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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. Who does Jurgis decide he must live for?

2. What does the barkeep insist Jurgis gave him?

3. What is the speaker explaining in an impassioned speech?

4. Who has cut their hand and can not work?

5. Where does Jurgis go after being in the country?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does the drunk young man take Jurgis?

2. What does Jurgis decide to do when he can not find any work?

3. What is the stroke of luck that Jurgis happens upon?

4. What happens when Jurgis goes back to the fertilizer mill?

5. What does Jurgis learn about Marija's whereabouts?

6. What is the senator talking about as Jurgis overhears a political meeting?

7. What is the first crime Jack Duane and Jurgis commit?

8. Who is the visitor Jurgis gets in jail?

9. What caused little Antanas' death?

10. What happens when there is a strike at the stockyard where Jurgis is working?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sinclair makes it pretty clear in the text the he feels socialism is the answer to the world's problems. Did you think Sinclair's arguments were convincing? Why or why not? How does socialism help Jurgis in this story?

Essay Topic 2

In the end, Jurgis is left with no one. What does this say about the American dream? What do you think will happen to Jurgis next? Do you think his future will be a happy one? Why or why not? Do you think the ending is a happy one? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The food that is available to the workers is not only bad, but also filled with ingredients that could harm them. Why do you think the meat packers don't care if their foods hurt their workers? Doesn't this seem to be working against them? Why does this lack of high quality food seem to continue on for so long? Why do you think the inspectors don't care?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 554 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample