“The Oval Portrait”
Questionnaire 1:
1) What is the object of the author's description ? Give some elements of this description.
2) Find the odd man out. The castle is sumptuously decorated with :
a- multiform armorial trophies
b- tapestry
c- an unusually great number of very spirited modern paintings in
frames of rich golden arabesque
d- antique vases with dull colors
e- velvet curtains
3) Where has the main character found the book ?
4) What is the role of the candlesticks in history ?
5) What can be distinguished in the background of the table described ?
a- a forest
b- a sunset
c- a wave
d- a starlit night
e- the mountains
6) Does the spirit the painting seem rather gloomy or light ?
7) "As a thing of art nothing could be more admirable than the painting itself". Explain this
sentence in context by giving your point of view.
8) What does the painting mean to this man ?
a- beauty
b- a waste of time
c- entertainment
d- the resurrection
e- a source of income
9) Why did the painter decide to paint this woman ?
10) Do you think art is the place of expression ? Justify your answer.
11) Ultimately, this story is a reflection on :
a- eternal life
b- a fascinating reading
c- the power of painting
d- art as consolation
e- memories of a haunted castle
Camille A.
