ENGLISH

: Open-Book FINAL TEST

on Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (1596-7) Time: one hour
Do NOT write on this booklet: use the separate answer sheet provided.
PART ONE: MULTIPLE-CHOICE (31)
1. The play's most perverse or problematical character is
A. Antonio. B. Bassiano. C. Portia. D. Shylock.
2. The chief figures in the main plot are
A. Antonio and Shylock. B. Bassiano and Portia.
C. Launcelot and Jessica. D. Lorenzo and Gratiano.
3. Shylock may best be described as all of the following EXCEPT
A. protective of his daughter.
B. passionate about money and Judaism.
C. vindictive and virulently anti-Christian.
D. weak, vain, and consistently self-deluded.
4. The audience is first introduced to Shylock in which of these scenes?
A. The Casket Scene.
B. The Judgment Scene.
C. The Borrowing Scene.
D. The same scene that marks Gobbo's first appearance.
5. Antonio has inspired such animosity in Shylock because Antonio
A. has brought down Venetian interest rates.
B. lends out money at a much lower percentage.
C. has encouraged the Duke to order synagogues closed.
D. supports anti-Semitic societies and laws against Jews.
6. Evidence of Jessica's generosity is her giving a ducat to
A. Portia. B. Lorenzo. C. Bassiano. D. Launcelot.
7. BOTH Gratiano and Lorenzo admire Jessica's
A. sense of fashion. B. personal beauty.

C. extensive dowry. D. personal religious piety.

-1Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (1596-7)

OVER.
Page Two

8. The details of the elopement are planned by

A. Jessica. B. Lorenzo. C. Launcelot. D. Gratiano.
9. "He is of a dreamily meditative nature, end enjoys the beauty of music and
moonlight." The character described is
A. Antonio. B. Lorenzo. C. Launcelot. D. Gratiano.
10. This young person is characterized by high spirits, a sense of humour, and
speeches
full of "an infinite deal of nothing":
A. Salario. B. Salarino. C. Bassiano. D. Gratiano.
11. A vivacious and quick-witted foil to Portia is
A. Nerissa. B. Jessica. C. Launcelot. D. Balthasar.
12. The play's titular character may be any of the following EXCEPT
A. Tubal. B. Antonio. C. Bassiano. D. Shylock.
13. A pair of lively, talkative gossips who serve as a sort of chorus because
they are keenly interested in the fortunes and affairs of Antonio and Bassiano
are
A. Tubal and Shylock. B. Nerissa and Portia.
C. Old Gobbo and Launcelot. D. Salario and Salarino.
14. Launcelot Gobbo would best be described as
A. a professional jester. B. an idle aristocrat.
C. an ignorant buffoon. D. a self-important idiot.
15. Launcelot is especially fond of

A. twelfth-cakes and ale.

B. young women with slender legs.
C. high-sounding words and phrases.
D. ridiculing the follies of social superiors.
16. The action of the play covers roughly how many months?
A. two. B. three. C. four. D. five.
OVER.
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Page Three

17. Bassiano suddenly finds himself in need of money in order to

A. re-finance an argosy.
B. woo the wealthy Portia.
C. pay off a debt owed to Shylock.
D. invest in a business venture with Antonio.
18. About the middle of Act Three, Antonio's bond has expiredat this point,
how many months have expired since the opening scene?
A. two. B. three. C. four. D. five.
19. Launcelot leaves the service of Shylock for that of
A. Antonio. B. Lorenzo. C. Bassiano. D. Gratiano.
20. In IV, ii, 6, "you are well o'erta'en" means
A. "I am happy to have caught up with you."
B. "My master has asked me to run after you."
C. "I am glad that you have caught up with me."
D. "You have done well to overcome our enemy."
21. Initially, Antonio seems

A. sad or melancholy. B. out-of-sorts or upset.

C. wrathful or angry. D. friendly and outgoing.
22. "Argosies" (I, i, 9) are
A. large merchant ships. B. valuable commodities.
C. risky trading ventures. D. international trade agreements.
23. "Andrew" (I, i, 27) is probably the name of
A. a church. B. a vessel. C. a saint D. an acquaintance.
24. Which of the following in the play's first scene is NOT a classical allusion?
A. Vailing (28). B. Nestor (58). C. Janus (52). D. Oracle (97).
25. The financial exchange of Venice is known as
A. Belmont. B. the Bourse. C. the Rialto. D. Tripolis.
OVER.
-3Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (1596-7)

Page Four

26. In I, iii, Shylock puns on

A. rats. B. good. C. thieves D. argosy.
27. In I, iii, Shylock shifts from speaking
A. sonnets to couplets. B. prose to blank verse.
C. couplets to blank verse. D. prose to rhyming couplets.
28. In I, iii, 38-49, Shylock is speaking to
A. Antonio. B. Bassiano.
C. the audience. D. a servant offstage.
29. In I, iii, Shylock pretends to be absent-minded by repeatedly forgetting

A. the precise amount of the loan.

B. the length of the bond negotiated.
C. the name of the person to whom he is lending the money.
D. the purpose for which the borrower is apparently making the loan.
30. Portia is able to save Antonio by accusing Shylock of attempted
A. usury. B. idolatry. C. lechery. D. homicide.
31. As it turns out, the key to breaking Shylock's bond is the word
A. pound. B. flesh. C. heart. D. bond.
PART TWO: SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS (19 marks)
INSTRUCTIONS: Write your answers in complete sentences on the Answer
Sheet provided. Do NOT write in pencil; use INK.
32. What two purposes does the "Rings' Episode" serve in the last scene? (2
marks)
33. How does Portia prove to Bassiano that she was the judge at the trial? (2
marks)
34. Why is the story of Jason and Medea alluded to in V, ii, 17-18? (2 marks)
35. What is the purpose of "The Trial of the Caskets"? (2 marks)
OVER.
-4Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (1596-7)

Page Five

PART TWO: SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS (continued)

36. Briefly explain how Shylock is able to persuade Antonio to sign a bond

with such
a strange penalty. (5 marks)
37. What effort has the Duke already made on Shylock's behalf? (2 marks)
38. In your own words, explain two points of Shylock's punishment. (2 marks)
39. What two reasons does Portia have for consulting Dr. Bellario? (2 marks).
PART THREE: PARAGRAPH RESPONSE (13 marks)
INSTRUCTIONS: Select one of the following topics, then write a paragraph
of approximately 100 words on one of the following
topics (10 marks). Up to THREE additional marks will
be awarded for the quality of your written expression.
A. Portia is an unusually intellectual Shakespearean heroine. Briefly compare
her to at least one other female principal in a play by Shakespeare; some
possibilities include
Calpurnia or Portia in Julius Caesar, Kate in The Taming of the Shrew, Juliet
in
Romeo and Juliet, Lady Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth, Ophelia in The
Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, and Cordelia in The Tragedy of King
Lear.
B. The Merchant of Venice is not frequently studied in schools because it seems
to be
racist. With specific reference to five incidents or passages in the play, respond
to this criticism of the play.
C. Unlike some of Shakespeare's early villains, Shylock is a developing
character for
whom we begin to feel some sympathy. Briefly compare him to at least one
other antagonist in a play by Shakespeare; some possibilities include Cassius
in Julius Caesar, Tybalt in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth in The
Tragedy of Macbeth, Claudius in The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark,
and Edmund in The Tragedy of King Lear.
D. It is possible to argue that the theme of both the main plot and the subplot of

The Merchant of Venice is "The quality of mercy is not strained . . . ." With
reference to both plots, respond to this interpretation of the play.
END OF TEST
-5Name
Score......../31
William Shakespeare's
Merchant of Venice Open-Book Test

Block.........

Part One: Multiple-Choice (31 marks possible)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
Answer Questions (19 marks possible)
32. (2 marks)

33. (2 marks)

34. (2 marks)

35. (2 marks)

36. (5 marks)

9.
20.
31.

English

10.
21.

M. C.

11.
12.
13.
22.
23.
24.
Part Two: Short-

-1OVER.
ROUGH WORK & PLANNING ONLY

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK.

-237. (2 marks)

38. (2 marks)

39. (2 marks)

Part Three: Paragraph Answer (13 marks possible) A, B, C, or D (circle choice)

Title: "

."

OVER
-3-

Score for
Score for Written
content, Part 3.
Expression.
3a.

3b.

(10)

(3)

(Excerpted from the Marker's Guide for the January, 1993, English 12 Provincial
Examination.)
Written Expression 3
The 3-mark paragraph addresses the writing task directly, making clear its purpose. It
flows smoothly, employing apt phrasing and appropriate transitions. When the reference
requires a quotation, it is integrated into the text suitably and correctly. Diction is
sophisticated and precise; sentencing is varied. Errors are those characteristic of first draft
material.
Written Expression 2
The 2-mark paragraph does the job required in a reasonably coherent manner. Its
syntax is competent, but somewhat repetitive and occasionally awkward. Vocabulary is
adequate and, in general, appropriate. Quoted references may be awkwardly incorporated
or of questionable value. Errors may arrest the reading flow.
Written Expression 1
The 1-mark paragraph relates to the problem posed by the question in a random
manner. The purpose of the response may frequently be questionable. Vocabulary, while
appropriate, may be general, simplistic, and/or imprecise. Sentence structures may be
repetitive, and sentence sense may be problematic. Errors reflect a deficient command of
language appropriate to the expository task. N. B. Paragraphs may be awarded zero for
failure to provide a response in keeping with the purpose of the question.
-4Name K E Y
Block.........
William Shakespeare's
Merchant of Venice Open-Book Test

English

M. C. Score......../31

Part One: Multiple-Choice (31 marks possible)

1. D 2. A 3. D 4. C 5. A 6. D 7. B 8. A 9. B 10. D 11. A 12. A 13.
D 14. C 15. C 16. B 17. B 18. B 19. C 20. A 21. A 22. B 23. B 24.
A 25. C 26. A 27. B 28. C
29. B 30. D 31. B
Part Two: Short-Answer Questions (19 marks possible)
32. (2 marks) Portia's teasing her new husband about the ring not only serves as
comic relief but also creates suspense as we wonder how Bassiano will react to
having been tricked (outsmarted) by his wife disguised as Dr. Bellario.
33. (2 marks) She produces a letter from her cousin, Dr. Bellario, and returns the
ring to Bassiano.
34. (2 marks) Jessica alludes to Medea's ability to "renew" Aeson, making him

young again through herbs gathered by such magical moonlight as shines on them.
Jessica provides a romantic, female figure from classical myth to match Dido.
35. (2 marks) Portia's father established that there should be a "trial of Caskets" so
that his daughter would marry one true of heart, and not a mere fortune-hunter.
Bassiano's success seems to resolve Antonio's problem since Bassiano will now be
able to re-pay his debt to Antonio, who is turn will re-pay Shylock. As both a soldier
and a scholar, Bassiano is less likely to be attracted to the "outward shows"; thus, he
proves himself worthy of the subtle Portia.
36. (5 marks) Shylock calls his sinister agreement "a merry sport," suggesting that
its terms are a mere jest. He asserts that he is really lending the money "gratis" to
win Antonio's favour; in other words, the loan is presented as a peace-offering. The overconfident Antonio is not imaginative enough to see Shylock's real intention, which he has
taken considerable pains to disguise as "kindness." What advantage could he gain,
Shylock argues, from obtaining flesh he can neither eat nor sell?