Button, Button
What is the name of the wife in the story?
Norma
What does Mary use to kill her husband?
a frozen leg of lamb
What does Judson put into the cocktail glass?
A. A sleeping pill
B. A harmless powder
C. A poisonous substance
D. Lemon juice
C. A poisonous substance
Who is Captain Torres?
A. A revolutionary leader fighting the government
B. A soldier who hunts and executes rebels
C. A friend of the barber
D. A customer who owns the barbershop
B. A soldier who hunts and executes rebels
What reason does the narrator give for wanting to kill the old man?
A. He wants the old man’s money.
B. He is angry about being mistreated.
C. He is disturbed by the old man’s “vulture eye.”
D. He believes the old man has committed a crime.
C. He is disturbed by the old man’s “vulture eye.”
What is the name of the husband in the story?
Arthur
Where does Mary go for her alibi?
grocery store
Why does Judson say he wants to poison the drink?
A. He wants to play a prank on a friend.
B. He wants to punish a guest who stole liquor before.
C. He’s testing a new product.
D. He wants to impress his wife with his cleverness.
B. He wants to punish a guest who stole liquor before.
What internal conflict does the barber face?
A. Whether to close his shop or keep it open
B. Whether to warn Torres of an attack
C. Whether to kill Torres or remain true to his duty as a barber
D. Whether to confess his secret identity
C. Whether to kill Torres or remain true to his duty as a barber
How does Poe build suspense during the nights before the murder?
A. By describing the narrator’s careful, slow approach to the sleeping man
B. By revealing the outcome in advance
C. By switching between multiple narrators
D. By including flashbacks to the narrator’s childhood
A. By describing the narrator’s careful, slow approach to the sleeping man
Which detail best builds suspense in the story?
A. Norma’s excitement about the money
B. Mr. Steward’s calm and polite manner
C. Arthur’s refusal to press the button
D. The mystery of what will happen if the button is pushed
D. The mystery of what will happen if the button is pushed
What technique does Dahl use to create dramatic irony?
A. He shows the murder from Mary’s point of view.
B. He hides the murder weapon until the end.
C. He allows the reader to know what the police do not.
D. He describes the lamb’s thoughts.
C. He allows the reader to know what the police do not.
What type of irony is shown at the end of the story?
A. Situational irony
B. Verbal irony
C. Dramatic irony
D. Cosmic irony
A. Situational irony
How does the author create suspense throughout the story?
A. By describing the barber’s calm and relaxed attitude
B. By making the reader wonder if the barber will kill Captain Torres
C. By switching between multiple characters’ points of view
D. By revealing the outcome at the start
B. By making the reader wonder if the barber will kill Captain Torres
How does the narrator hide the evidence of his crime?
A. He buries the body in the yard.
B. He burns the body in the fireplace.
C. He dismembers the body and hides it under the floorboards.
D. He throws the body into a river.
C. He dismembers the body and hides it under the floorboards.
What does the author’s use of dialogue reveal about Norma’s character?
A. She is patient and thoughtful.
B. She values curiosity more than morality.
C. She trusts Mr. Steward completely.
D. She is afraid of her husband’s judgment.
B. She values curiosity more than morality.
How does Mary’s behavior change after she kills her husband?
A. She becomes hysterical and calls for help.
B. She acts calm and calculated to hide her guilt.
C. She runs away in fear.
D. She blames her husband for forcing her hand.
B. She acts calm and calculated to hide her guilt.
How does the author create suspense in the story?
A. By revealing the poison early on
B. By showing Marcia’s secret thoughts about Judson’s cruelty
C. By describing the setting in great detail
D. By including flashbacks about their marriage
B. By showing Marcia’s secret thoughts about Judson’s cruelty
How does the author use point of view to build tension?
A. By limiting the reader’s knowledge to the barber’s thoughts
B. By switching between the barber and Torres
C. By having an all-knowing narrator reveal both sides
D. By describing events from a bystander’s perspective
A. By limiting the reader’s knowledge to the barber’s thoughts
How does Poe’s use of repetition affect the mood of the story?
A. It creates a calm, rhythmic tone.
B. It emphasizes the narrator’s growing madness.
C. It makes the story easier to understand.
D. It shows the narrator’s careful reasoning.
B. It emphasizes the narrator’s growing madness.
Which theme is best supported by the story’s ending?
A. Greed can lead to unintended consequences.
B. People should always take risks.
C. Honesty is the best policy.
D. Love conquers fear.
A. Greed can lead to unintended consequences.
Which word best describes Dahl’s tone in the story’s conclusion?
A. Tragic
B. Ironic
C. Mysterious
D. Sentimental
B. Ironic
What does the ending reveal about Judson’s character?
A. He is careless and overconfident.
B. He regrets his actions.
C. He wants to change his ways.
D. He is misunderstood by his wife.
A. He is careless and overconfident.
What tone best describes the story’s overall mood?
A. Peaceful and calm
B. Tense and reflective
C. Romantic and emotional
D. Angry and chaotic
B. Tense and reflective
What detail best reveals the narrator’s unreliability?
A. He claims to love the old man while planning to kill him.
B. He describes the old man’s eye vividly.
C. He hides the body under the floorboards.
D. He confesses his crime to the police.
A. He claims to love the old man while planning to kill him.