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!

Why does Erich want Maurice to travel with him on the book tour? (from Part 1: Before the Wall Came Down)

He never had a son of his own and feels that Maurice could in some ways fulfill that role.

He wants to mentor Maurice because he sees that he has a great deal of talent.

He is in need of a personal assistant to help him while on tour.

He hopes that Maurice will become enamored and engage in a sexual relationship with him.

Why does Maurice need to suppress his memories of his school days which are triggered by seeing the abacus in the principal's office? (from Interlude: The Threatened Animal)

He is afraid that thinking about the past might cause him to become aroused in the principal's office.

He knows the memories might make him uncontrollably angry.

He has discounted his school days as a waste of time and does not want to dwell on them.

He knows he needs to focus on the present and manage the sticky situation at hand.

What does the author suggest as Dash Hardy passes Erich in the hallway with a bottle of champagne and two glasses? (from Part 1: Before the Wall Came Down)

Dash is heading off to have a romantic liaison with Maurice.

Dash is celebrating the signing of a new book deal.

Dash is heading to his room to meet the Spanish novelist.

Dash is heading to a party meant only for the younger writers.

What does it mean that Dash "heard the young man rising in the night as he went about the business of ambition" (115)? (from Interlude: The Swallow's Nest)

Dash was aware that Maurice got out of bed to propose a sexual encounter to Gore in hopes of gaining his favor.

Dash heard Maurice head upstairs to the library to read and work.

Dash heard Maurice and Gore talking late into the night.

Dash heard Maurice working on his novel in his room during the night.

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)

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

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

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

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