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William Shakespeare

Total questions: 71

Worksheet time: 37mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

When was William Shakespeare born?

a)

April 23rd, 1564

b)

September 23rd, 1564

c)

May 23rd, 1564

d)

December 23rd, 1564

2.

When did William Shakespeare die?

a)

April 23rd, 1616

b)

September 23rd, 1616

c)

December 23rd, 1616

d)

June 23rd, 1616

3.

How many new words did he introduce (coin) in the English language?

a)

Almost 3,000 words

b)

Nearly 1,500 words

c)

Exactly 1,203 words

d)

About 2,100 words

4.

How many words did he use only once in some of his plays?

a)

Over 7,000 words

b)

About 6,000 words

c)

Under 5,000 words

d)

Nearly 4,000 words

5.

What position does he occupy in the ranking of the most quoted writers in the English Language?

a)

Second

b)

First

c)

Third

d)

Fourth

6.

How many variations of the spelling of his name are recorded?

a)

80

b)

55

c)

23

d)

39

7.

What's the total number of words that his plays are made of?

a)

884,429 words

b)

784,429 words

c)

684,429 words

d)

984,429 words

8.

How many plays and other works were written by Shakespeare?

a)

37 plays and 154 works that we know of

b)

33 plays and 122 works that we know of

c)

25 plays and 210 works that we know of

d)

49 plays and 179 works that we know of

9.

Where was Shakespeare born?

a)

Stratford-upon-Avon

b)

Bradford-on-Avon

c)

New Castle-upon-Tyne

d)

Stoke-on-Trent

10.

What's the name of Shakespeare's theatre?

a)

The Globe

b)

The World

c)

The Earth

d)

The Planet

11.

How many films based on Shakespeare's plays have been produced so far?

a)

310

b)

410

c)

510

12.

How much did Shakespeare earn for a play?

a)

about £6

b)

about £10

c)

about £15

13.

What did Shakespeare use for writing his plays and sonnets?

a)

a pen

b)

a pencil

c)

a feather

14.

The graphic novel, Hamlet, is an adaptation by Malini Roy.

a)

True

b)

False

15.

Approximately how many plays and poems did Shakespeare write?

a)

38 plays and 150 poems

b)

200 plays and 38 poems

c)

60 plays and 100 poems

d)

10 plays and 10 poems

16.

In what centuries did Shakespeare live?

a)

19th-20th centuries (1800s-1900s)

b)

12th-13th centuries (1100s-1200s)

c)

16th-17th centuries (1500s-1600s)

d)

He wasn't real, so he never truly lived

17.

Which two places in England did William Shakespeare spend most of his time?

a)

Clacton-on-Sea and Cambridge

b)

Stratford-upon-Avon and London

c)

Southend-on-Sea and London

d)

Stratford-upon-Avon and Ipswich

18.

Which modern-day actress shares a name with Shakespeare's wife?

a)

Lindsay Lohan

b)

Anne Hathaway

c)

Elizabeth Banks

d)

Emma Watson

19.

What was the name of William Shakespeare's only son?

a)

Hamlet

b)

James

c)

John

d)

Hamnet

20.

What was the name of the acting company that Shakespeare worked for?

a)

King Chamberlain and his Men

b)

Lord of Sussex Troupe

c)

The King's Group

d)

Lord Chamberlain's Men

21.

What is the name of the theater where most of Shakespeare's plays were performed?

a)

The Globe Theater

b)

The World Theater

c)

The Great Playhouse

d)

Scotland Yard Theater

22.

What were the two main options for how you could view a Shakespearean play?

a)

Stand in a covered area far away or sit up close

b)

Stand uncovered or sit in a covered balcony

c)

Sit in an uncovered or covered area of the playhouse

d)

Standing uncovered was the only option

23.

Who were the original actors that performed the roles in Shakespeare's plays?

a)

All men or boys, even the female roles

b)

A mix of men and women depending on the role

c)

Acrobats and other circus people

d)

All women and girls, even the male roles

24.

How did Shakespeare NOT earn his money while he was alive?

a)

Acting in plays

b)

Writing plays

c)

Writing sonnets

d)

Partnering with an acting company

25.

A long, uninterrupted speech given by a character while other characters remain on stage

a)

Discussion

b)

Aside

c)

Dialogue

d)

Monologue

26.
The bard, William, had the last name of: _________.
a)
Rowles
b)
Arden
c)
Shakespeare
d)
Hathaways
27.
Hamnet was Shakespeare's _________________.
a)
most popular comedy
b)
favorite writer
c)
only son
d)
best friend
28.

Shakespeare married a woman that was far younger than himself.

a)

TRUE

b)

FALSE

29.

His father John was a...

a)

farmer

b)

glovemaker

c)

fishmonger

d)

carpenter

30.

What was the terrible disease that hit London and killed thousands of people in 1593?

a)

Cholera

b)

Flu

c)

Cancer

d)

Plague

31.

Who did normally play women's roles in Shakespeare's time?

a)

Women

b)

Shakespeare

c)

Young girls

d)

Young boys

32.

In a story or play, characters are...

a)

when and where a story takes place.

b)

People or animals in a story

c)

the problem or conflict

d)

the story's point-of-view

33.

An example of a Shakespearean tragedy is...

a)

As You Like It

b)

Much Ado About Nothing

c)

The Merchant of Venice

d)

Romeo and Juliet

34.

What was the name of Prospero's servants?

a)

Cariel and Aliban

b)

Ariel and Caliban

c)

Bob and Gary

d)

He didn't have any

35.

What is the first line of the play?

a)

Boatswain!

b)

Be collected:

No more amazement: tell your piteous heart

There's no harm done.

c)

If by your art, my dearest father, you have

Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them ...

d)

Come away, servant, come. I am ready now.

Approach, my Ariel, come.

36.

How many parts are there?

a)

11

b)

13

c)

12

d)

10

37.

What does Ariel turn into to frighten Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio?

a)

A dragon

b)

A griffin

c)

A harpy

d)

A giant eagle

38.

What is the name of Alonso's son, with whom Miranda falls in love with?

a)

Ferinand

b)

Fernandinian

c)

Ferdinidinidini

d)

Ferdinand

39.

How many acts are there to the Tempest?

a)

5

b)

1

c)

4

d)

2

40.

What two creatures is Caliban crossed with?

a)

Devil and Human

b)

Human and Fish

c)

Nothing

d)

Lizard and Fish

41.

What was the name of Caliban's mother?

a)

Sycorax

b)

Sinew

c)

Cora

d)

MAX POWER

42.

What do Antonio and Sebastian try to do to Gonzalo and Alonso while they are asleep to kill them?

a)

Poison them

b)

Push them off a cliff

c)

Stab them with swords

d)

Hang them from a tree

43.

What do Caliban and Ariel plot to do?

a)

Kill Prospero

b)

Rule the Island

c)

Flee to another land

d)

They don't plot anything

44.

How many plays do we know that Shakespeare wrote?

a)

26

b)

32

c)

34

d)

37

45.

Who loses the opportunity to marry Portia by choosing the silver casket?

a)

The Jew of Malta

b)

The Prince of Arragon

c)

The Duke of Earl

d)

None

46.

How is Shylock punished for seeking to take Antonio’s life?

a)

He is banished.

b)

He is ordered to surrender all his property to the Church of Rome.

c)

He must convert to Christianity and will his possessions to Jessica and Lorenzo upon his death.

d)

He must work as Antonio’s servant till his death.

47.

The caskets that Portia’s suitors must pick from are made of what materials?

a)

Gold, silver, lead

b)

Bone, porcelain, clay

c)

Teak, mahogany, pine

d)

Marble, stone, brick

48.

Lancelot leaves Shylock to become whose servant?

a)

Antonio

b)

Bassanio

c)

Jessica

d)

Goobo

49.

The Prince of Morocco chooses which casket?

a)

Silver

b)

Gold

c)

Lead

d)

None

50.

When the play begins, Antonio and Portia can best be described as:

a)

Ambiguous

b)

Depressed

c)

Happy

d)

Corrupt

51.

Shylock delivers his famous monologue, "Hath not a Jew eyes?", to which characters?

a)

JESSICA AND LORENZO

b)

SOLANIO AND SALERIO

c)

PORTIA AND NERISSA

d)

BASSANIO AND GRAZIANO

52.

What item(s) does Jessica trade for a monkey?

a)

GOLD DUCATS

b)

A CASKET MADE OF SILVER

c)

A TURQUOISE RING

d)

A HEAVY GOLD CHAIN

53.

How many ships does Antonio believe he has lost in total?

a)

2

b)

1

c)

3

d)

4

54.

How is Jessica dressed when she runs away from Shylock?

a)

As a man

b)

As a clown

c)

As a queen

d)

As a beggar

55.

After Bassanio chooses the correct casket, what does Portia give him and tell him never to lose?

a)

The casket

b)

A ring

c)

Money to solve the problem of Antonio

d)

Herself

56.

What amount of money does Bassanio offer Shylock to pay off Antonio's debt?

a)

6,000 ducats

b)

8,000 ducats

c)

10,000 ducats

d)

12,000 ducats

57.

What does Bassanio offer the young law clerk who saves Antonio?

a)

His gloves

b)

His wife's property

c)

The ring that Portia gave him

d)

The three thousand ducats originally due to Shylock

58.

Shylock belongs to which religion?

a)

Anglican

b)

Muslim

c)

Catholic

d)

Jewish

59.

Who marries Nerissa?

a)

Lorenzo

b)

Bassanio

c)

Antonio

d)

Gratiano

60.

Who is the most important character in The Merchant of Venice?

a)

Shylock

b)

Portia

c)

Antonio

d)

Bassanio

61.

What is the name of Shakespeare's merchant of Venice?

a)

Bassanio

b)

Shylock

c)

Antonio

d)

Gratiano

62.

What condition does the Prince of Morocco agree before he chooses one from the three caskets?

a)

That if he chooses wrong, he will have to marry a women of Portia's choice

b)

That if he chooses wrong, he will never marry

c)

That if he chooses wrong, he will give Portia all his wealth and leave her forever

d)

That if he chooses wrong, he will kill himself

63.

Who enters the court disguised as a young doctor of Law named Balthasar?

a)

Nerrisa

b)

one of Portia's servants

c)

Portia

d)

Bassanio

64.

Mark: I don't like James, but his girlfriend really likes him.

Frank: That's because _______________

a)

The green-eyed monster

b)

Love is blind

c)

The world is my oyster

d)

Wild goose chase

65.

His Dad´s name was John.

a)

What is his Dad´s name?

b)

What did his Dad´s name?

c)

What was his Dad´s name?

d)

What was his Mum´s name?

66.

He had 7 brothers and sisters.

a)

How many brothers and sisters did he have?

b)

How many children did he have?

c)

How many brothers and sisters he did have?

d)

How many did he have brothers and sisters?

67.

Yes, he did.

a)

Did he like inventing new words?

b)

Did he like invent new words?

c)

He liked inventing new words?

d)

What did he invent?

68.

Yes, they are very popular today.

a)

Are his plays very unpopular today?

b)

Are his plays very popular today?

c)

His plays are very popular today?

d)

Were his plays very popular in the past?

69.

No, they didn´t.

a)

Did girls and women act in the past?

b)

Did boys and men act in the past?

c)

Girls and women acted in the past?

d)

Did girls and women acted in the past?

70.

He was born in 1564.

a)

Where is he born?

b)

Where was he born?

c)

When was he born?

d)

Where did he born?

71.

He liked Latin, Greek and History.

a)

What subjects did he liked?

b)

What recycling methods did he like?

c)

What subjects he liked?

d)

What subjects did he like?