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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The first line of the story names what species of bird?
(a) Ptarmigan.
(b) Puffin.
(c) Wren.
(d) Swallow.

2. The children in Omelas are described in what way when they are first mentioned?
(a) Happy.
(b) Melancholy.
(c) Carefree.
(d) Mature.

3. How are the horses said to feel about their participation in the event of Omelas?
(a) Patient.
(b) Apathetic.
(c) Excited.
(d) Reluctant.

4. What two groups are said to encourage the bad habit named by LeGuin in Paragraph 3?
(a) Priests and poets.
(b) Pedants and sophisticates.
(c) Scholars and rakes.
(d) Clergy and philosophers.

5. What element of Omelas does LeGuin describe as "magnificent" (3)?
(a) The Farmers' Market.
(b) The library.
(c) The art gallery.
(d) The town square.

6. What aspect of war does LeGuin say Omelas lacks?
(a) The rifle.
(b) The bomb.
(c) The tank.
(d) The cannon.

7. In what season does the event described at the start of the story take place?
(a) Summer.
(b) Winter.
(c) Spring.
(d) Fall.

8. What particular aspect of consumer culture LeGuin say Omelas lacks?
(a) Coupons.
(b) Advertisements.
(c) Bartering.
(d) Sales.

9. What term does LeGuin use to characterize objects such as "cars or helicopters" (3)?
(a) Efficiency.
(b) Transportation.
(c) Aesthetics.
(d) Technology.

10. The sound of the bells is described in what way?
(a) Clanging.
(b) Pealing.
(c) Smashing.
(d) Ringing.

11. Who is said to be exercising horses on the Green Fields?
(a) Boys and men.
(b) Young boys.
(c) Girls and women.
(d) Boys and girls.

12. LeGuin asserts that the people of Omelas are not what kind of human ancestors?
(a) Barbarians.
(b) Apes.
(c) Troglodytes.
(d) Neanderthals.

13. The people of Omelas are said not to "keep" (3) what?
(a) Slaves.
(b) Mixed company.
(c) Farm animals.
(d) Promises.

14. Omelas is described in the first paragraph as being "bright-" what?
(a) Clouded.
(b) Colored.
(c) Towered.
(d) Torn.

15. The people exercising the horses have what substance all over parts of their bodies?
(a) Dust.
(b) Mud.
(c) Water.
(d) Hair.

Short Answer Questions

1. The man mentioned in the story's subtitle is a famous what?

2. The drug taken by people of Omelas when they want to relax and have fun is called what?

3. LeGuin says in Paragraph 3 that modern society has the bad habit of considering happiness as what kind of emotion?

4. What event is said to cause the birds to start taking a particular action in the first line of the story?

5. LeGuin does NOT use what adjective to describe the adults of Omelas?

(see the answer keys)

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