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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who sets up John Shade's daughter on a blind date?
(a) Dr. Sutton.
(b) His secretary.
(c) His aunt.
(d) Kinbote.

2. When did John Shade meet his wife?
(a) After his parents' funeral.
(b) Their senior year of high school.
(c) During the depression.
(d) 40 years ago.

3. King Alfin the Vague was an amateur______ .
(a) Gardener.
(b) Poet.
(c) Pilot.
(d) Ornothologist.

4. What event causes John Shade to have a vision of the afterlife?
(a) He is hit by a car.
(b) He suffers a stroke.
(c) He has a heart attack.
(d) He gets lost in the Zemblan Mountains without food or water.

5. What animal did Shade's parents study?
(a) Bears.
(b) Bats.
(c) Birds.
(d) Beavers.

6. In the commentary to Line 181, Shade produces a book by what author and shows it to Sybil Shade?
(a) John Shade.
(b) Vladimir Nabokov.
(c) William Shakespeare.
(d) Proust.

7. "Pale Fire" is broken up into how many cantos?
(a) 80.
(b) 334.
(c) 166.
(d) 4.

8. Charles Kinbote assumes John Shade wanted to write a great deal more about Zembla, but did not. Who or what does Kinbote attribute this too?
(a) Communists.
(b) The Shadeans.
(c) Poor translation from Zemblan to English.
(d) John Shade's wife.

9. Charles Kinbote criticizes an article written by Professor Hurley for what reason?
(a) The article does not mention "Pale Fire."
(b) The article doesn't mention Kinbote and Shade's friendship.
(c) It does not mention Zembla.
(d) The article is critical of John Shade.

10. What is the assassin's real name?
(a) Jake Ravus.
(b) Jacques de Gray.
(c) Jack Degree.
(d) Jakob Gradus.

11. Which of the following is not mentioned by Shade in Canto One?
(a) The Zemblan countryside.
(b) A baseball game.
(c) The sky.
(d) Dr. Sutton.

12. What is the name of John Shade's aunt?
(a) Hazel.
(b) She is never mentioned by name.
(c) Sybil.
(d) Maude.

13. During the forward Charles Kinbote oddly notes that he is distracted by who/what?
(a) Shadeans.
(b) Sybill Shade.
(c) A squirrel.
(d) An amusement park.

14. Who raises John Shade during his childhood?
(a) His father.
(b) His mother.
(c) His aunt.
(d) Dr. Sutton.

15. John Shade is skeptical but he wants to believe in what?
(a) His lineage of Zemblan Kings.
(b) The after-life.
(c) His daughther is still alive.
(d) Religion.

Short Answer Questions

1. John Shade gives a lecture on what in Canto Three?

2. Which of the following best describes the pervading theme of Canto Four?

3. Which of the following best describes John Shade's daughter?

4. According to Kinbote, who was Thurgus the Third's lover?

5. "Forty ounces of fine sand" describes what in Canto One?

(see the answer keys)

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