The Odyssey, Part I
  • 1. Which of the following do the men NOT do on the island of Ismarus?
A) plunder their goods
B) slaughter the cattle
C) enslave the women
D) forget about their home
  • 2. Why does Odysseus think that they were defeated by the Cicones?
A) they were not in Zeus' favor
B) they weren't as strong
C) they were tired and hungry after traveling
D) the Cicones were angry at them for plundering their island
  • 3. What is Odysseus feeling while being held captive by Calypso?
A) nothing
B) longings for home
C) relaxation from being worry-free
D) anger at his crew for wanting to stay
  • 4. In the beginning of "The Lotus Eaters," what keeps Odysseus from reaching home?
A) the current in the ocean
B) the East, North, and South winds
C) a sea monster
D) his crew
  • 5. What happens to the crew members who eat the lotus?
A) they turn into swine
B) they kill themselves
C) the forget about home
D) they die
  • 6. What type of figurative language is used in the description of dawn coming "with ringlets shining"?
A) metaphor
B) imagery
C) personification
D) hyperbole
  • 7. Why does Odysseus not kill Polyphemus when he first gets the opportunity to do so?
A) They needed Polyphemus to move the boulder.
B) He was afraid of Polyphemus' power.
C) Polyphemus was sleeping.
D) He knew he would feel guilty.
  • 8. What does Odysseus do to escape from Polyphemus?
A) All of these.
B) He exited the cave with the rams.
C) He tied himself to the belly of a sheep.
D) He stabbed him in the eye.
  • 9. What lessons could people today learn from the Cyclops episode?
A) Think before you act.
B) Don't get trapped in a cave with a monster.
C) Tell others about your accomplishments.
D) Take responsibility for your actions.
  • 10. Insidious means:
A) finished quickly
B) holds dear
C) in a sad and lonely state
D) characterized by treachery
  • 11. What does the ghost of Elpenor request of Odysseus?
A) that he leave the cattle alone
B) that he go home
C) that he pray to Zeus
D) that Odysseus bury him
  • 12. What does Tiresias foretell?
A) Poseidon will seek revenge for stabbing Polyphemus.
B) They will encounter the cattle of Helios.
C) If the cattle are harmed, Odysseus' crew will be destroyed.
D) All of these
  • 13. How did Odysseus react upon the sight of his mother?
A) He doesn't look at her.
B) He openly grieves.
C) He shakes her hand.
D) He hugs her.
  • 14. What does Odysseus' crew do to him so that he can resist the Sirens' song?
A) They send him under the deck.
B) They put beeswax over their ears.
C) They send him to bed.
D) They tie him up.
  • 15. A squall washed the ship ashore. What does squall mean?
A) enormous
B) a strong wind
C) a violent storm
D) goods taken by force
  • 16. What does Odysseus use to protect his crew from the Sirens' song?
A) prayer
B) earplugs
C) rope
D) beeswax
  • 17. Scylla is a:
A) a powerful sorceress
B) a whirlpool in the ocean
C) monster made of gray rock
D) a beautiful singing nymph
  • 18. How many of Odysseus' men does Scylla kill?
A) none
B) 6
C) 8
D) all of them
  • 19. Which saying best describes the episode of Scylla and Charybdis?
A) "Don't let the cat out of the bag."
B) "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."
C) "Don't put your foot in your mouth."
D) "Caught between a rock and a hard place."
  • 20. Left in a sad and lonely state is:
A) bereft
B) dispatched
C) cherishes
D) mammoth
  • 21. According to Eurylochus, which type of death is the worst?
A) starvation
B) burning
C) drowning
D) being eaten alive
  • 22. Which god becomes angry at Odysseus and his crew for destroying his cattle?
A) Helios
B) Poseidon
C) Polyphemus
D) Zeus
  • 23. How does Odysseus manage to escape Charybdis?
A) by clinging to a fig tree
B) none of these
C) by building a boat
D) by praying to Zeus
  • 24. Who is the most powerful of the gods?
A) Zeus
B) Poseidon
C) Athena
D) Agamemnon
  • 25. Which of the following is an epithet in The Odyssey?
A) dawn's rosy fingertips
B) All of these
C) monster of gray rock
D) master of landways and seaways
  • 26. After turning Odysseus' men into swine, _______________ eventually gives Odysseus and his men valuable advice.
A) Circe
B) Siren
C) Calypso
D) Scylla
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