Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches Quizzes

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches Quiz 1: Introduction – Transformation of Silence

1 Who authored the introduction to this book?
Robert Staples

Nancy K. Bereano

Adrienne Rich

Audre Lorde
2 What relationship does the introduction's writer bear to Audre Lorde?
Her wife

Her student

Her editor

Her mentor
3 What essay does the introduction's author reference, claiming it helped them explore their Jewish identity?
Grenada Revisited: An Interim Report

The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House

Notes From a Trip to Russia

Man Child: A Black Lesbian Feminist's Response
4 According to the introduction, what was the cause of Lorde's doubts when publishing "Sister, Outsider?"
She thought of herself as a writer of poetry, not prose

She disliked her editor and publisher

She was nervous about how her speeches would come across on the page

She worried that the book would bring too much attention to her children and personal life
5 Which theme of "Sister, Outsider" does the introduction primarily discuss?
Racism and Sexism

The Insularity of Academia

Wholeness

Homophobia
6 What region of the Soviet Union does Lorde describe in "Notes From a Trip to Russia?"
Tajikistan

Ukraine

Belarus

Uzbekistan
7 Which character does not appear in "Notes From a Trip to Russia?"
Fikre

Oleg

Helen

Stanislav
8 Which revelation about America shocks a stranger Lorde meets in the Soviet Union?
Presidents are not elected by popular vote

Public schools receive a low proportion of municipal budgets

Black Americans are not treated equally

Americans must pay for their own medical care
9 What conclusion does Lorde draw about Russian socialism and American capitalism?
Socialism actually creates more inequality than capitalism

Socialism is the only guaranteed cure for racism, sexism, and homophobia

Socialism is superior for changing systems, and capitalism for changing attitudes

Capitalism is inherently racist, while socialism is inherently anti-semitic
10 What holiday does Lorde reference when describing the appearance of Moscow's landscape?
The Fourth of July

Valentine's Day

Christmas

Thanksgiving
11 To which African city does Lorde compare Tashkent?
Marrakech

Johannesburg

Lagos

Accra
12 To which of the following things does Lorde compare poetry in "Poetry is Not a Luxury?"
A net

Light

Water

A coat
13 What does Lorde characterize as the "european mode" of looking at the world?
Evaluating morality through a Protestant framework

Viewing children, women, and the elderly as superfluous

Valuing industry and urban growth over nature

Thinking of life as a problem to be solved
14 What, in short, does Lorde believe is the most important job of poetry?
To allow the subjugated to voice their concerns and demands

To bridge the gap between emotion and rationality

To convey the experience of sublime emotion

To give people from all backgrounds the chance to express themselves
15 How does Lorde symbolize the forces and value systems that denigrate poetry?
As "white fathers"

As "capitalist dragons"

As "hungry lions"

As "misogynist melodies"
16 What does Lorde conclude about the conflict between ideas and feelings in "Poetry Is Not a Luxury?"
Parents must help children nurture and recognize feelings even while introducing them to new ideas

Women are taught to over-value feelings and never trained to understand ideas

Feelings are a superior way to access complicated truths

There are no new ideas, but old ideas can be viewed through the lens of different feelings
17 How does Lorde describe the "places of possibility" within people in "Poetry is Not a Luxury?"
Dark, ancient, and hidden

Soft, homelike, and warm

Illuminated, fresh, and empty

Electric, buzzing, and bright
18 What alternative perspective does Lorde suggest to replace the Cartesian "I think, therefore I am?"
I am, therefore I think

I feel, therefore I can be free

I think, therefore I reimagine

I write poetry, therefore I feel
19 Which frightening experience of Audre Lorde's prompted an epiphany, according to "The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action?"
Her son being a victim of bullying

Waiting to get a tumor removed

A car accident

Her mother's death
20 Why, according to "The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action," do most people choose not to voice their true feelings?
They fear that they will suffer consequences and might be unsafe if they speak out

They believe that nobody will listen to them, especially if they are women

They selfishly value their own security and relaxation over correcting injustice

They are convinced that they do not have the mastery of language necessary to speak up
21 Why, according to "The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action," is speaking out always worthwhile?
You may find that listeners disagree with you, and can challenge your perspective

You may find that your listeners agree with you and that you can work together

Voicing opinions is relatively easy, whereas staying silent is excruciatingly difficult

Everyone dies, regardless of whether they voice their opinions or not
22 Lorde quotes her daughter in "The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action." What does her daughter warn anger will do if left unexpressed?
"Eat you up"

"Punch you in the mouth from the inside"

"Poison you and make you sick"

"Set your whole house on fire"
23 What contradiction does Lorde identify concerning Black women and visibility?
Black women are themselves rendered invisible by society, but have learned to see others with great clarity

Black women hate being visible, but find that they draw undue attention regardless

Black women are good at courting visibility, but then punished for their popularity

Black women are rendered both hyper-visible and invisible by society
24 How does Lorde define Umoja, a principle associated with Kwanzaa?
Imagination

Self-determination

Unity

Collective responsibility
25 What does Lorde urge women who teach to do in "The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action?"
Avoid discussing whether or not writers assigned in class are feminist or not

Assign older books as well as contemporary ones

Teach works written by people unlike themselves

Allow students to turn in creative as well as critical work

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