Unit Test - 3

 

📚 English Literature MCQs

90 Important Multiple Choice Questions with Answers

🌟 For School & Competitive Examination Preparation 🌟

📌 Instructions: Read each question carefully and choose the correct option. The answer is given below each question for easy self-checking.

📖 PART – I: A Psalm of Life

Poet: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

🌟 30 Important MCQs

1. Who is the poet of "A Psalm of Life"?

⭕ A) William Wordsworth

⭕ B) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

⭕ C) W.B. Yeats

⭕ D) Robert Frost

✅ Answer: B) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

2. What nationality was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow?

⭕ A) British

⭕ B) Irish

⭕ C) American

⭕ D) Scottish

✅ Answer: C) American

3. In 1884, Longfellow became the first citizen of which country to be honored in Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey?

⭕ A) Canada

⭕ B) Australia

⭕ C) United States

⭕ D) Ireland

✅ Answer: C) United States

4. To which genre of poetry does "A Psalm of Life" belong?

⭕ A) Carpe diem

⭕ B) Sonnet

⭕ C) Elegy

⭕ D) Ballad

✅ Answer: A) Carpe diem

5. What view does the speaker challenge in the opening stanzas of the poem?

⭕ A) That life is real and earnest

⭕ B) That life is merely an empty dream

⭕ C) That we should act in the present

⭕ D) That death is not the end

✅ Answer: B) That life is merely an empty dream

6. What does the poet state about life in the second stanza?

⭕ A) "Life is short and meaningless"

⭕ B) "Life is real! Life is earnest!"

⭕ C) "Life is mostly froth and bubble"

⭕ D) "Life is a passing shadow"

✅ Answer: B) "Life is real! Life is earnest!"

7. "And the grave is not its goal" implies that:

⭕ A) People never die

⭕ B) Death is the ultimate purpose of life

⭕ C) Death is not the end of the soul's existence

⭕ D) Graves should be avoided

✅ Answer: C) Death is not the end of the soul's existence

8. The phrase "Dust thou art, to dust returnest" is a direct allusion to:

⭕ A) The Bible

⭕ B) Greek Mythology

⭕ C) Shakespearean drama

⭕ D) Ancient Roman law

✅ Answer: A) The Bible

9. According to the poet, the biblical statement "Dust thou art, to dust returnest" was NOT spoken of the:

⭕ A) Body

⭕ B) Mind

⭕ C) Soul

⭕ D) Flesh

✅ Answer: C) Soul

10. What is NOT our destined end or way according to Stanza 3?

⭕ A) Continuous action

⭕ B) Enjoyment, or sorrow

⭕ C) Progressing each day

⭕ D) Becoming a good influence

✅ Answer: B) Enjoyment, or sorrow

11. Complete the famous line: "Art is long, and Time is _____."

⭕ A) Passing

⭕ B) Fleeting

⭕ C) Waiting

⭕ D) Endless

✅ Answer: B) Fleeting

12. Our hearts, though stout and brave, beat like muted drums performing a march to:

⭕ A) Battle

⭕ B) The grave

⭕ C) Victory

⭕ D) Glory

✅ Answer: B) The grave

13. In the "world's broad field of battle," the poet urges us to be a:

⭕ A) Silent spectator

⭕ B) Hero in the strife

⭕ C) Cautious follower

⭕ D) Ruler of men

✅ Answer: B) Hero in the strife

14. What does the poet advise us NOT to be in the battle of life?

⭕ A) Dumb, driven cattle

⭕ B) Active participants

⭕ C) Brave soldiers

⭕ D) Thoughtful leaders

✅ Answer: A) Dumb, driven cattle

15. Why does the poet tell us to "Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!"?

⭕ A) The future is always painful

⭕ B) The future is uncertain and unpredictable

⭕ C) The future already happened

⭕ D) The future brings old age

✅ Answer: B) The future is uncertain and unpredictable

16. What should we do with the "dead Past"?

⭕ A) Remember it daily

⭕ B) Let the dead Past bury its dead

⭕ C) Recreate it in the present

⭕ D) Regret its mistakes

✅ Answer: B) Let the dead Past bury its dead

17. Which period of time does the poet urge us to act in?

⭕ A) Future

⭕ B) Past

⭕ C) Living Present

⭕ D) Eternity

✅ Answer: C) Living Present

18. What two guiding forces does the poet mention when acting in the present?

⭕ A) Wealth within, and Fame o'erhead

⭕ B) Heart within, and God o'erhead

⭕ C) Strength within, and Fate o'erhead

⭕ D) Mind within, and Nature o'erhead

✅ Answer: B) Heart within, and God o'erhead

19. What do the lives of great men remind us?

⭕ A) That wealth brings happiness

⭕ B) That we can make our lives sublime

⭕ C) That fame is permanent

⭕ D) That struggle is useless

✅ Answer: B) That we can make our lives sublime

20. What can great men leave behind when they die?

⭕ A) Monuments of marble

⭕ B) Footprints on the sands of time

⭕ C) Massive wealth

⭕ D) Secret wisdom

✅ Answer: B) Footprints on the sands of time

21. Who might take heart again upon seeing these "footprints"?

⭕ A) A wealthy merchant

⭕ B) A forlorn and shipwrecked brother

⭕ C) A victorious king

⭕ D) A lazy spectator

✅ Answer: B) A forlorn and shipwrecked brother

22. What quality should we have for "any fate" according to the final stanza?

⭕ A) A fearful mind

⭕ B) A heart for any fate

⭕ C) A sorrowful spirit

⭕ D) An arrogant attitude

✅ Answer: B) A heart for any fate

23. What two actions does the last line of the poem urge us to learn?

⭕ A) To fight and to win

⭕ B) To labor and to wait

⭕ C) To rest and to sleep

⭕ D) To dream and to act

✅ Answer: B) To labor and to wait

24. What is a "quatrain"?

⭕ A) A two-line stanza

⭕ B) A four-line stanza

⭕ C) A six-line stanza

⭕ D) An eight-line stanza

✅ Answer: B) A four-line stanza

25. What is the rhyme scheme of each stanza in "A Psalm of Life"?

⭕ A) AABB

⭕ B) ABAB

⭕ C) ABBA

⭕ D) ABCB

✅ Answer: B) ABAB

26. What is the recurrent syllable pattern in each four-line stanza of the poem?

⭕ A) 10, 10, 10, 10

⭕ B) 8, 7, 8, 7

⭕ C) 6, 8, 6, 8

⭕ D) 7, 7, 7, 7

✅ Answer: B) 8, 7, 8, 7

27. What literal meaning does the word "Psalm" carry?

⭕ A) A tragic tale

⭕ B) A sacred song or hymn

⭕ C) A battle cry

⭕ D) A love letter

✅ Answer: B) A sacred song or hymn

28. What years mark the lifespan of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow?

⭕ A) 1807 – 1882

⭕ B) 1833 – 1870

⭕ C) 1865 – 1939

⭕ D) 1770 – 1850

✅ Answer: A) 1807 – 1882

29. The metaphor "sands of time" refers to:

⭕ A) The beach at sunset

⭕ B) The transient nature of human history and existence

⭕ C) Hourglasses used in ancient times

⭕ D) Desert storms

✅ Answer: B) The transient nature of human history and existence

30. Overall, the tone of "A Psalm of Life" can be best described as:

⭕ A) Pessimistic and gloomy

⭕ B) Optimistic, inspiring, and didactic

⭕ C) Melancholic and romantic

⭕ D) Cynical and sarcastic

✅ Answer: B) Optimistic, inspiring, and didactic

🕵️ PART – II: Mystery of the Missing Cap

Author: Manoj Das

🌟 30 Important MCQs

1. Who is the author of the story "Mystery of the Missing Cap"?

⭕ A) Saroj Raj Chaudhury

⭕ B) Manoj Das

⭕ C) O. Henry

⭕ D) R.K. Narayan

✅ Answer: B) Manoj Das

2. Where was Manoj Das a Professor of English?

⭕ A) Utkal University

⭕ B) Sri Aurobindo International University, Pondicherry

⭕ C) Delhi University

⭕ D) Ravenshaw University

✅ Answer: B) Sri Aurobindo International University, Pondicherry

3. How long ago did the episode of the missing cap take place relative to when the narrator recounts it?

⭕ A) Ten years ago

⭕ B) Two decades ago

⭕ C) Three decades ago

⭕ D) Fifty years ago

✅ Answer: B) Two decades ago

4. Which portfolio was held by Babu Virkishore?

⭕ A) Agriculture and Health

⭕ B) Fisheries and Fine Arts

⭕ C) Home Affairs and Culture

⭕ D) Education and Sports

✅ Answer: B) Fisheries and Fine Arts

5. What distinction did Sri Moharana's house have in an area of twenty villages?

⭕ A) It was the largest mud house

⭕ B) It was the only pukka house

⭕ C) It was the only house with a garden

⭕ D) It had a high boundary wall

✅ Answer: B) It was the only pukka house

6. When was Sri Moharana's house whitewashed?

⭕ A) During the Minister's visit

⭕ B) On the eve of India achieving independence

⭕ C) During a local festival

⭕ D) Half a century ago

✅ Answer: B) On the eve of India achieving independence

7. What political ambition did Sri Moharana nurse?

⭕ A) To become the Chairman of the Reception Committee

⭕ B) To become a Member of the State Legislature

⭕ C) To become a Union Minister

⭕ D) To become the Village Sarpanch

✅ Answer: B) To become a Member of the State Legislature

8. Where was the narrator staying when he witnessed the incident as a small boy?

⭕ A) At his paternal home

⭕ B) At his maternal uncle's house

⭕ C) At a boarding school

⭕ D) At Sri Moharana's house

✅ Answer: B) At his maternal uncle's house

9. How many days prior to the reception did Sri Moharana give up his habit of sleeping an hour in the afternoon?

⭕ A) Five days

⭕ B) Seven days

⭕ C) Ten days

⭕ D) Fifteen days

✅ Answer: C) Ten days

10. What was placed over Sri Moharana's ancestral cane chair for the minister?

⭕ A) A velvet blanket

⭕ B) A linen cover laced by the best village seamstress

⭕ C) A silk cushion

⭕ D) A handwoven carpet

✅ Answer: B) A linen cover laced by the best village seamstress

11. How did the minister arrive at the outskirts of the village?

⭕ A) On an elephant

⭕ B) In a car

⭕ C) In a jeep

⭕ D) On a horse

✅ Answer: C) In a jeep

12. How is Babu Virkishore described physically as he walked through the village street?

⭕ A) Tall and thin

⭕ B) Elephantine

⭕ C) Short and nimble

⭕ D) Fragile

✅ Answer: B) Elephantine

13. Who took the minister's cap from the window table while he was sleeping?

⭕ A) The narrator

⭕ B) Jhandoo the monkey

⭕ C) A village thief

⭕ D) Sri Moharana

✅ Answer: B) Jhandoo the monkey

14. Why didn't the narrator shout when he saw Jhandoo take the cap?

⭕ A) Out of affection for Jhandoo and fear of stopping the minister's snoring

⭕ B) Because he was unable to speak

⭕ C) Because he wanted to keep the cap himself

⭕ D) Because Sri Moharana told him to remain quiet

✅ Answer: A) Out of affection for Jhandoo and fear of stopping the minister's snoring

15. How did the minister's Personal Assistant (P.A.) behave after the cap went missing?

⭕ A) He blamed Sri Moharana directly

⭕ B) He flitted about like a butterfly mumbling "Mysterious, mysterious!"

⭕ C) He reported the matter to the police immediately

⭕ D) He cancelled the ceremony on the spot

✅ Answer: B) He flitted about like a butterfly mumbling "Mysterious, mysterious!"

16. According to the Public Relations Officer, what bothered the minister most about the cap?

⭕ A) Its monetary value

⭕ B) The way it was taken

⭕ C) That it was brand new

⭕ D) That he did not bring a spare cap

✅ Answer: B) The way it was taken

17. How many people had gathered before the stage for the minister's reception?

⭕ A) Two thousand

⭕ B) No less than five thousand

⭕ C) Ten thousand

⭕ D) One thousand

✅ Answer: B) No less than five thousand

18. Who garlanded the minister on stage?

⭕ A) Sri Moharana

⭕ B) Sri Moharana's wife

⭕ C) Sri Moharana's niece

⭕ D) The village priest

✅ Answer: C) Sri Moharana's niece

19. What distinction did Sri Moharana's niece hold in the area?

⭕ A) She was the first female teacher

⭕ B) She was the lone High-School-educated girl of the area

⭕ C) She was the village seamstress

⭕ D) She was the village head's daughter

✅ Answer: B) She was the lone High-School-educated girl of the area

20. Which musical instruments accompanied the chorus 'O mighty minister'?

⭕ A) Flute and tabla

⭕ B) Two harmoniums, a violin, and a khol

⭕ C) Sitar and dholak

⭕ D) Harmonium and tanpura

✅ Answer: B) Two harmoniums, a violin, and a khol

21. How long did Sri Moharana speak during his welcome address as Chairman?

⭕ A) Half an hour

⭕ B) Nearly an hour

⭕ C) Two hours

⭕ D) Fifteen minutes

✅ Answer: B) Nearly an hour

22. What explanation did Sri Moharana invent to address the missing cap during his speech?

⭕ A) That a monkey threw it into the pond

⭕ B) That a nobleman took it to preserve as a sacred memento

⭕ C) That it was blown away by the wind

⭕ D) That it was sent to a museum

✅ Answer: B) That a nobleman took it to preserve as a sacred memento

23. How much money did Sri Moharana claim the "nobleman" donated to the minister's mission?

⭕ A) Fifty rupees

⭕ B) One hundred and one rupees

⭕ C) Five hundred rupees

⭕ D) One thousand rupees

✅ Answer: B) One hundred and one rupees

24. What decision did the minister make regarding his head for the rest of the night after hearing Sri Moharana's speech?

⭕ A) To wear a silk turban

⭕ B) To remain bare-headed as a mark of respect to his unknown admirer

⭕ C) To wear a fresh white cap

⭕ D) To leave the village immediately

✅ Answer: B) To remain bare-headed as a mark of respect to his unknown admirer

25. How long did the minister speak to the audience during the ceremony?

⭕ A) One hour

⭕ B) Two and a half hours

⭕ C) Three hours

⭕ D) Forty-five minutes

✅ Answer: B) Two and a half hours

26. What was served to the minister in his cabin prior to his departure?

⭕ A) A cup of hot tea

⭕ B) A glass of sweetened curd

⭕ C) A glass of coconut water

⭕ D) A bowl of fresh fruits

✅ Answer: B) A glass of sweetened curd

27. Why had Jhandoo's mother originally taken shelter inside Sri Moharana's house?

⭕ A) To escape a flood

⭕ B) To save her male child from the wrath of his father

⭕ C) To hide from wild dogs

⭕ D) To find food

✅ Answer: B) To save her male child from the wrath of his father

28. How did Jhandoo return the cap to the minister on the veranda?

⭕ A) He threw it at the minister

⭕ B) He put it once on his own head, took it off, and offered it with a genial gesture

⭕ C) He dropped it into the water mug

⭕ D) He gave it to Sri Moharana first

✅ Answer: B) He put it once on his own head, took it off, and offered it with a genial gesture

29. What did Sri Moharana utter when the minister asked if the monkey was the "nobleman"?

⭕ A) "No, this is just a monkey."

⭕ B) "Yes, this is the nobleman...."

⭕ C) "I do not know who this is."

⭕ D) "Forgive me, Hon'ble Minister!"

✅ Answer: B) "Yes, this is the nobleman...."

30. What was the ultimate political consequence of the missing cap episode for Sri Moharana and Babu Virkishore?

⭕ A) Both became national leaders

⭕ B) Sri Moharana became a minister, and Babu Virkishore retired

⭕ C) Sri Moharana's political career ended before it began, and Babu Virkishore was soon forgotten in politics

⭕ D) They both started a new political party

✅ Answer: C) Sri Moharana's political career ended before it began, and Babu Virkishore was soon forgotten in politics

👵 PART – III: The Portrait of a Lady

Author: Khushwant Singh

🌟 30 Important MCQs

1. Who is the author of "The Portrait of a Lady"?

⭕ A) R.K. Narayan

⭕ B) Khushwant Singh

⭕ C) Ruskin Bond

⭕ D) Manoj Das

✅ Answer: B) Khushwant Singh

2. What was the name of Khushwant Singh's widely read weekly column?

⭕ A) With Malice towards One and All

⭕ B) The Sunday Chronicle

⭕ C) Truth, Love and a Little Malice

⭕ D) Indian Social Life

✅ Answer: A) With Malice towards One and All

3. Where was the portrait of the author's grandfather hung?

⭕ A) In the bedroom

⭕ B) Above the mantelpiece in the drawing-room

⭕ C) Near the main entrance

⭕ D) In the village temple

✅ Answer: B) Above the mantelpiece in the drawing-room

4. What kind of attire did the grandfather wear in his portrait?

⭕ A) A suit and tie

⭕ B) A big turban and loose-fitting clothes

⭕ C) A dhoti and kurta

⭕ D) A simple white robe

✅ Answer: B) A big turban and loose-fitting clothes

5. How old did the grandfather appear in his portrait?

⭕ A) Around 60 years old

⭕ B) Around 80 years old

⭕ C) At least a hundred years old

⭕ D) Under 50 years old

✅ Answer: C) At least a hundred years old

6. For how many years had the author known his grandmother as old and wrinkled?

⭕ A) Ten years

⭕ B) Fifteen years

⭕ C) Twenty years

⭕ D) Thirty years

✅ Answer: C) Twenty years

7. What thought was "almost revolting" to the author?

⭕ A) That his grandmother was once young and pretty

⭕ B) That his grandfather was a teacher

⭕ C) That his grandmother had no religion

⭕ D) That they would move to the city

✅ Answer: A) That his grandmother was once young and pretty

8. How did the children treat the stories of the games the grandmother played in her youth?

⭕ A) Like real history

⭕ B) Like fables of the Prophets

⭕ C) Like boring lectures

⭕ D) Like frightening ghost stories

✅ Answer: B) Like fables of the Prophets

9. Which physical description best fits the grandmother?

⭕ A) Tall, thin, and straight

⭕ B) Short, fat, and slightly bent

⭕ C) Medium height and agile

⭕ D) Short, slender, and energetic

✅ Answer: B) Short, fat, and slightly bent

10. What did the grandmother do with her hands while hobbling around the house?

⭕ A) One rested on her waist to balance her stoop, and the other told the beads of her rosary

⭕ B) Both hands held a walking stick

⭕ C) She carried books and food

⭕ D) One hand held a wooden stool, and the other held a lantern

✅ Answer: A) One rested on her waist to balance her stoop, and the other told the beads of her rosary

11. What color clothes did the grandmother always wear?

⭕ A) Light blue

⭕ B) Spotless white

⭕ C) Saffron

⭕ D) Pale yellow

✅ Answer: B) Spotless white

12. The grandmother’s peaceful appearance is compared to which natural scenery?

⭕ A) A quiet river in summer

⭕ B) The winter landscape in the mountains

⭕ C) A calm forest at dawn

⭕ D) The ocean at night

✅ Answer: B) The winter landscape in the mountains

13. What were the grandmother's lips constantly moving in?

⭕ A) Loud arguments

⭕ B) Inaudible prayer

⭕ C) Singing folk songs

⭕ D) Whispering gossip

✅ Answer: B) Inaudible prayer

14. Why did the author stay with his grandmother in the village initially?

⭕ A) His parents went to live in the city

⭕ B) He was studying at a village boarding school

⭕ C) He preferred the village environment

⭕ D) His grandmother was ill

✅ Answer: A) His parents went to live in the city

15. What did the grandmother feed the village dogs with on their way back from school?

⭕ A) Milk and rice

⭕ B) Fresh biscuits

⭕ C) Stale chapatis

⭕ D) Bones and meat

✅ Answer: C) Stale chapatis

16. Where was the author’s village school located?

⭕ A) Next to a river

⭕ B) Attached to the village temple

⭕ C) In the village square

⭕ D) Inside a mud cottage

✅ Answer: B) Attached to the village temple

17. What did the priest teach the children at the village school?

⭕ A) Mathematics and Science

⭕ B) History and Geography

⭕ C) The alphabet and the morning prayer

⭕ D) English grammar

✅ Answer: C) The alphabet and the morning prayer

18. Why was the grandmother unhappy with the education at the English school in the city?

⭕ A) They taught science and no lessons on God and scriptures

⭕ B) The school was too far from home

⭕ C) The teachers were too strict

⭕ D) The author had to wear a uniform

✅ Answer: A) They taught science and no lessons on God and scriptures

19. According to the grandmother, music was the monopoly of:

⭕ A) Royalty and scholars

⭕ B) Harlots and beggars

⭕ C) Temple priests and singers

⭕ D) Village folk

✅ Answer: B) Harlots and beggars

20. How did the author travel to his city school?

⭕ A) Walking with his grandmother

⭕ B) By a bicycle

⭕ C) In a motor bus

⭕ D) By a horse cart

✅ Answer: C) In a motor bus

21. What replaced the village dogs when the family shifted to the city?

⭕ A) Stray cats

⭕ B) Pigeons on the terrace

⭕ C) Sparrows in the courtyard

⭕ D) Cows on the street

✅ Answer: C) Sparrows in the courtyard

22. What was the happiest half-hour of the day for the grandmother in the city?

⭕ A) Reading scriptures in the morning

⭕ B) Spinning the wheel in the afternoon

⭕ C) Feeding the sparrows in the afternoon

⭕ D) Talking to the author in the evening

✅ Answer: C) Feeding the sparrows in the afternoon

23. When was the common link of friendship between the author and his grandmother snapped?

⭕ A) When they moved to the city

⭕ B) When the author started going to the English school

⭕ C) When the author went to university and was given his own room

⭕ D) When the author went abroad

✅ Answer: C) When the author went to university and was given his own room

24. How long was the author abroad for higher studies?

⭕ A) Two years

⭕ B) Three years

⭕ C) Five years

⭕ D) Seven years

✅ Answer: C) Five years

25. How did the grandmother celebrate the author's return from abroad?

⭕ A) She threw a grand feast for the village

⭕ B) She collected neighborhood women, beat an old drum, and sang for hours

⭕ C) She distributed sweets at the local temple

⭕ D) She took him on a pilgrimage

✅ Answer: B) She collected neighborhood women, beat an old drum, and sang for hours

26. What unusual thing happened the evening before the grandmother fell ill?

⭕ A) She refused to eat

⭕ B) She forgot to pray for the first time

⭕ C) She gave away all her possessions

⭕ D) She wept bitterly

✅ Answer: B) She forgot to pray for the first time

27. How did the grandmother react when her family tried to persuade her to rest and stop talking?

⭕ A) She became angry

⭕ B) She ignored their protests and lay peacefully praying and telling her beads

⭕ C) She started crying

⭕ D) She agreed immediately and slept

✅ Answer: B) She ignored their protests and lay peacefully praying and telling her beads

28. How did the sparrows express their grief over the grandmother's death?

⭕ A) They chirped loudly all around her body

⭕ B) They sat silently in thousands without chirping or eating bread crumbs

⭕ C) They flew away immediately when the body was covered

⭕ D) They built a nest on her window sill

✅ Answer: B) They sat silently in thousands without chirping or eating bread crumbs

29. What did the author's mother do when she saw the quiet sparrows?

⭕ A) She shooed them away

⭕ B) She broke bread into small crumbs and threw it to them

⭕ C) She offered them water in a bowl

⭕ D) She covered them with a cloth

✅ Answer: B) She broke bread into small crumbs and threw it to them

30. What happened to the bread crumbs thrown to the sparrows after the grandmother's body was carried off?

⭕ A) The sparrows ate them quickly

⭕ B) Ants gathered around them

⭕ C) The sweeper swept them into the dustbin the next morning

⭕ D) Dogs ate them during the night

✅ Answer: C) The sweeper swept them into the dustbin the next morning

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