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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. Who is not bright, but is a good worker?

2. Which man in Chapter 1 is small, dark, and quick?

3. Which man in Chapter 1 is huge and pale?

4. Who returns to the bunkhouse at dusk in Chapter 3?

5. Whose dog is the one that smells?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does George explain to Lennie as they are walking in the beginning of the book? What are they doing?

2. What does the ranch's bunkhouse look like?

3. What does George say in response to the boss' suspicion about why he answers for Lennie?

4. What does Candy say to them when Lennie and George first arrive at the ranch?

5. Describe the character of Lennie in the first scene of the novel.

6. Why don't George and Lennie go to the ranch the first night?

7. Describe the character of George in the first scene of the novel.

8. Where did Lennie and George work before this new job in Chapter 1?

9. What happened at the ranch in Weed while George and Lennie worked there?

10. Why is Lennie not smart, according to George when he talks to the boss?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Carlson seems to have a lot of trouble with the smell of Candy's dog, asking nearly everyone to convince Candy to shoot the dog. Why do you think that Carlson is so fixated on this dog? What other ways could Candy have dealt with the situation? What does it say about Candy that he allows someone else to shoot his dog?

Essay Topic 2

George doesn't want Curley to shoot Lennie, even though he's done a horrific thing. Why do you think George wants to keep Lennie alive? Does it seem that George blames Lennie for what he has done or do you think he believes it's Curley's wife's fault? Why or why not? This act of stopping Lennie from being killed seems merciful, but is it? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Lennie is absolutely fascinated by rabbits. He wants to have them as pets at the place where George and he will live. Why do you think that rabbits are so fascinating to Lennie? And for that matter, why is Lennie so fascinated with animals in general? What characteristics do animals and Lennie share?

(see the answer keys)

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