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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. When Della lets down her hair in the beginning of "The Gift of the Magi" it is said to almost create what?
(a) A dress for her.
(b) A scarf for her.
(c) A shield for her.
(d) A robe for her.

2. What does the narrator say Jim needs in "The Gift of the Magi"?
(a) A pair of socks.
(b) A pair of new pants.
(c) A rifle.
(d) A new coat.

3. What Biblical king and queen are referenced in "The Gift of the Magi"?
(a) Queen Elizabeth and King Henry.
(b) Queen Berenice and King David.
(c) Candace, Queen of Ethiopia and King Ahab.
(d) The Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.

4. The gifts that Della and Jim are revealed to have bought for one another are an example of what literary device?
(a) Simile.
(b) Comic irony.
(c) Verbal irony.
(d) Literary allusion.

5. How is Della's hat described?
(a) Old and gray.
(b) New and red.
(c) Navy blue and new.
(d) Old and brown.

Short Answer Questions

1. How is the design of the watch chain described?

2. How much was Jim being paid weekly when he and Della moved into their current apartment?

3. The narrator says in the beginning of "The Gift of the Magi" that Della knows that her hair is more beautiful than what?

4. How old is Jim said to be in the narrative?

5. How long does Della take to try to make her hair look better before Jim arrives home in "The Gift of the Magi"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Della's most prized possession and how is it described?

2. What adaptations have been developed of "The Gift of the Magi"?

3. Describe the character of Jim Young in "The Gift of the Magi." What motivates Jim in the story?

4. What statement do you think the author is making regarding wisdom in "The Gift of the Magi"?

5. When and where was "The Gift of the Magi" first published? When and where was it first published in book-form?

6. How is the theme of sacrifice developed in the story through character?

7. Describe one example of irony in "The Gift of the Magi." What type of irony is described?

8. What is the "inciting incident" in "The Gift of the Magi" and how does it drive the story?

9. How does the historical context of "The Gift of the Magi" influence the story?

10. Describe the character of Della in "The Gift of the Magi." What does Della seek in the story?

(see the answer keys)

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