Comprehension
From a very early age, I knew that when I grew up, I should be a writer. I had the lonely child's habit of making up stories and holding conversations with imaginary persons, and I think from the very start my literary ambitions were mixed up with the feeling of being isolated and undervalued. I knew that I had a facility with words and a power of facing unpleasant facts, and I felt that this created a sort of private world in which I could get my own back for my failure in everyday life. I wanted to write enormous naturalistic novels with unhappy endings, full of detailed descriptions and arresting similes, and also full of purple passages in which words were used partly for the sake of their sound. I give all this background information because I do not think one can assess a writer's motives without knowing something of his early development.
His subject-matter will be determined by the age he lives in — at least this is true in tumultuous, revolutionary ages like our own — but before he ever begins to write he will have acquired an emotional attitude from which he will never completely escape. It is his job to discipline his temperament, but if he escapes from his early influences altogether, he will have killed his impulse to write. I think there are four great motives for writing, at any rate for writing prose. They are: (i) Sheer egoism: Desire to seem clever, to be talked about, to be remembered after death, to get your own back on grown-ups who snubbed you in childhood; (ii) Aesthetic enthusiasm: Desire to share an experience which one feels is valuable and ought not to be missed (iii) Historical impulse: Desire to see things as they are, to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity (iv) Political purpose: Desire to push the world in a certain direction, to alter other people's idea of the kind of society that they should strive after.
[Extracted with edits from George Orwell's "Why I Write"]
Question: 1

George Orwell's loneliness during childhood led to

Updated On: Apr 26, 2025
  • Estrangement with his father
  • Unhappy days
  • Making up stories
  • Unpleasant incidents
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

George Orwell's loneliness during childhood led to "Making up stories." This can be inferred from the provided comprehension passage. Orwell mentions his "lonely child's habit of making up stories and holding conversations with imaginary persons." This indicates that during his childhood, the feeling of being isolated motivated him to create stories. The passage highlights that this imaginative process was closely tied to his literary ambitions and his early development as a writer. Therefore, among the given options, "Making up stories" is the correct answer that aligns with the described impact of his childhood loneliness.
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Question: 2

Why does Orwell give background information?

Updated On: Apr 26, 2025
  • He had the lonely child's habits
  • It is essential to know about motives of writers
  • Because of his historic impulse
  • Due to the aesthetic enthusiasm
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Orwell provides background information to highlight the importance of understanding a writer's motives. He believes that one cannot fully assess these motives without considering the writer's early development. A writer’s subject matter is influenced by the era they live in, but their emotional attitude, shaped by early experiences, remains intrinsic to their writing impulse. According to Orwell, understanding a writer's background helps in comprehending these deep-seated motivations. Hence, the correct answer is: It is essential to know about motives of writers.
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Question: 3

If writer escapes from early impulses, he will ...

Updated On: Apr 26, 2025
  • Lose his urge to write
  • Be unable to imagine creatively
  • Be able to converse with imaginary characters
  • Be able to influence others
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

The comprehension passage highlights the connection between a writer's early influences and their writing impulse. The author shares personal experiences of aspirations to become a writer stemming from loneliness and a facility with words. The writer’s subject matter is shaped by personal history and the societal context. It's emphasized that if writers completely abandon their early influences, they risk losing their writing impulse. This aligns with the statement, "if he escapes from his early influences altogether, he will have killed his impulse to write," which corresponds to the correct answer: Lose his urge to write.
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Question: 4

For the author, aesthetic enthusiasm is an important motive for writing because it…

Updated On: Apr 26, 2025
  • Shapes the thoughts
  • Creates an artistic piece
  • Becomes invaluable
  • Non-utilitarian
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

To solve the question of why "aesthetic enthusiasm" is an important motive for writing according to the author's explanation, we need to understand the context provided in the text. The author outlines four primary motives for writing: sheer egoism, aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse, and political purpose. Focusing on "aesthetic enthusiasm," the author states it as the "desire to share an experience which one feels is valuable and ought not to be missed." This indicates that aesthetic enthusiasm is driven by the intrinsic value of the experience itself, without requiring a utilitarian purpose or practical outcome. Hence, it is non-utilitarian because it's motivated by the pure enjoyment and appreciation of the experience rather than by any practical application.
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Question: 5

The author strongly advocates the writers to:

Updated On: Apr 26, 2025
  • Avoid any egoistic impression in their work
  • Be apolitical in their approach
  • Be contemporary in their treatment of their work
  • None of the above
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

The author emphasizes the need for writers to avoid any egoistic impression in their work. This is derived from the text where he states that sheer egoism, characterized by the desire to appear clever and be remembered, is one of the great motives for writing. However, these egoistic motivations should be disciplined by the writer. The text implies that while egoism is a natural motive, it should not dominate a writer's work. Instead, a writer's motive should align with deeper purposes like aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse, or political purpose. Through the author's insights, it becomes apparent that the advocacy is against allowing sheer egoism to overshadow the essence of good writing.
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Question: 6

Which of the following is a synonym for the word “tumultuous”?

Updated On: Apr 26, 2025
  • Chaotic
  • Turbulent
  • Disorderly
  • All of the above
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

The word "tumultuous" is often used to describe situations, periods, or events that are characterized by chaos, disorder, and disturbance. Let's evaluate each option:
  • Chaotic: This is synonymous with tumultuous as it describes a situation that's disorderly and confused.
  • Turbulent: Also synonymous with tumultuous, it refers to instability and disturbance, often used to describe rough conditions.
  • Disorderly: This word matches tumultuous since it refers to a lack of order or predictability.
  • All of the above: Since all previous options are synonyms of tumultuous, this answer is correct.
Thus, the synonym for "tumultuous" is "All of the above."
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