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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What will a writer discover when they take their eyes off of the main character?
(a) Who is nearby.
(b) What is nearby.
(c) Who is far away.
(d) What is far away.

2. What do the readers and creators of a contemporary narrative believe about in-depth characterization?
(a) It is expected, but not necessary.
(b) It is both expected and necessary.
(c) It is neither expected nor necessary.
(d) It is necessary, but not expected.

3. What do walk-ons lend to a narrative?
(a) Unpredictability.
(b) Depth.
(c) Questions.
(d) Realism.

4. What word is used to describe the life ideally given to fictional characters?
(a) Colorful.
(b) Vivid.
(c) Eventful.
(d) Interesting.

5. In the subtitle of "Characters and Viewpoint", what are the three objectives that the author promises to deliver?
(a) How to invent, construct, and animate characters.
(b) How to find, invent, and construct characters.
(c) How to find, invent, and portray characters.
(d) How to invent, label, and portray characters.

6. What can other characters provide for the main character?
(a) Neither conflict nor assistance.
(b) Assistance, but never conflict.
(c) Conflict, but never assistance.
(d) Conflict or assistance.

7. What happens to sources of inspiration once they are incorporated into characters?
(a) They are exaggerated or completely changed.
(b) They are added to, exaggerated, or completely changed.
(c) They are added to or exaggerated.
(d) They are added to or completely changed.

8. What does having more complex characters lead to?
(a) Less confusion.
(b) Less possibilities.
(c) More confusion.
(d) More possibilities.

9. What is milieu?
(a) The physical, historical, or social context.
(b) The physical, cultural, or social context.
(c) The mental, historical, or social context.
(d) The mental, cultural, or social context.

10. Why should sources of inspiration be altered?
(a) To make them more effective.
(b) To make them more familiar.
(c) To make them more mysterious.
(d) To make them more unrealistic

11. What type of physical appearance can make a character more engaging?
(a) Appealing and specific.
(b) Appealing and blatant.
(c) Appealing and subtle.
(d) Appealing, but vague.

12. How is the event described?
(a) What happens outside of the narrative and when.
(b) What happens outside of the narrative and why.
(c) What happens in the narrative and why.
(d) What happens in the narrative and when.

13. In Chapter 8, how does the author want the reader to be engaged with a character?
(a) Fully and immediately.
(b) Fully, but gradually.
(c) Immediately, but partially.
(d) Partially and gradually.

14. How well do readers want to know characters in a book?
(a) As well as they know people in life.
(b) Better than they know characters in a movie.
(c) As well as they know people in a movie.
(d) Better than they know people in life.

15. What is the first way a writer can engage the reader?
(a) Creating a weak initial impression that improves quickly.
(b) Creating a weak initial impression that improves slowly.
(c) Creating a strong initial impression.
(d) Creating an initial impression that does not appear strong or weak at first.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many basic types of characters are there?

2. Which one of the following is not an example of how to vary the names of characters to distinguish them for the reader?

3. What kind of characterization is needed in a narrative that features the characters as the primary focus?

4. What determines the amount of characterization in an event?

5. What must accompany self-sacrifice in an engaging character?

(see the answer keys)

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