"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) feared that any noise or movement would cause the cobra to strike
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) show more control than a man
C) remain quite calm
  • 4. The cobra came out because it was...
A) frightened by the guests
B) attracted by the milk
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) fashionable
B) tiny or small
C) shabby or run-down
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) information or knowledge
B) attempt or try
C) instinct or urge
  • 7. Anyone who moved would forfeit fifty rupees. The word 'forfeit' means...
A) earn
B) display
C) surrender
D) borrow
  • 8. At the count of 280, the American saw the cobra emerge. Which phrase best defines the word 'emerge'?
A) suddently strike
B) slip slowly away
C) come into view
D) blend into its surroundings
  • 9. What happened last in the plot of the story?
A) The cobra moved toward the veranda doors.
B) The American began to count to three hundred.
C) A young girl argued with a colonel.
  • 10. Which sentence best characterizes Mrs. Wynnes?
A) She was easily frightened.
B) She was calm and courageous.
C) She was a poor hostess.
D) She talked a lot but never listened.
  • 11. "The Dinner Party" is set in...
A) Ireland
B) England
C) India
D) the United States
  • 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) spectator
B) friend
C) relative
D) participant
  • 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) The plant life in India is very exot
B) India is the second-most populous country in the world.
C) Cobras live in India.
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) without moving
B) as large as statues
C) without any life
D) appearing to shift
  • 18. What is a theme of this story?
A) A calm reaction to a crisis is the best choice.
B) Men usually react better in a crisis situation.
C) Beware of snakes under the dinner table.
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) It reinforces the colonel's view.
B) The character of the native boy is introduced.
C) It offers proof to end the discussion.
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) The story would have been much more dramatic.
B) The story would have included a description of the dinner menu.
C) Readers would have been aware of the snake's location earlier.
D) Readers would not have known why the milk was placed outside.
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