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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which is the second way?
(a) Most people suffer now from bubonic plague.
(b) The disease is now more like ebola.
(c) More patients are suffering pneumonic rather than bubonic plague.
(d) The plague is becoming more virulent.

2. What happens when Rieux tries to get Grand into the car?
(a) Rieux has to hit him to make him keep quiet.
(b) Grand takes the car keys and runs away.
(c) Grand hits him.
(d) Grand runs away, then falls over.

3. What reason does Rieux give for writing his tale of the plague in Oran?
(a) To warn people about rats.
(b) As a gift for his mother and in memory of his wife.
(c) So everyone will know what an important person he has been.
(d) As a record of those who were determined to resist the plague and heal its victims.

4. How do his friends try to help Grand?
(a) They help him try to find a satisfactory opening sentence for his novel.
(b) They try to organise a promotion for him at work.
(c) They help him with his grocery shopping.
(d) They smuggle in paper for his novel-writing.

5. Who is the gunman whom the police arrest?
(a) A municipal employee.
(b) Raymond Rambert.
(c) The asthma patient.
(d) Cottard.

6. What does Rambert anticipate happening when he meets his wife again?
(a) Things will be over between them.
(b) Instant happiness.
(c) She will worry that he has lost weight.
(d) He has changed, so will reject her.

7. For which people has the plague not ended?
(a) The doctors.
(b) Those who have no-one to greet them on arrival.
(c) Staff in the municipal offices.
(d) Priests and nuns.

8. What is the result of this treatment?
(a) The formula is patented.
(b) There is no change in his condition.
(c) The boy recovers quickly.
(d) The boy takes longer to die.

9. How is food distributed to the people in the camp?
(a) The food is provided by relatives.
(b) The food is sent in by the Red Cross and dropped from helicopters.
(c) By donkey.
(d) Via small electric trucks.

10. How does the city government respond to looting?
(a) Martial law and a curfew are imposed.
(b) Martial law is imposed and shops are boarded up at night.
(c) Looters are shot on sight.
(d) All police leave is cancelled.

11. What important experience shaped Tarrou's view of capital punishment?
(a) Reading about Nazi Germany.
(b) Watching executions in Hungary.
(c) Watching murderers set free without punishment.
(d) Watching executions in Burma.

12. What is the prime factor in his decision?
(a) Dr. Rieux's support.
(b) His finances.
(c) His love.
(d) His conscience.

13. Having made his decision, what must Rambert now give up?
(a) A large income.
(b) Happiness with his wife.
(c) His nationality/citizenship.
(d) His job at the newspaper.

14. What does Tarrou reveal to Rambert about Rieux?
(a) That he has been unfaithful and his wife has left him.
(b) That his wife is in a sanatorium in another city.
(c) That he is profiteering from the plague.
(d) That his wife is being unfaithful and has left.

15. How is Rambert's wife arriving?
(a) By train.
(b) By air from Casablanca.
(c) By car.
(d) By ship from Marseilles.

Short Answer Questions

1. What strongly motivates Rambert's plan to escape.

2. Which other character does Tarrou discuss in this part of his journal?

3. How does Rieux break with policy?

4. Who ecomes general secretary to the squads of volunteers?

5. Who is the worst affected emotionally when the patient dies?

(see the answer keys)

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