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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through "The Case for a Tragic Optimism" (through page 179).

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How did fellow prisoners respond when someone stole potatoes?
(a) Nobody could figure out who he was.
(b) When they realized this could be done, they began to organize to steal collectively.
(c) Rather than turn him in, they chose to be punished.
(d) They turned him in to the SS for extra soup.

2. What does Frankl call "the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire."
(a) Belonging.
(b) Love.
(c) Faith.
(d) Hope.

3. What two kinds of people does Frankl say exist?
(a) Spiritual and non-spiritual.
(b) Loving and fearful.
(c) Strong and weak.
(d) Decent and indecent.

4. What does Frankl argue man determines about his life?
(a) Man decides whether or not he will live in love.
(b) Man decides if he will listen to his inner voice.
(c) Man decides whether or not to suffer.
(d) Man decides what he will be.

5. What happened to the senior block warden who had a dream that he would be free on March thirtieth?
(a) He fell ill on March thirty-first and died a month later.
(b) He died on March thirty-first.
(c) He committed suicide a month prior.
(d) He had another dream on March thirtieth that they would be freed on July third.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does the author of the book travel in a "prison car" with small peepholes?

2. Why were camp inmates frightened of decisions?

3. What is Frankl's tone in the section "The Case for a Tragic Optimism"?

4. For Frankl, which is the most important "avenue to meaning"?

5. What does the author attempt to describe in this essay?

(see the answer key)

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