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Flowers for Algernon

Total questions: 35

Worksheet time: 9hrs 45mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Who is the speaker in Flowers For Algernon?

a)

Charlie

b)

Daniel Keyes

c)

Dr. Strauss

d)

Miss Kinnian

2.
What does Charlie keep in his pocket for good luck? 
a)
a rabbit's foot
b)
a pebble
c)
a picture
d)
a coin
3.
How old is Charlie Gordon? 
a)
8
b)
45
c)
37
d)
22
4.
Who is Miss Kinnian? 
a)
Charlie's neighbor
b)
Charlie's landlady
c)
a scientist
d)
Charlie's teacher
5.
Algernon beats Charlie at ______. 
a)
crossword puzzles
b)
mazes
c)
jigsaw puzzles
d)
volleyball
6.
Where does Charlie work? 
a)
a factory
b)
a school 
c)
a grocery store
d)
Charlie doesn't work
7.

What do Charlie's "friends" mean when they say that someone "really pulled a Charlie Gordon"?

a)

they did a cool trick

b)

they did something kind

c)

they did something smart

d)

they did something dumb

8.

In “Flowers for Algernon,” what happens during Charlie’s first inkblot test?

a)

He sees many pictures in the inkblots.

b)

He cannot see any pictures in the inkblots.

c)

He performs badly, compared to Algernon.

d)

He tears the inkblots into tiny pieces.

9.

In “Flowers for Algernon,” why do the doctors use Charlie in their experiment?

a)

They believe that he is motivated to try to learn.

b)

They see that he has bonded with Algernon.

c)

They realize that he is the only person who is willing to participate.

d)

They think that he is too dumb to know any better.

10.

In “Flowers for Algernon,” why do Charlie’s fellow workers want him fired?

a)

They become jealous of Charlie's good fortune.

b)

They think that Charlie has begun lying and stealing.

c)

They become frightened and distrustful of Charlie's new intelligence.

d)

They think Charlie is going to replace all of them because he can do their jobs better.

11.

In “Flowers for Algernon,” what is one aspect of the text that shows that Charlie is returning to his old condition?

a)

He starts to spell badly again.

b)

He asks Miss Kinnian to dinner.

c)

He learns German.

d)

He begins to learn to dance.

12.

What conclusion about Charlie is most clearly supported by this excerpt from the first section of “Flowers for Algernon”?


"I hope they use me. Miss Kinnian says maybe they can make me smart. I want to be smart. My name is Charlie Gordon. I am 37 years old and 2 weeks ago was my brithday. I have nuthing more to rite now so I will close for today."

a)

He cannot control his temper.

b)

He has below-average intelligence.

c)

He sees and hears things that are not there.

d)

He has genius-level intelligence.

13.

Choose the conclusion a reader can most accurately draw from this excerpt from “Flowers for Algernon.”


"They called the mouse Algernon. Algernon was in a box with a lot of twists and turns like all kinds of walls and they gave me a pencil and a paper with lines and lots of boxes. On one side it said START and on the other side it said FINISH. They said it was amazed and that Algernon and me had the same amazed to do. I dint see how we could have the same amazed if Algernon had a box and I had a paper but I dint say nothing."

a)

The doctors find Charlie amazing.

b)

Algernon is running in a maze.

c)

Algernon is able to read.

d)

Charlie was running in a maze.

14.

From what point of view is “Flowers for Algernon” told?

a)

third person, telling the thoughts of many characters

b)

first person, from Charlie's doctors' point of view

c)

first person, from Charlie's point of view

d)

first person, from Algernon's point of view

15.
Which of the following can we infer is the reason for Dr. Strauss requiring Charlie to keep a journal?
a)
To monitor if Charlie was being dishonest about his work hours.
b)
To monitor Charlie's progress through his words and thoughts.
c)
To closely watch his communication with people outside the hospital, including his mother and father.
d)
To secure Algernon's place in medical history.
16.
How does Charlie discover that the effects of his operation will not last?
a)
He sees changes in Algernon
b)
He sees changes in himself.
c)
He overhears the doctor.
d)
Miss Kinnian tells him.
17.
Which statement best describes the relationship between Charlie and Miss Kinnian?
a)
He likes her, but he is suspicious of her motives.
b)
She tries to be detached because she knows the experiment is unlikely to succeed.
c)
They have a warm, friendly relationship, and Charlie trusts her.
d)
She is not his friend, because she is a cold scientist.
18.

What happened at Charlie's workplace?

a)
Mr. Donnegan named him Employee of the Month
b)
Joe and Frank broke one of the machines, and Charlie fixed it before Mr. Donnegan found out.
c)
Workers signed a petition against Charlie continuing to work in the factory.
d)
Charlie announced that mopping the floor was "beneath his pay grade."
19.

Who surprisingly decided to defend Charlie toward the end of the story, possibly out of pity?

a)

Frank and Joe

b)

Mrs. Flynn and Miss Kinnian

c)

Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur

d)

Algernon and Mickey

20.

What is Charlie's final request in his last progress report?

a)

leave flowers on Algernon's grave

b)

put a million dollars in his bank account

c)

fire Dr. Nemur for taking his candy

d)

make everyone in the world get the operation

21.

Choose the details that show that Charlie's experiment is starting to take effect.

a)

challenging the Doctors' knowledge, falling for Miss Kinnian, performing his experiments

b)
quitting his job, becoming more quiet, looking into piano and painting
c)
losing to Algernon, visiting Muggy's Saloon, "pulling a Charlie Gordon"
d)

failing the Rorschach test, getting upset after the operation, going to work

22.
Why is the event in the restaurant with the young boy so significant to Charlie? 
a)
The young boy was a waiter just like Charlie. 
b)
The young boy also worked at the factory. 
c)
Charlie knew the boy from somewhere. 
d)

The young boy reminded Charlie of him when he himself was mentally challenged. 

23.

Charlie begins to think a lot about his __________ when his mental state is deteriorating. 

a)
love life
b)
childhood
c)
rent
d)
friends
24.
What does Charlie discover when he conducts his research?
a)
The operation is permanent. 
b)
He will lose his intelligence at the same rate he gained it. 
c)
He will gain intelligence at an intense rate of time. 
d)
He will die. 
25.

What bible story does "Flowers for Algernon" allude to?

a)

Noah's flood

b)

Adam and Eve

c)

David vs. Goliath

d)

Creation of the World

26.
How does Charlie feel about Miss Kinnian in the middle of the story? 
a)
He thinks she is an old boring lady. 
b)
He says he is in love with her. 
c)
He just thinks of her as his teacher. 
d)
He doesn't care about her at all. 
27.

Why does Charlie say he feels "sick inside...inside my chest it feels empty" midway through the story? 

a)
He was fired from his job. 
b)

He figured out what it means to "pull a Charlie Gordon".

c)
The doctors gave him bad news. 
d)
Algernon beat him in another race. 
28.
What event foreshadows what will happen to Charlie?
a)

when Algernon's behavior changes

b)
when he falls in love with Miss Kinnian
c)
when the doctors argue
d)
when the boy drops the dishes
29.

Which of these is a THEME of "Flowers for Algernon"?

a)

Ignorance is bliss; being smarter doesn't necessarily mean you will be happier.

b)

Society often mistreats people with disabilities; all people should be treated with kindness, regardless of their abilities.

c)

Sometimes, science goes too far; it is dangerous to experiment on human beings as if they are lab rats.

d)

Don't try to change yourself; be happy with who you are and what you have.

e)

All of the these answers.

30.

Why does Charlie decide to leave New York at the end of the story?

a)

he doesn't want people to pity him

b)

he wants to see if there are other adult schools where he can learn

c)

his landlady kicks him out

d)

he wants to find a new job

31.

Which of the following incidents was the most difficult for Charlie?

a)

The death of Algernon

b)

The pain of the operation

c)

Losing his job

d)

Falling in love

32.

Which of the following BEST describes Charlie's attitude about the failure of the surgery?

a)

He is angry with the doctors for tricking him

b)

After losing his intelligence, he doesn't even remember what happened to him anyway

c)

He is grateful to have been smart for a little while

d)

He is positive that surgery is still the best way to increase human intelligence artificially

33.

What inference can we make about Charlie's future based on what we know from the story and its ending?

a)

That Charlie will die

b)

Charlie will get a second operation

c)

Charlie will become intelligent again

d)

Charlie and Miss Kinnian will get married

34.

Which of the following does Charlie begin to recognize as his intelligence increases?

a)

He realizes he loves Miss Kinnian but sees her as too dumb for him

b)

He realizes he will be able to accomplish all the great things he was dreaming of

c)

He realizes he is now more intelligent than both of the doctors who performed the experiment

d)

He realizes the best way to get smarter is through surgery

35.

In “Flowers for Algernon,” what is the MAIN reason that Charlie wants to increase his intelligence?

a)

He is very competitive and wants to beat Algernon when they are tested.

b)

He knows that he is different and wants to be more like other people.

c)

He wants to please Miss Kinnian and he is afraid he will disappoint her.

d)

He is a lonely person with no close friends or social life.