View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What do many of Vonnegut's books, including this one, not include?
(a) Individual human beings.
(b) Social groups.
(c) Fantasy creatures.
(d) Mammals.

2. Who does the author have die glamorously in an airplane crash into Mt. Kilimanjaro?
(a) Edith Wharton.
(b) Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
(c) Ernest Hemingway.
(d) Pierre August Renoir.

3. How does Vonnegut's trip to Mozambique make him feel?
(a) Physically drained.
(b) Emotionally empty.
(c) Motivated.
(d) Enthusiastic.

4. To what does Vonnegut compare Bush's presidential campaign?
(a) Perfect example of democracy.
(b) Nazi propaganda.
(c) East Germany propaganda.
(d) Pornographic sleaze.

5. Although people with acute mental disorder are less often written off as hopeless, why is there still a lack of certainty for patients and their families?
(a) Most patients still have to be institutionalized.
(b) Medications can have severe adverse effects.
(c) A dozen separate diseases are still lumped together as schizophrenia/manic depression.
(d) Psychological testing is dangerous.

6. Sufferers of what deficiency seek to become members of a crazy artificial extended family?
(a) Gluten Deficiency.
(b) Auto-Immune Deficiency.
(c) Folk Society Deficiency.
(d) Vitamin B Deficiency.

7. From what event can ordinary humans not learn how much pain and humiliation to endure before calling an end to everything?
(a) Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
(b) Sending the Tibetans into exhile.
(c) Romans throwing the Christians to the lions.
(d) Holocaust.

8. According to Vonnegut's speech, what power do the MIT graduates have?
(a) To save the United States from self-destruction.
(b) To reign in or let loose enormous forces.
(c) To find a job in their city of choice.
(d) To control the world's resources.

9. What is an example of a book that Vonnegut believes moralizes?
(a) "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing."
(b) "Gulliver's Travels."
(c) "Blubber."
(d) "Lord of the Rings."

10. What university do Vonnegut's grandfather, father, uncle, and brother attend?
(a) Yale.
(b) MIT.
(c) Harvard.
(d) IUPUI.

11. What organization prevents Mozambicans from learning to read and write?
(a) CARE.
(b) RENAMO.
(c) WHO.
(d) World Vision.

12. Why are ex-hippies ashamed to belong to their social class?
(a) The social class is so pandered to by the administration that its young do not have to go and do not want to go to war.
(b) They are embarrassed by their actions in the 1960s.
(c) They wish they had participated in the Vietnam War.
(d) They despise Vietnam vets.

13. Why are Vonnegut's jokes not funny?
(a) He is skilled at letting readers off the hook.
(b) He never attempts to tell jokes.
(c) He lacks a way to let readers off the hook.
(d) His jokes are immature and childish.

14. What does Dr. Robert Redfield insist every society passes through?
(a) The "Folk Society" stage.
(b) The "Fauvist Society" stage.
(c) The "Marxist Society" stage.
(d) The "Modern Society" stage.

15. What does Vonnegut require of translators?
(a) They must do as he says.
(b) They must speak Italian, English, as well as another language.
(c) They must be more gifted writers than he and speak at least two languages, including his.
(d) They must ask him many questions about his work.

Short Answer Questions

1. How do the Freethinkers behave?

2. After reading William Styron's DARKNESS VISIBLE how does Vonnegut classify those that are suicidal?

3. What tough question does Vonnegut's book "Player Piano" ask?

4. The "Religious Revival" Vonnegut describes has two commandments. What are they?

5. What is the name of the Bishop Vonnegut travels with to the Galapagos?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 640 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample