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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What are in the bottom of the shopping bag that the narrator gathers for the blind man at night?
(a) Onion skins
(b) Coupons
(c) Coffee beans
(d) Marshmallows

2. What vegetable does the narrator’s wife throw when she has an argument with the narrator in the beginning of the story?
(a) A potato
(b) A pepper
(c) A cucumber
(d) A carrot

3. How does the narrator feel about the blind man’s visit in the beginning of the story?
(a) Excited
(b) Apprehensive
(c) Unenthusiastic
(d) Angry

4. Of his knowledge of cathedrals, the blind man says that he knows from the television show that they took how many workers to build?
(a) Hundreds
(b) Thirty to forty
(c) Ten to twenty
(d) Thousands

5. What question does the blind man ask the narrator as the narrator begins drawing the cathedral in the story?
(a) Never thought anything like this could happen in your lifetime, did you, bub?
(b) What kind of building are you drawing here, bub?
(c) Where are you going to put the steeple and the people, bub?
(d) Where’s your wife when you need her, huh, bub?

Short Answer Questions

1. The narrator describes the man narrating the television show about the Church as being from where?

2. What does the blind man say “never ends” in the story?

3. What word from the story refers to a tall, acutely pointed pyramidal roof or roof-like construction upon a tower?

4. Travis A.F.B. is described as being near what city in the short story?

5. How does the narrator describe the blind man’s attire when he arrives?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the central imagery employed in the story? How is it employed?

2. What is signified by the narrator’s choice to keep his eyes closed at the end of the story?

3. How is the beginning of the television show about the church described?

4. Why does the narrator apologize to Robert during their discussion after his wife’s fallen asleep?

5. Where in “Cathedral” does the climax of the narrative take place?

6. How is the theme of creativity illustrated through the protagonist in the beginning of “Cathedral”?

7. What conversation does the narrator have with Robert regarding alcohol after Robert’s arrival?

8. Which of the characters in the story stands out from the theme of alienation? Why?

9. What is symbolized through the television set in the story?

10. What drives the narrative plot of “Cathedral”? What effect does this have on the plot’s structure?

(see the answer keys)

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