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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When Mary searches Ned's desk, to whom does she find he has been writing?
(a) Parvis.
(b) Bob Elwell.
(c) The Waukesha Sentinel.
(d) Alida Stair.

2. On page 84, the reader learns about the "prodigious windfall" that Ned and Mary experienced. Where did this "prodigious windfall" come from?
(a) The death of their cousin Hugo.
(b) Ned's engineering job.
(c) The Waukesha Sentinel.
(d) The Blue Star Mine.

3. What does Ned's motive seem to be when he first brings up the subject of whether the house has a ghost?
(a) He is trying to frighten Mary.
(b) He thinks that living in a "haunted" house will add to his reputation as a writer.
(c) He is looking for an excuse to back out of buying the house.
(d) He is joking about how old the house is.

4. When Mary tells Ned what she has learned from her mail, how does Ned react?
(a) He looks guilty and immediately leaves the room.
(b) He snatches the mail from her and throws it into the fire.
(c) He gets angry at her and asks whether she trusts him.
(d) He relaxes and tells her it is nothing to worry about.

5. Why are Ned and Mary so interested in living in an isolated location?
(a) They are afraid of the crime associated with larger populations.
(b) They want peace and quiet to enjoy their new hobbies.
(c) They are very introverted.
(d) They want to avoid questions about their money.

6. What did Mary and Ned discover about their roof?
(a) There is a recently replaced section.
(b) It has one more chimney than they have fireplaces inside.
(c) It has a hidden walkway.
(d) It appears to be a different color over the library.

7. Mary thinks about the "latent" significance of a piece of information on page 83. What kind of meaning does this information have?
(a) Meaning that seems positive at first but later reveals a negative side.
(b) Meaning that was always there but takes time to emerge.
(c) Meaning that stays with a person and is hard to "shake."
(d) Meaning that reveals a hidden aspect of the speaker.

8. Why is the information about Bob Elwell's slow death so significant to Mary?
(a) She cannot help being glad that the man who made her husband suffer also suffered.
(b) She realizes that Ned lied when he told her that everything was resolved.
(c) She realizes that the timing lines up with the sightings of the ghost.
(d) She is devastated about how much suffering her husband caused.

9. Ned asks Alida a question about the ghost's "signalement" (84). What is he asking about?
(a) Its motivations.
(b) Its physical description.
(c) Its movements and habits.
(d) Its background.

10. In the opening of the story, what is Mary waiting for?
(a) She is waiting for the mail to be brought in.
(b) She is waiting for the lamps to be brought in.
(c) She is waiting for Ned to arrive.
(d) She is waiting for dinner to be announced.

11. When the young man appears behind Mary, who does she at first assume that he is?
(a) The ghost.
(b) Bob Elwell.
(c) A tourist.
(d) The boiler repairman.

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

13. Who is the author of "Afterward"?
(a) Shirley Jackson.
(b) Edith Wharton.
(c) O. Henry.
(d) Henry James.

14. In section "II," what question does Mary repeatedly ask Ned that evening in the library?
(a) She asks whether it was a good idea to move into this particular house.
(b) She asks whether he has given up trying to see the ghost.
(c) She asks him what secret he is keeping from her.
(d) She asks whether he is having an affair.

15. Why does the narrator say that Ned and Mary are "two romantic Americans" (83)?
(a) Because neither one has any common sense.
(b) Because they are clearly deeply in love.
(c) Because they tell Alida a far-fetched story about their previous home.
(d) Because they are not being practical about their search for a house.

Short Answer Questions

1. For how many years did Ned and Mary live in the American Midwest while Ned worked as an engineer?

2. In section "V," who comes to visit Mary?

3. For the past week, what has Mary been assuming is the cause for Ned's need to be alone and his odd mood?

4. What explanation does Ned give Mary at the time of the mysterious visit in October?

5. From what period is Ned and Mary's new home?

(see the answer keys)

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