Identification of World Prose
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AP English Literature and Composition › Identification of World Prose
This Indian-American author wrote Interpreter of Maladies, a Pulitzer Prize-winning short story collection, and The Namesake, a novel. Who is the author?
Jhumpa Lahiri
Kiran Desai
Arundhati Roy
Salman Rushdie
Mohsin Hamid
Explanation
The author in question is Jhumpa Lahiri. Her writing often centers around Indian or Indian-American immigrant characters and their interfamilial relationships and strife. Interpreter of Maladies was published in 1999 and won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize. Her most recent book is The Lowland (2013)
Kiran Desai won the 2006 Booker Prize for The Inheritance of Loss. Arundhati Roy won the 1997 Booker Prize for The God of Small Things. Salman Rushdie is the author of Midnight's Children (1981). Mohsin Hamid is the author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007).
This Indian-American author wrote Interpreter of Maladies, a Pulitzer Prize-winning short story collection, and The Namesake, a novel. Who is the author?
Jhumpa Lahiri
Kiran Desai
Arundhati Roy
Salman Rushdie
Mohsin Hamid
Explanation
The author in question is Jhumpa Lahiri. Her writing often centers around Indian or Indian-American immigrant characters and their interfamilial relationships and strife. Interpreter of Maladies was published in 1999 and won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize. Her most recent book is The Lowland (2013)
Kiran Desai won the 2006 Booker Prize for The Inheritance of Loss. Arundhati Roy won the 1997 Booker Prize for The God of Small Things. Salman Rushdie is the author of Midnight's Children (1981). Mohsin Hamid is the author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007).
A king and queen once upon a time reigned in a country a great way off, where there were in those days fairies. Now this king and queen had plenty of money, and plenty of fine clothes to wear, and plenty of good things to eat and drink, and a coach to ride out in every day: but though they had been married many years they had no children, and this grieved them very much indeed. But one day as the queen was walking by the side of the river, at the bottom of the garden, she saw a poor little fish, that had thrown itself out of the water, and lay gasping and nearly dead on the bank. Then the queen took pity on the little fish, and threw it back again into the river; and before it swam away it lifted its head out of the water and said, 'I know what your wish is, and it shall be fulfilled, in return for your kindness to me—you will soon have a daughter.' What the little fish had foretold soon came to pass; and the queen had a little girl, so very beautiful that the king could not cease looking on it for joy, and said he would hold a great feast and make merry, and show the child to all the land. So he asked his kinsmen, and nobles, and friends, and neighbors. But the queen said, 'I will have the fairies also, that they might be kind and good to our little daughter.' Now there were thirteen fairies in the kingdom; but as the king and queen had only twelve golden dishes for them to eat out of, they were forced to leave one of the fairies without asking her. So twelve fairies came, each with a high red cap on her head, and red shoes with high heels on her feet, and a long white wand in her hand: and after the feast was over they gathered round in a ring and gave all their best gifts to the little princess. One gave her goodness, another beauty, another riches, and so on till she had all that was good in the world.
The above short story excerpt comes from the collected works of which of the following authors?
The Brothers Grimm
Hans Christian Andersen
Carlo Collodi
Charles Perrault
Aesop
Explanation
The tale of Briar Rose is one of many stories collected in the famous, macabre fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. The well known “Sleeping Beauty” story is based on this tale.
Passage adapted from German Popular Stories, a translation of Kinder und Haus-Märchen by Wilhelm Grimm and Jacob Grimm (trans. Taylor 1826).
A king and queen once upon a time reigned in a country a great way off, where there were in those days fairies. Now this king and queen had plenty of money, and plenty of fine clothes to wear, and plenty of good things to eat and drink, and a coach to ride out in every day: but though they had been married many years they had no children, and this grieved them very much indeed. But one day as the queen was walking by the side of the river, at the bottom of the garden, she saw a poor little fish, that had thrown itself out of the water, and lay gasping and nearly dead on the bank. Then the queen took pity on the little fish, and threw it back again into the river; and before it swam away it lifted its head out of the water and said, 'I know what your wish is, and it shall be fulfilled, in return for your kindness to me—you will soon have a daughter.' What the little fish had foretold soon came to pass; and the queen had a little girl, so very beautiful that the king could not cease looking on it for joy, and said he would hold a great feast and make merry, and show the child to all the land. So he asked his kinsmen, and nobles, and friends, and neighbors. But the queen said, 'I will have the fairies also, that they might be kind and good to our little daughter.' Now there were thirteen fairies in the kingdom; but as the king and queen had only twelve golden dishes for them to eat out of, they were forced to leave one of the fairies without asking her. So twelve fairies came, each with a high red cap on her head, and red shoes with high heels on her feet, and a long white wand in her hand: and after the feast was over they gathered round in a ring and gave all their best gifts to the little princess. One gave her goodness, another beauty, another riches, and so on till she had all that was good in the world.
The above short story excerpt comes from the collected works of which of the following authors?
The Brothers Grimm
Hans Christian Andersen
Carlo Collodi
Charles Perrault
Aesop
Explanation
The tale of Briar Rose is one of many stories collected in the famous, macabre fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. The well known “Sleeping Beauty” story is based on this tale.
Passage adapted from German Popular Stories, a translation of Kinder und Haus-Märchen by Wilhelm Grimm and Jacob Grimm (trans. Taylor 1826).
Which of these novels was written by Nobel Prize-winning Trinidadian author V.S. Naipul?
A House for Mr. Biswas
Wide Sargasso Sea
A Small Place
Breath, Eyes, Memory
Love in the Time of Cholera
Explanation
Published in 1961, A House for Mr. Biswas is one of Naipul’s most famous works and is set in his native Trinidad. Wide Sargasso Sea (1966)is by Jean Rhys; A Small Place (1988) is by Jamaica Kincaid; Breath, Eyes, Memory (1994) is by Edwidge Danticat; and Love in the Time of Cholera (1985)is by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Which of these novels was written by Nobel Prize-winning Trinidadian author V.S. Naipul?
A House for Mr. Biswas
Wide Sargasso Sea
A Small Place
Breath, Eyes, Memory
Love in the Time of Cholera
Explanation
Published in 1961, A House for Mr. Biswas is one of Naipul’s most famous works and is set in his native Trinidad. Wide Sargasso Sea (1966)is by Jean Rhys; A Small Place (1988) is by Jamaica Kincaid; Breath, Eyes, Memory (1994) is by Edwidge Danticat; and Love in the Time of Cholera (1985)is by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
SONG I.
Boethius' Complaint
Who wrought my studious numbers
Smoothly once in happier days,
Now perforce in tears and sadness
Learn a mournful strain to raise.
. . .
While I was thus mutely pondering within myself, and recording my sorrowful complainings with my pen, it seemed to me that there appeared above my head a woman of a countenance exceeding venerable. Her eyes were bright as fire, and of a more than human keenness; her complexion was lively, her vigor showed no trace of enfeeblement; and yet her years were right full, and she plainly seemed not of our age and time. Her stature was difficult to judge. At one moment it exceeded not the common height, at another her forehead seemed to strike the sky; and whenever she raised her head higher, she began to pierce within the very heavens, and to baffle the eyes of them that looked upon her.
From what work are these lines?
The Consolation of Philosophy
The Chronicle of Julian of Norwich
The Canterbury Tales
Beowulf
The Seafarer
Explanation
These lines are from Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy, widely regarded as one of the most important influences for medieval Christianity. Written in prison at the end of the Classical era, the work features a wide-ranging conversation between Boethius (a Roman philosopher) and Lady Philosophy and is written in mix of prose and verse.
Passage adapted from Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius (ed. 1897, trans. James)
SONG I.
Boethius' Complaint
Who wrought my studious numbers
Smoothly once in happier days,
Now perforce in tears and sadness
Learn a mournful strain to raise.
. . .
While I was thus mutely pondering within myself, and recording my sorrowful complainings with my pen, it seemed to me that there appeared above my head a woman of a countenance exceeding venerable. Her eyes were bright as fire, and of a more than human keenness; her complexion was lively, her vigor showed no trace of enfeeblement; and yet her years were right full, and she plainly seemed not of our age and time. Her stature was difficult to judge. At one moment it exceeded not the common height, at another her forehead seemed to strike the sky; and whenever she raised her head higher, she began to pierce within the very heavens, and to baffle the eyes of them that looked upon her.
From what work are these lines?
The Consolation of Philosophy
The Chronicle of Julian of Norwich
The Canterbury Tales
Beowulf
The Seafarer
Explanation
These lines are from Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy, widely regarded as one of the most important influences for medieval Christianity. Written in prison at the end of the Classical era, the work features a wide-ranging conversation between Boethius (a Roman philosopher) and Lady Philosophy and is written in mix of prose and verse.
Passage adapted from Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius (ed. 1897, trans. James)
Which of the following Indonesian writers wrote the popular novel Negeri 5 Menara (The Land of 5 Towers)?
Ahmad Fuadi
Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Ayu Utami
Sapardi Djoko Damono
Leila Chudori
Explanation
This is Ahmad Fuadi, who is an important Indonesian entrepreneur as well as a novelist. Negeri 5 Menara (The Land of 5 Towers) was published in 2009. Pramoedya Ananta Toer wrote the Buru quartet, Ayu Utami wrote Saman (1998), Sapardi Djoko Damono wrote mainly lyric poetry, and Leila Chudori wrote The Last Night (1989).
Which of the following Indonesian writers wrote the popular novel Negeri 5 Menara (The Land of 5 Towers)?
Ahmad Fuadi
Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Ayu Utami
Sapardi Djoko Damono
Leila Chudori
Explanation
This is Ahmad Fuadi, who is an important Indonesian entrepreneur as well as a novelist. Negeri 5 Menara (The Land of 5 Towers) was published in 2009. Pramoedya Ananta Toer wrote the Buru quartet, Ayu Utami wrote Saman (1998), Sapardi Djoko Damono wrote mainly lyric poetry, and Leila Chudori wrote The Last Night (1989).