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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. What orders has the Fire Chief been given?

2. What does Mrs. Smith recommend giving the Watsons for a wedding present?

3. Which line causes an abrupt break in the action?

4. Why can't the Fire Chief retell the story of "The Headcold"?

5. What does Mr. Smith enjoy when he is in the country?

Short Essay Questions

1. What illogical elements exist in the play?

2. How do the characters deviate from their assigned stations in life?

3. How are pity and fear used to evoke a response from the audience?

4. Describe the plot and the moral behind the story, "The Dog and the Cow."

5. Describe the Fire Chief.

6. What drama unfolds as the Martins wait for the Smiths?

7. What argument centers around the Watson family?

8. How does the Fire Chief settle the argument over the doorbell?

9. How is the plot developed in the play?

10. Describe the plot behind Mrs. Smith's story of the man who bought flowers.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the effect the outcome of the play has on the characters. List examples of how the characters have been affected by their conversation. What effect might the outcome of the play have on the audience? Compare and contrast the audience's potential reaction to the play with that of the character's reaction to the evening.

Essay Topic 2

Why is "The Bald Soprano" considered an "anti-play?" What elements of traditional script development have been changed? How does the "anti-play" express its theme without the traditional elements of literature?

Essay Topic 3

How are satire and parody used to expose different aspects of the theme? What elements are exposed to ridicule and mimicked? How does Ionesco use humor to condemn the behavior of the characters?

(see the answer keys)

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