Multiple Choice Question

The multiple choice question resource creates questions where multiple answers can be correct. Participants can select multiple options from the provided choices, and all correct answers must be selected to get the question right.

HCL Syntax

Basic Syntax

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resource "multiple_choice_question" "name" {
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  question = "Which of the following are container orchestration platforms?"
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  answer = [
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    "Kubernetes",
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    "Docker Swarm"
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  ]
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  distractors = [
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    "Apache Kafka",
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    "Redis"
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  ]
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}

Full Syntax

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resource "multiple_choice_question" "name" {
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  question = "Which of the following are benefits of using Docker containers?"
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  answer = [
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    "Consistent environments across development and production",
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    "Efficient resource utilization",
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    "Easy application deployment"
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  ]
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  distractors = [
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    "Automatic code optimization",
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    "Built-in database management"
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  ]
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  hints = [
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    "Think about portability and resource usage",
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    "Consider deployment and environment consistency"
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  ]
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  tags = ["docker", "containers", "benefits"]
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}

Fields

Core Configuration

multiple_choice_question

Field	Required	Type	Description
`question`	✓	string	The question text presented to participants
`answer`	✓	list(string)	The correct answer options (participants must select all)
`distractors`	✓	list(string)	Incorrect answer options presented alongside correct answers
`hints`		list(string)	Hints shown to participants when hints are enabled. Defaults to empty list.
`tags`		list(string)	Tags for categorizing and organizing questions. Defaults to empty list.

Validation Rules

Answer uniqueness: Correct answers must not appear in the distractors list
Minimum answers: Must have at least 1 correct answer
Multiple correct answers: At least 2 correct answers recommended for true multiple choice
Minimum options: Must have at least 3 total options (answers + distractors)
Maximum options: Recommended maximum of 6-8 total options for usability

Examples

Technology Selection Question

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resource "multiple_choice_question" "cloud_services" {
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  question = "Which of the following are Amazon Web Services (AWS) compute services?"
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  answer = [
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    "EC2",
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    "Lambda",
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    "ECS"
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  ]
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  distractors = [
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    "BigQuery",
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    "Cloud Functions",
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    "App Engine"
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  ]
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  tags = ["aws", "cloud", "compute"]
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}

Best Practices Question

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resource "multiple_choice_question" "security_practices" {
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  question = "Which of the following are recommended security practices for containers?"
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  answer = [
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    "Use minimal base images",
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    "Scan images for vulnerabilities",
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    "Run containers as non-root users",
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    "Keep container images updated"
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  ]
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  distractors = [
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    "Store secrets in image files",
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    "Use the latest tag for production"
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  ]
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  hints = [
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    "Think about reducing attack surface",
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    "Consider secrets management and image versioning"
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  ]
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  tags = ["security", "containers", "best-practices"]
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}

Knowledge Assessment Question

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resource "multiple_choice_question" "kubernetes_components" {
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  question = "Which of the following are core Kubernetes control plane components?"
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  answer = [
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    "kube-apiserver",
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    "etcd",
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    "kube-scheduler"
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  ]
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  distractors = [
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    "kubelet",
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    "kube-proxy",
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    "container runtime"
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  ]
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  tags = ["kubernetes", "architecture", "components"]
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}

Practical Application Question

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resource "multiple_choice_question" "docker_commands" {
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  question = "Which Docker commands can be used to view running containers?"
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  answer = [
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    "docker ps",
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    "docker container ls"
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  ]
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  distractors = [
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    "docker images",
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    "docker logs",
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    "docker exec"
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  ]
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  hints = [
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    "These commands list active containers",
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    "One is the newer syntax, one is the classic syntax"
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  ]
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  tags = ["docker", "commands", "containers"]
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}

Design Guidelines

Question Writing

Clear Instructions: Make it clear that multiple answers may be correct
Logical Grouping: Ensure correct answers belong to the same category
Balanced Options: Include 2-4 correct answers typically
Avoid Overlap: Ensure answers don’t contradict each other

Answer Options

Thematic Consistency: All options should relate to the same topic
Plausible Distractors: Make incorrect options believable
Equal Weighting: All correct answers should be equally important
Comprehensive Coverage: Test breadth of knowledge in the topic area

Hints and Explanations

Category Hints: Provide hints about what type of answers to look for
Process Guidance: Help participants think through the selection process
Comprehensive Explanations: Explain why each option is correct or incorrect
Learning Reinforcement: Use explanations to strengthen understanding

Scoring

Multiple choice questions use all-or-nothing scoring:

Participants must select all correct answers and no incorrect answers
Partial credit is not awarded for selecting only some correct answers
The question is marked incorrect if any wrong options are selected

Usage in Quizzes

Multiple choice questions are referenced in quiz resources:

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resource "quiz" "comprehensive_assessment" {
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  questions = [
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    resource.multiple_choice_question.cloud_services,
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    resource.multiple_choice_question.security_practices,
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    resource.multiple_choice_question.kubernetes_components
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  ]
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  show_hints = true
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  attempts   = 2
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}

Best Practices

Clear Question Stem: Make the question clear about expecting multiple answers
Balanced Difficulty: Include a mix of obvious and subtle correct answers
Logical Distractors: Use common misconceptions as incorrect options
Appropriate Scope: Don’t make questions too broad or too narrow
Consistent Format: Keep all options in similar format and length
Educational Value: Use questions that reinforce important concepts
Real-world Relevance: Focus on practical knowledge and application
Review Carefully: Test questions to ensure all correct answers are truly correct