Category 1
What is the main topic of the debate that leads to the bet in "The Bet"?
The morality of capital punishment vs. life imprisonment
In the story, the lawyer becomes "emaciated." What does "emaciated" mean?
Extremely thin and weak
hat ultimately leads to true change in the banker’s character?
Reading the letter the lawyer left for him
How does the lawyer's confinement end?
He leaves voluntarily hours before the bet ends
What does "renounce" mean as it is used in the lawyer’s final letter?
Give up or reject
What is the main theme of "The Bet"?
The value of human life and the emptiness of materialism
What was the main reason the banker initially proposed the bet?
Out of boredom during a party
What does the lawyer write in his final letter?
He renounces the money and all material wealth
What does the lawyer write in his final letter?
He renounces the money and all material wealth
Why does the banker decide to keep the lawyer's letter?
To remind himself of his own moral decay
What is the lawyer's initial attitude towards the bet?
Arrogant and confident
How does the banker feel about the bet as the fifteen years come to a close?
He is desperate and plans to kill the lawyer to avoid paying
Why does the lawyer leave the lodge just before the bet ends?
To prove that he doesn’t care about the money
What is meant by the term "caprice" when used in the story?
A sudden and unpredictable action
What is the climax of the story?
The banker plans to kill the lawyer.
How does the lawyer's attitude toward his imprisonment change over time?
He becomes more content and introspective
How does the banker’s view of himself change over time?
He sees himself as weak and morally corrupt.
What emotion does the banker feel after reading the lawyer’s letter?
Shame
How does the lawyer's appearance change by the end of his confinement?
He looks frail, aged, and unrecognizable
Which item does the banker contemplate using to kill the lawyer?
A pillow
Which word best describes the lawyer's state of mind toward the end of his confinement?
Enlightened
How does the lawyer cope with his isolation in the first five years?
He reads voraciously and plays the piano
. What emotion does the lawyer express in the letter he leaves before the bet ends?
Disillusionment
In the sentence, “He read books on chemistry and medicine, novels, and frivolous literature.”, what does frivolous most likely mean?
Light-hearted and superficial
In the sentence, “The lawyer, a young man of twenty-five, when asked his opinion, said: ‘Capital punishment and life imprisonment are equally immoral, but if I had to choose between the death penalty and imprisonment for life, I would certainly choose the second. To live anyhow is better than not at all.’”, what does immoral most likely mean?
Wrong or unethical