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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. Why do the supervisors fine the Maheu team?

2. Who is the overman who hires Étienne Lantier?

3. What does Bonnemort tell Etienne about a job at the mine?

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

5. Who is Zacharie?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe how Germinal starts out.

2. Chaval comes in the Advantage where Etienne is talking with Rasseneur. What does he announce and what happens between him and Etienne?

3. Why does Etienne Lantier set up a meeting with the miners and what happens at that meeting?

4. Souvarine and Etienne have a discussion after the tragedy of the shooting. What do they talk about and what does Souvarine do?

5. What happens to the strike of the miners as time goes by?

6. How do the miners get to their jobs?

7. What happens in the Maheu house that makes the situation so desperate and deadly?

8. What do the Jean-Bart miners face on the surface?

9. What does Etienne hear and see on his walk?

10. How do the miners feel about Etienne Lantier and what do they do about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses the environment to underline the symbolic value of Étienne Lantier's move from timid indignation to effective political action. For instance, Lantier and his supporters decide to leave the tavern of the Rasseneurs and move to another meeting place because the former serve "warm beer" and "bad soup."

1. What other situations in the environment to you see reflecting the situations with the miners?

2. How did Etienne's relationships with the miners and the Maheu family reflect his change from outsider to political leader?

Essay Topic 2

Pluchart, Lantier's friend and the director of the International for the district, represents the unions and their self-serving attitude.

1. How does the behavior of the union support this statement?

2. Do you think the miners would have been better off if the union had never become involved in their lives? Why or Why not?

3. Do you think unions have a function in today's work world in consideration of all the labor laws? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Léon Grégoire and his cousin, Deneulin have different beliefs about money, how to use it and how to make it.

1. What do you see as the difference between how Léon Grégoire views money versus Deneulin? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.

2. What groups of people in the United States today would correspond to each of the two men?

3. How do you personally view the use and making of money?

(see the answer keys)

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