Study Guide for Test on Short Stories
“The Lady, or the Tiger?”
1. Is it an external or internal conflict when the princess decides which door her lover should
open?
2. If the man opens the door with the tiger, would he face an external or internal conflict?
3. Why does the king put the princess’ lover on trial?
4. Does the princess’ lover believe that she will discover what is behind each door?
5. Which door does the lover open at the end of the story?
6. Put the following statement from the story into your own words: “In after-years such things
became commonplace enough; but then they were novel and startling.”
7. How does the princess tell her lover which door to open?
“The Most Dangerous Game”
8. What happens when Rainsford leans on the rail of the yacht?
9. Provide three (3) examples of foreshadowing in the story.
10. Provide three (3) examples of external conflict for Rainsford.
11. Provide two (2) examples of internal conflict for Rainsford.
12. Why does the line “…the massive door with a leering gargoyle for a knocker was real enough;
yet above it all hung an air of unreality” help create suspense?
13. What three (3) qualities does Zaroff believe the ideal game for hunting should have?
14. Provide two (2) examples of suspense from the story.
15. How does Zaroff “help Providence a bit”?
“The Interlopers”
16. Where does the story take place?
17. Why do Ulrich and Georg have a disagreement?
18. What do Ulrich and Georg do when they first see each other?
19. Why does Ulrich consider ending the feud with Georg?
20. Why does Georg refuse Ulrich’s offer of wine?
21. Once the men have reconciled, why does each man want his men to arrive first?
22. The wolves’ arrival is an example of?
“The Necklace”
23. Why is Mathilde unhappy at the beginning of the story?
24. Why does Mathilde refuse to visit her old friend anymore?
25. What did Monsieur Loisel expect from his wife when he gave her the party invitation?
26. Why does Madame Loisel hurry away as she and her husband leave the party?
27. What does the “round table covered for the third day with the same cloth” symbolize
for Mathilde?
28. What does Mathilde look like after the debt is paid?
29. Why is the ending of the story ironic?
“The Cask of Amontillado”
30. In what point of view is this story written?
31. The line “At length I would be avenged” helps the author create?
32. How does Montresor get Fortunato to go to the vaults with him?
33. What is the mood of the story?
34. Choose a line that you feel believes best contributes to the mood of the story.
35. Choose a line that you believe best creates suspense in the story.
36. Provide three (3) examples of irony in the story.
“The Gift of the Magi”
37. What does “the gray cat on the gray fence in the gray backyard” symbolize?
38. What is Della’s problem at the beginning of the story?
39. How does Della solve her problem?
40. What does the blurred nametag on Jim and Della’s apartment symbolize?
41. What is Jim’s problem at the end of the story when Della gives him his Christmas present?
42. What does Della do with the money she gets from selling her hair?
43. Who are the Magi? They are inventors of what?
44. How are Jim and Della like the Magi?
45. What is the theme of the story?
“The Scarlet Ibis”
46. In what point of view is this story written? Therefore, all characterization in the story is what
type?
47. How does Doodle’s relationship with the family change when he learns to crawl?
48. Why is the narrator excited when he Doodle looks at him and smiles?
49. What does the narrator decide to share with Doodle when he realizes he is stuck with him?
50. How does Doodle’s brother convince him to keep trying to walk?
51. How did Doodle’s brother react when Doodle walks for the family on his birthday?
52. What can Doodle do better than his big brother?
Note: Vocabulary from all seven stories will also be on the test.