A Raisin in the Sun, Act I, Scene 1 quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. What is the Younger family waiting to receive?

   • A letter from Walter's employer
   • Correct answer: A $10,000 life insurance check
   • A notice of eviction
   • A college acceptance letter for Beneatha

   The family is expecting a $10,000 check from Big Walter's life insurance policy, which arrives the day after this scene.

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2. 2

   Question 2. What business does Walter want to invest in?

   • A dry cleaning shop
   • Correct answer: A liquor store
   • A restaurant
   • A taxi service

   Walter wants to open a liquor store with his associates Willy Harris and Bobo, believing it will make the family wealthy.

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3. 3

   Question 3. Why does Ruth refuse to give Travis fifty cents?

   • She wants to teach him responsibility
   • Correct answer: The family cannot afford it
   • Travis has not done his chores
   • She wants Walter to give it to him

   Ruth refuses because the family's finances are extremely tight, and they need every cent for essential expenses.

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4. 4

   Question 4. What does Walter do when Ruth refuses Travis the money?

   • He agrees with Ruth's decision
   • Correct answer: He gives Travis a whole dollar
   • He scolds Travis for asking
   • He promises to give it to him later

   Walter gives Travis a dollar — double what the boy asked for — to assert his role as a provider, even though the family cannot afford it.

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5. 5

   Question 5. What does Mama tend to on the kitchen windowsill?

   • A small radio
   • A framed photograph of Big Walter
   • Correct answer: A houseplant
   • A candle

   Mama's houseplant symbolizes her nurturing nature and her dream of having a house with a garden where things can grow properly.

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6. 6

   Question 6. Why does Mama oppose Walter's liquor store plan?

   • She thinks Walter is too young
   • Correct answer: She objects on moral and religious grounds
   • She wants to invest in stocks instead
   • She does not believe the check will arrive

   Mama, a devoutly religious woman, disapproves of selling liquor and has her own plans for the money, including buying a house.

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7. 7

   Question 7. What is Walter Lee's current occupation?

   • Factory worker
   • Taxi driver
   • Correct answer: Chauffeur
   • Store clerk

   Walter works as a chauffeur for a wealthy white family, a job he considers beneath his potential and ambitions.

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8. 8

   Question 8. What is the title 'A Raisin in the Sun' a reference to?

   • A Southern cooking recipe
   • Correct answer: A Langston Hughes poem called 'Harlem'
   • A Bible verse about patience
   • A childhood memory of Mama's

   The title comes from Langston Hughes's poem 'Harlem,' which asks 'What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?'

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9. 9

   Question 9. Which of these events actually happened in this chapter?

   • Ruth gives Travis fifty cents for his school activity.

     Didn't happen

     Ruth refuses to give Travis the money because the family cannot afford it. Walter overrides her decision by giving Travis a dollar.

   • Walter discusses a business plan involving Willy Harris and Bobo.

     Happened

     Walter talks about investing in a liquor store with his associates Willy Harris and Bobo, trying to convince Ruth to support the idea.

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10. 10

    Question 10. What does 'deferred' mean in the context of 'a dream deferred'?

    • Accomplished quickly
    • Correct answer: Postponed or delayed
    • Completely forgotten
    • Shared with others

    In the Langston Hughes poem that inspired the play's title, 'deferred' means postponed — the poem asks what happens when dreams are continually put off.

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11. 11

    Question 11. What is a 'matriarch'?

    • A woman who teaches school
    • A female religious leader
    • Correct answer: A woman who heads a family
    • A woman who works in business

    A matriarch is a woman who serves as the head of a family. Mama (Lena Younger) is the matriarch of the Younger family, holding authority over major decisions.

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12. 12

    Question 12. What does 'exasperation' mean?

    • Deep sadness
    • Correct answer: Intense frustration or irritation
    • Mild confusion
    • Quiet acceptance

    Exasperation means intense irritation. Walter's exasperation grows throughout the scene as Ruth and Mama resist his liquor store plan.

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