Colegio Real de Panamá
English Literature Test
Harrison Bergeron
Prof. Dario VanHorne
Date: _______________
Name: ___________________ Class ____ A / B Stud. Number: ___
Points ____/ 100
I Part: True or False (15 Pts)
1. __T___ Harrison Bergeron can be considered a satire.
2. __F___ Hazel Bergeron has succumbed to government manipulation, she believes that
if things change, society would fall apart?.
3. __T___ The government employs very loud distracting or scary noises to handicap
those with above average intelligence.
4. __T___ The announcer could not read the news of Harrison’s escape because he had a
speech impediment.
5. __F___ The Handicapper General tried to convince Harrison to help the government;
when he refused, she shot him and the ballerina.
II Part: Multiple Choice – Choose the correct answer for the following (15 Pts)
1. In this story, people with above-average intelligence have to
a. Watch a lot of television every night
b. Marry someone with less intelligence
c. Report weekly to the Handicapper General
d. Wear mental-handicap transmitters
2. Based on the number of handicaps Harrison wears, you can conclude he is
a. The same as everyone else
b. Dangerous to others in society
c. Above average in many ways
d. Glad he doesn’t live at home
3. Throughout most of the story, you can conclude that George treats Hazel
a. Unfairly
c. Rudely
b. Gently
d. Poorly
4. Harrison is in conflict with
a. His parents
c. His teachers
b. The government
d. A ballerina
5. Draw Conclusion: Circle the word that best describe the society in the story.
a. Free
c. Repressive
b. Tolerant
d. Strict
e. Conformist
f. Open-minded
III Part Writing (10pts.): Harrison Bergeron rebelled against the laws of society that
regulated equality. Write a note the Harrison might have written to his parents explaining
his reasons. Use at least two words from the vocabulary and two instances of semicolons.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
IV Part: Respond and Think Critically (30 Pts) (5 pts each)
1. What is the purpose of the handicaps? How do they decide who gets what handicap?
The purpose of the handicaps is to create a sense of equality, although it is based on a false
idea that by limiting others we will achieve a state of equality. The government decides
who will get what handicaps by evaluating positive traits in the population and devising a
way of cancelling out the positive abilities. For example if you are really strong, they will
give you weights to carry so that you are too tired to use your strength for other purposes.
2. What keeps happening to George that prevents him from finishing his thoughts?
The government has given people that are intelligent, including George, an auditory
handicap. With this headset, the government plays very loud sounds that startle the
individuals wearing the handicap. This is why George can’t finish his thoughts. Every time
he tries to concentrate they play a loud noise like gunshots, or bells, or airplane engines and
he loses focus.
3. Explain the climax of the story. What do you think will happen as a result?
The climax of the story is when Diana Moon Glampers comes into the station and shoots
both Harrison and the dancer so they die. The government controls the population too much
for them to do anything about it. As a result the other people and Harrisons parents will
probably go back to wearing their handicaps and they will continue as if nothing ever
happened. They probably won’t even remember that Harrison died on live television.
4. What are some human qualities the author highlights as characteristics that would
give one person an “unfair advantage” over someone else? What did the U.S.
handicapper General do to counter these traits in order to establish equality amongst
all?
They see beauty, gracefulness, strength, intelligence, artistic musical ability, or being wellspoken as an advantage. They assign masks, unbalanced weights, chains, headsets with
loud noises, and prevent people from speaking respectively in order to create a sense of
equality.
5. When Harrison Bergeron is completely free from his handicaps, he defies the laws
of gravity and motion. What might Vonnegut be suggesting about the potential of
free human beings?
Vonnegut is suggesting that the potential of human beings is limitless when given the
ability to be free and express themselves accordingly. The gravity here is used as a symbol
of limitations and control, and Harrison’s movement is used as a symbol of freedom.
6. What do George and Hazel’s reaction to Diana Moon Glamper’s ultimate action
against Harrison tell you about the government’s influence on their thinking?
In the end we see that the parents don’t even remember what happened to their son. He got
shot on live TV and all that they remember is that the event must have been a doozy. With
their handicaps they lack the ability to think for themselves this means the government will
continue being in control since they have already managed to subdue the will and emotions
of the people.
V Part: Vocabulary (20 Pts)
Rewrite the following sentences utilizing the word that best fits from the vocabulary bank.
(You may rearrange the sentence as you please, as long as you accommodate the right
vocabulary word and utilize punctuation correctly)
burdened
hideous
unceasing
hindrance
toying
fine
She didn’t really want to date him, but she really enjoyed the gifts; she was happy playing
with his emotions.
She didn’t really want to date him, but she really enjoyed the gifts; she was happy toying
with him.
I promised my girlfriend that our love would win against anything, and that it would go on
forever regardless of the distance between us.
I promised my girlfriend that our love would win against anything, and that it would be
unceasing regardless of the distance between us.
Alexa woke up the morning after the paint party and realized her hair looked extremely
messy. She didn’t want to see pictures of last night.
Alexa woke up the morning after the paint party and realized her hair looked hideous. She
didn’t want to see pictures of last night.
The criminal was tired and couldn’t walk evenly because of the weight of the heavy bag
full of cash.
The criminal was tired and couldn’t walk evenly because he was burdened by the heavy
bag full of cash.
The cop made my father pay an amount of money; it was his third time speeding past a red
light.
The cop made my father pay a fine; it was his third time speeding past a red light
The teacher thought that the classical music would help me relax and write better, but I felt
like it was just holding me back from expressing my full writing potential.
The teacher thought that the classical music would help me relax and write better, but I felt
like it was just a hindrance from expressing my full writing potential.