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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. Where does the beginning of Act 1, Scene 2 take place?

2. What type of meeting is held at the court on the night of the jury selection?

3. How does Melinda respond to Howard's opinion on origin?

4. What is Cates unsure of?

5. What does Rachel beg Drummond to do, following jury selection?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is evolution? What is the story of creation in the Bible?

2. Hornbeck refers to the prayer meeting as a show. What moments so far in the play have also created a show-like atmosphere, and why?

3. How does Drummond's experience with the rocking horse shape his life?

4. Cates reveals to Rachel that he taught Darwinism in his classroom because he "thought he was right". What does this tell the reader about Cates' character?

5. When Brady and Drummond speak about their friendship, which character seems to regret the loss?

6. Drummond says that society measures everything by an "arbitrary grid of morality". What does this mean?

7. Why does Rachel want Cates to apologize?

8. What does the presence of the radio man signify?

9. Why does Drummond protest the "Read Your Bible" sign?

10. How does Brady change the word evolution to demonstrate his opinion on the topic?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Popular opinion shapes how Brady feels about himself throughout Inherit the Wind. Choose one of the following moments from the play and analyze how it helped or hurt Brady's self-confidence and why.

1) The way Brady was greeted when he arrived in town.

2) The time Brady served on the witness stand.

3) The speech Brady made on the radio, following the verdict.

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the final moment of Inherit the Wind, when Drummond balances both the Bible and Darwin's Origin of Species in his hands, finally leaving with both.

Part 1) Why does Drummond weigh both books together?

Part 2) When Drummond leaves, why does he leave with both books?

Part 3) At the beginning of the play, do you feel he would have done the same? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

When Howard torments Melinda at the beginning of the play, she threatens to tell her father about Howard's ideas.

Part 1) What does Howard tell Melinda?

Part 2) Why is she scared of his ideas?

Part 3) When she threatens to tell her father, how does this parallel Rachel's relationship with her father?

(see the answer keys)

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