Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Auspices.' 'Auspices' is closely related to 'patronage' in the sense of support or sponsorship. In the context of the excerpt, it conveys the idea that the working man will not require condescending support or sponsorship but will actively participate and contribute to the Institute. The other choices are incorrect: 'Aberration' means a deviation from the norm, 'Acerbic' means sharp or bitter in tone, and 'Adulation' means excessive admiration or praise, none of which align with the meaning of 'patronage' in this context.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: 'Bunburying' is significant in the play because it emphasizes the characters' desire to lead double lives and avoid the strict societal expectations placed upon them. The term highlights their need to escape the confines of social obligations through deception and subterfuge. By maintaining a fictional persona like Bunbury, the characters can freely navigate between different social spheres, allowing them to explore personal freedom and evade the constraints of their social status. This escapade showcases their yearning for independence and autonomy, contrasting with the societal norms they are expected to conform to. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because 'Bunburying' in the context of the play is more about evading social duties through a dual identity, rather than reflecting indifference, willingness to deceive, or struggling to meet societal expectations.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Metaphor. The transition from water to air is described metaphorically in the passage, highlighting the significant change in the insects' environment. The passage discusses how certain insects start their life underwater and then transition to the air, symbolizing a transformation. This metaphorical description enhances the reader's understanding of the insects' life cycle. Choice B, Simile, is incorrect because a simile involves comparing two unlike things using 'like' or 'as,' which is not evident in the passage. Choices C and D, Alliteration and Hyperbole, are incorrect as they are not used in the passage to describe the transition from water to air. Therefore, the best literary device used in this context is a metaphor.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: 'Moult' refers to the act of shedding the outer shell, which is part of the insect's development. In the passage, it mentions insects that remain continually under water until they are ready to undergo their final moult and attain the winged state. This process of shedding the outer shell is crucial for insects transitioning from their aquatic larval stage to their aerial adult stage. Choices A, B, and D do not align with the specific context provided in the passage about the term 'moult.'

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'The absurdity of the British aristocracy and its social conventions.' The central theme of Wilde's play, as revealed through satire, is the critique of the absurdities and trivialities of the British aristocracy. Wilde uses clever dialogue, puns, and irony to expose the superficiality and hypocrisy of the upper classes. While sincerity and honesty in personal relationships are explored in the play, they are not the central theme. Choice C, the dual nature of social standing and resulting conflicts, is a partial theme but not the central one. Choice D, the challenges of maintaining personal integrity in a hypocritical society, touches on a theme present in the play, but it is not as central as the critique of the British aristocracy's absurdities and social conventions.