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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Jaromil draw during his first lesson in the artist's studio?
(a) Human faces.
(b) Circles.
(c) Lines.
(d) Humans with dogs' heads.

2. What is the artist's opinion about Jaromil's drawings of headless women?
(a) Jaromil does not have enough talent to draw portraits.
(b) The environments of the pictures do not acknowledge humanity.
(c) Jaromil does not acknowledge humanity.
(d) Jaromil's drawings reflect a fear of women.

3. Who or what is the real source of Jaromil's poetic inspiration?
(a) His grandpa.
(b) His father's influence.
(c) The children's books his mother read.
(d) His talent.

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

5. How does Maman have complete control of her son?
(a) By controlling his emotions.
(b) By acting as both his mother and father.
(c) By deciding what he wears and eats.
(d) By being very strict with him.

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

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

8. What does Jaromil hang on the wall in his room?
(a) A portrait of his mother.
(b) His parents' wedding picture.
(c) A portrait of Karl Marx.
(d) A portrait of his father.

9. Why does Jaromil walk through the world with a feeling of guilt?
(a) Because he betrayed the only love of his life.
(b) Because he leaves Maman at home alone.
(c) Because he is not loyal to the principles that his father died for.
(d) Because he is not living life to the fullest.

10. How does Xavier use sleep?
(a) As a form of self-hypnosis.
(b) As a way of living.
(c) As a way of preparing for life.
(d) As a way of mind control training.

11. How does Maman view her love for the young engineer?
(a) As a passing fling.
(b) As the preface for the love for her child.
(c) As a revolt against her parents' prosaic lives.
(d) As her life's consuming passion.

12. What is Jaromil's criterion for a true poem?
(a) It must have an established form.
(b) It must be read by someone other than the author.
(c) It must sound poetic when it is recited.
(d) It must be able to stand apart from other poems.

13. What does Jaromil write in his diary about the night he was supposed to lose his virginity?
(a) Lots of exclamation marks.
(b) A thorough description of the university girl.
(c) Several paragraphs about the essence of becoming a man.
(d) A detailed account of his emotional state.

14. Jaromil agonizes over his hair. What kind of hair does he have?
(a) Thin, brown hair.
(b) Very curly hair.
(c) Soft, blond hair.
(d) Dark, thick hair.

15. The second time that Jaromil does not make love to the university girl, what does she think?
(a) There is something wrong with his body.
(b) He does not love her.
(c) He wants to break up with her.
(d) He is secretly gay.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Jaromil write so many poems about women's bodies?

2. What does the theme of the long poem reveal about Jaromil's thoughts?

3. How does Jaromil's father prepare for leaving home several days at a time on business trips?

4. Why is Jaromil especially proud of the slogan "No churches"?

5. How do Jaromil and Maman reach the lake resort?

(see the answer keys)

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