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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Pahom do when the court rules against him?
(a) He tries to appeal the case.
(b) He strips someone else's trees in revenge.
(c) He quits the commune in protest.
(d) He accuses the judges of taking bribes.

2. What is a steward?
(a) An innkeeper.
(b) Someone who takes care of someone else's property.
(c) Someone who rents the land that they farm or graze animals on.
(d) A shop owner.

3. What is Pahom's reaction to the trouble with the steward?
(a) He takes his anger out on his family.
(b) He insists that the family move to a new settlement.
(c) He refuses to have any more dealings with the man.
(d) He takes the steward to court.

4. What agreement does Pahom come to with the landowner?
(a) He will pay less for the land because he can pay for it all in advance.
(b) He will work for her until the land is paid for.
(c) He will pay for half of the land up front and half within two years.
(d) He will pay for the land over the next ten years, one-tenth at a time.

5. Who is the first person that the local landowner offers to sell her land to?
(a) The innkeeper.
(b) Simon.
(c) Pahom.
(d) The leader of the commune.

6. Which character thinks that "Busy as we are from childhood tilling Mother Earth, we peasants have no time to let any nonsense settle in our heads"?
(a) Simon.
(b) Pahom's sister-in-law.
(c) Pahom's wife.
(d) Pahom.

7. The story opens with two sisters. What does the older sister's husband do for a living?
(a) He is an innkeeper.
(b) He is a tradesman.
(c) He is a farmer.
(d) He is a commune leader.

8. What does Pahom's wife say may happen to a man in town?
(a) He may die of stress.
(b) He may be tempted by the devil.
(c) He may become lazy.
(d) He may be the victim of crime.

9. When the younger sister is "piqued," what is she feeling?
(a) Cautious.
(b) Tired.
(c) Angry.
(d) Curious.

10. How many acres does Pahom buy in his first land purchase?
(a) 13,000.
(b) 300.
(c) 1,300.
(d) 40.

11. What is Pahom's first reaction when he learns that people are moving to a new settlement?
(a) He worries that there will not be enough workers for his land.
(b) He tries to get their share of the commune lands.
(c) He thinks that maybe he can buy their land.
(d) He wants to sell his land and move.

12. Whom does Pahom accuse of stripping his trees?
(a) The innkeeper.
(b) The head of the commune.
(c) Simon.
(d) His brother-in-law.

13. In which situation might someone "grease your palm"?
(a) If you were judging a contest they were in.
(b) If you were trying to do something you had never done before.
(c) If you were getting ready to do manual labor.
(d) If you were asking to have them predict your future.

14. What does the stranger staying at Pahom's house overnight tell Pahom?
(a) The Bashkir are selling land very cheaply.
(b) That people in the new settlement beyond the Volga are making good money.
(c) Life in the countryside is difficult but secure.
(d) Life in town is very risky.

15. How many acres does the local landowner have?
(a) 300.
(b) 13,000.
(c) 40.
(d) 1,300.

Short Answer Questions

1. What bothers Pahom the most about the stripping of bark from his trees?

2. Who calls Pahom's land a "narrow hole"?

3. Which character says that "Loss and gain are brothers twain"?

4. Why does Pahom end up taking his neighbors to court?

5. What does the older sister brag about?

(see the answer keys)

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