SS3 Literature Test Questions & Answers- First Term Academic Session
SS3 Literature Test Questions & Answers- First Term Academic Session. Get detailed test and exams questions on literature, here.
SECTION ONE
Questions from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
1. Why has a group of laborers gathered at Peter Quince’s house?
They’re discussing the food to be served at Theseus’s wedding.
They’re writing and rehearsing several songs to honor Theseus.
They’re discussing the repairs that need to be made at Theseus”s palace before his wedding.
They’re rehearsing a play that the men hope to perform at Theseus”s wedding
2. Why does Quince have trouble conducting the meeting?
Because he has fallen in love with Theseus’s fiancee
Because he can’t remember why the men have gathered at his house
Because Bottom keeps interrupting him
Because he thinks it’s a bad idea for the men to perform at the wedding
3. What is the name of the play to be performed?
The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Lysander and Hermia
The Twisted Tale and Lamentable Woes of Athenian Lover
4. How does Quince convince Bottom to play Pyramus?
By appealing to Bottom’s vanity
By appealing to Bottom’s sense of humor
By appealing to Bottom’s love of wine
By appealing to Bottom’s reason
5. Which of the following best describes Nick Bottom’s character, based on his behavior during the laborers’ meeting?
He is shy and reluctant to participate
He is a natural leader who likes to take charge
He incorrectly considers himself an authority on theater
He does not care about the success of the play
6. What does Oberon’s objection to Titania’s “pride” suggest about how he views their relationship?
Oberon thinks that Titania should be obedient to him
Oberon thinks he and Titania should be equals
Oberon is envious of Titania’s growing power
None of the above
7. What does Oberon vow to do after Titania leaves?
To let her keep the changeling boy
To punish her for not obeying him
To find a peaceful solution to their disagreement
To leave the fairy realm forever
8. What is Oberon’s plan for using the “idle-in-love” juice on Titania?
To make her fall in love with him again so that she obeys him
To make her fall in love with him again so that she forgets about the changeling
To humiliate her by making her fall in love with the first thing she sees
To make her fall in love with Puck
9. What does Oberon decide to do for Helena and Demetrius?
To confront Demetrius directly about his treatment of Helena and make him see reason
To use the love potion on Helena to make her fall in love with Demetrius
To put Helena in danger so that Demetrius must save her
To use the love potion on Demetrius to make him fall in love with Helena
10. Why does Helena think Lysander is mocking her when he professes his love for her?
She knows about the love potion that Puck dropped into Lysander’s eyes
She believes Lysander loves Hermia, not her
Lysander has a history of mocking her, so she doesn’t trust him
She is insecure, and doesn’t think anyone could ever love her
SECTION TWO
LITERARY APPRECIATION
11. ‘He is my most beloved enemy’ illustrates__________ (a) Synecdoche (b) Oxymoron (c) Metonymy (d) Litotes
12. The cast appears at the end of a play for the ___________ (a) Musical (b) Curtain Call (c) Intermission (d) Introduction
13. Diction is a writer’s choice of___________ (a) Style (b) Syntax (c) Rhythm (d) Words
14. A poem that describes the simple life of rural people is called _____ (a) eulogy (b) ode (c) lyrics (d) pastoral.
15. _______ In literature is the sequential arrangement of events in creative work. (a) Cast (b) Summary (c) Flaw (d)Plot.
Read the extract below and answer the question.
That age is best which is the first
When youth and blood are warmer
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.
16. The rhyme scheme is known as (a) abba (b) abab (c) aabb (d) Bbaac
17. A poem of 14 lines is known as a ________(a) quatrain (b) octave (c) sestet (d) sonnet
18. A poem of four lines is known as a (a) sonnet (b) couplet (c) sestet (d) quatrain
19. A play on words is (a) innuendo (b) humour (c) pun (d) jest
20. Which of the following is an African poet? (a) Dennis Brutus (b) William Wordsworth (c) Rober Frost (d) D. W.B.Yeats
SECTION THREE
21. Why are Oberon and Titania arguing? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________22. What is the love potion Oberon uses on Titania made from? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 23. Why does Lysander and Hermia stop and sleep in the middle of the forest? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________24. Why does Puck mistake Lysander for Demetrius? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________25. Why does Oberon place a spell on Titania? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________26. __________ is the queen of the fairies, and __________ is the king.
27. Theseus is the ____________ of Athens.
28. _________ loves Hermia, but Hermia loves __________.
29. How long does Theseus give Hermia to decide?
30. Lysander and Hermia decide to meet in ________________ to run away together.
THEORY
Answer only three questions in this section
Questions based on Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
- Explain the difference between Oberon’s use of the love potion on Titania and his intended use of it on Demeterius.
- Explain the relations between the four lovers.
- Discuss any two major characters in the play
- Discuss ‘love’ as a theme in the play.
- Discuss the background of the play
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Theory Questions
Oberon’s Use of the Love Potion – Contrasting Intentions
Oberon’s Dual Purpose with the Magic Flower
On Titania (Punishment and Control) Oberon uses the love potion on Titania out of spite and revenge. His goal is to humiliate his fairy queen wife after she refuses to give him the Indian changeling boy. He deliberately causes her to fall in love with the first creature she sees, which turns out to be Bottom with a donkey’s head, intending to embarrass and manipulate her into surrendering the child.
On Demetrius (Compassion and Justice) Conversely, Oberon’s intended use on Demetrius stems from compassion after witnessing Helena’s suffering. He orders Puck to apply the potion to make Demetrius love Helena, thereby correcting an injustice and restoring romantic balance. This represents Oberon acting as a benevolent force to resolve human conflicts rather than create them.
Key Difference: One application serves selfish, vindictive purposes (Titania), while the other aims to help and heal (Demetrius)
The Four Lovers – Complex Romantic Entanglements
Initial Relationships
- Hermia and Lysander: Genuinely in love but forbidden by Hermia’s father Egeus
- Demetrius and Hermia: Demetrius pursues Hermia with her father’s blessing, though she rejects him
- Helena and Demetrius: Helena loves Demetrius unrequitedly; he previously courted her but abandoned her for Hermia
The Magical Confusion
When Puck mistakenly applies the love potion, both men suddenly love Helena, leaving Hermia bewildered and hurt. This creates intense conflict, jealousy, and accusations among all four characters.
Resolution
After Oberon corrects Puck’s error, the proper pairings emerge: Lysander remains with Hermia, while Demetrius (still under the potion’s influence) genuinely loves Helena. The relationships demonstrate how irrational and chaotic love can be.
Major Themes – Love in the Play
Love as Irrational and Chaotic
Shakespeare presents love as an unpredictable, often foolish force. Characters make illogical decisions, pursue unsuitable partners, and suffer emotional turmoil. The love potion serves as a metaphor for love’s ability to transform perception and judgment instantly.
Multiple Forms of Love
The play explores various love types:
- Romantic love (the four Athenians)
- Marital conflict (Oberon and Titania)
- Parental authority (Egeus controlling Hermia)
- Unrequited passion (Helena’s initial suffering)
Love’s Transformative Power
Love changes characters profoundly, sometimes literally, as with Bottom’s transformation. The forest becomes a space where normal rules don’t apply, allowing characters to experience love’s chaos before emerging with clarified feelings and proper partnerships restored.
Conclusion: Love in the play is both beautiful and dangerous, requiring supernatural intervention to achieve harmony.
One Comment