View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why is Jaromil filled with pride after sleeping with the redhead girl?
(a) She is strikingly beautiful.
(b) She relieved him of his virginity.
(c) She thinks he is experienced.
(d) She does not ask questions about his inexperience.

2. What reason does the poet's father give for not having more children?
(a) Jaromil is such a nuisance that he does not want more like him.
(b) He is about to go to war and would not be a part of the children's lives.
(c) He cannot afford to raise more children.
(d) He was forced to compromise for one child in the beginning, so Maman should compromise and be happy with only one.

3. Why does Xavier stay in the woman's room when her husband comes home?
(a) He wants to protect her from danger.
(b) He does not have time to leave.
(c) He wants to confront her husband.
(d) He wants to put the woman in danger as a form of revenge.

4. What sacred contract does Maman feel that Jaromil is violating?
(a) His original, baby-like innocence.
(b) His loyalty to her over all other women.
(c) His trust and confidence in her without shame.
(d) His loyalty to her over his father.

5. Why does Maman not want to go to the lake on vacation?
(a) It would have reminded her of happier summers.
(b) She wanted her husband to go along.
(c) She did not have enough money.
(d) Jaromil did not want to go with her.

6. What does Xavier find most compelling about the woman in the house?
(a) Her breasts.
(b) Her hands.
(c) Her hair.
(d) Her eyes.

7. Why does Maman take her husband's picture off the wall?
(a) She fell in love with someone else.
(b) He had not been involved in the underground resistance.
(c) He had been having an affair with a Jewish girl.
(d) He had been complying with the Communist takeover.

8. How do Jaromil and Maman reach the lake resort?
(a) By train.
(b) By train and buggy.
(c) By walking.
(d) By car.

9. Why does Maman weep as the artist makes love to her?
(a) She is sad that she will never marry him.
(b) She is finally ashamed of the affair.
(c) She knows that she is nothing more than the canvas for his ideas.
(d) She equates him to the Apollo statue, which she had wanted to be the model of Jaromil's personality.

10. What does Jaromil see as the sign that his verses have true power?
(a) The poems' ability to stand on their own as independent works.
(b) The emotion on his mother's face when she reads them.
(c) His own thrill at the sounds of the words.
(d) The artist's enthusiastic reaction.

11. Where does Xavier usually go when he skips school?
(a) To his girlfriend's house.
(b) The yellow house.
(c) The Charles Bridge.
(d) The Andrews Bridge.

12. What justification does Maman give herself for her initial infidelity?
(a) Anger.
(b) Sadness.
(c) Lust.
(d) Innocence.

13. After the debate in the artist's apartment, how does Jaromil know he is no longer welcome there?
(a) The artist asks him not to come back.
(b) The artist's guests ignore Jaromil and resume their conversation.
(c) The artist gives him a stern look rather than a verbal response.
(d) The artist locks the door behind him when he leaves.

14. What distinctive piece of clothing does the old woman wear when she dances with Xavier?
(a) A dark blue dress.
(b) A yellow dress.
(c) A purple blouse.
(d) A dark red sweater.

15. How does Xavier know that there will be no executions the day he hears shots fired?
(a) Only one family is being targeted.
(b) He has the list of victims memorized.
(c) The list of victims is in his notebook.
(d) He has not yet given the command for anyone to be executed.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the primary reason that Xavier runs into danger ahead of his comrades?

2. What night does Magda take her bath?

3. Which famous composer's music is played at the blond girl's funeral?

4. What do Jaromil's classmates find most irritating about him?

5. With whom does the famous poet appear on the street?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 754 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample