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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. According to the author, in what year did Minor complete his first word list?
2. According to the author, after organizing a quote what kind of a definition did Murray have to write?
3. The author compared Murray's way of organizing his work on the Oxford English Dictionary to ______________.
4. How long did each book of the dictionary take Minor to complete?
5. Which word did Murray have so much trouble with that it had to be sent to Dr. Minor?
Short Essay Questions
1. What does the author give as the chief purpose behind Minor's self-mutilation? Was it achieved?
2. What was one of the greatest mistakes Murray made upon arriving at Broadmoor and speaking to the superintendent?
3. The author compares Murray to a general on a battlefield. Why?
4. What effect did Murray and his workers' reliance on Minor's letters and help have on Minor?
5. What does Murray's Scriptorium represent to present day scholars of the English language?
6. What is relevant about the fact that Minor was a fan of Huxley, particularly his idea of agnosticism?
7. The author only briefly mentions Dr. Hall's absence from the dinner. Why is this significant in relation to his opinion of Minor?
8. Was it good that Minor began to view the asylum as his home?
9. What was miraculous about Mrs. Merrett deciding to see Minor at Broadmoor?
10. In what ways could Murray be seen as a voice of reason and motivation for Minor to stay on task to the Oxford English Dictionary?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
The title of the book and its chapter titles are somewhat surprising considering that this is a non-fiction book about the making of a famous dictionary. Why are the titles surprising? Discuss what effects the author may have aimed for in choosing these titles.
Essay Topic 2
Dramatic irony is in many ways a key element of the events of the text. Discuss with examples.
Essay Topic 3
What is significant about the fact that the text has two protagonists, Minor and Murray, and that the author himself points out that this goes against the definition of the word in "Modern English Usage," which states that protagonist can only be used in the singular?
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This section contains 879 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
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