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

Multiple Choice Questions

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

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

3. How far does Pahom walk in order to get to the new settlement?
(a) 30 miles.
(b) 300 miles.
(c) 130 miles.
(d) 3 miles.

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

5. 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.

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) Pahom's sister-in-law.
(b) Simon.
(c) Pahom.
(d) Pahom's wife.

7. What does the expression "racked his brains" mean?
(a) Stared into space without thinking.
(b) Searched hard for an answer.
(c) Organized his thoughts.
(d) Felt very sad.

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

9. What bothers Pahom the most about the stripping of bark from his trees?
(a) He hates the idea of a stranger being on his land.
(b) Whoever did it also let his cows out of their pen.
(c) He hates the idea of trees being wasted in this way.
(d) Whoever did it cut down a whole clump of trees.

10. While the sisters talk, who is hiding behind the oven?
(a) The innkeeper.
(b) Simon.
(c) Pahom's brother-in-law.
(d) The devil.

11. Why does Pahom end up taking his neighbors to court?
(a) Their animals trespass on his land.
(b) They disagree about the boundary of his land.
(c) The refuse to pay him the rent that they owe him.
(d) They steal his crops.

12. When Pahom feels "aggrieved," what is he feeling?
(a) As if someone has harmed him.
(b) Sad for something he has lost.
(c) So angry he cannot think clearly.
(d) Greedy.

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

14. How do Pahom's neighbors retaliate when he takes them to court?
(a) They press charges against him in court.
(b) They get him kicked out of the commune.
(c) They let their animals trespass on his land on purpose.
(d) They burn down his barn.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What problem does the new steward create for the local peasants?

2. What agreement does Pahom come to with the landowner?

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

4. Where is Pahom when his wife and her sister are talking?

5. Which character thinks "I'll give you land enough; and by means of that land I will get you into my power"?

(see the answer keys)

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