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

Short Answer Questions

1. What do the American pilots do when they see the prisoners of war walking through Dresden after the bombing?

2. What does Billy see in the bookstore in Times Square?

3. What does the barbershop quartet at the anniversary party remind Billy of?

4. What does Vonnegut compare Dresden to after it has been bombed?

5. Which sport are Kilgore Trout's aliens most interested in?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Kilgore Trout shadowing Billy at the anniversary party?

2. How did the English prisoners of war view the Americans?

3. What does the phrase "so it goes" mean?

4. What did Billy Pilgrim ultimately learn from the Tralfamadorans?

5. What does Montana Wildhack wear around her neck?

6. What is echolalia?

7. What advice does Paul Lazzaro give to Billy Pilgrim?

8. Why was the Polish Farm laborer hung in Dresden?

9. What objects were hidden in Billy's coat?

10. Why does Billy travel to New York?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay comparing Slaughterhouse-Five with another novel or book describing events from World War II. Pick one of the following topics as a focus in your essay:

a) Realism about the war.

b) Symbolism.

c) How personal experiences affect writing.

d) The author's attitude toward war.

Essay Topic 2

Howard J. Campbell appears in another novel by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr, called Mother Night. Compare the character as depicted in that novel with the Howard J. Campbell that appears in Slaughterhouse-Five.

Essay Topic 3

Write a personal essay, explaining your view of death and/or the afterlife. Describe the basis of your views. Did they come from your family, your religion, popular culture, or from a specific source?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 496 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample