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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 makes the comment that all children should be cooked and eaten?

2. Who has resigned from the military and this is revealed to Masha by that character?

3. Kulygin is glad that _________ loves him and he continues to say this throughout the play.

4. Whose Saint's Day is it when the play begins, causing her to be the central focus of the scene at first?

5. Who always brings extravagant presents for the sisters as he feels he loves them as much as their mother did?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the subject of Vershinin's long speech?

2. What does Anfisa announce when she arrives at the beginning of Act 1, Part 2?

3. What is Anfisa worried about after Olga talks to her?

4. Who believes that life ultimately has no meaning?

5. When Irina says she hopes to see Fedotik and Rode again, Fedotik says they will not. Why is that?

6. What happens, according to Tusenbach, when Solyony is around people?

7. What does Irina do in response to the action of #13?

8. What does Masha recall to be the nickname of Vershinin when they were younger?

9. Who seems to be going out, as indicated by their style of dress in the opening of this scene?

10. Where does Olga long to be?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Andrei is the brother to the three sisters of the title of this play. But while his role may not be as large, it may be more important.

Part 1: Describe the character of Andrei as he is revealed in the play.

Part 2: Do you think Andrei chose the life he created for himself or were there other reasons for him to be in the life situation he chose?

Part 3: Do you feel sorry for Andrei in this play? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Within this play are many examples of the number '3' - not just in the title itself. The relevance of the number '3' seems to indicate a pattern within this play and within the lives of its characters.

Part 1: List at least three examples of where the number '3' is shown in the play.

Part 2: What is the significance of the number '3' in this play?

Part 3: What might Chekhov be trying to show the viewer or the reader in using the number '3' so often?

Essay Topic 3

The setting of the play doesn't change much from beginning to end. This causes the viewer/reader to focus more on the interactions than on the space in which these interactions take place.

Part 1: List the settings of the play.

Part 2: Discuss why Chekhov may have wanted to keep the settings to a minimum. What might this achieve?

Part 3: How do you think the setting, or lack thereof, has affected the mood of this play?

(see the answer keys)

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