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Of Mice and Men - narrative test

Total questions: 64

Worksheet time: 1hrs 4mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

(1) Which is the best definition of the word mean in Lennie’s statement, “It’s mean here” (paragraph 3)?

a)

medium in size

b)

lacking in kindness

c)

common in appearance

d)

reluctant to accommodate

2.

(2) In George’s statement in paragraph 2 that “We gotta keep it till we get a stake,” the word stake is best understood to mean a(n) --

a)

amount of money

b)

wooden peg

c)

set of supplies

d)

interest in an activity

3.

(3) The author has Lennie speak in short, simple words and sentences in order to --

a)

provide relief for the reader from the longer sentences of George

b)

serve as a contrast to the sentences describing the setting

c)

add an extra emphasis to what Lennie says

d)

reflect the simplicity of Lennie’s mind

4.

(4) In paragraph 5, the author describes the basins as rattling in order to convey --

a)

the flimsy nature of the basins

b)

the activity of the men washing up

c)

the importance of having basins

d)

a hint of danger from the rattlesnake sound

5.

(6) Which of the following contributes to the suggestion that Slim is almost superhuman?

a)

“His voice was very gentle.”

b)

“his ear heard more that was said to him”

c)

“he moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty”

d)

“There was a gravity in his manner.”

6.

(7) In paragraph 15, Slim’s comments about how few guys “travel around together” imply that the cause of people not going in groups is --

a)

anger

b)

fear

c)

greed

d)

laziness

7.

(13) The fact that Curley’s wife believes her mother stole her letter suggests that Curley’s wife tends to --

a)

blame all of her problems on her mother

b)

live in a fantasy world

c)

exaggerate in order to impress the workers

d)

wish she had not left home at such a young age

8.

(14) Curley’s wife married him because she --

a)

wanted to get away from home

b)

thought he would take her to Hollywood

c)

had always dreamed of living on a ranch

d)

thought that he was a good dancer and handsome

9.

What is the name of the town George and Lennie are traveling to in the beginning of the novel?

a)

Soledad

b)

Weed

c)

Goshen

d)

San Francisco

10.

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

11.

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

12.

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

13.

What is George and Lennie's dream?

a)

To own a farm and "live off the fatta th' lan'"

b)

Go the Hollywood and be in movies

c)

Learn to be pilots

d)

Own a Tesla and live in Los Angeles

14.

What does Lennie envision 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

15.

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

16.

Who really stole Carlson's luger?

a)

Lennie

b)

Candy

c)

Curley

d)

George

17.

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

18.

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

19.

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.

20.

What is setting?

a)

A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.

b)

A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.

c)

An environment or surrounding in which an event or story takes place.

d)

The subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person's thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic.

21.

What is mood?

a)

A literary technique in which two or more ideas, places, characters, and their actions are placed side by side in a narrative or a poem, for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts.

b)

A literary element that evokes certain feelings or vibes in readers through words and descriptions.

c)

The use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same; or similar in their construction, sound, meaning, or meter.

d)

A verse, a line, a set, or a group of lines that appears at the end of stanza, or appears where a poem divides into different sections.

22.

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.

23.

What is racism?

a)

Prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.

b)

Prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of a person's age.

c)

Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.

d)

Discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.

24.

What is sexism?

a)

Discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.

b)

The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

c)

Treating a person or group differently because of the beliefs they hold about a religion.

d)

Prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.

25.

What does discrimination mean?

a)

The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.

b)

The state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.

c)

New ideas, creative thoughts, new imaginations in form of device or method.

d)

An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

26.

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.

27.

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.

28.

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".

29.
Who wrote Of Mice and Men?
a)
Jane Austin
b)
Steve Milton
c)
John Steinbeck
d)
Abel Finebeck
30.
The story took place during
a)
The Renaissance
b)
The Great Depression
c)
The Great Awakening
d)
The Recession
31.
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.
32.
Lennie and George left Oklahoma because
a)
They could not find work.
b)
People hated them.
c)
They wanted to see the ocean.
d)
They missed trees.
33.
The dust bowl was
a)
The result of bad farming practices.
b)
An extreme drought
c)
Both of these
d)
None of these
34.
What did Lennie want with his beans?
a)
ketchup
b)
mustard
c)
mayonaise
d)
none of these
35.
Lennie's desire for ketchup emphasized his
a)
immaturity
b)
selfishness
c)
mental disability
d)
none of these
36.
Lennie needed someone to help him because
a)
He had a broken leg.
b)
He was weak.
c)
He had a mental disability.
d)
None of these
37.
What are the three types of persuasion?
a)
logos, ethos, pathos
b)
sun, moon, stars
c)
astrology, astronomy, astrophysics
d)
none of these
38.
Logos is
a)
emotional
b)
credibility
c)
logical
d)
none of these
39.
Ethos is 
a)
logical
b)
credibility
c)
emotional
d)
none of these
40.
Pathos is
a)
credibility
b)
emotional
c)
logical
d)
none of these
41.
Credibility is
a)
believable
b)
worthy of trust
c)
both of these
d)
none of these
42.
What is Lennie's surname?
a)
Small
b)
Large
c)
Henry
d)
Robinson
43.
What three animals is Lennie compared to in the opening chapter?
a)
Cow, pig, dog
b)
Horse, cow, moose
c)
Stag, sheep, dog
d)
Bear, horse, terrier
44.
Where does George tell Lennie to hide if he gets in trouble?
a)
The brush
b)
Under the bridge
c)
The bunkhouse
d)
In a cave
45.
Who is the old swamper they meet?
a)
Carlson
b)
Candy
c)
Curley
d)
Whit
46.
Why is Crooks called Crooks?
a)
He is a criminal
b)
He has a cane
c)
He has a crooked back
d)
He house is crooked
47.
"(He's) pretty handy. He done a bit in the ring. He's a lightweight, and he's handy." Who is being described here?
a)
Curley
b)
Candy
c)
Carlson
d)
Slim
48.
What colour were Curley's wife's fingernails and mules?
a)
White
b)
Red
c)
Pink
d)
Blue
49.
"There was...a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke. His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject..." Who is this describing?
a)
Curley
b)
George
c)
Crooks
d)
Slim
50.
What does Slim give to Lennie?
a)
A kitten
b)
A dollar
c)
A pup
d)
A slap
51.
Who shoots Candy's dog?
a)
Slim
b)
Curley
c)
George
d)
Carlson
52.
"...ain't concealin' nothing. I never seen anybody like them. (...) got the eye goin' all the time on everybody. I bet they even give the stable buck the eye." Who is Whit describing here?
a)
Curley
b)
The boss
c)
Curley's wife
d)
George
53.
"An' rabbits (...) An' I take care of 'em. Tell how I'd do that ..." Who said this?
a)
Candy
b)
George
c)
Crooks
d)
Lennie
54.
"I shouldn't ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog." Who said this?
a)
Lennie
b)
Carlson
c)
Candy
d)
George
55.
Why was Slim angry with Curley?
a)
Curley accused him of seeing his wife
b)
He didn't harness up the mules
c)
Curley tried to punch him
d)
He shot Candy's dog
56.
"...flopping like a fish on a line." Who does this describe?
a)
Candy
b)
Lennie
c)
Curley
d)
Whit
57.

When is the story set?

a)

1950s

b)

1920s

c)

1930s

d)

1940s

58.
Where does the story start and finish?
a)
Sabrinas River, Solemum
b)
Salinas River, Soledad
c)
Serpent River, Soledad
d)
Simons River, Solebro
59.
Over how many days does the story take place?
a)
28 days
b)
14 days
c)
4 days
d)
2 days
60.
What is the name of Curley's wife?
a)
Martha
b)
Clara
c)
Eugenia
d)
She doesn't have a name in the story
61.
Which character is racially discriminated against?
a)
Candy
b)
Curley
c)
Crooks
d)
Slim
62.
What happens between Lennie and Curley?
a)
They fight
b)
They have a baby
c)
They share their dreams
d)
They take over the ranch
63.
Who is the last character to die?
a)
Candy
b)
Curley's wife
c)
Lennie
d)
George
64.
What is the major theme of the novel?
a)
Loneliness
b)
Death
c)
Love
d)
Power