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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Treplieff threaten to do?

2. Who does Nina say writes beautiful stories?

3. What have Nina's mother and stepfather gone out to do?

4. Which character does Arkadina say is a celebrity?

5. Who does Nina call a genius?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Madame Arkadina react to the play?

2. What do the people in the group talk about as they wait for the play to start?

3. What does Constantine say is the reason for his bad mood?

4. Why is Madame Arkadina moody?

5. Why does Nina give Boris an engraved medallion?

6. Summarize the play.

7. How does Boris try to extinguish bad feelings between himself and Constantine?

8. Why is Paulina worried about Yevgeny's attractions to Nina?

9. Why does Boris want to stay at the estate?

10. Why does Simon wants to go home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss elements of the narrative structure: Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the play's themes?

Essay Topic 2

THE SEA GULL is translated from Russian into English. How much meaning can a play loses through a translation? What aspects of the play do you think would be the most difficult to express in English? How do you think a translator can overcome these difficulties?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the play's dialogue. How does the dialogue contribute to the following areas?

Character

Setting

Plot

(see the answer keys)

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