Name:
“The Cyclops” from ​The Odyssey T
​ est
Directions: Select the correct multiple choice answer.
_____ 1. ​The Odyssey i​ s an example of an…
A. epic simile
B. narrative poem
C. epic poem
D. Both B and C
E. all of the above
_____ 2. Larger-than-life characters who go on long and dangerous adventures are called…
A. adversaries
B. epic heroes
C. Greeks
D. epithets
_____ 3. From the lines below, choose which gives the best example of visual imagery.
A. who eat good wheaten bread; but he seemed rather
B. a shaggy mountain reared in solitude.
C. We beached there, and I told the crew
D. to stand by and keep watch over the ship;
_____ 4. An epic simile, which is a long comparison using ​like ​or ​as,​ is an example of…
A. literal language
B. imagery
C. dialogue
D. figurative language
_____ 5. An epithet is…
A. an ideal or value of a culture
B. a repeated phrase used to describe certain people or things
C. a bit of language that appeals to the senses
D. a bit of conversation between characters
_____ 6. “Strangers,” he said, “who are you?” is an example of…
A. an epic simile
B. dialogue
C. an epithet
D. figurative language
_____ 7. From the text, we can infer that ancient Greeks admired…
A. solitude
B. wild growth
C. independence
D. civil society
______ 8. What do Odysseus and his crew find in the cave of Cyclops?
A. jewels and gold
B. bones and blood
C. sheep, goats, and cheese
D. books and clothes
_____ 9. Why does Odysseus want to wait for Cyclops?
A. to follow him to his treasure
B. to kill him in his sleep
C. to make him open the cave
D. to find out what he has to offer
_____ 10. Why is the Cyclops worried about strangers?
A. they might be there to steal from him
B. they might be evil wizards
C. he is afraid they are there to capture him
D. he knows Zeus is looking for him
_____ 11. What happens to many of Odysseus’s crew members?
A. they are eaten by the Cyclops
B. they escape through the cave entrance before Odysseus
C. they are poisoned in the cave
D. they are shipwrecked
_____ 12. Why does Odysseus choose not to kill the Cyclops with his sword?
A. Odysseus needs the Cyclops to lift the stone from the cave entrance
B. Odysseus left his sword on his ship
C. Odysseus is afraid the sword will not do enough damage to kill the monster
D. Odysseus is not allowed to kill the Cyclops
_____ 13. For what purpose does Odysseus use a long pole?
A. to lever the rock from the cave entrance
B. to blind the Cyclops
C. to push the boat from the shore
D. to kill the Cyclops
_____ 14. How do the crew members sneak out of the cave?
A. they run out after they blind the Cyclops
B. they tie themselves to the bottom of the rams
C. they wait until night, when the Cyclops is asleep
D. they get the Cyclops drunk, and sneak out then
______ 15. What is the name of the Cyclops?
A. Agamemnon
B. Polyphemus
C. Poseidon
D. Laertes
_____ 16. Why did the Cyclops not recognize that Odysseus was the man that the wizard
warned would blind him?
A. the Cyclops thought it would be a giant, not someone small
B. the Cyclops thought he was smarter than Odysseus
C. the Cyclops had been told a different name
D. the Cyclops had been given a different time of year
_____ 17. Who is the father of the Cyclops?
A. Zeus
B. Demeter
C. Apollo
D. Poseidon
_____ 18. What does the Cyclops throw at the ship?
A. a ram
B. a long pole
C. a boulder
D. another boat
_____ 19. What does Odysseus do in hopes of pleasing Zeus?
A. says a prayer
B. kills a large ram
C. sacrifices a crew member
D. kills the Cyclops
_____ 20. Why are the crew members saddened when they leave the island?
A. they were not able to capture many sheep and goats
B. they lost many friends on the island
C. they are afraid they are cursed by the gods
D. they have a long way before they get home
Short Answer Section
Odysseus is an example of an epic hero. For each of the qualities of an epic hero below, write a
sentence or two explaining examples from the text that provide supporting evidence that
Odysseus has these qualities.
great strength and intelligence
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gods both help and harm them
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represents ideals and values of a culture
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often win in dangerous situations
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Essay Question
Do you feel Odysseus exhibits the qualities of an epic hero? If so, what are those qualities? If not, why
not? Explain your reasoning using examples from the text.
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