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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. "Nature suffers nothing to remain in her kingdoms which..."?
(a) "...cannot speak the truth."
(b) "...cannot help others."
(c) "...cannot help itself."
(d) "...cannot display power."

2. Emerson claims that a man or company of men can overpower "all cities, nations, kings, rich men, poets" when he or they posses which characteristic?
(a) Being fully honest.
(b) Being open to principles.
(c) Being entirely self-reliant.
(d) Being of great virtue.

3. Who does Emerson say has chosen "our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religion"?
(a) Our families.
(b) God.
(c) Ourselves.
(d) Society.

4. Which system does Emerson accuse of fostering restlessness?
(a) Our system of travel.
(b) Our system of politics.
(c) Our system of religion.
(d) Our system of education.

5. How does Emerson describe the relationship between the soul and the "divine spirit"?
(a) Loving.
(b) Strained.
(c) Harmonious.
(d) Pure.

6. Emerson states that we are "like children" who do what?
(a) "Repeat by rote the sentences of grandames and tutors."
(b) "Are perfect at every moment."
(c) "Do not yet understand the truth we witness."
(d) "Postpone that which inevitably must come."

7. Emerson mentions something personal to him that makes "no reference" to the past and simply exists with God today. What is it?
(a) His house.
(b) His roses.
(c) His patron saint.
(d) His book.

8. What does Emerson claim must we do in order to see truly?
(a) Work truly.
(b) Be truly.
(c) Live truly.
(d) Worship truly.

9. Who said "To the persevering mortal ... the blessed Immortals are swift"?
(a) Zoroaster.
(b) Caliph Ali.
(c) Fletcher.
(d) Bonduca.

10. What kind of prayer does Emerson call "vicious"?
(a) Dishonest prayer.
(b) Prayer that appeals thoughtlessly to God.
(c) Prayer that craves a particular commodity.
(d) Disheartened prayer.

11. Emerson claims that man "stands on tiptoe" to see what?
(a) His blooming garden.
(b) His own riches.
(c) The future.
(d) The past.

12. What does Emerson recommend we do in our relationships with our family?
(a) Ask them for help in building our self-reliance.
(b) Stop living according to their expectations.
(c) Help them build their own self-reliance.
(d) Accept them for who they are.

13. What does Emerson say the civilized man no longer know thanks to the Greenwich nautical almanac he has?
(a) The countries of the world.
(b) The stars in the sky.
(c) The hours of the tides.
(d) The cardinal directions.

14. Which virtue is paid to kings, nobles and great proprietors?
(a) Servitude.
(b) Gratitude.
(c) Homage.
(d) Loyalty.

15. What is the definition of "docility" as used by Emerson ("our docility to our own law")?
(a) Strength.
(b) Submissiveness.
(c) Weakness.
(d) Passivity.

Short Answer Questions

1. When does Emerson claim that the luster "will be transferred from the actions of kings to those of gentlemen"?

2. What do our first journeys reveal?

3. At which point is a person willing to "let the words go"?

4. Emerson claims that there are "two confessionals, in one or the other of which we must be shriven." What are the confessionals he is referring to?

5. What does Emerson say you can "present every moment"?

(see the answer keys)

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