Arnold’s Views on Culture and Society (Practice Test)

1. Arnold defined culture primarily as:
(A) “The best that has been thought and said”
(B) Political activism
(C) Religious devotion
(D) Mastery of fine arts

2. What did Arnold mean by “sweetness and light”?
(A) Literal illumination techniques
(B) Victorian dessert trends
(C) Beauty and intelligence harmonized
(D) Church architecture

3. Arnold classified English society into:
(A) Royals, merchants, and peasants
(B) Artists, scientists, and laborers
(C) Barbarians, Philistines, and Populace
(D) Workers, bosses, and clergy

4. Arnold believed culture could counteract:
(A) Foreign languages
(B) Urban expansion
(C) Mechanical materialism
(D) Excessive rainfall

5. Which institution did Arnold see as culture’s main ally?
(A) The monarchy
(B) State education
(C) The Church of England
(D) Private corporations

6. Arnold’s “Hebraism vs. Hellenism” contrasted:
(A) Ancient vs. modern poetry
(B) Two religious sects
(C) Moral rigor vs. intellectual curiosity
(D) Eastern vs. Western cultures

7. Arnold argued culture spreads through:
(A) Government decrees
(B) Disinterested critical discourse
(C) Commercial advertising
(D) Religious conversion

8. What Victorian problem most concerned Arnold?
(A) Foreign invasions
(B) Poor theater quality
(C) Class conflict and social disintegration
(D) Lack of fashion trends

9. Arnold coined which phrase about resistance to change?
(A) “The iron curtain”
(B) “The white man’s burden”
(C) “The cake of custom”
(D) “The force of inertia”

10. Arnold believed culture should emphasize:
(A) Perfection through broad knowledge
(B) Political partisanship
(C) Isolation from Europe
(D) Specialized technical skills