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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How does the old poet describe the cinematographer and Jaromil?
(a) As ill-fated lovers.
(b) As the sole hope for the future.
(c) As princess and prince of the evening.
(d) As stars in the lonely sky.

2. According to Kundera, who ruled the epoch about which he is writing?
(a) The hangman and the poet.
(b) The young people.
(c) The judge and the lawyer.
(d) The farmer and the factory worker.

3. What does the redhead claim that she did when she had a doctor's appointment?
(a) Went to the appointment even though she hated it.
(b) Sent the appointment card back to the doctor.
(c) Threw away the appointment card and didn't go.
(d) Burned the appointment card.

4. What happens during the second half of Jaromil's poetry recitation?
(a) He loses his place on the page and becomes flustered.
(b) The audience gives him a standing ovation so he has to stop reading.
(c) The pretty cinematographer throws a rose to him.
(d) Lights come on and a camera starts rolling.

5. What question does the middle-aged woman have for the group of poets?
(a) How will socialism affect their personal lives?
(b) How will socialism affect poetic forms?
(c) Why was the bus stop moved down the road?
(d) How is modern love different from love in the past?

6. What contest does the party guest suggest to Jaromil?
(a) A contest between a poet and a corpse.
(b) A contest between a poet and a policeman.
(c) A contest between an artist and a poet.
(d) A contest between a mouse and a cat.

7. When does Jaromil feel that the girl belongs to him completely?
(a) When his hands are around her neck.
(b) When she swears to love him forever.
(c) When she lets him undress her.
(d) When he writes a poem about her.

8. Why is Jaromil jealous of the redhead?
(a) Because her doctor sees her body.
(b) He suspects that she is cheating.
(c) She receives letters from a man he does not know.
(d) She will not tell him where she got the flowers on the table.

9. Why is there silence at the beginning of the question-and-answer time following the recitation?
(a) No one knows how to begin.
(b) The poets are professional and know what the questions will be.
(c) No one cares about the poems enough to ask questions.
(d) Everyone is respectfully waiting for the silver-haired poet to speak first.

10. Once Jaromil arrives at the party hosted by the cinematographer, how does he feel about his clothes?
(a) He is overdressed and stuffy.
(b) His clothes are at the height of fashion.
(c) His clothes are a few years out of style.
(d) He is casual and sloppy.

11. What is Jaromil's opinion of the redhead's family?
(a) They provide vital support for the girl.
(b) They constitute the one reason the girl will not elope with JaromiL.
(c) They prevent her from being completely immersed in his love.
(d) They tie to girl to the past rather than freeing her for the future.

12. Why does the lyrical poet make his poetry striking?
(a) Only striking poetry will be accepted by the readers.
(b) His life is uneventful.
(c) His subject matter demands a strong voice.
(d) He speaks out of powerful places in History.

13. Why is it important to Jaromil that he die by fire?
(a) He thinks of himself as a gruesome beacon for the future.
(b) He wants nothing to remain of himself but his poems.
(c) He thinks fire would be the quickest way to die.
(d) A man's death conveys a message about his life.

14. How many poets participate in the recitation?
(a) Eight.
(b) Eleven.
(c) Fourteen.
(d) Twelve.

15. While walking with the redhead one day, whom does Jaromil see?
(a) The brunette he had fallen in love with long ago.
(b) Maman and her new lover.
(c) Maman and the beautiful cinematographer.
(d) The janitor's son.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why has the middle-aged man arranged signals with the people who visit him?

2. Why had Jaromil not known about the film about his life?

3. What boosts Jaromil's confidence before the poetry reading at the police academy?

4. According to Jaromil, how do socialism and love interact?

5. Why does the girl come to see the man rather than going home?

(see the answer keys)

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