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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When Mary, startled by the envelope's contents, cries out and rises to her feet, how does Ned react?
(a) He rushes to her side to comfort her.
(b) He laughs loudly and tells her to stop being dramatic.
(c) He quietly tells her to sit back down.
(d) He looks cornered and guilty.

2. What event causes Mary to temporarily forget about the mysterious man they saw in October?
(a) She receives a letter from Alida Stair.
(b) She and Ned climb Meldon Steep.
(c) The greenhouse boiler breaks.
(d) One of the housemaids quits.

3. What does Ned say, on page 83, must be true for him to believe a house is old?
(a) It must be "practical."
(b) It must be "thoroughly uncomfortable."
(c) It must be "bought out of an exhibition."
(d) It must be "a registered home."

4. For how many years did Ned and Mary live in the American Midwest while Ned worked as an engineer?
(a) 24.
(b) 4.
(c) 34.
(d) 14.

5. Why does Mary have a hard time seeing the details of the man's appearance on that day in October?
(a) The man is deliberately keeping himself in the shadows.
(b) Her eyesight is not very good.
(c) Ned quickly moves to block her view.
(d) The sun is behind the man.

6. When Mary and Ned see the man coming toward the hosue in October, what does Mary assume?
(a) It is a friend of Timmle's.
(b) It is one of their workmen.
(c) It is the ghost.
(d) It is their cousin Hugo.

7. On page 84, the narrator links isolated environments to "acuities of emotion." What are "acuities of emotion"?
(a) Quickly changing emotions.
(b) The ability to perceive emotion with sharp accuracy.
(c) Exaggerated emotion that is difficult to control.
(d) Bluntness or dulling of emotion.

8. When the story refers to "Boyne," who or what is being referred to?
(a) Ned's father.
(b) Mary.
(c) The house.
(d) Ned.

9. What have Mary's new neighbors told her about the ghost?
(a) That it can only be seen at night.
(b) That it is often absent for long stretches of time.
(c) Nothing.
(d) That she will not know when she sees it.

10. While she is thinking it over in the library, where does Mary finally decide the blame lies for Ned's distracted, anxious mood?
(a) With Ned.
(b) With Ned's business affairs.
(c) With the house and its ghost.
(d) With herself.

11. In section "V," who comes to visit Mary?
(a) Bob Elwell's widow.
(b) Hugo.
(c) Alida.
(d) Parvis.

12. When Ned is still gone by the time Mary finishes lunch, where does she decide he must be?
(a) She decides that he must have walked the visitor back to the train station.
(b) She decides that he has finally left her.
(c) She decides that he must have gone into town to run an errand.
(d) She decides that he must have gone for his afternoon walk a little early.

13. When they are all laughing about the idea of a ghost, what does it mean that Mary "noted a certain flatness of tone in Alida's answering hilarity" (83)?
(a) Mary has only just realized that Alida is using this discussion as an opportunity to make fun of Mary and Ned.
(b) Mary suspects that Alida feels embarrassed because she is lying about the ghost.
(c) Alida is laughing along, but Mary suspects that for some reason Alida does not find the subject as funny as everyone else does.
(d) Mary recognizes that Alida is probably jealous of their good fortune and is trying to hide it.

14. On that evening in the library in section "II," what does Mary see has happened when she looks up from preparing the tea?
(a) Trimmle has been standing in the doorway, eavesdropping.
(b) Ned's face has changed and he looks completely himself again.
(c) Somehow, all of the lamps have been blown out at once.
(d) Ned is staring in horror out the library window.

15. Why does Mary believe that people should not talk about seeing ghosts?
(a) It makes people wonder about your sanity.
(b) It is bad manners.
(c) It frightens the ghosts away.
(d) It is dangerous.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Mary finally catches up with Ned on that October day, what is he doing?

2. Which character opens the story on page 83 by saying "Oh, there is one, of course, but you'll never know it"?

3. In section "II," what question does Mary repeatedly ask Ned that evening in the library?

4. Why does the narrator say that Ned and Mary are "two romantic Americans" (83)?

5. Why is Mary unsure what Ned has or has not already told her about Beb Elwell?

(see the answer keys)

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