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The Skin of Our Teeth Trivia Quiz

This a quiz about my favorite of Thornton Wilder's plays, "The Skin of Our Teeth". It's also the weirdest play he wrote, but deeply profound. Enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by wordnerd. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
wordnerd

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
202,028

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
248

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which disaster occurs in Act Two of the play? Hint

A war

An ice age

A fire

A flood

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Question 2 of 10

2. In the first act, Henry Antrobus tells his mother that in school that day, a teacher forgot and called him by his old name. What is that name?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 3 of 10

3. Despite the ice age, Mr. Antrobus is still in the midst of inventing new things in the first act. What new invention does he bring home to his family? Hint

Paper

A wheel

A light bulb

Binoculars

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Question 4 of 10

4. In the end of the first act, Mr. Antrobus brings home some friends. He introduces one of them by saying, "There's the law! There's _____!" Who was he introducing?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 5 of 10

5. Where does the second act take place? Hint

Philadelphia

New York City

Atlantic City

New Orleans

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Question 6 of 10

6. Mr. Antrobus has the responsibility of choosing the winner of a beauty pageant during the convention. Whom does he choose? Hint

Mrs. Antrobus

Sabina

Gladys

Dolly

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Question 7 of 10

7. The "Skin of Our Teeth" has distinct Biblical overtones. Going from this, who does Mr. Antrobus represent in the second act? Hint

Moses

Adam

Abraham

Noah

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Question 8 of 10

8. In the beginning of the third act, who comes onstage first, looking for the Mrs. Antrobus and Gladys? Hint

Sabina

Henry

Mr. Antrobus

The Fortune-teller

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Question 9 of 10

9. The entire Antrobus family survives the war.

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. Near the end of Act Three, Mr. Antrobus tells Mrs. Antrobus that during the war when he had to keep watch at night, he gave names to every hour of the night. Which was 10 o'clock? Hint

Plato

Nietszche

Spinoza

The Bible

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which disaster occurs in Act Two of the play?

Answer: A flood

There is a disaster in each of the three acts. The first is an ice age, the second is a flood and the third is a war. There's no fire, other than in the Antrobus house while they're trying to keep warm during the ice age.

2. In the first act, Henry Antrobus tells his mother that in school that day, a teacher forgot and called him by his old name. What is that name?

Answer: Cain

Apparently, Henry/Cain killed his brother with a slingshot.

3. Despite the ice age, Mr. Antrobus is still in the midst of inventing new things in the first act. What new invention does he bring home to his family?

Answer: A wheel

Henry becomes immediately interested in this new invention, suggesting that "You could put a chair on this!"

4. In the end of the first act, Mr. Antrobus brings home some friends. He introduces one of them by saying, "There's the law! There's _____!" Who was he introducing?

Answer: Moses

Also in the group are a doctor, a professor, some Muses, and the blind poet Homer.

5. Where does the second act take place?

Answer: Atlantic City

The Antrobus family is there for a convention of The Ancient and Honorable Order of Mammals...Subdivision Humans.

6. Mr. Antrobus has the responsibility of choosing the winner of a beauty pageant during the convention. Whom does he choose?

Answer: Sabina

Sabina has apparently been away from the Antrobus family for some time, although she was previously their maid. Mrs. Antrobus is very unhappy that Mr. Antrobus chose her. For reference, Gladys is the Antrobus daughter, and Dolly was their pet mammoth. She froze to death in the first act when Mrs. Antrobus kicked her out of the house.

7. The "Skin of Our Teeth" has distinct Biblical overtones. Going from this, who does Mr. Antrobus represent in the second act?

Answer: Noah

The Antrobus family appear to represent different people throughout the play. In the first act, Mr. Antrobus seems to be Adam, Mrs. Antrobus Eve, and their son Henry, Cain. In the second act, everyone except the Antrobus family and Sabina drown because Mr. Antrobus loads his family and two of each animal onto a boat.

8. In the beginning of the third act, who comes onstage first, looking for the Mrs. Antrobus and Gladys?

Answer: Sabina

Mr. Antrobus is still away when the third act commences. Henry doesn't appear until later. The Fortune-teller, who made her appearance in Act Two, drowns along with everyone else.

9. The entire Antrobus family survives the war.

Answer: True

Gladys has a baby, and Henry Antrobus has led "the other side" and lost the war. However, everyone is alive at the end of the play.

10. Near the end of Act Three, Mr. Antrobus tells Mrs. Antrobus that during the war when he had to keep watch at night, he gave names to every hour of the night. Which was 10 o'clock?

Answer: Plato

"Then tell me, O Critias, how shall a man choose the ruler he is willing should rule over him? Will he not choose a man who has first established order in himself, knowing that any choice that has its spring in pride or fear or vanity can be multiplied a thousandfold in its effects upon the citizens."
9 o'clock was Spinoza, and 12 o'clock was the Bible. Nietszche wasn't in there at all.

Source: Author wordnerd

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor MotherGoose before going online.
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