wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

English 4: Midterm

Total questions: 85

Worksheet time: 3620secs

Name
Class
Date
1.
What makes The Canterbury Tales a good reflection of the time period?
a)
It shows a cross section of people in different social levels and occupations.
b)
It is nonfiction.
c)
It is autobiographical.
d)
It reflects scientific achievements of the time.
2.

In the Wife of Bath's Tale, what is the Knight's original sentence by King Arthur?

a)

banishment

b)

torture

c)

beheading

d)

imprisonment

3.

Which of the following is NOT a character trait of an epic hero?

a)

Uses magic to defeat enemies

b)

Has superhuman strength or intelligence

c)

Risks death for the greater good of society

d)

Reflects the ideals of a particular society

4.
the repetition of identical or similar consonant sounds, normally at the beginnings of words.  
a)
alliteration
b)
allusion
c)
allegory
d)
metaphor
5.
use of actions, thoughts, dialogue and physical description to reveal a character’s personality
a)
satire
b)
direct characterization
c)
indirect characterization
d)
hyperbole
6.

a  story telling pattern throughout literature including the same sorts of characters or ideas, such as a quest, mysterious stranger, evil being punished and good being rewarded

a)

archetype

b)

epic poem

c)

allegory

d)

allusion

7.

A story that has a deeper or more general meaning in addition to its surface meaning, often to serving as a moral or lesson.

a)

archetype

b)

epic

c)

allegory

d)

allusion

8.

What do you learn about “The Pardoner’s Tale” by rereading these lines?

“And then Death went his way without a word. / He’s killed a thousand in the present plague, / And, sir, it doesn’t do to be too vague / If you should meet him; you had best be wary.”

a)

Death would rather not speak.

b)

The plague poses a serious threat to this society.

c)

The rioters should stay away from death.

d)

Death can be avoided if you are careful.

9.
 Which words best describe the three rioters in “The Pardoner’s Tale”?
a)
friendly and fun-loving
b)
greedy and rough
c)
smart and dangerous
d)
cautious and sneaky
10.
In “The Pardoner’s Tale,” what do the two rioters decide to do after they have sent their friend for food and wine?
a)

to take the money while he is gone

b)

to carry away the money that night

c)

to give some money to the old man

d)

to kill their friend when he returns

11.
According to “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” why was the knight condemned to die?
a)

He insulted the queen.

b)

He was a coward.

c)

He raped a maiden.

d)

He disobeyed the king’s order.

12.
What is the main setting of the story about the knight in “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”?
a)
England in the time of King Arthur
b)
the court of a great queen
c)
an unknown country in the distant past
d)
a mythical kingdom at an unknown time
13.

According to “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” in the story of Midas, his wife tells her secret to the water. What is the point of this story?

a)

Women should not go near water.

b)

Women cannot tell secrets.

c)

Women enjoy being spoiled by their lovers.

d)

Women cannot be trusted to keep secrets.

14.

In “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” after the knight and the old woman are married, the old woman gives him two choices. What are they?

a)

He can have an old and faithful wife or a young and faithful wife.

b)

He can have a young and faithful wife or an old and rich wife.

c)

He can have an old and faithful wife or a young wife who is unfaithful.

d)

He can have an old and faithful wife, or he can have his freedom.

15.
In the final scene of the story in “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” the ugly old woman transforms herself into a beautiful young wife. How do you know she might be a fairy?
a)
Only fairies have the power to transform themselves.
b)
The Wife of Bath suggests the existence of fairies when she frames the tale.
c)
The old woman is so wise she must be something more than human.
d)
The queen would not have allowed the knight to marry her as a human.
16.
Which is NOT one of the reasons that some of the language of Beowulf seems to be mismatched?
a)
Monks added references to Christianity 
b)
Mistakes in translation
c)
Misunderstanding of out of date slang
d)
It was written multiple authors whose writing style was different.
17.

when the audience or reader knows more than the character(s)

a)

dramatic irony

b)

verbal irony

c)

situational irony

d)

spoiler

18.

According to Chaucer's General Prologue, how many tales will each pilgrim tell on the journey?

a)

two going there and two coming back

b)

as many as they wish

c)

one for the entire trip

d)

however many the Host decides

19.

Chaucer tells the reader that Friar is corrupt, knows all the barmaids, and has illegitimate children almost every town. What's the literary device being used?

a)

direct characterization

b)

indirect characterization

c)

allusion

d)

allegory

20.
When the dying Beowulf gives Wiglaf his gold necklace, the gesture means that
a)
Beowulf has captured the monster's treasure. 
b)
Beowulf wants Wiglaf to kill the creature
c)
Beowulf recognizes Wiglaf's superior strength in battle
d)
Beowulf is passing on the rulership of Geatland to Wiglaf
21.
In "The Wife of Bath's Tale," which is NOT one of the arguments of why the knight cannot love his wife?
a)
she's low-bred
b)
she's unintelligent
c)
she's old & ugly
d)
she's poor
22.
A reference to a well-known person, place, event or work, like the Bible or mythology, that appears in another work
a)
allegory
b)
allusion
c)
analogy
d)
alliteration
23.

What does the poet mean in this line from Beowulf? "The monster’s / Thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws. . . "

a)

The monster’s thoughts are kind.

b)

The monster has intelligence.

c)

The monster has long claws.

d)

The monster is hungry

24.
What weapon does Beowulf use to kill Grendel?
a)
his sword
b)
his hands
c)
a dagger
d)
a lance
25.

What literary device does Chaucer use when he describes the Cleric as having a threadbare coat and riding a skinny horse.

a)

allegory

b)

indirect characterization

c)

archetype

d)

frame narrative

26.
Where are the pilgrims going in the Prologue?
a)
to The Tabard, a famous inn
b)
to a church in London
c)
to a village in Southwark
d)
to the shrine of St. Thomas a' Beckett 
27.

What can you infer from these words of the Pardoner’s in “The Pardoner’s Tale”? "For my exclusive purpose is to win / And not at all to castigate their sin. / Once dead what matter how their souls may fare? / They can go blackberrying, for all I care!”

a)

He wants his parishioners to seek forgiveness for their sins.

b)

He wants his parishioners to work harder at farming for blackberries.

c)

He wants his parishioners to think about what will happen when they die.

d)

He wants his parishioners to give him plenty of their money.

28.
What moral lesson does the Pardoner convey through his use of an allegory in “The Pardoner’s Tale”?
a)
People are not always what they seem.
b)
Evil men will get what they deserve.
c)
Greed is the root of all evil.
d)
Even the best of friends cannot be trusted.
29.
What does the youngest rioter decide while on his way into town for food and wine in “The Pardoner’s Tale”?
a)
to poison his friends
b)
to look for Death on his way
c)
to find the old man and warn him
d)
to tell the old man what they found
30.
Who does the old man in “The Pardoner’s Tale” symbolize?
a)
Death
b)
Hope
c)
a thief and wanderer
d)
a mean-spirited villager
31.

In “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” the old woman insists the knight marry her as her reward. What does the word misalliance mean in his reply? “My love?” said he. “By Heaven, my damnation! / Alas that any of my race and station / Should ever make so foul a misalliance!” / Yet in the end his pleading and defiance / All went for nothing, he was forced to wed.

a)

a missed chance

b)

perfect wedding

c)

an incorrect guess

d)

a bad marriage

32.
According to “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” near the end of the story, the knight correctly answers the queen’s question. Why does the old woman suddenly leap up and claim her reward in front of the queen?
a)
The knight will not be able back out on his promise.
b)
She wants the queen to perform the wedding ceremony.
c)
She wants the queen to know the knight had her help.
d)
The queen will reward her for her excellent wisdom.
33.
What is the moral of “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”?
a)
Men should never let women gain the upper hand.
b)
Women make wiser decisions than men in all matters.
c)
The best judges are women because they are compassionate.
d)
It is best for husbands and wives when women rule the marriage.
34.
Which of the following lines from Beowulf contains an example of a caesura?
a)

“. . . Hidden evil before hidden evil.”

b)

“. . . Burns like a torch.No one knows its bottom . . .”

c)

“. . . And golden cups and the glorious banner . . .”

d)

“. . . And struck at the dragon’s scaly hide.”

35.
Chaucer was the first author to ...
a)
speak 3 languages
b)
write in English
c)
be jailed for his work
d)
compose a novela
36.
Wandering Anglo-Saxons story tellers who memorized and retold or sung by epics poems and tales.
a)
Troubadours
b)
Minstrels 
c)
Minnesingers 
d)
Scops
37.

In horror movies, the audience is aware that there is a killer in the house, but the characters do not and they proceed to enter.

a)

verbal irony

b)

dramatic irony

c)

situational irony

38.
Looking at her son's messy room, Mom says, "Wow, you could win an award for cleanliness!" What type of irony is used?
a)

Verbal irony

b)

Situational irony

c)

Dramatic Irony

39.
What type of irony?
a)
dramatic
b)
situational
c)
verbal
40.

What type of irony?

a)

verbal irony

b)

situational irony

c)

dramatic irony

41.
A pilot with a fear of heights
a)
verbal irony
b)
dramatic irony
c)
situational irony
d)
aerial irony
42.

In Federigo's Falcon, why did the characters telling the stories go to the country?

a)

To escape the plague

b)

To go hawking

c)

To visit family

d)

To visit Canterbury cathedral

43.

In Federigo's Falcon, how does Monna's son die?

a)

illness

b)

falcon deficiency

c)

accident

d)

murder

44.

In Federigo's Falcon, what happens to Federigo's inheritance?

a)

He wastes it in pursuit of love.

b)

He spends it all on a falcon?

c)

He buys a farm.

d)

He wastes it on jousting competition.

45.

In Federigo's Falcon, Federigo does give Monna his falcon. In what way is his act ironic?

a)

Federigo already had the bird caged and ready for her.

b)

Federigo served her the falcon as a meal, and she ate it.

c)

Federigo had already sent the falcon to her home.

d)

Federigo killed the falcon and had it stuffed for her.

46.

Which was NOT one of the 3 types of plague?

a)

Renal

b)

Septicemic

c)

Bubonic

d)

Pneumonic

47.

Which of the following is an example of direct characterization?

a)

He tapped his foot anxiously.

b)

Frank was a shy, quiet person.

c)

Jeff's hair was dyed blue and was spiked up in the front.

d)

Every time he earned a good grade, he would hang his paper on the fridge.

48.

Which of the following is an example of indirect characterization?

a)

"Jane is cruel person," said Tim.

b)

Bill was short and fat, and his bald spot was beginning to show.

c)

Billy sighed as he looked at the gym membership offer. He really needed to join, but just thinking about it made beads of sweat collect at the top of his forehead.

d)

"She is quiet and weird," said Lindsey.

49.

In the Wife of Bath's tale, how long does the knight have to complete his quest?

a)

One year

b)

One week

c)

A year and a day

d)

A month and a day

50.

The main gathering place in a Medieval kingdom.

a)

Sea-road

b)

Mead Hall

c)

Parliament

d)

Castle

51.

Originally, how did Anglo Saxons "record" their history, myths, and legends?

a)

scops wrote the stories

b)

monks wrote the stories

c)

oral stories

d)

cave drawings

52.

In Beowulf, why can't either Hrothgar's or Beowulf's men stab Grendel?

a)

They aren't strong enough.

b)

Grendel is too quick for them.

c)

Grendel's hide is too thick.

d)

Grendel has bewitched their swords so that they become blunt.

53.

In Beowulf, Grendel is said to be the descendant of which Biblical character?

a)

Cain

b)

Moses

c)

Abel

d)

Lucifer

54.

In Beowulf, why does Wiglaf berate the other warriors, saying that they are "branded by disgrace"?

a)

They were trying to strike at the dragon when Beowulf said not to

b)

He was proud of their actions and how they waited in the woods until they were told

c)

He was disgusted that they did not come to the aid of their king when he was suffering

d)

He will most likely become their king so he needed to begin to lecture them

55.
What is built for Beowulf that honors his life?
a)
a mead-hall even greater than Herot
b)
a funeral tower
c)
a treasure trove
d)
a vault for Beowulf's trophies
56.
What is the definition of a frame narrative? 
a)
A frame narrative is a story set within a story, narrative, or film, told by the main or the supporting character.
b)
A frame narrative sets the scene of a story.
c)
A frame narrative is a brief summary of the plot, which is told at the end of the story.
d)
A frame narrative tells the reader what is going to happen. 
57.

The ceremony to become a knight was called:

a)

Dubbing

b)

Knighting

c)

Metamorphosis

d)

Chivalry

58.

This is a copy of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The work of Chaucer is an example of which stage in the development of the English language?

a)

Old English

b)

Middle English

c)

Early Modern English

d)

Modern English

59.

In medieval society, most people were _____________.

a)

knights

b)

free

c)

peasants

d)

nobles

60.

After the Norman Conquest, which language became the language of power and the upper classes?

a)

English

b)

Latin

c)

Norse

d)

French

61.

The language used by the Church in the Middle Ages was ___?

a)

Latin

b)

Old Norse

c)

English

d)

French

62.
Which of these best defines feudalism?
a)
A political and economic arrangement in which a lord provides protection in exchange for loyalty and service.
b)
A hierarchy designed to ensure only kings are protected.
c)
A system of exchange where laborers work for wages in the form of money.
d)
A social order with kings at the top and knights at the bottom.
63.

Beowulf journeys to Demark to the home of Hrothgar seeking "Lof." Which word best defines the Anglo-Saxon concept of Lof?

a)

peace

b)

glory

c)

revenge

d)

love

64.
The author of Beowulf is...
a)

Shakespeare

b)

Chaucer

c)

Unknown

d)

Werguild

65.

Beowulf was originally written in . . .?

a)

Middle English

b)

French

c)

Danish

d)

Old English

66.

What is a caesura?

a)

the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of words that are near each other.

b)

compound, descriptive phrases with metaphorical meanings that stand in for ordinary nouns and proper nouns

c)

the repetition of the sound of a vowel

d)

a strong pause in the middle of a line of verse, shown as space in Old English

67.

What saves Beowulf from the claws and dagger of Grendel's mother?

a)

his chain mail shirt

b)

his battle helmet

c)

his sword, Hrunting

d)

his swift swimming

68.

mournful, melancholy, or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead.

a)

eulogy

b)

elegy

c)

allusion

d)

alliteration

69.
What literary device is the following an example of? "Along the whale's path I travel."
a)
Alliteration
b)
Caesura
c)
Kenning
d)
Assonance
70.

In "The Seafarer," which phrase is an accurate description of the sea?

a)

Harsh, lonely, cold

b)

Mild, comfortable

c)

hot, torturous

d)

Comforting, peaceful

71.

What is the subject of the first part of “The Seafarer”?

a)

living life at sea

b)

a man's longing for his wife

c)

how a person became a Christian

d)

surviving life in exile

72.

What is the speaker’s final message in the second half of “The Seafarer”?

a)

Life at sea is a great experience.

b)

Those faithful to God will be rewarded.

c)

The glories of earth are past.

d)

Gold will purchase a place in heaven.

73.

Which of the following is NOT a kenning?

a)

sky-candle

b)

shiny-sword

c)

battle-dew

d)

whale road

74.

_________ is a long journey made to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion.

a)

A pilgrimage

b)

A vision quest

c)

An enlightenment hike

d)

A moral expedition

75.

When the Pardoner's Tale opens, what are the rioters doing? 

a)

Drinking

b)

Praying

c)

Working

d)

Dancing

76.

The cathedral of Canterbury is considered sacred ground. What event in 1170 made this cathedral sacred ground?

a)

The baptism of Edward the Confessor

b)

It is the burial ground for several kings.

c)

The murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas a' Becket, by several of Henry II's knights.

77.

Which of the seven deadly sins does The Pardoner preach against, despite admitting been most guilty of himself?

a)

Avarice (Greed)

b)

Envy

c)

Pride

d)

Wrath

78.

Where does Grendel live?

a)

deep in the swamp/marsh

b)

the jungle

c)

the ocean

d)

the city

79.

What trophy does Beowulf hang from the rafters in Herot?

a)

The giant's sword

b)

Grendel's head

c)

The golden dragon chalice

d)

Grendel's arm

80.

Which kenning was NOT used to describe Grendel?

a)

shepherd of evil

b)

sin-stained demon

c)

guardian of crime

d)

golden-shining hall

81.

Which kenning best represents a king?

a)

Ring Giver

b)

Crest Glider

c)

Battle Flame

d)

Headland Jewel

82.

In the General Prologue, what is prize that winner with the best story will get upon their return to the tavern?

a)

to be in the front of the line

b)

to go home first

c)

a dinner hosted by the other pilgrims

d)

a medal

83.

In "The Wife's Lament", where does the man go when he leaves his woman?

a)

To a castle

b)

To fight Grendel

c)

To war

d)

Across the sea

84.

During the time in history when these poems were shared, many groups of people left or were sent from their homes. Knowing this helps the reader understand why

a)

each person was sent away.

b)

each person was lonely.

c)

the theme of exile was common.

d)

the lyric poem was popular.

85.

After a year of fighting to claim the throne or England among the Vikings and Anglo Saxons, William the Conquerer of Normandy was crowned the King of England on Dec. 25th.

What was the year of this Norman Conquest?

a)

1776

b)

1066

c)

1492

d)

500 BCE