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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What might be a proper subject of a playlet?
(a) The reincarnation of Jesus.
(b) The adventures of a human-like fox creating mischief.
(c) A bawdy tale of a cuckolded husband.
(d) The reality of a peasant being in debt.

2. What is the purpose of the flying buttress?
(a) It is a bawdy tale used by jongleurs to entertain guests.
(b) They are structures that support high cathedral ceilings.
(c) They are structures that make statues of the Virgin Mary appear to be flying.
(d) It is a coin used to inaugurate a new well or man-made pond.

3. Which of the following is NOT a function of the church according to the book?
(a) The place to conduct religious services.
(b) A marketplace gathering area.
(c) The place where a pregnant woman goes to have a baby.
(d) Town council meetings.

4. What are the ingredients of glass?
(a) Cooled tar.
(b) Viscera from animal leftovers.
(c) Wood bark and maple tree sap.
(d) Tree ash and sand.

5. There is a revival of theater in the 13th century. Where does it start?
(a) At the market.
(b) The town square.
(c) The Church.
(d) The private homes of burghers.

6. A student at a university studies for how many years, typically?
(a) Ten.
(b) Six.
(c) Four.
(d) One.

7. How are books regarded in the 13th century?
(a) Books are rare and valuable.
(b) Books are worthless, as almost no one can read.
(c) Books are derided for their silly tales and sloppy penmanship.
(d) Books are exceptionally common, and fill most homes' shelves.

8. What is the subject of the playlet, "L'Mystere d' Adam?"
(a) A horse breaking its leg and having to be put down.
(b) The sacking of Constantinople.
(c) A rogueish prince who seduces a queen.
(d) The story of Genesis.

9. Who oversee the construction of cathedrals?
(a) The Pope.
(b) The mayor of the town.
(c) Priests.
(d) Bishops.

10. What accounts for the difference between low justice and high justice?
(a) Whether the prisoner is kept in the tower or the dunjon.
(b) Whether it's handled by the Church or by the town council.
(c) Geographical location.
(d) Degree of severity.

11. Which author is depended upon for the central texts to teach rhetoric in the cathedral school?
(a) Herodotus.
(b) Nero.
(c) Aristotle.
(d) Donatus.

12. What language are church sermons given in?
(a) Aramaic.
(b) The vernacular.
(c) Greek.
(d) Latin.

13. Who handles crimes involving members of the clergy?
(a) A special commission of the peasantry.
(b) The church system itself.
(c) The town council, via special session.
(d) The feudal lord.

14. What is a city's defense against the siege mine?
(a) Diplomacy.
(b) The catapult.
(c) The countermine.
(d) The windlass.

15. What is the computus?
(a) A crude abacus used for basic arithmetic operations.
(b) The set of rules for determining the exact date of moveable feasts.
(c) A scale used to measure grain and spice.
(d) A map showing all the known lands in the world, and important landmarks.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the avoir de poids?

2. What is troping?

3. What is co-optation?

4. Educated wanderers who developed an irreverent brand of Latin verse were known as what?

5. Why might a lord call upon his subjects to take up arms?

(see the answer keys)

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