The classic collection of Middle Eastern folk tales commonly known in English as "The Arabian Nights" was famously translated into English by which explorer and writer?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests cultural and literary knowledge about a famous collection of stories known as "The Arabian Nights" or "One Thousand and One Nights". There is no single original author, but the English speaking world became familiar with these tales largely through influential translations, one of the most well known being produced by an explorer and writer in the nineteenth century.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The work mentioned is "The Arabian Nights", a collection of folk tales.
• The focus is on an English translation, not on an original single author.
• Four names are listed: Stephen Hawking, Vikram Seth, Zoya Hasan and Richard Burton.
• We must identify the person known for a classic English version of these stories.

Concept / Approach:
Sir Richard Francis Burton, a British explorer, linguist and writer, produced a famous unexpurgated English translation of "The Arabian Nights". This work is often cited in literary history. The other names belong to a theoretical physicist, a contemporary Indian novelist and an academic, none of whom are associated with translating these tales. Therefore, recognising Burton role as translator is key to answering correctly.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand that the Arabian Nights stories come from a long oral and written tradition rather than a single author. Step 2: Recall that Sir Richard Burton produced one of the most famous Victorian English translations of these tales. Step 3: Examine the options. Stephen Hawking is a scientist known for works on cosmology, Vikram Seth is a novelist and poet, and Zoya Hasan is a political scientist. Step 4: None of these three has any known major connection with translating "The Arabian Nights". Step 5: Therefore, Richard Burton is the only option that correctly fits the description and should be marked as the answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Literary histories and introductions to "The Arabian Nights" frequently mention Burton multi volume translation and compare it with earlier versions. This repeated association confirms that he is the translator being referred to in such exam questions. You will not find the other names credited with this work in reliable sources.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Stephen Hawking wrote scientific bestsellers like "A Brief History of Time" and did not work in literary translation of folk tales. Vikram Seth is known for novels and poetry such as "A Suitable Boy", not for rendering Middle Eastern tales into English. Zoya Hasan contributions lie in political science, again unrelated to this collection. Thus, all three serve only as distractors.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may misread the question and believe it asks for the original storyteller or culture behind the tales rather than a translator, leading them to overthink and doubt the obvious choice. Always pay careful attention to phrases like "wrote the English version" or "translated into English", which indicate that the question concerns translators like Burton, not the anonymous traditional sources.

Final Answer:
Richard Burton