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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. What is the name of Oksana's father?

2. What does Pulheria think the change in her cat's behavior means?

3. How does Ivan travel home?

4. What did the witch do when she turned into a dog?

5. Who owns the property next to Ivan's farm?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Pytor have to do before he marries Pidorka?

2. What bad things do the villagers say the witch did when she was alive?

3. Why does Khoma have to say an eulogy for the cossack's daughter?

4. How does this story end?

5. Describe the old couple's life on the farm?

6. Why does Ivan have to retire from the regiment?

7. How does Valuka gain possession of the devil's shoes?

8. Why do the devil and the witch want to cause problems between Valuka and Choub?

9. Why does Aunt Vasilisa want Ivan to marry Grigory's younger sister?

10. How does Pulkeria's life change when her cat disappears?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine point of view in one of the following stories.

1) The Diary of a Madman.

2) The Nose.

3) St. John's Eve.

What meaning does the point of view the author use give the story? What meaning would a different point of view communicate?

Essay Topic 2

The Collected Tales are translated from Russian into English. How much meaning can a book loses through a translation? What aspects of the book do you think would be the most difficult to express in English? How do you think a translator can overcome these difficulties?

Essay Topic 3

What does Gogol say about pride? How does he use story elements such as characterization to express his view?

(see the answer keys)

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