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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many writing samples does Orwell mention in the beginning of "Politics and the English Language"?

2. How many shots does Orwell fire before approaching the elephant?

3. When did "No Orchids for Miss Blandish" appear?

4. Dickens did not write about what?

5. What is depicted on McGill postcards that is, by definition, humorous?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Orwell's Sancho Panza view of life?

2. Why has bad English been successful in the political arena?

3. What happens when Raffles is caught in the strange circumstances?

4. What is Orwell's motivation for shooting the elephant?

5. What, according to the headmaster, is Orwell's only function at the school?

6. Why is bad English an excellent vehicle for political speech?

7. What is Orwell's intention when he leaves his station to look for the elephant?

8. What is "bad English writing," according to Orwell?

9. What describes the purpose of the semi-illicit postcards most newsstands carry?

10. What does the subsequent investigation find regarding Orwell's shooting of the elephant?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How do moral and political beliefs intertwine in society, people, and literature, according to Orwell? Support your answer using examples from the various essays.

Essay Topic 2

How did British culture and society change from 1910 to the beginning of the Great War? Use examples presented by Orwell in his essays to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Orwell states, in "Why I Write," that he writes solid prose when his political purpose is well defined. Do you agree with Orwell's characterization of himself? Why or why not? Support your answer with examples from the various essays.

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