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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why did Orwell say Socialism had not taken hold in England despite its common-sense doctrine?
(a) The poor working conditions at the mines.
(b) The military police.
(c) The lack of political organization in the pary.
(d) The wrong propaganda.

2. What did Orwell think was more important than changes in dynasties or changes of religion?
(a) Changes of clothing and cloth.
(b) Changes of the seasons.
(c) Changes of diet.
(d) Changes of housing materials.

3. What did Orwell cite as a reason class hatred seemed to be diminishing in the late 1930's?
(a) These opinions of hatred were those of only old men.
(b) These opinions of hatred were not in print anymore.
(c) These opinions of hatred were not real anymore.
(d) These opinions of hatred were those of only the upper classes.

4. What was one commodity that was less expensive in industrialized parts of England than the rest of the country?
(a) Fuel.
(b) Telephones.
(c) Cable.
(d) Electricity.

5. When asked who the top ten greatest men living in 1920, who was most often named in Orwell's school class?
(a) Lennon.
(b) Trotsky.
(c) Hardy.
(d) Lenin.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why did Orwell think the upper-middle class were drawn to India, Kenya and Nigeria?

2. Why did Orwell have the opportunity to receive an expensive public school education?

3. How long was Orwell a member of the Indian Police?

4. What class did Orwell say he was born into?

5. What did Orwell find amazing about the unemployed men he met after returning from Burma?

Short Essay Questions

1. Orwell described the view from a street in Sheffield. Describe what he saw when he looked around the town.

2. What was a "shabby-genteel" family in Orwell's opinion? What were some of the characteristics of a shabby-genteel family?

3. Why did Orwell think Socialism was not on the rise in England? What did he think Socialists were doing to discourage people from participating?

4. What was the unemployment situation in England in the 1930's? How did Orwell's figures differ from official government figures?

5. How did Orwell see the clash between the Socialist idea of the machine state and the working people Socialism wished to bring into the fold?

6. Why did Orwell think the working class people were rarely pure Socialists?

7. What did Orwell do in order to learn more about the working class conditions he had previously not understood? How did he go about trying to be a part of the working class and see the world through their eyes?

8. What were the reasons Orwell cited for Socialism being intrinsically tied to machine industrialization?

9. What were some of the negative affects of unemployment on any town despite unemployment benefits?

10. What did Orwell identify as the two methodologies for abolishing the class system in England? Why did he believe neither of these two to be viable?

(see the answer keys)

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