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The Alchemist Prologue - Part 1

Total questions: 30

Worksheet time: 29mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The story of Narcissus in the Prologue is mainly about:

a)

beauty

b)

the dangers of living in an enchanted forest with talking trees and lakes

c)

vanity

d)

sadness

2.

Santiago reveals that he was supposed to be a ___________ instead of a shepherd.

a)

priest

b)

Baker

c)

blacksmith

d)

gypsy

3.

Santiago travels with his sheep to get $ for their wool, but what is he really wanting?

a)

To travel the world

b)

To see the merchant's daughter

c)

To find his father's house

d)

To find more sheep for his flock

4.
What does the Gypsy woman say about dreams?
a)
Dreams are nothing important
b)
Dreams always come true
c)
Dreams are easy to read
d)
Dreams are difficult to interpret
5.
What is the best way to sum up Santiago's meeting with the boy in Tangier?
a)
Comical; the boys enjoyed many laughs
b)
Confusing; the boys did  not understand each other
c)
Friendly; the boy tried to help Santiago 
d)
Unlucky; the boy took advantage of Santiago's naivete
6.
Santiago realizes that he has to choose between thinking of himself as a poor victim of a thief or as...
a)
A boy who is lucky to be alive
b)
A shepherd with many skills
c)
An adventurer on a quest for his treasure
d)
a shepherd who can read and travel
7.
The Crystal Merchant places another obstacle in front of Santiago, what is it?
a)
He tells Santiago he will pay him a lot of money
b)
He tells Santiago that he will sell him the shop
c)
He tells Santiago that his daughter loves Santiago
d)
He tells Santiago it is impossible to reach the pyramids
8.
What are Urim and Thummin?
a)
Stones that symbolize health or death
b)
Stones that symbolize wealth or poverty
c)
Stones that symbolize yes or no
d)
Stones that symbolize near or far
9.
According to the Gypsy woman, what are dreams?
a)
A sneak peak into the future
b)
the language of God
c)
a sign that you are restless
d)
the soul of the world
10.
An 'alchemist' is:
a)
a wizard
b)
a magician
c)
a mystical chemist
d)
a gypsy
11.
To repay her for interpreting his dream, the old gypsy woman requires Santiago give her
a)
one tenth of his flock of sheep
b)
three ancient Spanish gold coins
c)
one tenth of his treasure, should he find it
d)
his book and his jacket
12.
Upon leaving Santiago, Melchizedek tells him to follow the omens.  As Santiago is about to leave, which of the following omens appears?
a)
a grasshopper
b)
an unusual Spanish beetle
c)
a butterfly
d)
a parrot
13.
Which quote is most clearly connected to the thematic idea of the pursuit of goals or dreams?
a)
“There was also the merchant’s daughter, but she wasn’t as important as his flock, because she didn’t depend on him.”
b)
"The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon
c)
“The boy promised himself that, when he returned from Egypt, he would buy that sword.”
d)
“He was feeling sorry for himself, and lamenting the fact that his life could have changed so suddenly and so drastically.”
14.

In the story the old man tells to Santiago, what does the wise man ask the boy to carry in the spoon?

a)

An egg

b)

Two drops of oil

c)

Three gold coins

d)

Two small stones

15.

That story concludes with Melchizedek revealing the secret of happiness. What is the secret to happiness, based on the story?

a)

The secret of happiness is to get rich or die trying.

b)

The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world but to never forget the drops of oil on the spoon.

c)

The secret of happiness is to help as many people as you can.

d)

The secret of happiness is to not die before you fulfill your dreams.

16.

Who is the author of The Alchemist?

a)

Paulo Coelho

b)

Pablo Picasso

c)

Pablo Neruda

d)

Paul McCartney

17.

Santiago dreams of finding ________ in the Egyptian pyramids.

a)

a sheep

b)

a girlfriend

c)

treasure

d)

Teacher Daniel

18.

Where did Santiago stay overnight in the beginning of the novel?

a)

a field

b)

a hotel

c)

a crystal shop

d)

an abandoned church

19.

What is the name of the region in Spain in which the beginning of the story takes place?

a)

Ambrosia

b)

Tangier

c)

Andalusia

d)

Tarifa

20.

Thinking about the merchant's daughter makes Santiago want to

a)

get married and settle down

b)

live in one place forever

c)

buy more sheep and get rich

d)

sheer his sheep and impress her

21.

Alchemy is defined as a...

a)

the study of how the positions of the stars and movements of the planets have a supposed influence on events and on the lives and behavior of people

b)

a science that was used in the Middle Ages with the goal of changing ordinary metals into gold

c)

a science that deals with things that are alive (such as plants and animals)

d)

a pseudoscience which involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits.

22.

At the end of Part I, Santiago accepts a job at a _____________ and hopes to use the money to buy some sheep.

a)

bar

b)

school

c)

coffee shop

d)

crystal shop

23.

(noun) a school for religious training

a)

Seminary

b)

Merchant

c)

Levanter

d)

Scabbard

24.

(adjective) used to, familiar with

a)

Recurrent

b)

Abandoned

c)

Accustomed to

d)

Inexhaustible

25.

a group of cattle or sheep or other domestic mammals

a)

Dusk

b)

Theology

c)

Herd

d)

Abandoned

26.

The highest point of something

a)

Mutter

b)

Abandoned

c)

Pursue

d)

Zenith

27.

Then he’d dug in his pocket for a stick of Juicy Fruit—first his shirt pockets, next, vaguely irritated, his pants.

a)

To a great depth psychologically

b)

Without the involvement of others

c)

In an unclear way

d)

With unflagging resolve

28.

There’s even a tinge of blue there. See that?

a)

Something touching

b)

A tingling feeling

c)

A type of color

d)

a slight amount of something

29.

The form of Chemistry and philosophy practiced in the middle ages.

a)

Physics

b)

Anatomy and Physiology

c)

Alchemy

30.

A load, especially a heavy one.

a)

heavy

b)

loathsome

c)

burden

d)

inexhaustible