"The Dinner Party"
  • 1. Mrs. Wynnes knew that a cobra was in the room because she...
A) saw it in the rafters
B) noticed it crawl under the table
C) felt it on her foot
  • 2. The American didn't warn the guests about the cobra because he...
A) was too frightened to say anything
B) wasn't sure that a cobra was actually in the room
C) feared that any noise or movement would cause the cobra to strike
  • 3. The colonel believed that, in a crisis, a woman would...
A) show more control than a man
B) remain quite calm
C) always panic
  • 4. The cobra came out because it was...
A) attracted by the milk
B) awakened by the sound of the American counting
C) frightened by the guests
  • 5. A large dinner party took place in a spacious dining room. What is the meaning of the word 'spacious'?
A) fashionable
B) shabby or run-down
C) tiny or small
D) great or vast
  • 6. The American's first impulse was to warn the others. Which of the following best defines the word 'impulse'?
A) instinct or urge
B) information or knowledge
C) attempt or try
  • 7. Anyone who moved would forfeit fifty rupees. The word 'forfeit' means...
A) surrender
B) display
C) earn
D) borrow
  • 8. At the count of 280, the American saw the cobra emerge. Which phrase best defines the word 'emerge'?
A) slip slowly away
B) blend into its surroundings
C) suddently strike
D) come into view
  • 9. What happened last in the plot of the story?
A) The cobra moved toward the veranda doors.
B) A young girl argued with a colonel.
C) The American began to count to three hundred.
  • 10. Which sentence best characterizes Mrs. Wynnes?
A) She was calm and courageous.
B) She talked a lot but never listened.
C) She was easily frightened.
D) She was a poor hostess.
  • 11. "The Dinner Party" is set in...
A) England
B) the United States
C) India
D) Ireland
  • 12. Which sentence best expresses the theme of the story?
A) Women are calmer than men.
B) Men are more courageous than women.
C) Your gender has no impact on how courageous you are.
  • 13. The use of third-person point of view in this story makes the reader feel like a...
A) participant
B) relative
C) spectator
D) friend
  • 14. What is the initiating event for this story?
A) the guests screaming as the veranda doors close
B) the change in expression on the face of the hostess
C) the Indian boy placing milk on the veranda
D) the American's challenge for the guests to keep still
  • 15. Which detail about the setting contributes to the plot of the story?
A) India is the second-most populous country in the world.
B) India is located in Southern Asia.
C) The plant life in India is very exot
D) Cobras live in India.
  • 16. What does the author mean by the prase "jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse" in paragraph 2?
A) an athletic response
B) an appropriate activity
C) a fearful reaction
D) a quick movement
  • 17. What does the author mean by the phrase "like stone images" in paragraph 9?
A) appearing to shift
B) without moving
C) without any life
D) as large as statues
  • 18. What is a theme of this story?
A) A large group of guests can be difficult to manage.
B) A calm reaction to a crisis is the best choice.
C) Beware of snakes under the dinner table.
D) Men usually react better in a crisis situation.
  • 19. Why is the hostess's reaction to the snake important to the story?
A) It offers proof to end the discussion.
B) It reinforces the colonel's view.
C) The character of the native boy is introduced.
D) She is able to focus on her guests.
  • 20. How would the story have been different if it had been told from the hostess's point of view?
A) Readers would have been aware of the snake's location earlier.
B) The story would have included a description of the dinner menu.
C) Readers would not have known why the milk was placed outside.
D) The story would have been much more dramatic.
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