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Selection Test
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act II
William Shakespeare Pupil’s Edition page 798

Comprehension (40 points; 8 points each)

On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items.

____ 1. Brutus’s soliloquy reveals his true feelings about

a. Caesar c. his servant
b. Antony d. his wife

____ 2. Caesar’s initial decision to stay home rather than to go to the Senate is a response to
a. the omens he perceives
b. the words of Decius
c. his desire not to appear ambitious
d. the concerns of Calphurnia

____ 3. Caesar’s conflict about whether to go to the Senate is resolved by

a. Calphurnia changing her mind and telling Caesar to go with Antony
b. the augurers telling him it is safe to go to the Senate
c. Decius giving him a positive interpretation of Calphurnia’s dream
d. Antony arriving to take Caesar to the Senate

____ 4. Caesar disregards the omens for all of the following reasons except
a. he does not trust the augurers
b. he does not want to appear cowardly
c. he feels fate is inescapable
d. he feels invincible

____ 5. Brutus compares Caesar to a newly hatched serpent in order to show that Caesar is
a. Rome’s greatest leader
b. corrupt and destructive
c. capable of becoming a tyrant
d. ineffective but honorable

Literary Element: Elements of Drama (10 points; 5 points each)

On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items.

____ 6. When he arrives to take Caesar to the Senate, Decius is characterized as

a. honest and patient
b. petty and angry
c. manipulative and persuasive
d. affable but cynical

____ 7. Shakespeare uses Calphurnia to build suspense about what will happen in all of the fol-
lowing ways except
a. urging Caesar not to go to the Senate
b. recounting all the disturbing omens
c. suggesting that Caesar pretend he is ill
d. relating that she dreamt Caesar was assassinated

140 Formal Assessment Elements of Literature

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Cast of Characters (20 points; 4 points each)

Match the description on the left to the character on the right. Write the letter of the appropriate
character on the line provided.

____ 8. states that “cowards die many times before their a. Artemidorus
deaths”

____ 9. writes a letter warning Caesar of the conspiracy b. Cicero

____ 10. finally agrees to join the conspiracy c. Portia

____ 11. senator whom Brutus refuses to ask to join the d. Caesar
conspirators

____ 12. wife of Brutus e. Brutus

Written Response (30 points)

13. In Scene 1, lines 63–69, Brutus says:
Between the acting of a dreadful thing
And the first motion, all the interim is
Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream.
The genius and the mortal instruments
Are then in council, and the state of a man,
Like to a little kingdom, suffers then
The nature of an insurrection.

How do these lines reflect both Brutus’s inner conflict and the outer conflict that builds in Act II?
Write your answer on the lines provided, and use at least two examples from the play to support
your ideas.

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Elements of Literature Formal Assessment 141

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d. (Partial credit might be given. While Lomov Natalya to get along well. Instead, they begin
speaks formally at first, he soon loses his fighting over a piece of land—the same land
composure and shouts angrily at Natalya that apparently the two families had a dis-
about who owns the Meadows. His manner pute over many years ago.
doesn’t remain formal for long.) d. (This is not a supportable response.)
17. Responses will vary, but students should 18. Responses will vary. In a model response, stu-
include a definition of irony and explain how dents should fulfill the following criteria:
their choice fits the definition. A sample • demonstrate understanding of the prompt
response to each choice follows. • make a clear and reasoned argument about
a. This is an example of dramatic irony the prognosis of a marriage between Lomov
because the audience knows something and Natalya
important that Natalya does not know. If • support their ideas with references to details
Natalya had known that Lomov intended to in the play. For example:
propose to her, she would probably have • Both Lomov and Natalya are stubborn,
weighed the consequences before she start- excitable, and unable to have a calm discus-
ed arguing with him about the land. sion about the ownership of the land. They
b. This is an example of verbal irony because would likely be in continual conflict with
there is a contrast between what her father each other.
said and what he meant. When Natalya’s • Lomov needs a strong, decisive wife to
father said that a merchant had come for his motivate him, and Natalya seems to fit this
goods, Natalya expected to see a trader. description. A marriage between them
However, in fact, Lomov was acting like a might be happy if Lomov allows himself to
merchant who had come to inspect his follow Natalya’s lead. However, based on
goods—in this case, Natalya, whom he his reaction to the land, he is unlikely to
intended to “own” by marrying her. swallow his opinions, and so the chance
c. This is an example of situational irony for further conflict is greater than the
because if the families have high regard for chance for future happiness.
each other, one would expect Lomov and

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Collection 12: Ambition or Honor?
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, • support their ideas with at least two exam-
ples from the play. For example:
Act I • Cassius sees the storm as a call to end
Caesar’s tyranny. It is the gods’ harsh com-
SELECTION TEST, page 138 mentary on Caesar’s growing ambition and
Comprehension a warning that a horrible disaster will
descend if Caesar isn’t stopped.
1. d 2. b 3. d 4. c 5. a
• Another reading of the storm might be that
Literary Element Cassius’ plan to destroy Caesar is the erup-
6. b 7. c 8. d tion that will upset the order of the state.

Cast of Characters
9. d 10. b 11. e 12. c 13. a The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,
Written Response Act II
14. Responses will vary. In a model response, stu-
dents should fulfill the following criteria: SELECTION TEST, page 140
• demonstrate understanding of the prompt Comprehension
• clearly describe how Cassius’ view of the
1. a 2. d 3. c 4. a 5. c
storm’s meaning varies from Cicero’s view,
and offer a reasonable alternative interpreta- Literary Element
tion of the storm 6. c 7. d

200 Formal Assessment Elements of Literature

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Cast of Characters • Antony holds up Caesar’s torn cloak as a
8. d 9. a 10. e 11. b 12. c way of showing how excessively violent
the murder was; Antony also treats the
Written Response cloak as if it were Caesar himself.
13. Responses will vary. In a model response, stu- • Antony reads the will, using it to suggest
dents should fulfill the following criteria: what a good ruler Caesar was—making the
• demonstrate understanding of the prompt crowd finally turn on the conspirators.
• clearly explain how the lines reflect both
Brutus’s inner and outer conflicts
• support their ideas with at least two exam-
ples from the play. For example: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,
• Brutus is physically unwell and unable to Act IV
sleep at the beginning of the act due to his
inner turmoil over whether to kill Caesar. SELECTION TEST, page 144
He is caught in a waking nightmare.
Comprehension
• In the same way, turmoil exists in the heav-
ens as the conspirators make plans to upset 1. b 2. a 3. a 4. d 5. d
civil order.
Literary Element
• The insurrection will culminate with
6. d 7. c 8. c
Caesar’s murder followed by civil unrest.
Language Link
9. b 10. d 11. a
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Written Response
Act III 12. Responses will vary. In a model response, stu-
dents should fulfill the following criteria:
SELECTION TEST, page 142 • demonstrate understanding of the prompt
Comprehension • clearly present a view of the ghost’s dramatic
1. d 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. d function and foreshadowing (see Act II,
Scene 1)
Literary Element • support their ideas with at least two exam-
6. b 7. a ples from the play. For example:
• The ghost’s appearance could be taken to
Cast of Characters represent the vengeance that Antony has
8. b 9. d 10. a 11. c 12. e sworn he will get for Caesar.
• It can be understood as Brutus’s troubled
Written Response conscience rather than as a literal ghost.
13. Responses will vary. In a model response, stu- • The ghost scene serves to demonstrate, as
dents should fulfill the following criteria: the storm of the first act does, the displea-
• demonstrate understanding of the prompt sure of the gods with the conspirators’
• clearly describe the ways in which Antony actions.
turns the crowd into a mob of rioters
• support their ideas with at least three specific
examples from the selection. For example:
• Antony repeats the phrase “he is an The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,
honorable man” until it appears ridiculous Act V
in contrast with the nobility of the slain
Caesar. SELECTION TEST, page 146
• Antony teases the crowd with Caesar’s
Comprehension
will, appealing to their curiosity and self-
interest. 1. a 2. d 3. c 4. b 5. c
• Antony breaks down emotionally before
Literary Element
the crowd, which has the effect of showing
6. b 7. d
him to be loyal and loving, while Brutus,
who has coolly delivered his speech, seems Cast of Characters
selfish, unfeeling, and calculating. 8. b 9. e 10. a 11. c 12. d

Elements of Literature Formal Assessment 201