Comprehension

Directions Answer these questions about the excerpt from “Of Cunning”

by Francis Bacon

1. In the opening paragraph, what is the principal distinction that Bacon makes between cunning people and wise people?

A. The cunning are evil; the wise are not.

B. The cunning are different from the wise in ability and honesty.

C. The wise will always rise to the top ranks of their professions.

D. The wise are less honest and have less ability than the cunning.

2. From the context, what do you conclude that the word tender means in line 7?

A. young

B. loving

C. gentle

D. sensitive

3. Why might the letter writer put the “most material” information in a postscript?

A. to cause the reader to ignore it

B. to make it more likely to be read

C. to downplay the importance of the information

D. to increase the importance of the information

4. From the context, what do you conclude that the word material means in line 10?

A. important

B. matter

C. textile

D. assured

5. According to Bacon, why is it useful to present information in the form of a story?

A. to make the information seem less important

B. to guard the speaker and make the information more pleasant to hear

C. to confuse the listener through the distortion and manipulation of facts

D. to bore the listener with unimportant information

6. Why might it be “of much use” to “wait to speak”?

A. to upset the listener

B. to prevent the listener from speaking

C. to allow the speaker to pass as wise

D. to wait for the appropriate moment

7. What reason does Bacon give for listing the “small wares” of cunning?

A. to create a definitive list

B. to make the tools of the cunning available to everyone

C. to hurt the state

D. to pass on this information because doing so is a good deed

8. According to Bacon, what is the most hurtful thing to a state?

A. that the wise pass for the cunning

B. that the cunning pass for the wise

C. that the petty points of cunning become infinite

D. that the state itself becomes cunning

9. What literary device is most evident in the sentence beginning in line 36?

A. simile

B. metaphor

C. motif

D. apostrophe

10. What is the overall tone of the final passage?

A. angry

B. ironic

C. knowing

D. skeptical

11. What is the main idea of the final passage?

A. There are many different kinds of cunning.

B. The wise and the cunning are essentially the same kind of people.

C. The wise are less adept than the cunning.

D. The cunning are different from the wise in ability and honesty.

12. On the basis of the final passage, with which of the following statements would Bacon be most likely to agree?

A. There is no such thing as wisdom.

B. The cunning have many tools.

C. The cunning always outwit the wise.

D. The cunning are not intelligent.