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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. How does the narrator describe Jim and Della in the end of "The Gift of the Magi"?
(a) Two children who were not wise.
(b) Two children who were selfish.
(c) Two children who were disappointed.
(d) Two children who were tired.

2. How much money does Della have left when she returns home from purchasing Jim's watch chain?
(a) Six dollars.
(b) One dollar.
(c) Two dollars.
(d) 87 cents.

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

4. What are the "magi" from the Bible also referred to as?
(a) The Three Virgins.
(b) The Three Old Lepers.
(c) The Three Wise Men.
(d) The Three Bearers of Gold.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. To whose shop does Della go to sell her hair?

2. What does the narrator say Jim would have done if a king had lived in the same home as he and Della?

3. How much money is offered for Della's hair?

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

5. What does Della pray for as Jim is about to enter their apartment in "The Gift of the Magi"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author use symbolism to develop the theme of wealth and poverty in "The Gift of the Magi"?

2. In what tense and from what narrative perspective is "The Gift of the Magi" related?

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

4. Where does the rising action take place in "The Gift of the Magi"?

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

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

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

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

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

10. Describe one example of symbolism in "The Gift of the Magi." What does the symbol represent?

(see the answer keys)

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