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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What explanation does the late comer give for being late?
(a) She overslept.
(b) Her clock had stopped.
(c) She had a cake in the oven.
(d) She forgot what day it is.

2. What is the traditional job of the village boys on Lottery Day?
(a) They collect stones and bring them to the town square.
(b) They play an exhibition football game before the lottery.
(c) They keep the younger children off the grass.
(d) They form an honor guard for the lottery box.

3. What does everyone get at this point?
(a) Refreshments.
(b) Stones.
(c) Blank papers.
(d) Instructions.

4. What is on each of the children's papers?
(a) A secret message.
(b) Gift certificates.
(c) Nothing. They are blank.
(d) Colored pictures.

5. What is Tessie doing in the center of the circle of her friends, neighbors, and family?
(a) Sitting on a makeshift throne.
(b) Dancing the lottery jig.
(c) Gloating that she is the winner.
(d) Holding out her hands and crying that it is not fair.

6. In the story, what idea does Shirley Jackson carefully avoid?
(a) Sweepstakes.
(b) Winning the lottery.
(c) The odds of winning.
(d) The time it takes to hold the lottery.

7. What are some villages rumored to be doing with their lottery?
(a) Discontinuing it.
(b) Combining it with another holiday.
(c) Holding parades before the lottery.
(d) Adding a consolation prize.

8. What is Jackson's main theme in the story?
(a) The need for change in a community.
(b) The need for tradition in small towns.
(c) The value of human life.
(d) The stupidity of blindly following tradition.

9. What does Mrs. Delacroix have in her hands?
(a) A huge stone.
(b) The lottery flag.
(c) A chocolate cake.
(d) The Hutchinson baby.

10. Why does Tessie try to add her daughter's family to Bill Hutchinson's second drawing?
(a) She is trying to get the whole thing done over.
(b) The more people in the drawing, the greater chance she has of not getting the dot.
(c) She feels the need to have all her family with her.
(d) She wants her daughter to have a chance to win, too.

11. Who is the first to hold up his slip of paper?
(a) Mr. Summers.
(b) Old man Warner.
(c) Mr. Graves.
(d) Bill Hutchinson.

12. What accusation does Tessie make to Joe Summers?
(a) That he cheated when he drew his own slip.
(b) That he goes first every year to lessen his chances of getting the dot.
(c) That someone else should draw for him.
(d) That he doesn't like her and arranged for her to get the dot.

13. What is Mrs. Hutchinson's behavior as she makes her way to her family?
(a) Perplexed and confused.
(b) Anxious and in a hurry.
(c) Somber and angry.
(d) Laughing and apologizing for being late.

14. Why is everyone participating, even the Hutchinson children?
(a) Because it is a village activity.
(b) Because they will be jailed if they do not.
(c) Because they have nothing better to do.
(d) Because they are all hypnotized.

15. Who needs help from Mr. Graves to open his slip?
(a) Little Dave Hutchinson.
(b) All of the children.
(c) Tessie.
(d) The youngest daughter.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the village look like on the morning of the lottery?

2. Who is the first person called to draw for the lottery?

3. What is in the black box?

4. What is the tone as the story begins?

5. When Mr. Summers says it is time, what does everyone do?

(see the answer keys)

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