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. What is the origin of the title The Clouds?

2. How does Socrates' respond to Crito's worry over Socrates' reputation?

3. Which of the following is NOT one of the character traits of Socrates in The Clouds?

4. Pheidippides recites a text written by which man?

5. Which of the following terms best describes Pheidippides?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the nature of the fight Strepsiades and Pheidippides have when Strepsiades throws a party for his son?

2. What is Socrates' response to Crito when Crito worries about Socrates' reputation?

3. How does Strepsiades react to Socrates' course of study in the Thinkery? How does Socrates in turn respond to Strepsiades?

4. What is the nature of Strepsiades' most pressing problem? What does he hope to learn from Socrates? What does Socrates in turn teach him?

5. Why did Socrates offer such a meek defense and go to prison and his death so willingly?

6. How does Pheidippides enter the Thinkery? What does he learn there?

7. How does Socrates' conception of the law and justice in Crito compare to his conception of law and justice in Apology?

8. To what degree did The Clouds shape public perception of Socrates?

9. Given Crito's criticism of Socrates, what segment of society can Crito be said to represent?

10. How does Socrates use the notion of a contract to reinforce his opinion that obeying the law is necessary?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Crito, Socrates offers an argument for why he should obey the law.

1) In Socrates' view, what gives law authority?

2) What are the negative consequences of law breaking?

3) Why must experts be relied upon, and how do they relate to laws and obeying of those laws?

Essay Topic 2

1) What are the exact nature of the charges leveled against Socrates?

2) Why might youth be particularly drawn to Socrates and his philosophy?

3) How does Socrates' reputation contribute to the charges against him?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the role of Strepsiades in The Clouds. How does he begin the play? What problem does he suffer from? How does he end the play, and what change does he undergo? What is the nature of his relationship with his son? Who does Strepsiades represent, with respect to the citizens of Athens?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 896 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample