University of Hyderabad (UoH) 2010 Entrance Exams Other Entrance Exams Ph.D Programme Entrance - English - Question Paper
Ph.D Programme Entrance examination - English HALL TICKET NUMBER
Department of English University of Hyderabad
PAGE 1
PH.D. ENGLISH ENTRANCE EXAMINATION, JUNE 2010
Max. Time: 2 Hours Max. Marks: 75
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Do NOT reveal your identity in any manner in any part of the Answer Book.
2. Enter your Hall Ticket Number on the first page of each answer book. There are three sections in all.
3. Write your answers ONLY in the space provided in the question paper. NO additional paper or answer book will be given.
4. This paper is divided into three sections, I, II and III. Section I
comprises analysis of poetry (for Literature students), analysis of language data and designing of teaching tasks (for Language students). Section II involves writing an essay, and Section III tests research aptitude.
5. Start your work on Page 5.
6. Space for rough work is provided on Pages 10 and 18.
7. This question paper contains 26 pages in all. Ensure that all the pages have been printed before you start answering.
8. At the end of the examination return all three sections of the
answer book to the invigilator.
[Turn to Page 2 for Section I]
SECTION I: POETRY [TOTAL MARKS 25]
.......ONLY FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO DO A PROJECT IN LITERATURE
Compare the following two poems. Write an essay that deals with the form, style, content, context etc. of the two poems.
THE POOL PLAYERS
SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL
We real cool. We Left school. We
Lurk late. We Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We Die soon.
Gwendolyn Brooks (An African American woman poet)
(Inspired by 'We Real Cool' by Gwendolyn Brooks)
We real hot. We Ne'er rot. We Know knack. We Beat back. We Shock stars. We Win wars. We Ne'er late. We Fuck Fate.
- Meena Kandasamy (A Dalit woman poet)
[THOSE WHO WISH TO DO A PROJECT IN LANGUAGE SHOULD TURN TO PAGE 3] [TURN TO PAGE 5 FOR ANSWER SPACE]
SECTION I [TOTAL MARKS 25]
ONLY FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO DO A PROJECT IN LANGUAGE ATTEMPT EITHER QUESTION (1) OR QUESTION (2)
(1) Given below are some African American Vernacular English (AAVE) sentences and their corresponding Standard English sentences. Give an account of the system that obtains in AAVE.
AAVE Standard English
He a man. He is a man.
The coffee cold. The coffee is cold.
She singing. She is singing.
He running to school. He is running to school.
I'm a man. I'm a man.
I'm tall. I'm tall.
You is big. You are big.
John be mad. John is often mad.
The coffee be cold. The coffee is frequently cold.
(2) Look at the poem given below and attempt the question given at the end of the poem:
BILL!
(Cat)
Your fingers stroke my neck I won't yowl,
I am an absolutely tame beast now.
Cast out all suspicion That I am a fearful Kin to the tiger.
Look, look, a cat
Is licking your hand, your cheek, your nose Stretching at your feet.
Don't you feel the smooth fur?
All I need
The milk you provide
And a corner of your splendid palace.
You a man
And I a small (innocent?) cat.
You can lift me and fling me into the air
I won't claw you.
See, here, on my throat, on my mouth, you can place your hand. You can be quite sure of my gentleness.
Just look, I've become a pet animal.
But you don't want me as a pet.
Far, far away in some forest
Far out of the city you want to abandon me, don't you?
Because it's difficult for me to observe your conditions.
You want a cat that will never meow.
My dear, can there be a cat That never meows?
-- Panna Naik Tr. by Shirin Kudchedkar
Make two written and two spoken tasks for the undergraduate level based the poem given.
[TURN TO PAGE 5 FOR ANSWER SPACE]
University of Hyderabad
PH.D. ENGLISH ENTRANCE EXAMINATION, JUNE 2010
SECTION II: ESSAY [TOTAL MARKS 35]
LITERATURE TOPICS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO DO A PROJECT IN LITERATURE
Write an essay on any ONE of the following in the space provided on pages 13-17. Credit will be given for essays which are sharply focused and suitably illustrated.
1. Conflict in/and Translation
2. Magic Realism and Politics of Postcolonialism
3. 'Always Historicize?
4. Life Stories of the Subaltern
5. Representation of the Queer in Film/Literature
6. An Eco-critical Approach to Texts
7. Future of Dalit Studies?
8. Virtual Realities - Redefining Texts
9. Frontiers of the Novel
10. Indian English Theatre: The Question of Performance
[TURN TO PAGE 12 FOR LANGUAGE TOPICS] [ TURN TO PAGE 13 FOR ANSWER SPACE]
Ph.D. Section II
LANGUAGE TOPICS
ONLY FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO DO A PROJECT IN LANGUAGE
Write an essay on any ONE of the following in the space provided on pages 13-17. Credit will be given for essays which are sharply focused and suitably illustrated.
1. Dramatising Texts for Language Learning
2. Soft Skills and Language Teaching: A Corporate Perspective
3. SMS English - An Emerging Slang?
4. The Importance of Sub-conscious Learning in the Language Acquisition Process
5. Standards in World English
6. The Link between Larger Social Movements and Language Curriculum
7. Teacher Attitude in the Teaching/Learning Process
8. Standardised Tests
9. Cultural Factors in English Language Discourse
10. Defining Grammar
[ TURN TO PAGE 13 FOR ANSWER SPACE ]
Department of English University of Hyderabad
PH.D. ENGLISH ENTRANCE EXAMINATION, JUNE 2010
SECTION III [TOTAL MARKS 15]
Research Aptitude and Language Skills
ONLY FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO DO A PH.D. PROJECT IN LITERATURE
Based on your research proposal for the Ph.D. programme, state
(1) the research question(s) your topic will address
(2) and the limitations of your research project in terms of
> the current scholarship in the area
> the methods and approaches you wish to adopt
> the availability of primary/secondary sources
> the usefulness of the project.
[TURN TO PAGE 20]
[TURN TO PAGE 21]
(3) How would you defend your project against all the possible objections?
[TURN TO PAGE 22 FOR LANGUAGE PROJECT]
SECTION III [TOTAL MARKS 15]
Research Aptitude and Language Skills
ONLY FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO DO A PH.D. PROJECT IN LANGUAGE ATTEMPT EITHER QUESTION (1) OR QUESTION (2)
1. Study the graph given below and comment on the use of statistics in second language acquisition research. Give a statement of your proposed research topic and consider whether and in what manner the information above is likely to impact your research work.
|
o |
o |
O |
o |
o |
o |
VO | |||||
|
ON |
On |
& |
On |
r-* ON |
s |
os |
& |
8 |
8 | ||
|
iH |
pH |
pH |
iH |
N |
cs | ||||||
|
oo |
tH |
no |
so |
NO |
NO |
NO |
f-H | ||||
|
Tl- |
NO |
NO |
OO |
00 |
ON |
On |
o | ||||
|
on |
ON |
o\ |
ON |
ON |
ON |
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ON |
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|
fH |
* |
-H |
0*4 |
CS | |||||||
|
Years | |||||||||||
--No Statistics
......... Descriptive Statistics
Only
-Single Inferential
Statistics
-----Multiple Inferential
Statistics
Statistical use in SLA: 1948-2006.
2. Given below is a language learning situation. Study it carefully and state what kind of research problem you might frame around it. State the probable research problem, and the tentative hypothesis you might begin with.
Scores of English language proficiency test and the backgrounds of a group of class 8 students -
Student 1 (female) - 80%.
Comes from an urban, middleclass background. Mother and father are in the teaching profession. Studied in a Montessori system till class 3. Participates regularly in group activities, especially street theatre.
Student 2 (female) - 40%.
Comes from a lower middle class urban family. Rather reticent and restricted in terms of social mobility. Mother is a homemaker and father has a small business.
Student 3 (female) - 75%.
Comes from a tower middle class urban family. Veiy popular and active in the drama dub of the area. Mother looks after children of working women along with managing the house. Father has a touting job.
Student 4 (female) - 60%.
Comes from an upper class, orthodox rural background. Very hard working and committed. Has not had much of social exposure but is determined to have a career. Both father and mother look after the agriculture.
Student 5 (male) - 45%.
Comes from an upper dass, urban background. Interested in snooker and swimming. Father has a flourishing real-estate business and mother is quite subdued at home. Has a large group of friends he hangs around with in cafes.
Student 6 (female) - 80%.
Comes from a middle dass, semi-urban background. Both father and mother are teachers in the school he studied in. Very popular in school as a good debater and essay writer. Very positive and determined to make a change in the sodal perception of gender.
[TURN TO PAGE 24 FOR ANSWER SPACE]
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