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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Women, Race, and Memory," Morrison blames what group for the oppression of women?
(a) Writers.
(b) Other women.
(c) Government.
(d) The Christian church.

2. In "Black Matter(s)," Morrison speculates that slaves offered white Americans a sense of what?
(a) Religious duty to the oppressed.
(b) Power and authority they had been denied in Europe.
(c) Permissiveness and freedom lacking in the Europe of that time.
(d) Being monitored by their social inferiors.

3. In "The Future of Time," Morrison uses repetition of what phrase?
(a) "The future is already catastrophe."
(b) "Art is temporal."
(c) "What will we think during those longer, healthier lives?"
(d) "We are being bullied into understanding."

4. Morrison's reading of fiction about Africa written by non-African writers reminded her of what part of her childhood?
(a) When the church collection plate was passed to raise money for Africa.
(b) When she struggled to understand a movie set in Asia.
(c) Her own immigration to America from Ghana.
(d) The first time she was called a racial epithet.

5. Morrison compares the Africa of the Western imagination to what legendary monster?
(a) The Sphinx.
(b) Grendel.
(c) Medusa.
(d) Leviathan.

Short Answer Questions

1. According to Morrison, how does fascism arise?

2. In "Black Matter(s)," what aspect of American slavery does Morrison claim makes its impact so long-lasting in American culture?

3. Which of the following is a key characteristic of globalism, according to Morrison?

4. Where did Morrison go to school as a child?

5. In "Moral Inhabitants," Morrison says that the ability to make fine distinctions shows what?

Short Essay Questions

1. In “Black Matter(s)," what main points does Morrison make about the alleged race-neutrality of American history?

2. In “Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.," what does Morrison say that she wonders about MLK, and why?

3. In “The Individual Artist," what is the paradox that Morrison says artists face?

4. In “Women, Race, and Memory” how does Morrison describe the way "non-aligned" women are viewed by feminists and anti-feminists, and how do non-aligned women view them?

5. In her speech “Cinderella’s Stepsisters," what is the purpose of the allusion to Cinderella?

6. In “Race Matters," why does Morrison say that she decided she needed a "home" and not just a "house"?

7. Explain how, according to Morrison's "Wartalk," the language around war has changed and when these changes occurred.

8. In “Race Matters," what story does Morrison tell about the ending of Beloved, and why does she tell this story?

9. In “The Future of Time: Literature and Diminished Expectations," why does Morrison say it is important for us to turn our attention to the future?

10. In “Racism and Fascism,” what does Morrison say are the characteristics of fascism?

(see the answer keys)

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