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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 did the first speaker, in Chapter 8, feel about freedom of the press?

2. Why does Orwell dislike words such as "constitute" and "phenomenon"?

3. How does Orwell describe Gandhi's political solutions?

4. In this story, Burma is a colony of what empire?

5. How does Orwell feel about Shakespeare?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Orwell's recommendation to the reader in Chapter 13?

2. According to Orwell, why is spring not a popular subject among his readers?

3. What does Orwell say about the mating of toads?

4. Orwell feels that international sporting events have what effect on the relations between the countries involved?

5. What does Orwell say about Burnham's theory about Stalin?

6. How does Orwell respond to the critics of his spring essays?

7. According to Orwell, what were Burnham's political predictions based on?

8. Whom does Orwell name in Chapter 17 as a well-known nonsense poet?

9. Based on Orwell's description, what is the life cycle of a toad?

10. What is Orwell's occupation, in the first chapter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tolstoy criticizes Shakespeare in a variety of ways. Do you agree with any of Tolstoy's criticisms? If so, which ones? What do you think of Orwell's rebuttals for each point made by Tolstoy? Do you believe Tolstoy's claims about how Shakespeare got his reputation, or do you believe that his reputation was earned? How would you respond to the points Tolstoy makes about "King Lear"? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your position.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Tolstoy's criticism of Shakespeare's work. What criticisms does Tolstoy offer? What evidence does he present to back up his criticisms? Is the evidence he presents accurate? How does Orwell respond? Do you agree with Orwell, or Tolstoy? Why? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your position.

Essay Topic 3

Orwell claims that Smith identified with the character of Gulliver, in "Gulliver's Travels". Do you agree? How well does Orwell present his argument? To what do you attribute the changes in Gulliver's character that Orwell describes? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text in defending your conclusions.

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