View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What helped ease Tereza's anxiety when she entered the engineer's house?

2. What was Tereza's and Tomas's love supported on?

3. The man who visited Tomas at the clinic where Tomas was a general practitioner introduced himself as...

4. When the engineer undressed Tereza, how did she respond?

5. What did the chief surgeon request of Tomas?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Part 5, Chapter 10, what distinguishes the women who looks like a giraffe and a stork from others?

2. In Part 5, Chapter 12, what incident with one of his lovers, who he always took to his friend's house, causes Tomas to be appalled?

3. All her life Sabina had proclaimed kitsch her enemy. But, Kundera asks, hasn't she in fact been carrying it with her?

4. In Part 4, Chapter 13, Tereza has a dream where she admits to the executioner that it wasn't her choice to come to the hill to die. Has she subconsciously renounced responsibility for her actions in order to proceed with what she wants to do?

5. Prior to suggesting they move there, what experience has Tereza had with country life?

6. What causes Tereza to suspect the engineer was sent by the secret police?

7. After making love to the engineer, what does Tereza desire to do?

8. What does the ambassador tell Tereza is the three functions of the secret police?

9. What does the article about the dogs being summarily shot in Russia signify for Tereza?

10. Once she's in his home, how does Tereza behave that announces she does not condone what is happening (the lovemaking) between her and the engineer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kundera has an entire section about misunderstood words between Franz and Sabina.

1. Was misunderstandings of words what led to Franz's and Sabina's break-up or were they simply not meant to be together? Cite 3 examples that support your theory.

2. had Sabina and Franz really been in love, would there have been a misunderstanding of words? Cite examples to prove your theory.

3. In Franz's case, was there a misunderstanding of words or a misunderstanding of women? How did Franz's upbringing affect his personality? Cite 3 examples of how his upbringing influenced the relationships he ended up having with women.

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the three options to write about:

1. Kandera compares the behavior of animals to that of humans. Cite 3 examples where Kandera compares animals to humans and discuss his views on this subject.

2. Kandera questions why humans don't have the selfless love that exists between people and animals. Tereza, for instance, has a better love for her dog than for Tomas. Cite 3 examples of how Tereza's love for her dog Karenin is better than her love for Tomas. What actions would have made her love unconditional?

3. Tereza treats the animals she comes across well. Would she have made a good mother? How do you think her childhood experience might have influenced her relationship with her children, had she had any? Would she have been a happier more fulfilled woman had she had children?

Essay Topic 3

Would you stay home for the sake of loved ones or travel overseas to help a country in need? Why or why not? What is more important, home and family or helping big causes? How would Franz's life ended up had he remained at home or returned safely home? What do you think happened to his mistress?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,059 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample