View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Welcome to the Monkey House," what is the Kennedy Compound?

2. What does Billy the Poet send Nancy?

3. Who is required to take ethical birth control pills?

4. What makes Harrison Bergeron so dangerous according to officials?

5. How old was Harrison Bergeron when he was taken away from his family?

Short Essay Questions

1. At the end of "Report on the Barnhouse Effect," what happens to the narrator and what does he decide to do?

2. What does Newt want to tell Catharine on their walk?

3. What are the rules of the chess game in "All the King's Horses?"

4. What happens at the Bergeron house after Harrison is killed?

5. What do Ivankov and Ashland say to each other, and what do they not talk about?

6. What happens the first time the narrator visits Gloria's house in "Go Back to Your Precious Wife and Son?"

7. Why do the amphibians think their way of life is better in "Unready to Wear?"

8. What types of handicaps must people wear in "Harrison Bergeron?"

9. What do Sousa and Heinz talk about in the hospital?

10. How does Catharine change when she goes to the orchard with Newt?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Some of Vonnegut's stories could be described as science fiction. First, give an accurate definition of this genre. Then explain how Vonnegut's stories fit into the definition or do not fit in.

Essay Topic 2

Consider Vonnegut's use of language in this collection of stories. Choose two stories that have very different prose and compare and contrast them. How does the language, syntax, and format develop each story in its own way? How do these literary decisions affect the reader?

Essay Topic 3

Vonnegut was associated with socialist causes. Research socialism and explain how this political belief is reflected in this collection of stories. Look for socialist values reflected in characters and plot lines.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 713 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample