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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The South Side Real Estate Company is what to Bigger?
(a) The South Side Real Estate Company is nothing to Bigger.
(b) The company to whom he pays rent for his family's rat-infested room.
(c) The company Bigger dreams of one day owning.
(d) The company where Bigger hopes to one day work.

2. On the streetcar on the way to Bessie's apartment what does Bigger want to shout?
(a) That he killed a rich, white girl.
(b) That he was lucky to have a good job.
(c) That he knew something they didn't know.
(d) That he was in love with a beautiful girl.

3. Why does Bigger seem bothered that the newspaper only just wrote about him after he killed Mary?
(a) Becaue he has felt the same anger and hatred inside him his entire life and no one ever wrote about it before.
(b) He is unhappy because the story isn't accurate.
(c) He is thrilled the newspaper is writing about him and thinks about killing again for more attention.
(d) Because he didn't like the attention that could result in his being caught.

4. What does the white cat do while Bigger is being questioned by the police and reporters?
(a) Jumps on his shoulder, then walks around his feet.
(b) It keeps looking from the furnace to Bigger and back again.
(c) Jumps on his shoulder and digs in its claws.
(d) Sits staring intently at Bigger.

5. In what ways does Bigger act to give the impression he thinks Mary is asleep upstairs in her bedroom?
(a) He eats breakfast with the Daltons as though nothing unusual has happened.
(b) He loads her trunk, waits by the car, rings the bell, then asks Peggy what he should do since Mary has not come down.
(c) He eats his breakfast then asks Peggy to go upstairs and find out what is taking Mary so long.
(d) He asks Mrs. Dalton what time Mary's train is supposed to leave, because he doesn't want them to be late.

6. What happens when Bigger first awakens the morning after the murder?
(a) He sees his brother, Buddy, staring at him suspiciously.
(b) He remembers everything he did the night before.
(c) He tries to sneak out of the house unnoticed.
(d) He doesn't think about what happened the night before.

7. As Bigger tells his fabricated story about the previous evening to Mr. Dalton and Britten, what is he feeling?
(a) So proud of his story he thinks of becoming a fiction writer.
(b) Afraid they won't believe him and that he'll be under suspicion.
(c) Like he is the one in control because he is telling them what he wants them to believe.
(d) Worried they will find something in his story that doesn't ring true.

8. What does Bigger finally do after wandering the streets looking for food and shelter?
(a) He steals a loaf of bread then hides in an alley to eat it.
(b) He buys a loaf of bread then finds an empty apartment to break into.
(c) He steals a loaf of bread then finds an empty apartment to break into.
(d) He hides with a group of homeless people living near the river.

9. When Bigger nearly falls off the ledge, how does the writer describe what he would fall into if he had fallen?
(a) "An ocean of cheers from the spectators below."
(b) "The waiting arms of the police."
(c) "A boiling pot of hatred."
(d) "An ocean of boiling hate."

10. Where does Bigger place the ransom note to be certain Mr. Dalton gets it?
(a) Under the front door.
(b) On Mr. Dalton's desk in his office.
(c) Under the back door.
(d) In the Dalton mail box.

11. What does Bigger say when Bessie asks if he murdered Mary Dalton?
(a) He admits that he killed Mary and tells Bessie he'll tell everyone she helped him.
(b) He laughs and says Mary killed herself by jumping in the river and he just watched.
(c) He denies killing Mary, but admits he stole money from her.
(d) He admits that he killed Mary and threatens Bessie, too.

12. When Bigger returns to the basement to shake down the ashes, what stops him?
(a) He sees that her body hasn't completely burned.
(b) He hears someone and is afraid they will see Mary's body.
(c) He thinks he sees Mary's face as it looked the night before.
(d) The white cat stares at him and makes uncomfortable.

13. What happens when one of the men discovers bone and an earring in the ashes?
(a) He jumps out a window and hurts his knee, so he has to walk slowly to Bessie's apartment.
(b) Bigger sneaks out of the basement door and runs to Bessie's apartment.
(c) Bigger slips away from the men then jumps out of a second story window into the snow.
(d) He jumps out of a second story windown into the snow then runs to Bessie's apartment.

14. What happens after Jan Erlone sees Bigger on the street and offers to help him, then invites him out for coffee to talk about the situation?
(a) Bigger tells Jan Erlone he doesn't need his help.
(b) Bigger runs away.
(c) Jan Erlone runs away when he sees Bigger has a knife.
(d) Bigger pulls a gun on Jan Erlone.

15. What does Bigger overhear Mrs. Dalton saying to Peggy when she learns her daughter is gone?
(a) She complains that she took her daughter shopping for expensive clothing that she didn't even pack for her trip.
(b) She expains that she does not trust the people Mary associates herself with, and suspects they have something to do with Mary not being home.
(c) She expresses her dislike for the people Mary travels with, and is shocked she hadn't even packed her new clothing for the trip.
(d) She admits she isn't comfortable with Bigger living in the house and wonders if he frightened her daughter away.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens when the first police officer comes through the trap door to the rooftop?

2. What does Jan Erlone think when he hears Bigger's lie about him?

3. How much money does Bigger show Bessie to try to impress her?

4. How many people are searching for Bigger?

5. What does Bigger do with the pamphlets Jan gave him the night before?

(see the answer keys)

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