Reading Comprehension Passage
Measure for Measure: Act II, Scene ii
From thee, even from thy virtue!
What's this, what's this? Is this her fault or mine?
The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?
Ha!
Not she: nor doth she tempt: but it is I
That, lying by the violet in the sun,
Do as the carrion does, not as the flower,
Corrupt with virtuous season. Can it be
That modesty may more betray our sense
Than woman's lightness? Having waste ground enough,
Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary
And pitch our evils there? O, fie, fie, fie!
What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?
Dost thou desire her foully for those things
That make her good? O, let her brother live!
Thieves for their robbery have authority
When judges steal themselves. What, do I love her,
That I desire to hear her speak again,
And feast upon her eyes? What is't I dream on?
O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint,
With saints dost bait thy hook! Most dangerous
Is that temptation that doth goad us on
To sin in loving virtue: never could the strumpet,
With all her double vigour, art and nature,
Once stir my temper; but this virtuous maid
Subdues me quite. Even till now,
When men were fond, I smiled and wonder'd how.
What internal conflict does the speaker express?
- A desire to become a monk
- Regret over a political decision
- A struggle between his virtue and lust
- Fear of losing power
Answer:
3. A struggle between his virtue and lust
Explanation:
The speaker, Angelo, explicitly wrestles with his hypocritical realization: he is tempted to sin precisely by Isabella's virtue. Lines like "The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?" and "To sin in loving virtue" reveal the central moral turmoil between his public image of righteousness and his sudden, intense lust.
"Thieves for their robbery have authority / When judges steal themselves" implies what?
- Society is just.
- Theft is always punishable.
- Corruption among judges is hypocritical.
- Judges are above law.
Answer:
3. Corruption among judges is hypocritical.
Explanation:
This line is a statement of moral chaos and hypocrisy. Angelo realizes that when a judge steals (is corrupt), even ordinary thieves (who steal openly) seem to possess a greater moral "authority" or legitimacy. The judge's corruption invalidates the entire system of justice.
According to the speaker, how does temptation disguise itself?
- In riches and power
- As poverty and humility
- As a virtue
- In dreams
Explanation:
Angelo directly states this when he refers to the "cunning enemy" that, "to catch a saint, / With saints dost bait thy hook!" This means the most effective temptation is that which disguises itself as the very thing it seeks to corrupt: virtue or goodness.
What kind of temptation does the speaker say is most dangerous?
- That which disguises itself as pleasure
- That which appears in dreams
- That which urges one to sin in loving virtue
- That which comes from enemies
Answer:
3. That which urges one to sin in loving virtue
Explanation:
This is explicitly answered by Angelo: "Most dangerous / Is that temptation that doth goad us on / To sin in loving virtue." He finds this form of temptation the most perilous because it subverts his entire moral foundation by making goodness the source of his fall.
What emotion is the speaker feeling at the end of the passage?
- Pride and Joy
- Indifference
- Confusion and shame
- Joy only
Answer:
3. Confusion and shame
Explanation:
Angelo's concluding lines show deep turmoil: "What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?" (Confusion/Self-doubt), and his realization that he is now behaving like the "fond" men he once mocked (Shame and self-condemnation). He is overwhelmed by his sudden moral collapse.
Reading Comprehension Passage 2
From MODERN PAINTERS, "A Definition of Greatness in Art" - Vol. 1, Part 1, Section 1, Chapter 2
Painting, or art generally, as such, with all its technicalities, difficulties, and particular ends, is nothing but a noble and expressive language, invaluable as the vehicle of thought, but by itself nothing. He who has learned what is commonly considered the whole art of painting, that is, the art of representing any natural object faithfully, has as yet only learned the language by which his thoughts are to be expressed. He has done just as much towards being that which we ought to respect as a great painter, as a man who has learned how to express himself grammatically and melodiously has towards being a great poet. The language is, indeed, more difficult of acquirement in the one case than in the other, and possesses more power of delighting the sense, while it speaks to the intellect; but it is, nevertheless, nothing more than language, and all those excellences which are peculiar to the painter as such, are merely what rhythm, melody, precision, and force are in the words of the orator and the poet, necessary to their greatness, but not the tests of their greatness. It is not by the mode of representing and saying, but by what is represented and said, that the respective greatness either of the painter or the writer is to be finally determined.
The author's primary argument suggests that technical mastery in painting is
- The only thing that defines artistic genius
- A deceptive illusion of greatness in art
- A necessary foundation but not the essence of true art
- More important than content in the painting
Answer:
3. A necessary foundation but not the essence of true art
Explanation:
The author compares technical mastery to "learning the language," stating it is "necessary to their greatness, but not the tests of their greatness." This implies technical skill is a required foundation (the language/vehicle) but is secondary to the thought or content being expressed (the essence of true art).
What implicit assumption about language and expression underpins the passage's argument?
- All forms of art must use written language to be effective.
- Expression without technical skill is more valuable.
- The medium of expression is secondary to the message conveyed.
- The value of grammar and melody lies in their aesthetic, not communicative power
Answer:
3. The medium of expression is secondary to the message conveyed.
Explanation:
The entire argument rests on the assumption that technical skill (the medium/mode) is merely the "vehicle of thought" and "by itself nothing." The author implicitly assumes that what is said (the message or content) holds the primary value, making the mechanism of delivery (the painting technique or grammar) secondary.
What does the phrase "possesses more power of delighting the sense, while it speaks to the intellect" imply about visual art?
- It is primarily sensual and lacks depth.
- It uniquely blends sensual pleasure with intellectual engagement.
- It fails to communicate abstract ideas through its art.
- It relies too much on technique and spectacle.
Answer:
2. It uniquely blends sensual pleasure with intellectual engagement.
Explanation:
The phrase describes a dual capacity: visual art can "delight the sense" (provide sensual pleasure) while simultaneously communicating deep ideas ("speaks to the intellect"). This implies a unique and powerful blend of aesthetic and intellectual functions, rather than a focus on one over the other.
What does the passage emphasize as the true measure of greatness in painting and writing?
- The material used
- The style and vocabulary
- The techniques applied
- The content expressed
Answer:
4. The content expressed
Explanation:
The final sentence provides the definitive answer: "It is not by the mode of representing and saying, but by what is represented and said, that the respective greatness... is to be finally determined." The content (what is represented and said) is the ultimate measure, superseding mode, style, or technique.
What is the broader philosophical implication of the statement "It is not by the mode of representing and saying, but by what is represented and said..."?
- Aesthetic techniques are irrelevant.
- Ethical and thematic depth are the ultimate measure of artistic value.
- Abstract art is superior to representational art.
- The audience determines the value of a work.
Answer:
2. Ethical and thematic depth are the ultimate measure of artistic value.
Explanation:
By prioritizing what is represented and said over the technical mode, the author establishes a philosophical hierarchy. This stance, common in moral criticism (like that of John Ruskin, the author), implies that the substance, ideas, and thematic/ethical significance of the work are the highest criteria for judging its lasting value.
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