Assignment
Multiple Choice: Type your answer choice in the blank.
1. Which of these is a specific type of parody?
A. mock-epic
B. folk ballad
C. conceit
D. paradox
2. How is a diary, such as Pepys's, different from a history such as Bede's?
A. A diary is usually more personal.
B. A diary is usually more objective.
C. A diary is usually more formal.
D. A diary usually lacks historical accuracy.
3. Which statement most accurately contrasts the ideas of different literary periods?
A. Anglo-Saxon literature focuses on free will, whereas Renaissance literature suggests that human beings are controlled by fate.
B. Literature of the Middle Ages focuses on science, whereas literature of the Renaissance focuses on religious faith.
C. English literature of the Renaissance was dominated by poetry and verse drama,
whereas English literature of the eighteenth century was dominated by prose and satire.
D. Literature of the Anglo-Saxon period stresses human possibilities, whereas eighteenth century English literature stresses human limitations.
4. Read this brief passage from Beowulf in the modern translation by Burton Raffel. Then, answer the question that follow.
Then Beowulf rose, still brave, still strong,
And with his shield at his side, and a mail shirt on his breast,
Strode calmly, confi dently, toward the tower, under
The rocky cliffs: no coward could have walked there!
Which Anglo-Saxon social or cultural idea has most strongly influenced this passage from Beowulf?
A. admiration of physical courage
B. courtly behavior
C. loyalty to one's overlord
D. religious faith and teachings
5. Read this summary of the "The Pardoner's Tale" from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Then, answer the question that follows.
Three young men are drinking in a tavern when they learn that Death, killing
thousands in the present plague, has claimed the life of an old friend. The three vow to live for one another and to work together to kill Death. After an old man tells them that they can fi nd Death under a tree in a grove, the three go there, only to find a pile of gold florins under the tree. Fearing they might be accused of stealing the gold, they decide to bring it into town at night. They draw lots to see who will go into town to bring back food and drink for their vigil. When the youngest wins the drawing and goes off to town, the other two plot to kill him to get his share of the treasure. Meanwhile, he decides to poison the drink he is bringing back in order to kill the other two and claim all the treasure for himself. When he arrives back, the other two do kill him, but they also drink the poisoned drinks and perish. Thus, all three do indeed find
Death under the tree, just as the old man had predicted.
From the elements of the summary of "The Pardoner's Tale," into what subgenre, or subcategory of literature, does it seem to fall?
A. pastoral
B. elegy
C. allegory
D. frame story
6. Read this passage from Donne's "Meditation 17." Then, answer the question that follows.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell* tolls; it tolls for thee.
*bell: here, the death knell, or church bell that tolls for a death
Which sentence best states the belief Donne expresses in this passage?
A. It is wrong to live in isolation, like a hermit.
B. Rich or poor, highborn or low, we are all still human beings.
C. Human beings are all interconnected.
D. No one should fear death, for death is a part of life.
7. Read these lines from "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" by Robert Herrick. Then, answer the question that follows.
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is a-fl ying;
And this same fl ower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
5 The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.
Which line does NOT contain an example of personification?
A. line 3
B. line 5
C. line 6
D. line 7
8. Using your knowledge of the Latin prefix mal-, which of these would you most likely describe as malevolence?
A. accidental injury
B. intentional harm
C. beneficial action
D. kind behavior
9. Which word best completes this analogy?
madrigal : song : : mumps :
A. antidote
B. disease
C. predominance
D. sentinel
10. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
A. Milton wrote many prose works, but is more famous for poetry.
B. In a sequence of sonnets dedicated to his wife Edmund Spenser traced their courtship.
C. Sonnets were new to England, when Sir Philip Sidney wrote them.
D. When Elizabeth I made her famous speech, the Spanish Armada threatened England.
11. Which clause in this sentence is used as an adjective?
When Beowulf arrived, the Danes welcomed him, for they desperately needed someone who could stop Grendel.
A. When Beowulf arrived
B. the Danes welcomed him
C. they desperately needed someone
D. who could stop Grendel
12. Which sentence does not contain a misplaced or dangling modifier?
A. Written in heroic couplets, a trivial matter is portrayed as a great catastrophe in Pope's witty poem.
B. Pope's witty poem is about a trivial matter portrayed as a great catastrophe written in heroic couplets.
C. Portrayed as a great catastrophe, Pope's witty poem centers on a trivial matter and is written in heroic couplets.
D. Written in heroic couplets, Pope's witty poem portrays a trivial matter as a great catastrophe.
13. Which sentence uses consistent verb tenses in telling a story?
A. I met Rob for the first time in the school infirmary, and he smiles at me even though he is clearly in pain.
B. I met Rob for the first time in the school infirmary, and he smiled at me even though he was clearly in pain.
C. I met Rob for the first time in the school infirmary, and he smiled at me even though he is clearly in pain.
D. I had met Rob for the first time in the school infirmary, and he smiled at me even though he is clearly in pain.
14. Which of these sentences would be most effective in establishing a humorous tone?
A. Going to the dentist is not as bad as people imagine. It's worse.
B. I am in the minority of people who simply do not mind going to the dentist.
C. Even with dental insurance, going to the dentist can be very expensive.
D. Going to the dentist now can save you lots more trouble-and money-in the long run.
15. Which choice would supply the strongest, most logical support for this claim?
Lakeside Manor is a wonderful new community on Lake Winchester.
A. After just a few hours, you will know you want to move there.
B. There is ample parking for all residents and for guests.
C. Residents enjoy so many luxurious amenities that they feel like Greek gods and goddesses.
D. A Miami Herald survey listed it first among 400 Sun Belt communities in terms of location, amenities, and cost.
Short Answer: Type your answer below the question. Use complete sentences, correct grammar, and correct spelling.
16. Love, ambition, greed, religious faith-these are some of the human emotions that motivate characters and help explain their personalities and behavior. Choose a character from any of the fictional stories covered in this course, who came alive for you. Write an essay in which you examine that character's personality and motivation and show what the character's behavior and attitudes reveal about human nature. Begin with an introductory paragraph that captures your reader's attention and includes a thesis statement that states your view of the character. Then, in the body of your essay, show how details in the work convey the character's personality and motives. End with a concluding paragraph that sums up your main ideas about the character.