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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 buys the cherry orchard at the auction?

2. Which character says, "We should stop admiring ourselves. We should just work, and that is all"?

3. What Shakespearean play does Lopakhin quote to Varya after the passing of the stranger in Act II?

4. What has supposedly taken place at the beginning of Act III?

5. At the end of Act II, a distinctive sound is heard in the distance which the characters take note of. What sound is heard?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do the telegrams arrive from? What do they say?

2. Who is Deriganov? How does he/she play into the plot?

3. Who is Pishchik? How does he know the family? What request does he make to Lyubov repeatedly in Act II?

4. Explain the argument between Lyubov and Trofimov in Act III.

5. What does Lyubov feel about her lover? How does she show her feelings?

6. Does Firs have loyalty to the family? How do we know?

7. Trofimov is a character who speaks about philosophical ideals throughout the play. What are the concepts and ideals that he speaks about?

8. Who is the Countess? How does she play into the plot? Where does she live?

9. Who performs magic tricks? What tricks does he/she perform? Where did he/she learn to perform them?

10. What is the emotional state of Lyubov at the end of Act III? Why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Do you think that Lyubov's actions have directly led to the consequences in the play? How have they or have they not? What other characters' actions or in-actions contribute to the outcome?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the concepts of realism versus romanticism in The Cherry Orchard. Which character(s) do you think are the most logical in the play? Which are the most illogical? How?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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