Section 1
How old is Elie at the end of 1941
12
What are the conditions like inside the cattle wagons?
Very little air, no room to sit, packed in tight with 80 people to a wagon, extreme thirst and heat; eventually, the doors are nailed shut.
Why do the young Jewish men with knives not attack the SS?
It would cause more trouble then it would solve
Who is the "Angel of Death"?
Dr. Josef Mengele
Extremely repugnant or offensive
Abominable
What kind of work does Elie’s parents do in Signet?
They own a shop together
What is the effect of Madame Schächter’s screams on the passengers in the cattle wagon?
Other passengers beat her
Why does Elie thank God for mud?
Elie's youngest sister
Tzipora
Chasm or gorge so deep that its extent isn’t visible
Abyss
Why doesn’t Elie’s father request permits to Palestine?
To old to start over
What is the final destination of Elie's cattle car?
Birkenau
What is the significance of A-7713
Elie's Auschwitz Number
Heavily religious man who teaches Elie about the Jewish Faith.
Moshe the Beadle
Well-known for some undesirable reason
Notorious
Explain how Moshe has changed.
He is sad, no longer sings, and no longer talks of God or the cabbala but only of his experiences after being deported.
What happened to Mrs. Schachter before getting on Elie’s train?
Separated from her husband and other two sons
What does Akiba Drumer say is the reason they are experiencing brutality?
God is testing them
Elie's two older sisters?
Hilda and Béa
Someone who is regarded as knowledgeable
Sage
Describe the character Moshe the Beadle.
He works at a Hasidic synagogue, is very poor and lives humbly; he is a master of making himself seem invisible; physically he is awkward and shy but can make people smile, chants often, and begins teaching Elie the cabbala.
Why do you think the reaction of Madame Schächter’s son upsets Elie so much?
He's young and hasn't seen anything like that before.
How do Elie and his father survive the first selection off the train?
They lied about their ages and health
Mrs. Schatcher
Likely to cause a contagious disease
Pestilential