Odysseus 'Multiple Choice Questions On The Odyssey'
Name: ______________________________________________
Date: _______________________________________________
Odyssey Test (With Answer Key)
Matching (1 point each):
(not all answers will be used)
God/Goddess What are they God/Goddess of?
____C____ Zeus a.) sun
____B____ Poseidon b.) sea
____D____ Hades c.) father of the gods
____E____ Athena d.) underworld
____A____ Helios e.) wisdom f.) mother of the gods
Multiple Choice (2 points each):
6.) What is going on while Odysseus is at home? a. Athena wants to marry Telemachus for his money b. Telemachus wants Penelope to marry someone rich c. Penelope wants to get married to someone rich d. Men want to marry Penelope for her name and money
7.) Who comes to tell Calypso …show more content…
to release Odysseus? a. Hermes b. Hades c. Helios d. Homer
8.) What does Calypso give to Odysseus when she leaves his island? A: a. boat b. ticket home c. raft d. magic sword
9.) What genre is the Odyssey? a. Historical fiction b. Epic Poem c. Romance d. Adventure
10.) There are two “worlds” according to the Hero’s Journey, the Ordinary world and the: a. opposite world b. supreme world c. special world d. real world
Stimulus Questions – Reading: (2 points each) Directions – read the passage and answer the questions that follow
“In the small hours of the third watch, when stars 845 that shone out in the first dusk of evening had gone down to their setting, a giant wind blew from heaven, and clouds driven by Zeus shrouded land and sea in a night of storm; so, just as Dawn with fingertips of rose 850 touched the windy world, we dragged our ship to cover in a grotto, a sea cave where nymphs had chairs of rock and sanded floors. I mustered all the crew and said: ‘Old shipmates, our stores are in the ships hold, food and drink; 855 the cattle here are not for our provision, or we pay dearly for it. Fierce the god is who cherishes these heifers and these sheep: Helios; and no man avoids his eye.’
[…] Now on the shore Eurylochus made his insidious plea: ‘Comrades,’ he said, 880 ‘You’ve gone through everything; listen to what I say. All deaths are hateful to us, mortal wretches, but famine is the most pitiful, the worst end that a man can come to. Will you fight it? Come, we’ll cut out the noblest of these cattle 885 for sacrifice to the gods who own the sky; and once at home, in the old country of Ithaca, if ever that day comes – we’ll build a costly temple and adorn it with every beauty for the Lord of Noon. 890 But if he flares up over his heifers lost, wishing our ship destroyed, and if the gods make cause with him, why, then I say: Better open your lungs to a big sea once for all than waste to skin and bones on a lonely island!’ 895 Thus Eurylochus; and they murmured ‘Aye!’ trooping away at once to round up heifers. Now that day tranquil cattle with broad brows Were grazing near, and soon the men drew up Around their chosen beasts in ceremony. 900 They plucked the leaves that shone on a tall oak – having no barley meal – to strew the victims, performed the prayers and ritual, knifed the kine and flayed each carcass, cutting thighbones free to wrap in double folds of fat. These offerings, 905 with strips of meat, were laid upon the fire. Then, as they had no wine, they made libation with clear spring water, broiling the entrails first; and when the bones were burnt and tripes shared, They spitted the carve meat. Just then my slumber 910 left me in a rush, my eyes opened, and I went down the seaward path. No sooner had I caught sight of our black hull, than savory odors of burnt fat eddied around me; grief took hold of me, and I cried aloud: 915 ‘O Father Zeus and gods in bliss forever, you made me sleep away this day of mischief!’
11.) What will MOST LIKELY happen next?
a. Odysseus will punish his men for stealing
b. Poseidon will punish Odysseus
c. Helios will punish Odysseus
d. Odysseus and his men will all make it back to Ithaca safely
12.) Line 881 says
“’ All deaths are hateful to us, mortal wretches, but famine is the most pitiful, the worst end that a man can come to. The word famine MOST LIKELY suggests that:
a. Eurylochus thinks they should die in battle
b. Odysseus thinks that they should die in battle
c. The men are starving on Helios’ Island
d. The cattle on Helios’ island were tasty
13.) Odyssey has already told his men that:
a. The cattle are here for them to eat
b. The cattle are not here for them to eat
c. The cattle are very valuable
d. The cattle taste good with mustard
14.) The “Lord of Noon” is most likely
a. Helios
b. Zeus
c. Hermes
d. Eurylochus
15.) “Better open your lungs to a big sea once and for all than waste to skin and bones on a lonely island!” most likely means:
a. Its better to drink sea water than to eat skin and bones (meat)
b. You better open your lungs before you waste skin and bones when you’re on this island!
c. Its better to starve to death than to drown
d. Its better to drown than to starve to death
16.) Odysseus failed to stop his men before they killed Helios’ cattle because:
a. He didn’t care
b. He was asleep while it was happening
c. He was sleeping with Circe while it was happening
d. He was fighting Helios while it was happening
17.) Who is telling this story?
a. Odysseus
b. Helios
c. Telemachus
d. Eurylochus
18.) What is being described between lines 895 and 908?
a. The men are killing and sacrificing the cows
b. The men are cooking the cows to eat
c. The men are thinking about stealing a cow
d. Both A and B
19.) Why does he tell the story this way?
a. To make the story more interesting
b. To make it seem like they deserved the cows they killed
c. To make it seem like they killed the cows because they were desperate
d. To keep from getting into trouble
20.) Line 859 says “and no man avoids his eye.” This most likely tells the reader:
a. Helios is a Cyclops
b. Helios is omnipresent or omniscient, he sees everything
c. Helios has spies everywhere
d. Polyphemus helped Odysseus
Fill-In-the-Blank (2 points each):
21.) The journey of Odysseus starts with the _________________________(Troy vs. Greeks)
22.) The Greeks won the war by using the _________________________ to gain access to the city.
23.) Odysseus is from the city of _________________________.
24.) He has been away from home for a TOTAL of _________________________ years.
25.) The god _________________________ is angry at Odysseus for taking all the credit for the victory.
Stimulus Questions (5 points each):
Use the image below to answer the following questions in 2-3 complete sentences:
26.) Besides the people in the picture, there are at least four other elements shown. List or describe at least two and why they might be significant.
27.) What do you notice about the character furthest to the right? Do you think this is significant? Why or why not?
28.) Based on the image, what do you think will happen next in the story?
Essay Questions (20 points each):
Each response should be at least two to three full paragraphs. Answers should be well organized and should use details from the text. Incomplete or vague answers will not receive full credit.
29.) We discussed several key literary elements that Homer used in his poem, and many were unique to The Odyssey. Define and give examples of at least two, and explain why they are or are not effective, in your opinion.
30.) You are a lawyer for one of the characters in The Odyssey that impeded Odysseus’ journey home and now your client is on trial. Pick a character, describe his or her offense against Odysseus, and
explain
Date: _______________________________________________
Odyssey Test (With Answer Key)
Matching (1 point each):
(not all answers will be used)
God/Goddess What are they God/Goddess of?
____C____ Zeus a.) sun
____B____ Poseidon b.) sea
____D____ Hades c.) father of the gods
____E____ Athena d.) underworld
____A____ Helios e.) wisdom f.) mother of the gods
Multiple Choice (2 points each):
6.) What is going on while Odysseus is at home? a. Athena wants to marry Telemachus for his money b. Telemachus wants Penelope to marry someone rich c. Penelope wants to get married to someone rich d. Men want to marry Penelope for her name and money
7.) Who comes to tell Calypso …show more content…
to release Odysseus? a. Hermes b. Hades c. Helios d. Homer
8.) What does Calypso give to Odysseus when she leaves his island? A: a. boat b. ticket home c. raft d. magic sword
9.) What genre is the Odyssey? a. Historical fiction b. Epic Poem c. Romance d. Adventure
10.) There are two “worlds” according to the Hero’s Journey, the Ordinary world and the: a. opposite world b. supreme world c. special world d. real world
Stimulus Questions – Reading: (2 points each) Directions – read the passage and answer the questions that follow
“In the small hours of the third watch, when stars 845 that shone out in the first dusk of evening had gone down to their setting, a giant wind blew from heaven, and clouds driven by Zeus shrouded land and sea in a night of storm; so, just as Dawn with fingertips of rose 850 touched the windy world, we dragged our ship to cover in a grotto, a sea cave where nymphs had chairs of rock and sanded floors. I mustered all the crew and said: ‘Old shipmates, our stores are in the ships hold, food and drink; 855 the cattle here are not for our provision, or we pay dearly for it. Fierce the god is who cherishes these heifers and these sheep: Helios; and no man avoids his eye.’
[…] Now on the shore Eurylochus made his insidious plea: ‘Comrades,’ he said, 880 ‘You’ve gone through everything; listen to what I say. All deaths are hateful to us, mortal wretches, but famine is the most pitiful, the worst end that a man can come to. Will you fight it? Come, we’ll cut out the noblest of these cattle 885 for sacrifice to the gods who own the sky; and once at home, in the old country of Ithaca, if ever that day comes – we’ll build a costly temple and adorn it with every beauty for the Lord of Noon. 890 But if he flares up over his heifers lost, wishing our ship destroyed, and if the gods make cause with him, why, then I say: Better open your lungs to a big sea once for all than waste to skin and bones on a lonely island!’ 895 Thus Eurylochus; and they murmured ‘Aye!’ trooping away at once to round up heifers. Now that day tranquil cattle with broad brows Were grazing near, and soon the men drew up Around their chosen beasts in ceremony. 900 They plucked the leaves that shone on a tall oak – having no barley meal – to strew the victims, performed the prayers and ritual, knifed the kine and flayed each carcass, cutting thighbones free to wrap in double folds of fat. These offerings, 905 with strips of meat, were laid upon the fire. Then, as they had no wine, they made libation with clear spring water, broiling the entrails first; and when the bones were burnt and tripes shared, They spitted the carve meat. Just then my slumber 910 left me in a rush, my eyes opened, and I went down the seaward path. No sooner had I caught sight of our black hull, than savory odors of burnt fat eddied around me; grief took hold of me, and I cried aloud: 915 ‘O Father Zeus and gods in bliss forever, you made me sleep away this day of mischief!’
11.) What will MOST LIKELY happen next?
a. Odysseus will punish his men for stealing
b. Poseidon will punish Odysseus
c. Helios will punish Odysseus
d. Odysseus and his men will all make it back to Ithaca safely
12.) Line 881 says
“’ All deaths are hateful to us, mortal wretches, but famine is the most pitiful, the worst end that a man can come to. The word famine MOST LIKELY suggests that:
a. Eurylochus thinks they should die in battle
b. Odysseus thinks that they should die in battle
c. The men are starving on Helios’ Island
d. The cattle on Helios’ island were tasty
13.) Odyssey has already told his men that:
a. The cattle are here for them to eat
b. The cattle are not here for them to eat
c. The cattle are very valuable
d. The cattle taste good with mustard
14.) The “Lord of Noon” is most likely
a. Helios
b. Zeus
c. Hermes
d. Eurylochus
15.) “Better open your lungs to a big sea once and for all than waste to skin and bones on a lonely island!” most likely means:
a. Its better to drink sea water than to eat skin and bones (meat)
b. You better open your lungs before you waste skin and bones when you’re on this island!
c. Its better to starve to death than to drown
d. Its better to drown than to starve to death
16.) Odysseus failed to stop his men before they killed Helios’ cattle because:
a. He didn’t care
b. He was asleep while it was happening
c. He was sleeping with Circe while it was happening
d. He was fighting Helios while it was happening
17.) Who is telling this story?
a. Odysseus
b. Helios
c. Telemachus
d. Eurylochus
18.) What is being described between lines 895 and 908?
a. The men are killing and sacrificing the cows
b. The men are cooking the cows to eat
c. The men are thinking about stealing a cow
d. Both A and B
19.) Why does he tell the story this way?
a. To make the story more interesting
b. To make it seem like they deserved the cows they killed
c. To make it seem like they killed the cows because they were desperate
d. To keep from getting into trouble
20.) Line 859 says “and no man avoids his eye.” This most likely tells the reader:
a. Helios is a Cyclops
b. Helios is omnipresent or omniscient, he sees everything
c. Helios has spies everywhere
d. Polyphemus helped Odysseus
Fill-In-the-Blank (2 points each):
21.) The journey of Odysseus starts with the _________________________(Troy vs. Greeks)
22.) The Greeks won the war by using the _________________________ to gain access to the city.
23.) Odysseus is from the city of _________________________.
24.) He has been away from home for a TOTAL of _________________________ years.
25.) The god _________________________ is angry at Odysseus for taking all the credit for the victory.
Stimulus Questions (5 points each):
Use the image below to answer the following questions in 2-3 complete sentences:
26.) Besides the people in the picture, there are at least four other elements shown. List or describe at least two and why they might be significant.
27.) What do you notice about the character furthest to the right? Do you think this is significant? Why or why not?
28.) Based on the image, what do you think will happen next in the story?
Essay Questions (20 points each):
Each response should be at least two to three full paragraphs. Answers should be well organized and should use details from the text. Incomplete or vague answers will not receive full credit.
29.) We discussed several key literary elements that Homer used in his poem, and many were unique to The Odyssey. Define and give examples of at least two, and explain why they are or are not effective, in your opinion.
30.) You are a lawyer for one of the characters in The Odyssey that impeded Odysseus’ journey home and now your client is on trial. Pick a character, describe his or her offense against Odysseus, and
explain