Third Sem - Third Sem - Reading Fiction

                   READING FICTION     

        Question Bank & Answer Key

1. In 1740 the first English novel was published. Name it.

        a. Pamela                  c. Clarissa

        b. Robinson Crusoe d. Gulliver’s Travels

2. Novels involving a mixture of adventure and horror are known as _________ novels.

        a. Adventure         c. biography

        b. Autobiography d. Gothic

3. Sir Walter Scott was the first to experiment with the _________ novel.

           a. Gothic          c. biography

           b. Historic       d. science fiction

4. The Story of my Experiments with Truth is an example of ____________ writing.

          a. Biographical    c. autobiographical

          b. Mystery            d. animal fiction

5. ___________ is well known for Waverly Novels.

          a. Walter Scott     c. Charles Dickens

          b. DH Lawrence   d. George Eliot

6. Complexity in plot and characterization began with the novels of ________ in the nineteenth

century.

          a. Walter Scott     c. Tobias Smollet

          b. Henry Fielding d. Charles Dickens

7. Which of the following novels belong to the category of non realistic fiction?

          a. Alice in Wonderland   c. Pride and Prejudice

          b. A Tale of Two Cities d. Sons and Lovers

8. A work of art that has a single theme, the working out of a single idea is called _______.

         a. Biography          c. autobiography

         b. Science fiction d. short story

9. Who is the author of Lucky Jim?

         a. DH Lawrence    c. Kingsley Amis

         b. George Eliot      d. CP Snow

10. Where does the story The Old Man and the Sea take place?

         a. Cuba                  c. Marshall Island

         b. Canary Islands d. Puerto Rico

11. When the novel The Old Man and the Sea opens, how many days had it been since Santiago last

caught a fish?

        a. 3                           c. 48

        b. 77                        d. 84

12. Hemingway says everything about Santiago is old except what?

        a. His neck              c. his eyes

        b. His hands           d. his legs

13. Why does Manolin no longer fish with Santiago?

        a. He dislikes Santiago

        b. His parents have told him to fish with others

        c. Santiago no longer needs him

        d. Manolin has gone to the city

14. Manolin’s parents refuse to let the boy fish with the old man because they believe Santiago is

salao. How does Hemingway translate this word?

        a. Crazy                 c. selfish

        b. Washed up       d. the worst form of unlucky

15. How does Hemingway describe Santiago’s eyes?

        a. They are full of pain                 c. They betray the weariness of his sou

        b. They are blank with defeat.     d. They are the color of the sea.

16. What kind of reception does Santiago receive at the terrace café?

        a. The fishermen regard him as a hero.

        b. Most of the fishermen mock him.

        c. The successful fishermen offer him a portion of their day’s catch.

        d. The younger fishermen pretend that the old man doesn’t exist.

17. Which of the following never hung on Santiago's wall?

       a. Tinted photograph of his wife         c. Picture of the Virgin of Cobre

       b. Picture of sacred heart of Jesus    d. Picture of Fidel Castro

18. Who is Santiago's favorite baseball player?

        a. Lou Gehrig              c. Joe DiMaggio

        b. Babe Ruth               d. Jackie Robinson

19. In what month does the story The Old Man and the Sea take place?

       a. September              c. October

       b. July                         d. May

20. Of what did Santiago always dream?

       a. Fish                         c. Manolin

       b. His wife                  d. lions

21. Where is Santiago originally from?

       a. Mexico                   c. Cuba

       b. Morocca                d. Canary Islands

22. What does Santiago call the sea?

       a. Dorado                   c. la mar

       b. Salao                      d. el mar

23. What did Manolin give Santiago two of before he left?

        a. water bottles         c. shoes

        b. hooks                     d. sardines

24. What does Santiago refer to as aqua mala, the whore?

       a. The sea                 c. Portugese-man- of –war

       b. An eel                    d. a dolphin

25. In his youth, on what kind of ship did Santiago work?

       a. Sailing                    c. fishing

       b. Trading                  d. turtling

26. On the night before he promises Manolin to go “far out” to sea, of what does Santiago dream?

       a. A great storm             c. A beautiful woman

       b. Lions on the beach    d. A wrestling match

27. How deep was the line on which the marlin bit?

       a. 100 fathoms         c. 200 fathoms

       b. 300 fathoms         d. 400 fathoms

28. Santiago thought the light of what city would guide him home?

       a. San Juan               c. Cardenas

       b. Bautista                 d. Havana

29. Why does Santiago hope the marlin will jump?

       a. it will see his strength and become frightened

       b. it will let him see its size

       c. it will fill its air sacks and not be able to dive deep

       d. it will be close enough to drive a harpoon into

30. What humiliating thing happens to Santiago's left hand while he is tracking the marlin?

       a. sensation in it dies        c. it cramps

       b. it is badly cut                 d. it is stung by a Portuguese man-of-war

31. What does Santiago see that makes him realize "no man was ever alone on the sea"

       a. Porpoises                c. a flock of ducks

       b. another boat           d. the stars

32. How many feet longer than Santiago's skiff is the marlin?

      a. 2                        c. 5

      b. 10                     d. 15

33. What injury does Joe DiMaggio have that Santiago obsesses about?

      a. broken finger           c. tendonitis

      b. pulled hamstring     d. bone spur

34. Where was the great "Negro" from against whom Santiago arm-wrestled in his youth?

       a. Cienfuegos               c. Ghana

       b. Cardenas                  d. Havana

35. How long did Santiago's arm-wrestling match last?

       a. all day and all night        c. 3 days

       b. all day                              d. all night

36. What was Santiago called after his arm-wrestling match

       a. The Rock                  c. The Great Santiago

       b. St. Santiago             d. The Champion

37. What does Santiago do to increase drag on the boat?

       a. ties two oars together across the stern

       b. lowers his legs into the water

       c. paddles the opposite way

       d. drops anchor

38. Why does Santiago not let his lines drift like the other fishermen?

       a. He is a stubborn man who prefers the old-fashioned way of fishing.

       b. He believes it is imprecise, and he strives always to be exact.

       c. It is dangerous, as he might become tangled with another boat

       d. He is no longer young or strong enough to control a drifting line.

39. What kind of fish does Santiago first catch?

       a. A tuna                     c. A marlin

       b. A shrimp                d. A Portuguese man-of-war

40. During his great struggle with the marlin, what does Santiago wish repeatedly?

       a. He wishes he were younger.

       b. He wishes for better equipment.

       c. He wishes that the fishermen who mocked him earlier were present to witness his victory.

       d. He wishes that the boy, Manolin, were with him.

41. In what year was The Old Man and the Sea published?

       a. 1950                  c. 1951

       b. 1952                  d. 1953

42. As his first full day of fighting with the fish wears on, what does Santiago begin to think about

his adversary?

      a. He praises the fish because it promises to bring a wonderful price at market.

      b. He considers that he and the marlin are brothers, joined by the fact that they both ventured

far out beyond all people and dangers in the water.

      c. He detests the fish for its vigor and vitality.

      d. He believes that the fish is a test of his worth, sent to him by God.

43. What does the weary warbler that lands on Santiago’s fishing line make the old man think of?

      a. The probability that he, like the bird, will never make it back to land

      b. The predatory hawks that await the bird’s arrival near land

      c. The hidden strength of the weak

      d. The beauty of the natural world

44. In order to help himself catch the fish, what does Santiago do?

      a. He promises to pay more attention to Manolin upon his return

      b. He decides to recite ten Hail Marys and ten Our Fathers

      c. He lightens the boat by throwing all unnecessary weight overboard.

      d. He ties the skiff to a buoy so that the fish cannot pull it farther out to sea.

45. Why does the thought of selling the fish’s meat disappoint the old man?

       a. He knows people will cook the marlin, but it is best eaten raw.

       b. Market prices are low, and Santiago will get only a fraction of what the fish is worth.

       c. Because marlin has an unpleasant taste, Santiago wishes he caught something that made for better eating, like a shark.

      d. The people who will eat the meat are unworthy.

46. What does the old man remove and eat from the belly of a dolphin?

      a. Shrimp                c. Flying fish

      b. Seaweed             d. Piranha

47. How does Santiago finally kill the marlin?

       a. He harpoons it through the heart.

       b. He stabs it between the eyes.

       c. He lashes it to the inside of the boat.

       d. He bashes its head with his club.

48. How long does it take for the sharks to arrive and attack the marlin in The Old Man and the

Sea?

       a. Ten minutes          c. One hour

       b. Six hours               d. A full day

49. After the shark attack, Santiago reflects that destruction is inevitable. How does he articulate

this philosophy?

       a. The world is such an inhospitable place that no death should be mourned.

       b. Out, out, brief candle!

       c. Even the worthiest opponents must fall.

       d. Everything in the world kills everything else in some way

50. What happens upon the old man’s return to his fishing village in The Old Man and the Sea?

       a. Manolin promises to sail with him.

       b. The fishermen mock Santiago for the folly of sailing out so far.

       c. Tourists ask the old man to recount his adventures.

       d. A statue is erected in his honor.

51. The old man in The Old Man and the Sea remembers that once, when he killed a female marlin,

the male marlin

       a. Bit the tail off the female

       b. Returned with a posse of marlins seeking revenge

       c. Made a sound like there were nails being driven through his fins

       d. Swam alongside the boat as though in mourning

52. O Henry is the pen name of which of the following authors?

       a. Anton Chekhov          c. Samuel Langhorn Clement

       b. Thomas Hardy          d. William Sydney Porter

53. Human greed and meddling with the natural order of things is the main theme of _________.

        a. Misery                   c. The Phoenix

        b. Miss Brill              d. Of White Hairs and Cricket

54. In The Phoenix, where did Lord Strawberry get the phoenix from?

        a. England                  c. France

        b. Arabia                     d. India

55. What happens at the end of the story The Phoenix ?

        a. Poldero makes a lot of money.

        b. Poldero becomes very famous with the death and rebirth of the phoenix.

        c. The flames of the phoenix’s death kill Poldero and the viewers.

       d. The phoenix learns to love Poldero.

56. Who wrote the short story The Phoenix?

       a. Rohinton Mistry              c. James Joyce

       b. Somerset Maugham      d. Sylvia Townsend Warner

57. The story Of White Hairs and Cricket is written by___________.

        a. Rohinton Mistry              c. Charles Dickens

        b. Katherine Mansfield      d. O Henry

58. Name the anthology from which the story Of White Hairs and Cricket is taken.

        a. Kingdom of Elfins

        b. Swimming Lessons and Other Stories

        c. Interpreter of Maladies

        d. Swami and Friends

59. What is the narrative style adopted in the story Of White Hairs and Cricket?

        a. Second person narrative

        b. Third Person narrative

        c. Omniscient narrator

        d. First person narrative

60. How old is the narrator Kersi Boyce in the story Of White Hairs and Cricket?

        a. 10                    c. 13

        b. 14                    d. 15

61. In the story Of White Hairs and Cricket what do the white hairs that Kersi has to pull from his

father’s head symbolize?

        a. unemployment            c. time

        b. Wisdom                        d. ugliness

62. The sight of Viraf’s dying father is an __________ in the story Of White Hairs and Cricket.

        a. Epiphany               c. accident

        b. Exertion                d. encumbrance

63. The reoccurrence of cricket in Of White Hairs and Cricket symbolizes_____________

       a. Love of sport                              c. World of competition

       b. Longing to be a child again      d. Patriotism

64. In the story Of Schools and Schools __________ is a wealthy man who doesn’t have children of

his own but brings up his friend’s son, his step niece and finally cares for his brother’s daughter.

         a. Lord Strawberry         c. Poledro

         b. Old Jerome Warren   d. Santiago

65. What is Gilbert’s profession in Of Schools and Schools?

         a. Artist         c. musician

         b. Teacher     d. businessman

66. Why is the story called Of Schools and Schools?

         a. Old Jerome Warren’s house was like a school.

         b. Neveda was not educated so it is a pun on this.

         c. Old Jerome Warren ran an education business.

         d. None of the above

67. Why did Barbara mislead Neveda on the contents of Gilbert’s letter in Of Schools and Schools?

         a. She wanted Neveda to make a fool of herself.

         b. She knew Gilbert loved Neveda.

         c. Barabara wanted to have a laugh.

         d. None of the above.

68. In Of Schools and Schools, where did Old Jerome Warren’s brother Dick go to seek out a

fortune?

         a. Australia              c. India

         b. West                     d. East

69. How old is Neveda Warren in the story Of Schools and Schools?

         a. 17                         c. 18

         b. 19                         d. 20

70. In Of Schools and Schools how does Barbara know that Neveda’s letter is from Gilbert?

       a. His name is written on it.

       b. His stationery was different.

       c. It was marked by a gold palette in a corner.

       d. Gilbert always wrote to Neveda.

71. Where was Neveda when the letter arrived for her Of Schools and Schools?

       a. She had gone out for a drive       c. She was out working.

       b. she had gone to the theatre.       d. She was in church

72. In Of Schools and Schools, on the way to Gilbert’s studio past midnight, Neveda is stopped by a

policeman. Where does she tell him she is going?

        a. drugstore                  c. hospital

        b. church                       d. relative’s house

73. In the story The Diamond Necklace the narrator suggests that Mathilde’s problem is that she__.

         a. needs a job to give her self-worth

         b. was born into the wrong social class

         c. does not know how to spend her vast wealth

         d. does not really love her husband

74. In the story The Diamond Necklace Mathilde envies the social class and wealth of others

because_______

         a. she was born wealthy but wants to be even wealthier.

         b. she feels that she deserves a more beautiful life.

         c. her husband is very demanding.

         d. she has many rich friends.

75. Why does Mathilde borrow a necklace from Mme Forestier in The Diamond Necklace?

         a. she does not have fine jewellery.

         b. all her jewels are in the bank.

         c. she is afraid of wearing diamonds as she may lose them.

         d. Mme Forestier offers her one and she cannot refuse her kindness.

76. In The Diamond Necklace why don’t the Loisels tell Mme. Forestier that the necklace has been

lost?

        a. They fear Mme. Forestier will mock them

        b. They do not care what anyone thinks of them.

        c. The minister advises M. Loisel not to tell the truth.

        d. They are ashamed to admit their carelessness.

77. In The Diamond Necklace the Loisels manage to replace the necklace by __________.

        a. borrowing it all

        b. stealing it.

        c. borrowing some, reducing their standard of living and working very hard.

        d. working very hard but not reducing their standard of living.

78. In The Diamond Necklace Mathilde seems happiest when she __________

        a. attends the big party           c. replaces the necklace

        b. gets the party invitation      d. finally pays off her debt

79. Mme. Forestier responds to Mathilde’s final revelation with ___________ in The Diamond

Necklace.

        a. cruel mockery                             c. a scream of terror

        b. compassion and generosity      d. amazement

80. At the end of the story The Diamond Necklace it becomes clear that ____________.

           a. the Loisels will soon become wealthy

           b. the Loisels have learned an important lesson about thrift

           c. the Loisels have suffered needlessly

           d. Mme. Forestier will help the Loisels

81. Which of the following statements best summarizes The Diamond Necklace?

          a. A woman who wants to make a good impression goes to a dance.

          b. An expensive necklace is lost and needs to be replaced.

          c. A woman buys an expensive dress and borrows a diamond necklace.

         d. In pursuit of recognition, a woman is driven to financial ruin.

82. This story The Diamond Necklace is told from the _______

         a. third-person                    c. first-person point of view

         b. omniscient third person point of view                                               d. second-person point of view

83. The point of view used by the author in The Diamond Necklace helps the reader to

          a. see what Mme. Forestier really thinks of Mathilde

          b. understand the details of M. Loisel’s life as a clerk

          c. know why Mathilde is unhappy with her life

          d. know what each character thinks of Mathilde

84. Who is the author of the short story Miss Brill?

        a. Katherine Mansfield         c. Jane Austen

        b. Rohinton Mistry                 d. Anton Chekhov

85. What nationality is Miss Brill?

        a. French                         c. English

        b. Polish                          d. American

86. What is Miss Brill’s profession?

        a. English teacher          c. tourist guide

        b. gardener                     d. housewife

87. What does Miss Brill like to wear believing that it is fashionable and attractive?

        a. stockings                     c. fox stole

        b. veiled hat                     d. high heeled shoes

88. What does Miss Brill imagine about both herself and the other people in the park?

        a. That no one can understand anyone else.

        b. That they are all actors in a play.

        c. That they are all enslaved.

        d. That they are all dead.

89. What is Miss Brill’s favourite Sunday pastime?

        a. bike riding                c. eavesdropping

        b. strolling                    d. painting outdoors

90. What is the setting of the story Miss Brill?

         a. The Sorbonne          c. The Jardin Publiques

         b. The Louvre               d. Montmart

91. How does the young couple treat Miss Brill?

         a. respectfully              c. as a mother figure

         b. disdainfully              d. indifferently

92. On the Sunday of the story Miss Brill misses out on her usual practice of __________.

        a. singing on the way back.    c. doing her weekly shopping

        b. visiting a neighbor               d. buying a slice of honeycake

93. When Miss Brill reaches home, she hears a cry. Where does it actually come from?

       a. from her fox stole

       b. from deep within her

       c. from her cat

       d. from the neighbour’s house.

94. Who is the story Misery by?

       a. Anton Chekhov         c. Ernest Hemingway

       b. Thomas Hardy         d. Rohinton Mistry

95. What is the name of the central character of the story Misery?

       a. Petrovsky           c. Iona Potapov

       b. Yuri                     d. Levin

96. In the story Misery what is haunting Potapov?

       a. his wife’s death        c. his illness

       b. his son’s death         d. his poverty

97. What is the theme of the story Misery?

          a. human indifference      c. death

          b. illness                            d. poverty

98. What was the name of the sledge driver’s son in Misery?

          a. Dmitri                  c. Maxim

          b. Michel                 d. Kuzmalonitch

99. Who is the first person to get onto Potapov’s sledge?

         a. an officer             c. an old man

         b. a hunchback       d. a couple of young men.

100. Who does Potapov finally manage to unburden his grief to?

        a. the officer            c. his mare

        b. the hunchback    d. a fellow cabman

101. How many days did Potapov’s son lie in the hospital for?

        a. three days            c. a week

        b. one day                d. a month

102. Anton Chekhov in Misery portrays a human being who is faced with the passive indifference of

human beings. Which other short story that you have studied portrays the same dilemma?

        a. The Phoenix                    c. Of White Hairs and Cricket

        b. Schools and Schools     d. Miss Brill