In English literature, who wrote the famous novel "A Tale of Two Cities"?

Introduction / Context:
"A Tale of Two Cities" is one of the most famous novels in English literature and is often used in general knowledge exams to test awareness of classic books and their authors. Knowing which writer created which literary work is a key part of competitive exam preparation, especially in the books and authors section. This question checks whether you can correctly connect the novel "A Tale of Two Cities" with its author, who is an important figure in Victorian literature.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The title of the novel given in the question is "A Tale of Two Cities". • The options list four well known authors from English and world literature. • You are expected to recall which author actually wrote this specific novel. • No calculation or interpretation of the story is needed, only factual recall.

Concept / Approach:
This is a straightforward books and authors question. The basic approach is to remember that "A Tale of Two Cities" is a historical novel set during the French Revolution and that it was written by the Victorian novelist Charles Dickens. Many exams repeat this question because the book is very widely read and the opening line "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" is extremely famous. By maintaining a small mental list of classic novels and their authors, you can answer such questions very quickly in an exam setting.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note the name of the book in the question, which is "A Tale of Two Cities". Step 2: Recall which author among commonly known writers is associated with this title. Step 3: From standard general knowledge, remember that Charles Dickens wrote this novel as a historical work about London and Paris during the French Revolution. Step 4: Look at the options and find the name Charles Dickens. Step 5: Confirm that none of the other authors are linked with this particular title. Step 6: Choose the option that states "Charles Dickens" as the author.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify the answer by remembering other major works of Charles Dickens, such as "Oliver Twist", "David Copperfield", and "Great Expectations". "A Tale of Two Cities" always appears in the same group of well known Dickens novels in school textbooks and reading lists. On the other hand, William Shakespeare is known for plays like "Hamlet" and "Macbeth", not novels. Jane Austen is known for novels like "Pride and Prejudice", while Leo Tolstoy wrote great Russian novels like "War and Peace". This cross comparison reassures you that Charles Dickens is the only correct choice for this particular novel.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
William Shakespeare wrote plays and poems such as "Hamlet" and "King Lear", not the novel "A Tale of Two Cities". Jane Austen authored social and romantic novels like "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility", which are very different works. Leo Tolstoy was a Russian novelist known for "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina", not for this English historical novel.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse classic authors because many names are studied together in literature chapters. One common mistake is to assume that any famous older writer such as Shakespeare or Tolstoy might have written any classic sounding title. Another pitfall is not distinguishing between writers of plays and writers of novels. Keeping a short list of key works for each major author helps avoid such confusion in competitive exams. Reading even brief summaries of these novels can also strengthen memory of the author work pairing.

Final Answer:
The novel "A Tale of Two Cities" was written by Charles Dickens, so the correct option is the one that names Charles Dickens as the author.