The Country of the Blind
What happens to Nunez when he first discovers the valley of blind people?
A. he immediately tries to leave
B. he believes he can easily become their king
C. he falls unconscious from exhaustion
D. he is immediately accepted as their leader
B. he believes he can easily become their king
What prophecy does Teiresias make about Oedipus?
A. Oedipus will leave Thebes forever
B. Oedipus is the murderer of Laius
C. Oedipus will become blind
D. Oedipus will defeat the sphinx again
B. Oedipus is the murderer of Laius
What revelation does the messenger from Corinth bring to Oedipus?
A. that his children are in danger
B. that Polybus and Merope are his real parents
C. that Polybus has died of natural causes
D. that war is coming to Thebes
C. that Polybus has died of natural causes
What role does memory play in "The Blind Seer of Ambon?"
A. It's portrayed as unreliable
B. It becomes a new way of seeing
C. It's shown as irrelevant
D. It's depicted as painful
B. It becomes a new way of seeing
Despite his _______ descriptions of the battle, many doubted the soldier's story.
A. inexorable
B. vivid
C. proclamatory
D. incoherent
B. vivid
How do the blind villagers primarily navigate and understand their world?
A. through visual descriptions passed down through generations
B. through touch, sound, and smell
C. through written manuscripts
D. through primitive technology
B. through touch, sound, and smell
Why does Oedipus initially send for Teiresias?
A. to learn about his true parentage
B. to seek advice about ruling Thebes
C. to help end the plague affecting Thebes
D. to understand the meaning of his dreams
C. to help end the plague affecting Thebes
What does Oedipus do to himself after discovering the truth?
He blinds himself with Jocasta's brooches.
What role does memory play in "On His Blindness?"
A. It torments the speaker with images he can no longer see
B. It fades away completely
C. It prevents the speaker from moving forward
D. It becomes a new way of experiencing the world
D. It becomes a new way of experiencing the world
The king's _______ was posted throughout the kingdom, announcing the new laws.
A. volition
B. delineation
C. proclamation
D. altercation
C. proclamation
What is the villagers' explanation for Nunez's "sight"?
A. They believe it's a divine gift
B. They consider it a valuable asset
C. They view it as a mental illness
D. They ignore it completely
C. They view it as a mental illness
How does Oedipus react to Creon when he suspects him of plotting against the throne?
He threatens him with death.
How does Jocasta react when she realizes the truth about Oedipus's identity?
A. she confronts Oedipus directly
B. she flees the city of Thebes
C. she runs to the palace and ends her life
D. she denies the truth and continues as normal
C. she runs to the palace and ends her life
What sequence of losses does the speaker describe in "The Blind Seer of Ambon?"
A. Language, sight, family
B. Books, drawings, flowers, family
C. Wife, daughter, work, eyesight
D. Memory, language, perception
C. Wife, daughter, work, eyesight
To trace an outline; draw or sketch out; describe
A. volition
B. delineate
C. edict
D. transcend
B. delineate
Why do the villagers want Nunez to undergo surgery?
To remove the "strange things" (his eyes) that affect his brain, making him a better member of society.
What role does the Chorus play in Part 1?
A. they actively participate in the plot against Oedipus
B. they represent the voice of the younger generation
C. they serve as mediators between Oedipus and Creon
D. they provide commentary and wisdom about the events
D. they provide commentary and wisdom about the events
What crucial information does the old shepherd finally reveal?
A. the location of the real murderer of Laius
B. that he gave the baby Oedipus to the Corinthian messenger
C. that Creon was plotting against Oedipus
D. that the sphinx would return to Thebes
B. that he gave the baby Oedipus to the Corinthian messenger
In "Blind," which theme best represents the poem's message about perception?
A. Society's assumptions about disability are often wrong
B. Technology can solve all vision problems
C. Physical limitations define human capability
D. Vision is solely dependent on the eyes
A. Society's assumptions about disability are often wrong
Through meditation, the monk hoped to _______ physical limitations and achieve enlightenment.
A. perplex
B. transcend
C. volition
D. delineate
B. transcend
What ultimately happens to Nunez at the end of the story?
Nunez chooses to escape the valley rather than lose his sight.
What is the primary conflict that drives the action in Part 1?
A. the romantic tension between characters
B. the plague devastating Thebes
C. the power struggle between Oedipus and the gods
D. the rivalry between Oedipus and Creon
B. the plague devastating Thebes
What happens to Oedipus's children at the end of Part 2?
A. they are sent to live in Corinth
B. they remain in Thebes under Creon's care
C. they follow Oedipus into exile
D. they are taken by the citizens of Thebes
B. they remain in Thebes under Creon's care
In "On His Blindness," which literary device is most prominent in the poem's treatment of blindness?
A. metaphor
B. hyperbole
C. personification
D. alliteration
A. metaphor
Of her own _______, she decided to challenge the traditional approach to the problem.
A. proclamation
B. delineation
C. volition
D. altercation
C. volition
Who is Nunez, and how does he end up in the Country of the Blind?
He is the leader of a mountaineering expedition who falls off a cliff to the valley below.
According to the oracle, that is the solution to the problem Thebes faces?
The murderer of King Laius must be exiled or put to death.
What is "hamartia?"
a tragic flaw
In "Blind," why is ignorance "a lost paradise?"
Ignorance is the state of not knowing. This may be good for some people because they don't know trouble or problems.
The _______ march of time brings changes that none can prevent.
A. inexorable
B. vivid
C. incoherent
D. prophetic
A. inexorable
What is the old proverb Nunez remembers when he finds the Country of the Blind?
"In the Country of the Blind the One-Eyed Man is King."
What is "hubris?"
excessive pride
What is the literal meaning of Oedipus's name?
"swollen foot"
What is an oxymoron?
A type of figurative language that juxtaposes contrasting or contradictory ideas. The result is an expression that sheds new light on an idea.
(deafening silence, jumbo shrimp, awfully good)
1. decision made by an authority
2. commands from a public authority
3. official announcement
A. proclamation
B. edicts
C. decree
1. C
2. B
3. A