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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What object does Delia credit with paying for the house she and Sykes live in?
(a) Her mother's diamond ring.
(b) Her horse.
(c) Her blood.
(d) Her sweat.

2. What does Sykes tell Delia he will do if she argues with him about taking in white people's laundry?
(a) Punch her.
(b) Strangle her.
(c) Shove her.
(d) Kick her.

3. Against what object does Sykes strike his match?
(a) The matchbox.
(b) His corduroy breeches.
(c) The fireplace mantel.
(d) The sole of his boot.

4. Who says he would have married Delia himself if Sykes had not beaten him to it?
(a) Walter.
(b) Jim.
(c) Elijah.
(d) Joe.

5. When Joe Clarke says that there is no law in the world that will make a man act a certain way, what is that certain way he mentions?
(a) Loving.
(b) Faithful.
(c) Decent.
(d) Conscientious.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Sykes calls Delia a hypocrite, what sin does he accuse her of committing to warrant this label?

2. For how long has Delia been married to Sykes?

3. When the narrator states that Delia lies awake thinking about debris cluttering a certain kind of trail, what adjective is used to describe that trail?

4. On the afternoon when Sykes and Bertha come to the store, what does the narrator say had even "collapsed under the heat"? (3)

5. What adjective does Sykes use to describe Delia just before he steps into the room where she is sorting laundry?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Delia stay up so much later on Sunday nights than on any other night of the week and how does Sykes find fault with this practice?

2. How does Sykes react to Delia's questions whenever she asks him a question?

3. What is meant by the piece of narration that states, "It was plain that the breaches must remain agape" (6)?

4. What behaviors does Delia display that demonstrate her familiarity with Sykes's abusive behaviors?

5. How does the author make a change in Delia's speech in order to portray her newly-won defiance toward Sykes and his attempts to control her?

6. Describe the symbolism of the iron skillet.

7. How does the author depict Sykes as being childish?

8. What is the reason for the listlessness of the men who gather on Joe Clarke's porch?

9. How is foreshadowing incorporated into the very first encounter between Delia and Sykes?

10. How is the role of community portrayed within the scene on Joe Clarke's porch?

(see the answer keys)

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