Directions:(1-10) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions which follow.

The 13th century Italian literary revolution helped set the stage for the Renaissance. Prior to the Renaissance, the Italian language was not the literary language in Italy. It was only in the 13th century that Italian authors began writing in their native vernacular language rather than in Latin, French, or Provençal. The 1250s saw a major change in Italian poetry as the Dolce Stil Novo (Sweet New Style, which emphasized Platonic rather than courtly love) came into its own, pioneered by poets like Guittone d’Arezzo and Guido Guinizelli. Especially in poetry, major changes in Italian literature had been taking place decades before the Renaissance truly began.

With the printing of books initiated in Venice by Aldus Manutius, an increasing number of works began to be published in the Italian language, in addition to the flood of Latin and Greek texts that constituted the mainstream of the Italian Renaissance. The source for these works expanded beyond works of theology and towards the pre-Christian eras of Imperial Rome and Ancient Greece. This is not to say that no religious works were published in this period; Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy reflects a distinctly medieval world view. Christianity remained a major influence for artists and authors, with the classics coming into their own as a second primary influence.

At Florence the most celebrated Humanists wrote also in the vulgar tongue, and commented on Dante and Petrarch and defended them from their enemies. Leone Battista Alberti, the learned Greek and Latin scholar, wrote in the vernacular, and Vespasiano da Bisticci, while he was constantly absorbed in Greek and Latin manuscripts, wrote the Vite di uomini illustri, valuable for their historical contents and rivaling the best works of the 14th century in their candor and simplicity.

The earliest Renaissance literature appeared in 14th century Italy; Dante, Petrarch, and Machiavelli are notable examples of Italian Renaissance writers. From Italy the influence of the Renaissance spread at different rates to other countries, and continued to spread throughout Europe through the 17th century. The English Renaissance and the Renaissance in Scotland date from the late 15th century to the early 17th century. In northern Europe the scholarly writings of Erasmus, the plays of Shakespeare, the poems of Edmund Spenser, and the writings of Sir Philip Sidney may be considered Renaissance in character.

The literature of the Renaissance was written within the general movement of the Renaissance that arose in 13th century Italy and continued until the 16th century while being diffused into the western world. It is characterized by the adoption of a Humanist philosophy and the recovery of the classical literature of Antiquity and benefited from the spread of printing in the latter part of the 15th century. For the writers of the Renaissance, Greco-Roman inspiration was shown both in the themes of their writing and in the literary forms they used. The world was considered from an anthropocentric perspective. Platonic ideas were revived and put to the service of Christianity. The search for pleasures of the senses and a critical and rational spirit completed the ideological panorama of the period. New literary genres such as the essay and new metrical forms such as the sonnet and Spenserian stanza made their appearance.

The creation of the printing press (using movable type) by Johannes Gutenberg in the 1450s encouraged authors to write in their local vernacular rather than in Greek or Latin classical languages, widening the reading audience and promoting the spread of Renaissance ideas.

The impact of the Renaissance varied across the continent; countries that were predominantly Catholic or predominantly Protestant experienced the Renaissance differently. Areas where the Orthodox Church was culturally dominant, as well as those areas of Europe under Islamic rule, were more or less outside its influence. The period focused on self-actualization and one’s ability to accept what is going on in one’s life.

1. Which of the following is the main point of the passage?

Ans:3
On carefully reading the passage, we can see that the main focus of the passage is on the Italian literature. Only option C talks about Italian literature. All other options are very generic and do not correctly capture the point which the author is discussing. The author tries to highlight the rise of vernacular literature in Italy and how it preceded the renaissance movement. Hence, option C is the correct answer.

2. What can be inferred about the meaning of ‘Renaissance’ based on the reading of the passage?

Ans:5
In the first paragraph of the passage, the author mentions how the literary revolution in Italy helped set the stage for renaissance. However, he does not mention anything about what renaissance was. He then mentions people beginning to write in their native languages but he does not say whether that was renaissance or not. In the subsequent paragraphs as well, the author focuses on the literature of renaissance era without mentioning what renaissance was. Hence, from the given passage, we cannot infer anything about the meaning of renaissance. Thus, option E is the correct answer.

3. Which of the following is true as per the passage?

Ans:3
In the first paragraph, the author has mentioned that the Italian literary movement set the stage for renaissance. However, this does not suggest that this literary movement was the main reason behind renaissance. Hence, option A can be ruled out. In the first paragraph, it is mentioned that Dolce Stil Novo was a new style of poetry and it is not the name of some person. Hence, B can also be ruled out. Option C is true as it is mentioned in the third paragraph of the passage. It is given that printing press was invented in 1450’s. Hence, it was invented in the fifteenth century. Thus, option D can be ruled out as well. Hence, C is the correct answer.

4. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

Ans:2
In the given passage, the author as mentioned that the impact of the Renaissance varied across the continent. Hence it did not have same impact across all continents. Thus, option A can be ruled out. In the fourth paragraph of the passage, it is mentioned that ‘The earliest Renaissance literature appeared in 14th century Italy’. Hence, option B can be inferred from the passage. Options C and D are not inferable from the given information. Hence, both these can be ruled out as well. Thus, option B is the correct answer.

5. In the first paragraph of the passage, the author says ‘Prior to the Renaissance, the Italian language was not the literary language in Italy.’ What is the reason given by the author for this?

Ans:5
In the first paragraph, the author mentions that ‘Prior to the Renaissance, the Italian language was not the literary language in Italy’. However, he does not provide any reason for this. In the subsequent discussion, he mentions that the invention of printing press made the writers to write in native languages. But he still does not mention as why the writers earlier refrained from writing in Italian language. Hence, the reason cannot be inferred from the passage and thus option E is the correct answer.

6. Which of the following best describes the author’s tone in the passage?

Ans:3
The author is describing the events which happened prior to the renaissance movement in Italy. He is not analyzing any issue as such. Thus, option A can be ruled out. The author has not written the passage in first person. Hence, ‘narrative’ is also incorrect. He is neither criticizing nor praising anything. Hence, option D and E can be ruled out as well. Thus, option C is the correct answer.

7. Which of the following was not a feature of the Renaissance literature?

Ans:4
The characteristics of the writings of this era have been discussed in the third last paragraph. From this paragraph, we can see that options A, C, D and E have been mentioned as the characteristic of the writings of this era. Option B has not been mentioned as a characteristic of this era. Hence, option B is the odd one out.

8. Who among the following persons has not been mentioned in the passage?

Ans:2
Vespasiano da Bisticci has been mentioned in the third paragraph of the passage. Guittone d’Arezzo has been mentioned in the first paragraph of the passage. Johannes Gutenberg has been mentioned in the second last paragraph of the passage. Aldus Manutius has been mentioned in the second paragraph of the passage. Geoffrey Chaucer has not been mentioned in the given passage. Hence, option D is the correct answer.

9. Choose the word which is most similar in meaning to the word given below.
CANDOR

Ans:2
Candor refers to the quality of being honest, simple and sincere. Hence, option B is the best fit for it. Artifice means to deceive someone. Guile and vicious also have a negative connotation. Hence, option B is the correct answer.

10. Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning to the word given below.
VULGAR

Ans:4
Vulgar means to be abusive or harsh. Hence, ‘decent’ is the most appropriate antonym. Thus, option D is the correct answer

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