UGC NET
Q1 The en-ending to denote the plural nous (as is (A) loss of inflections.
oxen, children, brethren) has survived from (B) intake of French words into English.
the (C) both the loss of inflections and intake of
(A) Middle English hymnals and chants in French words into English.
English parishes (D) addition of inflections.
(B) Anglo-Norman case of making plural nouns
Q4 Which British King, having defeated the Viking
(C) Odd Middle-English pronouncing custom of
invaders, consciously used the English
plurals
language to create a sense of national identity
(D) Old English practice of making plural
and retain political control over independent
nouns
countries?
Q2 What three Germanic tribes invaded Britons in (A) Alfred the Great
the fifth century AD, bringing with them the (B) Edward the Elder
roots of modern English? (C) King Arthur
(A) The Danes, Saxons and Celts (D) Ethelbert of Kent
(B) The Celts, Jutes and Saxons
Q5 During the reign of Norman Kings, it was
(C) The Saxons, Danes and Angles
fashionable to speak _______ in upper-class
(D) The Jutes, Angles and Saxons
circles in England.
Q3 The direct French influence on the English (A) Norse (B) Latin
language during the Middle English period was (C) Danish (D) French
in the form of .
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Answer Key
Q1 D Q4 A
Q2 D Q5 D
Q3 B
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Hints & Solutions
Note: scan the QR code to watch video solution
Q1 Text Solution: Q3 Text Solution:
The correct answer is option (D) Old English The correct answer is option (B) :intake of
practice of making plural nouns. French words into English.
The en-ending for plural nouns, as seen During the Middle English period,
in words like "oxen," "children," and French influence on English primarily
"brethren," is a remnant of Old English involved the significant intake of French
grammar. In Old English, this ending was vocabulary, especially after the Norman
a common way to form plurals, Conquest of 1066, when French became
particularly for certain declensions of the language of the ruling class. The
nouns. Over time, the -en ending became loss of inflections in English resulted
less common in most nouns, but it from broader linguistic changes, not
persisted in a few specific words. These directly from French influence.
words have retained their archaic plural
forms, serving as historical markers of Q4 Text Solution:
the language's evolution. While the -en The correct answer is option (A) Alfred the
ending is no longer a productive plural Great.
formation in modern English, these
Alfred the Great, a pivotal figure in
surviving examples offer a glimpse into
English history, recognized the power of
the language's past.
language in shaping national identity and
political control. After successfully
Q2 Text Solution:
repelling Viking invasions, he embarked
The correct answer is option (D) The Jutes,
on a cultural and linguistic revival. By
Angles and Saxons.
commissioning translations of important
Roman forces withdrew from Britain by Latin texts into Old English, he made
AD 410, leaving the island vulnerable to knowledge accessible to a wider
Germanic tribes. The Jutes, Angles, and audience, fostering literacy and a shared
Saxons, rather than launching a cultural heritage.
coordinated invasion, arrived in small By promoting English as the language of
groups and gradually asserted their learning, law, and governance, Alfred laid
dominance over what is now England. the foundation for a sense of national
Their arrival marked a significant turning identity and centralized authority.
point in British history, leading to the
decline of Roman influence and the Q5 Text Solution:
emergence of a new Anglo-Saxon culture. The correct answer is option (D) French.
The languages spoken by these tribes
The Norman Conquest of 1066 brought
formed the foundation of Old English,
Norman French to England. The Norman
which eventually evolved into modern
kings and their nobles spoke French,
English.
making it the language of the court,
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UGC NET
administration, and upper-class society. and culture. While Old English persisted
This led to a significant influence of among the common people, French
French on the English language, became the language of prestige and
particularly in areas like law, government, power for centuries.
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