Reading Comprehension
Section Overview: Detailed explanations for questions from the June 2025 Exam regarding Reading Comprehension.
📜 Read the following:
Read the following lines and give the answer of the questions:Measure for Measure: Act II, Scene ii
From thee, even from thy virtue!
What’s this, what’s this? Is this her fault or mine?
The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?
Ha!
Not she: nor doth she tempt: but it is I
That, lying by the violet in the sun,
Do as the carrion does, not as the flower,
Corrupt with virtuous season. Can it be
That modesty may more betray our sense
Than woman’s lightness? Having waste ground enough,
Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary
And pitch our evils there? O, fie, fie, fie!
What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?
Dost thou desire her foully for those things
That make her good? O, let her brother live!
Thieves for their robbery have authority
When judges steal themselves. What, do I love her,
That I desire to hear her speak again,
And feast upon her eyes? What is’t I dream on?
O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint,
With saints dost bait thy hook! Most dangerous
Is that temptation that doth goad us on
To sin in loving virtue: never could the strumpet,
With all her double vigour, art and nature,
Once stir my temper; but this virtuous maid
Subdues me quite. Even till now,
When men were fond, I smiled and wonder’d how.
Question 90
What internal conflict does the speaker express?
What internal conflict does the speaker express?
Correct Answer: 3. A struggle between his virtue and lust
Relevant lines that reflect this:
"The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?"
— Angelo questions whether the fault lies with the one who tempts or the one who gives in, revealing his moral confusion.
"What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo? / Dost thou desire her foully for those things / That make her good?"
— He condemns himself for desiring Isabella not in spite of her virtue, but because of it, which makes the lust even more morally troubling.
"O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint, / With saints dost bait thy hook!"
— He sees virtue itself as a form of temptation, showing how twisted his moral reasoning has become.
"Most dangerous / Is that temptation that doth goad us on / To sin in loving virtue."
— Here, Angelo explicitly states the paradox: the greater the virtue, the stronger the temptation.
These lines collectively highlight the psychological and moral turmoil between his ideal of righteousness and his carnal desire, making Option 3 the most appropriate.
Detailed Explanation:
The speaker, Angelo, is wrestling with intense internal conflict between his outward image of virtue and his lustful desire for Isabella. This struggle is the central theme of this monologue.Relevant lines that reflect this:
"The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?"
— Angelo questions whether the fault lies with the one who tempts or the one who gives in, revealing his moral confusion.
"What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo? / Dost thou desire her foully for those things / That make her good?"
— He condemns himself for desiring Isabella not in spite of her virtue, but because of it, which makes the lust even more morally troubling.
"O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint, / With saints dost bait thy hook!"
— He sees virtue itself as a form of temptation, showing how twisted his moral reasoning has become.
"Most dangerous / Is that temptation that doth goad us on / To sin in loving virtue."
— Here, Angelo explicitly states the paradox: the greater the virtue, the stronger the temptation.
These lines collectively highlight the psychological and moral turmoil between his ideal of righteousness and his carnal desire, making Option 3 the most appropriate.
Question 91
"Thieves for their robbery have authority / When judges steal themselves" implies what?
"Thieves for their robbery have authority / When judges steal themselves" implies what?
Correct Answer: 2. Theft is always punishable.
"Thieves for their robbery have authority / When judges steal themselves"
This means: Even thieves seem justifiable or acceptable when the people who are supposed to uphold justice (the judges) become corrupt.
This is not suggesting that “Theft is always punishable” (Option 2).
In fact, it's implying the opposite: that judges who themselves are immoral lose the right to punish others for crimes they themselves commit. This is a classic case of hypocrisy and moral failure in authority.
Let’s verify each option:
Society is just – Incorrect. The speaker is clearly disturbed by injustice.
Theft is always punishable – ❌ Incorrect. The line doesn’t say all theft is punished—it ironically suggests that even thieves seem justified when judges are corrupt.
Corruption among judges is hypocritical – ✅ Correct. This is what Angelo is realizing about himself.
Judges are above law – Incorrect. The speaker is challenging that very idea.
Final Verdict:
✅ Correct Answer: 3. Corruption among judges is hypocritical
❌ The answer key (Option 2) is incorrect in context and meaning.
Detailed Explanation:
The line in question:"Thieves for their robbery have authority / When judges steal themselves"
This means: Even thieves seem justifiable or acceptable when the people who are supposed to uphold justice (the judges) become corrupt.
This is not suggesting that “Theft is always punishable” (Option 2).
In fact, it's implying the opposite: that judges who themselves are immoral lose the right to punish others for crimes they themselves commit. This is a classic case of hypocrisy and moral failure in authority.
Let’s verify each option:
Society is just – Incorrect. The speaker is clearly disturbed by injustice.
Theft is always punishable – ❌ Incorrect. The line doesn’t say all theft is punished—it ironically suggests that even thieves seem justified when judges are corrupt.
Corruption among judges is hypocritical – ✅ Correct. This is what Angelo is realizing about himself.
Judges are above law – Incorrect. The speaker is challenging that very idea.
Final Verdict:
✅ Correct Answer: 3. Corruption among judges is hypocritical
❌ The answer key (Option 2) is incorrect in context and meaning.
Question 93
According to the speaker, how does temptation disguise itself?
According to the speaker, how does temptation disguise itself?
Correct Answer: 3. As a virtue
"O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint, / With saints dost bait thy hook!"
"Most dangerous is that temptation that doth goad us on / To sin in loving virtue."
These lines show that temptation is most dangerous when it appears in the form of something good — in this case, virtue itself. Angelo is tempted not by lustful women but by Isabella's virtue, which ironically intensifies his sinful desires.
So, temptation disguises itself as a virtue, making it harder to resist and more dangerous.
That's why Option 3 is the most accurate choice.
Detailed Explanation:
The key line that supports this is:"O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint, / With saints dost bait thy hook!"
"Most dangerous is that temptation that doth goad us on / To sin in loving virtue."
These lines show that temptation is most dangerous when it appears in the form of something good — in this case, virtue itself. Angelo is tempted not by lustful women but by Isabella's virtue, which ironically intensifies his sinful desires.
So, temptation disguises itself as a virtue, making it harder to resist and more dangerous.
That's why Option 3 is the most accurate choice.
Question 94
What kind of temptation does the speaker say is most dangerous?
What kind of temptation does the speaker say is most dangerous?
Correct Answer: 3. That which urges one to sin in loving virtue
"Most dangerous is that temptation that doth goad us on / To sin in loving virtue."
In this moment, Angelo reflects on the paradox of being drawn to sin not through vice, but through Isabella’s purity and goodness. Her virtue, instead of repelling lust, ignites it in him — and that, he believes, is the most dangerous kind of temptation.
So, the temptation that cloaks itself in goodness and leads one to sin through admiration of virtue is what Angelo deems the most perilous.
Hence, the correct answer is:
That which urges one to sin in loving virtue.
Detailed Explanation:
This is directly supported by the line:"Most dangerous is that temptation that doth goad us on / To sin in loving virtue."
In this moment, Angelo reflects on the paradox of being drawn to sin not through vice, but through Isabella’s purity and goodness. Her virtue, instead of repelling lust, ignites it in him — and that, he believes, is the most dangerous kind of temptation.
So, the temptation that cloaks itself in goodness and leads one to sin through admiration of virtue is what Angelo deems the most perilous.
Hence, the correct answer is:
That which urges one to sin in loving virtue.
Question 95
What emotion is the speaker feeling at the end of the passage?
What emotion is the speaker feeling at the end of the passage?
Correct Answer: 3. Confusion and shame
"What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?"
"O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint, / With saints dost bait thy hook!"
"Even till now, / When men were fond, I smiled and wonder’d how."
These lines reveal:
Confusion – He questions his own identity and desires ("What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?").
Shame – He feels deeply guilty for lusting after Isabella, a virtuous woman, which contrasts sharply with his strict moral persona.
Self-awareness – He realizes that he mocked others for their weaknesses, and now he is falling prey to the same.
Thus, the emotion at the end is not pride, joy, or indifference, but a conflicted blend of shame and confusion.
Detailed Explanation:
The speaker, Angelo, ends the monologue in a state of emotional turmoil, as shown in the lines:"What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?"
"O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint, / With saints dost bait thy hook!"
"Even till now, / When men were fond, I smiled and wonder’d how."
These lines reveal:
Confusion – He questions his own identity and desires ("What dost thou, or what art thou, Angelo?").
Shame – He feels deeply guilty for lusting after Isabella, a virtuous woman, which contrasts sharply with his strict moral persona.
Self-awareness – He realizes that he mocked others for their weaknesses, and now he is falling prey to the same.
Thus, the emotion at the end is not pride, joy, or indifference, but a conflicted blend of shame and confusion.