The Odyssey - Assessment

1.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Which of the following statements best describes Odysseus at the beginning of the epic?

He is the captain of a ruthless pirate fleet

He is an outcast leader and hates all human beings

He is the leader of a homeward-bound Greek fleet

He is the luckless son of Poseidon and a nymph

2.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

A mild danger, the lotus, is to be avoided because anyone who eats it

Yearns only to go home

Loses courage

Is transformed into an animal

Wishes to stay in the land of the lotus forever

3.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus wishes to visit the land of the Cyclopes to

Steal their treasure

Test his strength against theirs

Satisfy his curiosity

Ask for their help

4.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus’ men want only to steal Polyphemus’ cheeses and sheep and quickly sail away. Why?

They have been warned to avoid giants

They know the Polyphemus is a cannibal

They are coming from war and want to take things, but they don’t want to linger with a monster

They have lost heart and are cowardly

5.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

All of the following statements about Polyphemus are correct except

He lives in a huge cave with his goats & sheep

He barricades the entrance each night to keep the flocks in

He makes cheese from the milk of his ewes (female sheep)

He sells his cheeses to sailors and Greek merchants

6.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus first wishes to kill the sleeping Polyphemus with his sword. Why doesn’t he?

Polyphemus almost never sleeps

Polyphemus is protected by magic from swords

Odysseus is afraid to attack Polyphemus

With Polyphemus dead, nobody will be able to open the cave door

7.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Why does Odysseus put out Polyphemus’ one eye?

It is the cruelest revenge he can think of

It is the only possible way to kill the giant

He may then give the Greeks freedom in exchange for his life

Blinded, he will not see the Greeks escaping

8.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus and his surviving comrades escape from the cave

By brute force

With cleverness and strategy

By telling lies

With the help of the gods

9.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

To judge from the adventure with Polyphemus, Odysseus is all of the following EXCEPT

Clever and curious

Proud and determined

Modest and mild-tempered

Brave and bold

10.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Who is wise enough to escape from Circe's house and spells?

Odysseus

Polites

Elpinor

Eureylochus

11.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus' men are turned into

Exotic wild animals

A herd of Horses

A flock of Sheep

A herd of Pigs

12.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus receives help from a god to combat Circe's magic. Who helps him eat moly herbs?

Apollo

Hermes

Helios

Tieresias

13.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

How long do the men stay with Circe?

A few days

A few weeks

A few months

A few years

14.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Circe tells Odysseus he must find someone to help him break Poseidon's curse. Who can give him wisdom?

Athena

Tieresias

His mother

Charybdis

15.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Which of the following is NOT one of the instructions Odysseus receives from Hades to make it safely home?

Do not harm the sun god's cattle

Take vengeance on the suitors

Make a sacrifice to Poseidon

Defeat the monster Scylla

16.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

The Sirens try to lure Odysseus and his men by

Offering food and wine

Singing to them and offering wisdom

Changing the ocean currents

Combing their long, luscious locks.

17.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

What does Odysseus decide when faced with choosing Scylla or Charybdis?

To sacrifice six of his men to save the others

To risk the whole ship to get through the whirlpool

To make an offering for the gods to help

To sacrifice himself for his men to survive

18.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

What problem does Odysseus face with his men when they get to Helios' island?

Starvation

Sickness

Enemies

Laziness

19.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

What does Zeus promise when Helios asks for punishment upon Odysseus and his men?

He will have Poseidon destroy their ship

He will not interfere with Odysseus anymore

He will send one bolt of lightning on them

He will send a hurricane to destroy them

20.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

The incidents and story of the Odyssey are based on

Lost records

Ancient history books

Myth and oral history (stories told long ago)

Homer’s own experiences

21.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Homer makes his heroes believable and human by showing them as

Always honorable and brave

Having both good and bad traits

Doing impossible deeds

Representing ideals

22.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

The Odyssey is essentially the story of Odysseus’ triumph over

His own men’s treachery

Temptations and obstacles

His own weakness

Several hostile gods

23.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus reveals his identity to his son

In the presence of many faithful servants.

When they are alone and Athena made him appear young again.

Against his better judgment; he wanted to see Penelope first.

Although Athena warned him not to.

24.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus enters his homeland disguised as a beggar in order to

Find out who is still loyal to him

Count the number of suitors

Amuse the suitors

See if anyone recognizes him

25.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus does not reveal himself when he is first with the suitors because

He wants to test his wife

He wants to make careful plans to kill them all

He does not wish to be humiliated

He wants Penelope to see through his disguise

26.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Though Antinous is angry for the beggar's insults, the suitors are afraid to harm him because

Odysseus might return at any moment

Penelope will not choose them as her husband

Telemachus might kill them all

The gods are often disguised as wanderers

27.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

When Penelope sees Odysseus for the first time after 20 years (but thinks he's a beggar), she is

Reluctant and angry

Kind and hospitable

Scared and doesn't want to talk to him

Suspicious and refuses to trust him

28.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus tells his wife that he cannot answer her question about

His recent travels

His life's history

His immediate plans

The outcome of the war

29.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus convinces his wife that he has seen her husband by

Telling of his adventures with the gods

Describing his courage

Telling her about all his faithful men

Describing his appearance in detail

30.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus proves his strength and shames the suitors by

Telling of his own deeds

Wrestling a champion

Killing an ugly suitor

Stringing and shooting bow and arrow

31.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

His wife makes a final test of Odysseus’ identity by getting him to tell

The secret about the building of his bed

The name of his favorite dog

How he got a scar on his arm

About the day he went away

32.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Who is Odysseus’ aged father?

Laertes

Achilles

Telemachus

Eumaeus

33.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Who is Odysseus’ faithful wife?

Eurycleia

Circe

Penelope

Eumaeus

34.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus’ homeland is

Ilium

Sparta

Argos

Ithaca

35.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

The chief ruler of the gods is

Circe

Zeus

Athena

Poseidon

36.

Multiple Select

30 sec

1 pt

The goddess who helps Odysseus by changing him first into a beggar, and then into a godlike man, is

Circe

Eurycleia

Penelope

Athena

37.

Multiple Select

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus’ son is

Laertes

Polyphemus

Telemachus

Eumaeus

38.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Odysseus’ faithful dog is

Antinous

Eumaeus

Argos

Telemachus

39.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

The leader of the suitors is

Antinous

Achilles

Argos

Poseidon

40.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Penelope confirms her prudence and determination by acting with

Courtesy and kindness

Jealousy and anger

Suspicion and severity

logic and self-control

41.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Both Odysseus and his wife show themselves to be

Hot-tempered individuals

Selfish and suspicious

brutal and bloodthirsty

Clever and steadfast in love

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