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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. Where does Arkadina say she would be rather sitting alone?

2. Who does Arkadina say she is not?

3. What does Masha say happiness does not depend on?

4. Who does Sorin say has never liked him?

5. What does Aradina smoke?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why can Nina not accept Boris' resignation to mediocrity?

2. What does Madame Arkadina say is the secret to looking youthful?

3. What does Paulina think about her husband?

4. How does Masha think she can forget Constantine?

5. Why does Peter like being surrounded by young artists?

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

7. Why is Nina late for the performance?

8. Why does Madame Arkadina want to return to the city?

9. What happens to Peter in the second act?

10. Summarize the play.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the differences between a play and a film in terms of the following:

Language

Character

Structure

Essay Topic 2

Identify the main themes of the story. In what way are these themes relevant to the time period? How does the author use character and setting to express these themes?

Essay Topic 3

Why do Simon and Masha get married if they are not both in love? In what way does Chekhov suggest that union could prove destructive? What effect could such marriage have on children?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 612 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample