Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths

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

Multiple Choice

1. Taken as a whole, what is one lesson the stories in this book teach about the world?

A) The wisdom of the gods is unassailable, and they always know what is best for their human subjects.

B) Interactions with the gods’ power can lead to both positive and negative outcomes for human beings.

C) Ignoring the wishes of the lesser gods is just as dangerous as ignoring the will of the most powerful gods.

D) Gods, like human beings, are subject to natural laws that even they cannot escape.

2. Based on his Introduction and the manner in which he tells these stories, which statement is one that Evslin seems likely to agree with?

A) It is likely that the original purpose of these stories has been destroyed by the changes they have undergone over time.

B) There is little hope that modern audiences will be entertained by these very old stories, but reading them is still educational.

C) Although today’s reader is not likely to believe in Ancient Greek gods, the modern reader can still live by Ancient Greek values.

D) These very old myths have changed with subsequent retellings, and today they should be told in a way that resonates with modern audiences.

3. Based on the stories in this collection, which of the following do the gods seem to value least?

A) Virtue

B) Strength

C) Skill

D) Beauty

4. Which is the most accurate description of Evslin’s tone when he relates stories of the cruel and violent actions of the gods?

A) Admiring

B) Dismayed

C) Neutral

D) Scornful

5. Based on the stories in this collection, which of the following seems to be true?

A) The gods sometimes subject innocent people to great violence.

B) The gods may be violent, but their violence is generally warranted.

C) The gods apply the same standards to themselves as they do to others.

D) The gods are impartial in their administration of justice.

6. Which of the following is most likely to be a common belief in the culture that generated the stories in this collection?

A) Human beings should emulate the gods’ moral example.

B) The gods have great power and often use it in capricious ways.

C) Earthly life is simply a test that qualifies souls for an eternal paradise.

D) If people live blameless lives, the gods will reward them.

7. What do the stories in Part Two of this book illustrate about Ancient Greek beliefs?

A) They believed that gods were mostly concerned with one another and seldom interfered in human affairs.

B) They believed that humans need to take care of one another, because this is not the job of the gods.

C) They believed that events in the lives of the gods created elements of the natural environment.

D) They believed that monsters existed and were a danger to both gods and humans.

8.What do the story of Prometheus, the golden apples, and the story of Pandora all show is true about gifts?

A) They can cause jealousy.

B) They create an obligation to the giver.

C) They are a form of flattery.

D) They often come at a price.

9. What quality leads to the downfall of both Pandora and Orpheus?

A) Arrogance

B) Curiosity

C) Cowardice

D) Gullibility

10. Which of the following stories best demonstrates that the gods often disagree over the fates of mortals?

A) “Eros and Psyche”

B) “Aphrodite”

C) “Arion”

D) “Pygmalion”

11. What do Phaethon and Icarus have in common?

A) Both are the children of gods.

B) Both are tricked by golden apples.

C) Both fall in love with their own creations.

D) Both die after ignoring their fathers’ advice.

12. What do Apollo, Psyche’s parents, Arion, and Danae’s parents all have in common?

A) They all have to bargain with Hera for their children’s lives.

B) They all sacrifice their children to save themselves.

C) They all learn something important from an oracle.

D) They are each responsible for some aspect of the natural world.

13. What makes Evslin’s telling of the Eros and Psyche story different from most of the other stories in this collection?

A) The story’s ending demonstrates that oracles are unreliable.

B) The story has an unhappy ending.

C) The story is presented with alternate endings.

D) The story ends with a mortal triumphing over the gods.

14. What do the stories in Part Three demonstrate about heroes?

A) Being descended from the gods is more curse than blessing.

B) Their extraordinary attributes can turn out to be flaws as well as strengths.

C) Ordinary people often expect too much from heroes.

D) They are often as cruel and jealous as the gods.

15. Which of the following stories best demonstrates the dangers of sacrilege?

A) “Daedalus”

B) “Perseus”

C) “Pygmalion”

D) “Poseidon”

Long Answer

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

1. How does the message about obsessive love in the stories of Narcissus and Meleager differ from the message about the same thing in the story of Pygmalion?

2. What do stories like those about the births of Athene and Hephaestus, Cronos’s death, and Zeus’s marriage to Hera demonstrate about the family relationships of the gods?