END OF SEMESTER TEST ENGLISH 12A
Questions and Answers
1.Which sentence best explains why modern English reflects the influence
of several languages?
Answer B. Between AD 500 and 1200, invaders from several countries
conquered parts of Britain.
2.Match the words that have the same denotations.
Answer favored ’ lucky drenched ’ soaked
grinned ’ smiled
scoffed ’ mocked
elated ’ happy
3.What is the reason for the tragic end of the hero Beowulf?
Answer B. hubris
4.Which three parts of this excerpt from Beowulf relate to a warrior code?
Beowulf answered, Ecgtheow's son
"Grieve not, O wise one! for each it is better,
[His friend to avenge than with vehemence wail
him;] [Each of us must the end-day abide of]
His earthly existence; who is able accomplish
,[Glory ere death!] [To battle-thane noble
Lifeless lying, 'tis at last most fitting.]
Arise, O king, [quick let us hasten
To look at the footprint of the kinsman of Grendel!]
I promise thee this now to his place he'll escape not, . . ."
Answer His friend to avenge than with vehemence wail him;
Glory ere death!
& To battle-thane noble
Lifeless lying, 'tis at last most fitting.
5.What do these lines from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight reveal about
the character of Sir Gawain?
That no host under heaven is hardier of will,
Nor better brothers-in-arms where battle is joined;
I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest;
Answer B. He is modest.
6.Medieval romances abounded in archetypes. Most characters in
romances fit into a certain archetypal mold. Match the characters from Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight to the archetypes they represent.
Answer the trickster ’ Morgan Le Faye
the temptress ’ Bertilak's wife
the hero on a quest ’ Sir Gawain
, the hospitable host ’ Bertilak of Hautdesert
7.Read this excerpt from "The Nun's Priest's Tale" in Chaucer's The
Canter- bury Tales.
O new Iscariot, O new Ganelon!
O false dissimulator, Greek
Sinon
That brought down Troy all utterly to sorrow!
O Chanticleer, accursed be that morrow
Which sentence in the following description identifies the style used in the
excerpt?
[These lines describe the false beliefs that Chanticleer held.] The proud Chan-
ticleer is being mocked in these lines for having raised such outcry. [The
narrator mocks the narrative style of epic poetry by applying it to a beast
fable.] [The proud Chanticleer is mocked by the other hens because he was
making much of the dream.]
Answer B. The narrator mocks the narrative style of epic poetry by
applying it to a beast fable.
8.In this excerpt from "The Nun's Priest's Tale" in Chaucer's The
Canterbury Tales, how is Pertelote, a hen, compared to Hasdrubal's wife?
When they had caught a sight of Chanticleer.
Questions and Answers
1.Which sentence best explains why modern English reflects the influence
of several languages?
Answer B. Between AD 500 and 1200, invaders from several countries
conquered parts of Britain.
2.Match the words that have the same denotations.
Answer favored ’ lucky drenched ’ soaked
grinned ’ smiled
scoffed ’ mocked
elated ’ happy
3.What is the reason for the tragic end of the hero Beowulf?
Answer B. hubris
4.Which three parts of this excerpt from Beowulf relate to a warrior code?
Beowulf answered, Ecgtheow's son
"Grieve not, O wise one! for each it is better,
[His friend to avenge than with vehemence wail
him;] [Each of us must the end-day abide of]
His earthly existence; who is able accomplish
,[Glory ere death!] [To battle-thane noble
Lifeless lying, 'tis at last most fitting.]
Arise, O king, [quick let us hasten
To look at the footprint of the kinsman of Grendel!]
I promise thee this now to his place he'll escape not, . . ."
Answer His friend to avenge than with vehemence wail him;
Glory ere death!
& To battle-thane noble
Lifeless lying, 'tis at last most fitting.
5.What do these lines from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight reveal about
the character of Sir Gawain?
That no host under heaven is hardier of will,
Nor better brothers-in-arms where battle is joined;
I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest;
Answer B. He is modest.
6.Medieval romances abounded in archetypes. Most characters in
romances fit into a certain archetypal mold. Match the characters from Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight to the archetypes they represent.
Answer the trickster ’ Morgan Le Faye
the temptress ’ Bertilak's wife
the hero on a quest ’ Sir Gawain
, the hospitable host ’ Bertilak of Hautdesert
7.Read this excerpt from "The Nun's Priest's Tale" in Chaucer's The
Canter- bury Tales.
O new Iscariot, O new Ganelon!
O false dissimulator, Greek
Sinon
That brought down Troy all utterly to sorrow!
O Chanticleer, accursed be that morrow
Which sentence in the following description identifies the style used in the
excerpt?
[These lines describe the false beliefs that Chanticleer held.] The proud Chan-
ticleer is being mocked in these lines for having raised such outcry. [The
narrator mocks the narrative style of epic poetry by applying it to a beast
fable.] [The proud Chanticleer is mocked by the other hens because he was
making much of the dream.]
Answer B. The narrator mocks the narrative style of epic poetry by
applying it to a beast fable.
8.In this excerpt from "The Nun's Priest's Tale" in Chaucer's The
Canterbury Tales, how is Pertelote, a hen, compared to Hasdrubal's wife?
When they had caught a sight of Chanticleer.
