Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books may also be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things.
Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.
And, therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a good memory; if he
confer little, he had need have a present wit; and if he read little, he had
need have much cunning to seem to know that he doth not. ‘Histories make men
wise, poets witty, the mathematics subtle, natural philosophy deep, moral,
grave, logic and rhetoric able to contend.’ (From Of
Studies—Francis Bacon)
Questions
1. What does the art of writing do to man’s character?
(a) It makes him a full man
(b) It makes him a ready man
(c) It makes him an exact man
(d) It make him a good author
2. How should you read those books that are to be ‘read wholly’?
(a) By making extracts from them
(b) They should be chewed and digested
(c) They should be read in parts
(d) They should be read with diligence and attention
3. If a man does not write much, what must he do?
(a) Should have extracts made of them by others
(b) A good memory
(c) Must chew and digest the contents
(d) A good reading and comprehension speed
4. What does ‘some books are to be tasted’ mean?
(a) To be read only in parts
(b) To be read with diligence and attention
(c) To be read, but not curiously
(d) To be read just for fun
5. What should be the real object of reading?
(a) To distill the contents
(b) To understand author’s views and their application in day-to-day life
(c) To weigh and consider
(d) Not to contradict and confute
6. What can be done with regard to the ‘meaner’ sort of books?
(a) To be read but not to contradict and confute
(b) To be read only in parts
(c) They can be “read by deputy and extracts made of them by others”
(d) To be read, but not curiously
7. If a man reads very little, what must he pretend?
(a) He must pretend to have a good memory (b) He must pretend to know a lot
(c) He must pretend not to have good memory (d) He must pretend to be wise and
witty
8. The word ‘confute’ in the passage means
(a) to argue
(b) to refuse
(c) to disapprove
(d) to doubt
9. Which of the following words suitably replace the word ‘confer’ used in the
above passage?
(a) differ
(b) disapprove
(c) deliberate
(d) reject
10. What does the author mean by ‘deputy’ in this passage?
(a) A subordinate
(b) A junior student
(c) Acting for someone else
(d) A man of letters
11. Select an appropriate word that is as nearly opposite in meaning to the word
‘contend’ used in the passage.
(a) compete
(b) affirm
(c) yield
(d) attempt
12. What is usually meant by ‘conference’?
(a) a gathering of people
(b) a get-together
(c) a meeting where conversation is important
(d) a group of people assembled to hear a speaker
Answers
1. (c) makes him an exact man (as given at the end of the fourth sentence of
the passage).
2. (d) with diligence and attention (as given in the end of the second
sentence).
3. (b) a good memory (see the fifth sentence).
4. (a) read only in parts (see the second sentence).
5. (c) to weigh and consider (see end of the fi rst sentence).
6. (c) read by deputy and extracts made of them by others (as is given in the
third sentence).
7. (b) pretend to know a lot (can be inferred from the fifth sentence).
8. (c) to disapprove
9. (c) deliberate or discuss
10. (c) acting for someone else
11. (c) to yield/to give in
12. (c) a meeting where conversation among the members is important.
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