Milkweed

Multiple Choice and Long Answer questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. In Chapter 3, Stopthief notes, “And then the stableman was coming and shouting and we were running, and outside we scattered like cockroaches and I ran with Uri and the thumping explosions were louder and the clouds in the sky were brown and black.” Which of the following literary terms does Stopthief use in this quote?

A) Allegory

B) Simile

C) Anaphora

D) Synecdoche

2. Which of the following statements can be inferred about Stopthief, based on his interactions with Uri and the other boys?

A) That he is used to unsanitary and unhygienic conditions

B) That is he very knowledgeable about world events

C) That he is distrusting of strangers

D) That he comes from a wealthy and privileged background

3. What can be inferred from Stopthief’s description of the towns?

A) That there are many people living and working

B) That most of the towns only have Jews living there

C) That many of the shops are abandoned or destroyed

D) That the streets are filled with fresh food from the countryside

4. Which of the following statements is the most probable reason that the narrator believes his name is Stopthief?

A) Because his brothers used to tease him with that name

B) Because he stole at a very young age

C) Because it sounds like his real name “Stephen”

D) Because he abandoned his real name after his family disowned him

5. When Misha asks the boys about the statue of the angel in the cemetery, Enos says, “It’s not real. It’s something Jackboots believe.” (Chapter 10) What does this comment imply about the boys’ religion?

A) That both the boys and the Jackboots are Orthodox Christian

B) That the tombstone belongs to a Jewish family

C) That the boys and the Jackboots share a different faith

D) That religion is not important to the Jackboots

6. As provisions in Warsaw become scarce, Misha makes the following observation about the chopping of trees for firewood: “Some trees fell with an almost silent whump into the pillow of snow. Some gave a groan. Some shrieked in protest. One, a thick, burly monster of a tree with warts, came down with a high, thin wail that sounded exactly like a baby crying.” (Chapter 11) Which of the following literary devices does Misha use in this quote?

A) Personification

B) Allegory

C) Palindrome

D) Allusion

7. Which of the following words best describes how Uri treats Misha throughout the novel?

A) With contempt

B) With fear

C) With disdain

D) With concern

8. Which of the following words best describes how Misha feels about his stature throughout the novel?

A) Proud

B) Ashamed

C) Apathetic

D) Concerned

9. According to Misha and the boys, what do mothers and oranges have in common?

A) They are both good for your health.

B) They are both valuable for a positive future.

C) They both may or may not exist.

D) They both can be sweet or sour.

10. Which animal does Misha frequently use in a simile throughout the novel?

A) Leopards

B) Snakes

C) Cockroaches

D) Rats

11. Which of the following words does Misha use to compare life from inside the ghetto to outside the ghetto?

A) Color

B) Temperature

C) Sounds

D) Riches

12. Which of the following phrases best describes the significance of finding the milkweed plant in the ghetto?

A) A successful attempt at finding sustenance

B) A reminder that life can endure the harshest conditions

C) A representation of the growing illness in the ghetto

D) A symbol of fragility in inhospitable living conditions

13. Which of the following words characterizes Misha’s journey prior to his meeting Katherine at the end of the novel?

A) Self-awareness

B) Deliberateness

C) Delirium

D) Embarrassment

14. Which of the following phrases best describes the final two chapters of the novel?

A) An illustration of Misha’s struggle with the aftermath of his traumatizing childhood

B) An explanation of the reasons why Misha chose to emigrate from Poland

C) A flashback to his earliest memory with his family and horses

D) A prediction and warning for future generations regarding genocide and fascist government systems

15. How does Misha feel about Janina by the end of the novel?

A) He has all but forgotten her.

B) He is happy she moved on with her life.

C) He is furious she abandoned him at the last minute.

D) He remembers her fondly and wants to carry on the legacy of her name.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. Who is the narrator of the novel? How does the narration style reflect the protagonist’s point of view and perspective?

2. What is the setting of the novel, and how do readers know the setting? Identify the words that Spinelli uses to provide information about the historical setting from the narrator’s perspective.