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. Which of Augustine's friends laughed at predicting the future through stargazing?

2. Upon what does Augustine reflect as to the nature of life and death?

3. Instead of studying the literal meaning of a phrase what is important to study?

4. What does the book Hortensius give Augustine?

5. How could Augustine's "journey" be categorized?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Augustine say about his "sins" as a schoolboy and his teachers reaction to them?

2. What does Augustine believe about the men in the Bible and how does he apply that to people in general?

3. How does Monica feel about Augustine moving and how does he get around her?

4. Where does Augustine want to move and why?

5. How has Augustine solved the problem of his lust and what is the result of this solution?

6. What did Augustine write about that involved a theft of pears and how did he feel about it?

7. What kind of pressure does Augustine feel as a young person and what does he do about it?

8. What does Augustine feel the pear tree incident symbolized?

9. What does Augustine decide about reading Scripture and interpreting it?

10. What is Augustine's thinking on marriage?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Augustine recalls that he was under a lot of peer pressure to seek sexual pleasure and to applaud those who seek it from his peers that he knew from his town and from school. Augustine remembers even inventing sexual exploits to tell his peers, just to impress them.

1. Do you think Augustine's feelings of pressure from his peers was valid? Why or why not?

2. Do you think young men today feel the same peer pressure Augustine felt? Why or why not?

3. Discuss your beliefs about how young people are subjected to peer pressure and what a young person can do about it.

Essay Topic 2

In Book IX, Augustine is still angry with the Manicheans, because for so long he used their excuse of a man's soul being divided between a soul of darkness and a soul of light. Now, Augustine sees that all of his actions are his soul's responsibility. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think Augustine is finally "growing up" when he realizes he is responsible for the choices he makes? Why or why not?

2. Do you think that the people who are influenced by others to commit immoral or evil acts are ultimately responsible for their own actions?

3. What about evil actions that a person commits in order to save his/her own life? Is there any justification for those choices a person might make?

Essay Topic 3

Augustine urges the church faithful to be righteous and to do good deeds, but not as a substitute for their faith. Their faith must be shown by their good deeds, and at the same time these good deeds must reflect their faith. This statement is a paradox.

1. Why do you think this statement could be classified as a paradox?

2. What do you think Augustine means by the statement above?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,137 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample