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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. When Rip nears the amphitheater where the group of men were on the night before, what does he notice?

2. Rip is surprised by the "singularity" of the stranger's appearance (36). What kind of appearance is this?

3. What do Rip and the stranger climb up on their way up the mountainside?

4. On his way home from the mountains, what does Rip suddenly realize about his own appearance?

5. What is the stranger on the mountainside carrying?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain what the natural "amphitheater" is and how Rip and the stranger reach it.

2. When Rip wakes up in the mountains, what changes does he immediately notice?

3. As Rip tries to retrace his steps from the night before, what changes does he find on the mountainside itself?

4. What noise does Rip hear as he and the stranger make their way up the mountain, and what does the noise later turn out to be?

5. What does the man in the mountains want Rip's help with, and how does he communicate this?

6. What two things does Rip find the most unusual about the men in the amphitheater?

7. When Rip reenters the village, what changes does he notice before he gets to his house?

8. What is Wolf's reaction to the stranger in the mountains, and how does it ironically relate to what happens upon Rip's return to the village?

9. What two things does Rip at first find odd about the stranger in the mountains?

10. What do the men in the amphitheater remind Rip of, and what is this meant to signify?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an analysis of the diction in "Rip Van Winkle." Offer a claim about its character and purpose: consider its elevation, is concreteness, and its connotative aspects. Be sure to offer quoted textual support for your claims.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay in which you analyze the use of stories attributed to indigenous cultures in the "Postscript." Be sure to use textual evidence to defend your claims, and if you use outside sources, be sure to cite them in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the thematic purpose of including Rip's son and grandson in the story. Be sure to use textual evidence to defend your claims.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 920 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample