The Life of Olaudah Equiano

by

Olaudah Equiano

The Life of Olaudah Equiano: Chapter 1 Quiz 11 questions

Test your knowledge of Chapter 1. Submit your answers to see your results and get feedback.
What is the primary reason Equiano gives for writing his memoir?
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To highlight his personal achievements
To seek praise and recognition
To promote the interests of humanity
To compare his life with that of Europeans
What is the goal of Equiano's narrative regarding the European perception of Africa?
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To criticize European misconceptions about Africa
To act as a cultural messenger between Africa and Europe
To highlight the differences between African and European cultures
To showcase the superiority of African customs over European ones
What does Equiano mention about the punishment for adultery in his village?
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It was generally ignored by the community
It required the payment of a fine
It involved a public shaming ceremony
It was punishable by slavery or death
How does Equiano's portrayal of his society serve as a contrast to European society?
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By highlighting its lack of luxury compared to European decadence
By depicting it as less civilized and more primitive
By showing it as more luxurious and decadent than European society
By emphasizing its technological advancements over Europe
How does Equiano frame his home community's view of slavery?
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As a brutal practice dominated by white Europeans
As an almost unremarkable part of everyday life
As a recent and unfamiliar concept to the society
As a large-scale industry similar to the European slave trade
How does Equiano address the concept of beauty in his narrative?
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By showing European standards of beauty as universally superior
By highlighting the natural beauty of his homeland and its people
By demonstrating the cultural relativism of beauty standards
By criticizing the physical appearance of Europeans
What does Equiano describe as a common purpose of wars in his homeland?
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To gain prisoners and goods
To settle disputes over land and resources
To defend against European invaders
To demonstrate military strength and power
How does Equiano differentiate between the treatment of enslaved people in Benin and the treatment of enslaved people in the West Indies?
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Enslaved people in Benin were treated with more brutality
The treatment was similar in Benin and the West Indies
Enslaved people in Benin had no rights or freedoms whatsoever
Enslaved people in Benin were almost completely assimilated into the community
Other than outlining the religious beliefs of his community in Benin, what is significant about Equiano's description of going with his mother to bring offerings to his grandmother's tomb?
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It illustrates certain cultural values that Equiano no longer believes in
It paints a humanizing picture of his relationship with his mother
It demonstrates his unwillingness to view death as a frightening thing
It hints at his later aversion to ceremonial proceedings
What is the purpose of Equiano's description of Benin culture?
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To present an idealized portrait of an overlooked population
To demonstrate that Benin culture is quite similar to European culture
To show readers that he has left Benin behind forever
To spotlight the cultural vibrancy of a population largely overlooked by Europeans
How does Equiano address the notion of cultural and racial superiority?
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By asserting that Africans are inherently superior to Europeans
By suggesting that cultural superiority is difficult to establish
By arguing that all humans have a common history
By saying that Europeans have always been physically weak