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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Whose illness did Shpigelski intend to treat in Act 1, Part 3?

2. Rakitin states that he is "like wax in your hands" to whom?

3. How far is it from Bolshintsov's village to Natalya's house?

4. Which character sometimes says "bed and brutter" instead of "bread and butter"?

5. How many sisters does Beliayev have?

Short Essay Questions

1. For what does Natalya ask Rakitin's help in Act 3, Part 1? How does Rakitin respond?

2. Summarize Shpigelski's assessment of whether or not Rakitin is dangerous to Natalya's family.

3. Describe Beliayev, according to Natalya's report in Act 1, Part 1.

4. Describe the progress of the game that Schaaf, Anna, and Liza are playing.

5. What makes Rakitin so happy in Act 1, Part 2?

6. Describe Natalya's childhood.

7. Summarize Natalya's soliloquy at the end of Act 3, Part 3, regarding her immediately preceding conversation with Beliayev.

8. Why is Islayev surprised to find Natalya and Rakitin in the hallway in Act 4, Part 3?

9. What does Natalya mean when she tells Rakitin, "Sometimes when we talk together it's exactly as though [...] we were making lace"?

10. Summarize the story that Shpigelski relates in Act 1, Part 2.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the significance of fruit in the play, and offer at least one other example of an object that has some significance.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the role of foreshadowing in the play, using specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

List all the characters who choose to leave Natalya's household and why. What effect will this exodus have on the characters who remain in the household?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 663 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample