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

2. In what approximate time period does "The Gift of the Magi" take place?
(a) The early 1800s.
(b) The late 1600s.
(c) The early 1900s.
(d) The late 1700s.

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

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

5. How long does Della take to try to make her hair look better before Jim arrives home in "The Gift of the Magi"?
(a) 10 minutes.
(b) 20 minutes.
(c) 40 minutes.
(d) Two hours.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Della tell Jim she could not live through when he arrives home in "The Gift of the Magi"?

2. How did Della manage to save the amount she has for Jim's Christmas gift in the opening of "The Gift of the Magi"?

3. How much money does Della have left when she returns home from purchasing Jim's watch chain?

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

5. The narrator says in the end of "The Gift of the Magi" that these two (Jim and Della) were what, among all who give gifts?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. Who or what would you identify as the protagonist and antagonist in "The Gift of the Magi"? Why?

5. What is Jim's most prized possession and how is it described?

6. What are the financial circumstances of the Youngs?

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

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

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

10. Describe the neighborhood and city where the Youngs live.

(see the answer keys)

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