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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Ready to leave, what does the young woman do?
(a) she attempts to clean up the studio.
(b) she begs Claude to escort her to the train station.
(c) she asks Claude for money.
(d) she offers to cook breakfast.

2. How does Zola paint Claude Lantier's angst?
(a) by his desire to protect his paintings.
(b) by his partying when he should be working.
(c) by his obsession with time.
(d) by his mood swings over his painting.

3. What does Christine do the morning after she and Claude consummate their love?
(a) she sends a letter to her employer that she is ill.
(b) she goes to confession.
(c) she lies to her employer that she has a friend coming to Paris.
(d) she returns to Passy and resigns her position.

4. Why does Christine pack up everything to return to Paris?
(a) to get herself a job to support Claude.
(b) to live in a warm apartment during the winter.
(c) to save Claude and save her marriage.
(d) to put Jacques in a good school.

5. How does Claude think Irma has changed?
(a) from a trollop into a lady.
(b) from a common guttersnipe into a "courtesan by Titian."
(c) from a possible model into a fat disaster.
(d) from an innocent girl into a weathered hag.

6. Who does Jory insist that Claude go with him to see?
(a) Bongrand.
(b) Mathilde.
(c) Ganière.
(d) Irma Bécot.

7. Beside the clothed man and the naked women, what are the people criticizing?
(a) his oddly shaped trees.
(b) his heavy brush strokes.
(c) his use of the color blue to indicate daylight.
(d) his savage color combinations.

8. How does love win out over practicality?
(a) Christine murders Mme. Vandaze.
(b) Christine never returns to Passy.
(c) Christine resigns her position and moves in with Claude.
(d) Christine gets MMe. Vandaze to move to Paris.

9. Although frequently inspired by what he sees in the country, how does Claude react?
(a) he starts paintings but never finishes them.
(b) he complains that he has no canvases.
(c) he procrastinates, although Christine urges him to paint.
(d) he lost his confidence after the Salon.

10. What does the lusty Jory like about Mahoudeau's sculpture of the Grape Picker?
(a) her feet and hands.
(b) the amount of clay used in the mold.
(c) the life-like look of her face.
(d) her ample bosom and thick thighs.

11. What does Claude recognize about the group that still comes together for the Thursday night soirees?
(a) that they are really helping each other now.
(b) that everyone is a success except him.
(c) that it is deteriorating, except for Sandoz.
(d) that it has more power than before.

12. Who is the former shepherd from near Plassans whose patron sent him to Paris?
(a) Mahoudeau.
(b) Chaîne.
(c) Dubuche.
(d) Malgras.

13. What is Jory's excuse for not writing about anyone in the group?
(a) he thinks his endorsement would hurt them.
(b) they are unpopular and he is not writing for his own paper.
(c) he is waiting to spring them on the public later.
(d) he is being paid to write only about Beauz-Arts artists.

14. As the novel opens, what is the condition of the weather?
(a) a dust storm.
(b) a clear, starry night.
(c) a snow storm.
(d) a rainstorm.

15. What works are shown in the Salon des Refusés?
(a) those refused for the regular Salon showing.
(b) those too good to go in the regular Salon.
(c) those from unknown artists.
(d) those eligible for special prizes.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Bongrand have to say about Fagerolles's painting?

2. How does Claude react to Jory's comments about his painting?

3. What convinces Claude he still has a vestige of romanticism in his veins?

4. How is Claude received at Duquersonnièr's studio?

5. What is Pierre Sandoz doing for Claude?

(see the answer keys)

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