View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who brings flowers for Linda?
(a) Bill Oliver
(b) Biff
(c) Willy
(d) Happy

2. How has Biff passed Math in the past?
(a) Through practicing with Bernard
(b) By having his work re-marked
(c) Through cheating, Bernard giving him the answers.
(d) Through studying hard

3. What does Happy fail to see in Biff's offer?
(a) He cannot see how it will find him planty of girlfriends.
(b) He cannot see that it is an opportunity.
(c) He cannot see that he will have to work hard.
(d) He cannot see how it will make him any quick money.

4. According to Charley, when was Willy a happy man?
(a) When he was working "with his customers."
(b) When he was at home, eating American cheese.
(c) When he was working "with a batch of cement."
(d) When he was on the road, traveling "with a smile and a shoeshine."

5. How does Willy explain the Woman's presence to Biff?
(a) He says she is a buyer for Westinghouse and has lost her car keys.
(b) He says she is a buyer for J. H. Simmons and her room is being painted.
(c) He says she is a visiting executive who has been accidentally locked out of her room.
(d) He says she is a buyer for J. H. Simmons who is running away from a violent husband.

Short Answer Questions

1. How is the presence of the Woman given away?

2. In his outburst, what does Biff call Willy?

3. Who mentions that the cemetery gates will soon be closing?

4. Why does Stanley tell off the other waiter?

5. Ben refers to ____________ when he says: 'It's dark there, but full of diamonds."

Short Essay Questions

1. Is Death of a Salesman an uncompromising indictment of "The American Dream"?

2. What insight does Biff experience in the few moments he does get to see Bill Oliver?

3. Why does Charlie reply with just a grunt to Happy's angry attitude to his father's suicide and claim that "We would've helped him."?

4. What is Willy's final fantasy?

5. Why does Linda want to prevent the boys speaking to their father?

6. What is Willy's reaction to Biff's attempt to tell the day's events truthfully?

7. Did Willy Loman die in vain?

8. Why did Willy never find true happiness?

9. In what way is Happy's betrayal of his father ironic?

10. In what way, according to Willy, does a man have to "add up to something" when he leaves this world?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,180 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample