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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How long has it been since Bishop Pyotr last saw his mother?
(a) Fifteen years.
(b) Nine years.
(c) Nine months.
(d) Three years.

2. What is most important to Lida Volchaninova?
(a) Local politics and helping the needy.
(b) Having children.
(c) Getting married.
(d) Providing for her mother and sister.

3. Why do the women in town get excited about Belikov's life?
(a) One of the daughters falls in love with Belikov.
(b) Belikov is promoted to a privy councilor.
(c) They want to arrange a marriage for him.
(d) Belikov inherits a fortune.

4. What epiphany does Lyzhin realize while at von Taunitz's?
(a) Life in Moscow has nothing to do with provincial life.
(b) The provincial life is not as bad as he assumed.
(c) Life is full of random accidents.
(d) Life's events are not accidents.

5. What causes the beadle to be so poor?
(a) His addiction with gambling.
(b) He was born poor and never had a chance at education.
(c) His alcoholism.
(d) His alcoholic sons.

6. How does Nikolai Ivanych get his dream estate?
(a) Through savings and marrying a widow.
(b) Inheritance.
(c) By borrowing from Ivan Ivanych.
(d) He surreptitiously steals from his workplace a little at a time over years.

7. How does Nikifor die?
(a) Stepan accidentally drops him.
(b) Aksinya pours boiling water on him.
(c) The cook accidentally drops boiling water on him.
(d) Aksinya throws him down the well.

8. What same sound does Lyzhin hear at the Zemstvo cottage and von Taunitz's?
(a) Distant moans and groans.
(b) Eerie voices.
(c) A "tap, tap, tap" like someone walking with a cane.
(d) The howling blizzard.

9. What does Liza want Korolev to confirm?
(a) That she is not ill but sick of the factory.
(b) That she can be a beautiful young woman.
(c) That things will change in their lifetime.
(d) That her heart will get better and she will live healthily.

10. How does Olga help Vladimir when he returns to her?
(a) She lets his family stay in the wing without pay.
(b) She gives him the house.
(c) She gives him money.
(d) She helps him find a post.

11. Why does Zhenya discontinue seeing the artist?
(a) The artist moves away.
(b) Lida disapproves.
(c) Her mother disapproves.
(d) Zhenya is too busy with politics.

12. What do Yegor and Vasilisa's son-in-law have in common?
(a) They came from Petersburg.
(b) They are both revolutionists.
(c) They are both doorkeepers.
(d) They were both soldiers.

13. What happens to Grigory in old age?
(a) He remains the man of the house and gives orders from bed.
(b) He forgets to eat and is forgotten.
(c) He moves to Siberia to be closer to Anisim.
(d) He becomes burdened with guilt and stops cheating his customers.

14. In "The Bishop", what day does Bishop Pyotr unexpectedly sees his mother?
(a) Christmas Eve.
(b) The Eve of Palm Sunday.
(c) Easter night.
(d) The first day of Lent.

15. Why is Christina Dmitrievna in charge of meeting the doctor?
(a) She is Liza's mother.
(b) She is the most outspoken.
(c) She is assumed to be the most educated in the house.
(d) She is the only one who can speak Russian.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why do Ivan Ivanych and Burkin call on Alekhin in "Gooseberries"?

2. In "At Christmastime", whom does Vasilisa ask to help her write a letter to her daughter?

3. In "The Darling", why does Kukin hate the rain so much?

4. What is it like for Bishop Pyotr when he serves abroad?

5. How does the coroner witness the disrespect the beadle gets?

(see the answer keys)

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