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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How is Mary said to feel as she comes out of her shock after killing Patrick in “Lamb to the Slaughter”?
(a) Cold and surprised
(b) Sickened and tortured
(c) Fearful and repellant
(d) Paranoid and energetic

2. What is the store clerk’s response when Mary asks him if he thinks her dinner will be all right despite being cooked from frozen?
(a) Personally, I would thaw it first
(b) I wouldn’t know, I am a vegetarian
(c) Personally, I don’t believe it makes any difference
(d) Personally, I will only eat them fresh

3. Which object from “Lamb to the Slaughter” symbolizes “revenge”?
(a) The leg of lamb
(b) The newspaper article
(c) The wall clock
(d) The pastry string

4. Who is the officer who is asked by another in the kitchen, “What do you think?”
(a) The fingerprint man
(b) Sergeant Noonan
(c) Charlie
(d) O'Malley

5. What does Mary tell the police detectives she went to the store to buy when they question her?
(a) A newspaper
(b) Wine
(c) Vegetables
(d) Meat

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Mary tell the police officer on the phone that Patrick is when she calls them?

2. What is the presumed setting of “Lamb to the Slaughter”?

3. Patrick tells Mary after relating his story that “there needn’t really be any” what?

4. What happens to the murder weapon in “Lamb to the Slaughter”?

5. How are Mary’s actions described when she kills her husband?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Roald Dahl demonstrate black humor through the act of murder in “Lamb to Slaughter”?

2. How is Mary’s love for Patrick indicated through imagery in the story?

3. How would you characterize Sergeant Noonan’s behavior toward Mary in “Lamb to Slaughter”?

4. How would you characterize the tone and mood of “Lamb to the Slaughter”?

5. What characteristics define Mary Maloney in “Lamb to Slaughter”?

6. What do you think the outcome will be for Mary based on the ending of the story?

7. Whose point of view does the narrative of “Lamb to Slaughter” revolve around?

8. What conversation between Mary and Sergeant Noonan leads to the destruction of the evidence in “Lamb to Slaughter”?

9. What can be seen as ironic in Mary’s ability to evade suspicion and prosecution in “Lamb to Slaughter”?

10. How would you characterize Mary’s mindset as she commits murder in “Lamb to Slaughter”?

(see the answer keys)

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