Online exploration activity part 2
'Accommodating work and family life' & 'The war years'

Multiple Choice Quiz

1) How did John and Elsie Curtin change their home to suit their changing family circumstances?

One answer only.
   They built brick additions as their family grew.
   They enclosed the verandahs to create more rooms.
   They bought a block across the road and built a bigger house.
   They just shared rooms.

2) The Jarrad Street home saw many changes over the years. What change do you think took place last?

One answer only.
   enlarging the lounge room
   replacing the lattice work around the front and side verandahs with weather boards and windows
   converting the original kitchen into a bedroom
   converting the breakfast room to a sleepout for Annie
   moving the kitchen to the back verandah

3) While the Curtin home had very little decoration, by the late 1930s it did have certain modern conveniences such as

One answer only.
   a gas stove, large pantry and telephone
   an indoor toilet (water closet)
   an electric refridgerator and electric hot water system
   a two car garage

4) John Curtin received a large number of visitors at home when he became the Federal Member for Fremantle and later, Leader of the Federal Opposition because

One answer only.
   he preferred to work from home
   he had no electoral office in Fremantle
   he was too lazy to catch the train to go to the office
   none of the above

5) The extension to the front room of the house was very important to Curtin because it meant that

One answer only.
   he could play cricket with the kids in the lounge room
   he could shift all his electoral work to his home
   he could entertain a lot more
   he had space for a large library, comfortable reading chairs and more room for his many visitors

6) The audio clip in which Curtin's daughter, Elsie Macleod, speaks about her father's duties as a Member of Parliament reveals something of the impact of Curtin's parliamentary and party work on the family's life. Elsie remembers that her father

One answer only.
   was always in Canberra and so his work load had very little impact on the family.
   had many visitors, piles of correspondence and non-stop phone calls when at home but that the family just accepted this and took it in stride.
   worked from his Fremantle electoral office to reduce the impact on his family.
   had a secretary who looked after all his callers, phone calls and letters.

7) John Curtin was unusual as a war-time prime minister in comparison to other leaders because

One answer only.
   he had just one secretary
   he had no body guard
   he travelled by air regularly
   he had no office in his home town

8) Where did Elsie Curtin live when John Curtin was prime minister?

One answer only.
   Mrs Curtin moved to Canberra and lived at the Lodge throughout his prime ministership.
   Mrs Curtin remained at home in Perth and looked after Curtin's electoral affairs in Fremantle.
   Mrs Curtin spent about two months a year in Canberra and the rest of the time in Perth.
   Mrs Curtin spent about two months a year in Perth and the rest of the time in Canberra.

9) The clipping from the Australian Women's Weekly featured Mrs Curtin encouraging women to "Be a shock trooper in the Austerity Army!" What did the clipping reveal as the task of the Austerity Army?

One answer only.
   to wage war on wastage
   to wage war on the Americans
   to encourage women to join the workforce
   to encourage men to work harder at home

10) What sorts of food were in short supply because they were needed for the Allied Forces?

One answer only.
   fresh fruits, green vegetables and honey
   potatoes, rice, beef and pork
   mutton, lamb, butter and sugar
   cake and biscuits

11) How was Elsie Curtin setting an example of austerity at the Lodge in Canberra?

One answer only.
   She applied the golden rule of austerity shopping by only buying things she really needed.
   She closed many rooms in the Lodge.
   She arranged plain wholesome meals for herself and the Prime Minister.
   All of the above

12) The audio clip of Gladys Joyce (personal secretary to Prime Minister Curtin) recounting the difficulties of war-time shortages tells us something about Curtin as Prime Minister and his views on rationing. Which of the following best describes his attitude?

One answer only.
   Curtin believed that rationing only applied to ordinary people and not the Prime Minister.
   Curtin didn’t try to bend the rules just because he was Prime Minister.
   Curtin got his secretary to get around the rules for him.
   Curtin broke the rules just like other people.


This test has been created using the CASTLE Toolkit


Continue on to the final part of the exploration 'Farewell to the PM' & 'The Hypothesis Re-visited'

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