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Critiques of American Society in Science Fiction Answers

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In "Harrison Bergeron," why is Harrison Bergeron’s character considered a danger to society?

A
He is more physically and intellectually capable than others and this threatens their sense of equality.
B
He calls himself the Emperor and has constructed a detailed plot to overthrow the government.
C
He breaks into the studio and kidnaps a ballerina.
D
He is able to easily remove his handicap radio device.
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Read the excerpt from "Harrison Bergeron."Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts. And George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear. He was required by law to wear it at all times. It was tuned to a government transmitter. Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains.How could this excerpt serve as a warning about the consequences of forced uniformity?

A
by suggesting that forced uniformity specifically benefits individuals who are of average intelligence
B
by suggesting that forced uniformity encourages certain people to break the law
C
by implying that forced uniformity interferes with individuals’ intellectual development
D
by implying that forced uniformity hampers a society’s ability to use new technologies
3

Which of the following excerpts from "Harrison Bergeron" best illustrates irony?

A
“If you see this boy,” said the ballerina, “do not—I repeat, do not—try to reason with him.”
B
“He is a genius and an athlete, is under-handicapped, and should be regarded as extremely dangerous.”
C
“My God—” said George, “that must be Harrison!”
D
“Gee—I could tell that one was a doozy,” said Hazel.
4

Read the excerpt from "Harrison Bergeron."“Ladies and gentlemen—” said the ballerina, reading the bulletin. She must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous. And it was easy to see that she was the strongest and most graceful of all the dancers, for her handicap bags were as big as those worn by two-hundred-pound men.What is ironic about this excerpt?

A
The ballerina is described as beautiful, but she is actually hideous.
B
The news bulletin being read on the television is about Harrison.
C
The ballerina is able to read the news bulletin flawlessly while wearing a mask and handicap bags.
D
The handicaps devised to conceal the ballerina’s strength and beauty actually accentuate them.
5

Read the excerpt from "Harrison Bergeron."“All of a sudden you look so tired,” said Hazel. “Why don’t you stretch out on the sofa, so’s you can rest your handicap bag on the pillows, honeybunch.” She was referring to the forty-seven pounds of birdshot in a canvas bag, which was padlocked around George’s neck. “Go on and rest the bag for a little while,” she said. “I don’t care if you’re not equal to me for a while.”George weighed the bag with his hands. “I don’t mind it,” he said. “I don’t notice it any more. It’s just a part of me.”This dialogue between George and Hazel portrays George as a

A
static character because he has accepted society’s rules and does not try to challenge them.
B
dynamic character because he makes sacrifices so that Hazel can feel good about herself.
C
static character because he does not report Hazel to the Handicapper General for her suggestion.
D
dynamic character because he needs handicap device to control his strength and intelligence.
6

Read the excerpt from "Harrison Bergeron."Scrap metal was hung all over him. Ordinarily, there was a certain symmetry, a military neatness to the handicaps issued to strong people, but Harrison looked like a walking junkyard. In the race of life, Harrison carried three hundred pounds.And to offset his good looks, the H-G men required that he wear at all times a red rubber ball for a nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off, and cover his even white teeth with black caps at snaggle-tooth random.How does Harrison Bergeron’s physical description help to create satire?

A
The contrast of military neatness with Harrison’s appearance highlights the importance of sameness.
B
The absurdity of Harrison’s exaggerated handicaps ridicules society’s obsession with eliminating advantages.
C
The humorous description of Harrison’s appearance suggests that good looks are unimportant.
D
The numerous handicaps issued to Harrison criticize society’s obsession with superficial appearances.
7

Read the excerpt from "Harrison Bergeron."A police photograph of Harrison Bergeron was flashed on the screen—upside down, then sideways, upside down again, then right side up.This excerpt is an example of satire because it humorously

A
exposes the incompetence that this society views as normal.
B
portrays Harrison Bergeron as being more dangerous than he really is.
C
exaggerates the effects of George Bergeron’s handicaps.
D
illustrates how television and other media control society.
8

Which condition is considered most dangerous by George and Hazel Bergeron in "Harrison Bergeron"?

A
conformity
B
oppression
C
equality
D
competition
9

Read the excerpt from "Harrison Bergeron."He tried to think a little about the ballerinas. They weren’t really very good—no better than anybody else would have been, anyway. They were burdened with sash-weights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in. George was toying with the vague notion that maybe dancers shouldn’t be handicapped. This excerpt best illustrates Kurt Vonnegut’s message that

A
everyone in a society should have equal talent and beauty.
B
advances in technology should be closely monitored.
C
television viewing limits individual thought and creativity.
D
absolute equality prevents personal freedoms of expression.
10

Read the excerpt from "Harrison Bergeron."The musicians scrambled back into their chairs, and Harrison stripped them of their handicaps, too. “Play your best,” he told them, “and I’ll make you barons and dukes and earls.”The music began. It was normal at first—cheap, silly, false. But Harrison snatched two musicians from their chairs, waved them like batons as he sang the music as he wanted it played. He slammed them back into their chairs.How does Vonnegut use irony in this excerpt?

A
The musicians are described as the opposite of what is expected.
B
The normal music is described as the opposite of what is expected.
C
Harrison’s actions contradict his character.
D
Harrison’s words contradict his character.

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