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Quiz about Banned Books Week Special
Quiz about Banned Books Week Special

Banned Books Week Special Trivia Quiz


September 25 to October 2, 2004, is Banned Books Week. The slogan is "read a banned book today". The information for this quiz comes from a variety of websites but mainly "The Forbidden Library" and "The On-Line Books Page".

A multiple-choice quiz by MotherGoose. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
MotherGoose
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
190,055
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
2747
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 63 (7/10), Guest 50 (9/10), Guest 37 (0/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Censorship is not new. As long as books have existed, books have been banned. The Roman emperor Caligula tried to suppress a book in AD 35 because it "expressed Greek ideals of freedom", which was clearly not acceptable when Rome occupied Greece. To which book did Caligula object? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. This famous American author wrote two related books about the adventures of a couple of young boys. Despite being considered classics, both books have been banned in some schools. Ironically, they were banned after their initial publication for being "too racially tolerant". Nowadays, they are accused of being "too racist". Who is this author? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. This author won both a Pulitzer Prize and a Nobel Prize for Literature for his works. However, his Pulitzer prize-winning book was banned for blasphemy and vulgarity: "The book uses the name of God and Jesus in a vain and profane manner along with inappropriate sexual references". Who is this author? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. This book has been banned for a number of reasons but mostly because of its focus on magic. Yet it is exceedingly popular and was an instant best seller upon its release in 1997. According to one website, which book has "the dubious distinction of being the most challenged book of 1999"? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. This book is a record of events spanning the years 1942 to 1944 during the Second World War. It was banned for being too depressing. Which book was allegedly "a real downer"? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. John Howard Griffin was a white man who, with the help of a doctor, chemically darkened his skin in order to experience what it is like to be a black person living in the southern states of America in 1959. Needless to say, the book which detailed his experiences has been subject to bans. What was its title? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Shakespeare's works have also been controversial. Which of the following statements is true? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Would you believe even Doctor Seuss books have been banned? Which of the following books was banned because it offended forestry workers? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. It's not only words that some people object to. Books have been banned because of their illustrations. Which of the following popular children's books was banned because of an allegedly obscene illustration? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Which author/poet said "Every burned book enlightens the world"? Hint



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Sep 28 2024 : Guest 63: 7/10
Sep 25 2024 : Guest 50: 9/10
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Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Censorship is not new. As long as books have existed, books have been banned. The Roman emperor Caligula tried to suppress a book in AD 35 because it "expressed Greek ideals of freedom", which was clearly not acceptable when Rome occupied Greece. To which book did Caligula object?

Answer: Homer's "The Odyssey"

As early as 387 BC, Plato suggested an abridged (censored) version of "The Odyssey" for younger readers. Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" have been used for centuries to teach children about the myths and legends of ancient Greece.
2. This famous American author wrote two related books about the adventures of a couple of young boys. Despite being considered classics, both books have been banned in some schools. Ironically, they were banned after their initial publication for being "too racially tolerant". Nowadays, they are accused of being "too racist". Who is this author?

Answer: Mark Twain

The books are, of course, "Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". These books are banned in some schools because they are said to contain racial stereotypes. They also contain the word "nigger" which is offensive today although it was acceptable in Mark Twain's day. Another criticism is that Twain's books use, and thereby encourage, bad grammar.
3. This author won both a Pulitzer Prize and a Nobel Prize for Literature for his works. However, his Pulitzer prize-winning book was banned for blasphemy and vulgarity: "The book uses the name of God and Jesus in a vain and profane manner along with inappropriate sexual references". Who is this author?

Answer: John Steinbeck

The book in question was Steinbeck's classic "The Grapes of Wrath". Other reasons for its ban include "obscene language" and "unfavourable depiction of a former minister". Another of John Steinbeck's books, "Of Mice and Men", has also been banned for similar reasons.
4. This book has been banned for a number of reasons but mostly because of its focus on magic. Yet it is exceedingly popular and was an instant best seller upon its release in 1997. According to one website, which book has "the dubious distinction of being the most challenged book of 1999"?

Answer: "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (J. K. Rowling)

J. K. Rowling lived on welfare for nearly a year while she wrote her first book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" during 1996-1997. It is also known by the alternative title of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone". Some of the criticisms which have led to the Harry Potter series being banned include the promotion of witchcraft and wizardry, the depiction of violence and brutality (for example, the death of Harry's parents) and that the books are "full of hate".
5. This book is a record of events spanning the years 1942 to 1944 during the Second World War. It was banned for being too depressing. Which book was allegedly "a real downer"?

Answer: "The Diary of Anne Frank"

"The Diary of Anne Frank" has been banned for being too depressing, for sexual references (Anne discusses her thoughts on intimate subjects), for Anne's views on religious tolerance and because "Anne's criticisms of her mother undermines adult authority". There has even been the accusation that the diaries are not genuine.
6. John Howard Griffin was a white man who, with the help of a doctor, chemically darkened his skin in order to experience what it is like to be a black person living in the southern states of America in 1959. Needless to say, the book which detailed his experiences has been subject to bans. What was its title?

Answer: Black Like Me

The theme of racial prejudice is obviously enough to cause it to be controversial but it was also banned because of offensive language. After the book's release in 1960, Griffin received anonymous death threats. In his home town of Mansfield, Texas, angry residents hanged him in effigy, "branding the native son a traitor to the white race". Griffin moved his family to Mexico to ensure their safety.
7. Shakespeare's works have also been controversial. Which of the following statements is true?

Answer: All of these statements are true.

Many of Shakespeare's plays have been banned. During his lifetime, some of his plays were banned when they offended the nobility. Stalin disliked the play "Hamlet" so it was not performed in Russia during the post-World War 2 era until his death in 1953.

While the ban was not official, Stalin's disapproval was enough to prevent it being presented on stage. "The Merchant of Venice" has been banned for many times for its anti-semitism. "Twelfth Night" was banned because it involved crossing-dressing (Viola disguises herself as a boy).

Some people thought "Macbeth" would encourage suicide and violence. "Romeo and Juliet" has been banned because it was thought that Romeo and Juliet were unacceptable role models for teenagers.
8. Would you believe even Doctor Seuss books have been banned? Which of the following books was banned because it offended forestry workers?

Answer: The Lorax

"The Lorax" is a story which teaches children about the impact that humans have on the environment and how our actions affect other species. In the story, the greedy Onceler cuts down too many trees, destroys the other animals' homes and pollutes the environment.

The Lorax tries to stop the Onceler but fails. Naturally, people involved in the logging industry felt threatened by the book, claiming it "criminalises the forestry industry".
9. It's not only words that some people object to. Books have been banned because of their illustrations. Which of the following popular children's books was banned because of an allegedly obscene illustration?

Answer: Where's Waldo/Wally?

"Where's Waldo?" (also known as "Where's Wally?" in some countries) is a series of books which consist of extremely complex illustrations. The goal is to find Waldo/Wally who is hidden somewhere in each picture. Apparently someone found a tiny figure of a woman lying on a beach wearing a bikini bottom but no top! I wonder if she was easier to find than Waldo/Wally?
10. Which author/poet said "Every burned book enlightens the world"?

Answer: Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a leading American author, philosopher and critic. The other selected authors also provide some interesting quotes on censorship. Oscar Wilde said "An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all". Stephen King allegedly told a group of students that "if they hear of a book being banned, they should RUN out and read it to find out what it is that people don't want you to know". Granville Hicks said "A censor is a man who knows more than he thinks you ought to" (although some sources attribute this quote to Dr Laurence Peter).
Source: Author MotherGoose

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