View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Ethan intends to hurry home for dinner so that __________________________________-.
(a) He can send Jotham can go home early.
(b) He can enjoy his last moments alone with Mattie before Zeena arrives.
(c) He can avoid seeing Zeena in town.
(d) He can serve Mattie instead of having her serve him.

2. What lie is revealed when Zeena presses Ethan to pay for a hired girl?
(a) Ethan's lie that he needed to collect money from Andrew Hale.
(b) Zeena's lie about needing to see another doctor.
(c) Mattie's lie about planning to be married.
(d) Ethan's lie that he had loved Zeena when they were first married.

3. Ethan senses something went wrong with Zeena because _______________________________.
(a) Zeena demands that Mattie serve her dinner in her bed.
(b) Jotham Powell refuses to stay for dinner.
(c) Zeena refuses to allow Jotham Powell at dinner.
(d) Mattie refuses to cook dinner.

4. Before they strike the elm, Ethan has a last vision of __________________________.
(a) His mother.
(b) Zeena's face.
(c) Mattie's face.
(d) The cemetery by his home.

5. Ethan believes Mattie understands ________________________________.
(a) His need to get the lumber delivered.
(b) His unwillingness to help her around the house.
(c) His desire to keep Zeena from arriving at home.
(d) His urgency to be alone with her again.

Short Answer Questions

1. What emotion does Mrs. Hale express for Ethan?

2. Ethan perceives Zeena's tone as __________________________.

3. Mattie's note to Ethan reads ___________________________.

4. Ethan returns home to find _____________________________________.

5. How does Ethan solve the glue problem?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why doesn't Ethan feel he can refuse Zeena's demand to send Mattie away?

2. Aside from Mattie, where does Ethan continue to find inspiration and beauty?

3. What generally happens when Ethan tries to be dishonest?

4. Why isn't Ethan prepared for Zeena's arrival when he gets home?

5. What do Ethan and Mattie wish for, rather than living apart?

6. What does Zeena spend her time doing since the accident?

7. Why does Ruth Hale believe Ethan Frome suffers so badly?

8. What is Zeena's true purpose in hiring a girl to take care of her and their home?

9. What does Ethan claim about the state of his marriage in the letter to Zeena, and what does this show about Ethan's character?

10. What is significant about Zeena's behavior that day?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 782 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample