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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 Deneulin?

2. Who is Rasseneur?

3. How does Etienne become a good hewer?

4. What does Deneulin ask of Gregoire?

5. What are the type of people who tend to go to the Advantage?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why were the Montsou miners angry at the Jean-Bart miners?

2. What do Etienne and Catherine decide to do after the tragedy?

3. What happens outside the mine after the mine is flooded?

4. Why is it almost impossible by February for the miners to continue the strike?

5. What does Lantier see Jeanlin do and how does he help the boy?

6. What do the miners do once the visitors leave?

7. What happens at the Hennebeaus' house when they are hosting a party?

8. How do the miners feel about the supervisors?

9. What do the Montsou miners do when they leave Jean-Bart?

10. Describe Léon Grégoire and his life.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the end, the idealist Étienne Lantier traversed the world of the Voreux and though accomplished little in terms of actual gains, he left the miners with a will to fight; the seed of this may eventually grow and burst again through the infertile ground of the mining pit.

1. Do you think this book ended with any shred of hope? Why or why not?

2. If you had been a miner in this situation do you think you would try again? Why or why not?

Use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

In a last burst of hope mixed with anger, the miners confront the army of guards in front of the mining pit. The miners lose. When two groups are opposed, the one that is most organized and structured ultimately wins.

1. Compare the situation of the miners with a situation in American history, for example the American Indians opposing the white man.

2. Do you believe the most powerful and organized always wins? Can the flea make the lion surrender?

3. How would this situation correlate with guerrilla warfare?

Essay Topic 3

Grégoire summarizes the entire position of the typical bourgeois.

1. What do you see as his position?

2. What parts of Gregoire's position do you believe is true? What parts do you see as false?

3. Do you believe the wealthy class in America today would agree with Gregoire's position on the miners? Why or why not?

Use examples from the text to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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