UGC NET Paper 2 English Mock Test - 1 - UGC NET MCQ

The correct answer is The School for Scandal 
Key Points

• 'You can, indeed, each anxious fear remove, / For even Scandal dies, if you approve' - this line was said by Charles Surface in the Act 5, Scene 3
• The rhymed couplet at the end of the play is Sheridan's adaptation of an old comic convention.
• Called plaudite (Latin for "applaud"), this traditional appeal directly invited the audience to show their favor by applauding the actors and the playwright.
• The School for Scandal is a comedy of manners, a play satirizing the behaviour and customs of upper classes through witty dialogue and an intricate plot with comic situations that expose various shortcomings of the characters. 
• The play takes place in 1777.
• The wealth that the Surface brothers vie to inherit was earned by their uncle, Sir Oliver Surface, who has spent the last sixteen years in the East Indies. 

Therefore, Option 2 is the correct answer.

Additional Information

• The Duenna is an 18th-century pastiche comic opera written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
• Featuring music from Thomas Linley the elder and his son, Thomas Linley the younger, the opera also included music from Italian and ballad operas. 
• A Trip to Scarborough is an 18th-century play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, first performed on 24 February 1777.
• Sheridan based his work on John Vanbrugh's The Relapse, removing much of the bawdy content.
• The Rivals, comedy in five acts by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, produced and published in 1775.
• The Rivals concerns the romantic difficulties of Lydia Languish, who is determined to marry for love and into poverty. 

The correct answer is 'A, B, C, D'.

Key Points​

• "The Country Wife" by William Wycherley was first performed in 1675. It is a notable example of Restoration comedy, known for its sharp satirical wit and commentary on the manners and sexual mores of Restoration society.
• "The Way of the World" by William Congreve debuted in 1700. This play is also a Restoration comedy, celebrated for its sophisticated dialogue, complex characters, and intricate plot mechanisms.
• "Manfred" by Lord Byron, published in 1817, is not a Restoration drama but a work from the Romantic period. It is a dramatic poem that delves into the themes of guilt, redemption, and the supernatural, reflecting the Romantic era's focus on emotion and the sublime.
• "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde was first performed in 1895. It is a play from the Victorian era, known for its witty dialogue, satirical commentary on Victorian society, and exploration of identity and social obligations.
• The chronological order of publication/performance starts with Wycherley's and Congreve's works in the Restoration period, followed by Byron's Romantic-era poem, and concludes with Wilde's Victorian play.
• This sequence shows the evolution of English drama from the Restoration's comedic critiques of society to the Romantic and Victorian periods' broader thematic explorations.

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

• Assertion: Feminism is a multifaceted movement with various perspectives, making it challenging to pinpoint a single feminist theory.
• Defining a singular feminist theory is challenging due to the multiplicity of feminist voices and approaches.
• Reason: Feminism, particularly in contemporary discussions, embraces the concept of intersectionality, acknowledging that gender intersects with other social categories like race and class. This acknowledgment contributes to the diversity within feminist thought.
• The interconnected nature of social categories is crucial in understanding the complex and varied experiences of different groups within the feminist movement.

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 true, and the Reason is also true, supporting the diverse nature of feminist theories.

The correct answer is 'Strong and Weak.'

Key Points

• The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is often presented in two versions: the strong version and the weak version.
• The strong version suggests that language determines thought, imposing a strict constraint on cognitive processes.
• The weak version, which is more widely accepted, proposes that language influences thought, shaping but not determining cognitive processes.
• These terms, "strong" and "weak," describe the degree of influence that language is believed to have on thought within the hypothesis.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 4.'

Additional Information

• Option 1: While determinism and relativity are related concepts, they do not specifically describe the two versions of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis.
• Option 2: This does not accurately represent the terms used to describe the two versions of the hypothesis.
• Option 3: The terms "linguistic" and "cognitive" do not specifically describe the strong and weak versions of the hypothesis.

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.

The correct answer is 'Horace'.Key Points

• Horace's injunction that poetry should both "instruct and delight" has been repeated so often that it has come to be known as the Horatian platitude.
• The Horatian platitude is usually given as "instruct and delight", but sometimes as "instruct or delight".
• The first reading implies that all literature must be instructive.
• A related ambiguity is that "instruct" might be better translated as "help", "advise", or "warn".
• Horace repeats this maxim in different wordings: "Aut prodesse uolunt aut delectare poetae aut simul et iucunda et idonea dicere uitae" (The poet wishes to benefit or please, or to be pleasant and helpful at the same time), "miscuit utile dulci" (a mix of useful and sweet), and "delectando pariterque monendo" (delighting and advising).

Therefore, Option 4 is the correct answer.

Additional Information

• Roman poet Horace wrote  his 476-line poem that’s came to be known as “Ars Poetica.”
• Translated from Latin, ars poetica means “The Art of Poetry”; Horace’s poem speaks at times in broad declarations like “mediocrity in poets no man, god or bookseller will accept” and at times reads more like a how-to guide, offering practical advice like “be concise.”
• Listen up, all you poets out there—Horace also advises that before deciding your work is ready to share, you “put your manuscript away till the ninth year,” because “you can always destroy what you haven’t published” but “once out, there’s no recall.”
• Ever since Horace’s ars poetica, poets have been inspired to join the conversation and chime in with their thoughts on the art of poetry.
• In an ars poetica, the poet draws back the curtain for a moment, giving the reader a glimpse of their craft and articulating their own answers to the timeless questions What is poetry? What can and should it do? And how and why do poets write?

The correct answer is 'William Wordsworth.'

Key Points

• William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was a prominent English Romantic poet.
• The excerpt is from his famous poem titled "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" or "Daffodils."
• Wordsworth is known for his celebration of nature and its impact on human emotions.
• This poem reflects his connection with nature and the joy it brings.
• The daffodils in the poem symbolize beauty, inspiration, and the enduring power of nature.
• Wordsworth was one of the key figures in the Romantic movement, emphasizing emotions and individual experiences in poetry.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Additional Information

• John Keats (Option 2) was another notable Romantic poet, known for his odes and emphasis on sensuous imagery. 
• Percy Bysshe Shelley (Option 3) was a major poet of the Romantic era, associated with radical political and social ideas.
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Option 4) was a Romantic poet and close associate of Wordsworth, known for "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Kubla Khan."

Let us explore the literary figures and their respective works in the chronological order:

• William Caxton prints the first English book- No doubt, the introduction of the printing press in England facilitated and marked the beginning of the production of texts of English literatures, as we know now. It is believed that the credit of introducing the printing press into England (at Westminster, in 1476) goes to William Caxton (1422– 1491) who was an English merchant, diplomat, and writer. The printed book, entitled 'The Recuyell of the Histories of TroyeOffsite Link' (a collection of stories associated with Homer's Iliad), was the first book printed in English by William Caxton. He later published and edited chivalric romances, classical works, and English and Roman histories. He is said to have printed the earliest English translation verses of the Bible, and is credited to be the first to translate Aesop's Fables into English in 1484.
• “Tottel’s Miscellany” (Songs and Sonnets)- It was the first printed anthology of English poetry published by Richard Tottel in 1557 in London. The anthology ran into many editions in the sixteenth century.
  There are 310 poems in Tottel’s Miscellany, out of which 39 were added in the second edition of 1557. The poems in this anthology have been written by Wyatt, Surrey and Grimald. Moreover, there are 54 sonnets in Tottel. More than one out of every six poems in the collection is a sonnet.
  Tottel also published Thomas More's 'Utopia', John Lydgate's translations from Giovanni Boccaccio, and books by William Staunford and Thomas Tusser. Most of his publications included legal treatises, including a legal history of the reign of Richard III, and legal yearbooks covering parts of the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI.
• William Shakespeare’s First Folio- The first collected edition of William Shakespeare's plays, compiled and published in 1623 (seven years after his death), is known as The First Folio. Out of around 37 plays that Shakespeare wrote, 36 (17 were printed in Shakespeare's lifetime) appear in the First Folio. Most of these plays were performed in the Globe, an open-air theatre in London. The folios carry important printed editions of Shakespeare’s works, the manuscripts of which are not available now.
• John Milton’s Areopagitica- 'Areopagitica: A Speech of Mr John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parliament of England', was a pamphlet by John Milton, which was published in 1644. The pamphlet was written in to protest an order issued by the Parliament that mandated the government's approval and licensing of all published books.
  Written in a prose style, the pamphlet is inspired heavily by Greek models. In fact, the title of the work derives from “Areopagus” (“Hill of Ares”), the name of the place from which the high court of Athens administered its jurisdiction and imposed a general censorship. Milton argues that the enforcement of licensing is similar to following the example of the detested papacy. He supports the free circulation of idea as crucial to moral and intellectual development. He also points out that the attempt to prevent falsehood is to underestimate the power of truth. The ‘Aeropagitica’ has gone down in history as a literature of human rights.

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.

William Tyndale translated the Bible in the year 1525 for poor and uneducated people so that they can be able to understand it in their own language. Hence he was called “the father of the English Bible”. He took inspiration from Martin Luther, who had done the German translation of the New Testament.

In year 1611, King James authorizes the production of a new translation of the Bible. The King James Version soon replaces all other version and become the most acceptable translation of Bible among English scholars.

The Revised Standard Version is an English-language translation of the Bible published in several stages from 1946 to 2006. It is an approved revision of the American Standard Version which itself was a revision of the King James Version, published in 1611.

The Holman Christian Standard Bible is a trustworthy and clear translation of English Bible done by more than 100 scholars and published by Holman Bible Publishers. The first full version was published in March 2004, however the New Testament alone having been formerly published in the year 1999.

Alice Munro is a short story writer and was the first from Canada to win a Nobel prize for her short stories, in 2013. She was born and grew up in Wingham, Ontario. Her moving stories like “Lives of Girls and Women”, “Too Much Happiness” and many others are set in her small, native towns Wingham, Ontario where, she grew up, and explore human relationships through ordinary everyday events. she herself has called Wingham, Ontario, “The most interesting place in the world. Although Vancouver, Montreal, Quebec all are provinces of Canada but Ontario was used most as a setting of short stories of Alice Munro.

The assertion (A) that neo-classical poets valued reason over imagination and intellect over emotion is accurate as they emphasised order and logic, influenced by classical models. However, the reason (R) incorrectly cites 'Nicholas' instead of Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux, a key figure in French neo-classicism who stressed reason and classical rules. Thus, while A is true, R contains an error, making option C correct.

Shashi Deshpande's 1990 Sahitya Akademi Award-winning novel That Long Silence (1988) is a slow, delicate, painful self revelation. Shashi Deshpande studies the issues and problems of contemporary middle class woman in this novel.

Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy contains. A) Six volumes. B) Nine volumes. C) Ten volumes. D) Four volumes. Correct Answer: B) Nine volumes ..

Ferdinand does not send a group of madmen; he uses one, and his intent isn't mere entertainment but psychological torture.

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

Key Points

• Joe Gargery is the kind-hearted blacksmith and brother-in-law to Pip in "Great Expectations", representing the unconditional love and moral support in Pip's life.
• Sydney Carton is the tragic hero of "A Tale of Two Cities", sacrificing himself for the happiness of the woman he loves and her family.
• Bill Sikes is the brutal villain in "Oliver Twist", showcasing Dickens's critique of the underbelly of London society.
• Mr. Micawber is a lovable but perennially indebted character in "David Copperfield", known for his optimism and memorable expressions about income and expenditure.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Additional Information

• Options 2, 3, and 4 incorrectly pair characters with novels not associated with their stories or themes.

The correct answer is "Thalaba the Destroyer".

Key Points

• Robert Southey was a prominent poet of the Romantic era and, along with William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, was one of the so-called "Lake Poets".
• Among Southey's significant works is the oriental epic "Thalaba the Destroyer", which tells the story of a young Arabian man who seeks to avenge the death of his father.
• The poem is notable for its exotic setting and its experimental use of unrhymed, irregularly metered verse, which Southey referred to as "an irregular ode".
• While Southey's reputation has been overshadowed by his more famous contemporaries, he was highly regarded in his time and served as Poet Laureate for 30 years.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

The correct answer is 'Intense language contact in multilingual trade environments.'

Key Points

• Multilingual Settings: Creole languages often emerge in contexts where speakers of different languages are brought together, such as in colonial, trading, or plantation settings, necessitating communication.
• Pidgin to Creole: Initially, a pidgin language – a simplified form of speech used for communication between speakers of different languages – can develop. When pidgins become fully developed languages with native speakers, they are termed creoles.
• Cultural and Social Fusion: Besides linguistic elements, creole formation involves the blending of cultures and societies, contributing to the distinct identity of the creole language and its speakers.
• Linguistic Innovation: The creation of creoles involves significant linguistic innovation, with elements from multiple languages combining to form a new, stable linguistic system.
• Nativity and Complexity: A key feature of creole languages is that they develop into fully complex languages used natively by a community, often within a single generation.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Option 1: While the translation of religious texts has played a role in language development and standardization, it is not directly related to the emergence of creole languages.
• Option 2: The emergence of creole languages is more directly a result of intense language contact, not merely a natural progression of complexity.
• Option 4: Creole languages emerge from multilingual interactions rather than the formal standardization of a dialect.

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

Key Points

• Ethnography (iv): involves the researcher immersing themselves in the community or group being studied to observe and interact directly with participants.
• Content Analysis (iii): is a method for studying and analyzing communication in various forms to understand patterns, themes, biases, and meanings.
• Case Study (ii): focuses on an in-depth investigation of a single case (an individual, group, event, or community) to explore and understand complex issues.
• Historical Research (i): involves examining past events to interpret and understand their causes, effects, and significance within a historical context.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

Additional Information

• Each research methodology in humanities serves specific objectives and helps uncover insights that can be both subjective and objective, depending on the nature of the study.

The correct answer is 'To provide a detailed summary of each source's content, including its relevance, accuracy, and quality.'

Key Points

• Detailed Summary: The annotated bibliography offers a detailed summary of the content of each source, enabling others to grasp the essence of the material quickly.
• Assessment of Relevance: It includes an evaluation of how relevant the source is to the specific research topic, helping to clarify its importance.
• Critical Evaluation: The bibliography assesses the accuracy and quality of the source, providing insight into its reliability.
• Source Comparison: By offering a detailed account of numerous sources, it allows for comparison between them based on their contributions to the topic.
• Research Aid: This tool aids researchers in understanding the landscape of existing research and critically engaging with it.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

Additional Information

• Option 1: While summarization is a part of an annotated bibliography, it involves more than just summarizing main arguments.
• Option 2: Critiquing validity is an aspect, but not the primary purpose of an annotated bibliography.
• Option 4: Though it could be used for selecting future research sources, the main purpose encompasses detailed summation and evaluation.

The correct answer is 'The ability to evoke a sense of the sublime in the audience.'

Key Points

• Longinus, in his treatise "On the Sublime," identifies the sublime as the quality of great literature that elevates the soul of the reader or audience, transcending the ordinary and the mundane.
• He believes that great poetry touches the audience on an emotional level, inspiring awe, and wonder through its grandeur and beauty.
• Longinus argues that the sublime arises from the poets' ability to express strong and passionate emotions effectively, using what he calls "lofty language."
• The focus is not merely on the use of grand words but also on crafting impactful ideas that stir the readers' spirits and leave a lasting impression.
• He points out that the sublime can be achieved through various means, including powerful imagery, noble diction, and thought-provoking ideas, all aimed at moving the audience profoundly.
• For Longinus, the impact of the sublime lies in its capacity to provoke a powerful emotional response, making the poetic experience memorable and transformative.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• Option 1: Incorrect because Longinus values the emotional impact and transcendence of poetry over strict grammatical rules.
• Option 3: Incorrect as Longinus does not prioritize complex or obscure vocabulary; rather, the focus is on conveying profound emotions and ideas.
• Option 4: Incorrect since Longinus emphasizes the sublime's emotional impact rather than formal aspects like rhyme and meter.

The correct answer is "It decodes the underlying meanings and messages conveyed through themes."

Key Points

• Thematic analysis is a methodological approach within literary research that involves identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns (themes) within a text.
• This approach helps in uncovering the deeper meanings, beliefs, and values expressed in literary works, going beyond the surface-level interpretation of the narrative or characters.
• By focusing on themes, researchers can explore how literature reflects, confronts, or negotiates societal issues, human emotions, ethical dilemmas, and more.
• Thematic analysis allows for a nuanced understanding of the text by connecting different parts of the work to perceive overarching or recurring motifs.
• It is a flexible approach that can be applied to a wide range of texts and is particularly useful in comparative literature studies, where themes across different cultures, periods, or genres might be explored.
• The process involves careful reading and re-reading of the text, coding textual data, and then categorizing and interpreting patterns to form coherent themes.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

The correct answer is 'Social isolation and existential angst'.

Key Points

• The poem delves deeply into the psyche of its narrator, Prufrock, who is paralyzed by insecurity and indecision, reflecting broader themes of social isolation and existential angst.
• Prufrock's internal monologue reveals his acute self-consciousness and fear of judgment, which prevent him from acting upon his desires or engaging meaningfully with the world around him.
• The fragmented, stream-of-consciousness narrative style and the use of literary and cultural references convey the complexity of Prufrock's inner world and the existential questions he grapples with.
• Eliot's depiction of the modern city and its impersonal, alienating environment enhances the theme of isolation and the challenge of finding meaning and connection in the modern world.
• The repeated question, "Do I dare?" encapsulates Prufrock's existential dread and his struggle with the potential meaninglessness of life and actions.

The correct answer is ' Isolated moorland farmhouse'.

Key Points

• Wuthering Heights is situated in an isolated moorland setting, contributing to the eerie and desolate atmosphere of the novel.
• The isolated location reflects the wild and passionate nature of the characters, particularly Heathcliff.
• The farmhouse serves as a symbol of the harsh and unforgiving environment, mirroring the tumultuous relationships within the story.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• The isolated moorland setting plays a crucial role in shaping the tone and mood of the narrative.

The correct answer is "Option 3" i.e. (a) - 4, (b) - 1, (c) - 2, (d) - 3

Key Points

• The above characters are taken from a magnificent play by William Shakespeare ‘The Merchant of Venice’.
• Portia was a wealthy Lady of Belmont and was an epitome of beauty with brains. She saves Antonio from the moneylender Shylock by being a lawyer in disguise.
• Antonio was the merchant of Venice whose affection for his pal Bassanio prompts him to sign Shylock’s contract and nearly lose his life. Portia, later, saves her through her wit.
• Shylock was a Jewish moneylender in Venice. He ruthlessly demands a pound of Antonio’s flesh in return for his money.
• Bassanio was a gentleman of Venice, a kinsman and friend to Antonio. His love for Portia leads him to borrow money from Shylock, the moneylender, and he uses Antonio as his guarantor.

Important Points

• Shakespeare was a great poet, playwright and actor of the Elizabethan era.
• He’s often regarded as England’s National Poet and the “Bard of Avon” since he was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.

Additional Information

• ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is a 16th-century play written by Shakespeare.
• It was originally published in 1600.
• The main theme of the play is love, generosity and friendship.

True History of the Kelly Gang is a novel by Australian writer Peter Carey, based loosely on the history of the Kelly Gang. It was first published in Brisbane by the University of Queensland Press in 2000. It won the 2001 Booker Prize and the Commonwealth Writers Prize in the same year. Despite its title, the book is fiction and a variation on the Ned Kelly story.

In an effort to attract foreign readers to the story, the book's American publisher, Alfred Knopf, heralded the book as a "Great American Novel", even though the novel takes place entirely within Australia. The claim that this book is an "American novel" appears to be based on the fact that author Peter Carey, an Australian, has lived in New York City for many years.

Comus, written by John Milton, is primarily a masque and not structured as an extended allegory. While it contains allegorical elements, it is classified more under dramatic performance rather than a pure allegory.

In comparison:

• Animal Farm is a clear political allegory.
• The Pilgrim's Progress is a Christian allegory.
• The Scarlet Letter uses heavy symbolism, but it isn't a complete allegory.

Thus, Comus stands out as the correct answer.

The Caretaker is a play in three acts by Harold Pinter. Although it was the sixth of his major works for stage and television, this psychological study of the confluence of power, allegiance, innocence, and corruption among two brothers and a tramp, became Pinter's first significant commercial success.It premiered at the Arts Theatre Club in London's West End on 27 April 1960 and transferred to the Duchess Theatre the following month, where it ran for 444 performances before departing London for Broadway 

In linguistics, a homonym is a word that is spelt and pronounced the same while having different meanings. For example, the word "bat" can refer either to a nocturnal flying mammal or to an implement used in sports, and the word "ring" can mean a piece of jewelry or the sound produced by a bell.

• Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of the Scotland. He was the son of a farmer and followed the tradition of his father by becoming a tenant farmer himself. He wrote poems for several years and his first book of poems titled, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, was printed in 1786.
• The collection was an immediate success and Burns was celebrated throughout England and Scotland as a great “peasant-poet. ” As a poet, he recorded and celebrated aspects of farm life, regional experience, traditional culture, class culture of farmers. Hence he is best known and praised as a “Ploughman Poet”.