Banjo Paterson – “Waltzing Matilda” – Exam Based MCQs
1. “Waltzing Matilda” is a famous Australian ballad written by: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Henry Lawson
B) A. B. “Banjo” Paterson
C) Judith Wright
D) Les Murray
Ans: B) A. B. “Banjo” Paterson
2. “Banjo” Paterson is best known as a poet of: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Metaphysical poetry
B) Australian bush poetry
C) Victorian romance
D) Modernist symbolism
Ans: B) Australian bush poetry
3. The central character in “Waltzing Matilda” is a: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2021)
A) Sailor
B) Swagman
C) King
D) Priest
Ans: B) Swagman
4. The phrase “waltzing Matilda” in the ballad means: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019; PGTRB 2020)
A) Dancing with a woman named Matilda
B) Travelling on foot with one’s swag/bedroll
C) Singing in a church choir
D) Riding a horse in a race
Ans: B) Travelling on foot with one’s swag/bedroll
5. In the ballad, “Matilda” refers to: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) The swag (bedroll) carried by the traveller
B) The swagman’s wife
C) A horse
D) A ship
Ans: A) The swag (bedroll) carried by the traveller
6. The setting “by a billabong” refers to: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) A mountain peak
B) An Australian waterhole/oxbow lake
C) A desert storm
D) A city market
Ans: B) An Australian waterhole/oxbow lake
7. The “jumbuck” mentioned in the poem is a: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Kangaroo
B) Sheep
C) Snake
D) Cow
Ans: B) Sheep
8. The swagman puts the “jumbuck” into his: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020)
A) Saddle
B) Tucker bag
C) Treasure chest
D) Sailor’s trunk
Ans: B) Tucker bag
9. The “squatter” in the ballad is a: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019; PGTRB 2020)
A) A poor beggar
B) A wealthy landowner/sheep farmer
C) A soldier
D) A judge
Ans: B) A wealthy landowner/sheep farmer
10. The “troopers” in the ballad are: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Police/soldiers on horseback
B) Priests
C) Sailors
D) Miners
Ans: A) Police/soldiers on horseback
11. “Waltzing Matilda” is primarily a: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021)
A) Sonnet
B) Ballad/song
C) Epic
D) Elegy
Ans: B) Ballad/song
12. The theme of the ballad mainly involves: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Colonial adventure and rebellion
B) Romantic courtship
C) Mythic heroism
D) Religious devotion
Ans: A) Colonial adventure and rebellion
13. The swagman’s fate in the poem is that he: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2021)
A) Escapes to the city
B) Drowns himself in the billabong
C) Becomes a king
D) Marries Matilda
Ans: B) Drowns himself in the billabong
14. After the swagman’s death, the ballad suggests: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) His ghost still sings “Waltzing Matilda”
B) He becomes a king
C) He is rescued
D) The squatter forgives him
Ans: A) His ghost still sings “Waltzing Matilda”
15. “Waltzing Matilda” is often considered: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019)
A) An unofficial national song/anthem of Australia
B) A medieval hymn
C) A French romantic ode
D) A Greek epic
Ans: A) An unofficial national song/anthem of Australia
16. The ballad belongs to the tradition of: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Bush ballads
B) Metaphysical lyrics
C) Elizabethan drama
D) Romantic sonnets
Ans: A) Bush ballads
17. The language of “Waltzing Matilda” is notable for its: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Australian colloquialisms/slang
B) Latin phrases
C) French court language
D) Sanskrit vocabulary
Ans: A) Australian colloquialisms/slang
18. The “tucker bag” in the poem refers to a: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020)
A) Food bag
B) Money bag
C) Weapon bag
D) Clothing bag
Ans: A) Food bag
19. The tone of the ballad is a mix of: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Humour and tragedy
B) Only romance
C) Pure satire
D) Scientific seriousness
Ans: A) Humour and tragedy
20. The ballad reflects Australian themes of: (UGC NET 2020; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Bush life and class conflict
B) Medieval chivalry
C) Greek heroism
D) Victorian romance
Ans: A) Bush life and class conflict
21. The swagman can be described as a symbol of: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021)
A) The wandering worker/outcast
B) Royal authority
C) Religious devotion
D) Scientific progress
Ans: A) The wandering worker/outcast
22. The squatter and troopers represent: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Authority and power
B) Romantic love
C) Mythic heroism
D) Nature worship
Ans: A) Authority and power
23. The ballad is set in the Australian: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2021)
A) Bush/outback
B) Royal palace
C) City theatre
D) University campus
Ans: A) Bush/outback
24. The poem’s repeated refrain “You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me” is an example of: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Chorus/refrain typical of ballads
B) Dramatic soliloquy
C) Heroic couplet
D) Blank verse
Ans: A) Chorus/refrain typical of ballads
25. “Waltzing Matilda” is often linked to Australian national identity because it: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019)
A) Celebrates bush life and independence
B) Praises monarchy
C) Describes medieval religion
D) Is purely romantic
Ans: A) Celebrates bush life and independence
26. The swagman’s decision to jump into the billabong suggests: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Defiance and refusal to surrender
B) Romantic sadness
C) Religious sacrifice
D) Scientific accident
Ans: A) Defiance and refusal to surrender
27. The ballad is written in a style that is: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Simple, musical and narrative
B) Highly obscure and symbolic
C) Strictly philosophical prose
D) Dramatic tragedy in acts
Ans: A) Simple, musical and narrative
28. “Waltzing Matilda” is a key work of: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Australian bush ballad tradition
B) Elizabethan drama
C) Metaphysical poetry
D) Romantic sonnets
Ans: A) Australian bush ballad tradition
29. The swagman’s “swag” is best understood as: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020)
A) A bundle/bedroll carried by a traveller
B) A royal crown
C) A weapon
D) A ship
Ans: A) A bundle/bedroll carried by a traveller
30. The ballad’s story centers on the swagman stealing a: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Sheep
B) Horse
C) Gold coin
D) Sword
Ans: A) Sheep
31. The ballad includes the image of a “coolibah tree”, which is a: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021)
A) Type of eucalyptus tree
B) Pine tree
C) Palm tree
D) Maple tree
Ans: A) Type of eucalyptus tree
32. The ballad’s popularity is largely due to its: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Catchy refrain and folk-song style
B) Complex symbolism
C) Latin vocabulary
D) Strict academic tone
Ans: A) Catchy refrain and folk-song style
33. “Waltzing Matilda” reflects conflict between: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2021)
A) The poor swagman and wealthy authority
B) Two kings
C) Gods and demons
D) Lovers and families
Ans: A) The poor swagman and wealthy authority
34. The ballad can be read as a critique of: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Social inequality and authority
B) Romantic love
C) Mythic heroism
D) Religious devotion
Ans: A) Social inequality and authority
35. “Waltzing Matilda” is usually sung as a: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019; PGTRB 2020)
A) Folk song
B) Opera aria
C) Classical ode
D) Dramatic tragedy
Ans: A) Folk song
36. The word “tucker” in Australian English means: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Food
B) Money
C) Weapon
D) Horse
Ans: A) Food
37. The ballad is remembered for its: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Strong narrative and memorable chorus
B) Pure philosophical argument
C) Courtly love theme
D) Mythic epic structure
Ans: A) Strong narrative and memorable chorus
38. The swagman’s act of stealing the sheep is described in the ballad as: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) “You’ll never take me alive” attitude / defiance
B) Romantic gesture
C) Religious duty
D) Scientific experiment
Ans: A) “You’ll never take me alive” attitude / defiance
39. The ballad is significant in Australian culture as it represents: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020)
A) National identity and folk tradition
B) Medieval chivalry
C) Greek tragedy
D) Victorian romance
Ans: A) National identity and folk tradition
40. The ending of the ballad is: (UGC NET 2020; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Tragic but legendary
B) Completely happy
C) Purely romantic
D) Only comic
Ans: A) Tragic but legendary
41. “Waltzing Matilda” is part of Australian: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Folk/bush tradition
B) Metaphysical tradition
C) Renaissance drama
D) Neo-classical satire
Ans: A) Folk/bush tradition
42. The ballad’s main character is best seen as: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2021)
A) A rebel figure
B) A king
C) A priest
D) A scientist
Ans: A) A rebel figure
43. The “ghost” motif at the end suggests: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) The legend lives on in song
B) The swagman returns alive
C) The squatter becomes poor
D) The sheep talks
Ans: A) The legend lives on in song
44. The poem is an example of: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021)
A) Narrative ballad
B) Dramatic tragedy
C) Metaphysical ode
D) Pastoral elegy
Ans: A) Narrative ballad
45. The ballad’s meaning is strengthened by its: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Repetition and refrain
B) Complex footnotes
C) Latin quotations
D) Scientific diagrams
Ans: A) Repetition and refrain
46. “Waltzing Matilda” can be viewed as celebrating: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020)
A) The spirit of independence and defiance
B) Royal obedience
C) Romantic courtship
D) Religious devotion
Ans: A) The spirit of independence and defiance
47. The poem uses Australian dialect words like “billabong” and “jumbuck” which are examples of: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Local Australian vocabulary
B) Latin loanwords
C) French court terms
D) Sanskrit compounds
Ans: A) Local Australian vocabulary
48. The ballad remains popular mainly because: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) It is easy to sing and memorable
B) It is extremely obscure
C) It uses only Latin
D) It is purely scientific
Ans: A) It is easy to sing and memorable
49. The ballad can be interpreted as showing tension between: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Freedom and authority
B) Gods and demons
C) Lovers and parents
D) Kings and queens
Ans: A) Freedom and authority
50. Overall, “Waltzing Matilda” is best described as: (UGC NET 2020; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) A narrative bush ballad with Australian cultural identity
B) A romantic sonnet
C) A metaphysical ode
D) A classical epic
Ans: A) A narrative bush ballad with Australian cultural identity
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