Read the passage carefully and answer the questions /Comprehension Passage
Questions:
1. "A young man not yet, an elder man not at all."-this expression is an example
(A) Humour
(B) Sarcasun
(C) Exaggeration
(D) Wit
2. In the above passage the expression "A young man not yet" means-
(A) A young man shows marry without delay.
(B) A young man should never marry.
(C) A young man should marry only when he desires.
(D) A young man should not marry because he has as yet an inadequate experience
of life.
3. Wives are young men's-
(A) nurses
(B) companions
(C) mistress.
(D) friends.
4. A wife never fails in her devotion to a bad husband-
(A) because she is always afraid of her husband.
(B) if she has married that husband by her own choice.
(C) she has been advised to do so.
(D) she is dutiful.
5. Find out the word in the passage that means idiocy-
(B) patience
(C) kindness
(D) folly
(A) Pride.
Prose -1-14 Answer sheet
........................................................................................................................................................
Wives are young man's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old man's nurses. So as a man may have a quarrel to marry, when he will. But yet he was reputed one of the wisemen that made answer to the question when a man should marry. -A young man not yet, an elder man not at all. It is often seen that bad husband's have very good wives; whether it be that it raiseth the price of their husbands' kindnen when it comes, or that the wives take a pride in their patience. But this never fails, if the bad husbands were of their own chosing, against their friends' consent; for then they will be sure to make good their own folly.
Questions:
1. "A young man not yet, an elder man not at all."-this expression is an example
(A) Humour
(B) Sarcasun
(C) Exaggeration
(D) Wit
2. In the above passage the expression "A young man not yet" means-
(A) A young man shows marry without delay.
(B) A young man should never marry.
(C) A young man should marry only when he desires.
(D) A young man should not marry because he has as yet an inadequate experience
of life.
3. Wives are young men's-
(A) nurses
(B) companions
(C) mistress.
(D) friends.
4. A wife never fails in her devotion to a bad husband-
(A) because she is always afraid of her husband.
(B) if she has married that husband by her own choice.
(C) she has been advised to do so.
(D) she is dutiful.
5. Find out the word in the passage that means idiocy-
(B) patience
(C) kindness
(D) folly
(A) Pride.
Prose -1-14 Answer sheet
........................................................................................................................................................
Francis Bacon. (1561–1626). Essays, Civil and Moral.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
VIII
Of Marriage and Single Life
HE that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief. Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men; which both in affection and means have married and endowed the public. Yet it were great reason that those that have children should have greatest care of future times; unto which they know they must transmit their dearest pledges. Some there are, who though they lead a single life, yet their thoughts do end with themselves, and account future times impertinences. 1 Nay, there are some other that account wife and children but as bills of charges. Nay more, there are some foolish rich covetous men, that take a pride in having no children, because they may be thought so much the richer. For perhaps they have heard some talk, Such an one is a great rich man, and another except to it, Yea, but he hath a great charge of children; as if it were an abatement to his riches. But the most ordinary cause of a single life is liberty, especially in certain self-pleasing and humorous 2 minds, which are so sensible of every restraint, as they will go near to think their girdles and garters to be bonds and shackles. Unmarried men are best friends, best masters, best servants; but not always best subjects; for they are light to run away; and almost all fugitives are of that condition. A single life doth well with churchmen; for charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool. It is indifferent for judges and magistrates; for if they be facile and corrupt, you shall have a servant five times worse than a wife. For soldiers, I find the generals commonly in their hortatives put men in mind of their wives and children; and I think the despising of marriage amongst the Turks maketh the vulgar soldier more base. Certainly wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity; and single men, though they may be many times more charitable, because their means are less exhaust, yet, on the other side, they are more cruel and hardhearted (good to make severe inquisitors), because their tenderness is not so oft called upon. Grave natures, led by custom, and therefore constant, are commonly loving husbands, as was said of Ulysses, vetulam suam prætulit immortalitati [he preferred his old wife to immortality]. Chaste women are often proud and froward, as presuming upon the merit of their chastity. It is one of the best bonds both of chastity and obedience in the wife, if she think her husband wise; which she will never do if she find him jealous. Wives are young men’s mistresses; companions for middle age; and old men’s nurses. So as a man may have a quarrel 3 to marry when he will. But yet he 4 was reputed one of the wise men, that made answer to the question, when a man should marry,—A young man not yet, an elder man not at all. It is often seen that bad husbands have very good wives; whether it be that it raiseth the price of their husband’s kindness when it comes; or that the wives take a pride in their patience. But this never fails, if the bad husbands were of their own choosing, against their friends’ consent; for then they will be sure to make good their own folly.
Of Marriage and Single Life by Francis Bacon
English Comprehension For Competitive Exams: Prose -1 19:48 to 23:23
English Comprehension For Competitive Exams: Prose -1 08:28 to 10:58
