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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. Who is the footman that Anya describes in Act I?

2. How many rubles per year does Lopakhin suggest Lyubov will make off rent with his plan in Act I?

3. For how long does Varya say Firs has been mumbling in Act I?

4. What does Lyubov reply when Pishchik asks if she ate frogs in France in Act I?

5. What does Lyubov do with the telegrams she receives in Act I?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Gaev's character. Who is he/she related to in the play? How? What does this character do persistently that annoys the others?

2. What happened to Lyubov's son? How does she feel about it?

3. Describe the relationship between Varya and Lopakhin.

4. Describe Dunyasha's character. How does she dress? What is she constantly distracted by? Is she dedicated to her job?

5. Describe Firs' character. What is his position at the estate? Is he related to other characters in the play? How?

6. Which character had a lover in Paris? What became of this situation?

7. What events led to Lyubov leaving the estate? When did she leave?

8. What does Lopakhin suggest Lyubov and Gaev do with the estate? Why?

9. How is Varya's character unique in the play? What role does she fulfill in the household? What is her style of dress?

10. Describe Yasha's character. What is his/her age? What is his/her demeanor? How does he/she relate to other characters in the play?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How are the characters' costumes reflective of their personalities? What do the colors, styles, adornments say about them? How do these costumes set the characters apart?

Essay Topic 2

Chekhov was known as one of the first writers of realism in drama. How does his writing in The Cherry Orchard represent realism? How are the characters, costumes, and set designs impacted by the realistic approach to drama? How does his realistic writing affect actors performing in his plays?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the playwright's use of irony in The Cherry Orchard. What is an example of verbal irony from the text? What dramatic irony is employed? What situational irony appears? What is the effect of each example?

(see the answer keys)

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