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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What surprises the narrator of "Cock-a-Doodle-Doo?" about the owner of the rooster?
(a) He has a large family.
(b) He is old.
(c) He has many such roosters.
(d) He is poor.

2. What do the crew members do as soon as the Town-Ho reaches port?
(a) They desert the ship.
(b) They call for help.
(c) They murder the captain.
(d) They give up life on the sea.

3. What makes Moby Dick an unusual whale?
(a) He is intelligent and communicates with people.
(b) He is unusually large, white, and vengeful.
(c) He is unusually small, white, and intelligent.
(d) He has supernatural powers.

4. How does Steelkilt respond to Radney's request that he sweep the deck?
(a) He loudly refuses.
(b) He meekly obeys.
(c) He quietly refuses.
(d) He complains loudly.

5. What does Steelkilt threaten to do if he is flogged by the captain?
(a) Jump overboard.
(b) Tell the admiralty board of review.
(c) Murder the captain.
(d) Seek an unnamed revenge.

6. What previous employment had shaped Bartleby?
(a) Working in a morgue.
(b) Working as a court reporter.
(c) Working in a dead letter office.
(d) Working on a locomotive.

7. What do Steelkilt's three remaining conspirators decide to do to save themselves?
(a) Kill Steelkilt.
(b) Support Steelkilt's mutiny.
(c) Sneak back to their posts.
(d) Bind Steelkilt and give him to the captain.

8. Why is the narrator of "The Two Temples" not allowed to enter the church?
(a) He looks like a heathen.
(b) He is causing a disturbance.
(c) He doesn't appear to be a Christian.
(d) He looks poor and doesn't have a bribe.

9. What human assumption does Melville say is the most preposterous?
(a) Understanding of the rich by the poor.
(b) Criticism of the rich by the poor.
(c) Criticism of the poor by the rich.
(d) Understanding of the poor by the rich.

10. What does the arrangement of the office allow Bartleby to do with the narrator?
(a) See him but not hear him.
(b) Both see and hear him.
(c) Hear him but not see him.
(d) Neither see him nor hear him.

11. With what alliteration does Melville describe the islands?
(a) Dark, doleful doomsday.
(b) Extensive elegant exotica.
(c) An archipelago of aridities.
(d) Fruitful festival of fecundity.

12. Where does the narrator in The Town-Ho's story tell his tale?
(a) On the deck of the Pequod.
(b) On the deck of the Town-Ho.
(c) The Cape of Good Hope.
(d) Lima, Peru.

13. What does a scrivener do?
(a) Organizes court records.
(b) Records testimony in court.
(c) Researches legal precedents.
(d) Makes copies of legal documents.

14. Who takes possession as the sole ruler of St. Charles Isle?
(a) A Creole soldier.
(b) A Chilean adventurer.
(c) A Peruvian king.
(d) A Bolivian pirate.

15. What emotion does the narrator of "Cock-a-Doodle-Doo?" say he has never felt since the rooster died?
(a) The silly slaphappiness.
(b) The warm contentment.
(c) The cheerful joys.
(d) The doleful dumps.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the narrator of "Cock-a-Doodle-Doo?" believe the rooster's crow is saying?

2. How much does the uncle in "The Happy Failure" think his invention is worth?

3. What are the two failings the narrator sees in his middle-aged scrivener?

4. How does the narrator of "Cock-a-Doodle-Doo?" view the world?

5. With what weapon does Radney threaten Steelkilt?

(see the answer keys)

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