The Cherry Orchard - Study Guide , Comprehension Test

The Cherry Orchard
by Anton Chekhov
About_
The Cherry Orchard is Anton Chekhov’s final play, following the aristocratic Ranevsky family as they face the loss of
their beloved estate to auction. Set across four acts spanning May to October, the play blends comedy and tragedy
while exploring themes of social change, nostalgia, and the fading of Russia’s old aristocracy. This study guide walks
students through each act with comprehension and critical thinking questions, plus vocabulary and
character-analysis activities. This study guide contains 52 questions across 4 chapter sections (40 Factual + 12
Critical), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity.
What’s Included_
This study guide features 4 sets of 10 Factual Questions with an answer key (40 total), 4 sets of 3 Critical Analysis
Questions (12 total), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity (8 traits + evidence prompt +
critical thinking question).
Target Grades_
Grades 9-11
Teacher Note_
This guide is designed to make discussing a dense, character-driven classic more approachable, helping students
track plot, motivation, and symbolism act by act. The critical questions push students beyond recall into
interpretation and debate, while the character focus activity builds close-reading skills. We hope it saves you prep
time and sparks great classroom discussion!