Animal Farm, Chapter I quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. Why does Old Major call the animals together for a meeting in the barn?

   • Correct answer: He had a dream and wishes to share his vision and wisdom before he dies
   • He needs to warn the animals that Mr. Jones plans to sell the farm
   • He wants to elect a new leader to represent the animals' interests to Jones
   • He wants to organize an immediate attack on Mr. Jones and seize the farm

   Old Major, sensing he does not have long to live, calls the meeting to share a dream he had and to pass on the wisdom he has accumulated during his twelve years.

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2. 2

   Question 2. According to Old Major, what is the fundamental cause of all the animals' problems?

   • The animals lack education and cannot organize themselves effectively
   • The farm's soil is poor and cannot produce enough food for everyone
   • Correct answer: Man takes the animals' produce while producing nothing himself
   • The animals are divided by species and refuse to cooperate with each other

   Old Major argues that Man is "the only creature that consumes without producing" — he takes eggs, milk, and labor from the animals while contributing nothing in return.

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3. 3

   Question 3. What simple rule does Old Major propose for distinguishing friends from enemies?

   • Animals that live on farms are friends; wild animals are potential enemies
   • Correct answer: Creatures that walk on two legs are enemies; those on four legs or with wings are friends
   • Any creature that can speak is a friend; those that cannot communicate are enemies
   • Animals that work for their food are friends; those that steal food are enemies

   Old Major establishes the principle that "Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy" and "Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend."

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4. 4

   Question 4. What makes the animals' meeting possible on this particular night?

   • A severe storm keeps Mr. Jones trapped inside the farmhouse all evening
   • Mr. Jones has left the farm to visit a neighboring town for supplies
   • It is a holiday and the animals have been given the evening off from work
   • Correct answer: Mr. Jones has gone to bed drunk and forgotten to secure the farm properly

   Mr. Jones is too drunk to remember to shut the popholes and goes up to bed. The animals had agreed to meet in the big barn as soon as he was safely out of the way.

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5. 5

   Question 5. Where do the pigs settle themselves when they arrive at the meeting in the big barn?

   • Up in the rafters, where the pigeons have fluttered
   • On the window-sills, beside the perching hens
   • Correct answer: In the straw immediately in front of the platform
   • Behind the sheep and cows, in the furthest corner

   The pigs arrive after the three dogs and settle "in the straw immediately in front of the platform," while the sheep and cows lie down behind them and the hens perch on the window-sills.

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6. 6

   Question 6. What does the song "Beasts of England" envision for the animals' future?

   • A plan for animals to escape Manor Farm and return to living in the wild
   • A society where the strongest animals rule fairly over the weaker ones
   • A world where animals and humans live and work together in peaceful cooperation
   • Correct answer: A golden future free from human tyranny, with abundant food and no cruelty

   "Beasts of England" paints a picture of a future where "Tyrant Man shall be o'erthrown" and the animals enjoy freedom, with rings vanishing from their noses and "Cruel whips no more shall crack."

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7. 7

   Question 7. How does the meeting in the barn come to an end?

   • Correct answer: Mr. Jones fires his shotgun into the darkness after being awakened by the singing
   • Dawn breaks and the animals must return to their places before Jones wakes up
   • Old Major collapses from exhaustion after his long speech and the animals disperse
   • Benjamin the donkey argues against rebellion and convinces animals to return to bed

   The uproar of the singing wakes Mr. Jones, who is sure there is a fox in the yard and fires a charge of number 6 shot into the darkness. The meeting breaks up and every animal flees to its sleeping place.

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8. 8

   Question 8. What does Old Major say the animals must never do, even after they have conquered Man?

   • Sing songs, hold meetings, or vote on questions
   • Correct answer: Live in a house, sleep in a bed, or drink alcohol
   • Pull the plough, lay eggs, or produce milk
   • Raise families, breed calves, or hatch chickens

   Old Major warns that "in fighting against Man, we must not come to resemble him." No animal, he says, must ever live in a house, sleep in a bed, wear clothes, drink alcohol, smoke tobacco, touch money or engage in trade.

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9. 9

   Question 9. Which of the following events actually happens in Chapter I?

   • Clover leads the lost ducklings out of the barn to search for their mother
   • Correct answer: Old Major teaches the animals the song "Beasts of England" from his dream
   • Benjamin makes a long speech in support of Old Major's call for Rebellion
   • The animals vote to immediately drive Mr. Jones off the farm

   Old Major teaches the animals "Beasts of England," a song whose words came back to him in his dream. Benjamin makes no speech, no vote is taken to drive Mr. Jones out, and the ducklings fall asleep inside the wall Clover makes with her foreleg.

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10. 10

    Question 10. Which of the following does NOT happen in Chapter I?

    • Correct answer: Boxer stands up at the meeting and argues against Old Major's speech
    • Mr. Jones fires a shotgun blast that ends the animals' gathering
    • The cat is discovered to have voted on both sides of the question about rats
    • Mollie arrives at the last moment and draws attention to her ribbons

    Boxer says nothing at the meeting. The cat is discovered to have voted on both sides, Mollie comes in at the last moment showing off her red ribbons, and Mr. Jones's gunshot breaks up the gathering.

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11. 11

    Question 11. What does the word "enmity" mean as Old Major uses it when he speaks of "your duty of enmity towards Man"?

    • A formal agreement or truce between two opposing sides
    • A feeling of deep loyalty and devotion owed to a master
    • Correct answer: A state of active hostility or ill will toward someone
    • A feeling of fear or dread in the presence of danger

    "Enmity" means hostility or ill will. Old Major tells the animals to "remember always your duty of enmity towards Man and all his ways," because, he says, "Man is the only real enemy we have."

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12. 12

    Question 12. In the context of Chapter I, what is a "knacker"?

    • A veterinarian who treats injured farm animals in rural communities
    • A merchant who trades in animal hides and leather goods at market fairs
    • A farmer who specializes in breeding and training workhorses for labor
    • Correct answer: A person whose business is buying and slaughtering old horses for their parts

    A knacker buys and slaughters worn-out horses for their hides, hooves, and bones. Old Major warns that Jones will send Boxer to the knacker once his strength fails.

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13. 13

    Question 13. What does the word "dissentients" mean in the narrator's report that there were "only four dissentients" in the vote on the rats?

    • Correct answer: A person who disagrees with the prevailing opinion or a proposed resolution
    • A person who requests more time to consider a question before casting a vote
    • A person who strongly supports a proposal and urges others to vote in favor
    • A person who abstains from voting because they feel unqualified to decide

    A dissentient is someone who disagrees with the majority. When Old Major puts the question "Are rats comrades?" to the vote, an overwhelming majority agree that rats are comrades; the only four dissentients are the three dogs and the cat.

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