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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What did Orwell envision a home in the future?
(a) Glass and steel furniture, no libraries and more children.
(b) Invisible heaters, glass and steel furniture and fewer children.
(c) Forced air heating, larger grocery stores and mechanical doors.
(d) Electricity will run all functions in the home.

2. What things did Orwell believe a good writer needed that an unemployed man could not find?
(a) Peace of mind, and quiet.
(b) Peace of mind, and extra cash.
(c) Peace of mind, and a new, modern typewriter.
(d) Peace of mind, and a room of his own to work.

3. Why did Orwell's parents eventually forbid him to play with certain children in the neighborhood?
(a) Middle class parents cannot allow their children to play in the street all hours of the day."
(b) "Middle class parents cannot allow their children to be seen with blue collar children."
(c) "Middle class people cannot afford to let their children grow up with vulgar accents."
(d) "Middle class parents cannot afford to let their children play until homework was done."

4. Under the capitalist system, who did Orwell say must live on the edge of starvation so that England can live in comfort?
(a) Thousands of Africans.
(b) A million Burmese.
(c) Ten thousand coal miners.
(d) One hundred million Indians.

5. What four words did Orwell discuss in detail as the reason for class distinctions?
(a) The middle class lie.
(b) The upper-middle class cheat.
(c) The upper class steal.
(d) The lower class smell.

6. What did Orwell find was the basis of the diet for families of the unemployed?
(a) White bread, margerine, corned beef, sugared tea and potatoes.
(b) White bread, butter, chipped beef, sugared tea and carrots.
(c) White bread, butter, roast beef, sugared tea and carrots.
(d) White bread, butter, tinny beef, sugared tea and potatoes.

7. Where did Orwell first go to sleep with the beggars and criminals of the working class?
(a) Orangehouse and Greychapel.
(b) Limehouse and Whitechapel.
(c) Wigan and Sheffield.
(d) London and Sheffield.

8. What did Orwell find amazing about the unemployed men he met after returning from Burma?
(a) That they were angry and bitter people.
(b) That they were ashamed of being unemployed.
(c) That they were shiftless and uneducated.
(d) That they were well fed and well clothed.

9. Who said "an army marches on its stomach?"
(a) Hitler.
(b) Homer.
(c) Napoleon.
(d) Aristotle.

10. With what, according to Orwell, is socialism inextricably connected?
(a) The idea of machine production.
(b) The idea of better housing and working conditions.
(c) The idea of overthrow of the rich.
(d) The idea of workers' solidarity.

11. What were the "Clothing Clubs?"
(a) Clubs in industrial towns in which unemployed men could send their wives for clothes.
(b) Clubs in industrial towns in which unemployed men could buy new clothes.
(c) Clubs in industrial towns in which unemployed men could trade old clothing for new.
(d) Clubs in industrial towns in which unemployed men were given loans for clothing.

12. Who was Comrade X?
(a) A member of the C.P.G.B. and an author.
(b) A member of the R.S.V.P. and a politician.
(c) A member of the N.W.P. and an author.
(d) A member of the A.C.L.U. and a politician.

13. What did Orwell believe was the deeper implications of Socialism?
(a) Socialism stands for democracy and common goals.
(b) Socialism stands for better housing for the working poor.
(c) Socialism stands for better wages and better working conditions.
(d) Socialism stands for justice and common decency.

14. How was unemployment viewed by people in the late twenties and early thirties in England?
(a) As something that happened because you did poorly at your job.
(b) As something that you had coming to you for being so lazy.
(c) As something that happened to you and from which you could escape.
(d) As something that happened to you and for which you were to blame.

15. What portion of the population of Wigan was living on unemployment, including family members?
(a) One third.
(b) One eighth.
(c) One forth.
(d) One half.

Short Answer Questions

1. What percentage of a person's income, whether employed or on unemployment, was given over to rent in Wigan?

2. What was "the flock mattress?"

3. What was the most obvious sign of malnourishment in the families of the unemployed men?

4. What did Orwell cite as a reason class hatred seemed to be diminishing in the late 1930's?

5. Why did Orwell say Socialism had not taken hold in England despite its common-sense doctrine?

(see the answer keys)

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