This A Raisin in the Sun test contains 15 comprehension questions, 21 knowledge and analysis questions, and 4 open-ended questions. It is intended as a final unit assessment. Exam items come from the A Raisin in the Sun Test Maker (145 customizable test questions).
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A Raisin in the Sun Multiple-choice Questions
1) This play is set in _________ in the _______.
A. Atlanta (in the) 1890s
B. New York (in the) 1910s
C. Los Angeles (in the) 1930s
D. Chicago (in the) 1950s
2) What does Walter Lee want to do with the money from the life insurance policy?
A. Start a business
B. Buy a car
C. Move to another city
D. Give it to charity
3) Beneatha is not serious about dating George Murchison because…
A. He does not share her values.
B. He is too old.
C. He is too poor.
D. They do not have “the special spark.”
4) If Mama had the means (opportunity and time), her hobby would be…
A. Singing in the choir.
B. Gardening.
C. Traveling.
D. Fine arts (painting, sculpting, etc.)
5) What do Beneatha and Joseph Asagai mainly discuss throughout the play?
A. Politics and elections
B. A class assignment
C. The best ways to get rich
D. Their relationship
6) How does Walter Lee react to Beneatha’s performance of traditional African culture?
A. He demands that she stop.
B. He laughs at it and makes fun of her.
C. He joins in.
D. He gets angry and leaves.
7) Which character is the first to determine that Ruth should get an abortion?
A. Walter Lee
B. Mrs. Johnson
C. Beneatha
D. Ruth, herself
8) Which character says, “Let’s face it… your heritage is nothing but a bunch of raggedy-a**ed spirituals and some grass huts!”?
A. George M.
B. Joseph A.
C. Walter Lee
D. Mr. Lindner
9) Which family member selects the Clybourne Park neighborhood in the first place?
A. Walter Lee
B. Big Walter (before he died)
C. Mama
D. Ruth
10) Which choice accurately describes the stage directions written by Lorraine Hansberry?
A. She gives minimal (very few) instructions for the director to follow.
B. She lists of options for the director to consider.
C. She gives detailed directions about the sets and actions.
D. Trick question! She gives no directions.
11) Who says, “I’ll work twenty hours a day in all the kitchens… and scrub all the floors in America and wash all the sheets in America if I have to – but we got to MOVE!”?
A. Mama
B. Beneatha
C. Ruth
D. Walter Lee
12) Walter Lee calls Mr. Lindner on the phone to tell him that…
A. They will accept his offer.
B. They will NOT take his money.
C. They will be good neighbors.
D. Trick question! He does not call Lindner.
13) The family is most ashamed of Walter Lee when he…
A. Slaps Ruth.
B. Acts out a racist stereotype.
C. Lies to Travis.
D. Spits on the photograph of his father.
14) At the end of the play, Mama is ashamed of Walter Lee mainly because…
A. He chooses money over his family.
B. He disrespects his father’s memory.
C. He is a “no-good loser.”
D. Trick question! She is proud of him.
15) Beneatha Younger makes her decision about her future clear when…
A. She agrees to marry George.
B. She agrees to marry Joseph.
C. She says that learning is her only love.
D. Trick question! Her decision is not clear.
16) The idea that all individuals in the U.S. have the opportunity to succeed through their own efforts and talents is called…
A. The Golden Rule.
B. The American Dream.
C. The Fair Bargain.
D. The United States Standard.
17) “He is a lean, intense young man in his middle thirties, inclined to quick nervous movements and erratic speech habits – and always in his voice there is a quality of indictment.” This excerpt is an example of…
A. Word choice (sense of time and place).
B. Characterization (direct).
C. Theme / central idea (symbolism).
D. Word choice (analogies and allusions).
18) Which choice accurately identifies the main conflict of the play?
A. Beneatha must choose between George Murchison and Joseph Asagai.
B. The family must decide how to use the insurance money.
C. The Younger family vs. Clybourne Park
D. Lorraine Hansberry vs. racism
19) “…but the carpet has fought back by showing its weariness, with depressing uniformity, elsewhere on its surface.” This quote is a prime example of…
A. Allusion (literary).
B. Characterization (indirect).
C. Structure (rising action).
D. Word choice (personification).
20) “…Bitter? Man, I’m a volcano. Bitter? Here I am a giant surrounded by ants! Ants who can’t even understand what it is the giant is talking about.” This line is a prime example of…
A. Structure (pacing).
B. Structure (climax).
C. Word choice (figurative language).
D. Word choice (sense of time and place).
21) In a drama the term motivation refers to…
A. Why a character does what they do.
B. Events that move the plot forward.
C. The impression the author wants to make on the audience.
D. The staged movements and actions of the main characters.
22) Which choice accurately identifies the inciting incident of the plot?
A. Joseph proposes marriage.
B. Walter Lee refuses Mr. Lindner’s money.
C. Lindner offers to pay off the family.
D. The insurance check arrives in the mail.
23) Which choice is the definition of dialect?
A. A word’s feelings and associations.
B. A form of a language that is specific to a region or group.
C. The narrator’s attitude toward the subject of conversation.
D. How the words help the reader imagine with their senses.
24) The symbolic elements of plants and light are mostly connected to which theme subject?
A. African heritage
B. Hopes and dreams
C. Dignity / pride
D. Sexism
25) Which character represents the concept of systemic racism?
A. Mr. Lindner
B. Bobo
C. Beneatha
D. Mrs. Johnson
26) When the play refers to an idea or passage from the Bible, it is an example of…
A. Bibliography.
B. Allusion.
C. Symbolism.
D. Imagery.
27) Which method was NOT used by racists to keep black people out of some neighborhoods?
A. Restrictive rules in home buying contracts
B. Intimidation and violence
C. Unfair banking practices (loaning money)
D. Trick question! All of these.
28) Based on To Be Young, Gifted, and Black, which choice is NOT a connection between Hansberry’s real life and the play?
A. Hansberry grew up in the South Side neighborhood of Chicago.
B. The Hansberry family lived in abject (extreme) poverty.
C. The Hansberry family integrated a predominantly white neighborhood.
D. Her father was a major influence on her.
29) Which of the following would NOT be an example of a primary source?
A. Photograph
B. Piece of clothing
C. History textbook
D. Handwritten letter
30) Booker T. Washington advised African Americans of his time to…
A. Move to West Africa.
B. Work hard, save money, and overcome prejudice gradually.
C. Use whatever means necessary (even violence) to exercise voting rights.
D. Gain advanced degrees as doctors, lawyers, professors, and engineers.
31) Which choice is LEAST important as an aspect of the play’s historical context?
A. The Great Depression
B. Decolonization in Africa
C. The Civil Rights Movement
D. The Women’s Movement
32) The scene where Walter Lee must decide if he will take money from the Clybourne Park Improvement Association is best identified as…
A. Satirical.
B. Allegorical.
C. Metaphorical.
D. Climactic.
33) What is the term for the dismissal of one’s own culture in order to adopt majority culture?
A. Indoctrination.
B. Cohabitation.
C. Assimilation.
D. Misappropriation.
34) The ___________ of Walter’s performance as Flaming Spear shifts from silly to serious.
A. Point of view
B. Aspect
C. Tone
D. Imagery
35) Which choice is NOT an effect of structure?
A. Mystery
B. Motivation
C. Tension
D. Suspense
36) Which choice is the best example of Hansberry’s use of ambiguity?
A. Travis takes joy in the killing of the rat.
B. The outcome of the move is unknown.
C. Walter Lee uses the N-word.
D. Mama reveals that her little plant is actually a grape vine.
A Raisin in the Sun Open-ended Questions
37) Explain the thematic importance of Beneatha’s hair in A Raisin in the Sun.
38) Joseph Asagai explains that Alaiyo means “One for whom food is not enough.” What is the significance of this nickname?
39) Explain this excerpt in terms of characterization:
WALTER (As he dances with RUTH) You know, when these New Negroes have their convention— (Pointing at his sister)—that is going to be the chairman of the Committee on Unending Agitation. (He goes on dancing, then stops) Race, race, race! … Girl, I do believe you are the first person in the history of the entire human race to successfully brainwash yourself. … I can just see that chick someday looking down at some poor cat on an operating table and before she starts to slice him, she says … (Pulling his sleeves back maliciously) “By the way, what are your views on civil rights down there? …”
40) Explain this quote in terms of symbol and theme:
MAMA Fixing my plant so it won’t get hurt none on the way. …
BENEATHA That raggedy-looking old thing?
MAMA (Stopping and looking at her) It expresses ME!
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The sample A Raisin in the Sun test contains 40 final exam items, but the test maker resource contains 145 test questions and an answer key. You can remove, customize, and add exam items easily using MS Word or Google Docs.
I've delved into Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" extensively, from its thematic nuances to the intricate characterization and underlying societal reflections. This play, set in 1950s Chicago, resonates with multifaceted themes of dreams, racial identity, and the struggle for dignity within a prejudiced society.
The comprehension questions touch upon the play's setting, character motivations, and pivotal moments, indicating the importance of time and place in shaping the characters' decisions. Walter Lee's ambition to use the insurance money for a business venture and Beneatha's search for identity through her relationships showcase the internal conflicts driving the narrative forward.
The questions delve into the intricate dynamics among characters, especially highlighting Beneatha's clashes with George Murchison over values and her profound conversations with Joseph Asagai. The thematic significance of heritage, notably depicted through Walter Lee's disdain for his African roots, adds depth to the exploration of identity and pride.
Themes like the American Dream, systemic racism, and the struggle for dignity are intertwined with symbolism, evident through the recurrent motifs of plants and light. The play's structure, pacing, and the use of figurative language, like Walter Lee's volcanic metaphor, contribute to its impactful narrative.
The open-ended questions explore the symbolism behind Beneatha's hair, the significance of the nickname "Alaiyo," characterization through dialogue, and the symbolism behind Mama's care for her plant.
Hansberry's real-life connections to the play, the historical context encompassing the Civil Rights Movement and societal attitudes, all enrich the understanding of the play's themes and character motivations.
Overall, "A Raisin in the Sun" is a tapestry of themes, character conflicts, and societal reflections that intricately weave together to create a profound theatrical experience, inviting readers to contemplate the complexities of human aspirations, identity, and societal challenges.
