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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Preface to Pygmalion. A Professor of Phonetics.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which elements of the English alphabet have no agreed speech value?
(a) The consonants and some vowels.
(b) The vowels.
(c) The vowels and some consonants.
(d) The consonants.

2. What type of person does Shaw indicate is the hero of Pygmalion?
(a) A multilinguist and expert in Latinate languages.
(b) A low-class person who cannot speak the language properly.
(c) A professor of English literatures specializing in Shakespeare and Milton.
(d) An energetic enthusiast who supports language reform.

3. Which comment does Shaw make about the realism in his play?
(a) A transformation like the one made by the heroine is obviously not possible in real life.
(b) Realism is not to be found in the theater.
(c) A transformation like the one made by the heroine is very possible in real life.
(d) Realism is the only style that can be respected in the theater.

4. Which character in Pygmalion is based in part on Henry Sweet?
(a) Neppomuck.
(b) Higgins.
(c) Doolittle.
(d) Pickering.

5. What is one example Shaw gives of when people might want to change their accents?
(a) To play the Queen of Spain onstage.
(b) To win love.
(c) To become teachers.
(d) To meet monarchs such as the Queen of Spain.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following does Shaw identify as a problem among his fellow English?

2. What does Sweet think of the Pitman system?

3. What does Shaw try to do for Sweet?

4. What should happen with the spelling of the English language, according to Shaw?

5. Which is true of Pygmalion at the time Shaw wrote his Preface?

(see the answer key)

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