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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. Which character leads Lopakhin from the drawing room in Act III?

2. Which character is in love with Trofimov?

3. What do Lyubov and Varya mention in Act II that the peasants have been complaining about?

4. Who first says the orchard is sold today in Act III?

5. What does Trofimov do after storming out in Act III?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Who buys the estate at auction? How did this come about?

3. What are Lyubov's "sins," referred to by her in Act II?

4. What is the emotional state of Lopakhim in Act III? Why?

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

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

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

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

9. What is the irony of the landowners in The Cherry Orchard?

10. What event is taking place in the beginning of Act III? What purpose does this event serve to the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the character arcs of the main characters in The Cherry Orchard. How have these characters changed from the beginning of the play to the end? What has incurred these changes? Do you think the characters have improved their situations? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the characteristics of Varya and Anya. How do they relate to each other and to other characters throughout the play? How are their appearances similar or different? Compare their outlooks on life, their philosophies and religious beliefs. What other characters in the play do they most reflect?

Essay Topic 3

Chekhov was known as one of Europe's most "ecological playwrights." The use of trees and their demise was common in his works. How does this play out in The Cherry Orchard? What events during this time in history would have affected the ecological system in Russia? How does Chekhov use trees in The Cherry Orchard to make his political and ecological viewpoints known?

(see the answer keys)

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