View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Whom does Mrs. Clements tell she is looking to rent out her room?
(a) Mrs. Thompson.
(b) Mrs. Lawrence.
(c) Mrs. Thayer.
(d) Mrs. Taylor.

2. What happened right before Pnin left his home country?
(a) His sister died.
(b) His wife died.
(c) His girlfriend died.
(d) His parents died.

3. Mrs. Clements was in the same city as Pnin in 1919, what was she doing there?
(a) Working as a waitress.
(b) Living with her grandparents.
(c) Studying at a university.
(d) Teaching at a university.

4. What does Pnin use in Chapter 1 that is five years old and, therefore, obsolete?
(a) A map.
(b) A list.
(c) A book.
(d) A schedule.

5. Where was Pnin born?
(a) Germany.
(b) Poland.
(c) France.
(d) Russia.

6. How does Mrs. Clements react to Laurence not wanting Pnin to stay in their house?
(a) She begs him to let Pnin stay.
(b) She says a prayer and Laurence eventually lets Pnin stay.
(c) She ignores him and lets Pnin stay.
(d) She yells at him and lets Pnin stay.

7. What is the title of the book that Pnin is asked to bring back to the library in Chapter 3?
(a) The Russian Revolution, Volume 2.
(b) The Switzerland Gold Rush, Volume 16.
(c) The Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume 18.
(d) The Soviet Gold Fund of Literature, Volume 18.

8. In what year did Pnin leave his home country?
(a) 1912.
(b) 1917.
(c) 1916.
(d) 1915.

9. What did Pnin try to do on his own in Chapter 1 rather than take other people's suggestions?
(a) Find the perfect suit.
(b) Find a better route.
(c) Drive himself to the college.
(d) Write the perfect speech.

10. Why can't Pnin get his bag back from the man in Chapter 1?
(a) The man wants to keep the bag for himself.
(b) The man has dementia.
(c) The man does not understand Pnin's imperfect English.
(d) The man does not like foreign people.

11. How serious is Pnin's condition?
(a) Not serious at all.
(b) Not terribly serious.
(c) Life-threatening.
(d) Very serious.

12. Why does Pnin decide to track down a certain professor in Chapter 3?
(a) He is angry that he requested his library book.
(b) He wants to see if he wants to go get lunch.
(c) He wants to know whether he is the one who has requested his library book.
(d) He wants ask him a question about his lecture.

13. What does the librarian tell Pnin in Chapter 3 that he refuses to take any responsibility for?
(a) Pnin is adamant that he did not rip one of the pages in the book.
(b) Pnin refuses to pay his late fee.
(c) Pnin discovers that he is the one who requested the book.
(d) Pnin is adamant that he did not cause water damage to the book.

14. What does Pnin ask the librarian in Chapter 3?
(a) If she can tell him who requested the book.
(b) If he can hang on to the book a while longer.
(c) If he can request a new book.
(d) If they have any more books on the same subject.

15. How does Pnin finally end up getting to the town in Chapter 1?
(a) He gets a ride with a group of men.
(b) He gets a ride with a group of women.
(c) He gets a ride from his brother.
(d) He gets a ride with a young couple.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens to Pnin, while he is discussing the poem in Chapter 3, which causes the class to laugh?

2. What is Laurence Clements, a fellow professor of Pnin's, most popular course at college?

3. Who helps Pnin to adapt his room at the Clementses' house to his own utility and personality?

4. Why is Pnin traveling at the book opens?

5. How would Pnin's English be described?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 627 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample