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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How old is Ralphie?

2. How does Griffin cheer up Hank?

3. To where does the setting of the scene shift?

4. What does Dan offer the criminals?

5. Who is the last one to arrive at the Hilliard home?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Griffin do at the Hilliard house that evening?

2. What is Cindy doing when Dan and Eleanor are in their room?

3. How does the atmosphere at the Indianapolis sheriff's department appear at the beginning of the play and what changes that?

4. What is Eleanor doing with Dan?

5. What convinces Griffin to get ready to leave the house?

6. What does Hank tell Griffin and what does Griffin try to do?

7. What does Robish do when Chuck begins to come downstairs?

8. What does Bard say about his encounter with Griffin in the past?

9. What do Carson and Bard do when after Robish is outside?

10. Why is Griffin upset about Robish and Hank?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mr. Patterson, the garbage man, comes by to collect money for the monthly bill and realizes something is suspicious. Robish jumps on the back of his truck and ends up murdering Mr. Patterson. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Is there anything Mr. Patterson could have done to be safe? Would you have thought to check the back of your truck under the same circumstance?

2. Do you think that the only thing Robish could have done is kill Mr. Patterson? What about tying him up and letting someone else know later? What does it say about Robish as a person that he so easily kills a man?

3. Do you think Glen Griffin would have taken the same action as Robish against Mr. Patterson? What about Hank?

Essay Topic 2

A literary technique called "foreshadowing" is seen several times. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Define what the literary technique of foreshadowing and cite several examples of it in the play Desperate Hours.

2. What are literary techniques? Name several of the most common and define them.

3. Take the literary techniques you define in question number 2 and give examples of their occurrence in this story or some other piece of literature or film.

4. Do you think authors intentionally plan to write in literary techniques such as foreshadowing? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

When Cindy first arrives home after the three convicts have taken control of the home, she realizes the situation and almost runs, but Griffin stops her with the threat that he will kill Eleanor if Cindy tries to leave. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Would you run or stay if you were Cindy? Consider that it is possible the convicts would kill you along with your mother no matter what they say. Explain your rationale.

2. If you were Eleanor, would you want your daughter to run, even if it means your death? Explain.

3. Later in the story, the young boy of the household, Ralphie, does try to leave, though he is caught by Robish. Why do you think Ralphie tries to run; whereas, Cindy decides to enter the house and voluntarily become a hostage?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 875 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample