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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 is the instruction given to the villagers about what to do after they have drawn?

2. What are the men doing before it is time for the lottery to begin?

3. What does Tessie's paper mean?

4. Old man Warner suggests that discontinuing the lottery would be doing what?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. Who do they look for before continuing with the lottery?

2. What does Mrs. Delacroix do to participate in the stoning?

3. What does Mr. Graves do at the Hutchinson family drawing?

4. Why does the first person called for the lists not appear?

5. At what point in the story does Jackson raise the question of what's going on with her readers?

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

7. What request do Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves make of the villagers and who volunteers?

8. How are people dressed for this annual event?

9. After locating the holder of the black spot, what do the villagers do?

10. What do the boys do to prepare for the lottery.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Do some research and write a paper that briefly describes cultures that have held human sacrifices. Identify, if possible, their reasons for doing so.

Essay Topic 2

Write a paper on what you believe Shirley Jackson is satirizing in THE LOTTERY. Explain whether you think there is a religious undertone to the story.

Essay Topic 3

Write a paper in which you are one of the villagers at the lottery. Describe your feelings as the lottery takes place. How do you feel when it is not you but Bill Hutchinson who draws the black spot? Carry this on through picking up a rock and throwing it at Tessie.

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This section contains 586 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample