The Metamorphosis

In “The Metamorphosis,” how does Gregor first react when he discovers that he has become an insect?

• He is shocked and terrified and calls on his family for help.

• He refuses to leave his room or to talk to anyone about his problem.

• He determines to continue with his normal work and family relationships.

• He is relieved that he will no longer have to work as a traveling salesman.

In “The Metamorphosis,” what is the most important reason in Gregor’s mind for holding onto his job as a traveling salesman?

• He enjoys his job and is well liked and respected at work.

• He feels responsible for the financial support of his family.

• He believes that he is just imagining that he is an insect.

• He wants to prove that he can become a human being again.

Which of the following sentences most accurately describes Grete’s attitude toward her brother, Gregor, in “The Metamorphosis”?

• She is sympathetic and caring at first, but as her life gets more difficult, she blames him for the family’s problems.

• She cares for him at first just to please her mother and father, but her dislike for him grows each day.

• She feels genuine affection for him and never gives up on him, regardless of his bad behavior.

• She is horrified by the change in him and develops a hatred for him because of his ugliness.

How do the family members in “The Metamorphosis” justify their decision to get rid of the insect?

• They believe that if they do so, Gregor will return.

• They convince themselves that the insect is not Gregor.

• They are afraid that the insect will try to kill them.

• They can no longer afford to feed the insect.

Which of the following people would be most likely to act listlessly? Base your answer on the meaning of listlessly.

• people who are reporting a shocking event

• people who are committing a serious crime

• people who are unsure of their sense of balance

• people who are overworked and exhausted

Which of the following situations could best be used to illustrate the meaning of amelioration? Base your answer on the meaning of amelioration.

• a blow to the head of a falling person

• a look in the mirror to an angry person

• a cold drink of water to a thirsty person

• a change of scenery to a confused person

What is the most likely meaning of asphyxiation in the following sentence?

When Donald choked on a piece of apple, he almost died of asphyxiation.

• a clot in a blood vessel

• an inability to breathe

• food poisoning

• heart disease

In the opening scene of “The Metamorphosis,” what do Gregor’s thoughts and long speeches reveal most clearly about his personality?

• He is self-reliant and resents others telling him what to do.

• He is careful and methodical about everything he does.

• He is indecisive and tends to overthink his actions.

• He is proud of his job and very successful at it.

In “The Metamorphosis,” as his life as an insect continues, Gregor begins to lose interest in living. Which of these events most significantly leads to Gregor’s deterioration?

• Gregor discovers that other people cannot understand his speech.

• His angry father treats him like a menace and throws apples at him.

• His parents treat the lodgers with more concern than they have for Gregor.

• Grete no longer shows compassion for him and treats him with indifference.

Answer explanation

A quotation that BEST supports this answer is "He was filled with sheer anger over the wretched care he was getting.… Without thinking any more about how one might be able to give Gregor special pleasure, the sister now kicked some food or other very quickly into his room."

In “The Metamorphosis,” Gregor’s parents and sister eventually are able to make their own living without Gregor’s earnings. What do their efforts reveal about them?

• They are relieved at the thought that they no longer have to be in debt to Gregor.

• They have no idea about what to do with their lives without Gregor to support and guide them.

• They become determined and self-reliant instead of allowing a difficult situation to defeat them.

• They are too snobbish to adjust to poverty, so they seek someone to support them as Gregor once did.

Answer explanation

A quotation that BEST supports this answer is "But now he [the father] was standing up really straight, dressed in a tight fitting blue uniform with gold buttons, … like the one servants wear in a banking company … Bent far over, the mother sewed fine undergarments for a fashion shop. The sister, who had taken on a job as a salesgirl, in the evening studied stenography and French, so as perhaps later to obtain a better position."