Previous Years Brief Questions | Introduction to Prose: Fiction and Non-Fiction

 

2015

a. When did the Battle of Gettysburg take place?

Ans: The Battle of Gettysburg occurred in Gettysburg from July 1 to July 3, 1863.

b. From whom did Rabindranath Tagore receive the Knighthood?

Ans: Rabindranath Tagore received the Knighthood from the British King George v.

c. What does Bacon suggest for a man whose mind wanders?

Ans: For a man whose mind wanders, Bacon suggests studying mathematics.

d. Who did the elephant kill?

Ans: The elephant killed a black Dravidian Coolie.

e. What was Martin Luther King’s dream? 

Ans: His dream was racial equality.

f. On What excuse did the lady guest drink Champagne?

Ans: The lady guest chose champagne because her doctor wouldn’t let her drink anything without champagne.

g. Why didn’t Godfrey marry Molly?

Ans: Godfrey didn’t marry Molly because Molly was opium addicted.

h. What did Mandela promise in his inauguration? 

Ans: He promised to obey and uphold the constitution and to devote himself to the well-being of the republic and its people.

i. What was the feeling of the narrator when he left Araby?

Ans: He felt humiliated, humbled, anguished and angry.

j. What do the cat desired, and the cat found symbolized?

Ans: Here, the ‘cat desired’ symbolizes a child, which the woman desires, and the ‘cat found’ symbolizes her first step toward a grown-up life.

k. Who had the garage key, and where did he keep it? 

Ans: The driver had the garage key and hung it from a nail on the wall under his work shirt.

I. What is criticised in the short story “The Garden Party”? 

Ans: The class distinction that prevailed in contemporary society is criticised in the short story “The Garden Party”.

 

2016

a. What do studies serve for? 

Ans: Studies give pleasure, decorate conversation, and enhance abilities.

b. When did the Jalianwallahbag massacre take place? 

Ans: The Jalianwallahbag massacre took place on 13 April 1919.

c. Who is called Madiba?

Ans: Nelson Mandela.

d. When was the speech ‘I Have a Dream’ delivered?

Ans: August 28, 1963.

e. What is the real name of George Eliot?

Ans: Mary Ann Evans.

f. Who is Jehova?

Ans: Jehovah is a deity in Abrahamic religions, often identified with the God of Israel and Christianity.

g. What is the original name of O’Henry? 

Ans: William Sydney Porter.

h. What does ‘Araby’ stand for?

Ans: Araby stands for an ideal of romance and beauty.

i. Name the games the children play in ‘Games at Twilight’.

Ans: ‘The game of hide and seek’ and ‘The funeral game’.

j. Why did Laura want to stop the party? 

Ans: Laura wanted to stop the party as Mr Scott, one of their neighbours, died in an accident.

k. What is ‘Gatto’?

Ans: Gatto’ is an Italian word. The English for the word is ‘cat’.

I. How did the Burmese express their hatred towards the Europeans?

Ans: The Burmese expressed their hatred towards the Europeans by spitting betel juice over the dress of the European women or by stumbling the Europeans.

 

2017

a. Where did the author meet the lady for the second time? 

Ans: In a theatre.

b. Who was madam Safronie?

Ans: Madame Safronie owned the hair shop where Della sold her hair.

c. Who brought the news of Scott’s Death?

Ans: Godber’s man brought the news of Scott’s death.

d. When did Martin Luther King deliver his speech “I Have a Dream”?

Ans: August 28, 1963.

e. What tickled the back of Ravi’s neck?

Ans: An insect, probably a spider, tickled the back of Ravi’s neck.

f. What does the cat stand for?

Ans: In Hemingway’s “Cat in the Rain”, the cat symbolises a child that the woman desperately wants.

g. What does the term “aphorism” mean?

Ans: An aphorism is a short phrase or statement that reveals a truth or principle.

h. What is an epiphora?

Ans: An epiphora is a rhetorical term meaning the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of several clauses.

i. What is Knighthood?

Ans: A knighthood is a title a British king or queen gives a man for his achievements or service to his country.

j. How long did the elephant take to die after being shot? 

Ans: Half an hour.

k. What is an analogy? 

Ans: An analogy is a comparison that illustrates a concept by highlighting similarities between different things or ideas.

I. What, according to Mandela, is the greatest wealth of South Africa?

Ans: The South African People.

 

2018

a. What does Martin Luther King Jr mean by the phrase, “Long night of captivity’? 

Ans: Suffering for a long time because of racial discrimination.

b. When was Nelson Mandela awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?

Ans: In 1993, Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

c. Why did panic seize the writer during the luncheon? 

Ans: Panic seized the writer during the luncheon because he was worried about whether he had enough money to pay the bill.

d. What, according to Abraham Lincoln, is the duty of the living?

Ans: Lincoln urged living to ensure a “new birth of freedom,” preserving the Union and honouring the fallen at Gettysburg.

e. What were the two possessions in which Jim and Della took mighty pride?

Ans: One was Jim’s gold watch, and the other was Della’s hair.

f. What do you understand by the word “imperialism”? 

Ans: Imperialism is a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

g. Why, according to Bacon, do crafty men scorn studies?

Ans: Crafty men scorn studies because they consider studies useless.

h. What are the names of the children in “Games at Twilight “? 

Ans: Ravi, Raghu, Mira and Manu.

i. How is George portrayed as a husband in the short story, ‘Cat in the Rain’?

Ans: George is depicted as a very uncaring husband, totally indifferent to his wife’s needs and desires.

j. Who is Mrs. Sheridan?

Ans: Mrs. Sheridan is the mother of Laura.

k. What book did the narrator find in his house in the story “Araby”?

Ans: Abbot by Walter Scott, The Devour Communicant, the Memories of Vidocq.

I. Why did Silas leave his native town?

Ans: Silas left his own town village because of the betrayal of his friend, William Dane.

 

2019

a. What does the elephant symbolize in the essay “Shooting an Elephant”?

Ans: British Empire.

b. Who was the football champion in the story “Games at Twilight”?

Ans: Raghu.

c. What does the cat stand for in the short story ‘Cat in the Rain’?

Ans: In Hemingway’s “Cat in the Rain”, the cat symbolises a child that the woman desperately wants.

d. What type of writing is “Gettysburg Address”? 

Ans: It is an oratory.

e. What is the ‘momentous decree’ referred to by Martin Luther King in his speech ‘I Have a Dream’? Ans: The Emancipation Proclamation that was issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863.

f. How did the Anglo-Indian papers react to the Jalianwallahbag massacre?

Ans: To the utter shock and dismay of Indian people, the Anglo-Indian papers praised the callousness of the brutal killing in Jalianwallahbag.

g. What is the name of Mandela’s political party?

Ans: African National Congress (ANC..

h. Who are the Magi?

Ans: According to the Christian Bible, the Magi were the three wise men who came to Bethlehem with presents to pay homage to the newborn Christ.

i. What is aphorism?

Ans: Aphorism is a concise statement which expresses a truth or principle.

j. What does Silas inherit from his mother?

Ans: He has inherited from his mother his knowledge of herbs.

k. Who was Madame Safronie?

Ans: Madame Sofronie owned the hair shop where Della sold her hair.

I. How did the lady flatter the young writer?

Ans: The lady flattered the young writer by writing that she had read a book by him.

 

2020

a. Whom did the elephant kill?

Ans: The elephant killed a black Dravidian coolie. 

b. What was the occasion of the “Gettysburg Address”?

Ans: Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863, during the dedication of a cemetery.

c. Who was Lord Chelmsford? 

Ans: Lord Chelmsford was one of the Viceroys of India.

d. How many items of food did the lady guest have at the luncheon? 

Ans: The lady guest ate seven items of food: salmon, caviare, asparagus, ice cream, and peach and drank half a bottle of champagne and a cup of coffee. 

e. Who is a great American mentioned by Martin Luther King, Jr.?

Ans: Abraham Lincoln. 

f. What is the meaning of ‘Abeunt studia in mores’?

Ans: The quotation “Abeunt studia in mores”, taken by Bacon from Latin poet Ovid’s “Heroides” (XV, 83, means studies influence a man’s character and mould his personality.

g. How did Laura react to the news of Scott’s death? 

Ans: Laura was shocked to hear the news of Scott’s death and wanted to stop the garden party. 

h. What is the setting of the story ‘Araby’? 

Ans: Dublin, Ireland.

i. Where did Mandela spend the night after his release from jail?

Ans: After his release, Mandela spent his first night of freedom at Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s home in Cape Town.

j. Who are the biological parents of Eppie? 

Ans: Godfrey Cass and Molly Farren.

k. Why does Nancy refuse for so long to adopt Eppie? 

Ans: Nancy refused, feeling it would go against Providence to adopt a child when no was given naturally.

1. What did the maid bring for the Signora? 

Ans: The Maid brought a cat for the signora.

 

2021

a. When did the Battle of Gettysburg take place?

Ans: From July 1 to July 3, 1863.

b. What is the theme of the story “Cat in the Rain”? 

Ans: Isolation

c. On what excuse did the lady guest drink champagne? 

Ans: She excused that the French white wine was wonderful for digestion and added that her doctor only allowed champagne for her. 

d. What is the momentous decree referred to by Martin Luther King in his speech “I Have a Dream”?

Ans: The Emancipation Proclamation that was issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863.

e. Who was the first Deputy President of Mandela’s government?

Ans: Thabo Mbeki.

f. What is anaphora? 

Ans: Anaphora is the repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses for emphasis or rhetorical effect. 

g. From whom did Rabindranath Tagore receive the knighthood?

Ans: Rabindranath Tagore received his Knighthood from King George V.

h. Who was O’Donovan Rossa?

Ans: Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa was an Irish Fenian leader and member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

i. Who was called ‘the butterfly’ in the story “The Garden Party”?

Ans: Jose.

j. How did the Burmese express their hatred towards the Europeans? 

Ans: The Burmese expressed their hatred towards the Europeans by spitting betel juice over the dress of the European women or by stumbling the Europeans.

k. Why did Silas leave his native town?

Ans: Silas left his own town village because of the betrayal of his friend, William Dane.

l. How did Della save money to buy a gift for Jim?

Ans: Della scrimped $1.87 for Jim’s gift, frugally squeezing money from vendors, reddening with frugality.