Figurative Language
Which of the following lines from the play is an example of repetition?
A. “I saw him again.”
B. “There was a car coming toward me.”
C. “He was standing there—standing there.”
D. “I was driving to California.”
C. “He was standing there—standing there.”
What does the word hitchhiker most likely mean in the play?
A. A person who repairs cars
B. Someone who walks on the highway
C. A person asking for a ride from passing cars
D. A driver going on a road trip
C. A person asking for a ride from passing cars
Who is the narrator of The Hitchhiker?
A. A police officer
B. The hitchhiker himself
C. Ronald Adams
D. Ronald’s mother
C. Ronald Adams
What is the mood at the beginning of the play?
A. Calm and relaxed
B. Dark and mysterious
C. Funny and lighthearted
D. Boring and slow
B. Dark and mysterious
1. Which technique is used in both stories to build suspense?
A. Humor
B. Repetition
C. Flashbacks
D. Rhyme
B. Repetition
What is the effect of the phrase, “...like a chill from a dead man’s spine”?
A. It makes the listener feel peaceful.
B. It describes how cold the night is.
C. It compares the wind to a creepy sensation.
D. It explains why the man is dead.
C. It compares the wind to a creepy sensation.
In the play, what does the word nondescript mean when Ronald says the man looked “nondescript”?
A. Dangerous
B. Easy to recognize
C. Hard to describe
D. Wearing a uniform
C. Hard to describe
What point of view is used in the radio play?
A. First person
B. Second person
C. Third person limited
D. Third person omniscient
A. First person
Which sound effect helps build suspense during the play?
A. Birds chirping
B. Car horns honking
C. The tires hitting a bump
D. The eerie silence after Ronald sees the man
D. The eerie silence after Ronald sees the man
2. How do both authors use the narrator’s thoughts to create suspense?
A. They describe the setting in great detail.
B. They show the narrators planning crimes.
C. They let the audience hear the narrator’s growing fear or obsession.
D. They focus mostly on what other characters are doing.
C. They let the audience hear the narrator’s growing fear or obsession.
Which type of figurative language is used in the line, “The sky was a vast black sea”?
A. Simile
B. Metaphor
C. Hyperbole
D. Personification
B. Metaphor
What does Ronald most likely mean when he says, “a mental whirligig”?
A. He’s thinking clearly
B. He’s dizzy or confused
C. He’s enjoying the drive
D. He’s falling asleep
B. He’s dizzy or confused
How does the first-person point of view affect the story?
A. It helps the listener know what all characters are thinking.
B. It creates suspense by only showing Ronald’s thoughts.
C. It makes the story confusing.
D. It makes Ronald seem unreliable.
B. It creates suspense by only showing Ronald’s thoughts.
Why does the audience feel uneasy each time Ronald sees the hitchhiker?
A. The man is friendly.
B. The sightings happen too close together.
C. It’s strange that the same man appears in different places.
D. Ronald keeps crashing the car.
C. It’s strange that the same man appears in different places.
3. What is one difference in how Poe and Fletcher use pacing to create suspense?
A. Poe uses fast pacing and Fletcher uses no suspense.
B. Fletcher builds suspense slowly through repetition, while Poe uses sudden, dramatic moments.
C. Poe uses sound effects to build pacing, and Fletcher uses rhyme.
D. Fletcher focuses only on action, while Poe only uses dialogue.
B. Fletcher builds suspense slowly through repetition, while Poe uses sudden, dramatic moments.
In the line, “The rain was tapping at the windshield like an impatient finger,” the word tapping helps create a mood of—
A. excitement
B. annoyance
C. suspense
D. confusion
C. suspense
What does the term hallucination suggest about Ronald’s experiences?
A. He is dreaming
B. He is imagining things that aren’t real
C. He is remembering his past
D. He is talking to someone else
B. He is imagining things that aren’t real
Which of the following best supports the idea that Ronald is an unreliable narrator?
A. He says he sees the same man over and over.
B. He drives across the country alone.
C. He never stops for gas.
D. He listens to the radio.
A. He says he sees the same man over and over.
How does Fletcher use pacing to increase suspense in the story?
A. She adds a lot of jokes and dialogue.
B. She has Ronald meet many people quickly.
C. She repeats events with slight changes and delays.
D. She reveals everything at once.
C. She repeats events with slight changes and delays.
Which statement best compares the tone of the two works?
A. Both have a playful tone that lightens the mood.
B. The Tell-Tale Heart is calmer, while The Hitchhiker is more emotional.
C. The Tell-Tale Heart is more intense and creepy, while The Hitchhiker is eerie and mysterious.
D. Both stories use a romantic and dreamy tone.
C. The Tell-Tale Heart is more intense and creepy, while The Hitchhiker is eerie and mysterious.
What is most likely the author’s purpose in using vivid similes and metaphors throughout the play?
A. To show off her writing skill
B. To help the listener picture the setting
C. To explain scientific details
D. To slow down the pacing
B. To help the listener picture the setting
What is the best meaning of the word phantom in the context of the final scene?
A. A real person who is hiding
B. A memory from childhood
C. A spirit or ghost-like figure
D. A type of hitchhiker
C. A spirit or ghost-like figure
How does Fletcher use Ronald’s narration to build tension in the story?
A. By having him speak to other characters often
B. By letting listeners hear his thoughts and confusion
C. By switching between many narrators
D. By using flashbacks only
B. By letting listeners hear his thoughts and confusion
What makes the phone call with Ronald’s mother a turning point in the mood of the story?
A. It confirms Ronald is almost home.
B. It reveals something strange has happened to Ronald.
C. It adds a happy ending.
D. It distracts from the mystery.
B. It reveals something strange has happened to Ronald.
How do the endings of both stories reflect the author’s style of suspense?
A. Both end with the narrator realizing they’ve been dreaming.
B. Both authors end the story suddenly, revealing a disturbing truth.
C. Poe ends with a question, and Fletcher ends with a confession.
D. Fletcher ends with a happy twist, while Poe leaves it unresolved.
B. Both authors end the story suddenly, revealing a disturbing truth.