NAQT You Gotta Know - Literature Practice Part 1

What is the main conflict in 'A Wrinkle in Time'?

Meg Murry's father is missing, and she must rescue him from the evil Dark Thing on the planet Camazotz.

Who are the three interstellar beings that help Meg in 'A Wrinkle in Time'?

Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which.

What does IT represent in 'A Wrinkle in Time'?

IT is a gigantic brain that enforces conformity on the planet Camazotz.

What is the significance of love in 'A Wrinkle in Time'?

Meg uses the power of her love to free Charles from IT's control.

What is the setting of 'Sounder'?

Jim Crow-era Georgia, focusing on a young Black boy's family of sharecroppers.

What tragic event occurs to Sounder in 'Sounder'?

Sounder is shot by an arresting officer and disappears for several months.

How does the boy in 'Sounder' learn to read?

He is taken in by an old teacher who helps him after his father is arrested.

What is the main theme of 'Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH'?

The story explores themes of intelligence, survival, and the bond between a mother and her children.

What is the fate of the rats in 'Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH'?

The rats destroy their technologically advanced nest to escape exterminators and plan to build a new home.

What social issues are addressed in 'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry'?

The novel addresses racism, economic hardship, and the struggles of a Black family in the South.

What does Cassie's father do to protect T.J. in 'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry'?

He sets the Logans' cotton fields on fire to distract the town from lynching T.J.

What imaginary land do Jesse and Leslie create in 'Bridge to Terabithia'?

They create a mythical land called Terabithia.

What tragic event occurs in 'Bridge to Terabithia'?

Leslie dies when the rope she swings on breaks, causing her to drown.

What is the central mystery in 'The Westing Game'?

The residents of Sunset Towers must solve the murder of Sam Westing to inherit his fortune.

Who is the main character in 'Dear Mr. Henshaw'?

Leigh Botts, a middle schooler who writes letters to his favorite author.

What personal challenges does Leigh face in 'Dear Mr. Henshaw'?

He deals with the fallout from his parents' divorce and his father's emotional distance.

What is Jonas's role in 'The Giver'?

Jonas is assigned as the new Receiver of Memory, holding all past memories of pain and joy.

What does Jonas discover about his society in 'The Giver'?

He learns that the society values sameness and conformity over individuality and emotions.

What motivates Jonas to flee the Community in 'The Giver'?

He wants to save Gabriel from being 'released' for non-conformity and to bring change to the Community.

What is the significance of tea in 'The View from Saturday'?

The Souls meet for tea every Saturday, symbolizing their friendship and support for each other.

What challenges does Mrs. Olinski face in 'The View from Saturday'?

She returns to teaching after a car accident that left her a paraplegic and a widow.

What is the outcome of the academic bowl in 'The View from Saturday'?

The underdog team of sixth-graders, The Souls, makes it to the state championship game.

What genre does 'A Wrinkle in Time' belong to?

Science fiction.

What is the narrative style of 'Dear Mr. Henshaw'?

Epistolary, told through letters and diary entries.

What year was 'The Giver' published?

1993.

Who wrote 'Sounder'?

William H. Armstrong.

What is the main character's name in 'Bridge to Terabithia'?

Jesse Aarons.

What is the primary theme of 'The Westing Game'?

The theme of mystery and the complexities of human relationships.

What does Mrs. Frisby do to help the rats in 'Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH'?

She helps them by drugging the farmer's cat.

What is the central theme of Louis Sachar's novel Holes?

The Yelnats family's curse and Stanley Yelnats IV's journey to break it while at Camp Green Lake.

What does Stanley Yelnats IV do at Camp Green Lake?

He is forced to dig holes daily as part of his punishment for a wrongful conviction.

Who is the legendary outlaw in Holes that the Warden is searching for?

Kissin' Kate Barlow.

What significant event occurs when Stanley carries Zero up the mountain?

It breaks the curse on Stanley's family.

What is James Baldwin's first novel about?

Go Tell It on the Mountain is about the teenage John Grimes and his religious stepfather Gabriel.

What is the plot of Baldwin's novel Giovanni's Room?

It follows an American named David who has an affair with an Italian bartender.

What major theme does Baldwin explore in If Beale Street Could Talk?

The love between Tish and Fonny, who is falsely accused of rape.

What is Gwendolyn Brooks known for?

Becoming the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize for her poetry collection Annie Allen.

What is the best-known poem by Gwendolyn Brooks?

We Real Cool.

What is Ralph Ellison's most famous work?

Invisible Man.

What event does the narrator of Invisible Man participate in to earn a college scholarship?

A degrading Battle Royal.

What is the central conflict in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun?

The Younger family's debate over how to use $10,000 in life insurance money.

What does Walter want to do with the insurance money in A Raisin in the Sun?

Invest it in a liquor store.

What is the main theme of Langston Hughes's poem 'I, Too'?

Addressing America's racist history and feelings of exclusion.

What is Zora Neale Hurston's best-known novel?

Their Eyes Were Watching God.

What does Janie Crawford's journey symbolize in Their Eyes Were Watching God?

Her sexual awakening and search for identity.

What significant event does Toni Morrison's novel Beloved center around?

Sethe, a slave, is haunted by the ghost of her daughter whom she killed to prevent her from being enslaved.

What is the plot of Alice Walker's The Color Purple?

Celie's traumatic experiences and her journey towards empowerment through writing letters.

What is the significance of Phillis Wheatley's poem 'On Being Brought from Africa to America'?

It reflects her experience of being brought to America as a slave and her conversion to Christianity.

What is the main plot of Richard Wright's Native Son?

Bigger Thomas's life of crime and the consequences of his actions.

What is the setting of Thornton Wilder's Our Town?

The village of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, in the early 20th century.

What are the three acts of Our Town?

Daily Life, Love and Marriage, and Death.

What autobiographical elements are present in Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night?

It reflects the dysfunction of O'Neill's own family.

What is the significance of the character Edmund in Long Day's Journey Into Night?

He represents O'Neill's own struggles and experiences within his family dynamics.

What is the main theme of Eugene O'Neill's play 'Long Day's Journey into Night'?

It is an autobiographical account of the dysfunction of O'Neill's own family, focusing on addiction and family conflict.

Who is the author of 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'

Edward Albee

What is the significance of the title 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'

The title comes from graffiti seen by Albee and reflects the underlying tensions and disillusionment in the characters' relationships.

In 'A Streetcar Named Desire', what do Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski represent?

Blanche represents the declining 'old romantic' South, while Stanley represents the harsh modern era.

What is the central conflict in 'A Raisin in the Sun'?

The Younger family faces discrimination as they attempt to move into an all-white Chicago suburb.

What historical event inspired Lorraine Hansberry's 'A Raisin in the Sun'?

Her father's court fight against racist housing laws in 1940.

What is the allegorical significance of 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller?

It serves as a protest against the McCarthy anti-Communist witch-hunts of the 1950s.

What tragic event occurs in 'Death of a Salesman'?

Willy Loman commits suicide in an attempt to leave insurance money for his son Biff.

What is the structure of 'Mourning Becomes Electra'?

It is a trilogy consisting of 'Homecoming,' 'The Hunted,' and 'The Haunted.'

What is the main theme of 'The Glass Menagerie'?

The struggle between reality and illusion, as represented by Laura's glass animals.

What does the character Hickey represent in 'The Iceman Cometh'?

Hickey represents the harsh reality that forces the patrons to confront their dreams.

What is the central conflict in 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'?

The fight between Gooper and Brick over their father Big Daddy's estate.

What does the title 'The Little Foxes' refer to?

It is taken from the Old Testament, symbolizing the destructive nature of greed.

What is the plot of 'The Frogs' by Aristophanes?

Dionysus journeys to the underworld to bring back the playwright Euripides, critiquing contemporary theater.

What do Peisthetaerus and Euelpides seek in 'The Birds'?

They seek to build a city in the sky to block the Olympian gods and demand sacrifices from humans.

What philosophical concepts are lampooned in 'The Clouds'?

The play critiques Athenian philosophers, especially Socrates and his Sophist followers, for their convoluted arguments.

What is the significance of the character Blanche in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'?

Blanche represents the fragility of the old Southern gentility and the impact of harsh realities.

What does Willy Loman's character represent in 'Death of a Salesman'?

He represents the failure of the American Dream and the pressures of societal expectations.

What is the outcome of Lavinia Mannon's quest for revenge in 'Mourning Becomes Electra'?

Lavinia's quest leads to multiple deaths, including her own brother's suicide.

What is the primary theme of 'The Glass Menagerie'?

The tension between reality and illusion, as Tom narrates the struggles of his family.

What does the character Martha do in 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'

She invites another couple for drinks, leading to a night of revealing arguments and conflicts.

What does the title 'A Raisin in the Sun' symbolize?

It symbolizes dreams deferred, inspired by Langston Hughes' poem 'Harlem'.

What is the setting of 'The Crucible'?

The play is set during the Salem witch trials of 1692.

How does Stanley Kowalski's character affect Blanche in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'?

Stanley exposes Blanche's past, leading to her ultimate downfall.

What does Strepsiades learn at the Thinkery?

He learns about new discoveries, including a technique to measure how far a flea can jump.

What is the main conflict in Lysistrata?

Lysistrata proposes that all Greek women abstain from sex until the men agree to end the Peloponnesian War.

What tragic event occurs in Oedipus Rex?

Oedipus discovers that he has killed his father Laius and married his mother Jocasta.

What is the fate of Antigone in Sophocles' play?

Antigone is sentenced to be entombed alive for burying her brother Polyneices against Creon's orders.

Who are the main characters in Seven Against Thebes?

Oedipus's sons, Polyneices and Eteocles, who kill each other while fighting for control of Thebes.

What motivates Medea's actions in Euripides' play?

Medea seeks vengeance against Jason for abandoning her to marry another woman.

What is the climax of The Bacchae?

Agave mistakenly kills her son Pentheus, believing he is a mountain lion.

What is the significance of the Oresteia trilogy?

It explores themes of justice, revenge, and the transition from personal vendetta to legal justice.

What literary device is exemplified in Medea's ending?

The ending is a classic example of a deus ex machina, resolving plot problems unexpectedly.

What is the role of Creon in Antigone?

Creon is the ruler of Thebes who enforces the law against burying Polyneices.

How does Oedipus become king of Thebes?

He defeats the sphinx, which had been terrorizing the city.

What does the Oracle at Delphi reveal in Oedipus Rex?

The plague in Thebes is caused by the unpunished murderer of King Laius.

What is the outcome for Orestes in the Oresteia?

Orestes is acquitted of matricide after a trial organized by Athena.

What is the central theme of Lysistrata?

The power of women and the use of sexual abstinence as a political tool.

What tragic realization does Jocasta come to in Oedipus Rex?

She realizes that Oedipus is her son and that the prophecy has come true.

What role does the chorus play in Greek tragedies?

The chorus provides commentary, reflects on the action, and represents the voice of the community.

What is the significance of the character Diallage in Lysistrata?

Diallage, or Reconciliation, helps convince the men to agree to peace.

What is the consequence of Antigone's defiance?

Her defiance leads to her death and the subsequent suicides of Haemon and Eurydice.

What does the play Medea depict about gender roles?

It explores themes of female empowerment and vengeance in a patriarchal society.

What does Creon blame himself for in Antigone?

He blames himself for the deaths of his son Haemon and wife Eurydice.

What does the play Seven Against Thebes highlight about familial conflict?

It illustrates the destructive nature of rivalry between siblings over power.

What is the outcome for the women in The Bacchae?

They become frenzied Maenads, driven mad by Dionysus.

What is a major theme in the Oresteia trilogy?

The transition from vengeance to justice and the establishment of legal order.