RL.1 Key Ideas and Details
In The Necklace, Which detail from the passage best supports the idea that Madame Loisel is unhappy with her social status?
A. She dreams of elegant dinners and fine gowns.
B. She thanks her husband for the stew he brings home.
C. She refuses to attend the ball.
D. She enjoys her modest apartment.
A. She dreams of elegant dinners and fine gowns.
Which statement expresses the theme of “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant?
A. Hard work always leads to success and happiness.
B. It is better to be honest and content with what you have than to live for appearances.
C. Wealth and beauty guarantee respect and love from others.
D. Luck determines a person’s happiness in life.
B. It is better to be honest and content with what you have than to live for appearances.
How does Jonathan’s attitude toward life affect the events in “Civil Peace”?
A. His optimism allows him to rebuild his home and earn money, even after losing possessions.
B. His complaints about the war prevent him from taking action.
C. His fear of thieves causes him to hide from the community.
D. His pessimism makes his family give up on rebuilding their lives.
A. His optimism allows him to rebuild his home and earn money, even after losing possessions.
In “Civil Peace”, what is the effect of the repeated phrase “Nothing puzzles God” on the meaning and tone of the story?
A. It shows that Jonathan is confused and unsure about his future.
B. It emphasizes Jonathan’s gratitude and optimistic attitude, creating a hopeful tone.
C. It suggests that Jonathan is careless with his possessions.
D. It reveals that Jonathan blames God for his hardships.
B. It emphasizes Jonathan’s gratitude and optimistic attitude, creating a hopeful tone.
How does the sequence of events in “Civil Peace”—from Jonathan surviving the war, to receiving the small windfall, to the thieves taking his money—affect the story’s meaning?
A. It emphasizes that life after the war is simple and without challenges.
B. It highlights Jonathan’s resilience and optimism, showing how he adapts to setbacks and appreciates what he has.
C. It shows that Jonathan is careless and faces predictable consequences.
D. It demonstrates that luck alone determines a person’s success after the war.
B. It highlights Jonathan’s resilience and optimism, showing how he adapts to setbacks and appreciates what he has.
Which detail from the passage best supports the idea that Madame Loisel values appearance over reality?
A. She borrows a diamond necklace to look wealthy.
B. She refuses to dance at the ball.
C. She tells her husband not to buy new shoes.
D. She immediately admits losing the necklace.
A. She borrows a diamond necklace to look wealthy.
Which detail or event first presents an indication of the theme in “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant?
A. Madame Loisel feels unhappy and believes she deserves a more luxurious life.
B. Madame Loisel borrows the diamond necklace from Madame Forestier.
C. Madame Loisel loses the necklace after the ball.
D. Madame Loisel and her husband spend ten years paying off their debt.
A. Madame Loisel feels unhappy and believes she deserves a more luxurious life.
How do the events of the thieves taking Jonathan’s money contribute to the development of the story’s theme?
A. They show that Jonathan’s optimism and gratitude help him overcome setbacks.
B. They show that Jonathan should have hidden his money better.
C. They show that the war has completely destroyed Jonathan’s home and family.
D. They show that Jonathan becomes bitter and gives up on life.
A. They show that Jonathan’s optimism and gratitude help him overcome setbacks.
"Jonathan did not waste time. He counted the money. 'One hundred pounds!’ he said. 'Nothing puzzles God.' He was happy, but he did not waste any time. He ran out to tell his neighbors and to thank God for this small windfall that would help him and his family survive the hard times after the war."
In this paragraph, what does the phrase “a small windfall” most likely mean, and how does it affect the tone?
A. It means Jonathan lost all his money, creating a tone of despair.
B. It means Jonathan received an unexpected amount of money, creating a tone of hope and gratitude.
C. It means Jonathan borrowed money from a friend, creating a tone of tension.
D. It means Jonathan refused to take money, creating a tone of pride.
B. It means Jonathan received an unexpected amount of money, creating a tone of hope and gratitude.
How does Chinua Achebe’s use of chronological events in “Civil Peace”—from Jonathan counting his money to the encounter with the thieves—help develop the story’s theme?
A. It shows that Jonathan’s life is chaotic and unpredictable, highlighting the randomness of life.
B. It creates a cause-and-effect structure that emphasizes Jonathan’s optimism and resilience despite challenges.
C. It demonstrates that Jonathan is careless with his money and faces consequences.
D. It emphasizes that Jonathan relies solely on luck to survive after the war.
B. It creates a cause-and-effect structure that emphasizes Jonathan’s optimism and resilience despite challenges.
Which detail from the passage best supports the idea that Monsieur Loisel is content with his simple life?
A. He eagerly eats the stew his wife criticizes.
B. He complains about not being rich.
C. He avoids going to the ball.
D. He spends money on expensive clothes.
A. He eagerly eats the stew his wife criticizes.
Which statement best expresses a theme of “Civil Peace” by Chinua Achebe?
A. Hard work and determination always lead to wealth.
B. True peace can only be achieved through government support.
C. Gratitude and faith can help people endure difficult times.
D. People should rely only on themselves to survive hardship.
C. Gratitude and faith can help people endure difficult times.
Which event most significantly advances the plot of “Civil Peace”?
A. Jonathan counts his money from the “egg-rasher” job and thanks God.
B. Thieves break into Jonathan’s house and take some of his money.
C. Jonathan rebuilds his home using leftover materials from the war.
D. Jonathan reflects on his good fortune despite the losses he suffered.
B. Thieves break into Jonathan’s house and take some of his money.
"She was unhappy all the time. She felt that she had been born for every delicacy and luxury. She had no clothes, no jewelry, no means of being elegant. She suffered endlessly because of her poverty, and the smallest thing seemed unbearable to her."
In this paragraph, what does the phrase “the smallest thing seemed unbearable” suggest about Madame Loisel, and how does it affect the tone?
A. It shows that she is practical and content, creating a calm tone.
B. It shows that she is overly sensitive and dissatisfied with her life, creating a tone of frustration and longing.
C. It shows that she is generous and happy, creating a joyful tone.
D. It shows that she is indifferent to her circumstances, creating a neutral tone.
B. It shows that she is overly sensitive and dissatisfied with her life, creating a tone of frustration and longing.
How does Achebe’s placement of the thieves’ robbery near the end of the story affect its overall impact?
A. It surprises the reader and emphasizes that Jonathan’s optimism is tested, reinforcing the story’s theme of resilience.
B. It resolves the story quickly and shows that Jonathan was careless.
C. It creates a comedic tone that undermines the story’s message.
D. It shows that Jonathan’s life is completely ruined by the loss.
A. It surprises the reader and emphasizes that Jonathan’s optimism is tested, reinforcing the story’s theme of resilience.
Which detail from “Civil Peace” best supports the idea that Jonathan is grateful for what he still has after the war?
A. Jonathan worries constantly about losing his bicycle again.
B. Jonathan rebuilds his house with leftover materials from the war.
C. Jonathan thanks God repeatedly and says, “Nothing puzzles God.”
D. Jonathan refuses to help others who are struggling after the war.
C. Jonathan thanks God repeatedly and says, “Nothing puzzles God.”
How does Chinua Achebe develop the theme of resilience and optimism in “Civil Peace”?
A. By showing how Jonathan immediately becomes rich after the war.
B. By describing how Jonathan and his family work together to rebuild their home and livelihood.
C. By explaining how the government rewards people who survived the war.
D. By emphasizing that Jonathan never faces any challenges or losses.
B. By describing how Jonathan and his family work together to rebuild their home and livelihood.
How does Madame Loisel’s desire for wealth and social status influence the events in “The Necklace”?
A. It motivates her to borrow the necklace, which eventually leads to years of hardship.
B. It helps her gain the respect and admiration of everyone at the ball.
C. It causes her to refuse to go to the ball and stay home instead.
D. It encourages her husband to buy her expensive jewelry to make her happy.
A. It motivates her to borrow the necklace, which eventually leads to years of hardship.
"She danced, sang, and laughed with joy. All the men admired her. She felt as if she had been born for this splendid life, and for one evening, she forgot her poverty and misery."
In this paragraph, what does the phrase “she forgot her poverty and misery” suggest about Madame Loisel, and how does it affect the tone?
A. It suggests she is careless with money, creating a tone of irresponsibility.
B. It suggests she is grateful for her simple life, creating a tone of contentment.
C. It suggests she is indifferent to her situation, creating a neutral tone.
D. It suggests she feels briefly happy and glamorous, creating a tone of excitement and longing.
D. It suggests she feels briefly happy and glamorous, creating a tone of excitement and longing.
How does Maupassant’s structure—beginning with Madame Loisel’s dissatisfaction, moving to the ball, the loss of the necklace, and ending with the revelation of the necklace’s true value—affect the story’s overall meaning?
A. It emphasizes that wealth always leads to happiness.
B. It creates dramatic irony and highlights the consequences of vanity and valuing appearances over reality.
C. It shows that Madame Loisel was careless from the beginning.
D. It suggests that life is unfair and that effort never matters.
B. It creates dramatic irony and highlights the consequences of vanity and valuing appearances over reality.
Which detail from “Civil Peace” supports the idea that Jonathan remains optimistic even after experiencing loss and hardship?
A. Jonathan complains that his bicycle was almost stolen during the war.
B. Jonathan rebuilds his damaged home and begins working again right away.
C. Jonathan refuses to speak to his neighbors about his problems.
D. Jonathan hides his earnings because he fears losing them.
B. Jonathan rebuilds his damaged home and begins working again right away.
Which event best demonstrates the theme of appreciating what you have in “Civil Peace”?
A. Jonathan counts his money from the “egg-rasher” job and thanks God, saying, “Nothing puzzles God.”
Jonathan's house is damaged during the war.
C. Thieves steal some of Jonathan’s money.
D. Jonathan repairs his bicycle to start a new business.
A. Jonathan counts his money from the “egg-rasher” job and thanks God, saying, “Nothing puzzles God.”
How does the author use the lost necklace to develop the story’s theme?
A. The lost necklace shows that appearances can be deceiving and that vanity can lead to suffering.
B. The lost necklace proves that Madame Loisel was always dishonest.
C. The lost necklace demonstrates that wealth always brings happiness.
D. The lost necklace causes Madame Loisel to become wealthy and admired.
A. The lost necklace shows that appearances can be deceiving and that vanity can lead to suffering.
"She fastened the necklace around her neck and gazed at herself in the mirror. It seemed to her that she had never looked so beautiful, and that all the admiration of the room was hers."
In this paragraph, what does the necklace symbolize, and how does Maupassant’s description affect the tone?
A. The necklace symbolizes wealth and status, and the description creates a tone of pride and longing.
B. The necklace symbolizes honesty, and the description creates a tone of guilt.
C. The necklace symbolizes simplicity, and the description creates a tone of contentment.
D. The necklace symbolizes friendship, and the description creates a tone of gratitude.
A. The necklace symbolizes wealth and status, and the description creates a tone of pride and longing.
How does the placement of the story’s ending—revealing that the necklace was fake—affect the reader’s understanding of the story?
A. It emphasizes that Madame Loisel’s suffering was unnecessary and highlights the story’s theme about vanity and the danger of valuing appearances.
B. It shows that Madame Loisel was dishonest from the beginning.
C. It creates a happy ending that rewards Madame Loisel for her hard work.
D. It suggests that wealth is always deceptive and untrustworthy.
A. It emphasizes that Madame Loisel’s suffering was unnecessary and highlights the story’s theme about vanity and the danger of valuing appearances.