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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which demographic of the Athenian population does Socrates single out for discussion?
(a) The citizens.
(b) The sophists.
(c) The soldiers.
(d) The lawyers.

2. According to Socrates, what are the two ways of training the soul?
(a) Religion and philosophy.
(b) Physical exercise and literary education.
(c) Conversation with oneself and with others.
(d) Mediation and medicine.

3. Who is Eryximachus?
(a) A poet who argues that men and woman were once fused beings.
(b) A doctor who argues that love is like a medicine curing life's ailments.
(c) A philosopher who attacks Pausanias' postion.
(d) The last speaker and surprise guest at the symposium.

4. Who gives the last formal speech at the symposium?
(a) Appolodorus.
(b) Agathon.
(c) Socrates.
(d) Pausanias.

5. What counter-example does Socrates employ as evidence that a state is flawed?
(a) Poor doctors exist where there are poor statesmen.
(b) When innocent men are sentenced to death, a state is flawed.
(c) Diplomats make more money than labors in problematic regions.
(d) "Rich" soldiers in other cities make poor soldiers and poor leaders.

6. Who is Asclepius?
(a) A ruler who looks kindly among his subjects.
(b) A philosopher who offers a competing argument.
(c) A doctor who gave simple and quick treatments to his patients.
(d) A tyrant who reigns over his people.

7. When Ion admits to Socrates that he can only recite one poet's work well, Socrates is puzzled by which of the following?
(a) How an artistic skill can be limited in its expertise.
(b) Ion's desire to speak with Socrates about his work.
(c) How Ion considers himself a philosopher.
(d) Ion's hesitation to answer questions about his family.

8. Before Socrates delivers his speech, he cross- examines Agathon about which of the following?
(a) Agathon's poetic license.
(b) Whether loves is necessarily possible.
(c) How one can know that he is truly in love.
(d) Whether love is necessarily beautiful.

9. What types of stories, according to Socrates, ought we to read to children when they are very young?
(a) True ones with only true elements
(b) False ones (myths) that are not grounded in any truth.
(c) False ones (myths), with a true element.
(d) True ones with false elements.

10. According to Socrates, what happens when "one [is] mistaken in his judgment, and harms his friends, and helps his enemies, unknowingly"?
(a) He is just.
(b) He claims to know justice, but doesn't.
(c) It doesn't matter; one would never do this.
(d) He is unjust.

11. Why does Socrates discuss Asclepius' philosophy?
(a) His leadership is well established.
(b) He has a practical approach of only treating patients whom he knows he can heal.
(c) He disagrees with Socrates about the ideal republic.
(d) His leadership is a good example of how not to lead.

12. The common man is not concerned with beauty itself, but ___________.
(a) He concerns himself with only practical matters.
(b) He is concerned for his soul.
(c) He is concerned with more abstract notions.
(d) He is concerned with beautiful things.

13. Why does Socrates speak about dogs and other animals to Glaucon?
(a) In hopes of finding the source of virtue.
(b) In order to show, by analogy, that it is difficult albeit not impossible to have people who are both gentle and aggressive.
(c) Socrates likes animals more than people.
(d) To establish grounds for a society in which people function like animals in a natural kingdom.

14. Socrates claims that he learned about love from which of the following?
(a) Diotima.
(b) Meno.
(c) Alcibides.
(d) Plato.

15. How does Thrasymachus first define justice?
(a) "Making laws to one's own disadvantage."
(b) "Being impartial and unbiased in all decisions."
(c) "Nothing other than the advantage of the stronger."
(d) "Acting selflessly, so that the kingdom may prosper."

Short Answer Questions

1. Socrates concludes which of the following about virtue?

2. According to Socrates' insinuation, artistic knowledge is characterized as which of the following?

3. Who are the rulers in Socrates' republic?

4. Socrates argues that laws are___________.

5. Who is the surprise visitor to the symposium, and why does he come?

(see the answer keys)

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