"The Dinner Party"
  • 1. Mrs. Wynnes knew that a cobra was in the room because she...
A) felt it on her foot
B) noticed it crawl under the table
C) saw it in the rafters
  • 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) remain quite calm
B) show more control than a man
C) always panic
  • 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) 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) attempt or try
B) information or knowledge
C) instinct or urge
  • 7. Anyone who moved would forfeit fifty rupees. The word 'forfeit' means...
A) surrender
B) display
C) borrow
D) earn
  • 8. At the count of 280, the American saw the cobra emerge. Which phrase best defines the word 'emerge'?
A) come into view
B) blend into its surroundings
C) suddently strike
D) slip slowly away
  • 9. What happened last in the plot of the story?
A) A young girl argued with a colonel.
B) The cobra moved toward the veranda doors.
C) The American began to count to three hundred.
  • 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) England
B) India
C) Ireland
D) the United States
  • 12. Which sentence best expresses the theme of the story?
A) Men are more courageous than women.
B) Your gender has no impact on how courageous you are.
C) Women are calmer than men.
  • 13. The use of third-person point of view in this story makes the reader feel like a...
A) relative
B) spectator
C) participant
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 Indian boy placing milk on the veranda
D) the change in expression on the face of the hostess
  • 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 located in Southern Asia.
C) India is the second-most populous country in the world.
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) a quick movement
B) a fearful reaction
C) an appropriate activity
D) an athletic response
  • 17. What does the author mean by the phrase "like stone images" in paragraph 9?
A) appearing to shift
B) as large as statues
C) without moving
D) without any life
  • 18. What is a theme of this story?
A) Men usually react better in a crisis situation.
B) A calm reaction to a crisis is the best choice.
C) A large group of guests can be difficult to manage.
D) Beware of snakes under the dinner table.
  • 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) Readers would not have known why the milk was placed outside.
C) The story would have included a description of the dinner menu.
D) The story would have been much more dramatic.
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