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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. According to Orwell, what was Gandhi's youth like?

2. How does Orwell propose to aid the English language?

3. According to Tolstoy, Shakespeare's great reputation was propagated by whom?

4. What is in the prisoner's cell?

5. Orwell worries that liberty cannot exist without what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the elephant die?

2. According to Tolstoy, how did Shakespeare get such a grand reputation?

3. What is Orwell's occupation, in the first chapter?

4. Orwell cites the riots after the 1936 Olympic Games as proof of what?

5. What effect does Gandhi's autobiography have on Orwell?

6. What are some of Tolstoy's criticisms about Shakespeare?

7. What does Orwell say about the sanitation of Hopital X?

8. What is Orwell's recommendation to the reader in Chapter 13?

9. How does Orwell describe the prisoner?

10. Who are the individuals that Orwell uses as examples in Chapter 13?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Orwell feels that good books should receive long reviews, while poorly-written books should be handled with reviews of only a few lines. How do you feel about his proposition? Have you ever gained useful information from a bad review? Have you ever thought that a good review was too long? Or do you agree that poorly-written books are undeserving of attention? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your position.

Essay Topic 2

Orwell claims that it is impossible to have friendly international sporting events. What is his reasoning? What is the difference, according to Orwell, between friendly, local sporting events, and international competitions? What is at stake in international games? Do you agree with Orwell's reasoning? Why? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your position.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the character of the prisoner in Chapter 2. How does Orwell describe the prisoner? How do you think Orwell feels about the prisoner? What do you think his crime might have been? What is the significance of the officials' merrymaking so close to the site of the prisoner's death? What point is Orwell trying to make with this essay? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your position.

(see the answer keys)

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