Kamala Markandaya – “A Handful of Rice” – Exam Based MCQs
1. “A Handful of Rice” is a novel written by: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Anita Desai
B) Kamala Markandaya
C) Arundhati Roy
D) Shashi Deshpande
Ans: B) Kamala Markandaya
2. The protagonist of “A Handful of Rice” is: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Rukmani
B) Ravi
C) Bakha
D) Munoo
Ans: B) Ravi
3. “A Handful of Rice” primarily deals with: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Mythological adventures
B) Urban poverty and struggle for survival
C) Royal court life
D) Romantic pastoral life
Ans: B) Urban poverty and struggle for survival
4. Kamala Markandaya is also known for the novel: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Untouchable
B) Nectar in a Sieve
C) Coolie
D) The Guide
Ans: B) Nectar in a Sieve
5. “A Handful of Rice” belongs to: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Indian English novel
B) Epic poem
C) Elizabethan drama
D) Gothic romance
Ans: A) Indian English novel
6. The novel presents a realistic picture of: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Urban slums and working-class hardship
B) Medieval England
C) Greek mythology
D) Romantic nature
Ans: A) Urban slums and working-class hardship
7. Ravi’s wife in “A Handful of Rice” is: (UGC NET 2016; SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Nalini
B) Rosie
C) Shanta
D) Bim
Ans: A) Nalini
8. The title “A Handful of Rice” symbolizes: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Basic survival needs and hunger
B) Royal luxury
C) Romantic abundance
D) Mythical wealth
Ans: A) Basic survival needs and hunger
9. Kamala Markandaya is associated with: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2019)
A) Indian English fiction
B) Old English poetry
C) Restoration comedy
D) Metaphysical criticism
Ans: A) Indian English fiction
10. “A Handful of Rice” can be best described as: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) A social realist novel
B) A metaphysical poem
C) A romantic lyric
D) A medieval epic
Ans: A) A social realist novel
11. Ravi comes to the city mainly in search of: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2021)
A) Work and survival
B) Royal power
C) Mythic treasure
D) Artistic fame
Ans: A) Work and survival
12. The novel portrays the conflict between: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2022)
A) Hunger/poverty and human dignity
B) Myth and history
C) Romance and nature
D) Court and country
Ans: A) Hunger/poverty and human dignity
13. Ravi’s life in the novel reflects: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020)
A) The struggle of the urban poor
B) Royal comfort
C) Mythic heroism
D) Pastoral peace
Ans: A) The struggle of the urban poor
14. The novel is set mainly in: (PGTRB 2021; SET 2020)
A) An Indian city environment
B) Medieval England
C) Ancient Greece
D) Renaissance Italy
Ans: A) An Indian city environment
15. Kamala Markandaya’s novels often highlight: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Social realities and human endurance
B) Gothic horror
C) Metaphysical conceits
D) Medieval romance
Ans: A) Social realities and human endurance
16. The novel “A Handful of Rice” is concerned with: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019)
A) Poverty and survival
B) Romantic love
C) Mythological battles
D) Courtly life
Ans: A) Poverty and survival
17. The novel shows how the city can be: (PGTRB 2022; SET 2021)
A) Harsh and exploitative to the poor
B) Always welcoming and equal
C) A romantic paradise
D) A mythic wonderland
Ans: A) Harsh and exploitative to the poor
18. Ravi is best described as: (UGC NET 2016; SET 2018; PGTRB 2021)
A) A struggling young man driven by hunger and hope
B) A royal prince
C) A mythical hero
D) A Victorian gentleman
Ans: A) A struggling young man driven by hunger and hope
19. The narrative technique of the novel is largely: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Realistic
B) Mythological
C) Pastoral
D) Gothic
Ans: A) Realistic
20. The major conflict in the novel revolves around: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Hunger, poverty, and moral choices
B) Mythic wars
C) Romantic jealousy only
D) Court politics
Ans: A) Hunger, poverty, and moral choices
21. “A Handful of Rice” is important for understanding: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2021)
A) Urban poverty in Indian English fiction
B) Old English grammar
C) Elizabethan comedy
D) Metaphysical poetry
Ans: A) Urban poverty in Indian English fiction
22. Kamala Markandaya’s fiction often combines realism with: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2022)
A) Humanism and compassion
B) Metaphysical wit
C) Medieval chivalry
D) Romantic escapism
Ans: A) Humanism and compassion
23. The novel exposes: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) The everyday struggle for food and dignity
B) Mythological heroism
C) Romantic love
D) Courtly chivalry
Ans: A) The everyday struggle for food and dignity
24. Ravi’s character arc shows: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) The pressures of poverty on moral life
B) The glory of kings
C) The romance of nature
D) Mythic heroism
Ans: A) The pressures of poverty on moral life
25. The novel’s core symbol “rice” stands for: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Basic necessity of life
B) Royal luxury
C) Mythic power
D) Romantic abundance
Ans: A) Basic necessity of life
26. The novel can be read as: (UGC NET 2016; SET 2018; PGTRB 2021)
A) A critique of socio-economic exploitation
B) A romantic epic
C) A gothic romance
D) A metaphysical lyric
Ans: A) A critique of socio-economic exploitation
27. “A Handful of Rice” belongs to: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Indian English social realist novel tradition
B) Old English epic tradition
C) Restoration comedy tradition
D) Medieval romance tradition
Ans: A) Indian English social realist novel tradition
28. The novel is significant because it portrays: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) The harsh realities of city life for the poor
B) A fantasy world
C) Medieval court life
D) Romantic pastoral landscapes
Ans: A) The harsh realities of city life for the poor
29. The novel’s overall effect is: (SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) A realistic critique of urban poverty
B) A celebration of aristocracy
C) A romantic dream
D) A mythological allegory
Ans: A) A realistic critique of urban poverty
30. Kamala Markandaya is considered a major writer in: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019; PGTRB 2020)
A) Indian English literature
B) Old English literature
C) Medieval romance
D) Metaphysical poetry
Ans: A) Indian English literature
31. The character Ravi is driven mainly by: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2021)
A) Hunger and the desire for stability
B) Royal ambition
C) Mythic destiny
D) Romantic escapism
Ans: A) Hunger and the desire for stability
32. The technique of the novel is largely: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2019)
A) Realism
B) Myth
C) Allegory
D) Romantic symbolism
Ans: A) Realism
33. The novel’s importance is tied to: (UGC NET 2016; SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Its depiction of hunger, poverty, and dignity
B) Its romantic plot
C) Its metaphysical conceits
D) Its medieval setting
Ans: A) Its depiction of hunger, poverty, and dignity
34. The novel is a critique of: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) Socio-economic inequality
B) Romantic love
C) Mythological conflict
D) Courtly chivalry
Ans: A) Socio-economic inequality
35. Markandaya’s concern in the novel is mainly: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2020)
A) Human struggle for survival
B) Medieval heroism
C) Romantic idealism
D) Metaphysical wit
Ans: A) Human struggle for survival
36. “A Handful of Rice” is a notable example of: (PGTRB 2022; SET 2021)
A) Social realist fiction
B) Pastoral elegy
C) Metaphysical lyric
D) Gothic romance
Ans: A) Social realist fiction
37. Markandaya’s style is generally: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019)
A) Realistic and compassionate
B) Highly ornate and archaic
C) Purely lyrical
D) Mythological
Ans: A) Realistic and compassionate
38. The novel belongs to: (SET 2018; PGTRB 2020)
A) Indian English social realist novel tradition
B) Old English epic tradition
C) Restoration comedy tradition
D) Medieval romance tradition
Ans: A) Indian English social realist novel tradition
39. The novel is significant because it portrays: (UGC NET 2018; SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) The harsh realities of city life and hunger
B) A fantasy world
C) Medieval court life
D) Romantic pastoral landscapes
Ans: A) The harsh realities of city life and hunger
40. The novel’s overall effect is: (SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) A realistic portrayal of poverty and dignity
B) A celebration of aristocracy
C) A romantic dream
D) A mythological allegory
Ans: A) A realistic portrayal of poverty and dignity
41. Ravi’s life in the novel symbolizes: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2019; PGTRB 2021)
A) The struggle of the urban poor for survival
B) The triumph of kings
C) The romance of nature
D) Mythic heroism
Ans: A) The struggle of the urban poor for survival
42. The novel is often studied for its: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2022)
A) Social commentary on poverty
B) Medieval allegory
C) Metaphysical conceits
D) Romantic idealism
Ans: A) Social commentary on poverty
43. “A Handful of Rice” is a landmark in: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2021)
A) Indian English social realist fiction
B) Old English poetry
C) Restoration drama
D) Victorian romance
Ans: A) Indian English social realist fiction
44. Markandaya’s “A Handful of Rice” can be classified as: (SET 2020; PGTRB 2022)
A) Social realist novel
B) Pastoral elegy
C) Metaphysical lyric
D) Gothic romance
Ans: A) Social realist novel
45. The novel’s core concern is: (UGC NET 2016; SET 2018; PGTRB 2021)
A) Hunger, poverty, and human dignity
B) Courtly love
C) Mythological battles
D) Pastoral joy
Ans: A) Hunger, poverty, and human dignity
46. The novel is valued because it: (SET 2019; PGTRB 2020)
A) Presents a realistic picture of poverty
B) Celebrates aristocracy
C) Avoids social issues
D) Is purely romantic
Ans: A) Presents a realistic picture of poverty
47. “A Handful of Rice” belongs to: (UGC NET 2017; SET 2020)
A) Indian English socio-realistic fiction
B) Romantic poetry
C) Old English epic
D) Elizabethan drama
Ans: A) Indian English socio-realistic fiction
48. The novel ultimately suggests the need for: (SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) Social awareness and compassion
B) Medieval chivalry
C) Mythological faith
D) Romantic escapism
Ans: A) Social awareness and compassion
49. Markandaya’s novel is part of: (UGC NET 2019; SET 2020; PGTRB 2021)
A) Indian English novel tradition
B) Old English poetry tradition
C) Restoration drama tradition
D) Victorian romance tradition
Ans: A) Indian English novel tradition
50. Overall, “A Handful of Rice” is best described as: (UGC NET 2020; SET 2021; PGTRB 2022)
A) A socially realistic novel about hunger, poverty, and struggle
B) A romantic love story
C) A mythological epic
D) A medieval romance
Ans: A) A socially realistic novel about hunger, poverty, and struggle
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