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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to the janitor's son, why do policemen like to read poetry?
(a) They monitor it to make sure the poets aren't writing anything against the state.
(b) They want to be connected to the common people.
(c) They enjoy something delicate after a hard day's work.
(d) They are proving that they are not like the cutthroat policemen of the former regime.

2. What kind of verbs does Jaromil love?
(a) Verbs that are related to love.
(b) Verbs that describe the power of the future.
(c) Simple verbs that describe one motion.
(d) Complicated verbs related to the emotions.

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

4. Why does the man work in a factory?
(a) He is suspicious of any white-collar job, which is often involved in the unsteady political trends.
(b) He has always wanted to work with his hands.
(c) The government had decided he was too closely connected to capitalist England.
(d) It was punishment for his anti-Communist writings.

5. Returning home from the police station, what does Jaromil find?
(a) A letter from the redhead breaking up with him.
(b) A letter from his uncle who was sent to prison several years earlier.
(c) An invitation from the cinematographer to attend a party.
(d) A letter of praise from the janitor's son about his poetry.

6. What makes Maman think that Jaromil is actually becoming like a son of Apollo?
(a) He has begun writing beautiful poems, not poems of death.
(b) His face is becoming beautiful and godlike rather than coarse.
(c) He values the Greek gods more than passing political trend.
(d) He has taken down the picture of his father.

7. How does Maman destroy the intimacy between Jaromil and herself?
(a) By looking down on the redhead because of her job.
(b) By suggesting that the redhead sleeps around.
(c) By insulting the redhead's manners.
(d) By telling Jaromil he could find a better girl.

8. Who was the first man the redheaded girl slept with?
(a) A middle-aged man in the city.
(b) A childhood friend.
(c) A fellow student at the university.
(d) An older man in her village.

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

10. When Jaromil wants to recite poetry to the redhead, what disturbing thought occurs to him?
(a) The only modern poetry is that which will be understood by a common girl like her.
(b) He has only written political poems, which she will not understand.
(c) He has not ever written something of value and purpose.
(d) His fame will never surpass that of the famous poet.

11. What is the redhead's reaction to Jaromil's poetry printed in the newspaper?
(a) She did not understand the poem.
(b) She was thrilled to have a famous boyfriend.
(c) She thought he was wasting his time.
(d) She had not even known he wrote poetry.

12. Symbolically, what role does Maman want to play in Jaromil's life?
(a) The source of eternal light.
(b) A guardian angel.
(c) A large meadow.
(d) An all-encompassing embrace.

13. Why was Maman initially pleased to think about meeting Jaromil's girlfriend?
(a) She had told the downstairs tenant that her family would need the entire upper floor.
(b) She thought perhaps she could make a friend.
(c) She wanted to befriend the redhead so she could control Jaromil more.
(d) She wanted to make peace with Jaromil by meeting his girlfriend.

14. What happens to Jaromil's uncle?
(a) He leaves his wife to hide in a remote village.
(b) He is charged with fraud and imprisoned.
(c) He is charged with being an enemy of the state and imprisoned.
(d) He contracts pneumonia and dies.

15. When Maman is embarrassed about her dress in front of Jaromil, what does she change into?
(a) A light purple dress.
(b) A pink dressing gown.
(c) A blue wrapper.
(d) A grey dress.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the redhead claim that she did when she had a doctor's appointment?

2. What disguise does Jaromil use for treating the redhead with cruelty?

3. What does Lermontov assert is the highest quality in life?

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

5. In the cinematographer's apartment, what happens?

(see the answer keys)

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