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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What happens to John Shade's aunt?
(a) She drowns in a lake.
(b) She has a heart attack and dies.
(c) She has a stroke and is moved to a sanitarium.
(d) She falls down the stairs and breaks her hip.

2. How does King Charles get out of the room where he is being held prisoner without being detected?
(a) He escapes through a secret passageway.
(b) He disguses himself as a guard and walks out the front door.
(c) He seduces a guard who sets him free.
(d) He makes a rope ladder and climbs out the window.

3. Of the following, what do John Shade and the assassin have in common?
(a) They were both born in Russia.
(b) They both were orphaned.
(c) They both had aunts who were put in an asylum.
(d) They were both Zemblan kings.

4. How does John Shade refer to the I.P.H.?
(a) The International Poetry House.
(b) The "H".
(c) If.
(d) The Institute.

5. "Pale Fire" is broken up into how many cantos?
(a) 4.
(b) 80.
(c) 334.
(d) 166.

Short Answer Questions

1. What book does King Charles find on his way out of the castle?

2. Where do the Shade's travel to take their minds off their daughter's death?

3. Which of the following best describes John Shade's idea of life on earth?

4. John Shade recites his poetry to one person prior to its publication. Who is that person?

5. King Alfin the Vague was an amateur______ .

Short Essay Questions

1. Briefly describe King Alfin the Vague.

2. Give some examples of translation as a theme in Canto One.

3. Briefly describe the IPH.

4. Briefly describe John and Sybil Shade's relationship.

5. What is Kinbote's secret?

6. What events lead to the death of John Shade's daughter?

7. Briefly describe John Shade's vision of the after-life.

8. How is Kinbote's birthday gift for Shade representative of Kinbote's commentary of the poem?

9. Describe John Shade's writing process.

10. Give examples from the text of reasons that the Extremists are unable to find King Charles once he escapes.

(see the answer keys)

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