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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What explanation does Zaroff give for his servant's not speaking to Rainsford?
(a) The man can neither hear nor speak.
(b) The man has a phobia of strangers.
(c) The man only speaks Russian.
(d) Only Zaroff is allowed to speak to visitors.

2. What is unusual about the door knocker on Zaroff's house?
(a) It is rusted into place.
(b) It does not seem to make any sound.
(c) It is in the shape of a hunting dog's head.
(d) It is in the shape of a gargoyle.

3. What does Rainsford see is true about three sides of Zaroff's house?
(a) They are built over cliffs.
(b) They are surrounded by a fence.
(c) They have no windows.
(d) They are crumbling into disrepair.

4. Why does Rainsford have difficulty seeing the island from the ship?
(a) It is raining.
(b) There is no moon.
(c) He is looking in the wrong direction.
(d) He has bad eyesight.

5. What does Zaroff say is the problem with ordinary big-game hunting?
(a) It does not take the feelings of the prey animal into account.
(b) There are too many other great hunters in the world.
(c) The prey animal has almost no chance of survival.
(d) It wastes the life of an animal for no purpose.

6. What is the first thing that Rainsford does once he is on top of the cliffs?
(a) Yell for help.
(b) Hide.
(c) Make a fire.
(d) Sleep.

7. On page 5, evil is described as "tangible." What would this mean is true about evil?
(a) It is a thing that you can perceive with your senses.
(b) It is a thing that can take over without you realizing it.
(c) It is a thing that can distract you from your real goals.
(d) It is a thing that can paralyze you with fear.

8. What does Zaroff enjoy about hunting humans?
(a) They can reason.
(b) It reminds him of being in the war.
(c) It breaks a powerful taboo.
(d) They sometimes escape him.

9. Which is the best description of Rainsford when he is in the water?
(a) He panics and then is embarrassed because he is well-known for his courage.
(b) He is overconfident and thinks that nothing can harm him.
(c) He is shocked at first but stays calm and thinks his situation through.
(d) He thinks the situation is amusing at first but rapidly realizes that it is serious.

10. Which word best describes the inside of Zaroff's house?
(a) Stark.
(b) Cozy.
(c) Forbidding.
(d) Luxurious.

11. What is the name of the island on which the story takes place?
(a) Shipwreck Island.
(b) Sunken Ship Island.
(c) The island is unnamed.
(d) Ship-Trap Island.

12. Which word does the narrator use to describe General Zaroff's home?
(a) Fanciful.
(b) Foreboding.
(c) Grotesque.
(d) Palatial.

13. When Rainsford introduces himself to the General's servant, what is the man's response?
(a) He slams the door.
(b) He cocks the hammer of his gun.
(c) He calls for General Zaroff.
(d) He finally allows Rainsford to enter the house.

14. As Rainsford begins to walk along the cliffside, what does he notice in the jungle?
(a) A fire burning somewhere deep in the jungle.
(b) Signs that the island is inhabited by many dangerous animals.
(c) That various traps have been set and that some are sprung.
(d) Signs of a large animal having been hunted and killed.

15. What kind of people does Rainsford guess might live on the island?
(a) Missing sailors.
(b) Hunters.
(c) War criminals.
(d) Cannibals.

Short Answer Questions

1. On page 1, the narrator says that the night "was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht." What literary technique is being employed in this phrase?

2. What explanation does Zaroff give for having recognized Rainsford?

3. What does Zaroff tell Rainsford he lives for?

4. On page 33, the narrator mentions that Zaroff has "surmounted" an obstacle. What has Zaroff done?

5. To what ethnic group do Zaroff and his servant belong?

(see the answer keys)

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