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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In what way does Heloise pretend in her first letter to Abelard?
(a) She pretends not to make a demand.
(b) She pretends to be happy where she is.
(c) She pretends to be optimistic about seeing Abelard again.
(d) She pretends to be miserable over Abelard's plight.

2. What did Abelard do with his inheritance?
(a) Gave it to his mother.
(b) Gave it to the church.
(c) Gave it to his brother's eldest son.
(d) Managed it together with his brothers.

3. What does Heloise say Abelard should not have done for her sake?
(a) Married her.
(b) Sent her away.
(c) Taken up scriptural studies.
(d) Left philosophy.

4. Where did Abelard study?
(a) Paris.
(b) Zurich.
(c) Berlin.
(d) Nantes.

5. What enables Abelard to return to Paris?
(a) William of Champeaux offered him his chair at the university.
(b) William of Champeaux's reputation was in decline.
(c) Anselm of Canterbury offered him his chair in the university.
(d) William of Champeaux invited him back.

6. In Letter 4, what does Heloise beg Abelard to do?
(a) Rescue her from the convent.
(b) Spare her further grief.
(c) Come to see her.
(d) Tell her about his situation in detail.

7. Why did Abelard's teacher come to dislike him?
(a) Because Abelard set out to disprove him.
(b) Because Abelard was arrogant and disruptive.
(c) Because Abelard had an affair with a serving girl.
(d) Because Abelard was heavily in debt to him.

8. Where was Abelard born?
(a) Le Pallet.
(b) Paris.
(c) Nancy.
(d) Nantes.

9. What did Abelard feel about his castration?
(a) It was an outrage against his humanity.
(b) It destroyed him.
(c) It was Fulbert's right.
(d) It was a reprisal for the evil he'd done.

10. Who does Heloise say commanded her to be a nun?
(a) Her abbot.
(b) Abelard.
(c) God.
(d) Her father.

11. Who was Abelard's second enemy in the university system?
(a) Fulbert.
(b) Anselm of Canterbury.
(c) William of Champeaux.
(d) Anselm of Laon.

12. What else does Heloise ask Abelard to think about?
(a) How much she has served him.
(b) Whether his sin was responsible for his suffering.
(c) How long his penance should last.
(d) What will constitute justice, in his situation.

13. What were the contents of the letter Heloise saw?
(a) Heloise's mother asking her husband to be lenient on Abelard.
(b) Heloise's father asking the authorities to punish Abelard.
(c) Heloise's father asking his men to take revenge.
(d) Abelard lamenting his and Heloise's plight.

14. In Letter 5, what does Abelard ask Heloise to stop in the future?
(a) Writing him with her complaints.
(b) Rebelling against fate.
(c) Doubting God's grace.
(d) Trying to see him.

15. Where does Heloise say her happiness will come from now?
(a) Self-renunciation.
(b) Duty.
(c) Abelard alone.
(d) God alone.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the relationship between the first letter and the others?

2. What does Heloise doubt about Abelard?

3. In Letter 5, what does Abelard ask Heloise to accept?

4. What does Abelard say is the cause of his feeling?

5. Who else does Heloise say was affected by Abelard's letter?

(see the answer keys)

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