Exam Questions for the Upper Forms

Exam Questions for the Upper Forms

by Art Middlekauff

For the upper forms in my homeschool (years 7–12, or roughly forms III–VI), we used a somewhat idiosyncratic list of books. I found myself writing many of my own exam questions, or using exam questions from the original PNEU programmes. Sometimes I found inspiration in other sources. These exam questions are not meant to be normative, but rather to inspire your own development of exam questions for your own homeschool.

Bible

The Saviour of the World

Plutarch

Citizenship and Morals

Shakespeare

Literature

History

Geography

Science

Bible

Genesis

  1. What covenant with Noah did God make after the Flood? What lessons may we learn from the story of the Flood?
  2. To what occasions do the following refer? Describe two of them.
    • (a) “Let there be no strife between you and me”
    • (b) “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine”
    • (c) “So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing’”
    • (d) “Why did Sarah laugh?”
  3. Describe several of the important encounters between Jacob and Esau. What do these encounters tell us about the character of each of these two men?
  4. How do the priorities of Isaac compare to the priorities of Rebecca?
  5. “The Lord was with him … and made all he did to prosper in his hand.” Give instances showing that this is truly said of Joseph.

Exodus

  1. How did God prepare and call and strengthen Moses to be the leader of the Children of Israel? What may we learn from the scene on Mount Horeb?
  2. What are some of the ways that the discoveries of archeology line up with the Bible history in the “new chronology” outlined by David Rohl? List as many as you can think of.
  3. Describe three separate events that took place at Mount Sinai. Give us much detail as you can.

Numbers

  1. Tell what you know of Caleb’s words and deeds. Why did God say that Caleb “has a different spirit and has followed me fully”?
  2. “Come now, curse this people for me.” On what occasion were these words spoken? Tell the story shortly. What lessons may we learn from it?

Joshua

  1. Give instances from Joshua’s career which show what kind of man he was. Describe one of them fully.
  2. What are some features of the archeology of Jericho that match the account of the destruction of the city in the book of Joshua?
  3. Describe (a), the sending away of the Trans-Jordanic tribes by Joshua, and, (b), the suspicion that fell upon them.

Judges

  1. “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand.” Describe the events referred to, and quote from and comment on the spirit of the Song of Deborah.
  2. Give some account of Jephthah, and his championship of Israel against the Ammonites. Discuss his “barbarous vow.”
  3. Give some account of Abimelech and his premature attempt to form a monarchy.

Ruth

  1. We read that “In Jewish tradition, the interchange between Naomi and Ruth is used as a pattern for testing the sincerity of converts to Judaism.” Explain this and comment on it.
  2. Give a picture of “home life in ancient Israel,” as given in the Book of Ruth.
  3. Professor Goldingay closes his commentary on Ruth by saying, “[The book of Ruth] also issues one of the Old Testament’s recurrent reminders that God is concerned with the whole world; God’s concern with Israel interrelates with that concern. Admittedly it does so in a paradoxical way.” How does Ruth show that God is concerned with the whole world? Why does he say that God’s concern with Israel interrelates with that concern in a paradoxical way?

1 Samuel

  1. Trace the steps by which Samuel made a national monarchy possible.
  2. What light does the story of Jonathan throw upon the character of (a) David, (b) Jonathan?
  3. Give some account of David as a feudal lord at Ziklag.
  4. What are some reasons to believe that the Labaya of archeology is the Saul of the Bible?

2 Samuel

  1. David was a man of faith and of humility. Sketch the character of David and justify this statement.
  2. What role does loyalty and faithfulness play in the book of 2 Samuel? Give examples involving relationships between man and man and between man and God. Discuss the results of loyalty and disloyalty in the book.

1 Kings

  1. Write a brief account of (a), the wisdom and the power of Solomon, and (b), the great rebellion in the time of Rehoboam.
  2. Show by what events God revealed Himself to His prophet Elijah.

2 Kings

  1. In what ways did Gehazi feature in the accounts of Elisha?
  2. What part did Elisha play at the siege of Samaria?
  3. Under what circumstances was Jehu anointed King? Give a short account of his rebellion.
  4. “And they buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house.” Give an account of the work of Jehoiada the priest.

Ezra

  1. Why did Cyrus authorize the return of the Jews? Give the substance of his proclamation. In what ways did Cyrus assist the Jews in this matter?
  2. “Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” How far was his mission successful? Give a full account of one incident.

Nehemiah

  1. What report did Hanani bring to Nehemiah concerning the state of Jerusalem? Describe the events which followed.
  2. “For religious faith and practical sagacity [wisdom] he stands conspicuous among the illustrious persons of the Bible.” Justify this estimate of Nehemiah.

Daniel

  1. Tell about two specific prophecies of Daniel that have already been fulfilled.
  2. What are some prophecies in Daniel that make the most sense in the premillennial model?
  3. In what ways does Antiochus IV anticipate the Antichrist?

Haggai

  1. Give the occasion of writing and the characteristic features of the Book of Haggai.

Zechariah

  1. Robert L. Thomas wrote, “Of the 404 verses in the Apocalypse,[1] 278 allude to the OT[2] No other NT[3] writer uses the OT more than this.” What parallels have you seen between Revelation and Zechariah?

Malachi

  1. What are some of the characteristic features of the Book of Malachi?
  2. What does Malachi say about the shortcomings of the priests?
  3. What Messianic prophecies do we find in Malachi?

Acts

  1. Give an account of the gatherings in the Upper Room directly after the Ascension and on the day of Pentecost.
  2. “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” Describe the scene of this miracle and its effect.
  3. Give an account of the character and work of St. Stephen.
  4. Given an account of St. Philip’s discourse with the Eunuch of Ethiopia.
  5. Describe the vision of St. Peter and his meeting with Cornelius. What did the vision mean?
  6. Herod “proceeded to take Peter also.” Describe the events that followed.
  7. “He saw in a vision a man of Macedonia saying, ‘Come over and help us.’” How did St. Paul answer this appeal? What do you know of the Church at Philippi?
  8. Describe (a), St. Paul himself and, (b), the audience before which he stood on the Areopagus. What were the chief points of his address?
  9. What role did the Law of Moses play in the life of the Apostle Paul? Provide as many examples and illustrations as you can think of.
  10. Give an account of (a) St. Paul’s last appeal to the Sanhedrin and his escape to Caesarea, or (b) his appearance before Festus and the result.
  11. Describe St. Paul’s journey from Crete to the Island of Malta and recount his address to the crew.

1 Corinthians

  1. What circumstances led to the writing of St. Paul’s first Epistle to the Corinthians?
  2. Follow out St. Paul’s teaching as regards food sacrificed to idols. Include quotations.
  3. Follow out St. Paul’s teaching as regards the Resurrection.

2 Corinthians

  1. Describe briefly the revolt which led St. Paul to write his second Letter to the Corinthians and give the substance of what made him optimistic about the healing of the breach.
  2. What may we gather from the last portion of the letter (chapters 10-13) about the personal life of the Apostle?

1 Thessalonians

  1. What picture of early Church life do we get from the first letter to the Thessalonians?
  2. Give briefly the main ideas of the first letter.

Galatians

  1. Give St. Paul’s sequence of thought in his Letter to the Galatians upon two of the following: (a), justification by faith, (b), the nature of Christian liberty, (c), the requirements of the law of love.
  2. Mention some of the arguments by which St. Paul tries to win back the “foolish Galatians.”

2 Thessalonians

  1. How does Paul seek to prepare the Thessalonians for the day of the Lord?
  2. What instructions does Paul give to the Thessalonians regarding idleness? In what ways can those instructions be applied today?

Hebrews

  1. Comment on “having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,” showing in what points the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews vindicates the supremacy of Christ.
  2. Explain in as much detail as possible how the new covenant is superior to the old.
  3. What does the book of Hebrews teach us about faith?

Revelation

  1. Suppose a Christian friend told you that he did not think it was a good use of his time to read Revelation because it’s all about the future and his concern is with the present. How would you respond to him?
  2. What Scriptural evidence do you see for or against the idea of a Rapture? If you see evidence for a Rapture, when do you think it will most likely take place relative to other events in the End Times? Support your answer with Scripture.
  3. Describe the views of amillennialism, premillennialism, and postmillennialism. Which do you think best explains the Scriptural data? What flaws do you see in the other two?

The Saviour of the World

Volume 1, Book 1

  1. Describe shortly (a), the visit of Gabriel to Zacharias, and (b), the Presentation in the Temple.

Volume 1, Book 2

  1. What were the three temptations of our Lord? Describe the first. What lessons may we learn?

Volume 1, Book 3

  1. Tell the story of the Marriage in Cana. What lessons may we learn?

Volume 2, Book 1

  1. “Christ preaches at Nazareth and is rejected.” Describe the whole scene.

Volume 2, Book 2

  1. What are some of the conflicts that Jesus had with the Jewish authorities? What theological lessons can we learn from those conflicts?

Volume 2, Book 3

  1. What lessons did our Lord teach His disciples in connection with the following parables: “The Mote and the Beam” and “The House built on a Rock”?

Volume 3, Book 2

  1. Give and explain three parables of the Kingdom. What lessons may we learn?
  2. “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Give and comment on our Lord’s reply.

Volume 3, Book 3

  1. “He stilleth the storm.” What meaning has the miracle for Christ’s disciples?
  2. In the miracles involving Legion, the woman with the flow of blood, and Jairus’ daughter, list as many “unclean” elements found in the stories as you can remember. How do these play a role in the message about Jesus?

Volume 3, Book 4

  1. Give the substance of our Lord’s charge to the Twelve, with special comments on (a), dangers, (b), fears, (c) the Cross.
  2. How did Herod Antipas regard John the Baptist? Give the examples and evidence you can remember.
  3. What did Jesus do when the Twelve returned from their mission? What lesson can we learn from this?

Volume 4, Book 1

  1. The feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle besides the Resurrection recorded in all four Gospels. Why does this particular miracle have this special status?
  2. Three of the Gospels then tell of the miracle of Christ walking on the water. How does the feeding of the 5,000 lead to this second miracle? How do the disciples react to it?
  3. Where did the boat land after taking Jesus in? What reception did Jesus have there?
  4. Only John records the lengthy discourse that took place there. Why did John record this teaching in such detail?
  5. What happened to the disciples who were offended at Jesus’ teaching? What happened to the Twelve?

Volume 4, Books 2 & 3

  1. Tell about the things the Syro-Phoenician woman said and did that led Christ to say, “O woman, great is your faith!”
  2. What miraculous events took place during the Transfiguration?
  3. What was the purpose of the Transfiguration?
  4. What happened when Christ and the disciples came down from the mountain after the Transfiguration? What teaching did our Lord give His disciples on this occasion?

Volume 4, Book 4

  1. Write upon the teaching of our Lord on “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Volume 5, Books 1 & 2

  1. How did Jesus respond to Peter when he asked Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Describe the content and impact of the parable.
  2. Discuss the timing of Jesus’ travel to the Feast of Tabernacles in light of (a) the advice of his brothers and (b) Malachi 3:1: “And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple.”
  3. What three groups of people heard Jesus’ message during the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem? How in general did each group respond to Christ?

Volume 5, Books 3 & 4

Provide an explanation of and theological reflection upon 3 of the four following quotations from the Gospel of John.

  1. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.”
  2. “I am the Light of the world.”
  3. “Before Abraham was, I AM.”
  4. “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Volume 6 Books 1 & 2

  1. When did Christ say, “I thank Thee, O Father”? Describe the occasion.
  2. Write notes on “And who is my neighbor?”

Plutarch

Alexander

  1. Describe (a), the meeting of Alexander with Diogenes, (b), how Alexander crossed the river Granicus.
  2. How did Alexander spend his days at a time of leisure?
  3. How did Alexander talk with the Philosophers of India?
  4. One what occasions were the following words used? Tell the whole story in two cases.
    • (a) “If I drink alone, all these men will faint.” (p. 73)
    • (b) “See where he lies, weeping like a slave upon the ground.” (p. 86)
    • (c) “One tear of a mother’s eye will wipe out ten thousand such letters.” (p. 69)

Aristides

  1. Tell what you know about Aristides as high treasurer of all the revenues of Athens.
  2. Give an account of the conversation between Aristides and Themistocles before and after the battle of Salamis.

Marcus Cato

  1. Tell two stories about Cato the Censor, to show why he was considered a great citizen.

Alcibiades

  1. Tell two stories to show why the Athenians “bore with Alcibiades in all things and did cover his faults.”

Coriolanus

  1. Plutarch wrote of Coriolanus that “a rare and excellent wit untaught doth bring forth many good and evil things together.” What examples from the words and deeds of Coriolanus confirm this opinion?

Brutus

  1. Give an account of the way in which Brutus and Cassius prepared for the battle of the Philippian Fields. How did Lucilius save the life of Brutus?

Demosthenes

  1. Give some account of how Demosthenes went to hear an orator who “bore the bell of eloquence,” and how he then trained himself to become an orator.
  2. Tell the stories of Demosthenes and (a), Satyrus, and (b), Pytheas, in connection with (a), “I will keep it straight,” and (b), “his reasons smelled of the lamp.”
  3. Tell of the dealings of Demosthenes with King Philip.
  4. Comment upon, with illustrations from his life, the celebrated inscription on the pedestal of Demosthenes’ statue:
    “Divine in speech, in judgment, too, divine,
    Had valor’s wreath, Demosthenes, been thine,
    Fair Greece still her freedom’s ensign borne.”

Pericles

  1. How did Pericles seek to win the favor of the people? Why did Pericles decide to make Athens a city of great beauty and by what means did he carry out his plans?
  2. Pericles “gave himself to all matters he had learned of Anaxagoras.” What were some of these matters, and how did Pericles make use of them?
  3. Pericles “kept himself ever upright without fault as one that did, said, and consulted that which was most expedient for the commonweal.” Write a short account of Pericles illustrating this statement by Plutarch.
  4. “So he presently began a new course of life, since he had taken upon him to deal in matters of state.” Describe how Pericles ordered his life in this connection.

Citizenship and Morals

Ourselves Book I, by Charlotte Mason

  1. What do you know about the Government of Mansoul? How do Hunger and Thirst behave? Show that they may change in character.
  2. Mention some forms of loyalty that are due from us all. Give examples from this school year’s readings.

Ourselves Book II, by Charlotte Mason

  1. Write a multi-paragraph essay on “Will and Willfulness,” with examples taken from your readings in literature and history.

Glittering Vices, by Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung

  1. What is the difference between a vice and a sin?
  2. What is a capital vice?
  3. How is sloth different from laziness? What advice did we read about how to overcome sloth?
  4. In Glittering Vices, we read about two different perspectives on whether it is proper for Christians to have some form of wrath. What were those two perspectives?
  5. What advice was given in Glittering Vices about how to overcome the vices?

Economics

  1. Why can a large factory usually produce items at a lower per-unit cost than a small factory?
  2. Why does Here I Stand cost more than Wingspan?
  3. How could a board game company increase its profit by price discrimination?
  4. What kinds of behavior are engendered by the hope of profit? Is such behavior better or worse, on balance, than the behavior we should expect if all enterprises were owned by charities or governments?
  5. Why is the average salary of a computer programmer higher than that of a police officer?
  6. What effect does the minimum wage have on the employment rate? Why?
  7. How does free trade benefit everyone? Give an example.

The Heart of John Wesley’s Journal, edited by Percy Livingston Parker

  1. Augustine Birrell wrote, “[John Wesley] began his published Journal on October 14, 1735, and its last entry is under date Sunday, October 24, 1790… Between those two Octobers there lies the most amazing record of human exertion ever penned or endured.” Do you agree with this statement? Provide evidence supporting your position.
  2. Hugh Price Hughes wrote, “He who desires to understand the real history of the English people during the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries should read most carefully three books: George Fox’s ‘Journal,’ John Wesley’s ‘Journal,’ and John Henry Newman’s “Apologia pro Vitâ Suâ.” Why do you think John Wesley’s Journal was included in this list?

Shakespeare

Macbeth

  1. Show what part the witches take in the play of Macbeth.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

  1. Give a description of “Puck” and the part he plays in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Quote lines where you can.

The Tempest

  1. How did Prospero come to end up on a deserted island? Did he deserve to be there?
  2. Describe the character of Antonio, Prospero’s brother. Give supporting examples.

King Lear

  1. Describe a scene from King Lear which takes place in the palace.
  2. Write an imaginary conversation between King Lear and Alcibiades.

Hamlet

  1. Describe the parts played by the following characters in Hamlet: Laertes, Polonius, and Horatio. Quote any well-known sayings.

Coriolanus

  1. What are some cases where Shakespeare’s Coriolanus seems to differ from Plutarch?

Much Ado About Nothing

  1. Why are both Benedick and Beatrice opposed to marriage?
  2. Why does Don John sabotage the wedding between Claudio and Hero?
  3. Why does Claudio call off the wedding?
  4. Why does Claudio agree to marry Leonato’s “niece”?
  5. Why do Benedick and Beatrice finally agree to marry?
  6. Describe a scene in which Benedick appears.

Othello

  1. Describe Othello, Act I, Scene III: Othello is summoned before a Council. (Hint: This is when Brabanzio demands that all state business be put aside to address his own grievance—his daughter has been stolen from him by spells.)
  2. Who can be considered the main villain of Othello? Comment on a few characters in the play who act as villains, including the main one, Othello.

Richard II

  1. Describe a scene from Richard II, in which John of Gaunt appears.
  2. Describe and illustrate the character of Richard II.

Literature

Watership Down, by Richard Adams
Note: Questions 3–6 are taken from: Adams, Richard. Watership Down. A Simon & Schuster ebook. Kindle Edition. (p. 618)

  1. Describe the character and key attributes of Fiver, Hazel, and Bigwig. How are they similar to each other? How are they different?
  2. Describe what happened during the raid on Nuthanger farm. Was it successful? Do you think Hazel regrated the undertaking?
  3. How does the Chief Rabbit at Sandleford compare to Cowslip at the warren of the snares and General Woundwort at Efrafa? Discuss their motivations and leadership styles.
  4. Why does Bigwig admire Kehaar so much? What is the source of the affinity between them?
  5. Bigwig says, “If you’re going to tell a story, there’s only one I want… ‘El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inlé,’” just before he goes to infiltrate Efrafa. Why does he insist on that story? What is its significance?
  6. Holly says of Woundwort, “He was brave, all right. But it wasn’t natural; and that’s why it was bound to finish him in the end. He was trying to do something that Frith never meant any rabbit to do.” Why is being “natural” so important to the Watership Down rabbits? What other qualities do they value the most?

Beowulf

  1. Compare Beowulf’s confrontation with Grendel to his confrontation with the dragon. What heroic qualities of Beowulf were reflected in both? Did Beowulf have any flaws?

The Once and Future King, by T. H. White

“The Sword in the Stone”

  1. Compare and contrast Kay and Wart. Which one would make a better king? Why?
  2. What means did Merlyn use to try to mold the character of Wart?
  3. Describe one of Wart’s animal transformations. What happened? What did Wart learn? How will this lesson help him when he becomes king?

“The Queen of Air and Darkness”

  1. Discuss warfare in Book II of The Once and Future King. When is warfare just? When is it unjust? What “atrocities” did Arthur commit in battle? Were these techniques justified?

The Story of King Arthur and his Knights: The Book of King Arthur, by Howard Pyle

Exam 1

  1. Some of the kings and dukes who saw Arthur pull the sword out of the marble cube and anvil still did not want him to be king. They thought he was too young and had too little experience. What do you think about young Arthur becoming king? Do you think he was too young to be king? Do you think a boy would make a good king in the time that Arthur lived? Why or why not? (question source)
  2. After recounting how Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, the author, Howard Pyle, writes:

Thus Arthur achieved the adventure of the sword that day and entered into his birthright of royalty. Wherefore, may God grant His Grace unto you all that ye too may likewise succeed in your undertakings. For any man may be a king in that life in which he is placed if so be he may draw forth the sword of success from out of the iron of circumstance. Wherefore when your time of assay cometh, I do hope it may be with you as it was with Arthur that day, and that ye too may achieve success with entire satisfaction unto yourself and to your great glory and perfect happiness. Amen.

What do you think of the author’s assertion that “any man may be a king in that life in which he is placed if so be he may draw forth the sword of success from out of the iron of circumstance”? Do you think it is true? Is it a good inference to draw from the story of Arthur?

  1. Why does Arthur wish to keep his identity secret from Guinevere? How does that affect the way their relationship unfolds?
  2. Do you think Arthur was a real person?

Exam 2

  1. It has been suggested that a major theme in the King Arthur story is that women cause problems. Describe how four women impact the men in King Arthur. Do they cause good or bad? Should the men in the story have responded differently to them?
  2. Describe three decisions or actions made by knights in the name of honor. For each decision or action, state whether or not the decision or action could also be considered moral and/or wise.
  3. Give two examples of how magical and/or supernatural forces had a major impact on the plot or characters. Were these powers presented in a consistent and reasonable fashion? How would the story have been different without magic?
  4. What similarities and differences can you identify between The Story of King Arthur and his Knights and The Once and Future King?

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, by Mark Twain

  1. George Orwell, the author of Animal Farm, wrote of Mark Twain:

“He squandered his time on buffooneries, not merely lecture tours and public banquets, but, for instance, the writing of a book like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, which is a deliberate flattery of all that is worst and most vulgar in American life.”[4]

Do you agree with George Orwell’s assessment? Why or why not? Give supporting examples.

  1. In 1929, it was reported that this book was “met with some indignation in Great Britain,” where it was perceived as “a direct attack on [its] hereditary and aristocratic institutions.” What institutions did Twain attack in this book? Were any of his attacks unfounded? What grounds might a British person have to be offended?
  2. In The Beginnings of Science Fiction, George Hardy wrote:

“The final scenes of ‘Connecticut Yankee’ depict massed cavalry attempting to storm a position defended by wire and machine guns—and getting massacred, none reaching their objective. Deduct the fantasy anachronism of the assailants being Medieval knights, and you get a chillingly accurate prediction of a typical First World War battle… The modern soldiers of 1914 with their bayonets had no more chance to win such a fight than Twain’s knights.”[5]

Do you think Mark Twain was criticizing only traditional institutions, or was he making any criticisms of modern society? If so, what?

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë
Note: These questions are taken from a document by That English Teacher.

  1. In a recent adaptation of the novel for television, the story began with Jane’s running into Rochester. Are chapters 1–11 unnecessary? How does our understanding of Jane’s childhood contribute to our understanding of her as an adult?
  2. Some movie adaptations all but eliminate the chapters with St. John, or at least the romance with him. Are they essential?
  3. Even though Rochester is often described as physically unattractive and bullying, and Jane, as plain, the romance between the two is one of the greatest in literary history. Why?

The Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey

  1. The title of the book is taken from a quote by Francis Bacon (1561–1626): “Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority.” Why do you think author Josephine Tey chose this title? What does it say about history and truth? (question source)
  2. The author obviously did a lot of research before writing her book. Why do you think she chose to write fiction instead of nonfiction? (question source)
  3. Faces are a recurring motif in The Daughter of Time. Discuss why they are important in the context of the story and give examples of how they are used in the text. (question source)

Flannery O’Connor

  1. Discuss O’Connor’s use of the tattoo as a major symbol in “Parker’s Back.” (question source)
  2. What are the reasons for and the implications of Harry Ashfield’s drowning in “The River”? (question source)
  3. The main character in “A Temple of the Holy Ghost” is never referred to by a name. Some people think she represents the author herself. Do you think this is plausible? Or do you have another suggestion?
  4. How are the implications of a “belief in nothing” handled in “Good Country People”? (question source)

Paradise Lost, by John Milton

  1. Milton places great emphasis on man’s autonomous reason and free will. Do Adam and Eve show evidence of being ruled by reason before the Fall? (Note: this question was taken from SparkNotes.)
  2. How do Adam and Eve differ before and after the Fall? (Note: this question was taken from CliffsNotes.)
  3. What is Adam’s attitude toward mortality? (Note: this question was taken from Longwood University.)
  4. Does Milton’s grand style enhance or detract from the power of his story? Be sure to consider ideas from both sides of this argument. (Note: this question was taken from CliffsNotes.)
  5. C. S. Lewis wrote of Paradise Lost:

I am not sure that Paradise Lost was intended to be a religious poem… It is a poem depicting the objective pattern of things, the attempted destruction of that pattern by rebellious self love, and the triumphant absorption of that rebellion into a yet more complex pattern. The cosmic story — the ultimate plot in which all other stories are episodes — is set before us. We are invited, for the time being, to look at it from outside. And that is not, in itself, a religious exercise. When we remember that we also have our places in this plot, that we also, at any given moment, are moving either towards the Messianic or towards the Satanic position, then we are entering the world of religion. But when we do that, our epic holiday is over: we rightly shut up our Milton. In the religious life man faces God and God faces man. But in the epic it is feigned, for the moment, that we, as readers, can step aside and see the faces both of God and man in profile. We are not invited (as Alexander would have said) to enjoy the spiritual life, but to contemplate the whole pattern within which the spiritual life arises. Making use of a distinction of Johnson’s we might say that the subject of the poem ‘is not piety, but the motives to piety’.[6]

Based on this quote would you say that Paradise Lost is or is not a religious poem? What about Pilgrim’s Regress?

Church History

2,000 Years of Christ’s Power, Volume 1, by Nicholas Needham

  1. List the different types or parties of Jews at the time of Christ and tell a little about each.
  2. Give an example of a doctrine that was debated in the early church. What were the two sides held?
  3. How was Arianism finally defeated?
  4. What are some of the theological controversies that challenged the church after Arianism? Describe some of the viewpoints that were advanced.
  5. Why was it difficult for the Celtic Christians to merge into the Catholic Church? How were these difficulties overcome?

History

Chronicles of the Crusades, by Geoffrey de Villehardouin and Jean de Joinville

  1. Why did the crusaders of the Fourth Crusade attack Constantinople?
  2. Why do you think a small force of Crusaders was able to conquer a major fortified city like Constantinople?
  3. Describe the character of St. Louis according to Joinville. What care did he show for his people?
  4. Write, in the style of Joinville, how St. Louis did justice in his land.
  5. How did John of Joinville survive the crusade he wrote about? What are some instances where he came close to death?

The Cold War, by John Lewis Gaddis

  1. What are some ways that the “superpowers” found their power limited during the Cold War?
  2. Who were some of the key people that helped bring an end to the Cold War? What kinds of things did each of them do?

A History of the American People, by Paul Johnson

Part 1
Note: these questions were adapted from AmblesideOnline.

  1. Give an account of Cotton Mather.
  2. Tell what you know about the events leading up to and at the beginning of the Salem Witch Trials.
  3. What do you know about Jonathan Edwards?
  4. What do you know about the Great Awakening?

Part 2
Note: these questions were adapted from AmblesideOnline.

  1. Give an account of the Constitutional Convention.
  2. Explain the role of religion in the constitution.
  3. Discuss the debate over getting the constitution ratified.
  4. What were some differences between Hamilton and Jefferson?
  5. Tell what you know about John Adams.
  6. Tell what you know about the War of 1812.

Part 3

  1. In what ways did the United States expand its territory in 1815–1850? What motivated this expansion? What opposed it?
  2. In what ways was religion different in the United States from in Europe?
  3. What kind of person was Andrew Jackson? What were his strengths and weaknesses as a president?
  4. What events from 1815–1850 foreshadowed the Civil War?

Part 4
Note: questions 2–4 were taken from AmblesideOnline.

  1. What were the arguments for and against slavery in pre-Civil War America?
  2. Tell what you know of the Missouri Compromise. Or, tell what you know about the Dred Scott case.
  3. Tell what you know about the Battle of Gettysburg or George B. McClellan, or Jefferson Davis.
  4. Explain: Lincoln “intended to bind wounds.”

Part 5
Note: these questions were adapted from AmblesideOnline.

  1. Discuss the significance of the American frontier.
  2. Tell how the railroads transformed America.
  3. Tell what you know about Andrew Carnegie.
  4. Discuss silver and the Battle of Standards, or J.P. Morgan.
  5. Discuss the rise of labor and muckraking.

Part 6
Note: question 2 was taken from AmblesideOnline.

  1. With reference to Wilson’s arrival to the White House in 1913, the author wrote, “The feeling had grown that it was time for the community as a whole, using the resources of the United States Constitution, to impose a little order on this new giant and to dress him in suitable clothes, labeled ‘The Public Interest.’ Theodore Roosevelt had already laid out some of these clothes, and Wilson was happy to steal them.” What did the author mean by this? In what ways did Wilson impose “order on this new giant”?
  2. Give a short account of what caused the Great War.
  3. Describe one significant cultural, economic, or political change brought about during the 1920s.
  4. Compare and contrast Calvin Coolidge to Woodrow Wilson.

Part 7
Note: question 1 was taken from AmblesideOnline.

  1. Contrast the presidency of Herbert Hoover with that of Franklin Roosevelt.
  2. What factors made possible “the astonishing acceleration in the American productive effort”? What role did American productive effort play in the ultimate outcome of World War II?
  3. Describe two major decisions of Harry S. Truman: (a) To use the atomic bomb against Japan. (b) To relieve General Douglas MacArthur of command. What do these decisions have in common? How are they different?
  4. What kind of president was Dwight D. Eisenhower? Given an example from his presidency that illustrates his style of leadership.

Part 8

  1. Compare Richard Nixon’s policy of détente with Ronald Reagan’s policy as typified in his “Evil Empire” speech.
  2. Compare personal ethics and public accountability in the administrations of John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
  3. What correlations does the author observe between religion, family collapse, and crime?
  4. This book was published in 1999. If the author had gone into a coma just after the publication of the book and then awoke in 2022, would he be surprised to hear the Supreme Court overrule Roe v. Wade (in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization)? Why or why not?

A Pope and a President, by Paul Kengor

  1. Describe what happened when Pope John Paul II visited his native Poland shortly after his installation as pope.
  2. How did the shooting of Ronald Reagan affect the Cold War?
  3. In interview, the author said that his book was about “the untold story [of] that special, unique, and unrepeatable relationship and bond between the two men and — more so — their shared revulsion for the evil of atheistic Soviet Communism infecting the world.” What made the relationship between Pope John Paul II and President Ronald Reagan “special, unique, and unrepeatable”?
  4. What role did religion and faith play in the lives and actions of John Paul II and Ronald Reagan?
  5. How did the two men working together accomplish more than if they had worked independently?
  6. What role did Mikhail Gorbachev play in the downfall of the Soviet Union?
  7. What claims did the author make about the three secrets of Fatima? What role did Fatima play in the major events of the 20th Century?

Ghost on the Throne, by James Romm

  1. Modern military theory divides war into strategic, operational, and tactical levels:
    • The strategic level focuses on national policy as a whole and includes questions of rule, power, politics, diplomacy, industry, agriculture, and economics.
    • The operational level is concerned with employing military forces in a theater of war or theater of operations to obtain an advantage over the enemy.
    • The tactical level deals with the various operations that make up a campaign are themselves made up of maneuvers, engagements, and battles.

For each of these levels, analyze and describe a different situation from Ghost on the Throne from the perspective of that level. For example, for the tactical level, you should describe how tactics affected the outcome of a specific battle. For the strategic level, you should describe how a leader leveraged overall national or imperial factors to pursue his or her goals.

  1. Discuss the role of loyalty in Ghost on the Throne. Who is the best example of loyalty? How was that loyalty manifested? What were the results of this loyalty? What are some examples of disloyalty? What were the results in specific cases of disloyalty.
  2. Discuss the nature and legitimacy of power in Ghost on the Throne. On the closing page, the author sates, “Legitimate monarchy was dead; sovereignty henceforth would indeed belong ‘to the strongest,’ to those who had the military muscle and bravado to make themselves kings.” Before “death” of legitimate monarchy, how did monarchy vie with strength to obtain and enforce power? What are some examples of legitimate monarchy functioning effectively? What are some examples of military muscle and bravado achieving power?
  3. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the following unit types from Ghost on the Throne: infantry, cavalry, elephant. What was the weakness of each? Who was able to use these most effectively?

The Rise of the Seleukid Empire, by John Grainger

  1. Seleukos I is described by the author as “ingenious,” “clever,” and “capable.” What general and specific actions and accomplishments by Seleukos support these descriptors?
  2. How did Ptolemy’s situation compare to that of Seleukos? How did their respective situations affect the way they led their empires?
  3. What factors contributed to the collapse and fragmentation of the empire under Seleukos II?

The Seleukid Empire of Antiochus III, by John Grainger

  1. “When Antiochos III unexpectedly inherited the kingship he was king of only the central regions of Syria and Babylonia. The rest had broken away. So Antiochos’ work was to put his inheritance back together. Had he died in the first ten years of his reign it is very likely that the kingdom would have disintegrated into competing fragments. In fact he had a very successful career in restoring the kingdom of his ancestors, and made some attempt at devising ways of holding it together. So just as Antiochos I had revived his father’s kingdom in the 270s BC, Antiochos III did so after 222 – he was thus the third ‘founder’.”What are some of the major steps in the career of Antiochos III to restore the kingdom of his ancestors? What ways did he devise to hold it together?
  2. Antiochos III “suffered major defeats in two of the greatest battles of the Hellenistic age.” What were these two battles? Why did Antiochus III lose them?
  3. The work of Antiochus III “ensured that the kingdom he ruled lasted … for another century. It is an achievement that deserves respect, more than it has been accorded, and certainly more than the ancient historians (and the moderns), hypnotized as they are by the growth of the Roman Empire, have done.”Do you agree that Antiochus III deserves more respect for his achievement than historians of all ages have given him? Why or why not?

The Fall of the Seleukid Empire

  1. Why was the Seleukid Empire able to survive as long as it did?
  2. John Grainger wrote:

“This Seleukid disintegration, it must be noted, was unique among the fates of the Hellenistic kingdoms. Only Macedon was broken up, by the Romans in 167, and this was reversed within twenty years, first by the rebellion of the Macedonians and then by Roman annexation of the whole and its conversion into a single Roman province. The Attalid kingdom’s main regions were taken over complete by Rome, with minor regions being awarded to allies, and Egypt fell as a complete unit to Rome in 30 BC. Even the Carthaginian republic was eventually taken over whole, as was its old enemy Syracuse. Only the Seleukid kingdom was sliced up by its external and internal enemies into fractions of its great size. The fragments in Syria were then taken over slowly, piece by piece, by Rome over a period of a century and a half.”

Why did the Seleukid Empire suffer this unique fate?

  1. How would you summarize the legacy of the Seleukid Empire?
  2. What were the strengths and weaknesses of Hasmonean Judea, vassal to the Seleukid Empire from 141–110 BC and independent kingdom from 111–63 BC?

When Asia Was the World
Note: These questions are adapted from Muslim Journeys, “Item #236: Discussion Points for When Asia Was the World,” April 10, 2026.

  1. This book has been recommended for a reading list about the history of Islam, and yet it begins with the story of a Chinese Buddhist’s voyage to India. Has this book changed your perception of Islam to see it framed in terms of its relations with Asia, instead of with the Western world?
  2. Each of the chapters in When Asia Was the World is based on a first-person historical narrative, with one exception: the Intan Shipwreck off the coast of Sumatra, which serves as the protagonist of Chapter Four. To what extent can material objects “tell stories”? In what way is their use analogous to written texts, and in what ways are they different? Do you think it is possible to “write history” without written evidence from the past?
  3. In what way do the individual life experiences in When Asia Was the World fit together to form a coherent whole? Besides the experience of travel itself, what are the recurring themes and points of intersection between the different chapters? Conversely, are there any that seem not to fit?
  4. The book covers a large sweep of time, but can it really be considered “history”? Is there evidence that the world changed in some profound way between the sixth and the sixteenth century? If so, how?

Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, edited by Hans Mersmann

  1. Tell the story of Mozart and his marriage to Constance. What hurdles did he have to overcome before he could marry her? What was the wedding like? Was he happy once married to her? What was their marriage like?
  2. Describe Mozart’s relationship with his father. Give examples of their interactions. Do you think Leopold was a help or a hindrance to his son’s genius?
  3. Discuss Mozart’s pride. Give examples of how it affected his behavior, his relationships with others, and his opportunities in life.
  4. Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the movie Amadeus to what you know about Mozart from reading his letters.

Geography

Fifty States: Every Question Answered, by Lori Baird, Marcel Brousseau, and Amber Rose
National Geographic Kids United States Atlas

  1. Pick any two states that you studied this term and describe some features of each state.

The King’s Fifth, by Scott O’Dell

  1. Describe how three different characters respond to the temptation of greed in The King’s Fifth.

The Brendan Voyage, by Tim Severin

  1. What areas has the expedition covered so far in The Brendan Voyage? Describe one place they have visited.
  2. What are some ways that the voyage from Iceland was more difficult for the crew of Brendan than the voyage to Iceland? Was it easier in any way?

Science

Architecture Shown to the Children, by Gladys Wynne

  1. Describe, with drawings, the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns. What is the entablature?
  2. Draw a diagram of part or all of a building or type of building that you read about this term. Label as many parts as you can.
  3. Why were flying buttresses used?
  4. Describe the characteristics of doors in any one period of architecture.

How To Read Buildings, by Carol Davidson Cragoe

  1. What is the definition of an arch? What are some of the varieties of arches? Illustrate with a few diagrams.
  2. What is the definition of a tower? What are three different types of towers, each found in a different kind of building?

Wild Animals I Have Known, by Ernest Thompson Seton

  1. What are some habits and behaviors of crows?

School of the Woods, by William J. Long

  1. What are various lessons that wild animals teach their young? 

Men, Microscopes, and Living Things, by Katherine Binney Shippen

  1. How was science approached from after Aristotle and to the end of the Middle Ages?
  2. Tell about three ground-breaking scientific discoveries that challenged the prevailing views of the scientific community.

Napoleon’s Buttons, by Jay Burreson and Penny Le Couteur

  1. Tell about the history of (a) antibiotics or (b) dyes.

Evolution: Still a Theory in Crisis, by Michael Denton

  1. What are three issues that Michael Denton raises to challenge the theory of evolution?
  2. What does Michael Denton say about human language in Evolution: Still a Theory in Crisis?

For the Love of Physics, by Walter Lewin

  1. Explain why a straw can be used for drinking.

Endnotes

[1] The Book of Revelation

[2] Old Testament

[3] New Testament

[4] The Collected Essays, Journalism, and Letters of George Orwell, David R. Godine, Publisher, 2007, p. 328.

[5] This quotation was taken from the Wikipedia entry for A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. The quotation was added to the entry on October 17, 2013 and removed from the entry on August 17, 2025. The last version of the entry which included this quotation was dated August 10, 2025. The quotation was given the following citation when it appeared in Wikipedia:

George Hardy, “Visions in a dark mirror” in Mary Wheatley (ed.), “The Beginnings of Science Fiction”

I have not been able to find a chapter or article entitled “Visions in a dark mirror” by George Hardy, nor have I been able to find a book or volume entitled “The Beginnings of Science Fiction” edited by Mary Wheatley. Online searches for this quotation have returned only the Wikipedia article. This suggests that the quotation may have been fabricated when it was entered in Wikipedia in 2013. Nevertheless, it is a thought-provoking prompt for a question about A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.

[6] A Preface to Paradise Lost, Oxford University Press, p. 132.

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