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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 asks Telegin to begin playing music, though he is quickly told not to by another character?

2. What does Astrov ask the worker to fetch for him before they head out the door?

3. Who doesn't Sonya want involved in the drunken binges of Astrov?

4. Yelena says the reason she and Vanya are friends is because they are both very ________.

5. What has Maria received from a writer that she likes and she shares this with the rest of the house?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Marina doing as she is sitting at the start of the play in a country home in Russia?

2. What does Sonya say she will tell Astrov in order to get him to come into the room?

3. What is another function of the bedroom as indicated by the play's details?

4. What does the Professor tell Marina as soon as he walks into the house without being let inside?

5. What does Vanya tell Yelena about the storm that is about to be upon them?

6. What is Astrov's reasoning behind his constant drinking when Marina asks him about this habit?

7. What is the memory that Astrov becomes lost in as he is talking with Marina?

8. What does Marina think about people who are living a hundred years in the future?

9. What happens when the Professor wakes up from his nap at the start of this scene?

10. What does the workman request when he walks into the scene where the rest of the characters are?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Vanya is also talking about the idea of killing himself and of getting away from the world.

Part 1: Do you think Vanya is serious about wanting to kill himself? Why or why not?

Part 2: What might you have done to reason with Vanya when he was talking about killing himself?

Part 3: Do you think Vanya has other reasons for saying that he just wants to kill himself? If so, what? If not, why not?

Essay Topic 2

The storm seems to be a symbol of the anger and frustration in the group of people in the play.

Part 1: Why do you think a storm is a good representation of conflict amongst people? Or isn't it?

Part 2: Do you think the group of people changes after the storm passes? Why or why not?

Part 3: Why do you think Chekhov decided to use the storm in the play versus another event?

Essay Topic 3

There is some discussion amongst literary reviewers and critics that this play is actually an example of society at that time in Russia, with the characters portraying the various classes.

Part 1: Why do you think the author decided to create a play to talk about social issues?

Part 2: Do you think plays have the ability to change society as a whole? Why or why not?

Part 3: Do you agree that the play is a representation of society at that time? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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