Figurative Language
What type of figurative language is used in the phrase, “He had the eye of a vulture”?
A. Metaphor
B. Simile
C. Personification
D. Hyperbole
A. Metaphor
What does the word vexed most likely mean in this sentence:
"For it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye."
A. Comforted
B. Annoyed
C. Surprised
D. Entertained
B. Annoyed
How does the narrator describe himself at the beginning of the story?
A. Calm and patient
B. Mad and dangerous
C. Nervous but not mad
D. Afraid of the old man
C. Nervous but not mad
What creates suspense at the beginning of the story?
A. The narrator’s long descriptions of his home
B. The narrator insisting he is not mad without being asked
C. The old man yelling at the narrator
D. The sound of footsteps outside
B. The narrator insisting he is not mad without being asked
Which best describes Poe’s tone in The Tell-Tale Heart?
A. Cheerful and lighthearted
B. Calm and objective
C. Dark and intense
D. Humorous and silly
C. Dark and intense
In the story, the narrator says, “It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage.” What is the effect of this simile?
A. It shows the narrator’s love of music.
B. It explains how the narrator becomes frightened.
C. It compares the narrator’s anger to growing bravery.
D. It reveals the narrator’s confusion.
C. It compares the narrator’s anger to growing bravery.
What does the word profound mean in this sentence:
"So you see he would have been a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept."
A. Deep in thought
B. Foolish
C. Angry
D. Forgetful
A. Deep in thought
Which detail best shows that the narrator is unreliable?
A. He speaks politely to the old man.
B. He says he can hear “all things in the heaven and in the earth.”
C. He cleans up the crime scene carefully.
D. He hides the body under the floorboards.
B. He says he can hear “all things in the heaven and in the earth.”
Which event most increases suspense before the murder?
A. The narrator sits quietly in the dark for a full hour
B. The narrator reads the newspaper out loud
C. The narrator talks about his childhood
D. The narrator opens a window to let in light
A. The narrator sits quietly in the dark for a full hour
What literary device does Poe use by having the narrator insist “I’m not mad”?
A. Foreshadowing
B. Flashback
C. Dramatic irony
D. Simile
C. Dramatic irony
Which of the following is an example of personification in the story?
A. “I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth.”
B. “His eye resembled that of a vulture.”
C. “Death, in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him.”
D. “I smiled, for what had I to fear?”
C. “Death, in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him.”
What does sagacity mean as used here:
"Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers—of my sagacity."
A. Madness
B. Wisdom
C. Weakness
D. Sadness
B. Wisdom
Why does the narrator believe he is not insane?
A. Because he never gets angry
B. Because he planned the murder carefully
C. Because he regrets the murder
D. Because he talks to the police
B. Because he planned the murder carefully
How does Poe build suspense using pacing in the story?
A. By quickly revealing the murder in the first paragraph
B. By giving background on the narrator’s past
C. By describing the slow and careful steps leading to the murder
D. By focusing only on the police investigation
C. By describing the slow and careful steps leading to the murder
How does Poe use repetition in the story?
A. To help readers remember the narrator’s name
B. To slow down the pacing and confuse the reader
C. To emphasize the narrator’s obsession and instability
D. To describe the old man’s daily routine
C. To emphasize the narrator’s obsession and instability
How does Poe’s use of figurative language affect the tone of the story?
A. It makes the story humorous and light.
B. It softens the horror of the murder.
C. It creates a mood of calm and peace.
D. It builds tension and reveals the narrator’s unstable mind.
D. It builds tension and reveals the narrator’s unstable mind.
In the line, “I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done,” what does the word gaily most likely mean?
A. Sadly
B. Nervously
C. Happily
D. Harshly
C. Happily
How does Poe use the narrator’s point of view to create suspense and build theme?
A. By showing the old man's fear from a distant perspective
B. By having the narrator justify his actions while revealing his madness
C. By switching between multiple narrators throughout the story
D. By revealing the detective’s thoughts about the murder
B. By having the narrator justify his actions while revealing his madness
Why does the beating heart sound create so much suspense at the end of the story?
A. The narrator is unsure whether it is real or imagined, and it grows louder
B. The police hear the sound and run away
C. The narrator explains that the old man was still alive
D. The story switches to the old man's point of view
A. The narrator is unsure whether it is real or imagined, and it grows louder
What effect does Poe’s use of first-person narration have on the story?
A. It makes the story feel more reliable and factual
B. It allows readers to understand the thoughts of all the characters
C. It limits the reader to the narrator’s biased and unstable viewpoint
D. It shifts the focus away from the central conflict
C. It limits the reader to the narrator’s biased and unstable viewpoint
In the line “It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night,” what effect does the personification of the idea have?
A. It shows the narrator was bored and looking for something to do
B. It creates sympathy for the narrator’s fear of the old man
C. It emphasizes how powerful and obsessive the narrator’s thoughts became
D. It explains why the narrator is afraid of the police
C. It emphasizes how powerful and obsessive the narrator’s thoughts became
What does the word dissimulation most likely mean in this line:
"You should have seen how wisely I proceeded—with what caution—with what foresight—with what dissimulation I went to work!"
A. Honesty
B. Stealth or concealment
C. Anger
D. Joy
B. Stealth or concealment
What can readers most likely infer about the narrator by the end of the story?
A. He regrets the murder deeply and wants to make things right
B. He was never actually in the room with the police
C. His guilt and paranoia overpower his sense of reality
D. He believes the old man is still alive
C. His guilt and paranoia overpower his sense of reality
Which technique does Poe use most effectively to build suspense throughout the story?
A. Fast-paced dialogue and quick action scenes
B. A calm and peaceful setting
C. Repetition of words and descriptions of sound
D. Multiple character points of view
C. Repetition of words and descriptions of sound
How does Poe’s use of sound imagery contribute to the story’s mood?
A. It confuses the reader and adds humor
B. It slows down the pace and softens the tone
C. It creates tension and mirrors the narrator’s guilt
D. It provides background music for the scenes
C. It creates tension and mirrors the narrator’s guilt