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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What illness does Mr. Coulson suffer from?
(a) Lupus.
(b) Anemia.
(c) Rheumatism.
(d) Gout.

2. Who is Miss Van Meeker Constantia Coulson?
(a) Mr. Coulson's granddaughter.
(b) Mr. Coulson's sister.
(c) Mr. Coulson's daughter.
(d) Mr. Coulson's aunt.

3. Where Mr. Coulson is sitting, two main smells are "battling": the smell of flowers and what other smell?
(a) The medicine on Mr. Coulson's skin.
(b) Mr. Coulson's strong cologne.
(c) Mr. Coulson's uneaten breakfast.
(d) The musty smell of Mr. Coulson's room.

4. On the final morning of the story, what causes Mr. Coulson's mood to change?
(a) Mrs. Widdup has threatened to quit.
(b) Miss Coulson has told him that he is behaving badly.
(c) It is warm again and the windows are open.
(d) He is in much less pain than usual.

5. When Miss Coulson stands thinking at the window, to what insects does she mentally compare Mr. Coulson and Mrs. Widdup?
(a) Fleas.
(b) Mayflies.
(c) Mosquitoes.
(d) Cockroaches.

6. Which of the following literary techniques is used in the title "The Marry Month of May"?
(a) Understatement.
(b) Personification.
(c) Alliteration.
(d) Hyperbole.

7. There are "jonquils" near where Mr. Coulson is sitting. What are jonquils?
(a) They are a kind of daffodil, a flower.
(b) They are decorative figures common in early 20th century homes.
(c) They are thick woolen blankets.
(d) They are a small sparrow-like bird.

8. What kind of clam is a "chowder-doomed clam" (332)?
(a) One that is poisonous to humans.
(b) One that is personified as feeling worried.
(c) One that is destined to be eaten in soup.
(d) One that is confused by its surroundings.

9. Which bird is Mr. Coulson said to be "elder brother" to in May?
(a) Chickadee.
(b) Robin.
(c) Pigeon.
(d) Turtle-dove.

10. Who is the author of "The Marry Month of May"?
(a) O. Henry.
(b) Edith Wharton.
(c) Willa Cather.
(d) Henry James.

11. What are the "portières" that Miss Coulson is sitting near?
(a) Wall hangings.
(b) Curtains hung in the doorway.
(c) Hanging lamps.
(d) Window shutters.

12. What is the name of the servant who usually gives Mr. Coulson his medication?
(a) Treadwell.
(b) Higgins.
(c) Marley.
(d) Foster.

13. When Mr. Coulson asks for his "aconite," what is he asking for (333)?
(a) An herbal medicine used to treat pain and inflammation.
(b) A hot breakfast cereal, like porridge or gruel.
(c) A wooden cane with a carved top.
(d) A religious text that provides commentary on the Bible.

14. How old is Mrs. Widdup?
(a) 30.
(b) 40.
(c) 49.
(d) 35.

15. When the narrator lists the kinds of inappropriate relationships that May encourages, one of the items in the list is "old chaps" who dress up and "parade in front of the Normal School" (332). Who are these old men trying to impress with their fancy clothing?
(a) Female college professors.
(b) Lower-class college-aged women.
(c) Young women training to become school teachers.
(d) Schoolgirls.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Mr. Coulson hesitate as he says, "In the spring...a y -- that is a man's -- fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love" (333)?

2. What claim is the narrator making by calling humans "lineal scions of the pansy" (332)?

3. What physical gesture of affection does Mr. Coulson make toward Mrs. Widdup?

4. Which of the following literary techniques is used in the title "The Marry Month of May"?

5. Where does Miss Coulson meet the iceman on the next morning?

(see the answer keys)

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