"The Dinner Party"
  • 1. Mrs. Wynnes knew that a cobra was in the room because she...
A) saw it in the rafters
B) felt it on her foot
C) noticed it crawl under the table
  • 2. The American didn't warn the guests about the cobra because he...
A) feared that any noise or movement would cause the cobra to strike
B) was too frightened to say anything
C) wasn't sure that a cobra was actually in the room
  • 3. The colonel believed that, in a crisis, a woman would...
A) always panic
B) remain quite calm
C) show more control than a man
  • 4. The cobra came out because it was...
A) attracted by the milk
B) frightened by the guests
C) awakened by the sound of the American counting
  • 5. A large dinner party took place in a spacious dining room. What is the meaning of the word 'spacious'?
A) shabby or run-down
B) great or vast
C) tiny or small
D) fashionable
  • 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) display
B) surrender
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) come into view
D) suddently strike
  • 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 talked a lot but never listened.
B) She was easily frightened.
C) She was a poor hostess.
D) She was calm and courageous.
  • 11. "The Dinner Party" is set in...
A) Ireland
B) India
C) the United States
D) England
  • 12. Which sentence best expresses the theme of the story?
A) Men are more courageous than women.
B) Women are calmer than men.
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) relative
B) participant
C) spectator
D) friend
  • 14. What is the initiating event for this story?
A) the American's challenge for the guests to keep still
B) the guests screaming as the veranda doors close
C) the change in expression on the face of the hostess
D) the Indian boy placing milk on the veranda
  • 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) Cobras live in India.
C) The plant life in India is very exot
D) India is located in Southern Asia.
  • 16. What does the author mean by the prase "jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse" in paragraph 2?
A) a fearful reaction
B) an appropriate activity
C) an athletic response
D) a quick movement
  • 17. What does the author mean by the phrase "like stone images" in paragraph 9?
A) as large as statues
B) without moving
C) appearing to shift
D) without any life
  • 18. What is a theme of this story?
A) A calm reaction to a crisis is the best choice.
B) Beware of snakes under the dinner table.
C) Men usually react better in a crisis situation.
D) A large group of guests can be difficult to manage.
  • 19. Why is the hostess's reaction to the snake important to the story?
A) She is able to focus on her guests.
B) It offers proof to end the discussion.
C) The character of the native boy is introduced.
D) It reinforces the colonel's view.
  • 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) Readers would not have known why the milk was placed outside.
C) The story would have been much more dramatic.
D) The story would have included a description of the dinner menu.
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