Quiz on 'The Censors'

In “The Censors,” how does Juan get his first promotion after taking the job as a censor?

• by betraying a fellow worker

• by replacing an accident victim

• by seeking his letter to Mariana

• by offering to do dangerous work

Which statement best sums up Juan’s career in “The Censors”?

• He remains at the same level and never gets promoted.

• He begins at a low level and then keeps getting promoted.

• He is promoted to a high level but then keeps getting demoted.

• He is promoted to a middle level but then keeps getting demoted.

What happens to Juan at the end of “The Censors”?

• He finally discovers his letter to Mariana and is able to destroy it.

• He becomes so devoted to his job that he stops eating and gets sick.

• He reaches Section B, has too few letters to censor, and grows bored.

• He censors his own letter, getting himself in trouble, and is executed.

“The Censors” takes place in a country ruled by a dictator. What do the details and outcome of “The Censors” suggest most clearly about dictatorships in general?

• They are very compassionate.

• They inspire rejoicing

• They can be very violent.

• They stimulate creativity.

Which description best illustrates what it means to sabotage something?

• A spy removes a vital part of a car so that it no longer starts.

• A police officer gives a driver a ticket for driving a car too fast.

• A motorist registers a car with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

• A driver visits a service station and fills a car’s tank with gasoline.

How would someone most likely intercept a message being delivered?

• prepare the message well in advance

• suggest ways to speed up delivery time

• read the message before it is delivered

• pass the message along via email or text

What sort of person can best be described as subversive?

• someone who is mourning a loss

• someone who is plotting a rebellion

• someone who has learned a new skill

• someone who has inherited a huge fortune

Early in “The Censors,” the narrator makes this comment. Well, you’ve got to beat them to the punch, do what everyone tries to do: sabotage the machinery, throw sand in its gears, get to the bottom of the problem so as to stop it. What main reason for Juan’s applying for a job as a censor does this comment support?

• Juan wishes to show support for his government.

• Juan wants to prevent a friend from getting in trouble.

• Juan seeks a well-paid job with good opportunities for advancement.

• Juan hopes to snoop into the private lives of friends and neighbors.

What do the details in “The Censors” suggest about the work of censoring letters?

• Few letters are actually scrutinized.

• The censors tend to be fairly lenient.

• A letter can be censored for a variety of reasons.

• The censors follow a set of unclear guidelines.

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B. Part A “The Censors,” what main change has Juan experienced by the time he reaches Section B in the Censorship Division?

• He comes to despise his job as a censor.

• He becomes proud of his job as a censor.

• He wins great fame in his job as a censor.

• He grows quite lazy in his job as a censor.