What Is Honesty? Take This Trivia Quiz And Find Out!

1. Which of the following words BEST describes honesty?

Lie

Truth

Denial

Deceit

Merriam-Webster's dictionary online defines honesty as fairness and straightforwardness of conduct.

Explanation

Merriam-Webster's dictionary online defines honesty as fairness and straightforwardness of conduct.

2. Let's say you running in the hallway at school and an adult tells you to stop running. What do you do?

Tell the adult it was your twin brother

Keep running

Hide

Stop running, walk, and admit you were breaking a school rule

Walking in the hallways is a school rule. It is important that everyone follows the rules at school. You can show people you are honest by following school rules.

Explanation

Walking in the hallways is a school rule. It is important that everyone follows the rules at school. You can show people you are honest by following school rules.

3. Long ago a young boy borrowed a book about the life of George Washington from his teacher because he loved to read. This young boy lived in a cabin. When he wasn't reading books he placed his books on a shelf in the cabin so they would be safe. One night a terrible storm came and rain poured through the cracks of the cabin and soaked the book, ruining it. Knowing his teacher would make him pay for the book, what do you think this young boy did?

He told the teacher what really happened

He told the teacher he didn't know how it got wet

He told the teacher someone else dropped it in a puddle

He told the teacher someone stole it

Abraham Lincoln is the boy in this question. He is remembered as Honest Abe. Telling the truth to adults is part of having good character.

Explanation

Abraham Lincoln is the boy in this question. He is remembered as Honest Abe. Telling the truth to adults is part of having good character.

4. In a classic Italian fairy tale, a wooden boy has a spell placed on him by a blue fairy. Every time he tells a lie something happens to him. Do you know what happens?

A star falls from the sky

He sits in a corner

He goes to bed without dessert

His nose grows longer

You were right! The story is about Pinocchio. While your nose may not grow longer if you tell a lie, telling the truth helps you stay out of trouble and avoid consequences.

Explanation

You were right! The story is about Pinocchio. While your nose may not grow longer if you tell a lie, telling the truth helps you stay out of trouble and avoid consequences.

5. There was a sheperd boy who watched his flock of sheep on the hill outside a village. One day he decided to play a trick on the townspeople and began to cry, "The wolves are eating my sheep!" All the people from the village came running to help but the shepherd boy just laughed because he had fooled them. The boy played the trick on the villagers a second time but then one day he spotted a real pack of wolves coming up the hill. He desperately cried, "Help, Wolves! Wolves are coming to eat my sheep!" Do you know what happened next?

He scared the wolves away.

The boy laughed at the wolf.

He herded the sheep to safety.

No one came to help the boy because he had tricked them before.

If you don't tell the truth then people may not believe you when you do.

Explanation

If you don't tell the truth then people may not believe you when you do.

6. In the ancient days before the moon lit up the sky, there was a Cherokee boy, Blackfox, who was the ball player in his tribe. His village always won games. They played another Cherokee village on the other side of a ridge. As the game progressed, Blackfox realized he was not playing well and his team was losing. When he thought no one was looking he broke the rules of the game to make a score. All of a sudden the boy and the ball began rising higher and higher in the sky. That night, a miraculous thing happened. The Cherokee people could see a bright silver ball in the night sky with the face of a boy. From that day forward, each time the Cherokee villagers saw the moon , they were reminded to do which of the following?

Always play by the rules

Work before play

Make sure no one is looking before cheating

Go to bed after playing soccer

It's not whether you win or lose but how you play the game.

Explanation

It's not whether you win or lose but how you play the game.

7. In a fable by Aesop, A woodman was working near a river when he dropped his axe and it fell into the river. He stood on the bank and began to cry, for without the axe he couldn't make a living. The god Mercury appeared and offered to dive into the river and fetch the axe. To test the woodman's honesty, he first brought up an axe made of silver. "No," said the man, "that isn't mine." Then Mercury fetched up one of gold, which was also rejected. Finally he produced the woodman's own plain wooden axe, which he gratefully accepted. Mercury was so pleased with his honesty that he gave him the other two axes as well.Why do you think the woodman wouldn't take the axes of silver and gold?

He thought Mercury was lying.

He was an honest person and would not take something that did not belong to him.

He didn't know that silver and gold were worth money.

He just wanted to get back to work.

Aesop was an ancient writer who is famous for writing fables that tell a lesson or moral. The moral of this fable is honesty is always the best policy.

Explanation

Aesop was an ancient writer who is famous for writing fables that tell a lesson or moral. The moral of this fable is honesty is always the best policy.

8. When you are at school and follow the rules, only take what belongs to you, and always tell the truth then you are being honest. Why is this important to keep friends, stay out of trouble, and make good decisions?

You are showing you have good character.

Being honest helps you succeed in school.

When you are true to other's you are true to yourself.

All of the above

The best way to encourage honesty is to create an environment of honesty and generosity. We are all responsible for this at school.

Explanation

The best way to encourage honesty is to create an environment of honesty and generosity. We are all responsible for this at school.

9. Francis Bacon in his essay "Of Truth" described truth, or honesty as which of the following?

An inferior virtue

A winding or crooked course

The sovereign good of human nature

A breach of faith

In his essay "Of Truth," Francis Bacon describes truth, or honesty, as the sovereign good of human nature. This means that truth is the ultimate and most important virtue for humans. It implies that being honest and truthful is not only morally right but also essential for the well-being and flourishing of human beings. Bacon emphasizes the significance of truthfulness in guiding human actions and relationships, highlighting its fundamental role in promoting a just and harmonious society.

Explanation

In his essay "Of Truth," Francis Bacon describes truth, or honesty, as the sovereign good of human nature. This means that truth is the ultimate and most important virtue for humans. It implies that being honest and truthful is not only morally right but also essential for the well-being and flourishing of human beings. Bacon emphasizes the significance of truthfulness in guiding human actions and relationships, highlighting its fundamental role in promoting a just and harmonious society.

10. There once was a six year old boy who lived on a farm in Virginia. He had gotten a hachet. He was playing and chopping down everything that came his way. Just to see how sharp it was, he chopped the bark of his father's favorite cherry tree. His father was angry and demanded to know who had done this. Even though the boy was afraid to tell his father he said, "I cannot tell a lie, father, you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it with my little hatchet.'' The anger died out of his father's face, and taking the boy tenderly in his arms, he said: "My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me than a thousand trees! Yes - though they were blossomed with silver and had leaves of the purest gold!'' The young boy grew up to be the first president of the United States. Who was he?

Abraham Lincoln

George Washington

John Adams

Barack Obama

We don't know if this tale about George Washington is true but we do learn that it is important to tell the truth even when we are afraid. The tale of George Washington and the cherry tree reveals the reputation of a person with moral fortitude.

Explanation

We don't know if this tale about George Washington is true but we do learn that it is important to tell the truth even when we are afraid. The tale of George Washington and the cherry tree reveals the reputation of a person with moral fortitude.