English Literature MCQ – Change your future

241. 'Modern Painters' is written by

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) Ruskin.

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature, A-Level English Literature

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: "Modern Painters" is a well-known work by John Ruskin, a key figure in English literature and art criticism.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing the author with other Victorian writers like Mill or Macaulay.

Explanations: John Ruskin authored "Modern Painters," a significant work in art criticism. The other options are unrelated to the text's authorship.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct, as Ruskin wrote "Modern Painters."
Option B: Incorrect, John Stuart Mill was a philosopher, not the author of this work.
Option C: Incorrect, Thomas Babington Macaulay was a historian and essayist, not the author.
Option D: Incorrect, as the correct answer is provided in Option A.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

242. A literary critic should be free from.....

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: D) Bias

Exam Relevance: SAT Subject Test in English Literature, GRE Subject Test in Literature in English

Difficulty: Easy

Concept notes: A literary critic must maintain objectivity to provide fair and accurate analysis of literary works.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding the role of a literary critic as being free from personal issues rather than intellectual biases.

Explanations: Bias refers to preconceived opinions or preferences that can influence a critic's judgment. A literary critic must be objective to ensure their analysis is impartial and credible.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Disease is unrelated to the intellectual process of literary criticism.
Option B: Arrogance is a personal trait, not a specific intellectual bias.
Option C: Greed is an unethical behavior, not directly related to critical analysis.
Option D: Bias directly affects the objectivity required in literary criticism.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

243. Bronze Star Â by Irwin Keene Â World War II has been hard for Mama Conner. Her husband and three sons have been away at war and Mama Conner was left to keep the house together, raise money, and provide for Baby Maple. The mood in the town darkens suddenly when her neighbor Betsy loses one of her loved ones in battle. At Mama Conner's ladies club, several upstanding ladies of the town are on edge after hearing a garbled news report announcing that a man from their town was lost in battle, but as the man's name went unheard, the women are left to speculate as to whom will be the most affected.Â

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: D) Historical fiction.

Exam Relevance: None

Difficulty: Easy

Concept notes: Historical fiction is a genre that combines historical settings with fictional narratives.

Common Mistakes: Misidentifying the genre based on the emotional tone rather than the historical setting.

Explanations: The passage is set during World War II, a real historical event, and portrays fictional characters experiencing real historical circumstances. This aligns with the definition of historical fiction.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Realistic fiction focuses on believable, contemporary events without a historical setting. This is incorrect because the story is set in the past during a specific historical event.
Option B: Science fiction involves futuristic or technological elements, which are not present in the passage. This is incorrect.
Option C: Fantasy includes imaginary or supernatural elements, which are absent here. This is incorrect.
Option D: Historical fiction accurately describes the genre as it involves a historical setting with fictional characters. This is correct.

Mnemonic: Historical fiction: History + Story.

244. The song of Solitary Reaper could not be followed by the poet because

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) He did not know the language.

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature, AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: The poem highlights the poet's inability to understand the reaper's song due to the language barrier.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding the cause as hearing issues or lack of attention rather than language.

Explanations: The poet hears the reaper singing but cannot understand the words because he does not know her language. This is explicitly stated in the poem, emphasizing the emotional impact of the song despite the language barrier.

Option Analysis:

Option A: The poem does not mention hearing difficulties. The issue is comprehension, not hearing.
Option B: The poet explicitly states he does not know the language, making this the correct reason.
Option C: The poet waits to listen, but the language barrier prevents full understanding.
Option D: While the poet is struck by her appearance, the inability to follow the song is due to the language, not just her looks.

Mnemonic: Language barrier blocks the song's follow.

245. What do most critics say that Issy represents to her brothers and father?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) She is a source of secret, repressed desire.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: The concept revolves around the psychological dynamics within a family, particularly focusing on repressed desires and unresolved tensions.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is misunderstanding Issy's role as a functional family member rather than a symbol of repressed desires.

Explanations: Issy represents the repressed desires and unresolved tensions within the family, particularly in the context of Oedipal complexes. She embodies the secret, unspoken emotions that drive the family's dysfunction.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct. Issy embodies the repressed desires and unresolved tensions within the family.
Option B: Incorrect. Issy does not represent a functional family structure; she highlights dysfunction.
Option C: Incorrect. She is not an example of piety but a catalyst for deeper emotional issues.
Option D: Incorrect. She does not dissolve tension but brings it to the surface.

Mnemonic: Issy: Inner Secrets Surface Yearnings

246. Is one of the best sonnet of Milton.

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) On his Blindness.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: The question tests knowledge of John Milton's works and the identification of a sonnet.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing "L'Allegro" or "Comus" as sonnets, as they are different poetic forms.

Explanations: "On his Blindness" is a Petrarchan sonnet that reflects Milton's personal struggles and acceptance of blindness, making it one of his best-known sonnets.

Option Analysis:

Option A: "L'Allegro" is a poem celebrating life, not a sonnet.
Option B: "Comus" is a masque, not a sonnet.
Option C: "On his Blindness" is a sonnet by Milton.
Option D: Incorrect, as "On his Blindness" is a sonnet.

Mnemonic: Milton's Blindness: A Sonnet of Faith and Struggle.

247. Coleridge's famous Ode to Dejection was published in.....

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) 1802.

Exam Relevance: None.

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: The question tests the knowledge of the publication year of Coleridge's "Ode to Dejection."

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing the publication year with other works by Coleridge or the Romantic poets.

Explanations: "Ode to Dejection" was published in 1802. This date is well-documented in literary records and is a key fact for students studying Romantic poetry.

Option Analysis:

Option A: 1801 is incorrect as the poem was published a year later.
Option B: 1800 is incorrect; the poem was published two years after this date.
Option C: 1802 is correct, as this is the established publication year.
Option D: 1803 is incorrect; the poem was published a year earlier.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

248. The foremost poet of Jacobean era was?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) John Donne

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature, A-Level English Literature, SAT Subject Test in Literature

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: The Jacobean era (1603-1625) is associated with John Donne as a leading poet known for his metaphysical poetry.

Common Mistakes: Confusion may arise between John Donne and John Milton, as both are significant poets but from different eras.

Explanations: John Donne is the foremost poet of the Jacobean era, known for his metaphysical poetry and exploration of themes like love and spirituality. His work is distinct for its use of conceits and a conversational tone.

Option Analysis:

Option A: John Milton is a prominent poet but from the later Stuart period, not the Jacobean era.
Option B: Charles Bacon is not a recognized poet of the Jacobean era.
Option C: John Donne is correctly identified as the leading poet of the Jacobean era.
Option D: Herbert Spencer is a 19th-century poet, far outside the Jacobean period.

Mnemonic: "Jacobean Donne, not Milton or Spencer."

249. Chaucer became a member of Parliament in.....?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) 1386.

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: Geoffrey Chaucer became a member of Parliament in 1386.

Common Mistakes: Incorrectly recalling the year or confusing it with other historical events.

Explanations: Geoffrey Chaucer, a significant figure in English literature, was elected to the Parliament of England in 1386. This is a factual historical event.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct. Chaucer became a member of Parliament in 1386.
Option B: Incorrect. 1300 is far before Chaucer's time.
Option C: Incorrect. 1343 is also before Chaucer's political career.
Option D: Incorrect. The correct year is provided in Option A.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

250. Lilliputians appear in.....

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: D) Gulliver's Travels.

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: The Lilliputians are a race of tiny people featured in Jonathan Swift's satirical novel "Gulliver's Travels."

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing "Gulliver's Travels" with other classic novels like "Robinson Crusoe" or "Tom Jones," which do not feature the Lilliputians.

Explanations: The Lilliputians are a central element in "Gulliver's Travels," particularly in the first part of the novel where Gulliver encounters them. They are known for their small stature and the political satire Swift uses through their society.

Option Analysis:

Option A: "Robinson Crusoe" is a novel by Daniel Defoe about a castaway's survival, unrelated to the Lilliputians.
Option B: "Tom Jones" is a novel by Henry Fielding about the life of a foundling, not connected to the Lilliputians.
Option C: "All for Love" is a play by John Dryden, unrelated to the Lilliputians.
Option D: "Gulliver's Travels" is the correct answer as it features the Lilliputians.

Mnemonic: Lilliputians are tiny, like in Gulliver's story.

251. John Milton's "Paradise Lost" is best described by which of the following genres?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: D) Epic.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition Exam, SAT Subject Test in English Literature, GRE Subject Test in Literature in English.

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: "Paradise Lost" is an epic poem, characterized by its grand narrative style, elevated language, and focus on significant historical or mythological events.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing "Paradise Lost" with a tragedy or a polemic, as it deals with serious themes and uses blank verse, which is also found in tragedies.

Explanations: "Paradise Lost" is an epic because it narrates a significant event in religious history with a grand style and elevated language, fitting the definition of an epic poem.

Option Analysis:

Option A: "Paradise Lost" is not a lament for a person's death, so it is not a pastoral elegy.
Option B: It is not a prose work or a polemic, so this is incorrect.
Option C: While it uses blank verse, it is not a tragedy, so this is incorrect.
Option D: It is an epic due to its grand narrative style and focus on a significant event.

Mnemonic: Epic poems are long and grand, like "Paradise Lost" in Milton's hand.

252. Define trickster tale.

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: D) A story about a mischievous, supernatural being

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Trickster tales are narratives featuring a mischievous, often supernatural character who uses cunning to achieve goals, often leading to humorous or chaotic outcomes.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding trickster tales as merely stories with human-like animals or general fictional struggles.

Explanations: Trickster tales focus on a supernatural being who causes mischief, often with a moral lesson. They are distinct from other literary elements like themes or anthropomorphism.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Refers to a thematic element, not specific to trickster tales.
Option B: Describes fictional conflict, not the essence of trickster tales.
Option C: Involves anthropomorphism, which is not the defining feature.
Option D: Accurately describes the focus on a mischievous supernatural being.

Mnemonic: Trickster Tales: Supernatural Shenanigans

253. Whom does Lady Macbeth frame for the murder of Duncan?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) Duncan's drunken chamberlains.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: The question tests knowledge of the plot in Shakespeare's "Macbeth," specifically Lady Macbeth's role in framing the chamberlains for Duncan's murder.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing the chamberlains with other characters like Malcolm or Donalbain, who are not involved in the framing.

Explanations: In "Macbeth," Lady Macbeth manipulates Duncan's chamberlains by getting them drunk and planting evidence of the murder on them. This ensures that suspicion falls on them rather than Macbeth.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Malcolm and Donalbain are Duncan's sons, not involved in the framing.
Option B: Correct. Lady Macbeth frames Duncan's chamberlains.
Option C: The porter is unrelated to the framing.
Option D: Macbeth is the murderer, not the one framed.

Mnemonic: Lady Macbeth's plan: Chamberlains, not Macbeth, take the blame.

254. Sensation fiction relied upon emotional effect. Which of the following helps to explain why?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: D) The genre employed a rigorous realism that catered to a contemporary "taste for the factual" while it nonetheless titillated the public appetite for the exotic and renewed interest in the science of the mind.

Exam Relevance: AQA GCSE English Literature, Cambridge A Level English Literature

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Sensation fiction combined realism with exotic and psychological elements to evoke strong emotions.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding the genre's focus on emotional impact through a blend of realism and sensationalism.

Explanations: Sensation fiction used realistic details to ground stories in contemporary life, while incorporating exotic elements and psychological depth to titillate and engage readers emotionally.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Incorrect; sensation fiction is not directly tied to the New Woman movement.
Option B: Incorrect; architecture and history are not central themes.
Option C: Incorrect; no evidence of government interest in sensation fiction.
Option D: Correct; explains the blend of realism and sensationalism in the genre.

Mnemonic: RASHT: Realism and Sensation Together

255. Metaphor

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) This figure of speech compares two unlike things without using the term "like" or "as.".

Exam Relevance: SAT, ACT, GCSE English Literature

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things by stating that one is the other.

Common Mistakes: Confusing metaphor with simile, which uses "like" or "as."

Explanations: Metaphors make direct comparisons without using "like" or "as." For example, "Time is a thief" directly equates time to a thief.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Describes a simile, not a metaphor.
Option B: Correctly defines a metaphor.
Option C: Refers to a narrator, unrelated to metaphors.
Option D: Refers to setting, unrelated to metaphors.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic needed.

⬅ Previous SetSet 17Next Set ➡

10 thoughts on “English Literature MCQ - Set 17”

Mani January 4, 2020

You’re might me mistaken For this which poet called himself ” I awake one morning and found myself famous” The Answer is Shelley.

I think u might me mistaken
Anwar Ahmad January 4, 2020

Nice efforts
Anwar Ahmad January 6, 2020

Good practice method
Narinder Singh March 26, 2020

I need objective type questions
Anonymous June 3, 2020

Good practise method
Anonymous September 19, 2020

Lord Byron
Susil October 17, 2020

Great information. I like it.
Anonymous February 2, 2021

Byron
Anonymous September 12, 2021

Lord byron
Lucky November 19, 2022

very nice . its very usefull for us

10 thoughts on “English Literature MCQ - Set 17”

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