Question

1. the best definition of the word \crucible\ as it applies to the play is

a. the hollow at the bottom of an ore furnace where molten lead collects
b. a container made of a substance that can resist great heat
c. a lamp burning before a cross
d. a severe test or trial

1. in puritan society, there is no separation of ____ and ____

a. law and order
b. church and state
c. land ownership and voting rights
d. men and women

1. what did puritans believe about their fate?

a. they believed that, by virtue of being puritan, they were guaranteed a spot in heaven.
b. they believed that, if you did good work in the world, you would be rewarded in heaven.
c. they believed that their fate - whether they would go to heaven or hell - was predetermined before they were born.
d. they believed that, based on the quality of the life you led, you would be reincarnated as a higher or lower class individual.

1. why is reverend parris reluctant to let people know of bettys illness?

a. he knows his daughter is willingly practicing witchcraft
b. he knows of abigails affair
c. he feels that his enemies will destroy his reputation
d. he is afraid of losing his daughter

1. according to dr. griggs, what is a possible cause of reverend parris daughters illness?

a. pneumonia
b. unnatural causes
c. laziness
d. dancing
e. fear

1. what do the putnams and reverend parris have in common?

a. both hate going to church
b. both have 300 acres of land
c. both have sick or bewitched daughters
d. both take care of orphaned nieces
e. both think that their daughters are frauds

Explanation:

1. For The Crucible, the title refers to the severe moral test the characters face during the Salem Witch Trials, making the figurative definition correct.
2. Puritan communities integrated religious and civic governance, so there was no separation of church and state.
3. Puritan theology is centered on predestination, the belief that salvation/damnation is determined before birth.
4. Reverend Parris is obsessed with his social standing; he fears news of Betty's strange illness will let his rivals ruin his reputation.
5. Dr. Griggs cannot find a medical cause for Betty's condition, so he suggests unnatural (supernatural) causes.
6. Both Parris (with Betty) and the Putnams (with Ruth) have daughters who are afflicted with unexplained, seemingly bewitched illnesses.

Answer:

1. D. A severe test or trial
2. B. Church and state
3. C. They believed that their fate - whether they would go to heaven or hell - was predetermined before they were born.
4. C. He feels that his enemies will destroy his reputation
5. B. Unnatural causes
6. C. Both have sick or bewitched daughters