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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 much of a head start does Zaroff offer his victims?
(a) 1 day.
(b) 3 hours.
(c) 1/2 day.
(d) 1 hour.

2. After running from Zaroff for two hours, what does Rainsford decide to do?
(a) Hide in a cave.
(b) Dig a deep pit to hide in.
(c) Find a way across the river.
(d) Create a winding and tricky path for Zaroff to follow.

3. On page 51, Rainsford's night is said to be "apprehensive." What kind of a night is it?
(a) Full of suffering.
(b) Full of worry.
(c) Full of planning.
(d) Full of regret.

4. What word does Zaroff use frequently to describe his life on the island?
(a) Lonely.
(b) Righteous.
(c) Luxurious.
(d) Civilized.

5. What does Rainsford keep telling himself after the first two hours or running from Zaroff?
(a) That he does not deserve what is happening.
(b) That it is only 3 days.
(c) That he was foolish to stand on the rail of the ship.
(d) That he has to keep his nerve.

Short Answer Questions

1. What animal does Rainsford compare himself to when he climbs the tree?

2. If someone refuses to participate in Zaroff's hunting game, what does he do?

3. What is Zaroff's response to being wounded by Rainsford?

4. On page 35, Zaroff says that Rainsford's attitude is "like finding a snuffbox in a limousine." What does he mean by this?

5. What spot on the island does Zaroff warn Rainsford to stay away from?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does General Zaroff react to Rainsford's various traps?

2. What does Zaroff ask Rainsford to promise him he will do if he wins the "game," and what is the result?

3. How does Zaroff characterize Rainsford's views on hunting human beings?

4. Explain at least two ways in which the story's title can be understood.

5. What allusion is contained in the sentence "I have played the fox, now I must play the cat of the fable," and what is the meaning of the allusion (50)?

6. What disagreement do Zaroff and Rainsford have about the difference between "hunting" and "murder"?

7. What does the sentence "He was in a picture with a frame of water, and his operations, clearly, must take place within that frame" mean? (49)

8. What does Zaroff say about the "strong" and the "weak" (35)?

9. How does Zaroff obtain his victims?

10. What part of the island does Zaroff tell Rainsford to avoid, and what are at least two likely motives for his warning?

(see the answer keys)

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