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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. On page 35, Zaroff says that Rainsford's attitude is "like finding a snuffbox in a limousine." What does he mean by this?
(a) That Rainsford's attitude is unpleasant and not particularly safe.
(b) That Rainsford's attitude is charming but too delicate to survive.
(c) That Rainsford's attitude is fussy and somewhat embarrassing.
(d) That Rainsford's attitude is old-fashioned and out of place in the modern world.

2. What does Rainsford keep telling himself after the first two hours or running from Zaroff?
(a) That he was foolish to stand on the rail of the ship.
(b) That he has to keep his nerve.
(c) That it is only 3 days.
(d) That he does not deserve what is happening.

3. After Zaroff leaves, when Rainsford is lying in the tree and thinking over what has just happened, what emotion does Rainsford feel?
(a) Anger.
(b) Triumph.
(c) Regret.
(d) Terror.

4. What justification does Zaroff give for his actions?
(a) He kills his victims quickly and as painlessly as possible.
(b) He is only hunting lower class people.
(c) He is only hunting non-Christians.
(d) He does give his victims a choice.

5. When Rainsford digs his pit trap, he is said to dig like what?
(a) A beaver.
(b) A soldier.
(c) A groundhog.
(d) A Russian serf.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Zaroff realizes that he is the one in danger and moves out of the way, to what does the narrator compare his quick movement?

2. On page 50, Rainsford thinks of General Zaroff as "zealous." What kind of a person does this mean General Zaroff is?

3. When he is hiding in the tree, what does Rainsford suddenly realize?

4. On page 50, Rainsford decides that taking a rest is "imperative." What does this mean he thinks about the idea of resting?

5. On page 59, Rainsford's waiting is described with the phrase "He lived a year in a minute." What literary technique is being used here?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the sentence "He was in a picture with a frame of water, and his operations, clearly, must take place within that frame" mean? (49)

2. Describe General Zaroff's actions when Rainsford is hiding in the tree.

3. How does Rainsford finally escape Zaroff, and why is Zaroff foolish to assume that Rainsford is dead?

4. Explain at least two ways in which the story's title can be understood.

5. How does General Zaroff react to Rainsford's various traps?

6. What does General Zaroff's definition of "civilized" seem to be?

7. What are the terms of General Zaroff's "game"?

8. What allusion is contained in the sentence "I have played the fox, now I must play the cat of the fable," and what is the meaning of the allusion (50)?

9. During Rainsford's attempt to escape Zaroff, there are many references to animals. How are they used and what is their significance?

10. What does Zaroff want to show Rainsford in the cellar and in the library, and what does this tell the reader about him?

(see the answer keys)

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