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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 does the Commander say was the main problem with men, before?

2. In Chapter 11, where does Offred hope she will wake up?

3. What is the big thing that Serena Joy offers Offred in Chapter 12?

4. Where did Offred store her documentation?

5. What is strange about the shop Loaves and Fishes?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Offred think about her age and height in Chapter 9?

2. In Chapter 10, what becomes different about Offred’s relationship to Luke, after the changes?

3. Why is Ofglen’s question about Soul Scrolls subversive?

4. Why does the story about the cat in Chapter 11 matter?

5. Why does the Commander offer Offred a gift in Chapter 10?

6. What form do Offred's prayers take in Chapter 11?

7. What happened to Luke, according to the professor?

8. What might Offred expect after being taken?

9. What has happened to former nuns?

10. According to the professor in Chapter 15, what might have happened to Offred?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Three subversive women – Ofglen, Moira, and Offred’s mother – appear in the novel. Compare and contrast them and their ultimate fates. How are they similar and different, and how does this end up affecting their outcomes?

Essay Topic 2

Offred’s daughter is one of the most important people in her life, though they are no longer together. Describe what Offred’s daughter’s life might be like at the moment. How are children important in Gilead, and what is Offred’s daughter’s most likely fate?

Essay Topic 3

Gilead is a strict hierarchical society. Describe the hierarchy of Gilead, and give descriptions of various characters we encounter in “The Handmaid’s Tale” and how they fit into the hierarchy. Why is this hierarchy necessary?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 536 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample