Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving
18 points
Beck English 11
Name__________________________
Date______
Period_____
VOCABULARY—find the definitions to the following words and write them down (.5 pts each)
1. satire
2. posthumous
3. termagant
4. obsequious
5. malleable
6. amiable
7. vehemently
8. placid
9. reiterated
10. torpor
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (1 pt each)
All answers should be written in complete sentences. Incomplete sentences will not be evaluated
for credit.
1. Who is Diedrich Knickerbocker? What purpose does his identity serve in the story?
2. Briefly describe the character of Rip Van Winkle.
3. Briefly describe Dame Van Winkle.
4. What does Rip do and where does he go to avoid conflict?
5. Compare and contrast the changes that take place in the village from before and after
Rip’s slumber in the forest.
ANALYTICAL (2 pts each)
All answers should be written in complete sentences. Incomplete sentences will not be evaluated
for credit.
6. What do you think is the importance of the detailed descriptions of the landscapes?
7. PG 156: In what way(s) is Rip the satirical opposite of the American Frontier hero? Use
evidence from throughout the text to support your answer.
8. PG 165: Has Rip become a different person for having had his experience in the
mountains? Use evidence from throughout the text to support your answer.
9. PG 165: What is the purpose of the note at the end of the story?