UGC NET December 2026 – English Paper II

Mock Test 10: Unit III – Fiction and Short Story

Examination Instructions

Subject

English – Paper II

Unit

Unit III: Fiction and Short Story

Total Questions

20 MCQs

Maximum Marks

40 marks

Suggested Time

25 minutes

All 20 questions are compulsory.
Each question carries 2 marks.
Each question has four options: (A), (B), (C), and (D). Select the single most appropriate answer.
There is no negative marking in this practice test.
The test includes factual, conceptual, matching, chronology, assertion–reason, statement-based, and passage-based questions.
These are original practice questions based on important syllabus areas. They are not actual or officially predicted UGC NET questions.

Section A: Multiple-Choice Questions

Question 1. (Development of the English Novel)

Which author wrote The Pilgrim's Progress, an allegorical prose narrative that follows Christian on his journey from the City of Destruction toward the Celestial City?

(A) John Bunyan

(B) Daniel Defoe

(D) Samuel Richardson

Question 2. (Literary Concept: Social Realism)

Which statement best describes social realism in fiction?

(A) It represents society and social conditions, often highlighting inequality, exploitation, and the lives of ordinary people.

(B) It excludes social institutions and economic conditions from literary representation.

(D) It requires all characters to be members of the aristocracy.

Question 3. (Assertion–Reason: Charles Dickens)

Assertion (A): Charles Dickens frequently uses child characters to expose social injustice and institutional cruelty.

Reason (R): Novels such as Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby portray the suffering of children within oppressive social systems.

Choose the correct answer:

(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

(D) A is false, but R is true.

Question 4. (Match the Following: Authors and Works)

Match List I with List II.

List I: Author	List II: Work
1. George Orwell	a. The Bluest Eye
2. Toni Morrison	b. The Remains of the Day
3. Kazuo Ishiguro	c. Animal Farm
4. Aldous Huxley	d. Brave New World

Choose the correct code:

(A) 1–c, 2–a, 3–b, 4–d

(B) 1–a, 2–b, 3–d, 4–c

(D) 1–b, 2–d, 3–c, 4–a

Question 5. (Short Story: “The Tell-Tale Heart”)

In Edgar Allan Poe's “The Tell-Tale Heart,” the narrator's insistence on his sanity, despite his disturbing actions and perceptions, primarily contributes to:

(A) A conventional comic atmosphere.

(B) Psychological tension and uncertainty about the narrator's reliability.

(D) A romantic celebration of rural life.

Question 6. (Narrative Technique: Unreliable Narrator)

Which situation most clearly indicates an unreliable narrator?

(A) The narrator consistently distinguishes personal opinion from established fact.

(B) The narrator's claims conflict with evidence presented elsewhere in the narrative.

(D) The narrator reports a conversation without adding commentary.

Question 7. (Statement-Based Question: Dystopian Fiction)

Consider the following statements about dystopian fiction.

It often depicts societies characterised by oppressive institutions or restrictions on freedom.
It may explore surveillance, propaganda, social control, and the misuse of technology.
It necessarily portrays an ideal society in which all citizens are happy.
It may use an imagined future or alternative society to criticise existing political or social conditions.

Which statements are correct?

(A) 1 and 2 only

(B) 1, 2 and 4 only

(D) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 8. (Indian English Fiction)

Who wrote A Suitable Boy, a novel set in post-independence India that explores family, marriage, politics, religion, and social change?

(A) Vikram Seth

(B) Amitav Ghosh

(D) Rohinton Mistry

Question 9. (Short Story: Symbolism)

In a short story, a character repeatedly encounters a wilting flower. As the narrative develops, the flower becomes associated with the character's fading hopes and deteriorating relationship.

What is the flower primarily functioning as?

(A) A symbol

(B) A flashback

(D) An unreliable narrator

Question 10. (Match the Following: Novels and Authors)

Match List I with List II.

List I: Novel	List II: Author
1. The Catcher in the Rye	a. Harper Lee
2. To Kill a Mockingbird	b. J. D. Salinger
3. Lord of the Flies	c. Joseph Heller
4. Catch-22	d. William Golding

Choose the correct code:

(A) 1–b, 2–a, 3–d, 4–c

(B) 1–a, 2–d, 3–c, 4–b

(D) 1–d, 2–c, 3–b, 4–a

Question 11. (Assertion–Reason: Gothic Fiction)

Assertion (A): Gothic fiction frequently uses settings such as decaying castles, isolated houses, and mysterious landscapes to create unease.

Reason (R): Gothic settings may reflect or intensify characters' psychological fears and the narrative's atmosphere of uncertainty.

Choose the correct answer:

(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

(D) A is false, but R is true.

Question 12. (Case Study: Narrative Perspective)

Read the following passage:

I entered the abandoned theatre just before sunset. Dust covered the seats, and a torn curtain hung over the stage. I remembered the applause from the night of my first performance, but I could not tell whether the silence now surrounding me felt peaceful or accusing.

Which narrative perspective is used in this passage?

(A) First-person narration, with access to the narrator's own memories and feelings.

(B) Third-person omniscient narration that reveals the thoughts of every character.

(D) Objective third-person narration that excludes internal experience.

Question 13. (Postcolonial Fiction: Identity and Power)

Which novel by Chinua Achebe explores the life of Obi Okonkwo, a Nigerian educated in England who returns to Nigeria and faces conflicting social expectations and corruption?

(A) No Longer at Ease

(B) Things Fall Apart

(D) Anthills of the Savannah

Question 14. (Feminist Literary Criticism)

A critic studies how women characters are represented in relation to marriage, economic dependence, social expectations, and control over their own lives.

Which approach is most directly relevant?

(A) Feminist literary criticism

(B) Purely phonetic analysis

(D) A method that excludes questions of gender and power

Question 15. (Modern Fiction: Stream of Consciousness)

Which novel by James Joyce is especially known for its experimental representation of a single day in Dublin and its innovative use of interior thought and language?

(A) Ulysses

(B) A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

(D) Finnegans Wake

Question 16. (Chronology: English Fiction)

Arrange the following novels in chronological order of their first publication, from earliest to latest.

The Pilgrim's Progress — John Bunyan
Robinson Crusoe — Daniel Defoe
Pride and Prejudice — Jane Austen
Great Expectations — Charles Dickens

Choose the correct answer:

(A) 1, 2, 3, 4

(B) 2, 1, 4, 3

(D) 3, 2, 1, 4

Question 17. (Short Story: “The Lottery”)

The disturbing ending of Shirley Jackson's “The Lottery” challenges readers primarily to question:

(A) The relationship between unquestioned tradition, collective behaviour, and violence.

(B) The advantages of a modern banking system.

(D) The development of a detective's professional skills.

Question 18. (Application-Based: Intertextuality)

A contemporary novelist rewrites the story of Cinderella but places the protagonist in a modern city, challenges traditional gender roles, and deliberately echoes familiar scenes from the fairy tale.

Which concept best describes the relationship between the new work and the earlier story?

(A) Intertextuality

(B) Naturalism

(D) Direct characterisation

Question 19. (African American Fiction)

Who wrote Their Eyes Were Watching God, a novel centred on Janie Crawford's search for voice, autonomy, and fulfilment?

(A) Zora Neale Hurston

(B) Toni Morrison

(D) Maya Angelou

Question 20. (Comprehension and Critical Interpretation)

Read the following passage carefully:

The town museum introduced interactive screens that allowed visitors to explore photographs, maps, and recorded interviews. Attendance increased, and schoolchildren began visiting more frequently. Yet an elderly volunteer continued to place a handwritten account beside a damaged farming tool. The account described the family who had used it during a famine. “The screen tells you how old it is,” she explained. “The account tells you why someone kept it.” The museum eventually displayed both the digital record and the handwritten narrative.

Which interpretation best captures the passage's central idea?

(A) Digital technology necessarily destroys historical understanding.

(B) Historical objects become meaningful only when they are displayed on screens.

(D) Museums should exclude individual memories from historical exhibitions.

Section B: Answer Key with Explanations

Q. No.	Correct Answer	Explanation
1	A	John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim's Progress, first published in 1678. It is a major example of Christian allegory in English prose.
2	A	Social realism represents recognisable social conditions and often examines poverty, inequality, exploitation, and institutional power.
3	A	Dickens uses child characters in novels such as Oliver Twist to expose cruelty and injustice in social institutions. The reason correctly explains the assertion.
4	A	George Orwell—Animal Farm; Toni Morrison—The Bluest Eye; Kazuo Ishiguro—The Remains of the Day; Aldous Huxley—Brave New World.
5	B	The narrator's insistence on his sanity contrasts with his disturbing behaviour, creating psychological tension and uncertainty about his credibility.
6	B	When a narrator's statements conflict with other evidence in the text, readers have reason to question the narrator's reliability.
7	B	Statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct. Dystopian fiction typically depicts oppressive or deeply flawed societies rather than ideal ones.
8	A	Vikram Seth wrote A Suitable Boy (1993), which examines family relationships, marriage, politics, and social life in post-independence India.
9	A	The wilting flower symbolises fading hope and a deteriorating relationship beyond its literal meaning.
10	A	The Catcher in the Rye—J. D. Salinger; To Kill a Mockingbird—Harper Lee; Lord of the Flies—William Golding; Catch-22—Joseph Heller.
11	A	Gothic settings frequently intensify fear, uncertainty, and psychological tension. The reason explains the assertion.
12	A	The narrator uses “I” and directly conveys personal memories, perceptions, and feelings, establishing first-person narration.
13	A	Achebe's No Longer at Ease (1960) follows Obi Okonkwo and examines the pressures of colonial education, social obligations, and corruption.
14	A	Feminist criticism examines how gender, marriage, economic dependence, and unequal power shape women's representation and agency.
15	A	James Joyce's Ulysses (1922) follows events in Dublin on 16 June 1904 and is renowned for its experimental narrative techniques.
16	A	The Pilgrim's Progress (1678), Robinson Crusoe (1719), Pride and Prejudice (1813), and Great Expectations (published in serial form in 1860–1861).
17	A	Jackson's story exposes how conformity and unquestioned traditions can normalise collective violence.
18	A	Intertextuality describes meaningful relationships between texts, including allusion, adaptation, rewriting, and transformation.
19	A	Zora Neale Hurston wrote Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), which explores Janie's identity, relationships, and personal independence.
20	C	The passage shows that digital tools can improve access while personal narratives provide context and emotional meaning. Both approaches can enrich historical interpretation.

Section C: Score Evaluation

Each correct answer carries 2 marks.

Score	Performance	Suggested Action
34–40	Excellent	Continue with advanced comparative and passage-based practice.
26–32	Good	Revise narrative techniques, literary movements, and author–work associations.
16–24	Moderate	Strengthen factual knowledge and conceptual understanding.
0–14	Needs improvement	Review foundational fiction, major authors, and critical terminology.

These are informal practice bands, not official UGC NET qualifying thresholds.

Section D: Important Revision Topics

Early prose and allegory: John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe, Jonathan Swift, and Samuel Richardson.
Victorian fiction: Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Thomas Hardy, and the Brontë sisters.
Modernist fiction: James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Joseph Conrad, and D. H. Lawrence.
American and African American fiction: Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Steinbeck, Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker.
Dystopian fiction: George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Margaret Atwood.
Indian English fiction: R. K. Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand, Raja Rao, Vikram Seth, and Amitav Ghosh.
Narrative techniques: Stream of consciousness, unreliable narration, intertextuality, symbolism, and first-person narration.
Critical approaches: Social realism, feminist criticism, postcolonial criticism, and the study of collective memory and social power.

Preparation tip: Before moving to another unit, review all ten Fiction and Short Story mock tests. Make a separate revision list of incorrect answers, publication dates, author–work pairs, and literary terms. Reattempt the questions you missed after a few days to identify topics that need further study.

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