Of Mice and Men, Chapter 1 quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. Where do George and Lennie camp at the beginning of the novella?

   • In a bunkhouse at the ranch where they will work
   • Correct answer: At a clearing near the Salinas River outside Soledad
   • In a barn on the outskirts of the town of Weed
   • At a roadside camp along the main highway to Soledad

   George and Lennie stop at a clearing along the Salinas River near Soledad, California, the evening before they are due to start work at a nearby ranch.

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2. 2

   Question 2. What does Lennie have hidden in his pocket that George discovers?

   • A fragment of fabric torn from the dress of the girl in Weed
   • The missing work card and bus ticket from Murray and Ready's
   • Correct answer: A dead mouse that he has been petting for its softness
   • A letter from Aunt Clara with instructions for George

   Lennie has been carrying a dead mouse in his pocket so he can stroke its soft fur while walking. George takes it away and throws it across the river.

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3. 3

   Question 3. Why did George and Lennie leave their previous job in Weed?

   • Correct answer: Lennie grabbed a girl's dress, she yelled, and men went looking for them
   • George gambled away their wages playing cards in a local pool room
   • Lennie damaged a thrashing machine, and the furious boss evicted them
   • The ranch boss overheard Lennie talking and dismissed them immediately

   In Weed, Lennie grabbed a girl's dress to feel it and held on "like it was a mouse." She yelled, and George and Lennie had to hide in an irrigation ditch all day, then sneak out of the country in the dark.

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4. 4

   Question 4. What does George instruct Lennie to do when they meet the boss at the ranch?

   • Explain that Aunt Clara sent them to find honest work
   • Demonstrate his strength by lifting heavy objects for the boss
   • Tell the boss that they are cousins who grew up together
   • Correct answer: Stay completely quiet and let George do all the talking

   George tells Lennie not to say a word when they meet the boss. He fears that if Lennie speaks, the boss will realize Lennie has a disability and will not hire them.

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5. 5

   Question 5. What is the significance of the town name 'Soledad' in the novella?

   • It was a real Gold Rush town symbolizing the American Dream
   • It derives from a Spanish word meaning 'sun' and represents hope
   • It means soldier in Spanish, foreshadowing violence and conflict
   • Correct answer: It means 'solitude' in Spanish, foreshadowing themes of loneliness

   Soledad is Spanish for 'solitude' or 'loneliness,' which directly foreshadows the pervasive themes of isolation and loneliness that run throughout the novella.

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6. 6

   Question 6. What specific safety plan does George establish for Lennie in Chapter 1?

   • Correct answer: Lennie should return to the riverside clearing and hide in the brush
   • Lennie should return to Soledad by bus and wait at the station for George
   • Lennie should escape into the hills and live alone in a hidden cave
   • Lennie should wait in the bunkhouse until George comes to get him

   George tells Lennie that if anything goes wrong at the ranch, he should come back to this same riverside clearing and hide in the brush until George arrives.

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7. 7

   Question 7. What animal is Lennie most frequently compared to in Chapter 1?

   • An ox, due to his immense strength and slow temperament
   • A mule, due to his stubborn resistance to obeying George's orders
   • Correct answer: A bear, due to his large size and the way he moves and walks
   • A rabbit, due to his gentle nature and fondness for soft animals

   Steinbeck compares Lennie to a bear: he walks heavily, dragging his feet "the way a bear drags his paws," and his hand is called "his big paw."

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8. 8

   Question 8. What does the shared dream of owning a farm represent for George and Lennie?

   • A realistic business plan that George has carefully budgeted and saved for
   • Correct answer: A comforting ritual symbolizing independence, security, and belonging
   • A story Aunt Clara used to tell them both when they were young
   • A common aspiration shared by all the migrant workers they have met

   The dream of the farm serves as a comforting ritual that binds George and Lennie together. It symbolizes their desire for independence, stability, and a place where they truly belong, setting them apart from other lonely migrant workers.

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9. 9

   Question 9. Which of the following events actually happens in Chapter 1?

   • Correct answer: George throws Lennie's dead mouse across the river
   • George and Lennie arrive at the ranch and meet the boss
   • Lennie wanders off alone and gets lost in the brush
   • A stranger at the river warns them about the ranch

   George discovers the dead mouse Lennie has been carrying and throws it across the river. The other events do not occur in Chapter 1.

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10. 10

    Question 10. Which of the following does NOT happen in Chapter 1?

    • George and Lennie eat beans for dinner by the river
    • Correct answer: George introduces Lennie to the ranch workers
    • George recites the dream of owning their own farm
    • George reminds Lennie about the incident in Weed

    George and Lennie do not reach the ranch or meet any workers in Chapter 1. They spend the entire chapter at the riverside clearing. The other three events all take place in this chapter.

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11. 11

    Question 11. What does 'morosely' mean when George "stared morosely at the water"?

    • In a thoughtful, dreamy, or wistful way
    • In an anxious, restless, or fearful way
    • In a cheerful, carefree, and lighthearted way
    • Correct answer: In a sullen, gloomy, or bad-tempered way

    'Morosely' means in a sullen, gloomy, or bad-tempered way. George stares morosely at the water while complaining angrily about the bus driver, and later stares morosely at the fire while brooding over the trouble Lennie causes.

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12. 12

    Question 12. What is a 'bindle' as referenced in the context of George and Lennie's travels?

    • A wooden walking stick commonly used on long rural journeys
    • A type of work permit required for migrant laborers
    • Correct answer: A bedroll or bundle of belongings carried by a migrant worker
    • A slang term for the small sum of money a worker saves from wages

    A bindle is a bedroll or bundle of belongings carried by a migrant worker. George and Lennie each carry a tight blanket roll slung over the shoulder, and George keeps their three cans of beans in his bindle.

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13. 13

    Question 13. What does 'pantomime' mean when Lennie makes "an elaborate pantomime of innocence"?

    • A rehearsed speech given to practice for an important meeting
    • The exaggerated imitation of another person's voice and speech
    • Correct answer: The use of gestures and movements to convey meaning without words
    • A written script of dialogue that actors memorize for a play

    Pantomime refers to conveying meaning through gestures and expressions rather than words. When George demands the mouse, Lennie puts on an exaggerated show of innocence, acting out that he has nothing to hide.

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