from the Odyssey, Part Two: Coming Home

Transcription

1 SELECTION TEST COMPREHENSION (40 points; 4 points each) LITERARY RESPONSE AND ANALYSIS from the Odyssey, Part Two: Coming Home Homer translated by Robert Fitzgerald On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items. 1. When Odysseus returns home, Athena advises him to disguise himself as a A swineherd B soothsayer C beggar D soldier 2. Which of the following events is an example of dramatic irony? F Athena provides Odysseus with new clothes and a younger appearance. G Telemachus returns to Ithaca unharmed. H Eumaeus is sent to tell Penelope about Telemachus s safe return. J Telemachus does not recognize that the stranger is his father. 3. When Odysseus reveals himself to Telemachus, his son A confuses him with the swineherd B thinks only a god could make such a transformation C accuses him of abandoning his mother D asks for proof that Odysseus is his father 4. The old hound Argos knows that Odysseus has returned because the dog F recognizes Odysseus s face G picks up the scent of his master H recognizes Odysseus s voice J dies just as Odysseus appears 5. Penelope proposes that her suitors perform a difficult task. They have to A kill Polyphemus B string Odysseus s bow C pull Odysseus s sword from a stone D build a new palace for her 6. To enlist the aid of the swineherd and cowherd in his battle with the suitors, Odysseus F explains that Athena has willed their participation G offers them wives, cattle, and houses H tells them that it is their duty to help him J plays on their affection for Penelope the Odyssey, Part Two: Coming Home 239

2 7. Who joins Odysseus in the fight against the suitors? A The swineherd, the shepherd, and the cowherd B Telemachus, Penelope, and Argos C Penelope, her maids, and Eurycleia D Telemachus, the swineherd, and the cowherd 8. Telemachus executes the maids because they have F associated with the suitors G neglected the dog Argos H revealed Odysseus s identity J ridiculed Penelope 9. To stop Odysseus from killing all the suitors, Eurymachus does everything but A blame everything on Antinous B offer to repay Odysseus C ask for a fair fight with Odysseus D admit that Odysseus s anger is just 10. Odysseus proves his identity to Penelope by F summoning Argos with a secret name G showing her the secret passage under their bed H telling her how he built their bed J telling her how the two of them met LITERARY FOCUS (20 points; 5 point each) On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items. 11. When Eumaeus calls Telemachus light of my days, he is using a(n) A Homeric epithet B character trait C invocation D exposition 240 Holt Assessment: Literature, Reading, and Vocabulary

3 12. In Part Two of the Odyssey, Odysseus exhibits the traits of an epic hero by F stringing the bow G having the swineherd executed H sparing Antinous s life J asking Penelope to prove her identity 13. The Odyssey includes all of the following themes except A loyalty to family and friends B the importance of truth C overcoming obstacles D the relationship between humans and gods 14. Penelope s test of Odysseus in Book 23 of the Odyssey F prolongs the story s resolution G shows how Odysseus has changed H shows Penelope s resentment of Odysseus J results from the violence at the palace VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT (20 points; 2 points each) Match each definition on the right with a Vocabulary word on the left. On the line provided, write the letter of the definition. 15. aloof a. gave generously 16. candor b. honesty 17. tremulous c. helps 18. lavished d. flexible 19. pliant e. glared 20. disdainful f. add beauty to 21. revelry g. merrymaking 22. adorn h. unfriendly 23. glowered i. trembling 24. avails j. scornful the Odyssey, Part Two: Coming Home 241

4 CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE (20 points) 25. Which character (other than Odysseus) in Part Two of the Odyssey do you think is the most heroic? On a separate sheet of paper, explain the reasons for your choice. Support your ideas with at least two details from the selection. 242 Holt Assessment: Literature, Reading, and Vocabulary

5 Answer Key Frank feels free to act on his feelings of prejudice and bar the family from his neighborhood. Arthur is a lone voice for fairness. Biographical influence: The theme of the play indicates that Rose believed in integration. The conflict shows that Rose was against discrimination. Arthur s lone voice against the neighborhood plan is Rose s voice rising against prejudice. Rose used his play to point out an important social issue in the United States in Collection 10 Collection 10 Diagnostic Test Literature, Informational Text, Vocabulary, page B 6. J 2. F 7. A 3. D 8. G 4. G 9. C 5. A 10. H from the Odyssey, Part One: The Wanderings by Homer translated by Robert Fitzgerald Selection Test, page B 6. G 2. H 7. C 3. D 8. F 4. J 9. B 5. C 10. H Literary Focus 11. D 13. B 12. J 14. J Vocabulary Development 15. g 20. a 16. h 21. c 17. j 22. f 18. e 23. i 19. b 24. d Constructed Response 25. Students responses will vary. A sample response follows: Circe reveals that Scylla takes six men from every ship that passes her. Also, Teiresias and Circe prophesize that the crew will die if they raid the cattle of Helios and that Odysseus will return to Ithaca alone. Given the Greek view of fate, Odysseus may believe that losing six men to Scylla is inevitable and, more logically, that telling them so would cause panic. It could also be argued that Odysseus, always a clever strategist, realizes that he needs his crew s labor more than they need his leadership. If Odysseus is right about his crew s attitude, his decision is certainly pragmatic, if not morally sound. If he had not withheld information, the fate of his crew would not have changed, but he would have joined them at the bottom of the ocean, never to see home again. from the Odyssey, Part Two: Coming Home by Homer translated by Robert Fitzgerald Selection Test, page C 6. G 2. J 7. D 3. B 8. F 4. H 9. C 5. B 10. H Literary Focus 11. A 13. B 12. F 14. F 348 Holt Assessment: Literature, Reading, and Vocabulary

6 Answer Key Vocabulary Development 15. h 20. j 16. b 21. g 17. i 22. f 18. a 23. e 19. d 24. c Constructed Response 25. Students responses will vary. A sample response follows: The only character in these passages who is heroic in the classical sense of the word is Odysseus. Telemachus shows signs of heroism, but he is really in the shadow of his father. In a modern sense, Penelope shows considerable heroism. She manages to keep the suitors at bay for some time, although it is not clear just how long they have been at the palace. Her fidelity to her husband for the twenty years that Odysseus is away shows some heroism. Also, her testing of Odysseus by telling the servant to move the bed in order to make sure that the gods are not playing a trick on her shows some of the characteristics of heroism. Certainly, the ruse demonstrates that she can match wits with Odysseus. Where I Find My Heroes by Oliver Stone Heroes with Solid Feet by Kirk Douglas Selection Test, page C 4. J 2. J 5. C 3. B Vocabulary Development 6. defers 7. emaciated 8. emulate 9. annihilate 10. advocate The Fenris Wolf retold by Olivia Coolidge Selection Test, page D 6. J 2. G 7. D 3. D 8. G 4. G 9. A 5. C 10. G Literary Focus 11. B 13. D 12. G 14. F Constructed Response 15. Students responses will vary. A sample response follows: Scandinavian culture viewed good and evil differently than other cultures. Scandinavians regarded evil as a potential part of everything and everyone. They tolerated Loki because he was handsome, and we know they valued beauty in men: Their god of beauty, Balder, was male. They also admired Loki for his intelligence, which they knew they needed. When the gods first see the Fenris Wolf, Loki s offspring, they hope that his good side may be stronger than his evil side and that he may be tamed. The story suggests that Scandinavians may not have trusted cleverness, but they knew it was needed for survival, at least until the unavoidable end of everything. Answer Key 349