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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Pahom do when the court rules against him?
(a) He tries to appeal the case.
(b) He strips someone else's trees in revenge.
(c) He accuses the judges of taking bribes.
(d) He quits the commune in protest.

2. Why does Pahom end up taking his neighbors to court?
(a) The refuse to pay him the rent that they owe him.
(b) They disagree about the boundary of his land.
(c) Their animals trespass on his land.
(d) They steal his crops.

3. What bothers Pahom the most about the stripping of bark from his trees?
(a) Whoever did it also let his cows out of their pen.
(b) Whoever did it cut down a whole clump of trees.
(c) He hates the idea of trees being wasted in this way.
(d) He hates the idea of a stranger being on his land.

4. Who is the first person that the local landowner offers to sell her land to?
(a) Simon.
(b) The leader of the commune.
(c) Pahom.
(d) The innkeeper.

5. Who calls Pahom's land a "narrow hole"?
(a) Pahom's wife.
(b) Pahom's sister-in-law.
(c) The stranger who stays overnight at Pahom's house.
(d) Pahom.

6. What does the expression "racked his brains" mean?
(a) Stared into space without thinking.
(b) Searched hard for an answer.
(c) Felt very sad.
(d) Organized his thoughts.

7. What does the older sister brag about?
(a) Her comfortable life.
(b) Her housekeeping skill.
(c) Her loyal husband.
(d) Her clever children.

8. When the younger sister is "piqued," what is she feeling?
(a) Angry.
(b) Cautious.
(c) Tired.
(d) Curious.

9. Which character says that "Loss and gain are brothers twain"?
(a) The local landowner.
(b) Pahom's wife.
(c) Pahom's sister-in-law.
(d) Pahom.

10. The story opens with two sisters. What does the older sister's husband do for a living?
(a) He is a tradesman.
(b) He is an innkeeper.
(c) He is a farmer.
(d) He is a commune leader.

11. What is Pahom's reaction to the trouble with the steward?
(a) He takes the steward to court.
(b) He insists that the family move to a new settlement.
(c) He takes his anger out on his family.
(d) He refuses to have any more dealings with the man.

12. How many acres does Pahom buy in his first land purchase?
(a) 1,300.
(b) 13,000.
(c) 40.
(d) 300.

13. What is a steward?
(a) A shop owner.
(b) Someone who rents the land that they farm or graze animals on.
(c) An innkeeper.
(d) Someone who takes care of someone else's property.

14. How many acres does the local landowner have?
(a) 40.
(b) 300.
(c) 13,000.
(d) 1,300.

15. Which character thinks that "Busy as we are from childhood tilling Mother Earth, we peasants have no time to let any nonsense settle in our heads"?
(a) Pahom's wife.
(b) Pahom's sister-in-law.
(c) Simon.
(d) Pahom.

Short Answer Questions

1. Whom does Pahom accuse of stripping his trees?

2. What does the stranger staying at Pahom's house overnight tell Pahom?

3. Where is Pahom when his wife and her sister are talking?

4. How does Pahom's wife defend their life to her sister?

5. What problem does the new steward create for the local peasants?

(see the answer keys)

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