Free 1984 reading questions and quizzes for high school ELA — three formats for checking reading comprehension across all three parts of George Orwell’s novel. Choose what fits your needs or get everything in the comprehension bundle.
Table of Contents:
- 1984 Comprehension Questions by Chapter
- 1984 Reading Quizzes (divides the book into 5 readings)
- 1984 Reading Test (whole-book reading check)
- 1984 Discussion Questions by Chapter
1984 Comprehension Questions by Chapter
1984 Comprehension Questions by Chapter provides reading questions for each chapter. Use to check assigned reading, preview chapters, or support developing readers. Suggestion: Support developing readers by having them read the questions before reading the chapter.
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1984 Part 1, Chapter I Comprehension Questions
- Which choice accurately describes Winston Smith’s residence (where he lives)?
- A. A rural (country) farmhouse
- B. A military dormitory
- C. A beat-up apartment building
- D. A luxurious mansion
- Part 1, Chapter I mentions a specific poster several times. What does the poster show?
- A. Bombs falling from the sky
- B. A happy worker in a factory
- C. A huge face
- D. A pile of dead horses
- Which choice is an accurate description of Winston Smith?
- A. A tall, lanky (long limbs) teenager
- B. Plain, small, and middle-aged
- C. A portly (short and chubby) senior citizen
- D. Athletic and strong but unattractive
- What is the source of the persistent noise in Winston Smith’s residence?
- A. A dripping leak from the ceiling
- B. Tractors and large trucks driving down the road
- C. Audio from the telescreen
- D. Crackling COMM-wires in the walls
- What is the name of the ultimate authority in Winston’s society?
- A. Big Brother
- B. The Agency of Order
- C. COMINTERN (The World Council)
- D. Trick question! There is no authority in charge.
- What is Winston Smith’s occupation?
- A. He fixes machinery in a factory.
- B. He grows plants that are used to make cloth.
- C. He has an office job for the government.
- D. Trick question! He is rated unemployable.
- Which choice describes the hierarchy (levels) of the society in 1984?
- A. Intelligencia (top), Functiona, and Labotia (bottom)
- B. Delegates (top), citizens, and subcaste (bottom)
- C. Inner Party (top), Outer Party, and proles (bottom)
- D. Trick question! The society makes everyone equal.
- Why is Emmanuel Goldstein celebrated in Winston’s society?
- A. He oversees The Agency of Order.
- B. He designed the communication system.
- C. He gave his life to save the country.
- D. Trick question! He is hated and vilified.
- What is the name of the daily ceremony in which Winston must participate?
- A. The Prayer of Allegiance
- B. The Pain of Sacrifice
- C. The Two Minutes Hate
- D. The Ten State Sacraments
- What crime does Winston Smith commit in Part 1, Chapter I?
- A. He eats in a cafeteria.
- B. He pretends to be sick to miss work.
- C. He vandalizes a piece of machinery.
- D. He writes in a diary.
(Short answer) What is life like for people in Winston’s society? Include general observations and specifics.
1984 Part 1, Chapter II Comprehension Questions
- Why does the police inspector come to Winston’s door at the start of Part 1, Chapter II?
- A. He is raising money for a charity.
- B. He is looking for a suspect and warning people nearby.
- C. A neighbor issued a complaint about Winston.
- D. Trick question! This did not happen.
- What favor does Winston’s neighbor, Mrs. Parsons, ask of him?
- A. To watch the children
- B. To lie to the police
- C. To hide contraband (illegal items)
- D. To fix the sink
- To what youth organization do the Parsons children belong?
- A. The Future Business Leaders of Oceania
- B. The Spies
- C. The 4H Club
- D. The Crimson Hornets
- The Parsons children are disappointed that their mom cannot take them to…
- A. A public execution
- B. The “bear hunts”
- C. Watch the bombings
- D. Trick question! She does take them.
- According to Winston, the children in his society are mostly…
- A. Innocent and loveable
- B. Stupid and of no use to anyone
- C. Horrible and mean
- D. Clever and considerate
- Why is Winston Smith’s telescreen always on?
- A. Telescreens cannot be turned off.
- B. He broke the switch.
- C. He feels compelled to keep track of announcements.
- D. Trick question! He does turn it off sometimes.
- In Part 1, Chapter II, Winston determines that he is writing the diary to be read by…
- A. His parents and sister
- B. Future generations
- C. Other members of The Resistance
- D. Trick question! He does not know who he is writing for.
(Short answer) Based on what you know so far, how would you describe Winston Smith as a person? Use details from the text.
1984 Part 1, Chapter III Comprehension Questions
Reading Chapter III content
Reading Chapter III content
- At the start of Part 1, Chapter III, Winston Smith has a vivid dream about…
- A. Trying to escape from a burning building
- B. His family sinking into the ocean
- C. A snake that has been crushed by the wheels of a train
- D. Being a bomb that is falling toward a city
- It is mandatory that all Outer Party members start their day by…
- A. Writing a list on a piece of paper and then burning it
- B. Taking several pills and tinctures
- C. Singing the national anthem
- D. Doing exercises
- In what city does the story take place?
- A. New York
- B. London
- C. Sydney
- D. Beijing
- The habit of controlling your mind in order to believe a lie or contradiction is called…
- A. “Doublethink”
- B. “Programma”
- C. “Hypnocracy”
- D. “Retro-memory”
- In this part of the novel, Winston recalls a vivid childhood memory in which…
- A. His father saved him from a fire
- B. His family had to take shelter in a tube station
- C. His older brother protected him from a bully
- D. His family spent a rainy day at the beach
- Winston recalls that for several decades the government has…
- A. Promised that voting/elections would happen “soon”
- B. Been in a state of war
- C. Built fences around certain neighborhoods and villages
- D. Bribed the public with lavish foods and entertainment
- Why does the telescreen yell at “6079 Smith W” personally?
- A. His hands are not visible.
- B. He is not performing his exercises properly.
- C. He fails to take one of his pills.
- D. Trick question! The telescreen yells at Mrs. Edwards, not Winston.
(Short answer) Explain how the government in 1984 attempts to “control the past.”
1984 Part 1, Chapter IV Comprehension Questions
Reading Chapter IV content
Reading Chapter IV content
- Part of Winston Smith’s job involves…
- A. Unlocking lockers, drawers, doors, and safes
- B. Investigating suspected dissidents
- C. Writing newspaper articles
- D. Trick question! He is unemployed.
- Who or what is “the memory hole” discussed in Part 1, Chapter IV?
- A. A slot in the wall
- B. A quite old man that everyone mocks
- C. A private corner in Winston’s mind
- D. An abandoned quarry
- What technology does George Orwell predict (correctly) in Part 1, Chapter IV?
- A. Email
- B. Solar panels
- C. Virtual reality headsets
- D. Speak-to-text technology
- What is one aspect of Winston’s job that he enjoys?
- A. He enjoys socializing with his coworkers.
- B. He likes making mistakes on purpose and watching the chaos that follows.
- C. He enjoys the challenge of a tough assignment.
- D. When work is slow, he can take a nap behind his desk.
- Winston knew only one person who was “disappeared.” That person’s name was…
- A. Jenna Annebaum
- B. James T. Kirk
- C. Alonzo Cappirone
- D. Trick question! He has known many people who were “disappeared.”
- Winston decides that Big Brother should give a speech about…
- A. A young mother named Annebaum
- B. Personal hygiene
- C. How traitors have caused a shortage of fuel
- D. A war hero named Ogilvy
(Short answer) Give a general description of Winston Smith’s place of work.
1984 Part 1, Chapter V Comprehension Questions
Reading Chapter V content
Reading Chapter V content
- The Party-endorsed form of language is being compiled in the Eleventh Edition of the _______ Dictionary.
- A. Ministry of Plenty
- B. Comrade Goldstein
- C. Newspeak
- D. Fraternal
- Which choice best describes Syme in his relationship to Winston?
- A. Boss
- B. Customer
- C. Competition
- D. Friend
- The conversations in the lunchroom indicate that there is a shortage of _______.
- A. Razor blades
- B. Coffee
- C. Munitions
- D. Telescreens
- What is one surprising inclusion in the lunchroom at the Ministry of Truth?
- A. A whipping post
- B. Hard alcohol (gin)
- C. A boxing ring
- D. A designated place to be sick
- What is Syme’s area of expertise?
- A. Sports
- B. Military / war
- C. Words / language
- D. Trick question! Winston explains that Syme is no expert.
- Winston predicts that one day Syme will…
- A. Be “disappeared” by the government.
- B. Become Big Brother.
- C. Join the Resistance.
- D. Murder his supervisor.
- Comrade Parsons is proud to recall how his daughter…
- A. Skipped a grade in mathematics
- B. Turned a man in to the police
- C. Completed an obstacle course in record time
- D. Stole food from a hungry family
- What is the official brand name for Party-made products like coffee and cigarettes?
- A. Eurasia’s Finest
- B. Victory Brand
- C. Big Brother’s Own
- D. Kirkland Signature
- According to Winston, _______ are never vaporized by the government.
- A. Stupid people
- B. The best actors
- C. Geniuses
- D. Psychopaths
(Short answer) Give a brief description of the lunchroom at the Ministry of Truth. What is it like generally? Can you remember any specific details?
1984 Part 1, Chapter VI Comprehension Questions
- The narrator of 1984 is…
- A. A newspaper reporter
- B. A government official at a trial
- C. Undefined — the teller is not identified
- D. Trick question! Winston is telling the story.
- What crime does Winston confess in his diary in Part 1, Chapter VI?
- A. Loving Katherine more than the Party
- B. Hiring a prostitute
- C. Destroying a poster of Big Brother
- D. Sabotaging a machine
- What feelings does Winston experience when thinking about his crime?
- A. Pride and envy
- B. Joy and excitement
- C. Calm and acceptance
- D. Anger and shame
- Which choice best describes Winston and Katherine’s marriage?
- A. Cold and unhappy
- B. Entirely based on physical desire
- C. They were loving companions and partners.
- D. Trick question! They were never legally married.
- Winston now knows that Katherine…
- A. Is imprisoned in a labor camp
- B. Was “vaporized” by the government
- C. Is living far away with her new husband
- D. Trick question! He does not know what became of her.
- Which of the following is discouraged by the Party?
- A. Sexual pleasure
- B. Alcohol and stimulants
- C. Sports and physical fitness
- D. Screaming at the telescreen
1984 Part 1, Chapter VII Comprehension Questions
- Winston believes that the only hope for a massive change of society lies with…
- A. The Inner Party
- B. The Greatest Generation
- C. The Firefly Collective
- D. The proles
- Winston witnessed a chaotic riot in the streets. What started it?
- A. A declaration of war
- B. A political demonstration
- C. A group of musicians playing a song
- D. The selling of cookware
- A history book that Winston borrowed from Mrs. Parsons explains the evil nature of…
- A. Communists
- B. Religions
- C. Capitalists
- D. The Firefly Collective
- Winston was in a café when he saw Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford. Who are they?
- A. Crime bosses in the neighborhood
- B. Party leaders who became traitors
- C. Classmates from Winston’s school days
- D. Investigators following Winston’s activities
- What does Winston do when he finds physical proof of a government lie?
- A. He immediately gives it to his supervisor.
- B. He leaves it out for his supervisor to find.
- C. He saves it in his secret hiding spot.
- D. He destroys it.
- _______ make up about 85% of the population of Oceania.
- A. Fish
- B. Party Members
- C. Children under 12
- D. Proles
(Short answer) How is life different for the proles compared to the lives of Party members like Winston?
1984 Part 1, Chapter VIII Comprehension Questions
- Where is Winston supposed to be when he is out wandering the slums of the city?
- A. Watching the public executions
- B. Completing an “optional” training session at work
- C. Getting a physical exam at a medical office
- D. Participating in activities at the Community Center
- How do the proles easily recognize members of the Party?
- A. Party members have shaved heads.
- B. All Party members have green eyes.
- C. All Party members have a tattoo on their right hand.
- D. Party members wear blue overalls.
- How does Winston end up covered in broken glass?
- A. A bomb hits a nearby building.
- B. He knocks over a sculpture and it shatters.
- C. A man at a bar pushes Winston through a window.
- D. The Edwards kids throw bottles at him.
- Unlike the proles, Winston and other Party members know that…
- A. Big Brother and Goldstein are the same person.
- B. Life was much better before the Revolution.
- C. Any prole who reaches the age of 60 is “removed from circulation.”
- D. The lottery is a scam.
- Why does the old man in the bar fail to answer Winston’s questions?
- A. The man keeps getting lost in unimportant details.
- B. The man suspects that Winston is a spy and refuses to answer.
- C. Winston angers him.
- D. Trick question! Winston gets his answers.
- How does Winston come to possess the antique glass paperweight?
- A. A woman from his office gifts it to him.
- B. He steals it.
- C. He buys it.
- D. He finds it in a pile of garbage.
- Winston is shocked when he exits a building in a prole neighborhood and sees…
- A. A woman he knows from his office
- B. A squad of Thought Police troopers
- C. A gang of children armed with knives and clubs
- D. A truck filled with fancy foods and luxurious clothing
- Based solely on this chapter, how does Winston act when under pressure?
- A. Courageous and bold
- B. Calm and thoughtful
- C. Fearful and flustered
- D. Violent and cruel
- For what is Winston waiting at the very end of Part 1?
- A. A meeting with Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford
- B. A bus
- C. A program to start on the telescreen
- D. The police to come and arrest him
(Short answer) Briefly describe the shop that Winston visits and its shopkeeper, Mr. Charrington.
1984 Part 2, Chapter I Comprehension Questions
- Winston notices that the woman with the dark hair has injured her _______.
- A. Foot
- B. Eye
- C. Arm
- D. Pride
- How does the woman with the dark hair deliver her secret note?
- A. She pretends to fall and slips it into Winston’s hand.
- B. She hides it on the back of a Big Brother button.
- C. She asks a little girl to bring Winston a wreath.
- D. She shuffles the note into Winston’s mail.
- What does the woman’s note say?
- A. “O’Brien cannot be trusted.”
- B. “Beware. You are being watched.”
- C. “Are you ready to join the Resistance?”
- D. “I love you.”
- What does Winston decide to do in response to the woman’s note?
- A. Turn her in to the police.
- B. Write a note in response.
- C. Talk to her at the lunch table.
- D. Ignore the note and do absolutely nothing.
- One issue of concern in terms of Winston Smith’s mental health is that…
- A. He has violent fantasies.
- B. He often screams when he is sleeping.
- C. He has visual hallucinations.
- D. He has developed an uncontrollable facial twitch.
- There is a great commotion at the Victory Square monument when…
- A. A bomb blows up a statue.
- B. A convoy of prisoners passes by.
- C. Two groups of workers brawl.
- D. Some kids accuse Winston of being a spy.
- What can the reader conclude based on the interactions between Winston and the woman with the dark hair?
- A. She belongs to the Thought Police.
- B. She is careful and calculating.
- C. She despises Winston.
- D. She is reckless and has no self-control.
- What does the woman with the dark hair give Winston when they meet at the monument?
- A. A printed pamphlet
- B. A ring
- C. Instructions on where to meet next
- D. A kiss on the forehead
(Short answer) What can you say about “the woman with the dark hair” based on the novel so far?
1984 Part 2, Chapter II Comprehension Questions
Reading Part 2 Chapter II content
Reading Part 2 Chapter II content
- What is one difficulty that Winston faces in getting to his scheduled date with Julia?
- A. The passage to the helicopter launch is barricaded.
- B. The inclement weather makes his walk miserable and dangerous.
- C. His boss asks him to come to the office at the last minute.
- D. Trick question! He makes it there without difficulty.
- Why does the helicopter pilot become nervous?
- A. He suspects that Winston will report his illegal activities.
- B. The flight has a close shave with an incoming rocket.
- C. The steering mechanism keeps sticking and then releasing.
- D. Trick question! This does not happen.
- When Julia asks Winston what he used to think of her, he…
- A. Says truthfully that he wanted to murder her.
- B. Says truthfully that he had barely noticed her.
- C. Lies and says that he had never noticed her.
- D. Lies and says that he loved her at first sight.
- What is one thing that Winston and Julia do NOT discuss when they meet in the country?
- A. Their opinions of the Party
- B. Their past romantic partners
- C. A plan to run away permanently
- D. The difference in their ages
- What does Winston think of the location where he meets Julia in Part 2, Chapter II?
- A. It is dangerous and scary.
- B. It is dirty and uncomfortable.
- C. It resembles the happy place of his dreams.
- D. He thinks it is too crowded and too expensive.
- Why does Julia refuse to have sex with Winston once they are finally alone?
- A. She wants to keep her virginity.
- B. He is still married.
- C. She suspects that they are under surveillance.
- D. Trick question! She does not refuse.
1984 Part 2, Chapter III Comprehension Questions
- In Part 2, Chapter III, Julia and Winston continue their relationship mainly through…
- A. Handwritten notes and letters
- B. Late-night meetings at their spot in the country
- C. Passing conversations in noisy streets
- D. Trick question! They have ended the relationship.
- Julia convinces Winston that he should use some of his free time to…
- A. Get his body into “combat readiness”
- B. Try to save his marriage with Katherine
- C. Explore his feelings through art
- D. Volunteer to work at a factory
- After learning more about Julia, Winston concludes that she…
- A. Is a better artist than she thinks.
- B. Is not as gifted an artist as she thinks.
- C. Has very little free time.
- D. Has too much free time.
- When Julia and Winston meet in an old church, Winston recalls a time years ago when…
- A. His brother was arrested by the Thought Police.
- B. He almost pushed his wife off a cliff.
- C. He was forced to kill a sick dog.
- D. He attended an old-fashioned wedding in that same church.
- When Winston’s wife referred to their “duty to the Party,” what did she mean?
- A. Abstaining from sex
- B. Having sex
- C. Turning in Winston’s brother
- D. Dying at a young age
- Julia gets frustrated with Winston when he talks too much about…
- A. His wife
- B. Death
- C. Trying to get promoted to a better job
- D. Overthrowing the government
(Short answer) The novel explains that “the sex impulse was dangerous to the Party.” What is meant by this? Why is the Party concerned with people’s sex lives?
1984 Part 2, Chapter IV Comprehension Questions
Reading Part 2 Chapter IV-VI content
Reading Part 2 Chapter IV-VI content
- What is Winston’s suggestion for continuing the love affair?
- A. They should get the Party’s permission to be married.
- B. They should escape to the wilderness far beyond the city.
- C. They should rent a secret apartment.
- D. Trick question! He suggests that they end the relationship.
- What does Winston think of the idea of renting the secret apartment?
- A. It is an extremely risky idea.
- B. He thinks that Mr. Charrington will never agree to it.
- C. He thinks it is too expensive.
- D. It is a foolproof idea that cannot possibly go wrong.
- When Julia meets Winston at the secret apartment for the first time…
- A. She is injured and bleeding.
- B. She is too late — Winston must leave directly.
- C. She brings extravagant treats.
- D. Trick question! She never arrives.
- In Part 2, Chapter IV, Winston stares out a window and thinks about…
- A. How the moon reflects upon the icy river
- B. A starving dog
- C. A singing prole woman
- D. How Mr. Charrington swindles his customers
- Julia says that in the privacy of the apartment she feels able to…
- A. Tell Winston the truth about her past
- B. Create her unusual artwork
- C. Be a feminine woman
- D. Conduct her science experiments
- Why does Julia suddenly throw her shoe?
- A. She is angered by a telescreen announcement.
- B. She wants to break a glass picture of Big Brother.
- C. She throws it at a rat.
- D. She tries to hit Winston in the nose.
- One detail about life before Party rule that Julia knows relates to…
- A. The previous names of countries
- B. Old nursery rhymes about London
- C. How voting worked
- D. How they had fancy dances in beautiful ballrooms
(Short answer) What is the significance of the secret apartment? What role does it serve? What does it represent for the characters?
1984 Part 2, Chapter V Comprehension Questions
Reading Part 2 Chapters V and VI
Reading Part 2 Chapters V and VI
1984 Part 2, Chapter V Comprehension Questions
- What/who goes missing permanently from the Ministry of Truth?
- A. An entire department of the building
- B. The memory hole
- C. A man named Syme
- D. The coffee machine
- Why is the city full of activity, noise, and nervous energy at this point in the novel?
- A. Enemy soldiers have invaded at the edge of the city.
- B. Preparations for Hate Week
- C. There is a shortage of electricity and the proles are running out of food.
- D. The death and funeral of Big Brother
- What change comes as a result of the new and secret side to Winston’s life?
- A. Winston gets promoted at work.
- B. Winston gets demoted at work.
- C. Winston’s health improves.
- D. Winston’s health declines.
- Julia and Winston know that their arrangement cannot go on forever. They decide to…
- A. Disguise their identities and join the proles.
- B. Talk to Mr. Charrington about joining the rebellion.
- C. End their relationship on New Year’s Day.
- D. Trick question! They make no clear decision.
- Winston is shocked and amazed when Julia suggests…
- A. That they end the love affair.
- B. Blowing up the Ministry of Truth.
- C. That the war is not real.
- D. People will be happier without coffee.
- In this chapter Winston and Julia discuss the Party’s claim that…
- A. The Party invented airplanes.
- B. Big Brother is immortal.
- C. The Firefly Collective spreads diseases on purpose.
- D. Horse meat is delicious.
(Short answer) Julia and Winston share a hatred of the Party. In what ways do Julia and Winston disagree about how one should resist the Party’s rule?
1984 Part 2, Chapter VI Comprehension Questions
- O’Brien compliments Winston on his ability to…
- A. Go unnoticed and escape detection by the Thought Police.
- B. Use Newspeak.
- C. Eat quickly.
- D. Trick question! O’Brien has nothing complimentary to say to Winston.
- Why does O’Brien visit Winston Smith’s apartment?
- A. To hide evidence
- B. To hide himself
- C. To collect evidence
- D. Trick question! O’Brien does not visit Winston’s apartment.
- Winston expects to receive a secret message hidden in…
- A. A birthday cake
- B. A coat with a silk lining
- C. A dictionary
- D. A watercolor painting
- Winston initially suspected that O’Brien was _______, but now Winston is certain that O’Brien is _______.
- A. Thought Police / Thought Police
- B. Brotherhood / Thought Police
- C. Brotherhood / Brotherhood
- D. Brilliant / idiotic
- After his hallway discussion with O’Brien, Winston is absolutely convinced that…
- A. O’Brien cannot be trusted.
- B. He will die in the Ministry of Love.
- C. The Thought Police have arrested Julia.
- D. The Brotherhood is real, and the Party will fall.
1984 Part 2, Chapter VII Comprehension Questions
- What object has taken on special importance in Winston’s thoughts and dreams?
- A. His brother’s cricket bat
- B. A wooden wheelbarrow
- C. A glass paperweight
- D. His father’s robe
- Winston’s dream in Part 2, Chapter VII focuses mainly on…
- A. His father
- B. His mother
- C. The Ministry of Love
- D. The Ministry of Truth
- Which statement is true about Winston as a boy?
- A. He cared for and cherished his baby sister.
- B. He was always hungry.
- C. He was a great helper to his father.
- D. He was always smiling and cheerful.
- Which of these is a part of Winston Smith’s last memory of his family?
- A. The beach
- B. Building a rack for firewood
- C. Stealing chocolate
- D. A cold courtroom
- Winston dreamed that his mother drowned in the ocean, but how did she actually die?
- A. She was killed in an explosion.
- B. She was executed by injection.
- C. She did drown.
- D. Trick question! She may still be alive.
(Short answer) In Part 2, Chapter VII, Winston reflects that the proles are more human than he is. What does he mean by this?
1984 Part 2, Chapter VIII Comprehension Questions
- Where is Julia when Winston goes to his meeting with O’Brien?
- A. She is in her office at the Ministry of Truth.
- B. She is at one of her Party-approved clubs.
- C. She is at the secret apartment.
- D. She also goes to meet with O’Brien.
- Which words accurately describe O’Brien’s apartment?
- A. It is like an empty warehouse or airplane hangar.
- B. Immaculate and fancy
- C. Shabby and dingy, much like Winston’s apartment
- D. It still looks like an old-fashioned barbershop.
- What privilege enjoyed by Inner Party members impresses Winston?
- A. The ability to turn off the telescreen
- B. The use of private helicopters
- C. Access to historically true records
- D. A directory to find anyone in Oceania
- O’Brien proposes drinking a toast to _______, whereas Winston proposes drinking a toast to _______.
- A. Big Brother / the Party
- B. Syme / Julia
- C. Emmanuel Goldstein / the past
- D. Winston / O’Brien
- What does O’Brien reveal about Emmanuel Goldstein and the Brotherhood?
- A. They were never real — the Party made them up.
- B. The Brotherhood never harms the innocent.
- C. Julia is “Goldstein,” the leader of the Brotherhood.
- D. Both are real, and both oppose the Party.
- Which words best describe O’Brien during his meeting with Winston?
- A. Nervous and agitated
- B. Calm and serious
- C. Silly and humorous
- D. Angry and disappointed
- O’Brien tells Winston to expect a delivery. What will be delivered?
- A. A book in a briefcase
- B. A bomb in a shipping crate
- C. A radio hidden in a sandwich
- D. A ring hidden in a sack of rice
- Winston Smith has been waiting his entire adult life to talk to a member of the Resistance. What does Winston ask about when he finally gets his chance?
- A. A way to find his mother and sister
- B. Whether or not the war is real
- C. A nursery rhyme
- D. Razor blades
(Short answer) What does O’Brien have to say about the organization known as the Brotherhood?
1984 Part 2, Chapter IX (Part A) Comprehension Questions
Reading Part 2 Chapters IX and X
Reading Part 2 Chapters IX and X
- What announcement does the Party make during Hate Week?
- A. There is a new dress code for Party members.
- B. They are demolishing all the churches and places of worship.
- C. The national enemy is Eastasia, not Eurasia.
- D. Big Brother is dead.
- In Part 2, Chapter IX, Winston attends a Hate Week rally. At one point the audience stops listening to the speaker to…
- A. Destroy posters and banners.
- B. Run to a nearby church.
- C. Beat an innocent man to death.
- D. Sing a song.
- Where is Winston when he receives his special delivery from the Brotherhood?
- A. In his legal apartment
- B. In a public square
- C. In the secret apartment
- D. In a clothing store
- What does Winston do to manage the massive amount of work that suddenly develops at the Ministry of Truth?
- A. He makes his assistant do most of it.
- B. He lies and says he was injured by a falling beam.
- C. He blackmails his supervisor using sensitive documents.
- D. Trick question! He works as hard as anybody.
- The Book of the Brotherhood argues that _______ will ultimately win the war.
- A. Nobody
- B. Oceania
- C. Eurasia
- D. The proles
- The Book of the Brotherhood explains that the purpose of Oceania’s war is…
- A. To make the members of the Party rich.
- B. To waste resources and keep people in hardship.
- C. World domination
- D. Trick question! The Book explains there is no war.
- Which statement is true based on The Book of the Brotherhood?
- A. The social systems of the three nations are basically the same.
- B. The people of Oceania have the least freedom and highest standard of living.
- C. The people of Eurasia basically survive using Stone Age technology.
- D. The people of Eastasia have an egalitarian system where all are equal.
- What is one observation Winston makes about The Book of the Brotherhood?
- A. It is written in simple, childish language.
- B. It is full of obvious lies.
- C. It is incomprehensible to him.
- D. It is telling him things that he already knows.
(Short answer) Briefly explain the views of the government of Oceania towards scientific progress.
1984 Part 2, Chapter IX (Part B) Comprehension Questions
- The “Ignorance is Strength” section of The Book mainly describes…
- A. Class warfare between the low, middle, and high.
- B. How the Thought Police learned to stop crimes before they happen.
- C. How the Party convinced voters and won the last elections.
- D. Secularization — removing religion from society.
- What is the “unalterable law of human life” throughout history according to The Book?
- A. Freedom / human rights
- B. Hakuna Matata
- C. Inequality / class struggle
- D. Family bonds / love of family
- Who owns all the factories, farms, and mines in Oceania?
- A. One person: Big Brother
- B. The Party collectively as a group
- C. Each mine, farm, or factory is owned by a person or family of the Inner Party.
- D. Goldstein and the Brotherhood
- Which statement is true about becoming a member of the Inner Party?
- A. You must be the child of two Inner Party members.
- B. You must take a test at the age of 16.
- C. You must have green eyes.
- D. You must be selected through a random lottery.
- Based on The Book of the Brotherhood, which group is a threat to the current government?
- A. People with long memories (the old)
- B. The next generation (today’s children)
- C. The Outer Party
- D. The proles
- Based on The Book of the Brotherhood, the government kills people who…
- A. Have committed a crime against the Party.
- B. Are thinking about opposing the Party.
- C. Might be capable of opposing the Party.
- D. All of the above.
- If the Party decides it is time for you to disappear, you are most likely headed to…
- A. The Court of Orthodoxy
- B. The Ministry of Love
- C. The Party poopers
- D. The Arctic Wastelands
- “______think means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.”
- A. Ministry
- B. Double
- C. Psycho-
- D. Party
- How does Julia react when Winston reads Chapter 1 of The Book to her?
- A. She becomes angry and refuses to listen.
- B. She calmly disagrees with almost everything.
- C. She cries and feels overwhelming relief.
- D. She falls asleep.
(Short answer) What are Winston’s thoughts and feelings during his first session reading The Book?
1984 Part 2, Chapter X Comprehension Questions
- What does Winston conclude about the large woman he always sees doing laundry?
- A. She is secretly a genius.
- B. She is an informer working for the Thought Police.
- C. She belongs to the Brotherhood.
- D. She is beautiful.
- By Part 2, Chapter X, Winston is convinced that the future of the revolution depends on…
- A. The elderly
- B. Eurasia
- C. The proles
- D. The Inner Party
- What is the last thing Julia and Winston say to each other in private?
- A. “We are the dead.”
- B. “Death to Big Brother!”
- C. “It’s not the kind of joke that makes you laugh.”
- D. “Where there is life, there is hope.”
- Winston now knows that there has been a microphone hidden…
- A. Inside the binding of The Book of the Brotherhood
- B. Inside Julia’s sash
- C. Behind a framed picture in the secret apartment
- D. Under the park bench at Victory Square
- At the time of their arrest, Winston and Julia make a desperate attempt to escape by…
- A. Trying to take Syme hostage.
- B. Sprinting through the streets of the city.
- C. Attempting suicide.
- D. Trick question! They make no desperate attempt.
- Who reported Winston and Julia’s forbidden activities to the authorities?
- A. The laundry woman
- B. Julia
- C. Mr. Charrington
- D. Syme
1984 Part 3, Chapter I Comprehension Questions
- Winston notes that in the first holding cell there are two types of prisoners:
- A. Political prisoners (Party members) and common criminals.
- B. Conscious and unconscious.
- C. Violent (red handcuffs) and non-violent (blue handcuffs).
- D. The very young and the very old.
- What is one thing that Winston does NOT think about while in the second holding cell?
- A. Hunger
- B. Torture
- C. How the Brotherhood might help him commit suicide
- D. How he might unite the prisoners and fight back
- What is one thing that Winston can see through the window of the second holding cell?
- A. A gallows
- B. A singing bird
- C. The Ministry of Truth building
- D. Trick question! There are no windows.
- One prisoner ends up in the Ministry of Love for the crime of…
- A. Not singing loudly enough at a Hate Week rally.
- B. Writing a poem incorrectly.
- C. Making copies of a book.
- D. Painting over a poster of Big Brother.
- How does Winston’s neighbor, Mr. Parsons, end up in the Ministry of Love?
- A. His daughter reported something he said in his sleep.
- B. He was given a job in the ministry.
- C. He was caught printing copies of The Book of the Brotherhood.
- D. Trick question! Parsons is not at the Ministry of Love.
- Winston stares at another prisoner’s face and concludes that the man is…
- A. Not really a prisoner — he is a spy for the guards.
- B. Planning to attack the guards.
- C. Starving to death.
- D. Famous.
- Where is the last place anyone would want to be taken within the Ministry of Love?
- A. The principal’s office
- B. Room 101
- C. The Absolution Chamber
- D. The Enhanced Education Chamber
- Who is one person that Winston does NOT see within the walls of the Ministry of Love?
- A. O’Brien
- B. Julia
- C. Ampleforth
- D. Parsons
(Short answer) Describe the second holding cell where Winston spends most of the chapter. What does Winston experience there?
1984 Part 3, Chapter II Comprehension Questions
- What is the one thing that Winston Smith refuses to confess when questioned?
- A. The location of the Golden Country
- B. Writing in his diary
- C. The location of The Book of the Brotherhood
- D. Trick question! He confesses everything.
- Which method of torture is NOT used on Winston?
- A. Psychoactive injections
- B. Simulated drowning
- C. Beatings
- D. Shocks to the nervous system
- Who is the main person in charge of Winston’s interrogation?
- A. Mr. Charrington
- B. O’Brien
- C. Emmanuel Goldstein
- D. Katherine Smith
- What gets thrown down a memory hole during one of Winston’s interrogations?
- A. A clump of Julia’s black hair
- B. Winston’s diary
- C. Winston’s identity papers
- D. A photograph from the Ministry of Truth
- It becomes clear to Winston that O’Brien…
- A. Does not know about the diary.
- B. Knows everything about Winston’s activities.
- C. Does not really approve of the Ministry of Love or the Party.
- D. Is in love with Julia.
- Which of the following subjects is NOT addressed during the interrogation?
- A. What Winston wrote in his diary
- B. Why Winston’s parents abandoned him
- C. How many fingers are being held up
- D. Winston’s work at the Ministry of Truth
- O’Brien tells Winston that the goal of the Ministry of Love is to…
- A. Unlock the mysteries of the universe.
- B. Cure insanity.
- C. Create jobs for Inner Party members.
- D. Find the author of The Book of the Brotherhood.
- When Winston asks about Julia, O’Brien tells Winston that…
- A. She is an officer in the Thought Police.
- B. She broke down and informed on him immediately.
- C. She was never real.
- D. Trick question! Winston does not ask about Julia.
- O’Brien shows Winston some personal consideration when he…
- A. Lets Winston spend an hour in a sunny garden.
- B. Gives Winston a turn to ask some questions.
- C. Gives him back his diary.
- D. Trick question! None of these.
(Short answer) What makes the Ministry of Love’s approach to dealing with rebellious people so different and, according to O’Brien, so perfect?
1984 Part 3, Chapter III Comprehension Questions
- What is one surprising twist revealed in Part 3, Chapter III?
- A. Outside of the Ministry of Love, the prole revolution has begun.
- B. O’Brien wrote The Book of the Brotherhood.
- C. Winston’s parents are alive — they are members of the Inner Party.
- D. Mr. Charrington is Emmanuel Goldstein.
- Why does the Party want absolute power? (The answer is a quote from O’Brien.)
- A. “The object of power is power.”
- B. “All virtues, even love, begin with merciless power.”
- C. “Only god-like power can end human suffering.”
- D. “Once Oceania is all-powerful, war will extinguish itself like a spent match.”
- It seems to Winston that O’Brien has a magic power. It seems that he can…
- A. Go weeks without sleep.
- B. Read minds.
- C. Pass through walls.
- D. Shrink himself down to the size of a mouse.
- O’Brien explains that the cruelty inflicted by the Party will end when…
- A. The proles and the Party members unite.
- B. “There are no more ‘Winston Smiths’ in the world.”
- C. “Eastasia has been wiped off the face of the Earth.”
- D. Trick question! The cruelty will never end.
- Near the end of Part 3, Chapter III, O’Brien stops the interrogation to show Winston…
- A. His vacation pictures.
- B. The “real” Big Brother.
- C. A length of rope.
- D. A mirror.
- What is the one thing that Winston does not surrender to the Ministry of Love?
- A. The location of Mr. Charrington
- B. His feelings for Julia
- C. His desire to live
- D. He will not tell them about his mother.
- O’Brien tells Winston that they will ultimately kill him by…
- A. Electrocuting him.
- B. Hanging him.
- C. Shooting him.
- D. Trick question! He says Winston will die naturally in old age.
(Short answer) What does O’Brien mean when he says, “There is nothing that we could not do. Invisibility, levitation — anything. I could float off this floor like a soap bubble if I wished to.”
1984 Part 3, Chapter IV Comprehension Questions
- At the beginning of Part 3, Chapter IV, Winston is pleased to notice that…
- A. He no longer hates Big Brother.
- B. He no longer feels pain.
- C. He does not have any feelings for Julia.
- D. He is gaining weight and getting stronger.
- At this point in the story, Winston is starting to think that…
- A. They will send him to fight and die in the war.
- B. The Party is right, and he is wrong.
- C. He is already dead, and this is his afterlife.
- D. His entire life — parents, job, Julia — was not real.
- Of what place does Winston dream while lying in his cell?
- A. The Golden Country
- B. Big Brother’s dining room
- C. A warehouse full of caged emotions
- D. The Misty Mountains
- Winston betrays his true thoughts when he wakes from a dream yelling…
- A. “The sky is blue!”
- B. “Big Brother is dead! Long live the Brotherhood!”
- C. “Julia, my love! Julia!”
- D. “The proles will save us!”
- What does Winston hope will happen in his last moments before he dies?
- A. He will forgive himself.
- B. He will feel pure love for Big Brother.
- C. He will remember his hatred of the Party.
- D. He will see the sun.
- Where is Winston being taken at the end of this chapter?
- A. Room 101
- B. The front lines of the war in Eastasia
- C. His own apartment
- D. The Ministry of Truth
1984 Part 3, Chapter V Comprehension Questions
- What does O’Brien say can be found in Room 101?
- A. “Forgiveness”
- B. “Heavenly paradise”
- C. “The worst thing in the world”
- D. “The answer to the ultimate question”
- Of what does Winston Smith have an extreme fear?
- A. Snakes
- B. Clowns
- C. Spiders
- D. Rats
- The final torture inflicted on Winston Smith involves…
- A. Water and wires.
- B. A cage and a mask.
- C. A rope and a pit.
- D. A projector and a loudspeaker.
- Who performs the physical act of killing Winston Smith?
- A. Julia
- B. Dr. Caligari
- C. A random prisoner
- D. Trick question! He lives.
- How does Winston finally convince O’Brien to show him mercy?
- A. He begs for death.
- B. He stops caring about Julia.
- C. He laughs in his face.
- D. He talks in his sleep.
1984 Part 3, Chapter VI Comprehension Questions
- Where is Winston Smith at the start of the final chapter of 1984?
- A. The secret apartment
- B. O’Brien’s apartment
- C. The Chestnut Tree Café
- D. The cafeteria of the Ministry of Love
- What is one activity that Winston uses to occupy his battered mind?
- A. Building structures out of toothpicks
- B. Solving chess problems
- C. Writing new lyrics for old songs
- D. Repairing clocks and watches
- What happens when Julia and Winston are reunited for the last time?
- A. They talk briefly about what has changed between them.
- B. They act as if they have never met.
- C. They express their love and reaffirm their plan to run away together.
- D. Trick question! They have no reunion.
- Which choice accurately describes Winston Smith’s new job?
- A. He prepares food for prisoners.
- B. He is paid well to be on a pointless committee.
- C. He repairs train machinery.
- D. Trick question! He has no job.
- Winston experiences what he calls “a false memory” involving his mother and…
- A. A board game.
- B. A dead rabbit.
- C. A rowboat.
- D. Julia.
- At the end of the novel, Winston probably smells like…
- A. Alcohol.
- B. Flowers.
- C. Grease and motor oil.
- D. Vegetables and dishwater.
- What telescreen announcement creates a fuss in the final chapter?
- A. Oceania has won a victory in the war.
- B. All proles are becoming members of the Party.
- C. The Party releases a new photograph of Big Brother. (It’s O’Brien.)
- D. The Party releases a new photograph of Emmanuel Goldstein. (It’s Winston.)
1984 Reading Quizzes (5 readings)
Motivate students to complete assigned readings with 1984 reading quizzes. Each reading check contains 16 multiple-choice questions and 1 short answer question. They are quick to administer and score.
Reading 1 – Part 1: Chapters I-IV (47 pages)
Reading 2 – Part 1: Chapters V-VIII (57 pages)
Reading 3 – Part 2: Chapters I-VII (62 pages)
Reading 4 – Part 2: Chapters VIII-X (58 pages)
Reading 5 – Part 3: Chapters I-VI (73 pages)
FREE: Cut and paste the quiz items from the list below.
PURCHASE: The download includes ready-to-print or edit formats and answer keys.
1984 Quiz #1 — Part 1: Chapters I–IV
1) Which choice accurately describes Winston Smith’s residence?
- A. A rural (country) farmhouse
- B. A military dormitory
- C. A beat-up apartment building
- D. A luxurious mansion
2) Which choice is an accurate description of Winston Smith?
- A. A tall, lanky (long limbs) teenager
- B. Plain, small, and middle-aged
- C. A short, chubby senior citizen
- D. Big and strong but unattractive
3) What is the source of the persistent noise in Winston Smith’s residence?
- A. A dripping leak from the ceiling
- B. Tractors driving down the road
- C. Audio from the telescreen
- D. Crackling COMM-wires in the walls
4) What is the name of the ultimate authority in Winston’s society?
- A. Big Brother
- B. The Agency of Order
- C. COMINTERN (The World Council)
- D. Trick question! There is no authority.
5) What is Winston Smith’s occupation?
- A. He fixes machinery in a factory.
- B. He works in massive fields of plants that are used to make cloth.
- C. He has an office job with a government agency.
- D. Trick question! The Development Office rates him “X-B, unemployable.”
6) Which choice describes the hierarchy (levels) of the society in 1984?
- A. Intelligencia (top), Functiona, and Labotia (bottom)
- B. Delegates (top), citizens, and subcaste
- C. Inner Party (top), Outer Party, and proles (bottom)
- D. Trick question! Everyone is equal.
7) Why is Emmanuel Goldstein celebrated in Winston’s society?
- A. He oversees The Agency of Order.
- B. He designed the COMM-wire system.
- C. He gave his life to save the country.
- D. Trick question! He is hated and vilified.
8) What is the name of the daily ceremony in which Winston must participate?
- A. The Prayer of Allegiance
- B. The Love of Sacrifice
- C. The Two Minutes Hate
- D. The Ten State Sacraments
9) What crime does Winston Smith commit in the first reading?
- A. He refuses to take his pills.
- B. He pretends to be sick to miss work.
- C. He eats in the wrong cafeteria.
- D. He writes in a journal.
10) What favor does Winston’s neighbor, Mrs. Parsons, ask of him?
- A. To watch her children
- B. To lie to the police
- C. To hide contraband (illegal items)
- D. To fix the sink
11) To what youth organization do the Parsons children belong?
- A. The Future Business Leaders of Oceania
- B. The Spies
- C. The 4H Club
- D. The Crimson Hornets
12) Winston Smith has a vivid dream about…
- A. Dying in a burning building.
- B. His family sinking into the ocean.
- C. A snake that has been crushed by the wheels of a train.
- D. Being a bomb that is falling.
13) Winston recalls that for several decades the government has…
- A. Promised to hold elections “soon.”
- B. Been in a state of war.
- C. Built fences around certain neighborhoods and villages.
- D. Bribed the public with lavish (fancy) foods and entertainment.
14) The act of conquering your thoughts to believe a clear contradiction or lie is called…
- A. “Doublethink.”
- B. “Programma.”
- C. “Hypnocracy.”
- D. “Retro-memory.”
15) Winston knew only one person who was “disappeared.” That person’s name was…
- A. Jenna Annebaum.
- B. James Tiberious Kirk.
- C. Alonzo Cappirone.
- D. Trick question! He has known many people who were “disappeared.”
16) Winston decides that the government should give a speech about…
- A. A young mother named Annebaum.
- B. Personal hygiene (cleanliness).
- C. How traitors caused a fuel shortage.
- D. A war hero named Ogilvy.
Short answer: Describe life for the people in Winston’s society. Include general observations and specifics.
1984 Quiz #2 — Part 1: Chapters V–VIII
1) The Party-endorsed form of language is being compiled in the Eleventh Edition of the __________ Dictionary.
- A. Ministry of Plenty
- B. Comrade Goldstein
- C. Newspeak
- D. Fraternal
2) Winston predicts that one day Syme will…
- A. Be “disappeared” by the government.
- B. Become Big Brother.
- C. Join the Resistance.
- D. Murder their supervisor.
3) Mr. Parsons is proud to tell everyone how his young daughter…
- A. Skipped a grade in mathematics.
- B. Turned a man in to the police.
- C. Completed an obstacle course.
- D. Stole food from a hungry family.
4) What crime does Winston confess in his diary in Part 1: Chapter VI?
- A. Loving Katherine more than the Party
- B. Hiring a prostitute
- C. Destroying a poster of Big Brother
- D. Sabotaging (breaking on purpose) a machine at work
5) Winston Smith now knows that his wife Katherine…
- A. Is imprisoned in a labor camp.
- B. Was executed by the government.
- C. Is living far away with her new husband.
- D. Trick question! He does not know what became of her.
6) The narrator (the teller) of the story is actually…
- A. A newspaper reporter.
- B. A government official at a trial.
- C. Undefined. (The teller is not identified.)
- D. Trick question! Winston tells the story.
7) Which of the following is discouraged by the Party?
- A. Sexual pleasure
- B. Alcohol and stimulants (e.g., caffeine)
- C. Sports and physical fitness
- D. Screaming at the telescreen
8) Winston believes that the only hope for a massive change of society lies with…
- A. The Inner Party.
- B. The Greatest Generation.
- C. The Firefly Collective.
- D. The proles.
9) A history book that Winston borrows from Mrs. Parsons explains the evil nature of…
- A. Communists.
- B. Religions.
- C. Capitalists.
- D. The Firefly Collective.
10) Winston was in a café when he saw Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford. Who are they?
- A. Crime bosses in the neighborhood
- B. Party leaders who became traitors
- C. Classmates from Winston’s school days
- D. Investigators who are following Winston’s activities
11) What does Winston do when he finds physical proof of a government lie/cover-up?
- A. He openly gives it to his boss, Kendricks.
- B. He leaves it in a noticeable position for Kendricks to find “on her own.”
- C. He saves it in his secret hiding spot.
- D. He destroys it.
12) Where is Winston supposed to be when he is out wandering the slums of the city?
- A. Watching the public executions
- B. Completing an “optional” training session at work
- C. Getting a medical exam
- D. Participating in activities at the Community Center
13) How do the proles easily recognize members of the Party?
- A. Party members have shaved heads.
- B. All Party members have blue eyes.
- C. All Party members have a tattoo on their right hand.
- D. Party members wear blue overalls.
14) Winston attempts to get some answers about the past by…
- A. Sneaking into a secure storage area in the Ministry of Truth.
- B. Talking to an old man in a bar.
- C. Searching under the floorboards in an abandoned building.
- D. Studying his mother’s scrapbook.
15) How does Winston come to possess the antique, glass paperweight?
- A. A coworker gifts it to him.
- B. He steals it from a stranger’s home.
- C. He buys it in a shop.
- D. He finds it in a pile of garbage.
16) Winston is shocked when he exits a building in a prole neighborhood and sees…
- A. A woman he knows from his office.
- B. A squad of Thought Police troopers.
- C. A gang of children armed with knives and cudgels (clubs).
- D. A truck filled with fancy foods and luxurious clothing.
Short answer: How is life different for the proles as compared to the lives of Party members like Winston?
1984 Quiz #3 — Part 2: Chapters I–VII
1) What does Julia’s note to Winston say?
- A. “O’Brien cannot be trusted.”
- B. “Beware. You are being watched.”
- C. “Are you ready to join the Resistance?”
- D. “I love you.”
2) What does Winston Smith do in response to Julia’s note?
- A. He turns her in to the police.
- B. He writes a note in response.
- C. He talks to her at the lunch table.
- D. Trick question! He does not do anything.
3) There is a great commotion at the Victory Square monument when…
- A. A bomb blows up a statue.
- B. A delivery of prisoners passes through.
- C. Two groups of workers brawl (fight).
- D. A woman accuses Winston of spying.
4) When Julia asks Winston what he used to think of her, he…
- A. Says truthfully that he wanted to kill her.
- B. Says truthfully that he had barely even noticed her.
- C. Lies and says that he had barely even noticed her.
- D. Lies and says that he loved her instantly.
5) Why does Julia refuse to have sex with Winston once they are finally alone?
- A. She wants to keep her virginity.
- B. She knows that he is still married.
- C. She suspects that they are under surveillance (being watched).
- D. Trick question! She does not refuse.
6) When they meet in an old church, Winston tells Julia about a time years ago when…
- A. His brother was arrested by the police.
- B. He almost pushed his wife off a cliff.
- C. He was forced to kill a sick dog.
- D. He attended an old-fashioned wedding.
7) Winston stares out a window in the secret apartment and thinks about…
- A. How the moon reflects off the icy river.
- B. A starving dog.
- C. A singing prole woman.
- D. Whether he can trust Mr. Charrington.
8) Why does Julia throw her shoe?
- A. She is angered by a telescreen announcement.
- B. She wants to break a framed picture of Big Brother.
- C. She throws it at a rat.
- D. She tries to hit Winston in the nose.
9) One detail about life before Party rule that Julia knows relates to…
- A. The previous names of countries.
- B. Old nursery rhymes about London.
- C. How voting worked.
- D. How they had fancy dances in beautiful ballrooms.
10) Winston is shocked and amazed when Julia suggests…
- A. That they end the love affair.
- B. Blowing up the Ministry of Truth.
- C. That the war is not real.
- D. People are happier under Party control.
11) Why is the city full of activity, noise, and nervous energy in this part of the novel?
- A. Enemy soldiers have invaded nearby.
- B. Preparations for Hate Week
- C. The Brotherhood is attacking the police.
- D. The death and funeral of Big Brother
12) Winston expects to receive a secret message hidden in…
- A. A cake.
- B. A coat with a silk lining.
- C. A dictionary.
- D. A watercolor painting.
13) Why does O’Brien visit Winston Smith’s apartment at the end of this reading?
- A. To hide evidence
- B. To hide himself
- C. To collect evidence
- D. Trick question! O’Brien does not visit Winston’s apartment.
14) Winston initially suspected that O’Brien was _________, but now Winston is certain that O’Brien is _________.
- A. Thought Police / Thought Police
- B. Brotherhood / Thought Police
- C. Brotherhood / Brotherhood
- D. Brilliant / foolish
15) What object has special importance in Winston’s thoughts and dreams?
- A. His brother’s cricket bat
- B. A wooden wheelbarrow
- C. A glass paperweight
- D. His father’s robe
16) Which of these is a part of Winston Smith’s last memory of his family?
- A. The beach
- B. Building a rack for firewood
- C. Stealing chocolate
- D. A cold courtroom
Short answer: In what way(s) do Julia and Winston disagree about how one should resist the Party’s rule?
1984 Quiz #4 — Part 2: Chapters VIII–X
1) Where is Julia when Winston goes to his meeting with O’Brien?
- A. In her office at the Ministry of Truth
- B. At one of her Party-approved clubs
- C. She is at the secret apartment.
- D. She also goes to meet with O’Brien.
2) What privilege enjoyed by Inner Party members impresses Winston?
- A. The ability to turn off the telescreen
- B. The use of private helicopters
- C. Access to historically true records
- D. A directory to find anyone in Oceania
3) What important announcement does the Party make during Hate Week?
- A. A new dress code for Party members
- B. The demolition (tearing down) of all the churches and places of worship
- C. The enemy is Eastasia, not Eurasia.
- D. The death of Big Brother
4) The Book of the Brotherhood explains that the purpose of Oceania’s war is…
- A. To make the members of the Party rich.
- B. To waste resources and labor.
- C. World domination
- D. Trick question! The Book explains that there is no war. (It is an elaborate lie.)
5) What is the “unalterable law of human life” throughout history according to The Book?
- A. Freedom / human rights
- B. Hakuna Matata
- C. Inequality / class struggle
- D. Family bonds / love of family
6) What is one observation Winston makes about The Book of the Brotherhood?
- A. It is written in simple, childish language.
- B. It is full of obvious lies.
- C. The ideas are beyond his understanding.
- D. It tells him things that he already knows.
7) Based on The Book, which group poses a serious threat to the current government?
- A. People with long memories (the old)
- B. The next generation (today’s children)
- C. The Outer Party
- D. The proles
8) Based on The Book of the Brotherhood, the government kills people who…
- A. Commit crimes against the Party.
- B. Are thinking about opposing the Party.
- C. Might be capable of opposing the Party.
- D. All of the above.
9) If the Thought Police decide that it is time for you to disappear, you are headed to…
- A. The Court of Orthodoxy.
- B. The Ministry of Love.
- C. The Party poopers.
- D. The Arctic Wastelands.
10) “_________think means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.” (214)
- A. Ministry
- B. Double
- C. Psycho-
- D. Party
11) How does Julia react when Winston reads to her from The Book of the Brotherhood?
- A. She becomes angry and refuses to listen.
- B. She calmly disagrees with almost everything The Book has to say.
- C. She cries and feels overwhelming relief.
- D. She falls asleep.
12) What does Winston conclude about the large woman that he sees doing laundry?
- A. She is secretly a genius.
- B. She is an informer working for the Thought Police.
- C. She belongs to the Brotherhood.
- D. She is beautiful.
13) By Part 2: Chapter X, Winston is convinced that the revolution he desires depends on…
- A. The elderly.
- B. Eurasia.
- C. The proles.
- D. The Inner Party.
14) What is the last thing Julia and Winston say to each other in private?
- A. “We are the dead.”
- B. “Death to Big Brother!”
- C. “It is not the kind of joke that makes you laugh.”
- D. “Where there is life, there is hope.”
15) Winston Smith now knows that there has been a microphone hidden…
- A. Inside the binding of The Book of the Brotherhood.
- B. Inside Julia’s sash/clothing.
- C. Behind a framed picture in the secret apartment.
- D. Under the park bench at Victory Square.
16) Who reported Winston and Julia’s forbidden activities to the authorities?
- A. The laundry woman
- B. Julia
- C. Mr. Charrington
- D. Symes
Short answer: What does O’Brien have to say about the organization known as the Brotherhood?
1984 Quiz #5 — Part 3: Chapters I–VI
1) What can Winston see through the window of the second holding cell?
- A. A gallows (a platform for killing people)
- B. A singing bird
- C. The Ministry of Truth building
- D. Trick question! There are no windows.
2) A prisoner named Ampleforth ends up in the Ministry of Love for the crime of…
- A. Not singing loudly at a Hate Week rally.
- B. Writing a poem incorrectly.
- C. Painting over a poster of Big Brother.
- D. Trick question! Ampleforth is not a prisoner.
3) Where is the last place anyone would want to be taken within the Ministry of Love?
- A. The principal’s office
- B. Room 101
- C. The Absolution Chamber
- D. The Enhanced Education Chamber (EEC)
4) What gets thrown down a memory hole during one of Winston’s interrogations?
- A. A clump of Julia’s black hair
- B. Winston’s diary
- C. Winston’s identity papers
- D. A photograph from the Ministry of Truth
5) O’Brien explains that the cruelty inflicted by the Party will only end when…
- A. The proles and the Party members unite.
- B. “There are no more ‘Winston Smiths’ in the world.”
- C. “… Eastasia has been vaporized!”
- D. Trick question! The cruelty will not end.
6) Which of the following subjects is NOT addressed during the interrogations?
- A. What Winston wrote in his diary
- B. Why Winston’s parents abandoned him
- C. How many fingers are being held up
- D. Winston’s work at the Ministry of Truth
7) At one point in Part 3, O’Brien stops the interrogation in order to show Winston…
- A. Photographs of Julia.
- B. The “real” Big Brother.
- C. A length of rope.
- D. A mirror.
8) O’Brien tells Winston that in the end they will kill him by…
- A. Electrocution.
- B. Hanging him.
- C. Shooting him.
- D. Trick question! He says that Winston will die naturally in old age.
9) Winston betrays his true thoughts when he wakes from a dream yelling…
- A. “The sky is blue!”
- B. “Big Brother is dead! Long live the Brotherhood!”
- C. “Julia, my love! Julia!”
- D. “The proles will save us!”
10) Of what does Winston Smith have an extreme fear?
- A. Snakes
- B. Clowns
- C. Spiders
- D. Rats
11) How does Winston finally convince O’Brien to show him mercy?
- A. He begs for death.
- B. He stops caring about Julia.
- C. He worships a statue of Big Brother.
- D. He talks in his sleep.
12) Where is Winston Smith at the start of the final chapter of 1984?
- A. The secret apartment
- B. O’Brien’s apartment
- C. The Chestnut Tree Café
- D. The cafeteria of the Ministry of Love
13) What happens when Julia and Winston are reunited for the last time?
- A. They talk briefly about what has changed between them.
- B. They act as if they have never met.
- C. They express their love and agree to run away together.
- D. Trick question! They have no reunion.
14) What is one activity that Winston uses to occupy his battered mind?
- A. Building structures out of toothpicks
- B. Solving chess problems
- C. Writing new lyrics for old songs
- D. Repairing clocks and watches
15) What telescreen announcement creates a fuss in the final chapter?
- A. Oceania has won a victory in the war.
- B. Proles are now members of the Party.
- C. The Party releases a new photograph of Big Brother. (It’s O’Brien.)
- D. The Party releases a new photograph of Emanuel Goldstein. (It’s Winston.)
16) Who performs the physical act of killing Winston Smith?
- A. Julia
- B. O’Brien
- C. A random prisoner
- D. Trick question! He lives.
Short answer: What does O’Brien mean when he says, “There is nothing that we could not do. Invisibility, levitation — anything. I could float off this floor like a soap bubble if I wished to.” (265)
1984 Reading Test (whole-book reading check)
This 1984 Test is a reading check for the entire novel. It contains comprehension and recall questions only. 40 multiple choice and 4 short answer. You can shorten the test to multiple-choice only by omitting the last two pages. 1984 Reading Test does NOT assess knowledge of literary elements.
FREE: Cut and paste the test items from the list below.
PURCHASE: The reading test download includes ready-to-print or edit formats and answer keys.
1984 reading test questions
Multiple choice — questions 1–40
1) Throughout Airstrip One (London), inside and outside, you will find posters showing…
- A. Bombs falling from the sky.
- B. A happy worker in a factory.
- C. A huge face.
- D. A handshake with the sunrise in the background.
2) Why is Emmanuel Goldstein infamous (famous in a negative way) in the society?
- A. He oversees The Agency of Order.
- B. He tried to destroy the Brotherhood.
- C. He is a traitor to the Party.
- D. Trick question! He is loved and honored.
3) What is the name of the daily ceremony in which Winston Smith must participate?
- A. The Prayer of Allegiance
- B. The Pain of Sacrifice
- C. The Two Minutes Hate
- D. The Ten State Sacraments
4) To what youth organization do the Parsons children belong?
- A. The Troopers
- B. The Spies
- C. The Firefly Collective
- D. The Crimson Hornets
5) Winston has known only one person who was “disappeared.” That person’s name was…
- A. Jenna Annebaum.
- B. James T. Kirk.
- C. Alonzo Cappirone.
- D. Trick question! He has known many people who were “disappeared.”
6) The Party-endorsed form of language is being compiled in the Eleventh Edition of the __________ Dictionary.
- A. Newspeak
- B. Ministry of Plenty
- C. Comrade Goldstein
- D. Fraternal
7) What is the official brand name for Party-made products like coffee and cigarettes?
- A. Eurasia’s Finest
- B. Victory Brand
- C. Big Brother’s Own
- D. Crimson Signature
8) It is mandatory that all Outer Party members start their day by…
- A. Writing a list on a piece of paper and then burning it.
- B. Taking several pills and solutions.
- C. Singing the national anthem.
- D. Doing exercises with the telescreen.
9) Which of the following is discouraged and suppressed by the Party?
- A. Sexual pleasure
- B. Alcohol and stimulants (e.g., caffeine)
- C. Sports and physical fitness
- D. Screaming at the telescreen
10) The government’s publications about the past often address the evil of…
- A. Communists.
- B. Religions.
- C. Capitalists.
- D. The Firefly Collective.
11) Winston was in a café when he saw Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford. Who are they?
- A. Crime bosses of the neighborhood
- B. Party leaders who became traitors
- C. Classmates from Winston’s school days
- D. Investigators who are following Winston’s activities
12) What does Winston do when he finds photographic evidence of a government lie?
- A. He destroys it.
- B. He immediately gives it to Kendricks, his supervisor.
- C. He leaves it out for Kendricks to find “on her own.”
- D. He saves it in his secret hiding spot.
13) How do the proles easily recognize members of the Outer Party?
- A. They have shaved heads.
- B. All Party members have green eyes.
- C. All Party members have a certain tattoo on their right hand.
- D. They wear blue overalls.
14) The story focuses on Winston’s thoughts and feelings, but Winston is not doing the telling. The narrator (teller of the story) is…
- A. A newspaper reporter.
- B. A government official at a trial.
- C. Undefined. The teller is not identified.
- D. Trick question! Winston is telling it.
15) What does Winston decide to do after receiving Julia’s love note?
- A. Turn her in to a supervisor.
- B. Write a note in response.
- C. Talk to her at the lunch table.
- D. Ignore the note and do nothing.
16) Why does Julia refuse to make love with Winston once they are finally alone?
- A. She wants to keep her virginity.
- B. She knows that he is married.
- C. She suspects that they are under surveillance (being watched).
- D. Trick question! She does not refuse.
17) When Julia and Winston meet in an abandoned church, Winston recalls a time years ago when…
- A. His brother was arrested by the Police.
- B. He almost pushed his wife off a cliff.
- C. He was forced to kill a sick dog.
- D. He attended an old-fashioned wedding.
18) On several occasions Winston stares out of an apartment window and thinks about…
- A. How the moon reflects on the icy river.
- B. A starving dog.
- C. A singing woman.
- D. How Mr. Charrington swindles (cheats) his customers.
19) Which of the following is NOT a recurring element (detail shown several times) in 1984?
- A. A nursery rhyme about churches
- B. A song about a chestnut tree
- C. Chess games / board games
- D. A sculpture of a charging bull
20) “_________think means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.” (214)
- A. Ministry
- B. Double
- C. Psycho-
- D. Party
21) What object takes on special importance in Winston Smith’s thoughts and dreams?
- A. A cricket bat
- B. A wooden wheelbarrow
- C. A glass paperweight
- D. A cotton robe
22) Which of these is a part of Winston Smith’s last memory of his family?
- A. The beach
- B. Building a rack for firewood
- C. Stealing chocolate
- D. A cold courtroom
23) Where is Julia when Winston goes to his secret meeting with O’Brien?
- A. She also goes to meet with O’Brien.
- B. In her office at the Ministry of Truth
- C. At one of her Party-approved clubs
- D. She is at the secret apartment.
24) What information does the Party publicize (make public) during Hate Week?
- A. There is a new dress code.
- B. They are demolishing (tearing down) all the old churches and places of worship.
- C. The enemy is Eastasia, not Eurasia.
- D. Big Brother is dead.
25) The Book of the Brotherhood explains that the purpose of Oceania’s war is…
- A. To make the members of the Party rich.
- B. To waste resources and keep people in economic hardship.
- C. World domination. In the end, there will be only one country left.
- D. Trick question! The Book explains that there is no war. (It is a hoax.)
26) What is the “unalterable law of human life” throughout history according to The Book of the Brotherhood?
- A. Freedom / human rights
- B. You get what you deserve / karma
- C. Inequality / class struggle
- D. Family bonds / love of family
27) How does Julia react when Winston reads The Book of the Brotherhood to her?
- A. She becomes angry and refuses to listen.
- B. She falls asleep.
- C. She calmly disagrees with almost everything The Book has to say.
- D. She cries and feels overwhelming relief.
28) What does Winston conclude about the big woman that he often sees doing laundry?
- A. She is secretly a genius.
- B. She is working for the Thought Police.
- C. She belongs to the Brotherhood.
- D. She is beautiful.
29) Leading up to his arrest, Winston is convinced that the revolution depends on…
- A. The elderly.
- B. Eurasia.
- C. The proles.
- D. The Inner Party.
30) At the time of his arrest, Winston realizes that there has been a microphone hidden…
- A. Inside the binding of The Book of the Brotherhood.
- B. Inside Julia’s sash/clothing.
- C. Behind a framed picture in the secret apartment.
- D. Under Julia’s favorite park bench in Solidarity Square.
31) Winston talks to a man in the Ministry of Love who has been arrested for the crime of…
- A. Not singing loudly enough.
- B. Writing a poem incorrectly.
- C. Making copies of a book.
- D. Painting over a poster.
32) How does Winston’s neighbor, Mr. Parsons, end up in the Ministry of Love?
- A. His daughter reported something he said in his sleep.
- B. He was given a job in the ministry as a reward for his loyalty.
- C. He was caught printing copies of The Book of the Brotherhood.
- D. Trick question! Mr. Parsons does not end up at the Ministry of Love.
33) Where is the last place anyone would want to be taken within the Ministry of Love?
- A. The cafeteria
- B. Room 101
- C. The Absolution Chamber
- D. The Enhanced Education Chamber (EEC)
34) Which method of torture is NOT used on Winston Smith in the Ministry of Love?
- A. Psychoactive (mind-bending) injections
- B. Simulated drowning
- C. Beatings
- D. Shocks to the nervous system
35) Which of the following subjects is NOT addressed during Winston’s interrogations in the Ministry of Love?
- A. What Winston wrote in his diary
- B. Why Winston’s parents abandoned him
- C. How many fingers are being held up
- D. Winston’s work at the Ministry of Truth
36) O’Brien explains that the cruelty inflicted by the Party will only end when…
- A. The proles and the Party unite.
- B. “There are no more ‘Winston Smiths’ in the world.”
- C. “Eastasia has been vaporized.”
- D. Trick question! The cruelty will not end.
37) What is the last thing that Winston Smith surrenders at the Ministry of Love?
- A. The location of Mr. Charrington
- B. His feelings for Julia
- C. The location of the photograph
- D. He will not tell them about his mother.
38) Of what does Winston Smith have an intense phobia (fear)?
- A. Growing old
- B. Rats
- C. Tight spaces
- D. Flying
39) What happens when Julia and Winston are reunited after their imprisonment?
- A. They talk briefly about what has changed between them.
- B. They act as if they have never met.
- C. They express their love and reaffirm their plan to run away together.
- D. Trick question! They have no reunion.
40) What telescreen announcement creates a public sensation in the final chapter?
- A. Oceania has won a victory in the war.
- B. All proles are becoming Party members.
- C. The Party releases a new photograph of Big Brother. (It’s O’Brien.)
- D. The Party releases a new photograph of Emanuel Goldstein. (It’s Winston.)
Short answer
- At several points in 1984, Winston Smith reflects on how the proles are more human than he is. What does he mean by this?
- Julia and Winston share a hatred of the Party. However, their resistance takes different forms. How do the two characters take different approaches in their defiance?
- How does the government in 1984 “control the past”? What is the purpose of this control?
- Describe Winston Smith’s views in the final chapter of the novel. What does he think of himself, his experiences, and Big Brother?
Thanks for checking out 1984 Reading Questions (comprehension checks).
The reading quizzes and comprehension questions above are drawn from individual products available at TeachNovels — the 1984 Comprehension Questions by Chapter, the 1984 Reading Quizzes, and the 1984 Reading Test. Get all three together with the 1984 Comprehension Bundle on TeachersPayTeachers. Browse all free 1984 teaching posts from TeachNovels.
More 1984 teaching posts:
- Unit Plan — Lessons and Materials
- Pre-reading Activities
- Anticipation Guide
- Introduction Lesson and Slideshow
- Teaching the Themes of 1984
- Classroom Activities
- Discussion Questions by Chapter
- Unit Test
- Project Ideas
- All 1984 Resources →
M. Towle is a veteran Language Arts and Social Studies teacher with fourteen years of classroom experience in urban schools in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. M. Towle holds an M.A. in Holocaust and Genocide Studies and is the founder of TeachNovels.com.