ACTI
ACTII
Act III
ACTIV
ACTV
100
The witch’s tale of the sailor indicates that the weird sisters are a. comical b. malicious c. mischievous d. generous
What is mischievous
100
The dagger that Macbeth sees in his Scene 1 soliloquy a. was given to him by his wife b. is part of a hallucination c. has already been used to kill Duncan d. is lost in the confusion
What is is part of a hallucination
100
The “barren scepter” Macbeth refers to is a symbol implying that he a. will never wield power b. will have no heirs to the throne c. will soon be overthrown and slain d. prefers a smooth scepter barren of decoration
What is will have no heirs to the throne
100
In response to Macbeth’s questions, the witches a. tell him everything and predict the course of his entire life b. call upon the apparitions, who answer most of his questions but warn him not to probe too deeply c. conjure up the ghost of the king, who answers the questions d. attempt to intimidate Macbeth and threaten him with a curse
What is call upon the apparitions, who answer most of his questions but warn him not to probe too deeply
100
The gentlewoman in Scene 1 refuses to repeat Lady Macbeth’s sleep-talk to the doctor because a. the words are mumbled and impossible to understand b. Lady Macbeth forbade her to reveal the murders to anyone c. there is no witness to confirm the truth of the gentlewoman’s words d. she thinks that only the doctor will believe her
What is there is no witness to confirm the truth of the gentlewoman’s words
200
When Macbeth receives his new title, Banquo reacts with a. joy b. indifference c. concern d. jealousy
What is Concern
200
When Macbeth talks agitatedly about the murders, Lady Macbeth urges him to a. run away immediately b. kill the witnesses c. try not to dwell on it d. pray for his salvation
What is try not to dwell on it
200
Macbeth explains to the hired murderers that they must keep his plan a secret because a. he would be forced to execute them to satisfy the people b. the murderers would be ostracized for their dirty work c. he and Banquo have friends in common who would be upset d. the people should not know about the king’s sins
What is he and Banquo have friends in common who would be upset
200
When Macbeth hears that no one born of a woman will harm him, he decides to a. leave Macduff alone b. kill all the wives of his peers c. kill Macduff anyway d. kill everyone in line for the throne, but spare their families
What is kill Macduff anyway
200
The “damned spot” to which Lady Macbeth refers is a. Macbeth’s predicament b. a beleaguered castle c. Birnam Wood d. Duncan’s bloodstain
What is Duncan’s bloodstain
300
After reading the letter from her husband, Lady Macbeth calls upon the spirits to “Make thick my blood, / Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse.” She is asking a. for guidance so that she can maintain her sense of justice and goodness b. to be made insensitive to the cruelty she is planning c. for assurance that she and her husband might agree on a plan d. for access to her husband’s unspoken thoughts
What is to be made insensitive to the cruelty she is planning
300
When Lennox and Macduff arrive at Macbeth’s castle in the morning, Macduff wonders if a. something is terribly wrong b. the porter has stayed up late and slept in c. the porter is keeping something from them d. Macbeth is lying to them
What is the porter has stayed up late and slept in
300
When Macbeth begins talking to Banquo’s ghost, Lady Macbeth reacts by a. telling the others Macbeth has an illness b. talking loudly so that Macbeth cannot be heard c. confessing their crimes to the guests d. pretending she sees the same apparition
What is telling the others Macbeth has an illness
300
Lady Macduff misses her last chance for escape, which comes when a. an anonymous messenger warns her to flee b. her son suggests a plot for their escape c. Ross defends her husband’s good character d. the murderers make too much noise at the door
What is an anonymous messenger warns her to flee
300
Macbeth tries to reassure himself that Malcolm and Macduff are not a threat to him because they a. are far away in England b. do not have the military power that he has c. have fled because of fear d. are both “of woman born”
What is are both “of woman born”
400
Near the end of Act I, Macbeth expresses doubt about murdering the king because a. Macbeth is the king’s subject and host b. it could weaken all of Scotland c. the king’s sons would kill him d. Lady Macbeth has misgivings
What is Macbeth is the king’s subject and host
400
As soon as the murder becomes known, Malcolm and Donalbain flee Scotland because they a. have lost their inheritance b. are guilty of the murder c. believe the country will probably become unstable d. fear for their lives
What is fear for their lives
400
As he considers Macbeth’s kingship, Banquo feels a. premonitions of his own impending death b. admiration for Macbeth’s achievement c. glimmers of hope for his sons d. disgust at his encounter with the witches
What is glimmers of hope for his sons
400
Malcolm pretends that he is too evil to become king in order to a. avoid the responsibilities of ruling Scotland b. ascertain Macduff’s loyalty c. fulfill the witches’ prophecies d. ensure that his brother inherits the throne
What is ascertain Macduff’s loyalty
400
As Macbeth’s anxiety grows, he commands the doctor to a. let Lady Macbeth rest for a few days b. cure Lady Macbeth c. medicate Lady Macbeth with hemlock d. analyze Lady Macbeth’s ramblings
What is cure Lady Macbeth
500
The play’s first act includes all of the following events except a. an invasion b. an order of execution c. a coldblooded murder d. some treacherous plotting
What is a coldblooded murder
500
Banquo wants to meet with the other nobles in order to a. discover the purpose of the murder b. ensure that Macbeth will become king c. protect his son from the murderer d. talk to Macbeth about the witches
What is discover the purpose of the murder
500
When Macbeth hears that Fleance has escaped the murderers, he reacts with a. relief b. anxiety c. happiness d. indifference
What is anxiety
500
When Ross joins Malcolm and Macduff in Scene 3, he says to Macduff, “Let not your ears despise my tongue forever, / Which shall possess them with the heaviest sound / That ever yet they heard.” He means a. do not listen too closely to what I am saying b. I am about to warn you of impending disaster c. please do not hate me because I bring bad news d. do not worry about my next statement
What is please do not hate me because I bring bad news
500
Macbeth’s reaction to his wife’s death shows that he a. thinks life is a meaningless path to death b. is anguished because he cares about her deeply c. expects to win the battle without her support d. understands why she incited him to murder and then went mad
What is thinks life is a meaningless path to death
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