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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. From what disease did William's mother die?
2. What did Merrett's killer claim about the murder?
3. How were Minor's and Murray's families similar?
4. Who would publish the first Oxford English Dictionary?
5. When was Murray invited to Oxford?
Short Essay Questions
1. Some critics say that Samuel Johnson put too much of his personality into his work on his dictionary. How would it be possible to avoid this type of criticism?
2. Why might Minor's father have fallen so easily in love with Judith?
3. What effect could the tragic death of his daughter have had on Murray's diligence in working on the Oxford English Dictionary?
4. Why does the author take time to note the sheer volume of words and weight of the Oxford English Dictionary? What parallels can be drawn between this and the dictionary's makers?
5. Given the information that the reader gleans from the nature of the Philological Society, as well as people speaking in the London Library, what characteristics of the London Library in Minor's day show it to be different from a public library of this day and age?
6. What aspects of the Latin-English dictionaries provided impetus for the makers of the Oxford English Dictionary to make their own English dictionary?
7. What can be appreciated about the Oxford English Dictionary being called "The Big Dictionary"?
8. Many critics found the Oxford English Dictionary to be racist and sexist. Explain how the author suggests this may have happened.
9. What can be surmised about the author's intention by naming his first chapter, " The Dead of Night in Lambeth Marsh"?
10. What seemed uncanny about the killer's cool, calm demeanor?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Discuss Minor's and Murray's respective childhoods and what parallels the author draws between their formative years and their later exploits in life.
Essay Topic 2
Redemption and the overcoming of personal and professional obstacles are central to the text. Discuss.
Essay Topic 3
What narrative devices does the author employ in painting a vivid picture of life in 19th and early 20th Century England?
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This section contains 953 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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