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

Short Answer Questions

1. Why did Miss Strangeworth stop calling Tommy Lewis "Tommy" and start calling him "Mr. Lewis"?

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

3. What is the best definition of "proverbial" in the sentence "Miss Strangeworth's hats were proverbial in the town" (426)?

4. What word is repeatedly used to describe the day on which the story opens?

5. When Miss Strangeworth looks out the window after the story ends, what will she see?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Miss Strangeworth write to Mrs. Foster about her upcoming surgery, and what is she implying?

2. To whom do the townspeople want to dedicate a statue, and why does Miss Strangeworth say that it should be a statue of her grandfather, instead?

3. What does the green letter at the end of the story say, and what does it imply?

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

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

6. What is ironic about Dave Harris being the one to find and deliver Miss Strangeworth's dropped letter?

7. Describe Miss Strangeworth's relationship with Tommy Lewis.

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

9. What details in the story let the reader know that Miss Strangeworth herself does not believe some of the accusations she is making?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that explores the symbolic significance of Miss Strangeworth's habit of burning notes that are not perfect. Offer evidence from the story to support your claims.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that affirms, refutes, or qualifies the following claim: Miss Strangeworth functions like an omnipotent deity in her small town, introducing the "possibility of evil" and allowing the residents of "her" town to make their own choices about how to respond. Offer textual support from the story to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay that makes and defends a claim about the purpose of including the images and details related to Miss Strangeworth's passion for neatness. Support your ideas with evidence from the text.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,066 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample