The Monkey's Paw
Who is the most likely intended audience for the story?
a. Readers who enjoy suspense, moral lessons, and supernatural tales
b. Young children learning about magical objects
c. Historians studying British colonial artifacts
d. Students trying to understand probability and chance
a. Readers who enjoy suspense, moral lessons, and supernatural tales
Which option BEST describes the speaker of the story?
a. Rainsford, explaining the events from his point of view
b. Whitney, describing the island’s legends
c. Zaroff, retelling the hunt long after it happened
d. A neutral third-person narrator describing the events objectively
d. A neutral third-person narrator describing the events objectively
Which option BEST identifies the speaker in the story?
a. A villager who witnessed the crime
b. A third-person narrator who reports events with subtle judgment
c. Jim Moore, speaking directly to the reader
d. Jelka, telling the story years later
b. A third-person narrator who reports events with subtle judgment
Which option BEST describes the speaker of the story?
a. A police officer recounting the investigation
b. Patrick Maloney describing his final moments
c. Mary Maloney telling the story from jail
d. A third-person narrator who reports events with dark humor and subtle irony
d. A third-person narrator who reports events with dark humor and subtle irony
Which option BEST describes the speaker of the story?
a. A villager who witnessed the Whites’ tragedy
b. An objective third-person omniscient narrator who reports events without commentary
c. Sgt. Major Morris retelling the events long after they happened
d. Herbert White describing the story from beyond the grave
b. An objective third-person omniscient narrator who reports events without commentary
Who is the most likely intended audience for the story?
a. Readers who enjoy fast-paced adventure and moral dilemmas
b. Hunters looking for professional tips
c. Children learning about islands
d. Scientists studying predator behavior
a. Readers who enjoy fast-paced adventure and moral dilemmas
Who is the most likely intended audience for the story?
a. Readers willing to examine cultural tension, marriage dynamics, and moral ambiguity
b. Children learning about chores
c. Historians studying ranching
d. Travelers seeking information about the Balkans
a. Readers willing to examine cultural tension, marriage dynamics, and moral ambiguity
Which type of irony is central to the story’s twist ending?
a. Verbal irony, because Mary repeatedly compliments Patrick
b. Situational irony, because the detectives eat the murder weapon they are trying to find
c. Dramatic irony, because the narrator hides information from the reader
d. Cosmic irony, because fate protects Mary
b. Situational irony, because the detectives eat the murder weapon they are trying to find
Which word BEST describes the overall tone of the story?
a. Lighthearted
b. Detached and clinical
c. Joyful and optimistic
d. Eerie and suspenseful
d. Eerie and suspenseful
What is the author’s primary purpose in writing the story?
a. To persuade readers to avoid hunting
b. To entertain readers through suspense, conflict, and moral tension
c. To inform readers about jungle survival techniques
c. To explain political debates in the 1920s
b. To entertain readers through suspense, conflict, and moral tension
Which rhetorical appeal does Steinbeck use most to shape the reader’s emotional reaction?
a. Logos, through factual explanations of customs
b. Pathos, through descriptions of Jelka’s isolation and emotional withdrawal
c. Ethos, by establishing Jim as a respected moral authority
d. Logos, through statistical comparisons of traditions
b. Pathos, through descriptions of Jelka’s isolation and emotional withdrawal
Who is the most likely intended audience for the story?
a. Young children learning about crime
b. Readers who enjoy irony, satire, and unexpected twists
c. Scholars studying food preparation
d. Police cadets practicing detective skills
b. Readers who enjoy irony, satire, and unexpected twists
What is the author’s primary purpose in writing this story?
a. To entertain readers with humor about a dysfunctional family
b. To warn readers about the dangers of interfering with fate
c. To persuade readers to be skeptical about soldiers’ stories
d. To teach a moral lesson about wise financial planning
b. To warn readers about the dangers of interfering with fate
Which word BEST describes the tone of the story?
a. Cheerful
b. Detached and scientific
c. Suspenseful with moral tension
d. Light and humorous
c. Suspenseful with moral tension
Which word BEST describes Steinbeck’s tone in the story?
a. Cheerful
b. Playful and comedic
c. Detached yet unsettling
d. Romantic
c. Detached yet unsettling
What exigency most likely influenced Dahl to write a story like this one?
a. A desire to critique domestic violence and society’s assumptions about “harmless” women
b. A need to promote home cooking
c. A fascination with detective technology
d. A childhood fear of lamb roasts
a. A desire to critique domestic violence and society’s assumptions about “harmless” women
Which rhetorical appeal does Jacobs rely on MOST to shape the reader’s emotional reaction?
a. Pathos, through Mrs. White’s grief and desperation after Herbert’s death
b. Logos, through detailed explanations about how the paw works
c. Ethos, by having Morris present himself as a reliable storyteller
d. Logos, through logical arguments about fate vs. free will
a. Pathos, through Mrs. White’s grief and desperation after Herbert’s death
Which authorial choice involving imagery most effectively heightens the suspense and danger of the island?
a. The vivid description of the dense, tangled jungle that seems to “press in” on Rainsford as he runs
b. The detailed explanation of Zaroff’s hunting trophies
c. The bright, cheerful imagery used to describe the chateau’s interior
d. The neutral description of the sea and sky
a. The vivid description of the dense, tangled jungle that seems to “press in” on Rainsford as he runs
What is Steinbeck’s primary purpose in writing “The Murder”?
a. To criticize traditional gender expectations and cultural values
b. To celebrate simple farm life
c. To argue in favor of arranged marriages
d. To provide instructions for ranch work
a. To criticize traditional gender expectations and cultural values
What is Dahl’s primary purpose in writing the story?
a. To persuade readers that detectives need better training
b. To teach readers proper meal preparation
c. To warn against eating unfamiliar food
d. To draw attention to how easily society overlooks women as potential murderers
d. To draw attention to how easily society overlooks women as potential murderers
Which type of irony is most strongly used in the story to emphasize the danger of the Whites’ wishes?
a. Dramatic irony, because the reader knows Herbert will return safely
b. Verbal irony, because characters constantly say the opposite of what they mean
c. Situational irony, because the Whites’ wishes bring tragedy instead of happiness
d. Cosmic irony, because nature itself works against the family
c. Situational irony, because the Whites’ wishes bring tragedy instead of happiness
What exigency—or motivating issue—likely inspired Connell to write the story?
a. A desire to highlight the dangers of sailing
b. The increasing popularity of big-game hunting and questions about cruelty
c. A need to teach readers how to survive on an island
d. A personal fear of darkness
b. The increasing popularity of big-game hunting and questions about cruelty
Which contextual detail BEST helps readers understand the story’s conflict?
a. Jim’s fondness for raising cattle
b. The cultural traditions Jelka was raised with
c. The family’s interest in European cooking
d. Jim’s early fear of horses
b. The cultural traditions Jelka was raised with
Which contextual detail BEST supports the story’s themes?
a. The rise of crime novels in the mid-20th century
b. The importance of holiday traditions in American culture
c. The Maloney family’s expensive home décor
d. Patrick’s interest in international travel
a. The rise of crime novels in the mid-20th century
How does Sgt. Major Morris use ethos to influence the Whites’ reaction to the monkey’s paw?
a. He brags about winning many board games
b. He cites official documents proving the paw’s power
c. He admits to using his 3 wishes
d. He avoids sharing any personal details
c. He admits to using his 3 wishes
Which contextual detail BEST explains why the story’s themes resonated with audiences in the early 20th century?
a. The rise of weapon-free recreational sports
b. Growing debates about ethics, violence, and the nature of “civilization” after World War I
c. Popularity of travel guides about the Caribbean
d. A cultural shift away from fiction toward nonfiction
b. Growing debates about ethics, violence, and the nature of “civilization” after World War I
Which sin do both Jim and Jelka commit in the story, contributing to the emotional distance and conflict between them?
a. Theft
b. Dishonesty
c. Murder
d. Adultery
d. Adultery
Which detail BEST represents Dahl’s use of pathos to make Mary’s deception believable?
a. The police officers discussing football
b. The discussion about cooking lamb
c. Mary crying hysterically when she calls the police
d. Patrick mentioning paperwork
c. Mary crying hysterically when she calls the police
Which interpretation BEST explains the author’s purpose behind Mr. White’s third and final wish?
a. It shows that Mr. White has finally accepted that the paw was harmless all along
b. It demonstrates Mr. White’s shift from curiosity to complete faith in the paw’s magical power
c. It reveals the tragic realization that undoing a wish is the only way to protect his family from the consequences of their earlier desires
d. It proves that Mr. White wants to make one more wish to become wealthy again
c. It reveals the tragic realization that undoing a wish is the only way to protect his family from the consequences of their earlier desires
Which type of irony strengthens the story’s central conflict?
a. Verbal irony, because Rainsford constantly lies to Zaroff
b. Situational irony, because the celebrated hunter becomes the hunted
c. Cosmic irony, because fate controls every decision
d. Dramatic irony, because readers know Rainsford is safe
b. Situational irony, because the celebrated hunter becomes the hunted
How does Jelka’s behavior after Jim beats her contribute to Steinbeck’s commentary on cultural conditioning and gender roles?
a. She becomes hostile and refuses to speak to Jim again
b. She calmly resumes her household duties and treats Jim with greater attentiveness, as if fulfilling the role she was taught to accept
c. She leaves the ranch permanently and returns to her family
d. She openly challenges Jim’s authority and demands changes in their marriage
b. She calmly resumes her household duties and treats Jim with greater attentiveness, as if fulfilling the role she was taught to accept
How does Mary use ethos to mislead the police?
a. She loudly blames strangers for the crime
b. She presents herself as a gentle, pregnant housewife
c. She provides scientific evidence about the murder
d. She accuses Patrick of abuse
b. She presents herself as a gentle, pregnant housewife
What does the monkey’s paw most clearly symbolize in the story?
a. Wisdom and patience
b. Temptation
c. Supernatural protection
d. A harmless souvenir from India
b. Temptation
What is the ominous island called where Rainsford becomes trapped?
a. Hunter’s Reef
b. Ship-Trap Island
c. Devil’s Key
d. Deathwatch Island
b. Ship-Trap Island
Which cultural factor MOST influences Jelka’s behavior throughout the story?
a. Childhood memories of village festivals
b. Her upbringing in an environment where obedience was demanded
c. Her interest in American fashion
d. Her desire to study literature
b. Her upbringing in an environment where obedience was demanded
What does the frozen leg of lamb most strongly symbolize?
a. Mary’s careful housekeeping
b. Domestic life turned into a weapon
c. Patrick’s favorite meal
d. The detectives’ professional hunger
b. Domestic life turned into a weapon
Which contextual detail BEST reflects how British colonialism in India influenced the story?
a. The weather constantly shifts from warm to cold
b. The monkey’s paw was taken from a fakir in India, hinting at British fascination with and exploitation of colonized cultures
c. Herbert learns about the paw in school
d. The Whites travel frequently to India for vacation
b. The monkey’s paw was taken from a fakir in India, hinting at British fascination with and exploitation of colonized cultures
How does General Zaroff establish ethos in an attempt to justify his actions?
a. He uses emotional pleas to show how guilty he feels
b. He cites scientific research about predators
c. He presents himself as cultured, educated, and experienced, making his twisted philosophy seem “reasonable”
d. He refuses to explain his background
c. He presents himself as cultured, educated, and experienced, making his twisted philosophy seem “reasonable”
Which theme is supported by the story’s ending?
a. Violence can restore emotional intimacy
b. Hard work always leads to happiness
c. Cultural acceptance requires abandoning one’s identity
d. Tradition is always more meaningful than personal morality
a. Violence can restore emotional intimacy
How does Mary’s acting after killing Patrick help Dahl achieve his purpose in the story?
a. It shows she is overwhelmed with guilt and ready to confess
b. It demonstrates her ability to control her emotions and manipulate the grocery store worker and the police
c. It reveals that she planned the murder far in advance
d. It proves she has no understanding of how investigations work
b. It demonstrates her ability to control her emotions and manipulate the grocery store worker and the police