View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

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

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

3. On what day did John Shade begin composing his poem "Pale Fire?"
(a) July 5th.
(b) July 4th.
(c) July 1st.
(d) We are not told explicitly, only that it is during the summer.

4. The final couplet of "Pale Fire" describes what image?
(a) John Shade's daughter.
(b) A bird flying into a closed window.
(c) A gardener pushing a wheel barrow.
(d) The Zemblan countryside.

5. Which best describes Kinbote's reason for rejecting the offer by the first potential publisher of "Pale Fire"?
(a) Sybil Shade would not recieve her full share of the profits.
(b) He made Kinbote responsible for any errors in the commentary.
(c) He would not let Kinbote translate the poem into Zemblan.
(d) Kinbote would not have full editorial control.

6. How do the extremists think King Charles will try to escape Zembla?
(a) By car.
(b) By plane.
(c) By boat.
(d) On foot.

7. What does Shade find out when he tracks down the woman who had the same vision of the after-life that he did?
(a) She had a different vision.
(b) She is married to Charles Kinbote.
(c) She is a Zemblan queen.
(d) She also had a daughter who passed away recently.

8. When did John Shade begin Canto Two?
(a) On his wedding anniversary.
(b) July 5th.
(c) July 4th.
(d) On the anniversary of his daughter's death.

9. Kinbote notes that the poem alludes to what fictional character?
(a) Lolita.
(b) Sherlock Holmes.
(c) King Charles.
(d) Shakespeare's Henry VIII.

10. Who is the previous inhabitant of Charles Kinbote's house?
(a) Judge Goldsmith.
(b) Wordsmith University's gardener.
(c) The King of Zembla.
(d) Dr. Sutton.

11. How do the people of Zembla aid in King Charles' flight?
(a) They dress like him to serve as decoys.
(b) They create a distraction with a hot air balloon.
(c) They fight off the Extremists.
(d) They provide Charles refuge along the way.

12. Where did Kinbote and Shade meet?
(a) The English Department faculty lounge.
(b) The faculty club at lunch time.
(c) Zembla.
(d) The library .

13. Who makes sexual advances on King Charles during the commentary to line 149?
(a) Odon.
(b) Garh.
(c) Oleg.
(d) Fleur.

14. What did Charles Kinbote do with the cat?
(a) He gave it to the maid.
(b) He accidentally poisoned it.
(c) He gave it to John Shade as a birthday gift.
(d) He wrote a poem about it.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. John Shade's daughter is how old at the beginning of Canto Three?

2. Charles Kinbote thinks the reference to "that crystal land" in line 12 refers to what place?

3. While he makes his way through the mountains, King Charles stops to spend the night in which of the following places?

4. How do the Shade's spend the evening of their daughter's blind date?

5. After King Charles is out of the mountains, he receives a message to go to which of the following locations?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 559 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample