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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, on page 7, Rainsford "indolently [puffs] on his favorite brier," what is he doing?
(a) Thoughtfully smoking a cigarette.
(b) Eagerly smoking a cigarette.
(c) Vigorously smoking a pipe.
(d) Lazily smoking a pipe.

2. Which character says, on page 31, "Instinct is no match for reason"?
(a) Nielsen.
(b) Rainsford.
(c) Ivan.
(d) Zaroff.

3. On page 1, the narrator says that the night "was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht." What literary technique is being employed in this phrase?
(a) Hyperbole.
(b) Parallelism.
(c) Metaphor.
(d) Personification.

4. What makes Rainsford a little uncomfortable about the General?
(a) Zaroff keeps staring at him.
(b) Zaroff carries a pistol with him.
(c) Zaroff refuses to answer Rainsford's questions.
(d) Zaroff keeps making strange jokes that Rainsford doesn't understand.

5. As Rainsford begins to walk along the cliffside, what does he notice in the jungle?
(a) Signs of a large animal having been hunted and killed.
(b) A fire burning somewhere deep in the jungle.
(c) That various traps have been set and that some are sprung.
(d) Signs that the island is inhabited by many dangerous animals.

Short Answer Questions

1. On page 33, the narrator mentions that Zaroff has "surmounted" an obstacle. What has Zaroff done?

2. What kind of people does Rainsford guess might live on the island?

3. What explanation does Zaroff give for having recognized Rainsford?

4. Which word does the narrator use to describe General Zaroff's home?

5. Which animal does Rainsford call the most dangerous?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the early warning signs about Zaroff's island that Rainsford ignores.

2. What does Rainsford find in the jungle as he is walking toward Zaroff's house, and what does he conclude from it?

3. How does Rainsford end up falling overboard?

4. Once he falls overboard, what does Rainsford do and what does it show about his character?

5. In what ways does Zaroff show himself to be a good host?

6. How does the discussion of the Cape buffalo introduce a possible meaning of the story's title?

7. Describe Rainsford's first impression of General Zaroff.

8. Describe General Zaroff's house.

9. Describe Zaroff's dining room.

10. What clues does Connell give right away that the relationship between Ivan and Zaroff developed in the military?

(see the answer keys)

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