Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
Identify the letter of the choice that best answers the question.
1. At the beginning of Act II, why does Shakespeare have Brutus ask his servant what day it is?
A. to show the audience that Roman servants manipulated their masters
B. to show the audience how much Brutus depends on his servant for information
C. to make sure the audience knows this is the day the soothsayer warned about
D. to make sure the audience knows that nothing bad will happen that day
2. When Brutus says, "And therefore think him as a serpent's egg / Which hatched, would as his kind grow
mischievous, / And kill him in the shell" (Act II, Scene i, ll. 32–34), for what action is he providing reasons?
A. Cassius's behavior toward Caesar and Antony
B. a recommendation he will make to the Senate
C. his disappointment in Caesar as a leader
D. the conspirators' need to act immediately
3. As the conspirators enter Brutus's house, he says, "Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough / To mask thy
monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy; / Hide it in smiles and affability…." (Act II, Scene i, ll. 80–82). What
does Brutus emphasize in these lines?
A. his mixed emotions
B. a plan for escape
C. the need for secrecy
D. his contempt for Caesar
4. What is the best paraphrase of the following lines?
What watchful cares do interpose themselves Betwixt your eyes and night? (Act II, Scene i, ll. 98–99)
A. What watchful eyes are spying on you this night?
B. What worries are keeping you awake on this night?
C. What cares do you have concerning your eyes this night?
D. What worries do you have about what is happening tonight?
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
5. Which of the following statements best paraphrases these lines?
If these be motives weak, break off betimes, And every man hence to his idle bed. (Act II, Scene i, ll. 116–117)
A. If these are weak reasons, let us go home to bed and act later in the day.
B. If these weak reasons become weaker, let us wait and think of more.
C. If these reasons are not strong enough, let us take a break from talking.
D. If these reasons are not strong enough, let us call off the plot and go home.
6. What decision does Brutus make against Cassius's wishes?
A. the decision to avoid killing Marc Antony
B. the decision to avoid killing the soothsayer
C. the decision to avoid kidnapping Calpurnia
D. the decision to avoid involving Portia
7. In Acts I and II, the reports of strange occurrences in Rome create which of the following moods?
A. exciting, vivid, inspiring
B. terrifying, bloody, grotesque
C. mysterious, magical, fantastic
D. foreboding, ominous, threatening
8. Why does Calpurnia urge Caesar not to go to the Senate?
A. She has heard rumors of the conspiracy.
B. She has had dreams that have made her ill.
C. She believes her dreams are bad omens.
D. She is uncertain of what the Senate might do.
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
9. Caesar says, "Cowards die many times before their deaths; / The valiant never taste of death but once" (Act II,
Scene ii, ll. 32–33). What is the best interpretation of these lines?
A. Death is inevitable, but fear is a choice.
B. A coward is more likely to be killed.
C. No one can kill a valiant person.
D. Cowards should be put to death.
10. Why does Decius tell Caesar that the Senate has decided to offer Caesar the crown?
A. He is hoping, based on dreams, of being second-in-command,
B. He is guessing based on rumors he has heard in the Senate.
C. He is pretending in order to help Calpurnia calm down.
D. He is lying in order to further the conspirators' plot.
11. Act II, Scene iii of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is only fifteen lines long and has only one character,
Artemidorus, who wants to warn Caesar about the conspirators' plans. What is the main purpose of this scene?
A. to provide comic relief
B. to build suspense
C. to reveal a tragic flaw
D. to provide a turning point
12. Which of the following actions creates the most suspense in Act II?
A. Brutus's confession to Portia
B. the meeting of the conspirators
C. the constant sound of rain and thunder
D. Calpurnia's warnings to Caesar
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
13. When Brutus says that Caesar's power may be augmented, what does he mean?
A. Caesar's power could decrease.
B. Caesar's power could increase.
C. Caesar's power could last forever.
D. Caesar's power could end suddenly.
14. Which of the following is a synonym for insurrection?
A. surrender
B. rhetorical appeal to ethos What this handout is about
This handout will explain the functions of conclusions, offer strategies for writing effective ones, help you evaluate
your drafted conclusions, and suggest conclusion strategies to avoid.
About conclusions
Introductions and conclusions can be the most difficult parts of papers to write. While the body is often easier to
write, it needs a frame around it. An introduction and conclusion frame your thoughts and bridge your ideas for the
reader.
Just as your introduction acts as a bridge that transports your readers from their own lives into the “place” of your
analysis, your conclusion can provide a bridge to help your readers make the transition back to their daily lives.
Such a conclusion will help them see why all your analysis and information should matter to them after they put the
paper down.
Your conclusion is your chance to have the last word on the subject. The conclusion allows you to have the final say
on the issues you have raised in your paper, to synthesize your thoughts, to demonstrate the importance of your
ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view of the subject. It is also your opportunity to make a good final
impression and to end on a positive note.
Your conclusion can go beyond the confines of the assignment. The conclusion pushes beyond the boundaries of the
prompt and allows you to consider broader issues, make new connections, and elaborate on the significance of your
findings.
Your conclusion should make your readers glad they read your paper. Your conclusion gives your reader something
to take away that will help them see things differently or appreciate your topic in personally relevant ways. It can
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
suggest broader implications that will not only interest your reader, but also enrich your reader’s life in some way. It
is your gift to the reader.
Strategies for writing an effective conclusion
One or more of the following strategies may help you write an effective conclusion.
Play the “So What” Game. If you’re stuck and feel like your conclusion isn’t saying anything new or interesting, ask
a friend to read it with you. Whenever you make a statement from your conclusion, ask the friend to say, “So what?”
or “Why should anybody care?” Then ponder that question and answer it. Here’s how it might go:
You: Basically, I’m just saying that education was important to Douglass.
Friend: So what?
You: Well, it was important because it was a key to him feeling like a free and equal citizen.
Friend: Why should anybody care?
You: That’s important because plantation owners tried to keep slaves from being educated so that they could
maintain control. When Douglass obtained an education, he undermined that control personally.
You can also use this strategy on your own, asking yourself “So What?” as you develop your ideas or your draft.
Return to the theme or themes in the introduction. This strategy brings the reader full circle. For example, if you
begin by describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario as proof that your essay is helpful in creating a
new understanding. You may also refer to the introductory paragraph by using key words or parallel concepts and
images that you also used in the introduction.
Synthesize, don’t summarize: Include a brief summary of the paper’s main points, but don’t simply repeat things
that were in your paper. Instead, show your reader how the points you made and the support and examples you used
fit together. Pull it all together.
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
Include a provocative insight or quotation from the research or reading you did for your paper.
Propose a course of action, a solution to an issue, or questions for further study. This can redirect your reader’s
thought process and help her to apply your info and ideas to her own life or to see the broader implications.
Point to broader implications. For example, if your paper examines the Greensboro sit-ins or another event in the
Civil Rights Movement, you could point out its impact on the Civil Rights Movement as a whole. A paper about the
style of writer Virginia Woolf could point to her influence on other writers or on later feminists.
Strategies to avoid
Beginning with an unnecessary, overused phrase such as “in conclusion,” “in summary,” or “in closing.” Although
these phrases can work in speeches, they come across as wooden and trite in writing.
Stating the thesis for the very first time in the conclusion.
Introducing a new idea or subtopic in your conclusion.
Ending with a rephrased thesis statement without any substantive changes.
Making sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character with the rest of an analytical paper.
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper.
Four kinds of ineffective conclusions
1.
The “That’s My Story and I’m Sticking to It” Conclusion.
This conclusion just restates the thesis and is usually painfully short. It does not push the ideas forward. People write
this kind of conclusion when they can’t think of anything else to say. Example: In conclusion, Frederick Douglass
was, as we have seen, a pioneer in American education, proving that education was a major force for social change
with regard to slavery.
2.
The “Sherlock Holmes” Conclusion.
Sometimes writers will state the thesis for the very first time in the conclusion. You might be tempted to use this
strategy if you don’t want to give everything away too early in your paper. You may think it would be more
dramatic to keep the reader in the dark until the end and then “wow” him with your main idea, as in a Sherlock
Holmes mystery. The reader, however, does not expect a mystery, but an analytical discussion of your topic in an
academic style, with the main argument (thesis) stated up front. Example: (After a paper that lists numerous
incidents from the book but never says what these incidents reveal about Douglass and his views on education): So,
as the evidence above demonstrates, Douglass saw education as a way to undermine the slaveholders’ power and
also an important step toward freedom.
3.
The “America the Beautiful”/”I Am Woman”/”We Shall Overcome” Conclusion.
This kind of conclusion usually draws on emotion to make its appeal, but while this emotion and even sentimentality
may be very heartfelt, it is usually out of character with the rest of an analytical paper. A more sophisticated
commentary, rather than emotional praise, would be a more fitting tribute to the topic. Example: Because of the
efforts of fine Americans like Frederick Douglass, countless others have seen the shining beacon of light that is
education. His example was a torch that lit the way for others. Frederick Douglass was truly an American hero.
4.
The “Grab Bag” Conclusion.
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
This kind of conclusion includes extra information that the writer found or thought of but couldn’t integrate into the
main paper. You may find it hard to leave out details that you discovered after hours of research and thought, but
adding random facts and bits of evidence at the end of an otherwise-well-organized essay can just create confusion.
Example: In addition to being an educational pioneer, Frederick Douglass provides an interesting case study for
masculinity in the American South. He also offers historians an interesting glimpse into slave resistance when he
confronts Covey, the overseer. His relationships with female relatives reveal the importance of family in the slave
community.
Works consulted
We consulted these works while writing the original version of this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of
resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find the latest publications on
this topic. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the
citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial.
All quotations are from:
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, edited and with introduction
by Houston A. Baker, Jr., New York: Penguin Books, 1986.
“Strategies for Writing a Conclusion.” Literacy Education Online, St. Cloud State University. 18 May 2005
“Conclusions.” Nesbitt-Johnston Writing Center, Hamilton College. 17 May 2005
C. rebellion
D. compromise
15. What is the purpose of the notes Cassius sent with Cinna at the end of Act I?
A. To remind Caesar to meet at the Capitol
B. To assure Brutus that plans for the conspiracy were in place
C. To convince Brutus that the Roman people needed him to join the conspiracy
D. To warn Caesar about Brutus' betrayal
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
16. Calphurnia has a terrible nightmare in Act II, Scene II. What happens in the nightmare?
A. Calphurnia enters the Capitol and finds Caesar lying in his own blood.
B. Caesar's statue spouts blood, and Romans smile as they bathe their hands in it.
C. Senators sit around a coffin laughing jubilantly. Inside the coffin is the body of Caesar.
D. The ghost of Pompey returns to announce the death of Julius Caesar.
17. Who convinces Casear to go to the Capitol?
A. Calphurnia
B. Brutus
C. Decius
D. Antony
18. What does Artemidorus write in his letter to Caesar?
A. Praise for his great success
B. A request for help
C. An update on a personal matter
D. A warning about the conspiracy
19. Which character has "a man's mind, but a woman's might"?
A. Portia
B. Caesar
C. Cassius
D. Calphurnia
20. Which character describes Caesar as "a serpent's egg," which should be "killed in the shell"?
A. Brutus
B. Casca
C. Cassius
D. Flavius
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
21. At the beginning of Act III, why do the conspirators ask Caesar to pardon Publius Cimber?
A. They need to gain the political support of Publius Cimber's brother.
B. They need to divert Caesar's attention from their plan to kill him.
C. They want to give Caesar one least chance to prove he is a just man.
D. They want to give Brutus one more reason to support the conspiracy.
22. In Caesar's last speeches, as he responds to requests about Publius Cimber, what is the best description of his
attitude?
A. proud and arrogant
B. excited and irrational
C. reasonable and cooperative
D. understanding and sympathetic
23. What is Brutus's purpose in speaking the following lines after the death of Caesar?
So are we Caesar's friends, that have abridged His time of fearing death. (Act III, Scene i, ll. 104–105)
A. to mourn for Caesar
B. to mock Caesar's pride
C. to justify Caesar's death
D. to calm Antony's anger
24. When Antony first shakes hands with the conspirators, what impression does the reader get?
A. Antony was unaware of the conspiracy or the assassination.
B. Antony knew all along about the conspiracy and the assassination.
C. Antony accepts the murder and supports the conspirators.
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
D. Antony is congratulating the conspirators for a job well done.
25. Why does Cassius deliver an aside to Brutus after Antony arrives?
A. to urge him to kill Antony as soon as possible before the funeral
B. to urge him to avoid allowing Antony to speak at the funeral
C. to warn him that many of the conspirators cannot be trusted
D. to warn him that some of the plebeians are plotting against them
26. How are Antony's true feelings about the conspirators first revealed?
A. in dialogue with the conspirators
B. in his soliloquy over Caesar's body
C. in his funeral oration for Caesar
D. in a series of asides during dialogue
27. What is the best analysis of the imagery in the following lines from Antony's soliloquy?
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy (Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips To beg the voice and utterance
of my tongue), A curse shall light upon the limbs of men…. (Act III, Scene i, ll. 59–62)
A. Caesar's wounds are crying out to Antony for revenge.
B. Caesar's wounds strike Antony dumb with grief.
C. Caesar's wounds proclaim his death as a stupid mistake.
D. Caesar's wounds beg Antony to forgive the conspirators.
28. In his monologue at Caesar's funeral, what is Brutus's attitude?
A. Brutus is sincere and logical.
B. Brutus is clever and calculating.
C. Brutus is irrational and rambling.
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
D. Brutus is fearful and apologetic.
29. In his funeral oration, how does Antony show that the conspirators were not honorable?
A. He contrasts Caesar's deeds with the reasons the assassins give for his death.
B. He attacks the assassins directly by describing their evil deeds in the past.
C. He undermines the assassins by hinting at the deeds they plan for the future.
D. He gives a long definition of the word honor and asks if it fits the conspirators.
30. Although it is occasionally interrupted by the plebeians, what description best fits Antony's speech at Caesar's
funeral?
A. It is a conversation.
B. It is an aside.
C. It is a dialogue.
D. It is a monologue.
31. At first, why does Antony refuse to read Caesar's will to the crowd?
A. He does not want to make the crowd angry or fearful.
B. He does not want to make the crowd sadder than it is.
C. He wants to stir up the crowd's curiosity and passion.
D. He wants to keep Caesar's evil intentions a secret.
32. Why does Antony point to the wounds on Caesar's body and the rips in his cloak and identify whose dagger
made each one?
A. He wants to prove that he was a witness to the murder and can testify about it.
B. He wants to show that he is a keen observer and can be trusted to tell the truth.
C. He wants to emphasize the treachery involved and hold each assassin responsible.
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
D. His actions are a spontaneous display of grief and have no hidden motives.
33. What is the best analysis of the imagery in the following lines from Antony's oration? … put a tongue In every
wound of Caesar's that should move The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny. (Act III, Scene ii, ll. 229–231)
A. Caesar's wounds cry out for revenge against the conspirators.
B. Only brainless stones would mutiny against the conspirators.
C. Antony would lick Caesar's wounds to bring him back to life.
D. If Caesar were merely wounded, he would move the stones to pity.
34. What does Antony's aside after his oration reveal?
A. He is sorry that he did not foresee the consequences of reading Caesar's will.
B. He is satisfied that his calculated plan to stir up the plebeians has succeeded.
C. He is torn between warning the conspirators and joining the crowd in vengeance.
D. He is reluctant to take advantage of the approval he has won from the crowd.
35. What is suggested by the bloody imagery of Act III?
A. Caesar's death is a wound from which Rome will never recover.
B. Caesar's death speaks eloquently of the eternal quest for justice.
C. The Romans are now ruled by passion and violence rather than law.
D. The Romans are now torn between peaceful lies and bitter truth.
36. When Antony begins to prophesy over Caesar's body, what is he doing?
A. He is predicting the future.
B. He is regretting the past.
C. He is sighing in despair.
D. He is seeing the truth.
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
37. When Antony says that people's good qualities are often interred after their deaths, what does he mean?
A. They are misinterpreted.
B. They are interrupted.
C. They are remembered forever.
D. They are buried and forgotten.
Essay Portion
Using your notes write a well-developed essay outline in which you analyze Antony’s use of persuasive techniques
or rhetorical devices to convince the common people of Rome to condemn and attack the participant’s in Caesar’s
assassination. Try to make reference to ethos (character), pathos (emotion), logos (logic), imagery (the 5 senses)
and/or sarcasm.
In composing each body paragraph of the outline be sure you label each of the following:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
A claim,
Evidence from the text,
Explanation of the quote,
Analysis of the quote, and that you
State the impact that Shakespeare’s use of this device has on the plot of the play or in the development of a
major theme in the play.
Thesis:
Body Paragraph 1 Main Idea
Body Paragraph 2 Main Idea
Body Paragraph 3 Main Idea
Body Paragraph 1 Main Idea
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Body Paragraph 2 Main Idea
A.
B.
Julius Caesar Test Act II and Act III
C.
D.
E.
Body Paragraph 3 Main Idea
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.