1. What does the narrator say that the men on Joe's porch usually would do with the cane-knots if it were not so stiflingly hot outside?
(a) Chew them.
(b) Swallow them.
(c) Give them to the horses.
(d) Hurl them.

2. When Delia tells Sykes that she will go to the white folks about his behavior the very next time he performs a particular action, what is that action?
(a) The very next time he takes her horse and carriage.
(b) The very next time he visits his mistress.
(c) The very next time he hits her.
(d) The very next time he lies to her.

3. What simile does Hurston use to characterize Delia's throwing off of her most habitual character trait?
(a) Like a lace collar.
(b) Like a swatch of chiffon.
(c) Like a blown scarf.
(d) Like an old snakeskin.

4. What idiom does Sykes use to describe his suggested action for anyone who does not like the snake?
(a) Fly a kite.
(b) Hit the dirt.
(c) Kiss his grits.
(d) Hit the grit.

5. How many miles away from Delia's house is the town of Woodbridge?
(a) 4.
(b) 5.
(c) 2.
(d) 3.

Short Answer Questions

1. Upon Delia's failure to hear the snake upon her return from Woodbridge, what does the narrator refer to as going through "its birth struggles" (8) in Delia's mind?

2. What two deity names does Delia yell out when she first lays eyes on the snake Sykes has brought home?

3. What skill does Sykes learn from a Northern white woman?

4. What object does Sykes knock off of the stove, startling the rattlesnake?

5. What does Delia do with the clothes after Sykes steps on them?

(see the answer key)

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