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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What nonsense poet is named in Chapter 17?
(a) Ogden Nash.
(b) Christopher Isherwood.
(c) Edward Lear.
(d) Mervyn Peake

2. According to Orwell, when is the best time to read a good murder mystery?
(a) Saturday evening.
(b) Friday evening.
(c) Saturday morning.
(d) Sunday afternoon.

3. Orwell says, in Chapter 12, that he has occasionally found what in summer?
(a) A den of fox kits.
(b) A salamander, under a log.
(c) A toad that never woke up from hibernation.
(d) A patch of wheat.

4. What types of sporting events does Orwell support?
(a) International sports.
(b) Events held for charity.
(c) Youth events.
(d) Local, friendly games.

5. Chapter 12 begins with a description of the life cycle of what animal?
(a) Squirrel.
(b) Gnat.
(c) Toad.
(d) Rabbit.

6. Orwell refers to what form of medieval art to back up his claims about outdoor workers and nature?
(a) Ballads.
(b) Stories.
(c) Paintings.
(d) Sculpture.

7. Which title, named in Chapter 16, is also the subject of Chapter 18?
(a) "Uncle Tom's Cabin".
(b) "King Solomon's Mines".
(c) "Helen's Babies".
(d) "Penrod".

8. According to Orwell, what is not a popular subject in his essays?
(a) Politics.
(b) Spring.
(c) Animals.
(d) Christmas.

9. How many crimes does Orwell mention as being turned into great literature?
(a) Three.
(b) Eleven.
(c) Nine.
(d) Seven.

10. According to Orwell, what do newspapers try to do when reporting on sports events?
(a) Make their team look good.
(b) Report as accurately as possible.
(c) Incite fans.
(d) Cover up the enmity between opposing sides.

11. In Chapter 18, Orwell describes an image of what, taken from books such as "Tom Sawyer" and "Uncle Tom's Cabin"?
(a) A home.
(b) A church.
(c) A garden.
(d) A schoolhouse.

12. What does "Helen's Babies" say about America, according to Orwell?
(a) It portrays America inaccurately.
(b) It portrays Americans as immature and selfish.
(c) It is a characterization of only one class in American society.
(d) It characterizes America much more tamely than older literature.

13. Why is the reviewer having such difficulty writing his reviews?
(a) He is too busy to write them.
(b) The works he is reviewing are boring.
(c) He keeps getting interrupted.
(d) He is afraid of offending the works' authors.

14. What does Orwell say about children's books, in Chapter 18?
(a) They give one a "false map" of the world.
(b) They have adult themes that are too advanced for children.
(c) They are ineffective at teaching values and morals.
(d) They are too complicated for most children.

15. What was Thibaw's legacy in Mandalay?
(a) An enormous and elaborate temple.
(b) Tamarind trees.
(c) His many illegitimate children.
(d) Spectacular gardens.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the first poem Orwell mentions in Chapter 17?

2. What relationship does Orwell establish between social justice and nature?

3. Why does Orwell claim that his readers think farmers and fishermen wouldn't be interested in reading his essays about nature?

4. What is the most famous poem written by the poet mentioned in Chapter 17?

5. The murderer, according to Orwell, kills his victim to avoid what?

(see the answer keys)

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