Of Mice and Men—Test Study Guide
I. Vocabulary
A. Matching—Be able to define the following words. Ten of these will be part of the matching
section of the test.
Imperiously
Bemused
Consoled
Lumbered
Cowering
Wisps
Yammered
Receptive
Writhed
Apprehensive Barley
Swamper
Aloof
Crestfallen
Indignation
Belligerently Monotonous Scornfully
B. Sentences—Be prepared to use these words in an original sentence. Ten of them will be
listed on the test. You will choose FIVE, and write an original sentence with each of those five
words.
Bindle
Derision
Bewildered
Junctures
Morosely
Reprehensible Scuttled
Earnestly
Hovered
Contorted
Appraised
Dutifully
Derogatory
Brutally
Gingham
Skeptically
Disarming
Sullenly
II. Chronological Order
You should be able to place the following events from the book in chronological order. Note—
the events are NOT in chronological order in this list. It is likely that TEN of the events on this
list will be included in this section of the test.
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George and Lennie meet Candy at the ranch.
George and Lennie sit and talk in the brush by the river.
George and Slim leave together to go get a drink.
Carlson shoots Candy’s dog.
Candy offers money to become part of George and Lennie’s plan to buy a farm.
Curley’s wife tells Lennie about her past.
Lennie crushes Curley’s hand.
The men go to town to visit Susy’s.
George shoots Lennie in the head.
Curley’s wife threatens to have Crooks lynched.
George throws away the pet mouse that Lennie accidentally killed.
Curley’s wife comes to the bunk house all made up looking for her husband.
Crooks decides that he doesn’t want to be part of George and Lennie’s plan.
Lennie accidentally kills his puppy.
Curley threatens to shoot Lennie in the gut.
Crooks invites, first, Lennie and, then, Candy, into his room.
III. Quotations
You will be given a series of quotations from the novel. For each quotation, you will be asked to
identify the speaker and the situation. This may include who is being spoken to or about, the
circumstances that have led up to this quotation, or the event that is being described. You will
also be asked to explain the significance of each quotation—why it is important in the novel.
Some of the examples below will be used on the test. There may be other quotations as well. Be
assured that each quotation used on the test will be both identifiable and important to the novel.
“I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain’t no good.”
—George
“You hadda, George. I swear you hadda.”
—Slim
“Coulda been in the movies an’ had nice clothes.”
—Curley’s wife
“Why do you got to get killed. You ain’t so little as mice.”
—Lennie
IV. The Rest
There will be two other types of questions on this test—multiple guess (or choice) and short
answer. These questions will be based on the study guides, reading checks, group work, and
other material covered during class. You will need to know the characters—George, Lennie,
Candy, Slim, Curley, Curley’s wife, Crooks, and Carlson. Some of the questions will test your
knowledge of what happened in the novel. Other questions will require you to analyze. Be
prepared to answer short answer questions in complete sentences.