WorksheetsTranscendentalism, Self-Reliance, Walden, & Epistemology
Total questions: 53
Worksheet time: 29mins
Based on "Walden," why did Thoreau go live alone in the woods for two years?
To save money
To get away from people and society because he did not like anyone
To enjoy nature
To simplify his life in order to find his purpose
Using your knowledge of "Walden," what would Thoreau's life motto be?
"Simplicity is the key to living"
"Get outside and enjoy nature!"
"Work hard and prepare for the future!"
"Run away from society, be your own man, and don't conform!"
A nonconformist is someone who
does everything they are told to do.
does not follow the beliefs of the majority.
does not like farms.
follows the beliefs of a carefully outlined code of conduct.
Which of the following is the definition of conviction
apparent
firm belief
excelling
strong dislike
A word Thoreau repeats throughout "Walden" is
"nature, nature, nature"
"resist, resist, resist,"
"think, think, think"
"simplicity, simplicity, simplicity"
The quote "Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads" show Thoreau's appreciation of
Nature
Truth
Love
Death
Why are people compared to ants in Walden?
People are small like ants in the grand scheme of the universe
People kill each other like insects kill each other
People follow a Queen Ant
People work a lot like ants.
Emerson and Thoreau were
friends
Transcendentalists
Concord residents
Nature lovers
All of the above
The author's main purpose in warning people against "foolish consistency" is to __.
warn people against listening too closely to others' advice
encourage a return to traditional beliefs and values
help people earn more respect among their peers
tell us to be open-minded and willing to change our minds
Emerson says that many great people have ____.
been misunderstood
traveled a lot
written music
gained money
What does Emerson mean by "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds?"
A great mind is not afraid to contradict their ideas for new ones
a great mind does not contradict their own ideas
hobgoblins are scary
doing the same foolish thing over and over is cool
Who or what should every person trust?
"every heart"
"thyself"
"society"
"contemporaries"
Emerson states that men will certainly learn that _____.
envy is ignorance
it is wise to envy others
everyone should earn a lot of money
conflict is a good thing
Which group of historical figures does Emerson reference when he says "to be great is to be misunderstood."
Socrates, Jesus, Galileo, Pythagoras, Copernicus, and Newton
Plato, George Washington, Jesus, Thoreau, Newton, and Benjamin Franklin
Aristotle, King George, Jesus, Melville, Tesla, and Marie Curie
IDK
Greatness is demonstrated by a person when he/she
is praised by many people
knows what they believe in and stands up for his/her beliefs
memorizes and recites copies wisdom of famous leaders
mimics qualities of great leaders like Moses, Plato & Milton
bestowed--past tense of confer or present (an honor, right, or gift).
true
false
importune--harass (someone) persistently for or to do something.
true
false
meanness--lack of quality or attractiveness; shabbiness
true
false
countenance--a person's face or facial expression
true
false
Words related to "transcendental" include:
transpose, ascendant, dental
physical, tangible, concrete
abstract, metaphysical, supernatural
dark, horrific, tragic
TRANSCENDENTALISM is the idea that in order to learn the truth about the self, the universe, the divine, and everything else, one must TRANSCEND - or go beyond -
everyday human experience in the physical world
the boundaries of Toms River
the point of no return
the limits of Fantasia
What was "The Dial"?
The Transcendental Bible
A manner of meditation to help one connect with one's intuition
The tool naturalists used to tell the time according to the sun
A literary journal for Transcendentalist thought
Who co-founded "The Dial"?
Emerson and Thoreau
Thoreau and Fuller
Emerson and Fuller
Emerson and Ripley
"Walden" is what?
A book written by Emerson about the natural beauty of Walden Pond.
A poem written by Thoreau about nature.
An essay written by Fuller about Transcendentalist values.
A journal about the two years Thoreau spent living alone in nature.
A Transcendentalist might suggest that:
By contemplating ________,
the individual can _________
the world and discover their _________.
transcendence, forget, intuition
true freedom, embrace, destiny
nature, transcend, divine truth
god, escape, true nature
Emerson and the Transcendentalists worked to define ________________ and ________________ in a new way.
religion; spirituality
industry; success
work; power
change; literature
According to the Transcendentalists, the way to discover spirituality is:
by looking inwards & connecting to nature to discover self
by listening to what your parents & following the rules
by going to church every Wednesday & Sunday
by listening to music & reading poetry by listening to music & reading poetry
Which of the following is the most worthy of respect in Transcendentalism?
the law
the will of the majority
God's laws
the individual conscience
Which characteristic of Transcendentalism means: "forming truth through your own logic, reason, and experience"?
Nonconformity
Self-Reliance
Free Thought
Confidence
Importance of Nature
Transcendentalist liked the commercial side of American life.
true
false
maybe
Which belief statement represents empiricism?
Truth is discovered with the mind
Truth is perceived with the senses
Truth is unknowable
Truth changes from person to person
What is rationalism?
we acquire knowledge through experience
we are born knowing only our version of the world
we acquire knowledge through reasoning
we are unable to acquire knowledge by any means
Who came up with the phenomenal world vs the noumenal world?
C.S. Lewis
Willard V.O. Quine
Plato
Immanuel Kant
Which belief statement represents empiricism?
Truth is discovered with the mind
Truth is perceived with the senses
Truth is unknowable
Truth changes from person to person
What does tabula rasa mean?
Red tablet
New knowledge
Rise tomorrow
Clean slate
Which of the following best describes a central idea of the text in The Walden excerpt?
Time is fleeting and so people should live life to the fullest by experiencing everything it has to offer.
People should put art and academics before work and society because work and society are meaningless.
Life should be lived without complication or hurry in order to find meaning
Technology is invasive and must be stopped before it takes over all aspects of one’s life.
In paragraph 2, Thoreau states, “We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us.” Which of the following statements best explains the figurative language used in this quote?
Thoreau grieves for those whom the railroad industry has taken advantage of, specifically those who died while building it.
Thoreau predicts the end of small business craftsmanship in the face of an increasingly industrialized world represented by the train.
Thoreau comments on how aspects of modern life, such as the train, control the lives of the people who use them, rather than the other way around.
Thoreau denounces the use of public transportation, arguing that is pointless if it cannot take one exactly where one chooses.
How does the author respond to people’s interest in the news, as shown in paragraph 3?
He is saddened by the people’s interest in gossip and tragedy rather than “real” news from around the world.
He mocks the news and the people who obsess over it, implying that they are blind to life and reality because of their news obsession.
He becomes angry because their obsession with the news prevents them from recognizing when something important, such as a fire, is actually happening nearby.
He mocks the news and the people who obsess over it, suggesting that they don’t actually understand what they are reading.
How does the story of the prince in paragraph 6 contribute to the development of ideas in the passage?
The story supports Thoreau’s idea that one can see the “reality” of things when one looks past superficial circumstances.
The story supports Thoreau’s argument that superficial titles are just distractions and have nothing to do with who a person really is.
Thoreau praises the story because the prince’s childhood of living in the forest shows how going to the woods in order to “live deliberately” can be beneficial.
Thoreau uses the story to argue that what one thinks to be the truth can actually be false, and so there is no such thing as “reality.”
Explain Thoreau's figurative use of the word “burrowing” in the final paragraph. What is he digging for? Cite evidence from the text in your answer.
Why did Thoreau resist change? Use evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.
In the context of this text, what does it mean to feel alone? Why did Thoreau seek solitude? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature or art in your answer.
