Study Guide for The Sound of

Music
Background: The Sound of Music is a movie that took place during
World War II. The location is Salzburg, Austria in the late 1930s
before Austria comes under Nazi rule. When the Nazis took over,
soldiers in the Austrian army were expected to join up again for a
war that was to begin. Many did not want to fight for the Nazis, but
found they had no choice.

1 In the opening scene with Maria, she is singing that the hills
are alive with what?

2 Why do the nuns seem to be annoyed with Maria?

3 What is a "governess" and why do the Von Trapp children need

one?

4 How many Von Trapp children are there in the movie?

5 How does Captain Von Trapp call his children to him?

6 Why does Captain Von Trapp ban music and happiness and
laughing?

7 Name at least four of Maria's "Favorite Things.”

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Music
8 Does Maria obey the Captain's rules about singing and having
fun?

9 Does it appear that the children like Maria the day after the
storm?

10 What are the syllables Maria taught to help the children with
their singing?

11 Does the Baroness that Captain brings home seem to want to

have anything to do with the children?

12 During this time the Nazi Party is starting to take over Austria.
Does Captain Von Trapp want this to happen?

13 What organization do we find out Liesl's "friend" Rolf belongs

to?

14 What do the children perform for the Captain, the Baroness

and Max?

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 Study Guide for The Sound of
Music
15 At the party, the children learn a special Austrian dance called
the Laendler. Who helps finish the song with Maria?

16 Why does Maria leave the Von Trapp house?

17 Why does she come back?

18 The Captain does get married in this film. To whom does he

get married?

19 When they return from the honeymoon, the Captain tears a

flag in two pieces. What kind of flag is it?

20 Where does the Von Trapp family hide after escaping from the
Festival?

21 Who blows the whistle, alerting the guards?

22 Where do we last see the Von Trapp family?

The Von Trapp Family Singers were a real traveling singing group.
They even toured in the United States. Much of this movie was
based on a real story, but much of it was also different. For
example, most of the names of the children were changed and the
oldest Von Trapp child was actually a boy, not a girl like in the
movie.

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