English 222 Assessment

Part A—Critical Thinking

Questions 1-5 are based on the story of Arachne and Athena, a classic example of transformation and the folly of challenging the gods, and, by extension, one’s place in the universe.  Answer the following questions with the above in mind.

 

  1. “The nymphs of Tmolus often left their vineyard, the nymphs of Pactolus often left their waters—to see and wonder at Arachne’s handiwork.  Nor was their pleasure merely in seeing her finished work, but also in observing her at work, such delight was in her skill….you would know that Athena had taught her.  Yet she would not admit this; jealous of her great teacher, she said, “Let her compete with me; if she wins I deny her nothing.’”

      In this passage Arachne is exhibiting the trait of

    1. aręte
    2. hubris
    3. nemesis
    4. nostos

 

  1. Athena attempts to allow Arachne a graceful exit by disguising herself as a mortal and advising Arachne, “Do not despise my advice!  Let your ambition be to excel mortal women at weaving; give place to the goddess and pray for her forgiveness for your rash words!  She will pardon you if you pray.”

           Which of the following is true?

    1. Athena’s statements illustrate the notion of Moire.
    2. Athena believes Arachne to be guilty of hubris.
    3. Athena and Arachne display the concept of nemesis.
    4. Both answers b and c are correct.

 

  1. Athena’s advice to Arachne to “give place to the goddess and pray for her forgiveness for your rash words” could best be paraphrased as
    1. Obstacles make humans stronger.
    2. Humans should not overreach their natural place in the universe.
    3. Humans should reunite with those they love.
    4. The gods welcome challenges from humans.

 

  1. A weaving competition between Athena and Arachne ensues.  Arachne, heedless of advice of the goddess, depicts scenes of thegods’ less honorable moments, albeit with great skill.

“Athena could find no fault with the work, not even Envy herself could.  Angered by Arachne’s success, the golden-haired goddess tore up the embroidered tapestry with its stories of the gods’ shameful deeds….In grief, Arachne strangled herself.”

           Athena’s punishment of Arachne illustrates:

a.       The universe is divinely ordered.

b.      Humans cannot avoid moirae.

c.       Hubris will bring unpleasant ends.

d.      Envy is a deadly sin.

 

5.  Ovid included the story of Athena and Arachne in his The Metamorphoses

because of the ________________________ in the myth.

a.       humor

b.      logos

c.       transformation

d.      poetry          

 

 

Part B—General Questions

 

 6.. Myths are stories that are

 a) in narrative form

 b) handed down from generation to generation

             c) ostensibly true to those within the culture

 d) meant to explain, justify, or instruct

             e) all the preceding answers.

 

7.  The collection of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses is referred to as a:

            a.  Parthenon

            b.  Parnassus

            c.  Pantheon

            d.  Polyglot

 

8.  According to Hesiod’s Theogony, in the beginning there was only

            a.  Gaia

            b.  Uranus

            c.  Chaos

            d.  Zeus

 

9.  Of the following myths, which one serves as an etiological myth explaining why we

      have seasons?

            a) Orpheus and Eurydice

            b) Demeter and Persephone

            c) Psyche and Cupid

            d) Daphne and Apollo

 

 10.  Early stories about  Uranus, Cronus, and Zeus reflect societal fears about

           a)  the seasons

           b)  father/son conflict

           c)  the role of women

           d)  marriage

 

 

 

 

11.  The daughters of Zeus responsible for inspiring artists, poets, and musicians are 

             a)  the Furies

             b)  the Gorgons

             c)  the Fates

             d) the Muses.          

 

12. Which of the following was not an Olympian?

            a) Poseidon

            b) Apollo

            c) Demeter

d) Orpheus. 

 

13.  Zeus’ twins Apollo and Artemis are associated respectively with

a) war and beauty

            b) poetry and wild creatures

            c) grain and wine

d) death and revival.

 

14.  According to the story of Demeter and Persephone, winter returned when

            a) Persephone returned to her mother

            b) Persephone returned to Hades

            c) Orpheus sang

            d)  Tantalus was able to reach the forbidden fruit.

 

15.   Phaethon, representing impetuous youth, asked his father Helios for permission to

            a) eat ambrosia

            b) drink wine

            c) use Achilles’ shield

            d) drive the chariot of the Sun.

 

16.  The vindictive wife who caused trouble for Zeus’s half-mortal children was

     a)  Aphrodite

     b) Hera

     c) Pandora

     d) Athena.

 

17.  After Narcissus rejected Echo, Nemesis punished him by causing him to

            a)  turn into a tree

            b)  fade away until only his voice remained

            c)  become a lizard

            d) fall in love with his own reflection

 

18.  Heroes from classical mythology live in our modern vocabulary when we say

            a) a Herculean task

            b) a Procrustean solution

            c) an astronaut

            d) a, b, and c.

 

19.  Homer’s The Iliad tells of the war between the Greeks and the Trojans.  Achilles

       is the Greeks’ best warrior.  The Trojans’ best warrior was

a)      Ajax

b)      Diomedes

c)      Hector

d)      Paris. 

 

20.  While The Iliad is an epic poem about war, The Odyssey is Homer’s epic about the

        trials that Odysseus faces as he tries to

a)      return to his homeland

b)      earn the hand of Helen in marriage

c)      become king of Ithaca

d)      find the Golden fleece.