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Of Mice and Men Unit Test

Total questions: 80

Worksheet time: 4hrs 58mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
Where is the novel set?
a)
Soledad
b)
Weed
c)
New York
d)
Chicago
2.
What is Lennie's dream?
a)
To tend the rabbits
b)
To have his own house
c)
To earn his own money
d)
To live alone
3.
What is Lennie's obsession?
a)
To pet soft things
b)
To play with mice
c)
To be alone
d)
To touch hair
4.

When did Of Mice and Men take place?

a)

During the Middle Ages in 600 AD

b)

During the Colonial Period in the 1700's

c)

During the Civil War in the 1860's

d)

During the Great Depression in the 1930's

5.

What two details do we learn about Curley's wife in Chapter 5?

a)

She used to be a famous musician and loves to sail

b)

When she was growing up she had two cats and lived with her aunt

c)

Her dream was to be an actress and she doesn't like her husband

d)

She doesn't like broccoli and wears a size 10 shoe

6.

What happened to Curley's hand in Chapter 3?

a)

He got it caught in a machine

b)

He pulled a tendon carrying a hay bale

c)

Lennie broke it during an altercation with Curley

d)

Candy's dog attacked him

7.

What hallucinations does Lennie see at the end of the novel?

a)

A new life

b)

Aunt Clara and a rabbit

c)

Ketchup and beans

d)

A new pair of shoes

8.

What is characterization?

a)

description of the distinctive nature or features of someone or something

b)

a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words

c)

when a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story.

d)

a figure of speech that involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis

9.

Who really stole Carlson's luger?

a)

Lennie

b)

Candy

c)

Curley

d)

George

10.

In Chapter 5, Lennie kills Curley's wife. What else is killed through that same incident?

a)

A mouse

b)

Curley's hand

c)

George and Lennie's dream

d)

Candy's dog

11.

Which Chapter in Of Mice and Men displays the theme, the predatory nature of human existence, or, in other words, the weak preying on the weaker?

a)

Chapter 4

b)

Chapter 1

c)

Chapter 6

d)

Chapter 5

12.

Why is Candy's dog so significant?

a)

It represents discrimination against the elderly and provides Candy with a way to avoid facing his future.

b)

It signifies how bad of an owner Candy is by not keeping up with the dog's hygiene.

c)

It represents discrimination against those in society who have a mental disability.

d)

It represents capitalism in America and comprehending the financial gap.

13.

What is one reason why Steinbeck wrote Of Mice and Men?

a)

To expose to his audience man's severe faults and failures, for example, sexism and racism, for the purpose of improvement.

b)

To show how dreams always come true if you just work hard enough.

c)

To provide society with a new perspective on veterinary practices and land cultivation.

d)

To show people how to better protect children from the evils of mankind and preserve their innocence.

14.

What are three events throughout the book that foreshadow Lennie's death?

a)

When Crooks expresses his isolation from the other ranch hands, the killing of Whit, and Curley's wife speaking with Candy.

b)

The killing of Candy's dog, the puppy, and Curley's wife

c)

The killing of Aunt Clara, Slim stealing Carlson's luger, and George going into town with the men.

d)

The rabbit talking to Lennie, George and Lennie traveling to Soledad, and the killing of Slim.

15.

What is a migrant worker?

a)

A person who moves to another country or area in order to find employment, in particular seasonal or temporary work.

b)

A person who draws or produces maps.

c)

A person who cuts and styles hair as an occupation.

d)

A person who broadcasts a description and forecast of weather conditions.

16.

What do the characters Lennie, Crooks, Curley's wife, and Candy all have in common?

a)

All of these characters only wear the color red.

b)

All of these characters are conspiring together to rise against the other men on the ranch.

c)

All of these characters really like rabbits.

d)

All of these characters are discriminated against in society and are viewed as "inferior" or "weak".

17.
Who is the author of 'Of Mice and Men'?
a)
John Steinbeck
b)
J. K. Rowling
c)
Jane Austen
d)
J. R. R. Tolkien
18.
Who are the two main characters?
a)
George Milton & Lennie Small
b)
Mr. & Mrs. Curley
c)
Slim Smith & Crooks Big
d)
John Poe & Lennie Small
19.
What is the name of Curley's wife?
a)
Martha
b)
Clara
c)
Eugenia
d)
She doesn't have a name in the story
20.
Which character is racially discriminated against?
a)
Candy
b)
Curley
c)
Crooks
d)
Slim
21.
Whose dog is shot?
a)
Lennie
b)
Slim
c)
Crooks
d)
Candy
22.
Who is the last character to die?
a)
Candy
b)
Curley's wife
c)
Lennie
d)
George
23.
What is the major theme of the novel?
a)
Loneliness
b)
Death
c)
Love
d)
Power
24.
The reader gains an early indication of Lennie’s problem when
a)
he admits to George that he can’t read traffic signs
b)
he forgets his own name
c)
we learn about the dead mouse in his pocket
d)
he forgets where they are going
25.

When Steinbeck tells us that Lennie likes to pet soft things, he is using the technique of

a)

narration

b)

graphic description

c)

foreshadowing

d)

manifest destiny

26.

George would make Lennie feel bad by

a)

telling him what a burden Lennie is to him

b)

teasing him about the rabbit farm

c)

refusing to give him any spending money

d)

telling Lennie there was so ketchup for the beans

27.
George and Lennie felt that they were different from other itinerant ranch hands because they
a)
had desirable skills
b)
could look after each other
c)
liked to put roots down in one place
d)
worked well together
28.
George explained Lennie’s problem to everyone by saying
a)
he had been the victim of a childhood disease
b)
his parents kept him out of school
c)
he had been kicked in the head by a horse
d)
he ate paint chips as a child
29.
What does George say he could do if he were alone?
a)
go to a “cat house”
b)
drink whiskey all night
c)
play cards at a pool hall all night
d)
all of the above
30.

The story of Lennie’s near disaster in the town of Weed

a)

showed that Lennie might be a rapist

b)

exacerbated Curley’s bitterness toward both men

c)

foreshadowed later events in the story

d)

makes the reader think of Lennie differently

31.
Which comparison between Candy and his dog is NOT true?
a)
Candy and his dog are both outcasts
b)
Candy and his dog are both aged and decrepit
c)
Candy and his dog are both barely able to function without others’ help
d)
Candy and his dog are both sacrificed when useless
32.
The lowest man in the ranch hierarchy was
a)
Candy, the swamper
b)
Crooks, the stable buck
c)
Slim, the jerkline skinner
d)
Carlson, the ranch hand
33.

Curley’s wife precipitated her own death by

a)

enticing Lennie down to the river bank

b)

inviting Lennie to stroke her hair

c)

giving Lennie the eye in front of her husband

d)

Jumping from the roof of the big barn

34.
Which of these animals is NOT killed in the course of the story?
a)
a mouse
b)
a puppy
c)
a rabbit
d)
an old dog
35.

What does George say to Lennie before shooting him?

a)

he tells him that he’s done a bad thing

b)

he tells him to think of the farm they are going to get

c)

he tells him to think of a rabbit

d)

that he is disappointed in Lennie

36.

George felt that he had to carry out the execution

a)

as retribution for Lennie’s terrible crime

b)

before the Curley got to Lennie and made him suffer

c)

since Lennie had ruined their future

d)

To save himself from further trouble

37.
Which character is the boss's son that hates big guys?
a)
Crooks
b)
Carlson
c)
Candy
d)
Curley
38.
Which character is missing his right hand, is old and has an old dog?
a)
Candy
b)
Curley
c)
Crooks
d)
Carlson
39.
Who shoots Candy's old dog?
a)
The boss
b)
Carlson
c)
Crooks
d)
Candy
40.
Who is respected by ALL of the men on the ranch?  He is the the boss over George and Lennie.
a)
Slim
b)
Crooks
c)
Candy
d)
Curley
41.
Who is characterized as huge, strong and child-like?
a)
George
b)
Crooks
c)
Lennie
d)
Candy
42.

Who takes care of Lennie and travels with him. He is small and has sharp features.

a)

Slim

b)

Carlson

c)

George

d)

Jameson

43.
He is isolated because of the color of his skin.  He sleeps in the stable and has a crooked back.
a)
Crooks
b)
Candy
c)
Carlson
d)
Curley
44.
Who is always looking for her husband and gives men on the ranch "the eye"?  She is also known as a "tart".
a)
Candy
b)
Curley's wife
c)
Lennie
d)
Matilda
45.
He used to be a boxer. He is always looking for his wife.  Describe as short and stocky.
a)
Candy
b)
Carlson
c)
Curley
d)
George
46.

How is the thematic idea of the predatory nature of human existence shown in the novel (think about how the weak prey on the weaker)?

4 lines
47.

Based on the novella, how does John Steinbeck seem to feel about the concept of the American dream?

4 lines
48.

How does the thematic idea of isolation seem to affect the characters in the story?

4 lines
49.

Give 2 examples of foreshadowing in the story and explain how this foreshadowing works and what it is supposed to highlight.

4 lines
50.

What concept explains the name "Lennie Small"?

a)

Personification

b)

Foreshadowing

c)

Irony

d)

Metaphor

51.

Over the course of human history some texts have been targeted due to their contents and, thus, banned since these texts were determined to be morally bankrupt, scandalous or didn’t align with the predominant societal views. Banning books is far from a new idea. In this country, there have been multiple attempts to ban Of Mice and Men because people feel the text is racist, profane, vulgar and violent. Should this book be banned? Why/why not?

4 lines
52.

In terms of social identity which character in Of Mice and Men held the most power?

a)

Curley

b)

Slim

c)

George

d)

Candy

53.

Lennie is a character that can be easily misunderstood by those around him, even his closest friend George. Throughout the story he found himself ridiculed, yelled at, physically attacked, underestimated, etc.


What part of Lennies character leads to this mistreatment? Is this treatment justified? why or why not?

4 lines
54.
What was Lennie's problem with animals?
a)
He kept too many.
b)
He would not clean up their messes.
c)
He was afraid of them.
d)
He petted them to death.
55.

Which character is old and an example of what happens to lonely men on ranches as they grow older?

a)

Candy

b)

Slim

c)

Curley

d)

Carlson

56.

Which character sets the moral tone that self-respect, empathy, and noble qualities can be found in the lowly?

a)

Curley

b)

Candy

c)

Slim

d)

Carlson

57.

Which character is not as vicious as Curley, but lacks empathy and understanding for others?

a)

Crooks

b)

Curley's wife

c)

Slim

d)

Carlson

58.
When Steinbeck tells us that Lennie likes to pet soft things, he is using the technique of
a)
narration
b)
graphic description
c)
foreshadowing
59.
The reader gains an early indication of Lennie’s problem when
a)
he admits to George that he can’t read traffic signs
b)
he forgets his own name
c)
we learn about the dead mouse in his pocket
d)
he forgets where they are going
60.
George and Lennie felt that they were different from other itinerant ranch hands because they
a)
had desirable skills
b)
could look after each other
c)
liked to put roots down in one place
d)
worked well together
61.
George explained Lennie’s problem to everyone by saying
a)
he had been the victim of a childhood disease
b)
his parents kept him out of school
c)
he had been kicked in the head by a horse
d)
he ate paint chips as a child
62.
What does George say he could do if he were alone?
a)
go to a “cat house”
b)
drink whiskey all night
c)
play cards at a pool hall all night
d)
all of the above
63.
What is the name of Curley’s wife?
a)
she is never named
b)
Colleen
c)
Clara
d)
Suzy
64.
What is the difference between George shooting Lennie and Curley shooting Lennie?
a)
Curley wants to shoot Lennie in the guts and make him suffer
b)
George wants to shoot Lennie in the back of the head so he doesn’t suffer
c)
George wants to shoot Lennie out of kindness
d)
all of these
65.
To soften in feeling or temper, as a person; pacify; appease 
a)
Scowl
b)
Irrigation
c)
Mollify 
d)
Anguish 
66.
Portending evil or harm; foreboding; threatening; inauspicious
a)
Mollify
b)
Anguish
c)
Scowl 
d)
Ominous
67.

Which statement below best summarizes the dream Curley’s wife had for her future, before she met Curley?

a)

She wanted to be a famous dancer.

b)

She wanted to marry the boy next door.

c)

She wanted to go to college to get away from her mother.

d)

She wanted to go to Hollywood and be in the movies.

68.

In this chapter Lennie tells Curley’s wife that the reason the death of his puppy is so upsetting to him is that now he “won’t get to tend the rabbits”(85). The fact that the loss of imaginary rabbits he never had is more tragic to him than the death of his real pet puppy is an example of…

a)

Metaphor

b)

Irony

c)

Allusion

d)

Personification

69.

While he is waiting for George in the clearing, what two hallucinations does Lennie have?

a)

A rabbit and a dead mouse

b)

A rabbit and Curley's dead Wife

c)

A rabbit and his aunt Clara

d)

Slim's bitch

70.

How do we know George doesn't want to shoot Lennie?

a)

His hand shakes as he's holding the gun

b)

He puts the gun down before shooting him

c)

He shivers after shooting Lennie

d)

All of the above

71.
What literary element is present in the following passage?
Curley was flopping like a fish on a line, and his closed fist was lost in Lennie’s big hand.
a)
metaphor
b)
simile
c)
hyperbole
d)
irony
72.
Slim is able to blackmail Curley into not telling what Lennie did to him.  What reason does Curley have for not wanting people to know how he hurt himself?
a)
He is the boss’s son.
b)
Curley’s wife may think he is weak and leave him.
c)
He has a reputation to uphold.
d)
He doesn’t want Lennie to hurt him again.
73.
Lennie is mentally strong and physically slow. 
a)
True 
b)
False 
74.

Where does the story end?

a)

in Weed

b)

in Texas

c)

in the same place it started

d)

at the ranch

75.

What topic did Steinbeck write mostly about?

a)

lifestyles of the rich and famous

b)

lifestyles of migrant workers and the poor

c)

lifestyles of sailors and captains

d)

lifestyles of plantation owners

76.

When did the stock market crash?

a)

October 1920

b)

December 1929

c)

December 1947

d)

October 1929

77.

Where did people typically flee during The Great Depression?

a)

Canada

b)

Europe

c)

California/out west

d)

Mexico

78.

Who felt the impact of the Great Depression the hardest?

a)

farmers, coal miners, construction workers

b)

the wealthy bankers and Wall Street employees

c)

socialites whose husbands were killed

d)

bootleggers and gangsters

79.

Why did people who were poor and down trodden still continue to work so hard?

a)

The American Dream

b)

a ticket to Europe

c)

It's all that they could do.

d)

In order to set a good example.

80.

What is "The American Dream?"

a)

a dream of coming to America to receive more opportunities

b)

a chance to succeed and build a better life

c)

an ideal that those who are hardworking will be rewarded

d)

all of the above