ADVANCED READING AND WRITING

(Brief-answer Questions)

Reading – I

6. Read the following composition attentively and answer any five of the questions: [NU 2018]

The French word "Renaissance" has originated from the Latin word "renasci" which means "to be again". In English, the "Renaissance" means the rebirth or revival of the ancient Greek and Roman learning, art and culture. The rebirth was caused by a historical event. In 1453, with the fall of the then Constantinople, the scholars living there fled to different countries of Europe, especially to Italy. They took with them the ancient Greek and Roman literature which gradually became the point of interest of people there. The ancient learning was re-discovered. This rediscovery or rebirth is called Renaissance. It kindled a kind of wild fire of knowledge that kept on burning for several centuries. In England, it led the writers to classical learning that liberated them from religious control. It broadened the literary, philosophical and intellectual horizons. It generated among them the spirit of adventure, inquiry and doubt in old ideas. The humanistic movement that started with enhanced sensitivity to the formal beauty and the cultivation of the aesthetic sense. This sense of beauty influenced architecture, sculptor, painting, music, dancing, and drama and so on. In literature also it took numerous forms. Spenser, Shakespeare, Marlowe, Bacon and many other later writers had been writing in this literary atmosphere. The "Renaissance" was thus the result of various series of events that followed and accompanied one another from the fourteenth to the beginning of the sixteenth century.         

      a.  Give a suitable title to the passage and justify it.

      Ans: A title to the passage may be “The Renaissance and Literature”. It is a suitable title to the passage because it deals with the historical origin of Renaissance and its impact on English Literature.

      b. What do you mean by Renaissance? [NU 2018]

      Ans: Renaissance means the rebirth or revival of the ancient Greek and Roman learning, art and culture.

      c.  How was Renaissance initiated in Italy?

      Ans: In 1453, the scholars of the then Constantinople fled to Italy with ancient Greek and Roman literature with them. Then it drew the attention of the Italians. In this way Renaissance was initiated in Italy.

      d. What was Renaissance impact on literature?

      Ans: On literature, Renaissance guided the major literary persons like Spenser, Shakespeare, Marlowe, Bacon to write in this literary atmosphere. This impact sustained form the fourteenth to the beginning of the sixteenth century.

      e.  What was the effect of Renaissance in England?

      Ans: In England, Renaissance led the writers to classical learning, liberated them from religious control, broadened the literary, philosophical and intellectual horizons and generated the spirit of adventure, inquiry and doubt in ideas.

      f.  What kind of writing is it?

      Ans: It is an informative writing.