CUET Reading Comprehension: Literary Passages
Literary passages in CUET (UG) are crafted to assess your ability to interpret complex texts, appreciate literary devices, understand tone and mood, and analyze deeper meanings embedded in fiction, drama, or poetry. These passages often come from novels, short stories, essays, or literary critiques. They are designed to challenge your comprehension skills and critical thinking, making them slightly more nuanced than factual or narrative passages.
✅ 10 Strategies to Crack Literary Passages
1️⃣ Read Actively: Pay attention to the author’s tone, theme, and narrative style while reading.
2️⃣ Identify Literary Devices: Look for similes, metaphors, personification, irony, and symbolism.
3️⃣ Note the Characters’ Emotions: Focus on how characters feel or react, as literary passages often emphasize emotions.
4️⃣ Determine the Theme: Try to quickly pinpoint the central idea or underlying message.
5️⃣ Analyze the Mood and Tone: Is the passage optimistic, melancholic, sarcastic, or reflective?
6️⃣ Understand the Point of View: Who is narrating the passage? A character, the author, or an omniscient narrator?
7️⃣ Look for Implied Meaning: Literary passages often suggest ideas indirectly; infer meaning beyond the literal words.
8️⃣ Pay Attention to Dialogue: If there is dialogue, examine how it reveals character traits or advances the plot.
9️⃣ Answer Step-by-Step: Go back to the passage for each question and base your answers on evidence from the text.
🔟 Manage Time Wisely: Don’t get too absorbed in literary flourishes; focus on what’s asked in the questions.
✨ Literary Passage 1 (Advanced Level)
In the waning twilight, Maya stood silently on the balcony, gazing at the town that stretched beneath her. The scent of wet earth after rain mixed with the distant sounds of laughter and music from the streets below. To the outside world, the festival lights glowing across rooftops promised joy, yet inside Maya’s heart, a strange melancholy lingered.
Years ago, these same festival nights had filled her with excitement and belonging. But time, like the steady drip of water eroding stone, had changed her. Relationships once vibrant had faded, conversations grew polite but hollow, and the town itself, though unchanged, felt alien. The laughter rising from below now felt like an echo from a life that no longer included her.
As she turned to step inside, she realized it wasn’t the town that had altered, but her own lens through which she now viewed it. Maya understood, with a quiet sigh, that growing older is not just about years but about the shifting landscapes within one’s soul.
Questions:
1️⃣ What mood does the passage primarily convey?
(1) Joyful and lighthearted
(2) Reflective and melancholic
(3) Optimistic and hopeful
(4) Indifferent and casual
Answer: (2) Reflective and melancholic
2️⃣ What is the significance of the festival lights in the passage?
(1) They represent Maya’s excitement for the festival
(2) They symbolize the unchanged external world versus Maya’s inner change
(3) They foreshadow a forthcoming event
(4) They are just decorative and hold no meaning
Answer: (2) They symbolize the unchanged external world versus Maya’s inner change
3️⃣ Which literary device is used in “time, like the steady drip of water eroding stone”?
(1) Metaphor
(2) Hyperbole
(3) Simile
(4) Alliteration
Answer: (3) Simile
4️⃣ What can be inferred about Maya’s character?
(1) She feels deeply connected to her surroundings
(2) She longs for the excitement of her past
(3) She is unaffected by the festival
(4) She is critical of the town’s people
Answer: (2) She longs for the excitement of her past
5️⃣ Which of the following best describes the theme of the passage?
(1) How festivals bring people together
(2) The inevitability of change and inner transformation
(3) The isolation caused by moving to a new place
(4) How weather can affect emotions
Answer: (2) The inevitability of change and inner transformation
6️⃣ What does “the shifting landscapes within one’s soul” suggest?
(1) A person’s physical environment always changes
(2) Maya is planning to travel
(3) A person’s inner emotions and perceptions evolve over time
(4) The town is about to undergo change
Answer: (3) A person’s inner emotions and perceptions evolve over time
✨ Literary Passage 2 (Advanced Level)
The old library smelled of yellowed pages and forgotten dreams. Asha wandered through the aisles, her fingers grazing the spines of leather-bound books, each with a tale locked inside. She wasn’t looking for anything specific, yet a small book, worn and unassuming, caught her eye. She opened it and, for a brief moment, it felt as though the room faded away.
The words pulled her into a world where the sun never set and the seas whispered secrets. Hours passed unnoticed as Asha devoured the story. As dusk turned to night, she realized the narrative mirrored her life — the indecision, the longing for adventure, the fear of stepping beyond the familiar.
Asha closed the book and smiled. The story had been waiting patiently, perhaps for years, for someone who needed it most. She left the library that evening feeling lighter, as though the words had unlocked a door she didn’t know existed within herself.
Questions:
1️⃣ What literary device is most prominent in the phrase “the seas whispered secrets”?
(1) Personification
(2) Hyperbole
(3) Irony
(4) Metaphor
Answer: (1) Personification
2️⃣ What does Asha discover about herself by the end of the passage?
(1) She dislikes reading
(2) She is too afraid to take risks
(3) She has been searching for inner courage
(4) She prefers daydreaming to real life
Answer: (3) She has been searching for inner courage
3️⃣ The book in the library represents:
(1) A literal escape from her town
(2) A metaphorical guide for self-discovery
(3) An ancient family heirloom
(4) A fantasy world without meaning
Answer: (2) A metaphorical guide for self-discovery
4️⃣ What mood does the author create in the beginning of the passage?
(1) Chaotic and noisy
(2) Calm and mysterious
(3) Cold and indifferent
(4) Festive and energetic
Answer: (2) Calm and mysterious
5️⃣ The phrase “forgotten dreams” implies:
(1) Abandoned ambitions or memories
(2) A literal dream forgotten by Asha
(3) Books that are too damaged to read
(4) Dreams people wrote inside books
Answer: (1) Abandoned ambitions or memories
6️⃣ What can be inferred about Asha’s state of mind before reading the book?
(1) She was confident and adventurous
(2) She felt uncertain and trapped
(3) She was uninterested in stories
(4) She was focused on finding a rare book
Answer: (2) She felt uncertain and trapped
iii. Literary Passage (300 words)
Passage:
It was a cold and misty morning as Mr. Ramesh walked along the deserted park lane. The fog swirled around him like silent whispers, muffling the sounds of the city. The ancient trees stood tall and bare, their branches clawing at the grey sky.
Mr. Ramesh clutched his overcoat tightly. A sense of melancholy settled over him. He remembered coming to this park years ago with his late wife, laughing and sharing stories under these very trees. Now, everything felt empty. Yet, as he walked deeper into the park, he noticed small signs of life—the dew on the grass, the chirping of a lone bird, and the faint scent of blooming flowers hidden among the shrubs.
His heart, once heavy, began to lighten. He realized that even amidst sorrow, life persisted. Nature, indifferent yet gentle, seemed to offer him quiet comfort. As Mr. Ramesh reached the old wooden bench where he once sat with his wife, he smiled softly, feeling a sense of peace.
MCQs:
- What is the main mood at the beginning of the passage?
(1) Joyful
(2) Mysterious
(3) Melancholy ✅
(4) Angry
- What did the fog do in the park?
(1) Made it noisy
(2) Covered the park in silence ✅
(3) Cleared up the skies
(4) Brightened the park
- Why was Mr. Ramesh feeling sorrowful?
(1) He lost his job
(2) He missed his late wife ✅
(3) He was feeling unwell
(4) He disliked the park
- What did Mr. Ramesh notice as signs of life?
(1) Children playing
(2) Cars passing by
(3) Dew, a bird’s chirping, and flowers ✅
(4) Street vendors
- What message does the passage convey?
(1) City life is busy
(2) Nature can provide healing and comfort ✅
(3) Always stay away from lonely places
(4) Foggy mornings are unsafe
What literary device is used in “the fog swirled around him like silent whispers”?
(1) Metaphor
(2) Alliteration
(3) Simile ✅
(4) Hyperbole
4.Literary Passage (Advanced Level)
Passage:
The old bookshop stood at the corner of the narrow lane, its wooden door creaking as Ananya pushed it open. Inside, the smell of parchment and ink lingered, mingling with the faint aroma of coffee from a small counter tucked into the corner. The shelves were stacked high with books, their spines worn and titles barely legible.
Ananya wandered through the aisles, running her fingers along dusty covers, feeling the weight of forgotten words. In the farthest corner, she discovered a leather-bound journal with no title. Curiosity piqued, she opened it and found pages filled with poetry, notes, and sketches of people she recognized from her dreams.
Startled, Ananya realized these were not mere coincidences. The journal detailed events yet to unfold, foretelling moments of joy and sorrow. She clutched the book tightly as a sense of destiny gripped her. As the rain tapped gently against the window, the dim light cast long shadows, and Ananya knew the journal would change the course of her life.
Questions:
- Where is the bookshop located?
- (a) Near a railway station
- (b) At the corner of a narrow lane ✅
- (c) Beside a large supermarket
- (d) Across from a library
- What unique smell did Ananya notice inside the shop?
- (a) Freshly baked bread
- (b) Ink and coffee ✅
- (c) Lavender and cinnamon
- (d) Tobacco smoke
- What did Ananya find in the journal?
- (a) Old newspaper clippings
- (b) Her personal diary entries
- (c) Poetry and sketches of people from her dreams ✅
- (d) Maps to hidden treasure
- How did Ananya feel upon discovering the contents of the journal?
- (a) Calm and relaxed
- (b) Startled and intrigued ✅
- (c) Disappointed and confused
- (d) Indifferent and skeptical
- What did the journal seem to predict?
- (a) Weather patterns
- (b) Upcoming life events ✅
- (c) Lottery numbers
- (d) Secrets of the bookshop
- What literary device is most evident in this passage?
- (a) Hyperbole
- (b) Foreshadowing ✅
- (c) Allegory
- (d) Irony
5. Literary Passage (Advanced Level)
Passage (Excerpt from an Imaginary Novel):
The rain lashed against the windowpane as Clara sat staring at the flickering flame of the candle. Outside, the storm had cloaked the town in a velvet darkness, punctuated only by occasional streaks of lightning. Her heart thudded in sync with the thunderclaps. It was on nights like these, her grandmother used to say, that forgotten souls whispered through the wind.
Clara’s thoughts drifted to the old journal she had found earlier that day in the attic — pages yellowed with age and ink smudged by the passage of time. Its cryptic lines spoke of a secret hidden beneath the oak tree in the garden. Despite the storm’s fury, an inexplicable pull compelled Clara to venture out.
With trembling hands, she unearthed a small box beneath the tree. Inside, a faded locket and a letter lay. The words revealed a family secret long buried: Clara’s grandmother was not who she claimed to be, but someone who had fled her past.
MCQs:
- What does the storm symbolize in the passage?
- (a) The arrival of spring
- (b) Clara’s internal turmoil and mystery ✅
- (c) A sign of celebration
- (d) A simple weather change
- What object does Clara find in the attic?
- (a) A diary
- (b) A photograph
- (c) A journal ✅
- (d) A painting
- What secret is revealed in the letter?
- (a) Clara’s grandmother’s hidden identity ✅
- (b) The location of a treasure
- (c) A prophecy about Clara
- (d) A hidden map
- Why does Clara go out into the storm?
- (a) To rescue a trapped animal
- (b) To investigate the oak tree as per the journal ✅
- (c) To search for her grandmother
- (d) To find shelter
- What literary device is used in “forgotten souls whispered through the wind”?
- (a) Alliteration
- (b) Hyperbole
- (c) Personification ✅
- (d) Metaphor
- What tone does the passage primarily convey?
- (a) Joyful and festive
- (b) Mysterious and suspenseful ✅
- (c) Light-hearted and playful
- (d) Humorous and ironic
Explanation Keys:
- The storm parallels Clara’s emotional tension.
- The passage says she finds a “journal.”
- The letter reveals “grandmother was not who she claimed to be.”
- The journal’s cryptic message leads her to the oak tree.
- The wind “whispering” is personification.
- The mood is mysterious due to dark, stormy imagery and family secrets.
Passage 6: Literary (302 Words)
Whispers of the Forest
The forest hums a song no city ear can hear—a chorus of rustling leaves and chattering birds, woven with the sigh of ancient trees. It’s a world apart, where time slows, and the air tastes of secrets. I walk its paths, and the canopy above filters sunlight into golden threads, stitching shadows on the earth. Each step crunches a story—of roots that grip the soil like stubborn poets, refusing to let go.
But the forest is no silent saint. It whispers warnings, too. The snapped twig underfoot echoes like a gunshot, a reminder of hunters who stalk its peace. The wind carries tales of axes biting into trunks, of green turned to ash for fleeting profit. Yet, amid this quiet war, life persists. A deer darts through the undergrowth, eyes wide with fleeting trust. A sapling rises where an oak once fell, defiant in its youth.
To stand here is to feel small, yet alive. The forest doesn’t care for our clocks or coins—it measures days in seasons, wealth in silence. It asks nothing but respect, offering in return a mirror to our souls. Are we the intruders, slashing its veins for firewood, or the guests, humbled by its grace? I leave with no answers, only the hum in my ears—a lullaby of roots and wings, urging me to listen closer next time.
MCQs
- What does the forest’s “song” symbolize in the first paragraph?
- (A) City noise
- (B) Nature’s unique voice
- (C) Human activity
- (D) Silence
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 1 calls it a “chorus” of natural sounds.
- The phrase “golden threads” refers to:
- (A) Sunlight through the canopy
- (B) Tree roots
- (C) Birds flying
- (D) Hunters’ tools
- Answer: (A) Explanation: Para 1 describes sunlight filtered into “golden threads.”
- What warning does the forest whisper?
- (A) Stay away from deer
- (B) Beware of hunters and destruction
- (C) Avoid walking at night
- (D) Fear the wind
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 2 mentions hunters and axes.
- The “sapling rises” suggests the forest is:
- (A) Dying out
- (B) Resilient
- (C) Silent
- (D) Angry
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 2 shows life persisting despite loss.
- What is the narrator’s tone toward the forest?
- (A) Fearful
- (B) Reverent
- (C) Indifferent
- (D) Critical
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 3 reflects awe and respect (“humbled by its grace”).
- What does the forest “offer” according to the last paragraph?
- (A) Firewood
- (B) A mirror to our souls
- (C) Wealth in coins
- (D) Answers to questions
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 3 states it offers “a mirror to our souls.”
Passage 7: Literary (299 Words)
The Weight of Silence
Silence is a thief, creeping through the seams of our days, pilfering words we dare not speak. It drapes the room like a shroud, heavy with the ghosts of unsaid truths—love unprofessed, apologies unoffered. In its stillness, the heart drums louder, a captive rattling its cage, desperate for release.
Yet, silence is no mere void; it carves its own language. The creak of a floorboard betrays a sleepless night; the clink of a spoon against porcelain confesses a trembling hand. In crowded streets, it cloaks the lonely, their eyes screaming where lips falter. It is the pause before the storm, the breath held as thunder looms—nature’s own eloquence, mocking our mute struggles.
To break it is to wield a blade, slicing through the fragile threads of what we’ve woven to survive. A single word can unravel years—shatter the glass of pretense or mend a fractured bond. But often, we choose its burden over the risk, letting silence fester until it hardens into stone, an altar to our cowardice. Who dares disturb its reign?
MCQs
- What does the metaphor “silence is a thief” suggest?
- (A) It steals time
- (B) It takes away unspoken words
- (C) It robs happiness
- (D) It hides noise
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 1 says it “pilfers words we dare not speak.”
- The “ghosts” in the first paragraph symbolize:
- (A) Fearful spirits
- (B) Past regrets
- (C) Silent rooms
- (D) Lost friends
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 1 ties ghosts to “unsaid truths” like unprofessed love.
- How does silence “carve its own language”?
- (A) Through written words
- (B) Via subtle sounds and actions
- (C) By shouting loudly
- (D) With spoken confessions
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 2 cites creaks and clinks as its language.
- In crowded streets, silence affects the lonely by:
- (A) Making them talkative
- (B) Hiding their inner turmoil
- (C) Connecting them to others
- (D) Healing their pain
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 2 says it “cloaks the lonely” while their eyes scream.
- Breaking silence is compared to:
- (A) Building a wall
- (B) Wielding a blade
- (C) Singing a song
- (D) Lifting a burden
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 3 uses “wield a blade” for breaking silence.
- The passage’s tone toward silence is:
- (A) Admiring
- (B) Critical
- (C) Indifferent
- (D) Joyful
- Answer: (B) Explanation: Para 3 calls it “cowardice” and “burden”—negative.
