View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What did the magi bring to the baby Jesus in the Bible?
(a) A sheep, a llama, and a rabbit.
(b) Gold, hair tresses, and combs.
(c) Branches, coal, and a manger.
(d) Gold, frankinscense, and myrrh.

2. What are Jim and Della about to do in the end of "The Gift of the Magi"?
(a) Eat dinner.
(b) Go to Jim's mother's home.
(c) Put their baby to bed.
(d) Go to Della's mother's home.

3. How much was Jim being paid weekly when he and Della moved into their current apartment?
(a) $20 per week.
(b) $8 per week.
(c) $30 per week.
(d) $40 per week.

4. How long is it until Christmas in the opening of "The Gift of the Magi"?
(a) Two days.
(b) One week.
(c) Three days.
(d) One day.

5. To what is Della's hair compared when she lets it down in the beginning of "The Gift of the Magi"?
(a) A snowy lake.
(b) A falling stream.
(c) A sea of jellyfish.
(d) A peacock's feathers.

Short Answer Questions

1. What aspect of the plot structure in "The Gift of the Magi" is one for which O. Henry was famous?

2. For how long does Della shop for a gift for Jim after selling her hair?

3. How much money has Della saved up in the opening of "The Gift of the Magi"?

4. What does Della do after counting her money in the beginning of "The Gift of the Magi"?

5. What does the narrator say that large-hearted giving can leave behind?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How has "The Gift of the Magi" been critically received since its publication?

3. What is a "twist ending" and how does this device apply in "The Gift of the Magi"?

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

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

6. What is one example of Biblical reference or allusion in the story and why is it used?

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

8. What does "narrative intrusion" mean and how does it apply to "The Gift of the Magi"?

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

10. What does "allegory" mean and how does this term apply to "The Gift of the Magi"?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 855 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample