Short Story Unit
Study Guide
Name: _______________________________
Tic Tac Toe Question Prompts
Directions: Pick any row, column, or diagonal set of questions. For each
of the 3 boxes, finish the question and answer it. The answer will be what
you write on your paper.
Why did…?
What should
(character
name) have
done/do…?
What…?
Explain why…?
How did…?
What does…?
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What would
happen if…?
How would
the reader
know…?
What
should…?
Mrs. Ortiz’s Famous Reading Check
Questions
“The Lady of the Tiger” Questions:
1. For what purpose did the king use his arena?
2. How was a subject’s guilt determined?
3. Why was the young courtier thrown into prison?
4. How did the princess learn the secret of the doors?
5. What is unique about this plot?
6. What is ironic about this system of determining who is innocent and guilty?
“The Most Dangerous Game” Questions:
1. What is the name of Zaroff’s island?
2. Which animal does Rainsford consider to be the most dangerous game?
3. What animal does Zaroff believe to be the most dangerous game?
4. What weapon does Rainsford carry during the hunt?
5. What is the first trap Rainsford plans for Zaroff?
6. How does Rainsford escape from Zaroff and the hounds?
7. Where is the climax of the story? Find one line that represents the highest moment of the story (the
climax).
“The Cask of Amontillado” Questions:
1. According to Montresor, what is Fortunato’s weak point?
2. Why are there no attendants at the narrator’s palazzo?
3. Where does Montresor lead Fortunato?
4. What is ironic about what Fortunado says on page 97: “Enough, the cough is a mere nothing; it will
not kill me. I shall not die of a cough.”
5. Why is Fortunato unable to resist when Montresor chains him to the granite wall?
“The Lottery” Questions:
1. When you think of a “lottery” what do you usually think of?
2. What are the children, and eventually the men, collecting at the beginning of the story?
3. Who is in charge of the lottery and the box?
4. Describe the box.
5. Who shows up late to the lottery? How could this be a foreshadow for the end of the story?
6. Who picks for the family if the father isn’t present?
7. What does it mean at the end when it says, “…and then they were upon her”?
8. What is ironic about the title of this story?
“The Veldt” Questions:
1. What is the setting of this story?
2. In what ways are the Hadley’s the typical American family? Give examples!
3. How does the nursery work?
4. Indentify 2 external conflicts. Identify at least 1 internal conflict.
5. What is important about the change of program in the nursery from innocent fairy tales to the
appearance of lions?
6. What are the lions off in the distance doing in the nursery?
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7. What significant object(s) does George find in the nursery?
8. Name 3 foreshadows.
9. Who are the “adults” in this story? Who are the “children”?
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Literary Terms To Know
Plot
Characterization
Setting
Theme
Point of View
5
Conflict
Symbol
Irony
Protagonist
Antagonist
Imagery
6
Figurative Language
Simile
Metaphor
Personification
Flashback
Tone
Foreshadow
Suspense
7
Title:
Author:
Setting
Conflict:
Plot:
Exposition:
Rising Action:
Climax:
Falling Action:
Resolution:
Irony:
Theme:
8
Title: “The Most Dangerous Game”
Author:
Setting
Characters:
Protagonist:
Characteristics of Protagonist:
Antagonist:
Characteristics of Antagonist:
Conflict:
Plot:
Exposition:
Rising Action:
Climax:
Falling Action:
Resolution:
Foreshadow
Suspense
Theme:
9
Title:
Author:
Setting:
Characters:
Antagonist:
Others:
Conflict:
Plot:
E:
CLIMAX:
RA:
FA:
R:
Point of View:
Tone:
Proof:
Imagery:
Irony:
Figurative Language:
____________________
Foreshadow:
10
Title: “The Lottery”
Author:
Setting:
Characters:
Protagonist:
Others:
Conflict:
Plot:
E:
CLIMAX:
RA:
FA:
R:
Point of View:
Tone:
Proof:
Symbol:
Irony:
Flashback:
Foreshadow:
Theme:
11
Title:
Author:
Setting:
Characters:
Protagonist:
Antagonist:
Conflict:
Climax:
Point of View:
Foreshadow:
Flashback:
Simile/Metaphor/
Personification:
Symbols:
Irony:
Theme:
12
Title:
Author:
Setting:
Characters:
Protagonist:
Antagonist:
Conflict:
Climax:
Point of View:
Foreshadow:
Flashback:
Simile/Metaphor/
Personification:
Symbols:
Irony:
Theme:
13
Title:
Author:
Setting:
Characters:
Protagonist:
Antagonist:
Conflict:
Climax:
Theme:
14
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