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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. Who helps hold the box to keep it steady?

2. What is Tessie Hutchinson doing when she realizes Bill has the marked slip?

3. Where is Tessie by the time everyone has their stones?

4. What does everyone get at this point?

5. What is Mr. Summers' position in the town?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Tessie Hutchinson do when she realizes that Bill has the paper?

2. What happens as the stoning begins?

3. This time, who comes forward to draw slips of paper from the box?

4. Have there ever been deviations from tradition in the past? What are they?

5. What does the setting of THE LOTTERY say about the citizens of the village.

6. What kind of lists are required for the conduct of the lottery?

7. What is different about this year's lottery?

8. Whose name was the first to be called up for the lottery?

9. Describe the kind of morning it is on the day of the lottery.

10. What does Mr. Summers do when he calls out his own name?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a paper comparing THE LOTTERY with humiliating and sometimes dangerous club initiations. Discuss such things as humane treatment, anxiety of the initiates, and the moral correctness of the proceedings.

Essay Topic 2

Write a paper on how well written short stories hold the interest of the reader including the fact that they can be read in one sitting.

Essay Topic 3

Write a paper on surprise endings to short stories that are humorous instead of macabre. [If you do not know one, read O'Henry's THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF for this assignment.]

(see the answer keys)

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