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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What central figure in the story happened across Murray's appeal to the English people in regards to the Oxford English Dictionary?
(a) Dr. William Minor.
(b) James Koss.
(c) Mr. Trench.
(d) Nakiesha Wilson.

2. With whom was William to live upon arriving in the United States?
(a) His uncle.
(b) Missionaries.
(c) His Aunt.
(d) His cousin.

3. Where was Dr. Minor's house located in London?
(a) Paddington.
(b) St. James Square.
(c) Shacklewell.
(d) Newington.

4. What were Merrett's killer's two former professional positions?
(a) Police officer and professor.
(b) Professor and army officer.
(c) Qualified surgeon and police officer..
(d) Army officer and qualified surgeon.

5. Who heard the three shots fired in the beginning of the book?
(a) William Ward.
(b) Eliza Ward.
(c) Henry Burton.
(d) Henry Tarrant.

6. Who killed Merrett?
(a) John Washington Wilcox.
(b) William Chester Minor.
(c) Chester James Wilcox.
(d) James Chester Minor.

7. How many children did the Merretts have?
(a) Four.
(b) Two.
(c) Six.
(d) Seven.

8. On what notable holiday did the making of the Oxford English Dictionary begin?
(a) The Queen's Birthday.
(b) Christmas Day.
(c) May Day.
(d) Guy Fawke's Day.

9. What was the idea behind the Philological Society?
(a) To promote new admissions to the Oxford English Dictionary.
(b) Improvement upon the understanding of the properly dominant language of the world.
(c) To promote Christian missionary work.
(d) To gather and discuss new admissions to the Oxford English Dictionary.

10. What was the name of Murray's first wife?
(a) Eliza Valant.
(b) Maggie Scott.
(c) Lucy Javier.
(d) Julia Filmoore.

11. When was Murray born?
(a) January, 1832.
(b) February, 1837.
(c) December, 1842.
(d) April, 1823.

12. What did Judith do professionally?
(a) She was a cook for the Ceylon military.
(b) She was a missionary.
(c) She was a schoolteacher.
(d) She was a house wife.

13. What was the driving force behind Minor's spiral into "lust, madness, and perdition"?
(a) The women of Ceylon.
(b) The drug culture of Ceylon.
(c) The gambling scene in Ceylon.
(d) The constant moving of his family.

14. Lucy was born to the Minors __________after William's birth.
(a) One year.
(b) Six years.
(c) Two years.
(d) Three years.

15. Many critics find the Oxford English Dictionary to be ______________.
(a) Ridiculous and sexist.
(b) Strange and racist.
(c) Racist and sexist.
(d) Thoughtless and ridiculous.

Short Answer Questions

1. To whom were Richard Chenevix Trench's speeches directed?

2. What two words did the author use to describe the Minor family's beliefs?

3. How did the author describe the man who chased George Merrett on the night of his death?

4. What did the killer do immediately upon being arrested by police?

5. How many supplements of the Oxford English Dictionary came out after the original?

(see the answer keys)

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