Zarnas/Edmonds
English 10 GP
Name____________________________
Per_______ Date_______
“Contents of a Dead Man’s Pockets”
Time and Sequence: Put the following ten events from the story in chronological order. Indicate
the correct order by numbering the blanks.
_____ As he retrieves his yellow paper, Tom looks down into the street and becomes paralyzed with fear.
_____ A gust of air blows Tom’s yellow paper out the window as Tom says goodbye to his wife.
_____ Tom bursts into laughter and leaves to find his wife.
_____ Tom decides to retrieve his yellow paper from the ledge of the building.
_____ When he encounters a empty space in his attempt to return to his apartment, Tom scrambles and
shuts his apartment window.
_____ Tom feels conflicted about sending his wife to the movies alone.
_____ Understanding that if he doesn’t act he will certainly fall to his death, Tom punches the window.
_____ Tom realizes that if he dies, his death will be a mystery. The only clue will be the yellow paper in
his pocket, which would be incomprehensible to others.
_____ Tom lights the letters in his pocket and drops coins from the ledge to attract attention.
_____ Tom watches as the yellow sheet flies out the glassless window.
Vocabulary Exercises: “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket”
Indicate whether the pairs are synonyms (S) or antonyms (A) by writing the letter on the blank.
_____ 1. projection/indention
_____ 2. discard/delete
_____ 3. confirmation/proof
_____ 4. exhalation/inhalation
______ 5. imperceptibly/noticeably
_____ 6. rebounded/bounced back
______ 7. incomprehensible/understandable
______ 8. unimpeded/stopped
Fill in the blank with the word that best completes the sentence.
irrelevantly
projection
interminable
exhalation
confirmation
unimpeded
discarding
rebounded
1. Mike was overjoyed when he received the ____________ that he had gotten the job.
2. Although only an hour had passed, the speech by the accounting supervisor seemed ___________ to the
audience.
3. The coach was upset when the other team’s defensive line found ___________ paths to his quarterback again and
again.
4. The ___________ of relief was audible all around the operating room when the new procedure proved effective.
5. Not all businesses __________ after the slump; some were forced to close.
Circle which word does not belong in the group.
1. interminable
ceaseless
curtailed
ongoing
2. exhalation
gasp
sigh
respiration
3. imperceptibly
gradually
slowly
quickly
4. discarding
tossing
eliminating
adding
5. unimpeded
blocked
unobstructed
open