WorksheetsQuiz on 'The Censors'
Total questions: 13
Worksheet time: 7mins
In “The Censors,” how does Juan get his first promotion after taking the job as a censor?
by betraying a fellow worker
by replacing an accident victim
by seeking his letter to Mariana
by offering to do dangerous work
Which statement best sums up Juan’s career in “The Censors”?
He remains at the same level and never gets promoted.
He begins at a low level and then keeps getting promoted.
He is promoted to a high level but then keeps getting demoted.
He is promoted to a middle level but then keeps getting demoted.
What happens to Juan at the end of “The Censors”?
He finally discovers his letter to Mariana and is able to destroy it.
He becomes so devoted to his job that he stops eating and gets sick.
He reaches Section B, has too few letters to censor, and grows bored.
He censors his own letter, getting himself in trouble, and is executed.
“The Censors” takes place in a country ruled by a dictator. What do the details and outcome of “The Censors” suggest most clearly about dictatorships in general?
They are very compassionate.
They inspire rejoicing
They can be very violent.
They stimulate creativity.
Which description best illustrates what it means to sabotage something?
A spy removes a vital part of a car so that it no longer starts.
A police officer gives a driver a ticket for driving a car too fast.
A motorist registers a car with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
A driver visits a service station and fills a car’s tank with gasoline.
How would someone most likely intercept a message being delivered?
prepare the message well in advance
suggest ways to speed up delivery time
read the message before it is delivered
pass the message along via email or text
What sort of person can best be described as subversive?
someone who is mourning a loss
someone who is plotting a rebellion
someone who has learned a new skill
someone who has inherited a huge fortune
Early in “The Censors,” the narrator makes this comment. Well, you’ve got to beat them to the punch, do what everyone tries to do: sabotage the machinery, throw sand in its gears, get to the bottom of the problem so as to stop it. What main reason for Juan’s applying for a job as a censor does this comment support?
Juan wishes to show support for his government.
Juan wants to prevent a friend from getting in trouble.
Juan seeks a well-paid job with good opportunities for advancement.
Juan hopes to snoop into the private lives of friends and neighbors.
What do the details in “The Censors” suggest about the work of censoring letters?
Few letters are actually scrutinized.
The censors tend to be fairly lenient.
A letter can be censored for a variety of reasons.
The censors follow a set of unclear guidelines.
The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B. Part A “The Censors,” what main change has Juan experienced by the time he reaches Section B in the Censorship Division?
He comes to despise his job as a censor.
He becomes proud of his job as a censor.
He wins great fame in his job as a censor.
He grows quite lazy in his job as a censor.
Read this excerpt from “The Censors.” It’s true that on the third day, a fellow worker had his right hand blown off by a letter, but the division chief claimed it was sheer negligence on the victim’s part. Juan and the other employees were allowed to go back to their work, though feeling less secure. As illustrated by this excerpt, what main technique does the author use to convey her view of the society in which the story is set?
She vividly describes a government agency to show admiration for the highly organized society in which the story is set.
She recounts tense, action-packed events that show the heroism of those who oppose the society in which the story is set.
She humorously exaggerates characters and situations, poking fun in order to criticize the society in which the story is set.
She withholds information from readers to capture a sense of eerie mystery regarding the strange society in which the story is set.
Who or what is the main target of satire in “The Censors”?
the repressive practices of dictatorships
the boring, repetitious nature of many jobs
government workers who do not do their jobs properly
friends and coworkers who are disloyal to one another
Which word in this quotation from “The Censors” best illustrates a cynical tone? [T]here’s nothing to stop them from going as far as that hidden Paris neighborhood, kidnapping Mariana, and returning to their cozy homes, certain of having fulfilled their noble mission.
nothing
hidden
fulfilled
noble
