View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What was the name of the man that Dr. Breed describes as having been executed for committing 26 murders in Chapter 13?

2. What is the title of the book that the narrator describes writing in Chapter 1?

3. What was Bokonon's christened name?

4. What is the Bokononist term for a team that does "God's Will without ever discovering what they are doing" in Chapter 1?

5. What is the title of Chapter 11?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Newt Hoenikker describe his interaction with his father on the day the atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima?

2. How does Bokononism influence the language style of the novel?

3. What statement do you think that Vonnegut is making in regards to politics and science in Cat's Cradle?

4. How is Bokonon's history and arrival at San Lorenzo described in Chapter 48?

5. How does fate bring the narrator to San Lorenzo?

6. What is ironic about the scientific work done for the military at the General Forge and Foundry Company?

7. What is significant about the stone angel monument at the sales room in Ilium?

8. What irony is revealed in Dr. Breed's assessments of Ilium's history in Chapter 13?

9. What information does Newt relate about his siblings in his letter in Chapter 5?

10. Who is Lyman Knowles and what does he represent in the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Vonnegut's use of irony in Cat's Cradle. What are examples of verbal, dramatic, and situational irony in the novel? What purpose does each example serve? How is irony related to satire?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the setting of San Lorenzo. What is the size of the island? How many inhabitants does it have? What are the primary exports of the island? How would you describe its economy and culture?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the book The Day the World Ended. What was this book initially to be about? What does it end up being about? What irony can be seen in this book and its title?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 918 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample