BGS, BSGS Bachelor of General Studies BSGS Humanities 4

Question 1

In the study of world religions, 'theodicy' is a branch of theology that attempts to address:

Accepted Answer

The existence of evil and suffering in a world created by a good God

Answer

Theodicy seeks to reconcile belief in an omnipotent, benevolent God with the observable presence of evil and suffering in the world.

Question 2

Which post-structuralist theorist developed the concept of 'deconstruction' as a method of textual analysis?

Accepted Answer

Jacques Derrida

Answer

Jacques Derrida developed deconstruction to reveal how texts contain internal contradictions and unstable hierarchies of meaning.

Question 3

The Homeric epithet is a literary device used in ancient epic poetry that functions primarily to:

Accepted Answer

Provide a formulaic descriptive phrase repeated throughout a poem

Answer

Homeric epithets like 'swift-footed Achilles' or 'rosy-fingered Dawn' are formulaic phrases that aided oral composition and memory.

Question 4

In music, the term 'polyphony' describes a texture in which:

Accepted Answer

Two or more independent melodic lines are performed simultaneously

Answer

Polyphony features multiple simultaneous independent melodic lines, each with its own rhythmic and melodic identity.

Question 5

The 'intentional fallacy,' a concept from New Criticism, warns against:

Accepted Answer

Using an author's stated intentions as the definitive guide to a text's meaning

Answer

W.K. Wimsatt and Monroe Beardsley argued that the author's intention is neither available nor relevant to the literary work's meaning.

BGS, BSGS Bachelor of General Studies Practice Test