JULIUS CAESAR:
ACTS 1-2 TEST
PART 1: Basic Comprehension
Act I, Scene i
1. How does the use of pun drive the introduction of the play?
a. It doesn’t. The mention of Julius Caesar drives the introduction to the play.
b. The pun makes the audience realize that the use of literary device is important for classic literature. They
soon realize the play should be printed.
c. “Pun” is a reference to a spoken metaphor. The spoken metaphors in the introduction are exciting and
unpredictable.
d. Shakespeare opens the play with humor. The quick-wit quickly capture’s the attention of all of the
audience members, regardless of their wealth.
e. I don’t know what a pun is.
2. Why is the cobbler an important character?
a. The cobber is not an important role. The audience—especially the wealthy, would not have paid any
attention to him.
b. The wealthy would have enjoyed the joke on the poor; the poor would have enjoyed the quick-witted
intellect of the cobbler.
Act I, Scene ii
3. What was the feast of Lupercal?
a. A feasting holiday that celebrates fertility and the glory of Rome. It takes places on the Ides of February.
b. A feasting holiday that celebrates fertility and the glory of Rome. It takes places on the Ides of March.
c. A feasting holiday that celebrates Olympic Games and politics. It takes places on the Ides of February.
d. A feasting holiday that celebrates Olympic Games and politics. It takes places on the Ides of March.
4. What is a soothsayer?
a. A court-appointed notary.
b. A position of high court that makes military decisions.
c. A “crier” or person who yells out news and important events.
d. An oral poet.
e. A prophet.
f. A commoner who is misled to believe he has divine powers.
5. Caesar clearly gives his thoughts about Cassius. What does he say?
a. “It doth amaze me/ A man of such feeble temper should/ So get the start of a majestic world.”
b. “He had rather be a villager / Than to repute himself a son of Rome.”
c. “He has a lean and hungry look; / He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous.”
d. “We have both fed as well, and we can both/ Endure the winter’s cold as well as he.”
6. Who is Brutus’ most loyal to?
a. Himself
b. Caesar
c. Antony
d. Cassius
e. The Republic
f. Portia
7. What does Cassius plan to do to sway Brutus? Answer in only 2 words.
_____________ _____________
8. What is Casca’s explanation of Caesar’s sad look?
a. He is suffering near starvation and battle fatigue.
b. He really wants the crown, but the crowd cheered when he refused it.
c. He does not want to be at the public ceremony, even if it is for him.
d. He feels badly that he does not want the crown even though the crowd begs him to accept it.
9. According to Cassius, what are the weaknesses of Caesar? Select all that apply. Make sure you recall our
discussions when answering. (6pts)
a. He was sick in Spain; he cried at the fever.
b. He is blind in one eye.
c. He is deaf in on ear.
d. He is Egyptian, not Roman.
e. He asked for help from Cassius.
f. He began to drown when swimming the river.
g. He is young and inexperienced.
h. His wife is barren.
i. He does not have money.
j. He is not a god.
Act I, Scene iii
10. What TWO events are to happen on the Ides of March? (2pts)
______________________________________
_______________________________________
11. What is the difference between the views of Caesar held by Cassius and Brutus?
a. Cassius wants Caesar out of power. Brutus loves Caesar but knows he has flaws; he considers his
countrymen as he makes his decision.
b. Cassius wants Caesar to stay in power. Brutus wants to help Cassius become the new leader.
c. Cassius wants Caesar out of power. Brutus agrees with Cassius, but thinks Cassius would not be a good
leader either.
d. Cassius thinks Caesar should share his power with Cassius and Brutus. Brutus thinks the power should
be divided equally among all of the countrymen.
12. What does Casca mean when he says: “For I believe they are portentous things / Unto the climate they point
upon.”
a. He thinks they are going to continue to have bad weather, which will ruin all of their plans.
b. He thinks Caesar has caused some kind of negative magic spell to be put upon the city.
c. He thinks the “unnatural” sights he has seen are signs of tragedy about to unfold in his country.
d. He thinks Caesar will make some needed improvements in the way the government is run.
13. Why does Cassius want Brutus to join the conspiracy?
a. Brutus has the best knowledge of the layout of the Capitol. It would be easy for him to plan a secret
attack.
b. Brutus is well thought of by the people. If he supports the conspiracy, the conspirators would be in better
favor with the people following the assassination
c. Brutus has great influence over the soldiers. Cassius needs Brutus to direct them not to help Caesar.
d. Brutus is very wealthy. They will need a lot of money to set up the new government.
14. Whom does Cassius want to kill in addition to Caesar?
_______________________
Matching: On your answer sheet, write the letter (character’s name) that correctly matches the description.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
originator of the conspiracy
Caesar’s wife
a wise old senator
a tribune who berates the commoners
recently defeated by Caesar
a man the conspiracy hopes will join
them
a. Cicero
b. Flavius
c. Calpurnia
d. Cassius
e. Pompey
f. Brutus
Act II, Scene i:
21. What is Brutus’s most overwhelming internal conflict?
a. He is afraid of killing Caesar.
b. He will not let himself be guided by his own opinion.
c. He is not willing to admit that he is guilty.
d. He can’t confide in his wife.
22. Why doesn’t Brutus want to take an oath?
a. He claims Olympians never take oaths.
b. Cassius already said the oath; Brutus no longer needs to.
c. He claims it is an unnecessary action of a coward.
d. He does not believe in the power of the conspirators.
23. Why does Metellus think it would be a good idea to ask Cicero to join the conspiracy?
a. He is young, weak, and scared. He will slow down the team.
b. Cassius thinks Cicero is a loyal supporter of Caesar. He doesn’t trust him.
c. Cicero’s wife is the chamber maid to Caesar. Metellus thinks Cicero will have access to details they need
for their plan.
d. He will be the “patsy”; people will later think the conspiracy was his plan.
24. What metaphor does Brutus use for Antony?
_____________________________________
25. “Let’s carve him as a _________; not hew him as a…”
a. dish fit for the gods; carcass for the hounds
b. fish for a king; cloth for the weak
c. serpent’s egg; subtle lamb amongst the feet
d. dish for a king; hound for the gods
26. Who is the speaker in the previous question?
_____________________________________
Act II, Scene ii:
27. Describe Calpurnia’s dream.
a. That the skies grew dark; that Zeus appeared; that Athena became a lioness.
b. That she bore a son who became king only to be later slain and mocked.
c. A lioness rampaged the streets; graves turned into fountains.
d. A lioness gave birth in the streets; graves dispelled their dead; a statue of Caesar becomes a fountain of
blood..
e. That Brutus ate hot coals and choked; that the Soothsayer shook his head; that Caesar “gained a
feather”.
28. What arguments does Decius use to change Caesar’s mind about going to the Capitol?
a. Casear is cowardly to stay home; that he has already taken an oath; that the people have already tried to
crown him thrice.
b. He should stay home where he is safe from the ridicule of rioters.
c. He should listen to the warnings of Portia, his wife, and the soothsayer.
d. He will be laughed at; that the people might change their minds, that the dream was a favorable omen.
Act II, Scene iii:
29. What does Artemidorus plan to do?
a. Help Portia.
b. Help Brutus.
c. Deliver Caesar a note.
d. Write Caesar a note.
e. Write Brutus a note.
Act II, Scene iv:
30. Why is Portia so nervous?
a. That is merely “a woman”; that she has a secret; that she cannot see Caesar.
b. That is merely “a woman”; that she has a secret; that she cannot see Brutus.
c. That is merely “a wife”; that she has a severe wound; that Brutus will not speak to her.
d. She is shaking in pain. The wound is infected. She will soon become a Zombie.
31. What does the soothsayer tell Portia?
a. He tells her nothing.
b. He is unspecific, but foretells of a coming conflict.
c. He reveals the basic actions of the conspirators.
d. He gives her dream that reveals the coming events.
e. He turns from her and instead warns the crowd.
PART 2: AP PRACTICE
Beside each literary terms, write the letter of the corresponding definition. Not all definitions will be used. Read
the definitions carefully.
a. a comparison by means of claiming that two objects
are in fact the same object
32. chiasmus
_______
b. a form of understatement in which a double-negative
is used to persuade the listener.
33. litotes
_______
c. a grammatical command or request.
d. a hyperbolic description of an abstract event.
34. anaphora
_______
e. a line that is repeated once or several times for
effect.
35. imperative
_______
f. a play on words
g. a piece of advice wherein the latter half of the advice
36. alliteration
_______
is the inverted meaning of the first half.
h. a series of words that start with the same letter
37. inverted word order
_______
i. a series of words that start with the same sound.
j. a word (or several words) that are rearranged in a
38. pun
sentence in order to maintain rhyme, rhythm, or
meter.
Identify the literary devices in the passage. Write the term (see above) on each corresponding line.
Flavius:
Hence! home, you idle creatures, get you home________(39)_______________________________________
Is this a holiday? What, know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk
Upon a laboring day without the sign
Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou?________(40)_______________________________________
Cobbler:
Why, sir, a carpenter.
Murellus:
Where is thy leather apron and thy rule?
What does thou with thy best apparel on?______________(41)________________________________________
You, sir, what trade are you?
Cobbler:
Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman,
I am but, as you would say, a cobbler.
Murellus:
But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.
Cobbler:
A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe conscience
which is indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. _____________(42)______________________________________
Flavius:
What trade, thou knave? Thou naughty knave, what trade?__(43)_____________________________________