Vardhman Mahaveer Open University, 2010 december question paper
Papers (A) (December) 2010
(295)
A
EEG-05
B.A. EXAMINATION, December, 2010
ENGLISH LITERATURE
Paper-EEG-05
(Understanding Prose)
Time allowed : Three hours
Maximum marks : 70
Question Nos. 1 and 2 are compulsory.
Attempt any three from the remaining
questions.
1. Read the following passage and answer the questions given
below :
The trouble is that the English nature is not at all easy to
understand. People talk of the mysterious east but the west
also is mysterious. It has depths that do not reveal
themselves at the first gaze. We know what the sea looks
like from a distance : it is of one colour, and level, and
obviously can not contain such creatures as fish. But if
we look into the sea over the edge of a boat, we see a
dozen colours, and depth below depth and fish swimming
in them. That sea is the English character - apparently
imperturable and even. The depths and the colours are
the English romanticism and the English sensitiveness -
we do not expect to find such things, but they exist. And -
to continue my metaphor - the fish are the English emotions,
which are always trying to get up to the surface, but don't
quite know how. For the most part we see them moving
far below, distorted and obscure. Now and then they
succeed and we exclaim, 'why, the Englishman has
emotions ! He actually can feel ! And occasionally we
see that beautiful creature the flying fish, which rises out
of the water altogether into the air and the sunlight. English
literature is a flying fish. It is a sample of the life that goes
on day after day beneath the surface, it is a proof that
beauty and emotion exist in the salt, inhospitable sea.
(i) What is the substance of the passage ?
(ii) Comment on the style of the writer.
(iii) What is a metaphor ? Explain this figure of speech
from the passage.
3+3+4
2. Explain with reference to context any three of the following
adding comments if required :
(a) How ! with these very eyes, I have seen, Ramappa.
I have seen it all. The potter's wife Rangi was
(e) Apart from politics, another subject that fascinated
me was the early growth of aviation. Those were
the days of the Wright brothers and Santos Dumont,
and I wrote to father from Harrow, in my
enthusiasm, that soon I might be able to pay him a
week-end visit in India by air.
(f) Dr. Johnson went home with me and drank tea till
late in the night. He said, 'General Paoli had the
loftiest port of any man he had ever seen. He denied
that military men were always the best bred men'
perfect good breeding consists in having no
particular mark of any profession, but a general
elegance of manners; whereas, in a military man,
you can commonly distinguish the brand of a
soldier.
8?3
3. Which of the short stories prescribed, you have liked
most ? Give reasons. 12
4. Sketch the character of Rosemary Fell. 12
5. Write in brief about two major chraracters in 'The Mayor
of Casterbridge' by Hardy. 12
6. Consider G. K. Chesterton as an essayist with reference
to the essay prescribed. 12
600 4 EEG-05
unhappy. Poor thing ! Poor thing ! And one night
she had such heavy, heavy sorrow, she ran and
jumped into the canal. The other day, when I was
coming home in the deadly dark with my little lamb
whom should I see but Rangi-Romgi in a white,
broad sari, her hair all floating.
(b) A group of dragon-flies were bustling about on their
gauzy, purple wings, intercepting the flight of a lone
dark bee or butterfly in search of sweet perfume
from the hearts of flowers. The child followed them
in the air, with his gaze, till one of them would fold
its wings and sit down and he would try to catch it.
(c) Here is a young and courtly Mandarin, handing tea
to a lady from a salver-two miles off. See how
distance seems to set off respect ! And here the
same lady, or another-for likeness is identity on
tea-cups, is stepping into a little fairy boat, moored
on the hither side of this calm garden river, with a
dainty mincing foot.
(d) Imagine even that you are a boy again and engaged
in a tug of war between French and English. Shortly
after saying this I left him, but I have no
doubt at all that my words bore the best possible
fruit.
7. What is the socio-political background of 'Shooting an
Elephant' by Orwell ? 12
8. What light is thrown on the character of Nehru from his
'An Autobiography ? 12
Papers (A) (December) 2010
(295)
A
EEG-05
B.A. EXAMINATION, December, 2010
ENGLISH LITERATURE
Paper-EEG-05
(Understanding Prose)
Time allowed : Three hours
Maximum marks : 70
Question Nos. 1 and 2 are compulsory.
Attempt any three from the remaining
questions.
1. Read the following passage and answer the questions given
below :
The trouble is that the English nature is not at all easy to
understand. People talk of the mysterious east but the west
also is mysterious. It has depths that do not reveal
themselves at the first gaze. We know what the sea looks
like from a distance : it is of one colour, and level, and
obviously can not contain such creatures as fish. But if
we look into the sea over the edge of a boat, we see a
dozen colours, and depth below depth and fish swimming
in them. That sea is the English character - apparently
imperturable and even. The depths and the colours are
the English romanticism and the English sensitiveness -
we do not expect to find such things, but they exist. And -
to continue my metaphor - the fish are the English emotions,
which are always trying to get up to the surface, but don't
quite know how. For the most part we see them moving
far below, distorted and obscure. Now and then they
succeed and we exclaim, 'why, the Englishman has
emotions ! He actually can feel ! And occasionally we
see that beautiful creature the flying fish, which rises out
of the water altogether into the air and the sunlight. English
literature is a flying fish. It is a sample of the life that goes
on day after day beneath the surface, it is a proof that
beauty and emotion exist in the salt, inhospitable sea.
(i) What is the substance of the passage ?
(ii) Comment on the style of the writer.
(iii) What is a metaphor ? Explain this figure of speech
from the passage.
3+3+4
2. Explain with reference to context any three of the following
adding comments if required :
(a) How ! with these very eyes, I have seen, Ramappa.
I have seen it all. The potter's wife Rangi was
(e) Apart from politics, another subject that fascinated
me was the early growth of aviation. Those were
the days of the Wright brothers and Santos Dumont,
and I wrote to father from Harrow, in my
enthusiasm, that soon I might be able to pay him a
week-end visit in India by air.
(f) Dr. Johnson went home with me and drank tea till
late in the night. He said, 'General Paoli had the
loftiest port of any man he had ever seen. He denied
that military men were always the best bred men'
perfect good breeding consists in having no
particular mark of any profession, but a general
elegance of manners; whereas, in a military man,
you can commonly distinguish the brand of a
soldier.
8?3
3. Which of the short stories prescribed, you have liked
most ? Give reasons. 12
4. Sketch the character of Rosemary Fell. 12
5. Write in brief about two major chraracters in 'The Mayor
of Casterbridge' by Hardy. 12
6. Consider G. K. Chesterton as an essayist with reference
to the essay prescribed. 12
600 4 EEG-05
unhappy. Poor thing ! Poor thing ! And one night
she had such heavy, heavy sorrow, she ran and
jumped into the canal. The other day, when I was
coming home in the deadly dark with my little lamb
whom should I see but Rangi-Romgi in a white,
broad sari, her hair all floating.
(b) A group of dragon-flies were bustling about on their
gauzy, purple wings, intercepting the flight of a lone
dark bee or butterfly in search of sweet perfume
from the hearts of flowers. The child followed them
in the air, with his gaze, till one of them would fold
its wings and sit down and he would try to catch it.
(c) Here is a young and courtly Mandarin, handing tea
to a lady from a salver-two miles off. See how
distance seems to set off respect ! And here the
same lady, or another-for likeness is identity on
tea-cups, is stepping into a little fairy boat, moored
on the hither side of this calm garden river, with a
dainty mincing foot.
(d) Imagine even that you are a boy again and engaged
in a tug of war between French and English. Shortly
after saying this I left him, but I have no
doubt at all that my words bore the best possible
fruit.
7. What is the socio-political background of 'Shooting an
Elephant' by Orwell ? 12
8. What light is thrown on the character of Nehru from his
'An Autobiography ? 12
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