Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin Test and Answer Key

Mythological fiction is a genre that appeals to the imaginations of many middle and high school students. The Adventures of Ulysses by Bernard Evslin is a modern retelling of Homer's The Odyssey, written in a manner that is easier to process—even for struggling readers. With this summative test covering the entire novel, English teachers will be able to evaluate students' comprehensive text comprehension and ability to analyze key characters, plot developments, and themes. An answer key and standards-based rubric for scoring essays are provided. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google Drive option is available.) A breakdown of content follows.

Character Identification (Multiple Choice). Questions pertain to the following:

• Athena's aid along the journey

• Ulysses brilliant trick

• Achilles' warrior status and weakness

• Menelaus's call to arms

• Poseidon's relationship to Polyphemus

• The faithful wife of Ulysses

• Helen's reputation

• The enormous whirlpool

• Paris's judgment

• A faithful, old dog

• A loyal swineherd

• Circe's peculiar abilities

• Hyperion's background

• Morpheus and the lotus flowers

• Helen's suitors

• Aeolus' efforts to help Ulysses

• Hermes' role in Ulysses' journey

• The gullibility of Polyphemus

• A blind prophet

• The peculiar talents of the sirens

• Eurycleia's discovery

• Telemachus

• Alcinous's assistance

• Nausicaa's revelation

• Poseidon's ire

• The winner of a contest

• A character's disguise

• And more

True/False. Questions pertain to the following:

• The incident on the Isle of the Ciconians

• The blind seer's prophecy

• The suitors' feelings toward and plans involving Telemachus

• The mysterious beggar's plan

• The Odyssey written as a poem

• Ulysses' status as an unconventional hero

• The prevalence of epics

• Ulysses' motivation(s) to fight in the Trojan War

• Nausicaa's treatment of a stranger

• The historical link to events in The Odyssey

• The Odyssey as a quintessential journey story

• The incident with the giant cannibal

• And more

Plot Recall (Multiple Choice). Questions pertain to the following:

• The trip to Tartarus

• The incident involving Polyphemus

• Penelope's plan

• The bag of winds

• The death of Elpenor

Literary Term Application (Multiple Choice). Questions pertain to the following:

• Foreshadowing

• External conflict/internal conflict

• Antagonist

• Situational irony

• Dramatic irony

• Theme

• Dynamic character

• And more

Short Answer. Questions pertain to the following:

• Poseidon's ire

• Ulysses' intellect

• A mistake involving the Isle of the Sun God

• The trick that turned the tides in the Trojan War

• The mysterious beggar's insult to Penelope's suitors

• How history was documented and shared in the past

Essay. Students will perform the following tasks:

• Make a claim about theme and substantiate using textual evidence.

• Make a claim about Ulysses' growth as a character and substantiate using textual evidence.

Materials are available for teaching a variety of suspenseful novels:

• Dracula by Bram Stoker - Google and printable

• Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers - Google and printable

• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Google and printable

• Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer - Google and printable

• Lord of the Flies by William Golding - Google and printable

• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - Google and printable