218MacBeth

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I."

____ 1. King Duncan decides to make Macbeth Thane of Cawdor because

a. the last Thane of Cawdor went mad c. the witches told him to
b. Macbeth fought heroically for him d. the last Thane of Cawdor died
____ 2. After reading the letter from her husband, Lady Macbeth calls upon the spirits to “Make thick my blood, /
Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse.” She is asking
a. for guidance so that she can maintain her sense of justice and goodness
b. to be made insensitive to the cruelty she is planning
c. for assurance that she and her husband might agree on a plan
d. for access to her husband’s unspoken thoughts
____ 3. Which of the following quotations from Act I is the best example of paradox?
a. “I’ll drain him dry as hay . . .”
b. “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.”
c. “O, never / Shall sun that morrow see!”
d. “Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dressed yourself?”

Extra Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I."

____ 4. In the play’s first act, Duncan’s attitude toward Macbeth is best described as
a. respectful and kind c. ungrateful and rude
b. suspicious and aloof d. gracious and forgiving
____ 5. Which of the following is not true?
a. Scotland is at war with an invader.
b. The thane of Cawdor is a traitor.
c. Duncan has a male heir named Malcolm.
d. Duncan and Macbeth are brothers.
____ 6. Before Macbeth makes his first appearance, we learn about his
a. ambition c. superstitions
b. great power d. bravery
____ 7. Lady Macbeth’s remark that her husband is “too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness” indicates that she is
a. ruthless c. considerate
b. unambitious d. very much like her husband

Reading Skills and Strategies: Blank Verse

The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I."

____ 8. The majority of Macbeth is written in blank verse, which is

a. unrhymed anapestic heptameter c. unrhymed iambic pentameter
b. rhymed trochaic dimeter d. unrhymed dactylic tetrameter
____ 9. Why is blank verse particularly effective for drama?
a. Its rhymes help to emphasize dramatic emotions.
b. It closely approximates the natural rhythms of English speech.
c. Its irregular structure is suitable for lyrical monologues.
 d. Its formality makes characters’ speeches easier to understand.

Literary Element: Tragedy

The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I."

____ 10. What is Macbeth’s tragic flaw?

a. his lust for power c. his fondness for Macduff
b. his lack of political skills d. his military expertise
____ 11. All of the following are elements of a tragedy except
a. a central character who makes mistakes
b. a catastrophe near the end or conclusion
c. frequent messages from the gods
d. a central character who is often high-ranking

Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II."

____ 12. The dagger that Macbeth sees in his Scene 1 soliloquy
a. was given to him by his wife c. has already been used to kill Duncan
b. is part of a hallucination d. is lost in the confusion
____ 13. As soon as the murder becomes known, Malcolm and Donalbain flee Scotland because they
a. have lost their inheritance
b. are guilty of the murder
c. believe the country will probably become unstable
d. fear for their lives
____ 14. The natural disturbances that continue all night—including the screaming and murderous owl, chimneys
being blown down, and Duncan’s horses turning wild — symbolize
a. the inevitable chaos of a terrible storm
b. a coming war with a neighboring country
c. the evil of Macbeth’s deeds
d. the imminent flight of the king’s sons

Extra Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act II."

____ 15. When Macbeth is alone, he imagines he sees

a. a dagger c. Duncan’s ghost
b. a crown d. an accusing hand

Extra Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act III."

____ 16. Why does Macbeth want Banquo dead?

a. Banquo is a friend of Donalbain.
b. Lady Macbeth wants Banquo and Fleance killed.
c. The witches promised that Banquo would father kings.
d. Banquo opposes Macbeth at every turn.
____ 17. In the extended banquet scene, Macbeth chastises Banquo for being absent. What makes that speech ironic?
a. Banquo is present in the form of a ghost.
b. The assembled lords are aware of Banquo’s murder.
c. Macbeth is unaware of Banquo’s death.
d. Banquo had no intention of attending the banquet.
____ 18. During the banquet, Lady Macbeth
a. tries to explain away her husband’s odd behavior
b. sees the ghost also but tries to ignore it
c. questions Macbeth’s sanity
d. confesses her own guilt

Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act IV."

____ 19. When Macbeth hears that no one born of a woman will harm him, he decides to
a. leave Macduff alone
b. kill all the wives of his peers
c. kill Macduff anyway
d. kill everyone in line for the throne, but spare their families
____ 20. Lady Macduff misses her last chance for escape, which comes when
a. an anonymous messenger warns her to flee
b. her son suggests a plot for their escape
c. Ross defends her husband’s good character
d. the murderers make too much noise at the door
____ 21. Malcolm pretends that he is too evil to become king in order to
a. avoid the responsibilities of ruling Scotland
b. ascertain Macduff’s loyalty
c. fulfill the witches’ prophecies
d. ensure that his brother inherits the throne
____ 22. When Macduff receives the news of his family, Malcolm urges him to
a. rouse his anger c. stay away from Scotland
b. grieve peacefully d. try not to think about it

Extra Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act IV."

____ 23. Who actually murders Lady Macduff and her children?
a. Lady Macbeth c. Macbeth’s hired assassins
b. Lennox’s servants d. Ross’s servants

Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act V."

____ 24. The gentlewoman in Scene 1 refuses to repeat Lady Macbeth’s sleep-talk to the doctor because
a. the words are mumbled and impossible to understand
b. Lady Macbeth forbade her to reveal the murders to anyone
c. there is no witness to confirm the truth of the gentlewoman’s words
d. she thinks that only the doctor will believe her
____ 25. The “damned spot” to which Lady Macbeth refers is
a. Macbeth’s predicament c. Birnam Wood
b. a beleaguered castle d. Duncan’s bloodstain
____ 26. Macbeth tries to reassure himself that Malcolm and Macduff are not a threat to him because they
a. are far away in England
b. do not have the military power that he has
c. have fled because of fear
d. are both “of woman born”
____ 27. Macbeth’s reaction to his wife’s death shows that he
a. thinks life is a meaningless path to death
b. is anguished because he cares about her deeply
c. expects to win the battle without her support
d. understands why she incited him to murder and then went mad
____ 28. Macduff declares that he must kill Macbeth because
a. the witches predicted that he would
b. no one else can conquer Macbeth
c. he must avenge his family members’ murders
d. Macbeth otherwise will win the battle
____ 29. Macbeth finally realizes that the witches and apparitions
a. told him the truth
b. were figments of his imagination
c. were committed to his best interests
d. deceived him with ambiguous messages
____ 30. The play ends with the thanes acknowledging who as Scotland’s new and lawful king?
a. Macduff c. Donalbain
b. Ross d. Malcolm

Extra Comprehension
The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act V."

____ 31. The final act of Macbeth reveals that Lady Macbeth has become
a. fearful of her husband c. haunted by guilt
b. jealous of her husband d. comfortable with her situation
____ 32. Until the very end, Macbeth believes that
a. the witches’ prediction will save his life
b. his suffering people will support him
c. he will somehow flee from all enemies
d. his heirs will rule Scotland

Literary Element: Imagery and Figurative Language

The questions below refer to the selection "The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act V."

____ 33. All of the following images occur repeatedly in the play except
a. eggs c. woods
b. daggers d. children
____ 34. Which of the following quotations from the play contains figurative language?
a. “Look, how she rubs her hands.”
b. “Of all men else I have avoided thee.”
c. “Life’s but a walking shadow.”
d. “Of this dead butcher and his fiendlike queen . . .”