WorksheetsExploring Steffens' Christmas Critique
Total questions: 131
Worksheet time: 3hrs 36mins
What is the main theme of "A Miserable Merry Christmas" by Lincoln Steffans?
The joy of giving
The disappointment of unmet expectations
The importance of family
The spirit of adventure
In "A Miserable Merry Christmas," what does the protagonist hope to receive as a Christmas gift?
A bicycle
A puppy
A horse
A train set
How does the protagonist's family react to his Christmas wish in "A Miserable Merry Christmas"?
They are supportive and excited
They are indifferent and dismissive
They are amused and skeptical
They are angry and disappointed
What lesson does the protagonist learn by the end of "A Miserable Merry Christmas"?
Material possessions are the key to happiness
Patience and understanding are important virtues
Family is more important than gifts
Dreams always come true if you believe
What does the protagonist in "A Miserable Merry Christmas" ultimately realize about his Christmas wish?
It was unrealistic and childish
It was fulfilled in an unexpected way
It was ignored by his family
It was the best gift he could receive
Which literary device is prominently used in "A Miserable Merry Christmas" to convey the protagonist's emotions?
Metaphor
Irony
Simile
Hyperbole
What is the main theme of "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?
The unpredictability of life
The importance of wealth and material possessions
The value of selfless love and sacrifice
The joy of giving and receiving gifts
What do Jim and Della sacrifice in "The Gift of the Magi"?
Jim sells his watch, and Della cuts her hair
Jim sells his house, and Della sells her clothes
Jim sells his books, and Della sells her paintings
Jim sells his car, and Della sells her jewelry
How does the story "The Gift of the Magi" end?
Jim and Della are disappointed with their gifts
Jim and Della realize the true meaning of love
Jim and Della decide to return their gifts
Jim and Della argue about their sacrifices
How does the setting of "The Gift of the Magi" contribute to the story's theme?
It emphasizes the importance of tradition
It highlights the couple's financial struggles
It creates a festive holiday atmosphere
It contrasts with the couple's happiness
What is the significance of the title "The Gift of the Magi"?
It highlights the irony of their sacrifices
It refers to the gifts given by the wise men to Jesus
It symbolizes the couple's wisdom in choosing their gifts
It represents the couple's financial struggles
How does O. Henry use irony in "The Gift of the Magi"?
By showing the couple's gifts are useless
By depicting the couple's wealth
By emphasizing the couple's happiness
By highlighting the couple's ignorance
How does the couple's financial situation affect their gift-giving in "The Gift of the Magi"?
They decide not to exchange gifts
They buy expensive gifts
They make their own gifts
They sacrifice their most prized possessions
What literary device is used to highlight the couple's sacrifices in "The Gift of the Magi"?
Alliteration
Metaphor
Irony
Simile
What is the primary message conveyed through the sacrifices made by Jim and Della in "The Gift of the Magi"?
The futility of material possessions
The depth of their love for each other
The importance of financial planning
The joy of receiving gifts
How does the author use symbolism in "The Gift of the Magi" to enhance the story's theme?
By using Jim's watch and Della's hair to symbolize their love and sacrifice
By using the gifts to represent wealth
By using the couple's home to symbolize comfort
By using the Christmas setting to symbolize joy
What does the act of gift-giving in "The Gift of the Magi" reveal about Jim and Della's relationship?
They are indifferent to each other's needs
They prioritize each other's happiness over material wealth
They are competitive with each other
They misunderstand each other's desires
What event triggered the panic in "The Day the Dam Broke"?
A loud explosion
A false rumor about the dam breaking
An earthquake
A sudden storm
How did the citizens of Columbus react to the news of the dam breaking in "The Day the Dam Broke"?
They panicked and fled the city
They ignored the news
They gathered at the dam to assess the situation
They calmly evacuated the area
What is the main theme of "The Day the Dam Broke" by James Thurber?
The power of nature
The impact of misinformation
The importance of community
The unpredictability of life
What was the initial reaction of the people when they heard the news in "The Day the Dam Broke"?
They laughed it off as a joke
They immediately started running
They gathered to discuss the situation
They ignored the news
Which character in "The Day the Dam Broke" tried to calm the crowd?
A newspaper reporter
The mayor
A local shopkeeper
A police officer
What ultimately revealed the truth about the dam in "The Day the Dam Broke"?
A radio announcement
A telegram from the dam authorities
A newspaper article
A public announcement by the mayor
How does the speaker in "Traveling Through the Dark" react upon discovering the dead deer?
He becomes emotional and cries
He immediately calls for help
He reflects on the situation before taking action
He drives away without stopping
What decision does the speaker make at the end of "Traveling Through the Dark"?
To leave the deer on the road
To move the deer off the road
To report the incident to the authorities
To bury the deer
How does the speaker in "Traveling Through the Dark" feel about the decision he has to make?
Joyful and relieved
Conflicted and uncertain
Indifferent and detached
Confident and decisive
What is the central theme of the "Rattlesnake" poem?
The beauty of nature
The unpredictability of life
The danger of complacency
The importance of caution
How does the speaker in the "Rattlesnake" poem react upon encountering the snake?
With fear and panic
With curiosity and interest
With calmness and respect
With indifference and detachment
What is the central theme of "Soul's Dark Cottage"?
The beauty of nature and its healing power
The joy of youth and its fleeting nature
The struggle between good and evil
The inevitability of aging and the wisdom it brings
How does the imagery in "Soul's Dark Cottage" contribute to its overall message?
By highlighting the contrast between light and darkness
By emphasizing the beauty of the natural world
By illustrating the passage of time and its effects
By depicting the chaos of modern life
Which literary device is predominantly used in "Soul's Dark Cottage" to convey the speaker's reflections?
Metaphor
Personification
Alliteration
Simile
What is the central theme of Langston Hughes' poem "Mother to Son"?
The importance of education
The struggles and perseverance in life
The beauty of nature
The joy of motherhood
How does the speaker in "Mother to Son" describe her life journey?
As a journey filled with wealth and luxury
As a joyful and carefree experience
As a series of challenges and obstacles
As a smooth and easy path
What literary device is predominantly used in "Mother to Son" to convey the speaker's message?
Metaphor
Alliteration
Simile
Personification
What advice does the mother give to her son in Langston Hughes' poem "Mother to Son"?
To always seek revenge
To never give up despite hardships
To rely on others for help
To avoid taking risks
In "Mother to Son," what metaphor does the mother use to describe her life?
A flowing river
A rocky mountain
A crystal staircase
A smooth highway
How does the tone of the poem "Mother to Son" reflect the mother's attitude towards life's challenges?
Resilient and determined
Optimistic and carefree
Fearful and anxious
Indifferent and detached
How does the bird react when it notices the speaker in "A Bird Came Down the Walk"?
It ignores the speaker
It becomes aggressive
It flies away immediately
It cautiously observes the speaker
What is the primary focus of Alexander Petrunkevitch's essay "The Spider and the Wasp"?
The anatomical differences between spiders and wasps
The behavioral interactions between spiders and wasps
The evolutionary relationship between spiders and wasps
The ecological impact of spiders and wasps
In "A Bird Came Down the Walk," how does the speaker offer a crumb to the bird?
By placing it on the ground
By holding it out in their hand
By throwing it towards the bird
By leaving it on a nearby branch
How does Petrunkevitch illustrate the concept of instinct in "The Spider and the Wasp"?
By highlighting the spider's ability to escape the wasp
By describing the wasp's methodical approach to paralyzing the spider
By emphasizing the spider's aggressive nature
By showing the wasp's random and unpredictable behavior
What conclusion does Petrunkevitch draw about the intelligence of the wasp in "The Spider and the Wasp"?
The wasp acts purely on instinct without any intelligence
The wasp's actions are a mix of instinct and learned behavior
The wasp demonstrates a high level of intelligence and problem-solving
The wasp is less intelligent than the spider
What action does the bird take after noticing the speaker in "A Bird Came Down the Walk"?
It pecks at the ground
It chirps loudly
It flies away gracefully
It hops away quickly
Which literary device is prominently used in "A Bird Came Down the Walk" to describe the bird's movements?
Metaphor
Personification
Alliteration
Simile
What does the bird do before the speaker offers it a crumb in "A Bird Came Down the Walk"?
It sings a song
It eats a worm
It drinks from a dew
It builds a nest
What is the main theme of the poem "A Bird Came Down the Walk" by Emily Dickinson?
The conflict between humans and animals
The unpredictability of life
The beauty of nature
The simplicity of rural life
How does the speaker describe the bird's eyes in "A Bird Came Down the Walk"?
As small and beady
As bright and curious
As quick and frightened
As dull and uninterested
What action does the bird take when it senses the speaker's presence in "A Bird Came Down the Walk"?
It hops to a safer distance
It attacks the speaker
It sings a song
It flies away immediately
How does the speaker describe the bird's flight in "A Bird Came Down the Walk"?
As erratic and unpredictable
As clumsy and awkward
As slow and deliberate
As smooth and graceful
What does the bird do with the beetle in "A Bird Came Down the Walk"?
It helps the beetle
It plays with the beetle
It eats the beetle
It ignores the beetle
Which event in history is the allegory that Animal Farm is representing?
World War I
The Cold War
The Russian Revolution
The 4th of July
Which character is supposed to represent the Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin?
Snowball
Napolean
Old Major
Squealor
What do the animals call their ideology?
Socialism
Communism
Capitalism
Animalism
Who was in charge of the farm BEFORE the rebellion?
Mr. Jones
Old Major
Mr. Pilkington
Napoleon
Why do the pigs assume (take control) leadership in Animal Farm?
They are the bossiest animals
They are the most intelligent animals
They are voted into power
They knew how to build windmills
What is the deliberate manipulation of language used to change people’s opinions or point-of-view?
satire
irony
propaganda
caricature
Who was responsible for stealing the milk?
The Communists
The Pigs
The Cat
The Humans
What is Sugarcandy Mountain?
The name of a lullaby sung by the pigeons
The mountain visible on Animal Farm’s horizon
The animal’s version of “heaven”
The setting for a story told by Mollie
Which characters are used by Napoleon to enforce his laws?
The dogs
The sheep
The Chickens
Boxer
Who is Napoleon’s mouthpiece/announcer?
Snowball
Squealer
Benjamin
Old Major
How does Squealer explain Snowball’s absence?
He was a traitor and a criminal
Mr. Jones kidnapped him
He went to lead the rebellions on other farms
He died
Whenever something on the farm goes wrong, Napoleon blames it on…
Boxer
Jones
Snowball
Mollie
Squealer changes the sheep’s song from “four legs good, two legs bad” to…
“Two legs bad, four legs better”
“Four legs good, two legs better”
“Four legs good, four wheels better”
“Two legs great, four legs terrible”
What do the men destroy in Animal Farm?
The Windmill
The Cowshed
The Barn
The House
Why did the pigs claim they needed all the milk and apples?
The pigs needed the milk and apples in order to remain smart and healthy
They wanted to trade the milk and apples for supplies
They did more work than the other animals
They did not make this claim in the story
What is one way propaganda was used by Napoleon to take power?
Napolean frequently provided false information to the other animals to persuade them that he made the farm highly successful.
He doesn't use propganda
He blames everything on Mr. Jones
None of the above
Which character is Czar Nicholas II in Animal Farm?
Mr. Jones
Mr. Pilkington
Mr. Whymper
Napoleon
Which character is Karl Marx in Animal Farm?
Snowball
Napoleon
Squealer
Old Major
Which character is Leon Trotsky in Animal Farm?
Napoleon
Boxer
Clover
Snowball
Which character represents propaganda?
Squealer
Mollie
Napoleon
The Sheep
What did "Animalism" represent in Animal Farm?
Communism
Democracy
A Republic
Socialism
What did "Manor Farm" represent in Animal Farm?
United States of America
Russia
Germany
Italy
Which character(s) represented the KGB (Stalin's Secret Police) in Animal Farm?
Squealer and Minimus
The dogs
Boxer, Clover and Benjamin
The hens
What did the character Benjamin represent in Animal Farm?
The Proletariat (Working Class)
The Wealthy Merchant Class
Cynical People of Russia who did not support communism or stop Stalin
Karl Marx
Who did Boxer represent in Russian history?
The Kulaks
The Wealthy Merchant Class
The Proletariat (The Working Class)
The Russian Orthodox Church
One of Boxer's mottos is "I will work harder."
After Boxer was hurt, where did the pigs tell the animals he was sent to?
The glue factory
Disney World
The hospital
The retirement farm
Where was Boxer really sent after he was injured?
He was returned by to the farm.
He was sent to a petting zoo.
He was sent to a glue factory.
He joined Mollie as her companion because she was lonely.
"Life is a journey" is an example of what?
Simile
Metaphor
Hyperbole
Alliteration
I nearly died laughing is an example of what?
Metaphor
Assonance
Alliteration
Hyperbole
Which of the following is an example of onomatopoeia?
She was white as a ghost
Buzz
Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Peppers
Break a leg
Talking animals are an example of what type of figurative language?
Oxymoron
Personification
Cliche
Pun
"You are the thunder, and I am the lightning," is an example of which type of figurative language?
Metaphor
Hyperbole
Chliche
Personification
Which type of figurative language is used in the following Beatles song, "Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter?"
Personification
Alliteration
Onomatopoeia
Cliche
Define hyperbole.
An overused phrase
Its raining cats and dogs
An over (excessive) exaggeration
A comparison of two unlike things, using like or as
Giving human characteristics to nonhuman object or animals is an example of what type of figurative language?
Personification
Onomatopoeia
Hyperbole
Metaphor
He has been walking for days and days, when he has only been walking for 5 minutes is an example of:
Idiom
Simile
Cliche
Hyperbole
An expression that cannot be understood by the meaning of its words is an example of what type of figurative language?
Onomatopoeia
Hyperbole
Idiom
Cliche
The flowers danced in the wind is an example of:
Simile
Personification
Cliche
Idiom
You have a smile that lights up the room is an example of what type of figurative language
Metaphor
Simile
Idiom
Onomatopoeia
"When pigs fly" is an example of which type of figurative language?
alliteration
metaphor
idiom
onomatopoeia
Personificati
The king worried about his receding heir line
It's raining cats and dogs
Last night, the fire department building burned down. This is an example of what type of irony?
DRAMATIC
SITUATIONAL
VERBAL
NONE
After Susan turned in her test, the teacher saw all of the questions she didn't answer, turned to her, and said, "Looks like someone really studied for the test!" This is what type of irony?
DRAMATIC
SITUATIONAL
VERBAL
NONE
William Eno, “Father of Traffic Safety,” invented the stop sign, crosswalk, traffic circle, one-way street, and taxi stand, but he never learned to drive. What type of irony is this?
DRAMATIC
SITUATIONAL
VERBAL
NONE
The only losing basketball coach in University of Kansas history is James Naismith—the man who invented basketball in 1891. What type of irony is this?
DRAMATIC
SITUATIONAL
VERBAL
NONE
The first man to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel died after slipping on an orange peel. What type of irony is this?
DRAMATIC
SITUATIONAL
VERBAL
NONE
Monster’s Inc. is a corporation run by monsters. Their job is to scare children, but the audience knows that they are the ones who are afraid of the children.
DRAMATIC
SITUATIONAL
VERBAL
NONE
"It's like rain on your wedding day." What type of irony is this?
DRAMATIC
SITUATIONAL
VERBAL
NONE
On a TV talk show, viewers are told the real reason why a guest has been brought onto the show. He mistakenly thinks he’s there to talk about his job at a coffeeshop, but he’s really there to be gifted a full college scholarship.
Situational Irony
Verbal Irony
Dramatic Irony
Essay: Please respond with a minimum of 300 words (2-3 well developed paragraphs).
Sophomore English: Choose 2, Honors Sophomore English: Answer all 3
You will answer all essays on a separate piece of paper.
1. One theme of Animal Farm is that power corrupts those who possess it. How does Orwell bring out this idea through the character of Napoleon?
2. Discuss Boxer. What role does he play on the farm? Why does Napoleon seem to feel threatened by him? In what ways might one view the betrayal of Boxer as an alternative climax of the novel (if we consider Napoleon’s banishment of Snowball and the pigs’ initial consolidation of power as the true climax)?
3. In George Orwell’s fable, Animal Farm characters make mistakes and show what we call “hubris”, or pride and arrogance to ultimately reveal how humans are naturally flawed. Describe a time where you made a mistake, explain the consequences of that mistake, and explain what you learned as a result.
