English IV
Fall 2015 Semester Exam Review
Part One: Anglo-Saxon Period--Beowulf


Review the Anglo-Saxon period and describe the development of the English language
from its origins. Describe the invaders in chronological order and note their culture,
language, and religion. Refer to class notes and the text.
Review character and plot development in Beowulf; refer to study guides.
Part Two: Medieval Period- Canterbury Tales


Review the Medieval period and describe the development of the English language from
its origins. Describe the invaders in chronological order, noting their culture, language,
and religion. Refer to class notes and the text.
Review character and plot development in Canterbury Tales. Review the General
Prologue, Pardoner’s Tale, and The Wife of Bath’s Tale. Reference class notes and the
text.
Part Three: Shakespearean Drama- Macbeth

Review character and plot development in Macbeth. Reference study guide questions in
order to review Acts I-V.
Part Four: Cold Read Analysis

Literary Analysis—Close Reading
You will be required to read five passages and then answer multiple choice questions. These
sample passages are from Brave New World and 1984.
Brave New World (Chapter 15)
"But do you like being slaves?" the Savage was saying as they entered the Hospital. His face was
flushed, his eyes bright with ardour and indignation. "Do you like being babies? Yes, babies.
Mewling and puking," he added, exasperated by their bestial stupidity into throwing insults at
those he had come to save. The insults bounced off their carapace of thick stupidity; they stared
at him with a blank expression of dull and sullen resentment in their eyes. "Yes, puking!" he
fairly shouted. Grief and remorse, compassion and duty–all were forgotten now and, as it were,
absorbed into an intense overpowering hatred of these less than human monsters. "Don't you
want to be free and men? Don't you even understand what manhood and freedom are?" Rage was
making him fluent; the words came easily, in a rush. "Don't you?" he repeated, but got no answer
to his question. "Very well then," he went on grimly. "I'll teach you; I'll make you be free
whether you want to or not." And pushing open a window that looked on to the inner court of the
Hospital, he began to throw the little pill-boxes of soma tablets in handfuls out into the area.
1984 (Section 3, Chapter 1)
The door opened, and another prisoner was brought in whose appearance sent a momentary chill
through Winston. He was a commonplace, mean-looking man who might have been an engineer
or technician of some kind. But what was startling was the emaciation of his face. It was like a
skull. Because of its thinness the mouth and eyes looked disproportionately large, and the eyes
seemed filled with a murderous, unappeasable hatred of somebody or something.
The man sat down on the bench at a little distance from Winston. Winston did not look at him
again, but the tormented, skull-like face was as vivid in his mind as though it had been straight in
front of his eyes. Suddenly he realized what was the matter. The man was dying of starvation.
The same thought seemed to occur almost simultaneously to everyone in the cell. There was a
very faint stirring all the way round the bench. The eyes of the chinless man kept flitting towards
the skull-faced man, then turning guiltily away, then being dragged back by an irresistible
attraction. Presently he began to fidget on his seat. At last he stood up, waddled clumsily across
the cell, dug down into the pocket of his overalls, and, with an abashed air, held out a grimy
piece of bread to the skull-faced man.
There was a furious, deafening roar from the telescreen. The chinless man jumped in his tracks.
The skull-faced man had quickly thrust his hands behind his back, as though demonstrating to all
the world that he refused the gift.
'Bumstead!' roared the voice. '2713 Bumstead J.! Let fall that piece of bread!'
The chinless man dropped the piece of bread on the floor.
Choose one of the following topics and write a well-developed 1 ½ to 2 page-typed essay. Your
essay should be doubled-spaced and in Times New Roman 12pt. below: Then on the paper
provided, in response to each question selected, write a well-developed essay.
ESSAY DUE: 12-11-15
1. Is Macbeth a tragic hero according to the classical definition of the term or is he
merely a monster? Does Shakespeare succeed in creating sympathy for Macbeth?
Explain why or why not.
2. The three witches told Macbeth his fate. Did the events in Macbeth’s life occur
because of the witches’ prophesy or because of the choices he made? Is it a bit of
both? What caused Macbeth to fall: Fate or Free Will? Explain the role of free
will in the play. Did Macbeth suffer because of his decisions? Explain the role of
fate in the play.
3. Lady Macbeth is the most interesting and complex character in the play. She is, in
fact, the point on which the action pivots: without her there is no play. To what
extent do you agree with this view of Macbeth?
4. Is Lady Macbeth more responsible than Macbeth for the murder of King Duncan?
Is Lady Macbeth a more evil character than her husband and, if so, why?
5. The theme of “Fair is foul, foul is fair” permeates throughout the play. Explain
what it means, providing examples from the play to support your answer.