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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 one person who votes with McMurphy in favor of the World Series?

2. Who finally raises their hand to help make for a majority?

3. Where does the Chief try to hide?

4. When does the Group Meeting begin?

5. What do the men do for an entire week when the World Series is supposed to be on?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Nurse Ratched do during this meeting that unnerves the other people in the room?

2. What is the cleaning crew of the mental hospital called?

3. When McMurphy rants about the state of affairs in the ward, how does Billy Bibbit respond?

4. What is so special about Harding in relation to the rest of the patients on the ward?

5. Which patients are the ones who have the highest likelihood of being cured?

6. What is the punishment for the men after the incident in #3 takes place?

7. Why does the shaving of his head upset Chief Bromden?

8. Who is the narrator of the story?

9. Why doesn't Nurse Ratched want McMurphy sent to the Disturbed ward?

10. Who is described as being alert and chipper, unlike other new admissions?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

McMurphy is accused of always 'winning things' as Chief Bromden puts it. What do you think this means to the other patients and to Chief Bromden? What are some of the things that McMurphy 'wins' on the ward? What are some of the things that McMurphy loses? Is it fair for McMurphy to be thought of as someone who is manipulating others? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

McMurphy is certainly the ringleader of many an uprising in the ward, but he's not the only one with aspirations to rebel. Why do you think the rest of the ward is silent in their treatment in the ward? What makes them fear Nurse Ratched so much? Why doesn't McMurphy fear Nurse Ratched? Do you think the other patients would have rebelled without McMurphy's stay at the ward? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Harding is the character in the story that seems to be the most well-adjusted, aside from McMurphy. So, why do you think he is in the ward to begin with? Is he hiding from his wife or is he genuinely trying to change himself? Why do you think he has so many troubles with his wife in the first place? Why do you think Harding married his wife?

(see the answer keys)

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