The best answer is C. The passage states in the last paragraph that The Táin is an epic of great value. “If the images meet a cultural need, they can come back to life as living artistic works. During the English occupation of Ireland up through the Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depths of Irish mythology to create what they saw as an image of Ireland free of English cultural repression. Writers still call on The Táin for inspiration, just as ancient Irish bards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell them the true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.” The passage makes it clear that the epic is of significant value to Irish history.

The best answer is J. The passage answers the questions presented in answer choices F, G, and H. The question regarding vernacular literature is answered with the following: “Ireland has the oldest vernacular literature in Europe. Where other early European authors wrote their literary works in Latin, the Irish began writing down their stories in their own language starting at least as early as the 6th century A.D. and continuing to the modern day.” Vernacular language is defined by the passage as stories written down in one’s native language. In regard to Queen Medb’s desire to acquire a magic bull, her “insistence on equaling the property of her husband was, therefore, for reasons far more serious than vanity… Wives were considered legal equals to men if they came into their marriage with as much or more property than their husbands. If she had less, the wife would be a legal dependent of her husband and, like a child, would have limited rights of her own.” Finally, the passage explains that The Táin Bó Culainge means “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” Answer choice J is the only question not answered by information in the passage.

The best answer is A. In regard to why the epic plays an important role in Irish literature, the passage states, “During the English occupation of Ireland up through the Irish Revolution, many artists plumbed the depths of Irish mythology to create what they saw as an image of Ireland free of English cultural repression.” This information best supports answer choice A.

The best answer is F. The second paragraph serves to describe The Cattle Raid of Cooley. In its narrowest sense, the raid refers to a series of battles fought by the northern Irish province of Connacht to steal a magic bull from the neighboring province of Ulster. However, the cycle includes many other legends that together tell the national story of the people of Ulster, especially during the reign of the great Ulster king, Conchobor mac Nessa.

The best answer is D. Of the four answer choices, A, B, and C can all be found in the passage. “The remscéla tell how the bulls were originally two pigkeepers who knew magic; the stories explain how the Ulstermen came to be cursed with debilitating pain whenever their country was in danger. They explain who Cú Chulainn was and how he got his name. And, most poignantly, the remscéla tell how Fergus lost his crown and why he agreed to fight against his countrymen. This last story, told in the tragic legend of Deirdre and the Sons of Usnech, is one of the most striking of all the Irish myths.” Answer choice D is the only choice not mentioned by the passage.

The best answer is G. As stated in the last paragraph of the passage, “Over twelve hundred years old, The Táin is certainly an epic work—but epic doesn’t necessarily mean “dead.” If the images meet a cultural need, they can come back to life as living artistic works … Writers still call on The Táin for inspiration, just as ancient Irish bards once called on the ghost of Fergus to tell them the true story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley.” Not only does this segment of the passage establish answer choices F, H, and J as elements of The Táin, but it also states that an epic isn’t dead, as long as it still has cultural significance.

The best answer is D. In an effort to explain why Queen Medb wanted a magic bull, the passage states the following: “Wives were considered legal equals to men if they came into their marriage with as much or more property than their husbands. If she had less, the wife would be a legal dependent of her husband and, like a child, would have limited rights of her own. Irish queens were used to having their own political autonomy and making their own political deals.” This information best supports answer choice D.

The best answer is J. When speaking of love triangles, the passage gives the following as examples, “Think of the romances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband, King Mark. In The Táin, Queen Medb takes up with the warrior Fergus, with the approval of her husband, in order to guarantee Fergus’ allegiance during the war.”

The best answer is A. As indicated by the passage, there are strong thematic similarities between the King Arthur story and The Táin. Specifically, the passage states, “Still, even Medb’s daughter, Finnabair, is tied linguistically to the Arthurian legend: Finnabair and Guinevere are different spellings of the same name.” This statement is used to further support the passages earlier tie between the two stories; “Thematically, the work explores several great issues that would occupy medieval authors for over six hundred years. One of the most important was the lovers’ triangle between the king, the queen, and the warrior hero. Think of the romances of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot, or those of Tristran, Isolde, and her husband, King Mark.” These statements best support answer choice A.

The best answer is H. The passage explains that Medb’s dedication to acquiring one of the two magic bulls of Ulster was because not only did her husband have the other magic bull, but if she acquired a bull as well, she would attain the same level of political power as her husband. Otherwise, she would be at his mercy. Due to these circumstances, Medb was very ambitious in her pursuits. The other answer choices are not supported by the passage.