English 236: 2.4: Quiz: Precursors to the Short Story

9. In Chaucer's "Wife of Bath's Tale" Arthur's Knight is sentenced to death for: A. raping a maiden. B. killing the Queen's brother. C. cheating at cards. D. deserting in battle.

A. raping a maiden.

4. Plato's "Parable of the Cave" describes a scenario where prisoners are chained in a cave, unable to see anything but A. the shadows of everything, including themselves, seen from light a fire throws on the wall of the cave. B. the end of the world, predicted by a sorcerer. C. the last episode of "Lost". D. the sun, some flowers and a glow from the blue screen.

A. the shadows of everything, including themselves, seen from light a fire throws on the wall of the cave.

6. Stories about the history of the author of fables known as Aesop include descriptions of him as: A. a sophisticated aristocrat. B. a deformed, mute slave who, by doing good deeds for a goddess, receives the ability to speak and craft fables. C. a King of Babylon. D. a writer of biblical gospels.

B. a deformed, mute slave who, by doing good deeds for a goddess, receives the ability to speak and craft fables.

1. Aesop's Fable, "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse" points out, using mice as characters, that humans sometimes A. fight with their relatives, no matter what species they are. B. want to stay with what they find comfortable according to their needs. City people are willing to put up with danger and excitement for variety and sophistication, while country people are willing to put up with simplicity and a lack of variety for safety and comfort. C. like to eat corn and potatoes in the country. D. need a strict extermination program if they have mice in their houses.

B. want to stay with what they find comfortable according to their needs. City people are willing to put up with danger and excitement for variety and sophistication, while country people are willing to put up with simplicity and a lack of variety for safety and comfort.

8. The most influential version of the Bible translated into English was approved and organized by A. Sir Thomas More B. Noah, while floating in his Ark C. King James, who reigned after Queen Elizabeth I. D. Pope Benedict III.

C. King James, who reigned after Queen Elizabeth I.

Twang Tsen, in "A Butterfly's Dream", dreams he is a butterfly, then wonders in the end if his life is A. wasted and empty B. full of delusion C. doomed for failure D. a butterfly's dream

D. a butterfly's dream

5. Short stories evolved in a way that has nothing to do with early myths, legends, fables, parables, etc. Once people had access to the written word, they abandoned those old forms of literature. True or False

False

2. Fables, like those attributed to Aesop, often use animal characters with human emotions and abilities to reflect the strengths and weaknesses of human beings and to reflect lessons about character and morality. True or False

True

3. Fairy tales, legends and folk tales evolve out of countless cultures and reflect their beliefs and ideals. True or False

True

7. The Judeo-Christian tradition, with its parables and stories about the history of humans and the world, has had a strong influence on the stort story genre throughout the Western World. True or False

True