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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 verb is used to indicate the manner in which Delia goes underneath Sykes's arm when he is blocking the doorway?
(a) Stoops.
(b) Slinks.
(c) Shrugs.
(d) Crouches.

2. In what town does Delia attend church at the time Sykes is keeping the rattlesnake?
(a) Woodbridge.
(b) Orlando.
(c) Apalachicola.
(d) Eatonville.

3. How much does Joe Clarke ask each man to give him in order to pay for the watermelon they will all share?
(a) 50 cents.
(b) 20 cents.
(c) 10 cents.
(d) 5 cents.

4. When Sykes tells Delia that it is no use "puttin' on airs makin' out out lak" (6) she is feeling a certain emotion in response to the snake, what is that emotion?
(a) Bravery.
(b) Shyness.
(c) Pride.
(d) Fear.

5. To what animal does Dave compare Bertha after she has left the store with Sykes?
(a) A hippo.
(b) A hyena.
(c) An alligator.
(d) A giraffe.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Delia sees the snake's fangs, she does not run away like usual, nor does she do what with her eyes as she has done in the past?

2. How often does Sykes say he could catch a big rattlesnake if he wanted to?

3. Who pays Bertha's rent in Eatonville?

4. What item does Sykes NOT buy from Joe Clarke's store during his visit there?

5. What does Old Man Anderson suggest that the men do to Sykes and Bertha in Lake Howell swamp?

Short Essay Questions

1. What arguments do the men present when they are trying to get Joe Clarke to bring out a watermelon for them to share?

2. What argumentative method does Delia use in order to convince Sykes that he needs to take the snake away from her home?

3. What is Delia's reason for not trying to get rid of Bertha in some way in order to solve the problems in her marriage?

4. What is Hurston's purpose for alluding to Gethsemane and the rocks of Calvary during the period of conflict with Sykes?

5. How does Delia try "to be blind and deaf" (5) to Sykes's gallivanting around town with Bertha?

6. What plans does Sykes make with Bertha and what is the significance of these plans?

7. What two differing reasons does Sykes give for why he was able to catch the six-foot rattlesnake in the first place?

8. What does Delia say is different about Bertha in comparison to other women with whom Sykes has had affairs?

9. How does the author demonstrate the village's viewpoint regarding Sykes's keeping of the rattlesnake?

10. How does Sykes go about showing the rattlesnake to Delia after he has brought it home?

(see the answer keys)

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