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Among the first females awarded a degree from Oxford University, Dorothy L. Sayers proved to be one of the most versatile writers in post-war England. Sayers was born in 1893, the only child of an Anglican chaplain, and she received an unexpectedly good education at home. For instance, her study of Latin commenced when she was only six years old. She entered Oxford in 1912, at a time when the university was not granting degrees to women. By 1920, this policy had changed, and Sayers received her degree in medieval literature and modern languages after finishing university. That same year, she also received a master of arts degree. Sayers's first foray into published writing was a collection of poetry released in 1916. Within a few years, she began work on the detective novels and short stories that would make her famous, due to the creation of the foppish, mystery-solving aristocrat Lord Peter Wimsey. Sayers also wrote short story mysteries about the character Montague Egg. In spite of her success as a mystery writer, Sayers continued to balance popular fiction with academic work; her translation of Dante's Inferno gained her respect for her ability to convey the poetry in English while still remaining true to the Italian terza rima. She also composed a series of twelve plays about the life of Christ, and wrote several essays about education and feminism. In her middle age, Dorothy L. Sayers published several works of Christian apologetics, one of which was so well- received that the archbishop of Canterbury attempted to present her with a doctorate of divinity. Sayers, for reasons known only to her, declined.   Which of the following sentences contains an opinion statement by the author?

A. Among the first females awarded a degree from Oxford University, Dorothy L. Sayers proved to be one of the most versatile writers in post-war England.

B. Sayers was born in 1893, the only child of an Anglican chaplain, and she received an unexpectedly good education at home.

C. Her translation of Dante's Inferno gained her respect for her ability to convey the poetry in English while still remaining true to the Italian terza rima.

D. Sayers, for reasons known only to her, declined.

Answer Explanation:

Choice A: "Among the first females awarded a degree from Oxford University, Dorothy L. Sayers proved to be one of the most versatile writers in post-war England."

This sentence contains an opinion statement by the author. The author is expressing their opinion about Dorothy L. Sayers being one of the most versatile writers in post-war England.

Therefore, the Correct Answer is A.

More Questions on TEAS 7 Reading

  • Q #1: The following is an excerpt from a letter written by a woman in the 1930s in the Midwest to her relatives on the East Coast about the Dust Bowl:The dust has been mighty fierce. We have to keep the doors and windows shut tight, but the dirt gets right on through. When we open the door to that whirling dust, we are glad enough to run back inside with the soot all covering everything. We have to eat quick before the dirt settles on our food. You can't even see the lights in the house if you're outside it. One morning, so restless of the inside for days, I took a walk, and when I turned back I couldn't see the house. I knew the direction, so I kept on, and was close before I could see its outline. It sure made me feel lonely.   What details do we know about the writer of this letter from the excerpt?

    A. She felt lonely most of the time

    B. She lived in a rural town, far from other people

    C. She had been dealing with the dust storms for years

    D. She wished to be outside more often than she was

    Answer Explanation

    She wished to be outside more often than she was and as much as she kept the door and windows shut the dust still gets through.

  • Q #2: As little as three years before her birth, few would have thought that the child born Princess Alexandrina Victoria would eventually become Brittain's longest monarch, Queen Victoria. She was born in 1819, the only child of Edward, Duke of Kent, who was the fourth son of King George III. Ahead of Edward were three brothers, two of whom became king but none of whom produced a legitimate, , surviving heir, King George's eldest son, who was eventually crowned King George IV, secretly married a Catholic commoner, Maria Fitzherbert, in 1783. The marriage was never officially recognized, and in 1795, George was persuaded to marry a distant cousin, Caroline of Brunswick. The marriage was bitter, and the two had only one daughter, Princess Charlotte Augusta. She was popular in England where her eventual reign was welcome, but in a tragic event that shocked the nation, the princess and her stillborn son dies in childbirth in 1817. Realizing the precarious position of the British throne, the remaining sons of King George III were motivated to marry and produce an heir. The first in line was Prince Frederick, the Duke of York. Frederick married Princess Frederica Charlotte of Prussia, but the two had no children. After Prince Frederick was Prince William, the Duke of Clarence. William married Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, and they had two sickly daughters neither of whom survived infancy. Finally, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, threw his hat into the ring with his marriage to Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield. The Duke of Kent died less than a year after his daughter's birth, but the surviving Duchess of Kent was not unaware of the future possibilities for her daughter. She took every precaution to ensure that the young Princess Victoria was healthy and safe throughout her childhood. Princess Victoria's uncle, William, succeeded his brother George IV to become King William IV. The new king recognized his niece as his future heir, but he did not necessarily trust her mother. As a result, he was determined to survive until Victoria's eighteenth birthday to ensure that she could rule in own right without the regency of the Duchess of Kent. The king's fervent prayers were answered: he died June, 1837, less than one month after Victoria turned eighteen. Through young and inexperienced, the young queen recognized the importance of her position and determined to rule fairly and wisely. The improbable princess who became queen ruled for more than sixty-three years, and her reign is considered to be one of the most important in British history. What is the author's likely purpose in writing this passage about Queen Victoria?

    A. To persuade the reader to appreciate the accomplishments of Queen Victoria, especially when placed against the failures of her forebears

    B. To introduce the historical impact of the Victorian Era by introducing to readers the Queen who gave that era its name

    C. To explain how small events in history placed an unlikely princess in line to become the queen of England.

    D. To indicate the role that King George III's many sons played in changing the history of England.

    Answer Explanation

    To explain how small events in history placed an unlikely princess in line to become the queen of England as the princess was considered improbable and her reign become one of the most important in British history.

  • Q #3: Which of the following is a primary source of information?

    A. A speech that refers to an event

    B. A photograph taken at an event

    C. A textbook description of an event

    D. A newspaper article about an event

    Answer Explanation

    A primary source of information is an original, firsthand source that provides direct evidence about an event or topic.

    Photographs taken at an event capture a direct visual record of that event, making them a primary source of information. The other options may refer to or describe an event but are not the original sources themselves.