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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 spot on the island does Zaroff warn Rainsford to stay away from?
(a) The caves.
(b) The swamp.
(c) The cliffs.
(d) The river.

2. When Rainsford insists on leaving the island, what is Zaroff's response?
(a) He decides that he will hunt Rainsford that evening.
(b) He pulls out his gun and tells Rainsford that he does not have a choice about staying on the island.
(c) He decides to send Rainsford down to the cellar.
(d) He stalls for time by pretending to send Ivan for a boat to take Rainsford off the island.

3. Before Zaroff hunts people, what does he usually do with them?
(a) Trains them and gets them into shape.
(b) Treats them as honored guests.
(c) Uses them as unpaid labor.
(d) Makes sure that they are tired and hungry.

4. On page 50, Rainsford decides that taking a rest is "imperative." What does this mean he thinks about the idea of resting?
(a) It is a foolish waste of time.
(b) It is nice but not essential.
(c) It is extremely important.
(d) It is too risky.

5. On the second night, what danger does Rainsford narrowly avoid?
(a) Falling off a cliff.
(b) Getting lost in a cave.
(c) Quicksand.
(d) Drowning.

Short Answer Questions

1. On the morning of the second day of the hunt, what warns Rainsford that Zaroff is approaching?

2. What word does Zaroff use frequently to describe his life on the island?

3. How does Zaroff obtain his victims?

4. How does Rainsford finally succeed in getting away from Zaroff?

5. What is most clearly implied by the last line of this story?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How does Zaroff characterize Rainsford's views on hunting human beings?

3. How does Zaroff obtain his victims?

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

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

6. What does Zaroff say about the "strong" and the "weak" (35)?

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

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

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

10. 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)

(see the answer keys)

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