.

Ans: literature

True/False

Q1: Bob Dylan personally attended the Nobel Prize ceremony. 

Ans: False

Explanation: Dylan did not attend the ceremony due to prior commitments; his speech was delivered by the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden.

Q2: Bob Dylan's songs often address themes like social injustice and civil rights. 

Ans: True

Explanation: As a prominent figure in music, Dylan's work includes themes of social injustice and civil rights, especially noted during the 1960s.

Q3: Bob Dylan was skeptical about being photographed with President Obama. 

Ans: True

Explanation: According to President Obama, Dylan was not keen on rehearsing or taking a photograph together, reflecting his skeptical nature.

Q4: Dylan's acceptance of the Nobel Prize was immediate and enthusiastic. 

Ans: False

Explanation: Dylan's response to the Nobel Prize announcement was delayed, and his acceptance was not characterized by overt enthusiasm.

Q5: Dylan primarily viewed himself as a literary figure, similar to Shakespeare. 

Ans: False

Explanation: Dylan, much like Shakespeare, did not primarily view his work as literature; his focus was on the creative and performance aspects.

Match the Column

Answers:

A-3, B-5, C-2, D-1, E-4