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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does the narrator lack in Chapter 12?
(a) his interest in returning to college
(b) motivation to keep going
(c) money to live on
(d) A sense of direction

2. The narrator's pondering of his upcoming punishment is an example of what literary device?
(a) allusion
(b) symbolism
(c) foreshadowing
(d) suspense

3. What group of society is represented by the white men at the Battle Royal?
(a) Middle upper class (supervisors, lawyers, bankers, etc)
(b) Lower class (poor white men)
(c) Educators (professors, scientists)
(d) Leaders (governors, politicians)

4. According to Reverend Barbee, why does Dr. Bledsoe enjoy a position of apparent power?
(a) Dr. Bledsoe had performed favors for the Founder.
(b) The Founder and Bledsoe were related.
(c) The Founder, with his dying breath, asked Bledsoe to continue in his leadership
(d) The Founder told Reverend Barbee that Bledsoe deserved the position.

5. What, ironically, makes the narrator's white bosses distrustful of him?
(a) his attitude
(b) his lack of experience
(c) his color
(d) his background and education

6. When the narrator goes to see Mr. Emerson, who does he actually see?
(a) an unnamed individual
(b) Mr. Emerson's son
(c) Mr. Emerson's secretary
(d) Mr. Emerson's assistant

7. The main conflict of Ellison's original story revolves around
(a) imperialism
(b) national poverty
(c) racial tension
(d) problems associated with war

8. In addition to his memories, what else has the narrator lost?
(a) his fear
(b) his cash
(c) his motivation
(d) his strength

9. Ellison's original story was written about which of the following?
(a) A slave
(b) An African American author
(c) A sharecropper
(d) An African American pilot

10. In spite of losing his identity, what does the narrator retain?
(a) his naive outlook on life
(b) the memory of Mr. Norton
(c) an urgency to find a job
(d) a desire for revenge

11. What does Mr. Norton give to Trueblood?
(a) A lecture on morality
(b) A bottle of whiskey
(c) Nothing
(d) A hundred dollar bill

12. Why does Mr. Bledsoe compose his face into a bland mask?
(a) He doesn't want the narrator to realize how upset he is.
(b) He wants to hide the fact that he is angry with Mr. Norton.
(c) He wants to see Mr. Norton's reaction before revealing his own feelings.
(d) He doesn't want Mr. Norton to know he is angry with the narrator.

13. Ellison himself was a member of which branch of the military?
(a) airforce
(b) navy
(c) army
(d) Merchant Marines

14. Where does the road in the college town ultimately lead?
(a) To the college
(b) To a chapel
(c) To a mental institution
(d) To a statue

15. What does the narrator credit for his "call to action"?
(a) the girl in his dream
(b) his vision
(c) marijuana
(d) music

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the narrator recall having been given instead of a cigarette?

2. Why is the narrator unable to see Mr. Bates?

3. What does the moon symbolize?

4. What does the narrator fear is the reason for his inability to get an appointment with the trustees?

5. What is the vet's final advice to the narrator?

(see the answer keys)

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