View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What causes Miss Strangeworth to say that the Cranes' baby will expect luxury all of her life?

2. What detail is included to show that Miss Chandler is upset about something?

3. Miss Strangeworth thinks that people everywhere are "degraded" (425). What does this mean that she thinks about people?

4. Who is the original owner of Miss Strangeworth's house?

5. Why does Miss Strangeworth feel so certain that the children in front of the post office will be respectful toward her?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Miss Strangeworth write to Mrs. Harper, and what is she implying?

2. What worry does Helen Crane express about her baby daughter, and how does Miss Strangeworth respond to her concerns?

3. Describe Miss Strangeworth's feelings about her roses.

4. Describe the significance of the paper that Miss Strangeworth chooses for her anonymous notes.

5. What evidence is there in the story that Miss Strangeworth is well-known and respected in the town?

6. Describe the setting of the story "The Possibility of Evil."

7. Describe the exterior of Miss Strangeworth's house.

8. What is ironic about Miss Strangeworth's thoughts as she notices that various townspeople seem distressed?

9. Which writing utensils does Miss Strangeworth have available, and which one does she choose for her anonymous notes?

10. What details does Jackson provide about the interior of Miss Strangeworth's house to show the pride the family has always taken in the house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"The Possibility of Evil" is studded with words like "graceful" and "dainty." Write an essay that explores the significance of this aspect of the story's diction. Support your claims with direct quotations from the story.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that makes and defends a claim about the symbolic significance of the multicolored paper often used by Miss Strangeworth and the townspeople. Use textual evidence to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay that explores the symbolic significance of Strangeworth House. Make sure to consider its physical characteristics, its place in town history, and the feelings that it engenders in Miss Strangeworth and others. Support your claims with evidence from the text.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 990 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample