CBSE CLASS XII — ENGLISH (CORE)

Multiple Choice Questions

Flamingo (Prose) — Chapter: The Interview
Total Questions: 50 | Maximum Marks: 50 | Time: 60 Minutes

Name: _______________________ Roll No: _______________ Date: _________________

Instructions: Read each question carefully. Choose the most appropriate option (A/B/C/D). Each question
carries 1 mark. There is no negative marking.

1. Who wrote the introduction to the chapter 'The Interview' in the CBSE Class 12 Flamingo
textbook?
A. Umberto Eco B. Christopher Silvester
C. Mukund Padmanabhan D. Denis Brian

2. For how many years have interviews been a part of journalism, according to Christopher
Silvester?
A. About 100 years B. About 130 years
C. About 150 years D. About 200 years

3. According to Silvester, what does the interview hold for ordinary readers?
A. Entertainment and gossip B. A record of history and human curiosity
C. A mirror of the times D. Both B and C

4. Which writer compared the interview to being 'a thumbscrew applied to one's soul'?
A. Lewis Carroll B. Rudyard Kipling
C. H.G. Wells D. Joseph Conrad

5. Who called the interviewer 'a demoralised barber' and considered interviews as 'ordeals'?
A. Rudyard Kipling B. Lewis Carroll
C. H.G. Wells D. V.S. Naipaul

6. What was Lewis Carroll's reaction to being interviewed?

A. He welcomed it B. He consistently refused to be interviewed
C. He gave interviews reluctantly D. He was indifferent
7. According to Christopher Silvester, the interview has become a commonplace of journalism
because:
A. It is cheap and easy B. It serves the function of both a mirror and a record
C. Readers demand more personal stories D. Newspapers cannot function without it

8. V.S. Naipaul felt that some people were diminished by interviews because:
A. Interviewers asked irrelevant questions B. The process robbed subjects of their true
identity
C. Interviews were published without fact- D. Editors distorted the answers
checking

9. Which of the following best describes Silvester's overall attitude towards the interview as a
form?
A. It is a flawed but necessary art B. It is an intrusion and should be abolished
C. It is an invaluable journalistic tool D. It is purely for entertainment

10. According to the lesson, what is the most widely used journalistic tool today?
A. Editorial B. Photo essay
C. Interview D. News report

11. Saul Bellow objected to interviews because he felt they left a ___ version of himself.
A. Glorified B. Disfigured
C. Simplified D. Accurate

12. What does Silvester say interviews give to ordinary readers?

A. Insight into power and wealth B. Celebrity culture and gossip
C. Access to the lives of the famous D. Historical archives

13. Who interviewed Umberto Eco for the second part of 'The Interview'?
A. Christopher Silvester B. Denis Brian
C. Mukund Padmanabhan D. V.S. Naipaul

14. Umberto Eco is primarily known as:

A. A poet and playwright B. A novelist and academic scholar
C. A journalist and editor D. A philosopher and politician
15. What is the name of the famous novel written by Umberto Eco?
A. The Alchemist B. The Name of the Rose
C. The Da Vinci Code D. Perfume

16. How many copies of 'The Name of the Rose' were sold worldwide?
A. One million B. Five million
C. Ten million D. Fifteen million

17. Eco claims that his novel became a success because:

A. It was a simple love story B. It was heavily marketed
C. Readers were ready for a challenging read D. It was based on a true story

18. What does Umberto Eco describe as the 'interstices' of his life?
A. Time spent on research B. Empty spaces or gaps between serious work
C. His creative writing hours D. Time spent travelling

19. How does Eco describe himself professionally at the university?

A. A professor of linguistics B. A professor of literature
C. A professor of semiotics D. A professor of history

20. What is 'semiotics', the subject Eco teaches?

A. The study of ancient symbols B. The study of signs and symbols and their interpretation
C. The study of literature and narratives D. The study of medieval history

21. Eco says he has written five novels but considers himself primarily a:
A. Novelist B. Journalist
C. University professor D. Philosopher

22. According to Eco, what fills his empty spaces at work?

A. Writing novels B. Giving lectures
C. Writing academic papers D. Reading newspapers

23. Eco's novel 'The Name of the Rose' is set in:

 A. Ancient Greece B. Medieval Italy
C. Renaissance England D. Modern France

24. Which literary genre does 'The Name of the Rose' primarily belong to?
A. Science fiction B. Romance
C. Detective-historical fiction D. Biography

25. Eco believes that postmodern literature can be:

A. Enjoyed only by academics B. Popular as well as intellectual
C. Understood only by scholars D. Written only in a specific style

26. What does Eco say about the relationship between the narrator and the reader in a novel?
A. The narrator controls the reader B. It is a collaborative creation
completely
C. The reader has no role in interpretation D. The author's intention is the only correct
interpretation

27. Eco received his doctorate in:

A. Philosophy B. Literature
C. Medieval aesthetics D. Linguistics

28. How does Eco explain writing so productively every day?

A. He wakes up at 4 AM to write B. He uses every small gap in his schedule to
write
C. He has a dedicated secretary who types for D. He dictates while travelling
him

29. According to Eco, an 'empty space' means:

A. Physical space in his home B. Moments with no scheduled tasks
C. Blank pages in his notebook D. Periods of mental block

30. Eco's model of text reception suggests that a text's meaning is:
A. Fixed by the author B. Open and constructed by the reader as well
C. Determined by critics D. Always the same regardless of the reader

31. 'The Name of the Rose' was originally written in which language?
 A. French B. Latin
C. Italian D. Spanish

32. What was the reaction of Eco's publisher to the manuscript of 'The Name of the Rose'?
A. Immediate enthusiasm B. Initial hesitation due to its difficulty
C. Complete rejection D. A request to shorten it significantly

33. What does the phrase 'I live in a library that has a house attached' suggest about Eco?
A. He lives in a public library B. He has a very large book collection
C. He works as a librarian D. He uses the library as an office

34. The tone of Christopher Silvester's introduction can best be described as:
A. Cynical and dismissive B. Balanced and informative
C. Enthusiastic and promotional D. Humorous and satirical

35. The phrase 'thumbscrew applied to the soul' is an example of:

A. Simile B. Hyperbole
C. Metaphor D. Personification

36. What literary device is used in: 'the interview is both a mirror of our times and an art form'?
A. Alliteration B. Metaphor
C. Irony D. Oxymoron

37. The central theme of 'The Interview' can be identified as:

A. The difficulties of writing a B. The nature and value of the interview as a journalistic and
novel literary form
C. The life story of Umberto Eco D. The history of print media

38. Eco's idea that novels fill his 'empty spaces' is significant because it shows:
A. That fiction is his primary occupation B. That creativity can coexist with rigorous academic
work
C. That academic work is less important to D. That he is disorganised
him

39. Why do some famous people dislike being interviewed, according to the lesson?
 A. They find fame burdensome B. They fear the exposure of their private lives and distortion of
identity
C. They believe journalism is D. Both A and B
unethical

40. What does Eco's success with 'The Name of the Rose' prove about readers?
A. Readers only want simple B. Readers are ready and willing to engage with complex,
stories challenging texts
C. Readers prefer non-fiction D. Readers judge books by their cover

41. The interview of Umberto Eco is notable because it shows:

A. A novelist who downplays his B. A scholar who has successfully bridged academic and
academic work popular writing
C. A writer who regrets writing popular D. A professor who wants to leave academia
novels

42. The word 'demoralised' as used by Kipling in reference to the interviewer most nearly
means:
A. Lacking ethics B. Physically weak
C. Mentally corrupt or unprincipled D. Overworked

43. What does the author mean by saying interviews act as a 'record of the human condition'?
A. Interviews document human B. Interviews capture the thoughts, beliefs and nature of
rights violations human beings across time
C. Interviews are used in court as D. Interviews replace textbooks in education
legal records

44. If you were to classify 'The Interview' as a chapter, it would best be described as:
A. A narrative essay B. A combination of an analytical introduction and a real
interview transcript
C. A short story with fictional D. A biographical account of Umberto Eco
characters

45. Which of the following statements would Umberto Eco most likely agree with?
A. Academics should not write popular fiction B. A novel's meaning is open and shaped by its
readers
C. The success of a novel depends purely on D. Simplicity is the hallmark of great literature
marketing
46. The contrast between celebrities who welcome interviews and those who despise them
illustrates:
A. The class differences in B. The dual nature of fame and its relationship with public
society scrutiny
C. The bias of journalists D. The changing quality of journalism

47. Eco's comment about filling 'interstices' with novel-writing is most similar to which idea?
A. Never waste a single moment B. Work only when inspired
C. Rest is as important as work D. Academic writing is superior to fiction

48. Which of the following best explains why Eco's publisher was hesitant about 'The Name of
the Rose'?
A. The novel was too short B. The medieval setting and intellectual complexity made commercial
success seem unlikely
C. The novel lacked a D. It had too many characters
romantic subplot

49. Silvester's introduction and Eco's interview together suggest that the interview as a form:
A. Is always biased and unreliable B. Is a powerful but complex medium that both reveals
and distorts
C. Should be replaced by written D. Works best for fictional subjects
questionnaires

50. The lesson 'The Interview' is included in the CBSE Grade 12 Flamingo textbook primarily to:
A. Teach students how to B. Help students understand the scope, value and controversies of
conduct interviews the interview as a literary and journalistic form
C. Introduce students to D. Explain the history of newspapers
Italian literature
 ANSWER KEY
The Interview — Class XII English Flamingo | 50 MCQs

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
B B D B A B B B C C

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
B C C B B C C B C B

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
C A B C B B C B B B

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
C B B B C B B B B B

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
B C B B B B A B B B

★ All the Best! ★