View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What does David tell the devil to do when he is caught in the door?

2. What does David wrap his sister in to keep her warm?

3. How does David think his father got lost?

4. How long has the snowstorm by David's house lasted?

5. What does Shlemiel mean?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does David do before releasing the devil's tail from his door?

2. How does the story "The Devil's Trick" begin?

3. How does a jar of chicken fat rip and stain Lemel's coat?

4. What do the Elders suggest when they hear of Lemel's misfortune with all of his gifts?

5. What is the last gift that Yenta gives Lemel, and what does Lemel do with it?

6. How does David feel while he is out in the storm?

7. What wakes Shlemiel up while his wife is away, and what does he do?

8. Why does Shlemiel not drink water from the well after eating the jam?

9. What does David demand of the devil when his tail is caught in the door?

10. How long has David's father been missing, and why did he leave in the first place?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The characters in these stories have their own goals and motivations. Select four characters and discuss their main motivation and how this goal affected the characters around them.

Essay Topic 2

Despair is a common theme in these stories. Discuss the role of despair in the lives of Singer's characters.

Essay Topic 3

Hannukuh and Judaism are central to the plots of every story. How does this religious center affect the plot of the stories and the messages presented in them?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 721 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample