NameDate
fromSINNERSINTHEHANDSOFANANGRYGOD
SelectionTestB/C
Comprehension
Readeachofthefollowingquestions. Thenchoosetheletterofthebestanswer. (6points each)
1. ThemostlikelypurposeofJonathanEdwards’s sermonisto
A. terrifylistenerswiththehopelessnessthey face
B. make peoplepityneighborsboundforhell
C. frightenlistenersintoacceptingJesus
Christ
D. teachpeopleaboutreligiousbeliefs
2. EdwardsdirectshissermononGod’swrath towardcongregationmemberswho
A. will speaktothosewhoareunconverted
B. areyettobebornagain
C. aretoofocusedonGod’slove
D. practicereligionwiththeirfamilies
3. WhydoesEdwardssaythatpeopleinhis congregationhaveyettodropintothepitof hell?
A. TheloveofGodpreventstheirdemise.
B. TheworkstheyperformpleaseGod.
C. Godisangryandwrathfulbutfair.
D. God’shandholdsthemupeachmoment.
4. WhatemotionalappealdoesEdwardsuse whenheemphasizestheeverlastingnatureof God’swrath?
A. appealtofear
B. appealtovanity
C. appealtopity
D. appealtowonder
5. ThehumanconditionthatEdwardsstresses throughoutthesermonispeople’s
A. abilitytochangetheirfate bygoodworks
B. desiretobetterthemselves
C. dependenceontheir neighborsforhelp
D. relianceonGodtosavethemfromhell
ResourceManagerUnit1 229
AmericanLiterature
NameDate
SELECTIONTESTB/C,CONTINUED
Vocabulary
Choosetheanswer that bestexplainsthemeaningofeachunderlinedword.(6pointseach)
6. Whatdoeswhetmean?
A. monotonous
B. sharpened C. exposed D. resilient
7. Ifyoudiscernsomething,you
A. duplicateit B. visualizeit C. divideit
D. recognizeit
8. Toascribemeansto
A. attributetoaspecifiedsource B. assigntoaparticularperson C. writewithaspecificslant
D. completeataskwithoutfail
9. Toinducemeanstosucceedin
A. persuadingsomeonetodosomething
B. convincingsomeoneofthetruth
C. determiningadifficultanswer
D. recognizingimportantideas
10. Whatdoesmitigationmean?
A. revisingofalegaldocument
B. combiningoftworeligiousideas
C. repeatingofsomethingvitallyimportant
D. lesseningofsomethingthatcauses suffering
WrittenResponse
ShortResponse Answerthefollowingquestionsbasedonyourknowledgeofthe sermon.Writeasentenceortwoonaseparatesheetofpaper.(10pointseach)
11. WhoisEdwards’saudienceforthissermon?Usetwodetailsfromthesermontosupport yourresponse.
12. WhydoesEdwardsassociatehumanswithanimalsorobjects?Useonedetailfromthe sermontosupportyourresponse.
ExtendedResponse Answeroneof thefollowingquestionsbasedonyourknowledgeof thesermon.Writeoneortwoparagraphsonaseparatesheetofpaper.(20points)
13. AnalyzehowEdwardsusestheappealtofeartoemphasizehismessage.Supportyour responsewithdetailsfromthesermon.
14. ChallengeHowdoesEdwardsdepictGodinthesermon? Supportyourresponse withdetailsfromthetext.
230 Unit1ResourceManager
AmericanLiterature
AnswerKey
SelectionTest B/C
p.229
Comprehension
1. C
2. B
3. D
4. A
5. D
Vocabulary
6. B
7. D
8. A
9. A
10. D
Short Response
11. Edwards’s audience includes members of his congregation who consider themselves
safe from God’s wrath. Students may use the following details to support their responses:
A.Edwards says God is angry with many in the congregation who are “at ease” (lines 9–11).
B.He addresses “natural men,” those who are unconverted (lines 27 and 42–46).
C.He begins to use you consistently.This strategy suggests that he is now addressing the people listening to his sermon (line 39 through the end of the sermon).
D.He invites people in the congregation to come to a change of heart (lines 105–106).
12. Edwards associates humans with a number of creatures and objects to emphasize humans’ sinfulness. Students may use these details to support their responses:
A. It is just as easy for God to cast the wicked into hell as it is for us to crush a worm
(line 1) or to cut a slender thread by which something hangs (line 2).
B. God holds the unconverted over the pit of hell in same way that a person dangles a spider or a loathsome insect over fire
(lines 50–51).
C. The unconverted are worse than a most hateful venomous serpent (lines 54–55).
Extended Response
13. Responses may vary. Students may say that Edwards uses the appeal to fear in several ways to frighten listeners into conversion. Students may include the following details in their analysis:
A.He tries to frighten them with strong imagery of God’s wrath (lines 1–3, 7–11,
15–18, and 21–26).
B.He stresses that merely attending church without conversion still puts you at risk for hell (lines 8–11, 61–63, and 90–92).
C.Hestressespeople’sinabilitytosave themselvestofrightenhiscongregationinto conversion(lines46–49,72–74,and89–92).
D.He stresses the everlasting, or eternal, nature of hell to frighten listeners
(lines 75–88).
14. Responses may vary. Students may say that Edwards depicts God as vengeful and may use the following assertions from the sermon to support their answers:
A. God condemns the wicked into the torments of hell (lines 7–8).
B. God seems to take a certain zest in punishing the wicked (lines 15–18).
C. God has innumerable ways of sending the unconverted to hell (lines 22–26).
D. God is wrathful toward the unconverted
(lines 28–32).
E. God appears as a vengeful assassin
(lines 38–42).
F. God tortures the wicked (lines 50–51). Students may say that Edwards depicts God as angry but also patient with sinners and offers them mercy and the chance to convert. Students may use the following assertions from the
sermon to support their answers:
A. Despite God’s wrath, God refrains from sending the wicked into hell at each moment (lines 4–6).
B. God is unlike the wicked (lines 13–14).
C. Although angrily holding “natural men” over the pit, God refrains from letting go (lines 27–28 and 56–62).
AnswerKey
D. God refrains from shooting arrows into the
hearts of the wicked (lines 39–42).
E. Godisangrybut keepstheunconvertedfrom
“everlastingdestruction”(lines48–49).
F. Christ has thrown open the door of mercy to all and calls out to sinners to convert (lines
93–95).
G.God offers love, joy, glory, and feasting to those who respond (lines 98–102).