World Literature

1. The three major forms of literature are Poetry, Prose and ________.

a) Novel b) Essay c) Drama d) Editorial

2. Widely accepted as the earliest surviving work of literature, this epic poem chronicles the adventures and tribulations of the king of Uruk.

a) The Iliad b) The Odyssey c) Aeneid d) Epic of Gilgamesh

3. Which of the following is NOT one of the Four Classical Novels of Chinese literature?

a) The Plum in the Golden Vase

b) Journey to the West

b) Dream of the Red Chamber

c) The Water Margin

4. Leo Tolstoy's grand novel, War and Peace, is set during which European war?

a) Crimean War b) Balkan Wars c) Napolean Wars d) World War I

5. William Shakespeare was famous for his 154 sonnets. What was the dominant theme in these timeless poems?

a) Family b) Politics c) Friendship d) Love e) Vengeance

6. Though unrecognized during his lifetime, Franz Kafka is one of the most influential writers in modern literature. In his novella The Metamorphosis, the protagonist wakes up one day in this form of animal.

a) A bird b) An insect c) A lion d) A fish

7. Which famous songwriter/singer won a Nobel Prize in literature?

a) Bob Dylan b) John Lennon c) Neil Young d) Bruce Springsteen

8. Ernest Hemingway was one of the giants of American literature. The 1954 Nobel Prize winner spent a lot of his time in this Caribbean country--the setting of his last major work.

a) Panama b) Haiti c) Jamaica d) Mexico e) Cuba

9. In Goethe's Faust, the main character makes a pact with __________.

a) The enemy state b) The dark angel c) The Devil d) The Count

10. Which of the following is NOT a key element of a satire?

a) Parody b) Sarcasm c) Jest d) Irony

11. With over 100 million copies of his novels sold, Louis Cha (pen. Jin Yong) is the most popular Chinese writer in modern history. What is the primary genre of his novels?

a) Romance b) Martial arts c) Detective/crime d) Historical

12. True or False. Haiku, the Japanese form of poetry, is structured in a 7-5-7 pattern.