Student Name:
Block: 1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Date:
Short Story Quiz: “Harrison Bergeron” by K.Vonnegut
Circle the best answer for each question from the choices below (1 pt. each).
1. When is the story “Harrison Bergeron” set?
a. In the future
b. In the past
c. Right now
d. The story doesn’t say
2. What kind of short story is “Harrison Bergeron”?
a. romance
b. mystery
c. science-fiction
d. non-fiction
3. One of the sentences in the story is “They leaped like deer on the moon.” This is an example
of which kind of literary device?
a. understatement
b. simile
c. dialogue
d. metaphor
4. In the story, two characters get shot. Who are they?
a. a radio announcer and Harrison
b. Harrison and a ballerina
c. George and Hazel
d. a musician and a ballerina
5. What are people with above-average intelligence required to wear by the Handicapper General?
a. Red rubber noses to make them look foolish
b. Bags of birdshot to slow them down
c. Radio transmitters that make loud sounds
d. Tight bands that cause headaches
6. When Vonnegut decided to name the Handicapper General “Diana Moon Glampers” he was
probably making an allusion to:
a. Diana, Princess of Wales who was very concerned about the handicapped
b. Glamp, a champion athlete who did not want anyone to be better than he was
c. Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunting and the crescent moon
d. Moon Glampers, who invented ten-gauge shotguns
7. The dialogue between George and Hazel is not written in conventional grammar. This is probably
because:
a. Kurt Vonnegut made some mistakes and the editor didn’t notice them.
b. It’s funny.
c. Kurt Vonnegut wanted to show that George and Hazel were not highly educated
d. It was faster to write that way.
8. Which of the following three sentences show the verb in the subjunctive mood?
a. If I were at home, I could listen to any music I wanted.
b. We listen to music.
c. If I was at home, I could listen to any music I wanted.
d. Listen to the music!
9. Why is there an apostrophe in the word “you’re”?
a. Because “you’re” looks fancier with an apostrophe
b. Because “you’re” is a contraction
c. Because “you’re” is a possessive form
d. Because “you’re” and “your” are homophones.
Student Name:
Block: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Date:
Write an answer to the following questions (2 pts. each).
10. In the story, why are people of above-average intelligence, strength or attractiveness assigned to
wear handicaps?
11. Why does Harrison Bergeron break into the studio and appear on television?
12. Near the beginning of the story, it says, “George and Hazel were watching television. There were
tears on Hazel’s cheeks, but she’d forgotten for the moment what they were about.” Why is Hazel
crying?
Write the correct form (than or then) in the blanks in the sentences below (1 pt.
each):
13. They would rather read a story
14. I read a story
turn off the lights at bedtime.
answered questions about it afterwards.
15. To get to the library, walk down the stairs and
turn right.
Look at the dictionary entry and then follow the directions below (1 pt. each).
allude \
\ v. -luded, -luding, -ludes To make an indirect reference. [Lat. alludere, to play
with: ad-, ad- + lüdere, to play (<lüdus, game).]
USAGE NOTE: Allude
and allusion are often used where the more general terms refer and reference would be
preferable. Allude and allusion apply to indirect references in which the source is not specifically identified.
16. Allude is an example of which part of speech? (Hint: it is not an adjective)
17. Copy the part of the definition that shows you how to pronounce (say) “allude” using
the International Phonetic Alphabet: