West Side Story Test

(DOK 1 / DOK 2) Multiple Choice (15 of 25 randomly selected)

1. What was the name of the two gangs in the play

a. Sharks and Crabs c. Sharks and Jets

b. Blood and Bones d. Jets and Plane

2. The Leader of the Sharks was….

a. Riff d. Tony
b. Rod e. Bernard
c. Anita

3. Which gang was at fault more?

a. The Jets because they killed first

b. The Sharks because they hated more
c. They were both wrong for solving their problems through violence
d. Neither, they were just trying to survive

4. At the end of the play what happens when they are trying to carry away Tony’s dead
body?

a. The gangs get into a fight

b. The police shoot the leaders
c. The police arrest everyone
d. The two gangs come together to help

5. The leader of the Jets was named…

a. Tiny d. Bernardo
b. Rat Boy e. Mari
c. Tony

6. The other leader of the Jets was…

a. Anita c. Tom
b. Riff d. Baby John
7. How are the police portrayed in the play?

a. Hones d. Funny and comical

b. Unfair and somewhat racist e. Professional
c. Mean and brutal

8. Tony didn’t want to be in a gang anymore because…

a. He wanted to travel
b. He didn’t like the guys in the gang
c. He wanted to work and find a girl
d. He forgot the secret handshake

9. Who was Anita?

a. The girlfriend of Tony d. The sister of Leo

b. The girlfriend of Bernardo e. Both A and B
c. The sister of Bernardo

10. Anybody’s is the girl in the gang. She ends up…

a. Dead d. Helping the gang

b. Married e. Finding a guy
c. Both A and B

11. Why did Chino shoot Tony?

a. Because Tony loved Maria

b. Because Tony killed Bernardo
c. Because Tony was the leader of the Sharks
d. Both A and B
e. A, B, and C

12. What was the name of Bernardo’s sister?

a. Maria d. Alice
b. Anita e. George
c. Destiny

13. Who was Doc?

a. The bartender c. A teacher

b. The doctor d. Owner of the drugstore
14. The rumble was fought

a. At the shore
b. At the river
c. Under the bridge
d. At the playground

15. What were the two gangs fighting over?

a. Money c. Girls
b. Territory d. Drugs

16. What city was WEST SIDE STORY set in?

a. West Point c. New York

b. Chicago d. London

17. West Side Story has been translated into Japanese, Serbo-Croatian, Hungarian,
Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, French, Russian, and not so
surprisingly, into Spanish. It was originally…

a. Spanish d. French
b. German e. Latin
c. English

18. West Side Story was based on…

a. The Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum

b. Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare
c. Gone With TheWind, by Margaret Mitchell
d. A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

19. Who made up the original creative team for West Side Story

a. Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondeim, Jerome Robbins

b. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Sondheim, Ivo Van Hove, Anne Teresa De
Keersmaeker
c. Peter Gennaro, Oliver Smith, Bill Kenwright, Stephen Sondheim
d. Stephen Sondheim, Justin Peck, Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner
20. Who are Schrank and Krupke?

a. Members of the Jets c. Police Officers

b. Members of the Sharks d. Probation Officers

21. What does Maria’s white dress symbolize?

a. That she is pure and innocent.

b. That she is from Puerto Rico.
c. That she is single and unmarried.
d. That she is promised to someone.

22. Who killed Tony?

a. Bernardo c. Riff
b. Action d. Chino

23. Why is Tony searching for Chino?

a. He wanted to apologize for Bernardo’s death

b. He was trying to find Maria, who was with Chino
c. He wanted to kill Chino
d. He wanted Chino to kill him

24. What did A-Rab do to Anita when she went to Doc’s Candy Shop?

a. Helped her find Doc

b. Attacked her
c. Helped her find Tony
d. Gave her aspirin for Maria

25. What did Tony promise he would do for Maria

a. Buy her jewelry

b. Stop the rumble from happening
c. Ask her parents for her hand in marriage
d. Rent an apartment for them to live in
Literary Comparisons (7 of 7 selected)
West Side Story vs Romeo and Juliet
West Side Story is a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Romeo and
Juliet. After reading Romeo and Juliet, a number of interesting comparisons can be made
between the two works.

(DOK 2) Match the characters in West Side Story with their Romeo and Juliet counterparts.

1. Tony A. Friar Laurence

2. Maria B. Nurse
3. Chino C. Mercutio
4. Bernardo D. Tybalt
5. Riff E. Paris
6. Anita F. Juliet
7. Doc G. Romeo

Foreign Language Vocabulary (5 of 10 randomly selected)

(DOK 1) Match the Spanish Word and Phrase with its English Translation.

1. Querida, una poca A. Good afternoon.

2. Momentito B. Bravo/well done.
3. Calladito C. Witch (female).
4. Si, ya vengo D. Let’s go, boys, it’s late.
5. Te adoro E. I adore/love you.
6. Vaminos, chicos, es tarde F. Yes, I’m coming.
7. Bruja G. Quietly.
8. Brava H. Momentarily.
9. Buenas tardes I. Dear (darling), a little.
10. Maruca J. A nickname for Maria; also a type of
snail, moth, and fish
Theatre Vocabulary (10 of 21 randomly selected)
(DOK 1) Match the correct word with its definition.

WORD BANK
Actor/Actress Critique/Review Libretto
Blocking Cue Monologue
Cast/Company Dialogue Motivation
Character Director Musical Theatre
Choreography Dress Rehearsal Playwright
Comedy Ensemble Props
Costume Gesture Stage

1. The area where the characters perform - usually containing a set.

2. The item carried or used by actors.
3. The person who writes a play or book of the musical (also called libretto).
4. A type of play that contains music, singing, and usually dancing.
5. A character’s reason for doing or saying something.
6. A long speech by a single character.
7. The book or text of a musical or opera.
8. An expressive body movement.
9. The group of performers on stage (usually with multiple roles) that support the story. In
musicals, this group typically does large song and dance numbers.
10. The final rehearsal before the performance with costumes and makeup.
11. The person who oversees the entire creative vision and staging of a production.
12. The conversation between actors on stage.
13. A signal that indicates something else is about to happen.
14. Opinions and comments that evaluate the actors or their performances.
15. The clothing or outfit worn on stage by performers.
16. A work of theatre that is funny.
17. The organized dance moves.
18. A personality that an actor or script creates.
19. All of the actors in the entire show.
20. The actor’s movements on the stage.
21. Someone who performs on stage or screen.
Historic Culture Language Vocabulary (10 of 20 randomly selected)
(DOK 1) Match the West Side Story Play Slang Language with its definition.

West Side Story is set in a world of street-kids, the late 1950’s, and colliding cultures. The
characters have their own jargon and phrases derived from various sources and languages. On
top of this “wham-bam school” of jargon, the Puerto Ricans also use a combination of English
and Spanish slang to communicate.

WORD BANK
Stool Pigeon Gassin’ Ginger Peachy
Acemen Crabbin’ Jazz
Rocketmen Clobbered Licked
Rank-and-file Daddy-O Bust
Casual Cornball Tin Horn
Fracas Square Whamo Bamo
Social Worker Frabbajabba Kiddando

1. A person who acts strong and 14. The individuals who constitute the
powerful, but is actually weak and body of an armed force; regular,
unimportant. enlisted men, not officers or
2. To punch or hit; also, a break up captains.
and/ or get caught 15. The second highest ranking
3. Beaten or defeated members of the gang.
4. Liveliness or excitement; fighting; 16. Highest ranking member of the
also: insincere or exaggerated talk. group or gang; essentially the
5. Excellent, or splendid. officers of the gang/group.
6. A person who is conventional or 17. A person acting as a decoy or
conservative in their way of life. informer; especially, a spy sent into
7. Old-fashioned, corny. a group to report back to the police
8. Similar to “dude” or “man” but with about the group’s activity.
much cooler connotations, a name 18. A faux-Spanish word, like “kiddo,”
of respect. pejoratively used by Bernardo
9. Heavily defeated or hit. against the Jets
10. Complaining. 19. Nonsensical chatter
11. Talking, running your mouth. 20. An utterance in the wham-bam
12. A noisy disturbance or quarrel. school, indicating bursts of explosive
13. An enlisted person awaiting energy, or the landing of a punch
assignment or transportation to a
unit.
Essay Questions: (DOK 2, 3, 4) (3 of 3 selected)

A. Write a paragraph on your favorite scene in the play. Explain the scene and why you
liked it.

(EXAMPLE: My favorite scene in the movie is when women express how they feel about
America through a song. Also, the women are trying to make the gang members see the
benefits they can receive when they become Americans. When all the women are
singing, they sound like angels and sync with each other. Lastly, I liked the dress they
wore for this scene because their dress colors got my attention.)

B. Describe instances of racism, stereotyping, and gender inequity in the play.

(EXAMPLE: In the play, white men look like the top of the food chain, the individuals who
tell people what to do and when to do it. Also, run the streets and act on how an
American man should act. When the two gangs were fighting, the police officer called out
the PuertoRicans instead of the white gangs. Furthermore, the white police officers tell
the white gang to keep an eye out for the Puerto Ricans. In the play, they are portrayed
as good people that do not do anything wrong.)

C. Explain what “Passing” is? Are you for or against it?

(EXAMPLE: A person’s ability to be recognized as a member of an identity group or

class different from their own, which involves racial identification, ethnicity, belief, aga,
and disability status.

I am for it because everyone should be accepted. After all, we are all the same people in
different bodies.)