Voltaire’s CANDIDE
Name:
Read each question carefully, then print the letter of the correct answer on the line next to the
question.
1.
The Bulgares and the Abares are, respectively, allegorical representatives of the
a. English and the French
b. Prussians and the French
c. Prussians and the English
2.
Candide joined the Bulgar army because he
a. had no money
b. was tricked into it
c. was a supporter of the Bulgar king
3.
as
When Pangloss refers to the best of all possible worlds, he is talking about the world
a. it is
b. it should be
c. it used to be
4.
Through the character of Pangloss, Voltaire satirized the philosophy of
a. existentialism
b. optimism
c. pessimism
5.
The Anabaptist Jacques is a
I. Protestant preacher
II. Dutch merchant
III. charitable man
a. I and III
b. II and III
c. I only
6.
The term “Enlightenment” is often given to the intellectual quickening of what
century?.
a. 18th
b. 17th
c. 16th
7. ______ Voltaire was considered a “Deist”, which means a belief that
a. God does not exist
b. More than one God exists
c. God exists, but should not be connected to an organized church
Voltaire’s CANDIDE
8. ______ Candide finds that Pangloss has become severely disfigured due to
a. the plague
b. syphilis
c. polio
9. ______ What happens as Candide, Jacques and Pangloss arrive in Lisbon?
a. there is an earthquake
b. their boat sinks
c. Pangloss drowns
10. _____ An “autodafé” is
a. torture by beating
b. torture by drowning
c. torture by fire
11. _____ While traveling to Cadix, Cunégonde discovers that
a. her jewels were stolen
b. Candide killed a man
c. Pangloss is still alive
12. _____ In Buenos Aires, the old lady advises Cunégonde to
a. marry the governor
b. marry Candide
c. flee with Candide
13. _____ Cacambo is
a. Cunégonde’s brother
b. Candide’s valet
c. the Baron’s son
14. _____ Who does Candide discover to be the commander of the Jesuits?
a. the Baron’s son
b. Cacambo
c. the Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh
15. _____ Why does Cunégonde’s brother forbid Candide from marrying his sister?
a. she is of noble blood and Candide is not
b. he does not trust Candide
c. he has promised her to a general
16. _____ Who are the Oreillons?
a. relatives of the Jesuits
b. relatives of the Bulgares
c. a savage tribe
Voltaire’s CANDIDE
17. _____ Why do the Oreillons threaten to kill Candide?
a. he’s wearing a Jesuit robe
b. they found out he killed the Jesuit commander
c. they need a human to sacrifice
18. _____ Upon arriving in El Dorado, Candide and Cacambo see children
a. fighting with each other
b. playing with precious jewels
c. playing with sheep
19. _____ Candide is surprised to find out that El Dorado has no
a. laws
b. restaurants
c. priests
20. _____ Candide and Cacambo leave El Dorado with
a. sheep carrying provisions and jewels
b. bad feelings about the villagers
c. a new car
21. _____ El Dorado can be seen as a parody of
a. the Garden of Eden
b. the Inquisition
c. Hell
22. _____ Which of the following does not contribute to the “unreality” of El Dorado?
a. the red sheep
b. the lack of names for the characters
c. the fact that Candide arrived there
23. _____ Life in El Dorado can be considered sterile because
a. it is without challenge
b. it offers an ideal for human aspiration
c. it is beautiful
24. _____ Why did Candide decide to leave El Dorado?
I. his hope of happiness with Cunégonde
II. his desire for superiority and power through wealth
III. his restlessness
IV. his desire to boast of his travels
a. I and II only
b. I, II and III only
c. all of the above
Voltaire’s CANDIDE
25. _____ After El Dorado, Candide’s story is primarily the search for
a. his beloved, Cunégonde
b. the best of all possible worlds
c. land to buy
26. _____ Candide sends Cacambo to Buenos Aires to
a. reclaim their fortune
b. find Cunégonde
c. find Pangloss
27. _____ After being swindled out of his fortune, Candide looks for a traveling companion
who is
a. the most unhappy person in the country
b. the most optimistic person in the country
c. the richest person in the country
28. _____ Candide picks Martin as his traveling companion because
a. he is the most miserable man in Surinan
b. reminds Candide of Pangloss
c. promises to be most interesting
29. _____ Optimism and pessimism are represented, respectively, by
a. Pangloss and Cacambo
b. Pangloss and Martin
c. Pangloss and Cunégonde
30. _____ During their journey, Candide and Pangloss
a. see one of the red sheep swim towards their boat
b. agree on the state of the world
c. kill a thief
31. _____ The red sheep represents Candide’s hope that
a. he will be admired for his wealth
b. Cunégonde will return to him
c. the thief will be punished
32. _____ Martin believes that
a. man has changed over the years
b. it will take many years before man changes
c. man will never change
33. _____ When Candide gets sick in Paris, he is helped by doctors who
a. fear for his life
b. know where Cunégonde is
c. think that he has money
Voltaire’s CANDIDE
34. _____ Voltaire writes that Candide gets better
a. because of the doctors
b. despite the help of the doctors
c. without the help of the doctors
35. _____ In Paris, Candide is tricked into believing that
a. Cunégonde is there
b. he can get a boat to Venice
c. Cacambo is dead
36. _____ Martin says that , in general, the English
a. are not too crazy
b. are stable people
c. are bad-tempered
37. _____ When Candide and Martin are waiting in Venice, Martin thinks that
a. Cacambo has run off with the money
b. Cacambo and Cunégonde are dead
c. Cacambo and Cunégonde are in trouble
38. _____ The best description of Lord Pococurante would be that he
a. “is superior to everything he possesses”
b. “has never known a moment’s grief”
c. “is disgusted with everything he possesses”
39. _____ When Candide is reunited with Cacambo, he learns that Cacambo
a. has become a slave
b. has not found Cunégonde
c. is rich
40. _____ The main idea behind Candide’s dinner with the six kings is that
a. man’s fate is unpredictable
b. riches don’t bring happiness
c. Voltaire was against monarchy
41. _____ What is Cunégonde doing in Constantinople?
a. living a life of luxury
b. working as a slave to an exiled prince
c. working as a chef
42. _____ En route to Turkey, who does Candide run into?
a. Cacambo and the Baron
b. Pangloss and the Baron
c. the old lady and Pangloss
Voltaire’s CANDIDE
43. _____ Why is Pangloss still alive?
a. he escaped before being hanged
b. the executioner was inexperienced
c. he paid off the executioner
44. _____ Cacambo tells Candide that Cunégonde is now
a. ugly
b. rich
c. pregnant
45. _____ A belief of philosophical optimism is that evil
a. cannot be explained
b. dominates human existence
c. is part of a greater good
46. _____ When Candide first sees Cunégonde again in Constantinople, he is
a. horrified at her appearance
b. upset at the way she has been treated
c. thrilled that she is alive
47. _____ At the end of the novel, the only possession that Candide is left with is
a. one red sheep
b. a diamond ring
c. a small farm
48. _____ According to the Turc, the three great evils of the world are vice, need, and
a. boredom
b. nobility
c. religion
49. _____ Candide became convinced that the only way to keep away the great evils of the
world was through
a. philosophizing
b. education
c. work
50. _____ The quote “Il faut cultiver notre jardin” (We must cultivate our garden) implies that
a. the aim of life is not the pursuit of happiness; man should find support in his
work rather than discuss his problems and take no action
b. man cannot understand the evil in the world, and should concern himself with
the small portion of life that he can control
c. both a and b