Question

for questions 11 & 12, refer to the passage below from act iv. danforth: i will not receive a single plea for pardon and postponement. them that will not confess will hang. twelve are already executed, the names of these seven are given out, and the village expects to see them die this morning. postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now. while i speak god’s law, i will not crack its voice with whimpering. if retaliation is your fear, know this—i should hang ten thousand that dared to rise against the law, and an ocean of salt tears could not melt the resolution of the statutes. 11. danforth’s motivation for refusing to postpone the executions, despite the change in popular opinion and the disappearance of abigail and mercy, is: a. he believes that john proctor will seek revenge on him personally. b. he fears that to show mercy would undermine his authority and lead more to question him. c. he believes that god’s law is always righteous and the girls left for valid reasons. d. he is beginning to doubt the validity of his rulings. 12. the best synonym for floundering in this context is: a. weakening b. agreeing c. sympathizing d. weeping 13. which of the following is not an example of a motivating force behind accusations in the play? a. the desire for petty revenge on old enemies b. the desire for financial gain through the acquisition of land and property c. the desire for an explanation of tragic occurrences, such as the loss of children d. the desire to be famous and remembered throughout history 14. reverend hale can best be described as a dynamic character because of: a. his transformation from accusatory to doubtful and pleading on behalf of the accused b. his shift of confident belief in witches to his utter loss of faith in god c. his admiration of john proctor to disgust after learning of his affair d. his faith in abigail williams’ testimony to pity after her sin is revealed 15. when abigail accuses elizabeth proctor of witchcraft and court officials come to serve the arrest warrant at the proctor home, which unlikely item incriminates her? a. the rabbit stew she has made for john b. the bible collecting dust on her nightstand c. the picture of abigail attached to a dart board d. the poppet sewn by mary warren in court 16. the title of the play is a metaphorical reference to: a. the torment and suffering of the accused who were burned alive b. the moral test undergone by the characters in which they come out purified c. the revenge exacted by abigail williams for being rejected by john proctor d. the public place where the accused witches were executed

Explanation:

1. Danforth is concerned that postponement would make him seem weak and undermine his authority. He believes showing mercy or changing his stance would lead to more people questioning his decisions.
2. In the context, "floundering" means showing weakness or being in a state of uncertainty and instability, which is closest to "weakening".
3. The desire to be famous and remembered throughout history is not a major motivating force behind the accusations in the play. The other options - revenge, financial gain, and seeking explanations for tragedies - are more prominent motives.
4. Reverend Hale changes from being accusatory at the start of the witch - hunt to being doubtful and pleading on behalf of the accused, which makes him a dynamic character.
5. The poppet sewn by Mary Warren in court is used as "evidence" against Elizabeth Proctor as it has a needle in it, which Abigail claims Elizabeth used to send her spirit to stab her.
6. The play's title is a metaphor for the moral test the characters go through, similar to being refined in a crucible, coming out purified.

Answer:

1. B. He fears that to show mercy would undermine his authority and lead more to question him.
2. A. weakening
3. D. the desire to be famous and remembered throughout history
4. A. his transformation from accusatory to doubtful and pleading on behalf of the accused
5. D. the poppet sewn by Mary Warren in court
6. B. the moral test undergone by the characters in which they come out purified