This close reading assessment bundle features text-dependent, high-order questions to promote improved reading comprehension and deeper analysis of 1984 by George Orwell. Brief excerpts from the novel are included in accordance with fair use regulations. Answer keys are included, as are Word Document and PDF versions of each resource. By completing these exercises, students will: Discern what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly Define complex words and phrases in context Determine and analyze the development of key ideas and themes, including the effects of mob mentality Analyze how the author’s word choices add to the text’s complexity Apply and articulate knowledge of literary devices and techniques including consonance, assonance, simile, euphemism, onomatopoeia, aposiopesis, and situational irony Activate background knowledge on Nazi Germany’s treatment of the Jews and articulating historical parallels to the Two Minutes Hate Conduct brief research to discern and articulate historical parallels to media manipulation and the falsification of records Analyze textual details to make logical inferences about character fears, behaviors, and motivations Analyze the emphasis on sports impedimenta and articulate how sporting events promote modes of thinking sanctioned by the Party Analyze how the description of setting contributes to the author’s warning on the effects of totalitarianism on the masses Analyze the author’s word choices to discern and articulate how they contribute to the development of plot Analyze an excerpt to discern its primary function Analyze the Party’s behaviors to discern and articulate the Party’s motivations Make logical inferences about the Party’s reasoning for restricting access to razor blades Identify textual evidence in support of the claim that Syme and Winston have grown desensitized to the brutalities of the Party Identify textual evidence in support of the claim that Syme is described like an animal Analyze why the author may have chosen to describe Syme in an animal-like manner Analyze a brief portion of the passage, which features scare quotes, to discern the author’s intent Articulate why the proles could pose a formidable threat to the Party Articulate why the Brotherhood is comparatively and profoundly less powerful than the proles could be Paraphrase what the narrator means by “[r]ebellion meant a look in the eyes, an inflexion of the voice, at the most, an occasional whispered word.” Analyze the symbolic significance of reverberating bells and inferring why the author made reference to them in context Analyze and articulate Winston’s internal conflict(s) Analyze how Winston is personally affected by the singing of the thrush Apply knowledge of assonance and sibilance and analyze how literary devices contribute to text complexity Analyze the characterization of the thrush and compare its situation to that of Winston and Julia, articulating what these characters share in common Identify textual details that contrast the harshness and abruptness typically associated with totalitarian Oceania Analyze the significance of weather conditions in terms of the Party’s goals for Hate Week Analyze textual details to infer the purpose(s) of atrocity pamphlets and the Hate Week theme song Analyze figurative language (“happy as a lark”) to discern and articulate implied meaning as it relates to Parsons Articulate what makes it impossible for Winston or any other individual member to take down the Brotherhood Identify textual evidence to support the claim that Winston admires O’Brien Compare aspects of the Party’s inner-workings to aspects of the Brotherhood’s inner-workings Articulate what a passage reflects about George Orwell’s attitude toward rebellion against dictatorships Articulate the circumstances under which institutions of the past would uphold truth and logic Articulate the purpose of newspapers and other media, as well as why that purpose is significant Articulate the consequences of interminable war Articulate the narrator’s perspective on who the real victims of contemporary war are Articulate Parsons’s beliefs concerning what makes thoughtcrime so dangerous Articulate how Parsons evaluates his effectiveness as a father Identify and explain textual evidence that contribute to Parsons’s pitiful characterization Articulate how an excerpt illustrates the Party’s success in terms of restricting human emotions and complicating human relationships Explain why reality only exists in the collective mind of the Party, according to O’Brien Identify where anaphora is present in the given passage Identify words, phrases, and details that contribute to Winston’s baby-like characterization Infer why the author wished to characterize Winston like a child given the context of the passage Identify textual evidence in support of a claim Use logic and/or textual evidence to support an argument Write with logic, clarity, and precision

This bundle of 20 assessments (10 objective versions and 10 alternate short answer versions) measures general reading comprehension and holds students accountable for understanding general plot details about George Orwell’s 1984. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats. Questions pertain to the following key details: “Big Brother is watching you” Setting Winston’s job The telescreen and its purpose The ironic role of the Ministry of Peace Characteristics of proles Writing as an act of rebellion The Party’s efforts to stir up hate Winston’s feelings toward the Party Winston as a thought-criminal Winston’s fear of the Thought Police The Junior Spies and their job Public executions of the Party’s dissidents Winston’s dream involving O’Brien’s voice Winston’s dream involving his mother A government purge Physical jerks Why it is so difficult to recall one’s childhood Oceania’s enemy country Communication via the telescreen Comrade Withers The concept of “unpersoning” an individual The purpose of Newspeak Understanding Doublespeak Syme’s intelligence and Winston’s concerns about it Ironic messaging from the Ministry of Plenty Winston’s diary entry The government’s goal concerning sexual behavior Winston’s ex-wife Winston’s internal strife Winston’s assessment on who would best stage a revolt against the government Winston’s reasoning behind the aforementioned assessment The logic as to why the proles would not likely stage a revolt Living conditions A photograph and Winston’s concerns about it Winston’s belief on how reality should be determined Winston’s curiosity about actual history (not the Party-sanctioned accounts of it) Winston’s fear over being followed An alternative to the Thought Police’s torture The irony of Julia’s message to Winston Analysis of Julia’s comment, " We’re not dead yet." Hate Week The prisoner transport Winston’s reaction to Julia’s very personal admission Primary influences on Julia’s behaviors How the government manipulates people into frenzy Winston’s alarming admission about his ex-wife The room Winston rents Julia’s encounter with a rat The significance of the paperweight Winston’s imagination as he stares into the paperweight The expected vanishing of a character Winston’s reaction to the singing of a prole woman The hate song and other preparations for Hate Week Julia’s accusations against the Party An encounter with O’Brien O’Brien’s offer to Winston Winston’s nightmare Winston’s previous belief that he was responsible for his mom’s death A flood of memories returning The Party’s influence on its members How Winston and Julia are jeopardizing their own safety Winston and Julia’s desire to join the Brotherhood An encounter with O’Brien Winston’s feelings after his meeting with O’Brien Winston’s 90-hour work week Oceania’s new enemy Goldstein’s book A singing prole woman “We are the dead” The picture on the wall and what it conceals The sudden appearance of troops A realization about Mr. Charrington Winston’s imprisonment A prole woman with the last name of Smith An imprisoned poet and his crime Parson’s imprisonment and his crime Who turned Parsons in for his crime Winston’s suicidal thoughts O’Brien’s torture techniques/methods of persuasion The Party’s efforts to control the mind Winston’s growing appreciation for O’Brien The Party’s efforts to eliminate their opposition O’Brien’s comments about Julia Room 101 Winston’s efforts to see the Party’s way Winston’s nightmare Winston’s confession that he still hates the Party Winston’s worst nightmare and O’Brien’s most effective torture technique Winston’s means of getting out of his torturous situation (betrayal) A reunion at the Chestnut Tree Cafe Winston’s ultimate feelings about Big Brother