| 1 |
According to the passage, which of the following is a true statement about the reception of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by the American public? |
| A. |
The public had too strong a belief in the doctrine of progress to accept the cynicism demonstrated at the conclusion of Twain's novel. |
| B. |
Twain's novel received little public recognition until the work was adapted for motion pictures and plays. |
| C. |
Although the public enjoyed Twain's humor, his use of both sixth-century and nineteenth-century characters confused many people. |
| D. |
The public has continued to enjoy Twain's story, but the last part of the novel seems too violent to American minds. |
| E. |
Because of the cynicism at the end of the book, the public rejected Twain's work in favor of the work of Thomas Malory. |
| 2 |
The author uses the examples of "three upbeat movies and two musical comedies" (lines 9-10) primarily in order to demonstrate that |
| A. |
well-written novels like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, regardless of their tone or theme, can be translated to the stage and screen |
| B. |
the American public has traditionally been more interested in watching plays and movies than in reading novels like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court |
| C. |
Twain's overall message in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is one that had a profound impact on the American public |
| D. |
Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court has been a more popular version of the Arthurian legends than has Malory's Morte d' Arthur |
| E. |
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court has been accepted as an enjoyable and humorous tale in versions that have omitted the anarchy at the novel's conclusion |
| 3 |
The author of the passage characterizes Thomas Malory's Morte d' Arthur as which of the following? |
| A. |
The best-known and most authoritative collection of Arthurian tales written in the English language |
| B. |
A collection of legends that have been used as the basis for three movies and two musical comedies |
| C. |
A historical account of King Arthur, the sixth-century king of Britain |
| D. |
A collection of legends about sixth-century Britain that have existed since at least the fifteenth century |
| E. |
The novel about the life of King Arthur that inspired Twain's cynicism about nineteenth-century notions of progress |
| 4 |
It can be inferred from the passage that Mark Twain would most probably have believed in which of the following statements about societal change? |
| A. |
Revolutions, in order to be successful in changing society, have to be carried out without violence. |
| B. |
Technological advancements are limited in their ability to change society and will likely bring liabilities along with any potential benefits. |
| C. |
The belief in the unmitigated benefits of societal change is antithetical to the American doctrine of progress. |
| D. |
The political system of sixth-century Britain was more conducive to societal change than was the political system of nineteenth-century America. |
| E. |
Technological advances and peaceful revolutions, although sometimes accompanied by unintended violence and resistance to societal change, eventually lead to a more progressive order. |