The Book of Daniel Quizzes

The Book of Daniel Quiz 1

By Kristen Osborne · Edited by Christine McKeever · Last reviewed March 27, 2012

1 Which historical figures' lives is the novel based upon?

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

Richard and Pat Nixon

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt

Sacco and Vanzetti
2 What year was the novel published?

1971

1968

1980

1970
3 What year do the contemporary events of the novel take place?

1965

1967

1953

1970
4 What university does Daniel attend?

Columbia

Harvard

NYU

Yale
5 Who has been institutionalized at the beginning of the novel?

Daniel

Susan

Rochelle

Phyllis
6 What are Daniel and Phyllis doing in one of their first scenes together that causes Daniel to wonder how the reader might conceive of him?

Discussing his dissertation

Arguing

Having sex

Shopping
7 What is Susan's famous phrase she utters to Daniel that haunts him throughout the novel?

"You are dead to me"

"It is all your fault"

"Our parents were guilty"

"They're still fucking us"
8 Which biblical character does Daniel discuss at length?

David

Solomon

Daniel

Jesus
9 What is Robert Lewin's profession?

A lawyer

A judge

A doctor

A high school teacher
10 Who is Ascher?

Susan's therapist

A friend of the family whose testimony is used against the Isaacsons

A radical

The family lawyer
11 What phenomenon does Daniel note happens in American life after a war?

Fierce partisanship, violence, and passion replace the coalitions of wartime

Americans claim to never want to go to war again

Wartime coalitions persist and harmony prevails

Religiosity declines
12 Where did Susan attempt suicide?

Her apartment

Columbia University

The home of another radical

In the bathroom of a Howard Johnson's
13 What does Daniel say the Lewins value above all else?

Faith

Intelligence

Civility

Reason
14 What family outings does Daniel recall in detail?

Trips to the beach

Shopping at New York department stores

Church

Birthday parties
15 Which of the following statements concerning Paul Isaacson and Daniel's recollections of him is FALSE?

Paul was irresponsible and childish a lot of the time

Daniel used to enjoy listening to Paul tell him about American history and current events

Paul was the more pragmatic, reserved parent

It sometimes seemed like Paul thought it was odd that he was a father
16 What kind of business did Paul have?

A bookstore

An auto repair shop

A tailor shop

A radio repair shop
17 Which of the following descriptions of Rochelle is FALSE?

She took pride in cleaning her house

She was sensual and attractive

She possessed more rage and dogmatism

She was irresponsible and immature
18 Which of his parents' family friends did Daniel hate?

Ben Cohen

The Kantrowitz sisters

Selig Mindish

Nate Silverstein
19 Where do the Isaacsons and their friends take the bus to?

A political rally

Washington DC

The beach

A Paul Robeson concert
20 What happens to the bus on the way home from the outing in Peeksill?

Paul makes the driver stop so he can give a political speech

It is attacked by people who hate Jews, blacks, and Communists

Nothing

It is involved in a crash
21 Who stands up against the violent attackers and is injured in the process?

Rochelle

Mindish

Daniel

Paul
22 Where did Daniel meet his wife?

A Central Park Be-In

Through Susan

A protest at the Pentagon

Columbia University
23 What does Daniel force Phyllis to do while they are driving Susan's Volvo to the Lewins' house?

Take her pants off

Sit in the backseat with their son

Take the wheel while he was in the driver's seat

Remain silent for the entire ride
24 Which of the following statement about childhood life with the Lewins is FALSE?

Daniel and Susan never talked about their parents

Daniel and Susan talked obsessively about theit parents

It was comfortable and middle class

The two siblings were estranged for a few years when they were teenagers
25 Whose story does Daniel tell in the section entitled "Bintel Brief?"

Phyllis's

His maternal grandmother's

Rochelle's

Paul's