TEST PREP: TEST 1 – Vonnegut
Part 1 – Objectives – 9/15 – 70%
This portion of the test will include three styles of questions:
 Multiple Choice
 Passage Identification
 Short Answer
These questions will examine your knowledge of the text as well as your knowledge of concepts discussed in class. Short
Answer style questions require a combination of learned material and original thought. Always back up your answers with
specific examples from your reading whenever possible. Also remember that all responses to Short Answer style questions
should be written legibly using complete sentences.
As you prepare your study materials, revisit:
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Notes you have taken in class from PowerPoints and group discussion
Notes you have taken while reading
Discussion questions handouts
Homework assignments
Select stories from Vonnegut’s Welcome to the Monkey House:
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“Where I Live”
“Harrison Bergeron”
“Welcome to the Monkey House”
“Long Walk to Forever”
“The Foster Portfolio”
“Miss Temptation”
“All the King’s Horses”
“Next Door”
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“More Stately Mansions”
“Report on the Barnhouse Effect”
“The Euphio Question”
“The Lie”
“Unready to Wear”
“The Kid Nobody Could Handle”
“The Manned Missiles”
“EPICAC”
Part 2 – Essay – 9/15 – 30%
Choose one of the following questions to respond to in an essay of at least 4 paragraphs. You must include a solid
introduction with thesis statement and a well thought out conclusion. Be sure to pace yourself and take time to organize
your essay before you begin writing. I expect you to plan out your thoughts and include plenty of specific examples from the
text. See me prior to test day if you have any questions.
1. An antihero is defined as “a protagonist who lacks the attributes that make a heroic figure, as nobility of mind and spirit,
a life or attitude marked by action or purpose, and the like” (dictionary.com). Discuss Vonnegut’s use of the antihero in
two or more of the stories you have read for this class. Be sure to include several examples from the text to support
your argument.
2. Discuss Vonnegut’s overall style as it applies to two or more of his short stories. As you compile evidence, consider the
author’s tone, his choice in point of view, his unique characterization, his often complex storylines, and any other aspect
of his writing that speaks to you (positively or negatively). Be sure to include several examples from the text.
3. Vonnegut spends much of his stories contemplating the often negative effects brought on by advancements in the fields
of science and technology. Might his stories be considered warnings to a younger generation? How does Vonnegut
view technology in the hands of the wrong people? You may want to consider the close relationship he paints between
technology and power. Be sure to include several examples from the text.
4. In many of Vonnegut’s fictional worlds, he discusses the theme of government power, particularly the way it often
thrives at the expense of the individual. Examine this idea in two or more of his short stories and be sure to support your
argument with several examples from the text.