University-Level Test: Renaissance,
Medieval England, and the Origins of
English
Name: ________________________ Date: ________________ Score: _______/ 30
SECTION A: MULTIPLE CHOICE (1 point each – 10 points)
1. Which of the following tribes contributed to the formation of Old English?
a) Romans b) Vikings c) Anglo-Saxons d) Normans
2. What was the main purpose of the Domesday Book?
a) A legal code for serfs b) A religious text
c) A record of land ownership in Norman England d) A medieval novel
3. Which of these is a major work from the Middle English period?
a) Beowulf b) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
c) Paradise Lost d) The Faerie Queene
4. Feudalism is best described as:
a) A form of democracy b) A decentralized system of loyalty and land exchange
c) A type of urban economy d) An artistic movement
5. What event introduced French influence into the English language?
a) The Fall of Rome b) The Black Death
c) The Norman Conquest of 1066 d) The Renaissance
6. Geoffrey Chaucer is best known for:
a) Translating the Bible b) Writing The Canterbury Tales
c) Founding a university d) Creating Old English poetry
7. Which playwright is considered a predecessor to Shakespeare?
a) William Langland b) John Milton
c) Christopher Marlowe d) Edmund Spenser
8. What is a key linguistic feature of Old English?
a) Use of French vocabulary b) Strong inflectional endings
c) Italian sentence structure d) Silent letters
9. Which of the following best represents a Renaissance ideal?
a) Absolute monarchy b) Feudal loyalty
c) Humanism and classical learning d) Isolationism
10. Modern English began to emerge around:
a) 1066 b) 1150 c) 1500 d) 1700
SECTION B: SHORT ANSWER (2 points each – 10 points)
11. Name two differences between Old English and Middle English.
Answer: ______________________________________________________
12. What was the function of feudalism in medieval England?
Answer: ______________________________________________________
13. How did the Renaissance influence literature in England?
Answer: ______________________________________________________
14. Why is Shakespeare considered central to the English Renaissance?
Answer: ______________________________________________________
15. Mention one Renaissance influence in Spain and one in England.
Answer: ______________________________________________________
SECTION C: ESSAY (10 points)
Choose ONE of the following topics and write a short essay (120–150 words).
A. Compare the role of literature during the Anglo-Saxon period and the Renaissance.
B. Explain the linguistic evolution from Old English to Modern English.
C. Discuss the impact of feudalism on social and literary life in medieval Britain.
ANSWER KEY
SECTION A: MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. c) Anglo-Saxons
2. c) A record of land ownership in Norman England
3. b) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
4. b) A decentralized system of loyalty and land exchange
5. c) The Norman Conquest of 1066
6. b) Writing The Canterbury Tales
7. c) Christopher Marlowe
8. b) Strong inflectional endings
9. c) Humanism and classical learning
10. c) 1500
SECTION B: SHORT ANSWER (Model Responses)
11. Old English had more complex grammar and inflections. Middle English had more
French vocabulary and a simpler structure.
12. Feudalism organized society through land exchange for loyalty and service.
13. The Renaissance brought humanism, classical influences, and new literary forms to
English literature.
14. Shakespeare used deep psychological insight, poetic language, and universal themes.
15. Spain: Mystical religious literature; England: Humanist poetry and drama.
SECTION C: ESSAY – Grading Rubric (10 points)
• Clear thesis and organization – 2 pts
• Relevant historical/literary facts – 3 pts
• Depth of analysis/connection – 3 pts
• Grammar and spelling – 2 pts
