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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. What does Bigger say when Bessie asks if he murdered Mary Dalton?
(a) He laughs and says Mary killed herself by jumping in the river and he just watched.
(b) He denies killing Mary, but admits he stole money from her.
(c) He admits that he killed Mary and threatens Bessie, too.
(d) He admits that he killed Mary and tells Bessie he'll tell everyone she helped him.

2. What does Bigger contemplate while standing on the rooftop?
(a) Trying to look for a fire escape.
(b) Shooting himself.
(c) Jumping to his death.
(d) Trying to jump to the next building.

3. When Bessie again declares she won't help Bigger with is ransom plan, what does bigger do to persuade her?
(a) He tells her it will be over between them if she doesn't help him.
(b) He holds a knife in a threatening way and warns her she had better help him.
(c) He threatens to beat her if she doesn't do what he wants.
(d) Reminds her she has already helped him steal enough to land her in jail. He also threatens to slap her.

4. What happens when Bigger first awakens the morning after the murder?
(a) He doesn't think about what happened the night before.
(b) He remembers everything he did the night before.
(c) He sees his brother, Buddy, staring at him suspiciously.
(d) He tries to sneak out of the house unnoticed.

5. What does Bigger do to Bessie after they go to the old building to hide?
(a) He rapes her then after she falls alseep kills her with a brick then throws her body down an air shaft.
(b) He rapes her then cuts off her head like he did Mary's and throws her body down an air shaft.
(c) He sleeps then awakens realizing he must kill Bessie.
(d) He smashes her head with a brick then runs away.

Short Answer Questions

1. How is building Bigger chose as the lookout point for the money drop described in the story.

2. What did Buddy tell Bigger happened the night before?

3. What happens when Bigger arrives at Bessie's apartment and he tries to kiss her?

4. Who is Britten?

5. While hidden Bigger reads a newspaper about the search for him. Why do the authorities still think Jan Erlone is the mastermind behind the entire murder and ransom?

Short Essay Questions

1. When did Bigger realize how quickly news was going to spread that he had killed Mary?

2. What is the one problem Bigger feels he has to do before he will be okay?

3. In what ways was Bigger's capture similar to the opening of the book when Bigger chased, eventually killing the rat?

4. What deterred the Daltons from being excessively concerned when they found Mary wasn't in the house the morning after she was murdered?

5. How did Bigger feel about killing Bessie?

6. When Bigger awoke in the morning after Mary's death, what happened when he remembered what he had done the night before?

7. Why did Bigger decide to try to blame Jan and the Communist Party for the kidnapping?

8. What kind of power did Bigger have over Bessie that she continued to obey his direction even though she knew it was wrong?

9. What was Bessie's reaction when Bigger arrived at her apartment the morning after the murder of Mary?

10. Bigger was very much interested in reading about himself in the newspapers. Of what significance was this?

(see the answer keys)

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