A Ladder to the Sky Quiz

Take our free A Ladder to the Sky quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam. Take the free quiz now!

Maurice's description of Theo "tapping the the tip of his index finger against his thumb rapidly, like a woodpecker attacking an oak tree" (296) is an example of which literary device? (from Part 3: Other People's Stories)

A metaphor.

A simile.

An allusion.

Personification.

Why does Daniel slap Jupiter in response to being kissed? (from Interlude: The Threatened Animal)

He has seen this kind of behavior on some of the television programs he watches.

He did not like being kissed and has seen other boys interact this way on the playground.

He wants to scare her away.

He has witnessed Maurice hitting one of his dates.

Why does Gore tell Howard they should get rid of the bed in the guest room the morning after Maurice has slept in it? (from Interlude: The Swallow's Nest)

He is disgusted with Maurice and wants to get rid of any semblance or reminder of him.

Maurice had obviously not slept well in it since he was up wandering the halls the previous night.

The bed was getting old and falling apart.

Gore was eager to redecorate and thought they should begin in the guest room.

Why is Henrietta so upset with Maurice for rejecting her second story, if he published the first story that got her a book deal? (from Interlude: The Threatened Animal)

Henrietta is worried that Maurice hates her and feels she needs his approval to survive in publishing.

She needs the piece to be in Stori in order to publicize her novel.

She feels the second story is even better than the first and thinks Maurice is losing his touch.

Now that she is a published author, she expects Maurice to be delighted with all her work.

How does Maurice feel about not having Daniel with him anymore? (from Part 3: Other People's Stories)

He is glad that Daniel is not around to act as his moral conscience all the time.

He feels both guilt over losing his son and contentment that he can live life on his own.

He misses him very much and has dreams about him all the time.

He wonders if he could have become a grandparent some day.