Contemporary American Literature

Which quote from the text most likely explains why modernism emerged?

• “With the Second Industrial Revolution in the late 1800s, daily life became more fast-paced, mechanized, and urban.”

• “After World War I (1914–1918), traditional class structures began to break down in Europe and the United States.”

• “It was a time of science and progress, rational thought and psychology.”

• All of the above

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What information does the following passage (paragraph 1) mainly reveal about modernism and postmodernism?

"Even though the word reality is in the title, most reality shows are in fact carefully constructed narratives pieced together by directors and producers. The dramatic confrontations, the way viewers identify with or vilify the participants, the self-aware finales, and the fragmented storylines are all elements with roots in literary periods known as modernism and postmodernism."

• It is wrong to vilify reality show contestants.

• Modernism and postmodernism continue to affect popular culture today.

• Reality shows are not as “real” as they claim to be.

• Modernism and postmodernism are unrelated.

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Which of the following inferences is best supported by the passage below (paragraph 3)?

"As a result, many rejected realism, the practice of representing or depicting people, places, and situations as close to how they look in real life as possible. Instead, their works explored the subjective interiority of a narrator’s inner life and the fragmentation of time. Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and James Joyce’s Ulysses are classic examples of modernism. The novels lack linear plot, chronology, and a reliable narrator."

• Modernism was very different from the movements that came before it.

• An unreliable narrator is the defining characteristic of a modernist work.

• The transition from realism to subjective interiority was unintentional.

• All of the above

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The following passage (paragraph 4) adds to the development of the text mainly by suggesting that _____________________ .

"With the end of World War II in 1945 came the collapse of European colonialism, the emergence of new nations, and the rise of multicultural voices by authors with new stories to tell and new ways to tell them. Postmodern literature regularly features everyday language, narrative fragmentation, and experimentalism."

• The end of colonialism allowed previously unheard voices to be heard

• Postmodernism was the first movement to introduce the “everyday” into novels

• The literary world responded well to these new voices and perspectives

• World War II had a devastating effect on the world

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Which of the following selections best explains why many modernist authors and artists rejected realism in their work?

• They felt that realism was boring and wanted to be more creative.

• Rejecting realism was a form of protest after World War I.

• They wanted their work to reflect the new sense of instability in the world.

• They believed realism was for the elite and wanted to create new art for the people.

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Which sentence from the excerpt best supports the answer to Question 5?

"They wanted their work to reflect the new sense of instability in the world."

• “As a result, many rejected realism, the practice of representing or depicting people, places, and situations as close to how they look in real life as possible.”

• “Think about your favorite reality show. Just how real is it?”

• “Instead, their works explored the subjective interiority of a narrator’s inner life and the fragmentation of time.”

• “Modern writers felt alienated from the stable, pre-war world they had previously known."

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Which of the following statements about modernist and postmodernist literature’s similarities is best supported by the text?

• Both movements focus on the reader’s experience reading the text.

• Modernism and postmodernism rely on coherent meaning and a linear narrative.

• The two movements are characterized by an unreliable narrator.

• Each movement expresses the complexity and changes of their time.

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Which sentence from the excerpt best supports the answer to Question 7?

"Each movement expresses the complexity and changes of their time."

• “Postmodern texts mix and give equal weight to ‘high culture’ and popular culture.”

• “Though different in style and form, modernist and postmodernist literature reflect a complicated and ever-changing reality.”

• “The author uses clear, everyday language to engage the audience and offset the often complicated narrative structure.”

• “Unlike modernist writers, postmodernist writers focus on exteriority.”

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What are the major differences between modernist and postmodernist works in terms of how the authors craft their characters? Cite evidence from the text that backs up your explanations.

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What effect did both world wars have on the literature that followed? Explain, using evidence from the text to support your inferences.

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