View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why does Young Vladimir favor the new methods of studying butterflies?
(a) They are more exciting.
(b) He enjoys delving into the minutiae of the subject.
(c) They are more efficient.
(d) They are easier to use.

2. Who is referred to simply as "Mademoiselle?"
(a) The tutor.
(b) His aunt.
(c) The governess.
(d) His sister.

3. Why does Vasiliy insist upon lying supine on the floor?
(a) He claims it stretches out his spine.
(b) He claims it improves his posture.
(c) He claims it relieves his chest pains.
(d) He claims it helps him breathe better.

4. What is one of his other memories?
(a) A dark tunnel through which he crawls, behind a divan in his parent's home.
(b) Playing tag with his younger brother.
(c) Getting his foot stuck in the crib.
(d) Getting lost in the estate's vast forest.

5. What mystifies the two boys about Mademoiselle?
(a) She reads many novels to the boys, all in French, with a smooth, gentle voice.
(b) She has children that visit her once a month, but she never allows the two boys to play with her children.
(c) She is kind most of the timea but can easily lose her temper.
(d)

Short Answer Questions

1. To what is Nabokov's mother quite sensitive?

2. Why does Nabokov's mother often wander the estate's forest?

3. Each day, when he awakes, how can young Vladimir tell what kind of day it is?

4. To whom is Chapter Five devoted?

5. What is the first memory Nabokov drags from the darkness?

Short Essay Questions

1. What jobs does Nabokov's father hold throughout his career?

2. What evidence from the text shows that Nabokov is beginning to have an interest in girls?

3. Describe Nabokov's ancestors.

4. Describe Nabokov's encounters with his cousin, Yuri.

5. Why is the couple allowed to be on their own.

6. What is known about the chapters prior to the writing of this book?

7. Explain the process used to create this book.

8. What schooling does Nabokov's father receive?

9. In 1910, the Nabokov brothers acquire teeth braces. How does their father reward them for dealing with the dental sessions?

10. Who are the tutors hired to educate the Nabokov children?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,101 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample