Applicant’s Name: ………………………………………………… Tracking ID: ………………………………………

Department of English

Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad

M Phil English Admission Test (Spring 2023)

Max Time: 1 hour Date: 29-03-2023 Max Marks: 40

Admission test for: MPhil English (Linguistics/ Literature / both) please encircle one option.

Note: Section A is common and compulsory without choice for both M Phil English Linguistics and MPhil English
Literature. Attempt any ONE question from Section B For M Phil English Linguistics or M Phil English
Literature. If you applied for both the programs, then attempt any ONE question from both of Section B For
M Phil English Linguistics and Section B for M Phil English Literature.

Section A (20 Marks) for M Phil English Linguistics and MPhil English Literature

Q1. Read the passage. Then answer the questions below.

The biggest house of cards, the longest tongue, and of course, the tallest man: these are among the thousands of
records logged in the famous Guinness Book of Records. Created in 1955 after a debate concerning Europe's
fastest game bird, what began as a marketing tool sold to pub landlords to promote Guinness, an Irish drink,
became the bestselling copyright title of all time (a category that excludes books such as the Bible and the Koran).
In time, the book would sell 120 million copies in over 100 countries— quite a leap from its humble beginnings.

In its early years, the book set its sights on satisfying man's innate curiosity about the natural world around him.
Its two principal fact finders, twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, scoured the globe to collect empirical facts. It was
their task to find and document aspects of life that can be sensed or observed, things that can be quantified or
measured. But not just any things. They were only interested in superlatives: the biggest and the best. It was
during this period that some of the hallmark Guinness Records were documented, answering such questions as
"What is the brightest star?" and "What is the biggest spider?"

Once aware of the public's thirst for such knowledge, the book's authors began to branch out to cover increasingly
obscure, little-known facts. They started documenting human achievements as well. A forerunner for reality
television, the Guinness Book gave people a chance to become famous for accomplishing eccentric, often pointless
tasks. Records were set in 1955 for consuming 24 raw eggs in 14 minutes and in 1981 for the fastest solving of a
Rubik's Cube (which took a mere 38 seconds). In 1979 a man yodeled non-stop for ten and a quarter hours.

In its latest incarnation, the book has found a new home on the internet. No longer restricted to the confines of
physical paper, the Guinness World Records website contains seemingly innumerable facts concerning such topics
as the most powerful combustion engine, or the world's longest train. What is striking, however, is that such facts
are found sharing a page with the record of the heaviest train to be pulled with a beard. While there is no denying
that each of these facts has its own, individual allure, the latter represents a significant deviation from the
education-oriented facts of earlier editions. Perhaps there is useful knowledge to be gleaned regarding the tensile
strength of a beard, but this seems to cater to an audience more interested in seeking entertainment than
education.
Originating as a simple bar book, the Guinness Book of Records has evolved over decades to provide insight into
the full spectrum of modern life. And although one may be more likely now to learn about the widest human
mouth than the highest number of casualties in a single battle of the Civil War, the Guinness World Records
website offers a telling glimpse into the future of fact-finding and record-recording.

1) Which of the following statements would best serve as the headline for this passage?

A. The encyclopedia of the extremes reflects the changing interests of modern society.

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Applicant’s Name: ………………………………………………… Tracking ID: ………………………………………

B. A book of simple origins makes it to the top as sales total a staggering 120 million copies.

C. Facts are often displayed in a boring, uninteresting manner, but not in the Guinness Book of Records.

D. The Guinness World Records website proves itself a valuable resource for insight into the full spectrum of
modern life.

E. Where other books fall short, the index of superlative sciences never ceases to amaze.

2) According to the author, the most significant difference between older editions of the Guinness Book of Records
and the new Guinness World Records website involves

A. an end to the use of facts as a means to promote Guinness

B. an overall increase in the total number of facts presented

C. a move from fact-finding to the recording of achievements

D. a shift in focus from educational to entertaining material

E. a departure from book sales being limited to local pubs and bars

3) As used in paragraph 2, which is the best definition for empirical?

A. natural B. derived from experience C. recordable D. excellent or unmatched E. convenient or handy

4) Based on its use in paragraph 2, which of the following best describes something that is superlative?

A. Students give presentations about their favorite subjects for a grade. Amy Newhouse receives an 87% for her
presentation, while Dustin Lincoln receives a 92%.

B. Although sharks are significantly bigger and have razor-sharp teeth, dolphins are smarter and can therefore
successfully evade attack.

C. The lake holds a contest to see who can catch the biggest fish. Tommy wins, having caught a 6 lb. 5 oz.
smallmouth bass.

D. A man built an enormous house of cards. It took him 44 days and 218,792 individual playing cards to complete.

E. Ichiro likes tennis and practices every day. In his last tournament, he placed 3rd of over 350 competitors,
winning the bronze trophy.

5) Using the passage as a guide, it can be inferred that the author most likely believes reality television to be

A. corrupt B. absurd C. idiotic D. invaluable E. shallow

6) In the final paragraph, the author writes, "And although one may be more likely now to learn about the widest
human mouth than the highest number of casualties in a single battle of the Civil War, the Guinness World
Records website offers a telling glimpse into the future of fact-finding and recor-recording." Which of the
following literary devices is used in this quotation?

A. Aphorism, characterized by the use of a concise statement that is made in a matter of fact tone to state a
principle or an opinion that is generally understood to be a universal truth. Aphorisms are often adages, wise
sayings and maxims aimed at imparting sense and wisdom.

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B. Alliteration, characterized by the use of adjacent words that begin with the same sound or letter, creating a
repetition of similar sounds in the sentence. This is used to add character to the writing and often adds an element
of playfulness.

C. Amplification, characterized by the embellishment or extension of a statement in order to give it greater worth
or meaning. This is often used for rhetorical purposes.

D. Anagram, characterized by the jumbling of the syllables of a phrase or the individual letters of a word to create
a new word. Anagram is a form of wordplay that allows the writer to infuse mystery and a fun into the writing so
that the reader can decipher the actual word on his or her own and discover enhanced depth of meaning.

E. Anthropomorphism in which a human quality, emotion or ambition is attributed to a non-human object or

being. This is often used in order to relate the object to the reader on a familiar level and also to increase the level
of relativity between the humans and objects while lending character to the subject.

7) Which of the following best summarizes the organization of this passage?

A. introduction, history, conclusion

B. history, examples, explanations, conclusion

C. exposition, history, conclusion

D. introduction, thesis, supporting paragraphs, conclusion

E. introduction, history, exposition, conclusion

8) What words and phrases in the passage mean:

I. fatalities: ……………………………. II. intrinsic: ………………………….. III. recorded: …………………………

IV. vague: ……………………………… V. bizarre; ……………………………. VI. appeal: …………………………..

Section B (20 Marks) for M Phil English Linguistics

Q1. In your opinion, what are some of the most significant linguistics theories that have shaped our understanding
of human language and /have enabled us to make meaning of our surroundings? OR

Q2. What are some of the basic functions of our language? How do you foresee the future of language in the
current scientific world? Elaborate your response with academic references to support your opinion/
understanding.

Section B (20 Marks) for M Phil English Literature

Q1. What are the central themes and critical approaches in modern literary theory as exemplified by writers such
as Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, and James Baldwin? OR

Q2. How do literary texts such as Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India
reinforce or undermine colonialist ideology through their representations of colonization and the colonized?

-----Good luck----