Senior English
Midterm Study Guide
2013
Materials needed to prepare for the exam:
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Things Fall Apart, copied story
“How to Cheat at Basketball”, story and study questions
“How to Tell a True War Story”, story and study questions
“Battle Royal”, story and study questions
Elements of literature short story chart
Elements of literature, definition notes
Hamlet, play
Hamlet, study questions
Things Fall Apart:
1. What are the main plot events in chapters: 3, 5, 6, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 20-25?
2. Know how to apply or recognize the following elements of literature to quotes and passages:
antagonists, protagonists, simile, direct characterization, rising action, themes, symbols, and
mood
3. Describe Okonkwo’s relationship with Ikemefuna.
4. Why does Okonkwo rule his house so sternly?
5. Why does Nwoye begin to act like a man?
6. When the locusts come to the village, how to the people of Umofia feel about it?
7. How does Okonkwo show that he cares about EKwefi and Ezinma?
8. How does Ezinma feel when she is following Chielo (who is carrying Ezinma)?
9. What is the difference between a “male” and “female” crime?
10. Why does Uchendu scold Okonkwo when Okonkwo first came to his village after being forced to
leave Umofia?
11. What lifts Okonkwo’s spirits when he is in exile?
12. Why do the villagers in Mbanta not like the Christian church/religion?
13. Who is the osu? Why didn’t the church want them to join?
14. Why did Okonkwo give a big feast to his family in Mbanta before he left to return to Umofia
after his 7 years of exile?
15. Why can’t Okonkwo initiate his sons into the ozo society when he returns to Mafia?
16. What does Okonkwo want to do to get the white Christians to leave Umofia?
17. How to the clan leaders feel while they are being held captive by the white commissioner?
Short Story Unit:
1.
Know how to apply or recognize the following elements to the 3 short stories read in class:
(use your story chart to help study this).
a. Hyperbole, allusion, tone, point of view, antagonists, symbols, diction, resolution,
atmosphere, tone, simile, rising action, themes, setting and mood
2. What happened to Curt Lemon?
3. Why do the men in : ”Battle Royal” get angry when the speaker uses the words “social equality”
instead of “social responsibility”?
4. Why is it considered to be ironic when the narrator in “Battle Royal” feels important when he
was given the leather brief case after presenting his speech?
Hamlet:
1.
Be able to apply or recognize the following elements of literature:
a. Rising action, protagonist, antagonist, dialogue, diction, setting, aside, allusion, plot,
sub-plot, themes, resolution, flat character, and mood
b. What country is Fortinbras the prince of?
c. Who was told to go to a nunnery?
d. Who is Hamlet’s best friend?
e. How does Laertes feel when he learns that Hamlet killed his father and his sister has
killed herself?
f. How did Ophelia die?
g. What plan did Hamlet figure out and foil when he was sent to England?
h. Why does Hamlet ask the actors to put on the play, The Mouse Trap?
i. What is Hamlet’s main focus that drives the plot events in the play?
j. What do Ophelia’s flowers symbolize when she gives them to the King and Queen?
k. What characteristics does Hamlet possess? (Anger, loyalty, etc.)
l. Hamlet’s character foil
m. Shakespeare wrote three types of plays. What type is Hamlet?
n. Hamlet’s friends from college:
o. When Hamlet is at the graveyard with the gravedigger, whose skull does he pick up and
reminisce about?
p. How many people died? (Do not count the ghost of Hamlet’s dad!)
q. Who wrote Hamlet?
Short Answer:
You will be required to answer 2 short answer questions. You have 5 to choose from. The questions are
based on Things Fall Apart, Hamlet and the short stories.