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English
9th
grade
History of the Peloponnesian War: Pericles' Funeral Oration
13 questions
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- 1. Multiple Choice
What is most likely the speaker’s reason for addressing the mourners of the war dead?
A. To urge an end to conflict and overthrow the current government.
B. To lead the mourners to petition for surrender to the enemies of the state.
C. To honor their sacrifice and reinforce public faith in the worth of the nation.
D. To convince the crowd their loss is not so terrible.
- 2. Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes the tone of the speech?
A. Indignant and provocative.
B. Grief-stricken and angry at fate.
C. Blindly patriotic and disdaining of peaceniks.
D. Contemplative and reassuring but unafraid of difficult truths.
- 3. Multiple Choice
The speech is made in the ______ tense, from a _______ point of view.
A. Past tense; first person.
B. Present tense; first person.
C. Present tense; third person.
D. Future tense; first person.
- 4. Multiple Choice
How does the speaker gain the confidence of his listeners?
A. By assuring them of his own painful sacrifices made for their common safety.
B. By turning their anger against an indolent aristocratic class for which the wars are fought.
C. By acknowledging their loss respectfully and explaining in detail the causes of war.
D. By rousing patriotic fervor through detailing the horrible acts committed by the enemy.
- 5. Multiple Choice
What is the central idea of this passage?
Our form of government does not enter into rivalry with the institutions of others. Our government does not copy our neighbors’, but is an example to them. It is true that we are called a democracy, for the administration is in the hands of the many and not of the few. But while there exists equal justice to all and alike in their private disputes, the claim of excellence is also recognized; and when a citizen is in any way distinguished, he is preferred to the public service, not as a matter of privilege, but as the reward of merit. Neither is poverty an obstacle, but a man may benefit his country whatever the obscurity of his condition. There is no exclusiveness in our public life, and in our private business we are not suspicious of one another, nor angry with our neighbor if he does what he likes; we do not put on sour looks at him which, though harmless, are not pleasant. While we are thus unconstrained in our private business, a spirit of reverence pervades our public acts; we are prevented from doing wrong by respect for the authorities and for the laws, having a particular regard to those which are ordained for the protection of the injured as well as those unwritten laws which bring upon the transgressor of them the reprobation of the general sentiment.
A. The egalitarian values of a democratic society.
B. The military superiority of Athens to all challengers.
C. The great warrior is the one who takes glory in combat.
D. The dead were the best and bravest of the city.
- 6. Multiple Choice
Which sentence from the text best supports the correct answer to Question 5?
A. “Our government does not copy our neighbors’, but is an example to them.”
B. “Neither is poverty an obstacle, but a man may benefit his country whatever the obscurity of his condition.”
C. “While we are thus unconstrained in our private business, a spirit of reverence pervades our public acts;”
D. “Our form of government does not enter into rivalry with the institutions of others.”
- 7. Multiple Choice
Which of these inferences is best supported by the following paragraph?
If then we prefer to meet danger with a light heart but without laborious training, and with a courage which is gained by habit and not enforced by law, are we not greatly the better for it? Since we do not anticipate the pain, although, when the hour comes, we can be as brave as those who never allow themselves to rest; thus our city is equally admirable in peace and in war. For we are lovers of the beautiful in our tastes and our strength lies, in our opinion, not in deliberation and discussion, but that knowledge which is gained by discussion preparatory to action. For we have a peculiar power of thinking before we act, and of acting, too, whereas other men are courageous from ignorance but hesitate upon reflection. And they are surely to be esteemed the bravest spirits who, having the clearest sense both of the pains and pleasures of life, do not on that account shrink from danger. In doing good, again, we are unlike others; we make our friends by conferring, not by receiving favors. Now he who confers a favor is the firmer friend, because he would rather by kindness keep alive the memory of an obligation; but the recipient is colder in his feelings, because he knows that in requiting another’s generosity he will not be winning gratitude but only paying a debt. We alone do good to our neighbors not upon a calculation of interest, but in the confidence of freedom and in a frank and fearless spirit. To sum up: I say that Athens is the school of Hellas, and that the individual Athenian in his own person seems to have the power of adapting himself to the most varied forms of action with the utmost versatility and grace. This is no passing and idle word, but truth and fact; and the assertion is verified by the position to which these qualities have raised the state. For in the hour of trial Athens alone among her contemporaries is superior to the report of her. No enemy who comes against her is indignant at the reverses which he sustains at the hands of such a city; no subject complains that his masters are unworthy of him. And we shall assuredly not be without witnesses; there are mighty monuments of our power which will make us the wonder of this and of succeeding ages; we shall not need the praises of Homer or of any other panegyrist whose poetry may please for the moment, although his representation of the facts will not bear the light of day. For we have compelled every land and every sea to open a path for our valor, and have everywhere planted eternal memorials of our friendship and of our enmity. Such is the city for whose sake these men nobly fought and died; they could not bear the thought that she might be taken from them; and every one of us who survive should gladly toil on her behalf.
A. Grief has deranged Pericles beyond reason.
B. Pericles fears that the dead have been sacrificed in vain.
C. Pericles believes that Athenians play too hard and work too little.
D. Pericles thinks Athens is powerful because of its intellectual freedom and motivation.
- 8. Multiple Choice
Which sentence from the paragraph best supports the correct answer to Question 7?
A. “And they are surely to be esteemed the bravest spirits, who, having the clearest sense of both the pains and pleasures of life, do not on that account shrink from danger.”
B. “For we have a particular power of thinking before we act, and acting, too, whereas other men are courageous from ignorance but hesitate upon reflection”
C. “Such is the city for whose sake these men fought and died: they could not bear the thought that she might be taken from them.”
D. “In doing good, again we are unlike others:we make our friends by conferring, not by receiving favors.”
- 9. Multiple Choice
Which meaning of obscurity most closely matches the meaning in the following excerpt?
Neither is poverty an obstacle, but a man may benefit his country whatever the obscurity of his condition.
A. Being difficult to understand
B. The state of being unknown or unimportant
C. Ambiguity or mystery
D. Dark (archaic)
- 10. Multiple Choice
Place the arguments as they appear in the text chronologically.
Pericles examines the difficulty of a funeral speech doing justice to the dead.
Pericles praises Athenian democracy and arts.
Pericles observes that Athenians are honest and excellent fighters.
Pericles tells the mourners the greatness of Athens is a memorial to their loved ones.
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD
FOURTH
- 11. Multiple Choice
Place the arguments as they appear in the text chronologically.
Pericles examines the difficulty of a funeral speech doing justice to the dead.
Pericles praises Athenian democracy and arts.
Pericles observes that Athenians are honest and excellent fighters.
Pericles tells the mourners the greatness of Athens is a memorial to their loved ones.
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD
FOURTH
- 12. Multiple Choice
Place the arguments as they appear in the text chronologically.
Pericles examines the difficulty of a funeral speech doing justice to the dead.
Pericles praises Athenian democracy and arts.
Pericles observes that Athenians are honest and excellent fighters.
Pericles tells the mourners the greatness of Athens is a memorial to their loved ones.
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD
FOURTH
- 13. Multiple Choice
Place the arguments as they appear in the text chronologically.
Pericles examines the difficulty of a funeral speech doing justice to the dead.
Pericles praises Athenian democracy and arts.
Pericles observes that Athenians are honest and excellent fighters.
Pericles tells the mourners the greatness of Athens is a memorial to their loved ones.
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD
FOURTH
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