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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. What letter does Miss Strangeworth think about writing to the school board?

2. Why does Miss Strangeworth refer to the Cranes' baby as "her highness" (421)?

3. What are the youngest children at the post office doing?

4. What color paper does Miss Strangeworth choose for the note to Don Crane about his baby daughter?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. Who is Linda Stewart, and why has she been so upset?

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

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 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.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,000 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample