View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why should survivors' stories be read critically?

2. What did Louis Darquier de Pellepoix do after he was caught?

3. Which is the best description of Chaim Rumkowski?

4. Who was Chaim Rumkowski?

5. From where did Monowitz receive new prisoners?

Short Essay Questions

1. Levi often characterizes survivors as being privileged. What does he mean by this?

2. Why do historians need to study the stories of survivors?

3. How do people react to having limited communication?

4. What did the Nazis hope as the tide of war turned in 1942?

5. Why were political prisoners envied?

6. Explain the concept of "convenient truth."

7. According to Levi, which memories seem to be universal?

8. How does a totalitarian state control its citizens?

9. What does Levi consider to be his mission and why?

10. What does Levi consider to be the extreme case of collaboration?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the organization of the book, considering how information is divided into chapters. Does the organizational structure work?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze Levi's situation when he finds the water spigot.

1) Do you agree with the decision he made? Why or why not?

2) What do you think you would have done in the same situation?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the writing style and the tone of the book. How does it contribute to the overall impact of the book?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 717 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample