KPSC HSA English - Summary and Model Objective Questions of "The Trumpet Club" by Sir Richard Steele

The essay "The Trumpet Club" by Sir Richard Steele, published in The Spectator, No. 34, describes the author's usual custom of relaxing after intense study by engaging in conversation with easy-going companions. He finds this practice essential for gradually easing into sleep. He likens this pre-sleep conversation to taking a "first nap" before bed, indicating the comfortable and undemanding nature of these interactions. The author feels a duty to posterity and to the "society at the Trumpet" to record an account of the individuals with whom he has spent a significant portion of his life over the past forty years. 

The club, originally consisting of fifteen members, has been reduced to a third of that number due to "the severity of the law in arbitrary times" and the natural effects of old age. Despite this reduction, the author finds solace in the belief that "the best company is said to consist of five persons." The essayist admits that, in addition to the benefit of conversation, he enjoys being the most intelligent among them, serving as their "oracle in all points of learning and difficulty." This position provides him with a quiet satisfaction within the group. 

Sir Jeoffery Notch is the oldest member of the club, always occupying the right-hand chair and holding the exclusive privilege of stirring the fire. He is depicted as a gentleman from an ancient family who inherited a large estate before he had the maturity to manage it, subsequently squandering it on hounds, horses, and cock-fighting. Despite his financial misfortunes, he considers himself an "honest, worthy gentleman" and dismisses any successful individual as a "pitiful upstart." His character represents a blend of past grandeur and present resentment towards those who have thrived. 

Major Matchlock, the second most senior member, is a veteran of the last civil wars and prides himself on his detailed recollection of all the battles. He considers no event in Europe worth discussing since the Battle of Marston Moor. A recurring anecdote he shares is being "knocked off his horse at the rising of the London apprentices," an event for which he is highly esteemed among the club members. His character embodies a focus on past military glory and a disregard for contemporary events. 

Honest old Dick Reptile is the third member, a good-natured and indolent man who speaks very little but readily laughs at the jokes of others. He regularly brings his eighteen-year-old nephew, a quiet youth, to the club. Dick's intention is to expose his nephew to "good company" and give him a "taste of the world." Whenever the nephew speaks or laughs, Dick jocularly remarks, "Ay, ay, Jack, you young men think us fools; but we old men know you are," highlighting the generational difference and a subtle wisdom of the elders. 

The club's other notable wit, besides the author, is a bencher from a neighboring inn. In his younger days, this bencher frequented ordinaries around Charing Cross and claims to have been acquainted with Jack Ogle. He can recite approximately ten couplets from Hudibras from memory and consistently applies them before leaving the club. His tendency to shake his head at the "dulness of the present age" when modern wit or town-frolics are mentioned further emphasizes his nostalgic preference for past times and literary works. 

The Trumpet Club serves as a microcosm of early 18th-century English society, showcasing various character types and the social customs of the time. Through these sketches, Steele offers a gentle satire of human nature, highlighting the quirks, pretensions, and simple pleasures of his companions. The essay itself, a reflection on conversation, friendship, and the passage of time, provides insight into the values and intellectual pursuits prevalent during the period. 

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Objective Questions from "The Trumpet Club" 

1. What is the author's usual custom after applying his mind with extraordinary attention to his studies? 

(A) To read more books
(B) To relax and unbend in conversation
(C) To write more essays
(D) To engage in physical exercise
Answer: (B)

2. What does the author compare his evening conversations with his club members to? 

(A) A second study session
(B) A long journey
(C) Taking his first nap before bed
(D) A formal debate
Answer: (C)

3. How long has the author been a member of the society at the Trumpet? 

(A) Ten years
(B) Twenty years
(C) Forty years
(D) Sixty years
Answer: (C)

4. How many members did the Trumpet Club originally consist of?

(A) Five
(B) Ten
(C) Fifteen
(D) Twenty
Answer: (C)

5. To what number has the club been reduced at present? 

(A) Five
(B) Three
(C) Seven
(D) Eight
Answer: (A)

6. What is the consolation the remaining members of the club have? 

(A) They have more space
(B) The best company is said to consist of five persons
(C) They can talk more
(D) They save money
Answer: (B)

7. What does the author particularly enjoy about being in this select society?

(A) The lively debates
(B) Finding himself the greatest wit among them
(C) The variety of opinions
(D) The food and drink
Answer: (B)

8. Who is the oldest member of the club?

(A) Major Matchlock
(B) Honest old Dick Reptile
(C) Sir Jeoffery Notch
(D) The bencher
Answer: (C)

9. What exclusive privilege does Sir Jeoffery Notch possess in the club?

(A) Leading discussions
(B) Telling stories
(C) Stirring the fire
(D) Choosing the topics of conversation
Answer: (C)

10. How did Sir Jeoffery Notch squander his estate? 

(A) On lavish parties
(B) On books and studies
(C) On hounds, horses, and cock-fighting
(D) On political campaigns
Answer: (C)

11. How does Sir Jeoffery Notch view every thriving man? 

(A) As a successful businessman
(B) As a lucky individual
(C) As a pitiful upstart
(D) As a potential friend
Answer: (C)

12. Who is the next senior member after Sir Jeoffery Notch? 

(A) The author
(B) Major Matchlock
(C) Honest old Dick Reptile
(D) Dick Reptile's nephew
Answer: (B)

13. What historical event does Major Matchlock often refer to? 

(A) The Battle of Hastings
(B) The fight of Marston Moor
(C) The French Revolution
(D) The American Civil War
Answer: (B)

14. What recurring anecdote does Major Matchlock share that earns him great esteem? 

(A) Winning a duel
(B) Being knighted
(C) Being knocked off his horse at the rising of the London apprentices
(D) Discovering a treasure
Answer: (C)

15. What kind of person is Honest old Dick Reptile? 

(A) Argumentative and loud
(B) Good-natured and indolent
(C) Witty and sharp
(D) Energetic and talkative
Answer: (B)

16. Who does Honest old Dick Reptile bring along with him to the club? 

(A) His wife
(B) His young nephew
(C) His daughter
(D) His servant
Answer: (B)

17. What is the age of Dick Reptile's nephew? 

(A) Sixteen
(B) Eighteen
(C) Twenty
(D) Twenty-two
Answer: (B)

18. What is Dick Reptile's jocular remark to his nephew? 

(A) "You are so smart."
(B) "We old men know you are fools."
(C) "You will learn someday."
(D) "Youth is wasted on the young."
Answer: (B)

19. Who is considered the greatest wit of the company, next to the author? 26

(A) Sir Jeoffery Notch
(B) Major Matchlock
(C) Honest old Dick Reptile
(D) A bencher of the neighbouring inn
Answer: (D)

20. What literary work does the bencher often quote from? 

(A) Paradise Lost
(B) Hudibras
(C) The Aeneid
(D) Juvenal
Answer: (B)

21. What is the bencher's reaction to mention of modern wit or town-frolics? 

(A) He praises them.
(B) He shakes his head at the dulness of the present age.
(C) He tells new jokes.
(D) He starts a debate.
Answer: (B)

22. According to the essay, what effect does the conversation of "heavy honest men" have on the author before sleep? 

(A) It energizes him.
(B) It takes his mind down from abstractions and lulls him into tranquillity.
(C) It makes him restless.
(D) It inspires him to write more.
Answer: (B)

23. The essay begins with a quotation from which classical author? 

(A) Virgil
(B) Homer
(C) Cicero
(D) Juvenal
Answer: (C)

24. What is the primary purpose of the author in recounting the members of the Trumpet Club? 

(A) To criticize their shortcomings
(B) To amuse his readers with their eccentricities
(C) To give an account of the persons among whom he has spent much time
(D) To show his superior intellect
Answer: (C)

25. The essay "The Trumpet Club" is found in which publication?
    (A) Tatler
    (B) The Spectator
    (C) The Guardian
    (D) The Rambler
    Answer: (B)

KPSC HSA English - Summary and Model Objective Questions "Of Studies" by Francis Bacon

 Summary of “Of Studies” by Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon's essay "Of Studies" explores the various purposes and benefits of engaging in studies, categorizing them primarily into three uses: delight, ornament, and ability. Studies provide personal enjoyment and solace in private moments, enhance conversation and discourse, and, most importantly, sharpen one's judgment and capacity for managing business affairs. Bacon emphasizes that while practical experience is valuable for executing specific tasks, it is learning that best equips individuals for broader strategic thinking and planning.

Bacon also cautions against the misuse of studies. Spending excessive time on studies can lead to idleness, using studies merely for ostentation results in affectation, and relying solely on academic rules for judgment can turn one into an impractical scholar. He asserts that studies refine nature, but nature itself must be perfected by experience. Just as natural plants need pruning, natural abilities require the cultivation that studies provide, but studies also need to be grounded in practical experience to be truly effective.

The essay differentiates how various types of people view and utilize studies. Crafty individuals tend to condemn studies, simple-minded people admire them, but wise individuals truly put them to good use. This is because studies themselves do not inherently teach their own application; true wisdom in using them comes from observation and practical insight. Bacon advises that one should read not to contradict, refute, or passively accept information, nor merely to talk, but rather to carefully weigh and consider what is read.

A significant portion of the essay is dedicated to the different ways books should be read. Bacon famously states that "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested". This metaphor explains that some books should be read only in parts, others quickly, and a select few require diligent and attentive reading from cover to cover. He also notes that less important arguments or "meaner sort of books" can be read by a deputy, but warns against relying too much on "distilled books" which are like "common distilled waters, flashy things".

Bacon then highlights the transformative power of reading, conference (discussion), and writing on an individual's character and intellect. He states that "Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man". This implies that reading enriches one's knowledge, discussion enhances one's quickness of thought and expression, and writing sharpens precision and clarity. He adds that if one writes little, a great memory is needed; if one confers little, a quick wit is essential; and if one reads little, much cunning is required to feign knowledge.

The essay also connects different academic disciplines to specific intellectual benefits. Histories make men wise, poetry makes them witty, mathematics makes them subtle, natural philosophy makes them deep, moral philosophy makes them serious, and logic and rhetoric prepare them for argument. This demonstrates Bacon's belief in a holistic approach to education, where each field cultivates particular mental faculties. He quotes a Latin phrase, "Abeunt studia in mores," meaning "Studies pass into and influence manners".

Finally, Bacon posits that studies can remedy intellectual deficiencies, much like physical exercises can address bodily ailments. For a wandering mind, mathematics is recommended because it demands focused attention; for those who struggle with distinguishing differences, the Schoolmen are suggested for their meticulous analysis ("cymini sectores" - splitters of hairs). Similarly, studying lawyers' cases is beneficial for those who need to connect diverse ideas to prove a point. Thus, every intellectual weakness, according to Bacon, can find a "special receipt" in the appropriate study.

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Objective Questions and Answers from "Of Studies"

1. According to Francis Bacon, what are the three primary uses of studies?
   (A) For wealth, power, and fame 

(B) For delight, ornament, and ability 

(C) For health, happiness, and peace 

(D) For teaching, learning, and researching 

Answer: (B)

2. What does Bacon say is the chief use of studies "for ability"?
   (A) To engage in pleasant conversations 

(B) To pass time in solitude 

(C) In the judgment and disposition of business 

(D) To write elaborate essays 

Answer: (C)

3. What does Bacon compare natural abilities to, which "need pruning, by study"?
   (A) Wild animals 

(B) Raw diamonds 

(C) Natural plants 

(D) Untamed rivers 

Answer: (C)

4. Which type of men, according to Bacon, "condemn studies"?
   (A) Wise men 

(B) Simple men 

(C) Crafty men 

(D) Learned men 

Answer: (C)

5. What is Bacon's advice regarding reading, beyond merely contradicting or believing?
   (A) To memorize every word 

(B) To argue with the author 

(C) To weigh and consider 

(D) To find fault in the text 

Answer: (C)

6. "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." What does "chewed and digested" imply for books?
   (A) To be read quickly without much thought 

(B) To be read only in parts 

(C) To be read wholly, and with diligence and attention 

(D) To be skimmed for key information 

Answer: (C)

7. What kind of books does Bacon describe as "flashy things," like "common distilled waters"?
   (A) Books that are read wholly 

(B) Books read by deputy 

(C) Distilled books 

(D) Histories 

Answer: (C)

8. "Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man." What does "conference" contribute to a man?
   (A) Fullness

(B) Readiness 

(C) Exactness 

(D) Cunning 

Answer: (B)

9. If a man writes little, what does Bacon say he needs to have?
   (A) A present wit 

(B) Much cunning 

(C) A great memory 

(D) A subtle mind 

Answer: (C)

10. Which subject, according to Bacon, makes men "subtle"?
    (A) Histories 

(B) Poets 

(C) Mathematics 

(D) Moral philosophy 

Answer: (C)

11. What does the Latin phrase "Abeunt studia in mores" mean?
    (A) Studies make men happy 

(B) Studies pass into and influence manners 

(C) Studies are a waste of time 

(D) Studies are for scholars only 

Answer: (B)

12. For a wandering wit, what study does Bacon recommend?
    (A) Poets 

(B) Logic 

(C) Mathematics 

(D) Natural philosophy 

Answer: (C)

13. What is the meaning of "cymini sectores" mentioned in relation to Schoolmen?
    (A) Debaters 

(B) Writers 

(C) Splitters of hairs 

(D) Great thinkers 

Answer: (C)

14. What does Bacon suggest for those whose "wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences"?
    (A) Study histories

(B) Study the Schoolmen 

(C) Study poetry 

(D) Study lawyers' cases 

Answer: (B)

15. What is the danger of spending "too much time in studies"?
    (A) Affectation 

(B) Sloth 

(C) Humor of a scholar 

(D) Cunning 

Answer: (B)

16. What is the danger of using studies "too much for ornament"?
    (A) Sloth 

(B) Affectation 

(C) Lack of judgment 

(D) Poor memory 

Answer: (B)

17. What kind of men "admire" studies?
    (A) Crafty men 

(B) Wise men 

(C) Simple men 

(D) Learned men 

Answer: (C)

18. What does Bacon suggest for those who need to "beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another"?
    (A) Study mathematics 

(B) Study moral philosophy 

(C) Study the Schoolmen 

(D) Study the lawyers' cases 

Answer: (D)

19. According to Bacon, what makes men "witty"?
    (A) Histories 

(B) Poets 

(C) Mathematics 

(D) Natural philosophy 

Answer: (B)

20. What is the overall purpose of studies, as suggested by Bacon's closing remarks about every "defect of the mind"?
    (A) To accumulate knowledge 

(B) To improve social standing 

(C) To have a special receipt (remedy) for every mental defect 

(D) To become a scholar 

Answer: (C)