SOAL TOEFL SESI READING

Jane had started writing at an early age and her family were highty supportive, though as was done at the time her works were published anonymously. Her combination of irony, humour, and sophisticated observations of the societal and cultural machinations between the classes epitomize the often absurd problems of inheritance, countship, morals, and marriage in regency

England, modestly successful during her life, her works have gone on to inspire adaptations to inspire adaptations to the stage and film and have endured the test of time even into the 21st century.

Born on 16 descember 1775 jane austen was the daughter of cassandra (nee leigh) (1739-1827) and the reverend george austen (1731-1805) the austens were a very close-knit family jane had six brothers and one sister, cassandra, who would later draw a famous portrait of jane. They lived in the village of steventon in hampshire country, england, where george was rector. Young jane was tutored at home and attended the abbey school in reading, berkshire.

Jane was inseparable from her older sister cassandra. They sang and danced and attended balls together. When george retired around 1801, he moved his family to bath where he died in 1805. Adjusting to the ensuing financial difficulties, jane cassandra and their mother then moved to southampton for a time before setting in a coltage on the estate of edward austen in the village of chawton, hampshire in 1809, which is now a museum. Austen had missed steventon life and now returning to the hampshire countryside she wrote in earnest, revising and writing new works including sense and sensibility (1811), pride and prejudice (1813), mansfield park (1814), and emma (1815).

         1.      Jane austin life could be best described as

a.       A life full of luxury

b.      An enduring but productive life

c.       A happy-ending life

d.      A life with misery

Answer : B

         2.      The word ”epitomize” in line 4 is closest in meaning to

a.       Was attributed to

b.      Came from

c.       Illustrated

d.      Was caused by

Answer : C

         3.      The phrase “closed-knit” in line 8 can be replaced by

a.       Big

b.      Warm

c.       Friendly

d.      Happy

Answer : A

         4.      According to the passage, how was jane’s relationship with her sister?

a.       They were in bad term

b.      They were very close

c.       They didn’t get along very well

d.      Cassandra was like Jane

Answer : B

          5.      A “rector” in line 11 is

a.       A clergyman

b.      A college head

c.       A community leader

d.      A professor

Answer : A

          6.      The word “tutored” in line 11 is closest in meaning to which of the following?

a.       Raised

b.      Cared

c.       Kept

d.      Educated

Answer : D

           7.      Which of the following statements about jane austin is not reported by the passage?

a.       Jane was very interested in writing

b.      Jane was very much attached to her sibling

c.       Jane wasn’t lawfully wed to a man

d.      Jane’s family was once in trouble financially

Answer : C

           8.      The word ‘balls” in line 13 is closest in meaning to

a.       Parties

b.      Round-shaped materials

c.       Spherical buldings

d.      Tools

Answer : A

           9.      Which of the following is implied in the passage about jane’s work?

a.       Her works are highly appreciated through the time

b.      Pride and prejudice was best-selling

c.       Her  works depict today’s life of english people

d.      Her works are sophisticated for a woman of her age

Answer : A

         10.  This passage would probably be assigned reading in a course on

a.       Astrology

b.      Anthropology

c.       Literature

d.      cinematography

Answer : C