UGC NET June 2024 P2(91-100)

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Readability signifies easy comprehension of the text by a reader. There are three main aspects of readability: legibility of the text, easy flow of reading, and easy comprehension. Thus, the readability of a book is dependent on many factors, such as clarity of presentation in terms of language and illustration, as well as the ability of a reader in terms of intellectual level, language proficiency, and mental alertness.

All authors may not have equal capability to produce ‘readable’ books. However, they can certainly improve the readability of their books if they understand the readability level of the manuscripts they have produced. Several experts have devised readability formulas to measure the readability of any text.

Measurement of readability refers to the process of assessing the extent of ease in reading and understanding a written text. Most readability formulas are based on one semantic factor, i.e., the difficulty of words, and one syntactic factor, i.e., the difficulty of sentences. These formulas assume that longer sentences are harder sentences and longer words are harder words.

Each readability formula measures text differently, but each formula typically assesses text only at the level of individual words and sentences in a purely mechanical way. They measure certain attributes of words and sentences in isolation, ignoring other important attributes at the sentence level, including how a writer has connected sentences into paragraphs. By applying scientific and mathematical principles, readability formulas aim to present an objective analysis of the readability of a particular text.

Some of the commonly used readability formulas are:

• Dale-Chall Readability Formula (1948)
• PSK Readability Formula (1958)
• Gunning’s FOG Index (1964)
• FK Grade Level Formula (1975)
• McAlpine EFLAW Formula (2006)

Word processors analyze the text supplied by a user, calculate the number of characters in sentences, words, and syllables, and determine the reading level and grade level of the text by applying any of the readability formulas used by them.

Readability formulas have many advantages, but they are often criticized as an ‘over-simplification and a critique of creative writing.’ Indeed, most great literary works may fail to pass readability tests, though they are of very high quality. These formulas are more relevant for textbooks and subject books.

While efforts should be made to develop readability formulas that provide more accurate results, authors should also be more alert in taking prepublication readability tests of their creations. This will ensure the availability of more readable books in the future.

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What indicator of difficulty is used as parameter in readability measurement formulas?
1. Difficulties in mechanical way of phonetics
2. Difficulties in text printing with clarity
3. Number of repeated editors of the written text
4. Length of word and sentences in the written text

Which of the following is correct when readability formulas are arranged in reverse chronological order of their formation
1. Dale-Chall Readability formula, PSK Readability Formula, FK Grade Level Formula, McApine EFLAN Formula.
2. McApine EFLAN Formula, PSK Readability Formula, FK Grade Level Formula, Dale- Chall Readability Formulas
3. McApine EFLAN Formula, FK Grade Level Formula, PSK Readability Formula, Dale- Chall Readability formula
4. McApine EFLAN Formula, Dale-Chall Readability formula, FK Grade Level Formula, PSK Readability Formula,

Which of the following is not true in relation to the readability of written text?
1. Most literacy works of very high quality pass the readability test
2. One of the main aspects of readability is easy flow of reading
3. Readability formulas aim to present an analysis of a particular text scientifically.
4. Readability formulas are relevant for textbooks

What does the readability signify for a written text?
1. Readability of a written text signifies the style of printing
2. Readability signifies the ease in reading with which a reader can understand a written text
3. Readability signifies that all authors have equal capabilities to write or produce readable books
4. Readability signifies transforming an illegible text to legible text

What are the factors to be considered for the future success of readability to produce more readable books?
1. Using mathematical calculations more and more mechanically towards bringing oversimplification in readability formulas
2. Making authors more alert to take pre-publication readability tests for their creations and improving accordingly
3. Publishing the criticism of the textbooks
4. Reading rapidly more and more books

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Before the printing press, books were incredibly scarce and precious. No technique of mass production being available, each book had to be carefully copied by hand, a process that took thousands of skilled man-hours in transcribing texts, handcrafting ornate covers, and illuminating colorful pages.

Thus, in publicly accessible libraries, books were often shelved with chains for safeguarding the library’s valuable collection from potential thieves while allowing the public to read simultaneously. The chains were fitted to the corner or cover of the books through ringlets and were long enough to allow the books to be taken from their shelves and read. The books were typically shelved with their fore-edges facing the reader, rather than their spines. Although this made finding the right book more challenging, it allowed books to be lifted and opened without needing to be turned around.

With the introduction of the printing press, when duplicates became more readily available and significantly affordable, the practice of chaining books to shelves died out. In England, the Francis Trigge Chained Library, established in Grantham in 1598, is claimed to be the first English public library. Wimborne Minster houses the second-largest chained library, founded in 1686 with a donation from Rev. William Stone.

Worldwide, only a few chained libraries have survived with their original furniture, chains, and books. This includes the library built in the Church of Saint Walpurga in 1564, located in the small town of Zutphen in the Netherlands. The library is now part of a museum that allows visitors to tour and view the library’s original books, furniture, and chains.

Another chained library, the Biblioteca Malatestiana in Cesena, Italy, founded in 1454, is significant for being the first civil library in Europe open to the general public. In Ireland, Marsh’s Library in Dublin, built in 1701, is a non-institutional library still housed in its original building. Interestingly, in this case, it was not the books that were chained, but rather the readers were locked into cages to prevent rare volumes from ‘wandering’.

The oldest chained book, written in the eighth century, is the Hereford Gospels, found in the Mappa Mundi and Chained Library Museum located in Hereford, England. However, the largest surviving example of a chained library is Hereford Cathedral Library in the UK, established in 1611. It is now open to the public as a tourist attraction and museum with its chains and books intact.

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Which of the following library 1s the oldest chained book of the eighth century is available?
1. Mappa Mundiand Chained Library Museum, Hereford
2. Hereford Cathedral Library, UK
3. Chruch of Saint Walpurga Library, Zutphen
4. Francis Trigge Chained Library Grantham

Which of the following is correct when chained libraries are arranged according to the reverse chronological order of their foundations
1. Mash's Library, Hereford Cathedral Library, Church of Saint Walpurga Library, Francis Trigga Chained Library, Biblioteca Malatestiana Chained Library.
2. Biblioteca Malatestiana Chained Library, Church of Saint Walpurga Library, Francis Trigga Chained Library, Hereford Cathedral Library,Mash's Library.
3. Mash's Library, Hereford Cathedral Library, Francis Trigga Chained Library, Church of Saint Walpurga Library, Biblioteca Malatestiana Chained Library
4. Biblioteca Malatestiana Chained Library, Church of Saint Walpurga Library, Hereford Cathedral Library, Francis Trigga Chained Library, Mash's Library,

Which of the following Chained Library is considered as the first English Public Library
1. Mappa Mundiand Chained Library Museum, Hereford
2. Francis Trigge Chained Library, Grantham
3. Mash's Library, Dublin
4. Hereford Cathedral Library, UK

Which one of the following is the oldest chained library in Europe ?
1. Biblioteca Malatestiana, Casena
2. Francis Trigge Chained Library, Grantham
3. Church Saint Zutphen Walpurga
4. Marsh's Library, Dublin

Books, in a chained library, are shelved with chains because
1. The owner of the library denied readers from reading books
2, The books are arranged with their spines facing the readers.
3. With the introduction of printing press, books cost were high due to beautifully printed or hate covers
4. Readers were allowed reading valuable collection safeguarding from potential thieves

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