Short Story Unit Test Study Guide
Michaels
English 10
Our short story unit test will be on Friday, January 18th, on the following short stories: “The
Open Window,” “The Californian’s Tale,” “The Book of the Dead,” “Two Kinds,” and “Everyday
Use.” The test will include material we have discussed and all the written work you completed
these stories. Vocabulary from each story will also appear on the test.
Consider the following questions when studying for this test:
From “The Open Window”
1. Why does Frampton Nuttel visit Mrs. Sappleton?
2. According to Mrs. Sappleton’s niece, Vera, what is Mrs. Sappleton’s great tragedy?
3. What was the Sappleton home like?
4. Why did Frampton assume that Mrs. Sappleton was delighted when her husband
came home?
5. What is the last main event of the plot?
6. What is the climax of the story?
7. Frampton’s sister gave him the letter and she worried he would just mope around
the countryside is an example of which literary device?
From “The Californian’s Tale”
1. What is the impression that the narrator gives us of the Stanislaus River at the time
he was prospecting? What is the river like?
2. What kind of men remained in the Stanislaus at that time?
3. Why did the narrator fear seeing Henry’s wife?
4. What profound effect did the death of Henry’s wife have on him?
5. Why had the party dwindled over the years from 27 men to just three friends?
6. Why do the other miners deceive Henry?
From “The Book of the Dead”
1. What did Annie’s sculpture represent?
2. Why does the story have this title?
3. Why does the newscaster want to buy Annie’s statue?
4. How does Annie’s father hide his identity?
5. What does Mr. Bienaime particularly admire about the Egyptians?
6. What was the internal conflict that made Annie’s father take the sculpture?
7. What is the theme of this story?
From “Two Kinds”
1. What does Jing-Mei’s mother think about America?
2. Why does Jing-Mei decide not to take piano lessons seriously?
3. What is the theme of this story?
4. What are the “Two Kinds” mentioned in this story?
5. What does Jing-Mei do at first when her mother tells her she can be a prodigy?
6. One word that best describes Jing-Mei’s feelings about Waverly is _______________.
7. How did Jing-Mei’s mother react to her piano recital?
From “Everyday Use”
1. How does the narrator describe herself?
2. How did the narrator believe Dee thought of her?
3. Why did Dee change her name to “Wengero”?
4. When was Maggie’s confidence shattered?
5. What do the quilts symbolize?
6. What is one word that best characterizes Dee?
7. Why did Maggie allow Dee to take the quilts?
8. How did the narrator feel at the end of the story?
***Don’t forget to study the vocabulary words that accompany each short story.