Act I-III Crucible

1. What event begins the rising action in Act I of The Crucible? (What happens first?)

• John Proctor appears at the Parris home and rebuffs Abigail's efforts to resume their affair
• Abigail is dismissed from the Proctor household, and Mary Warren takes her place there. 
• Betty has fallen mysteriously ill after she and some other girls were found engaging in apparent rituals in the woods.
• Reverend Hale questions Tituba and the girls about their activities in the woods. 

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2. Based on the dialogue between Reverend Parris and Abigail near the start of Act I of The Crucible, what can you conclude about Parris's concern for Betty?

• His concern stems primarily from fears about his own reputation. 
• His concern stems primarily from fears about the fate of Betty's soul.
• His concern stems primarily from his overprotective attitude toward his daughter.
• His concern stems primarily from his terror of the Devil. 

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3. In The Crucible, Act I, how does Reverend Parris's belief in the supernatural affect his response to his daughter's illness? 

• He refuses to send for a doctor.
• He professes his faith that God will heal her.
• He seeks help from Reverend Hale.
• He believes Abigail's assertion that Betty was not bewitched. 

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4. The following passage is from the dramatic exposition with which Act I of The Crucible opens. For what event later in Act I does this information prepare you?
Long-held hatreds of neighbors could now be openly expressed, and vengeance taken, despite the Bible's charitable injunctions. Land-lust which had been expressed before by constant bickering over boundaries and deeds, could now be elevated to the arena of morality … 

• Putnam arguing with Proctor about a piece of land to which both men lay claim 
• Reverend Parris complaining about his salary 
• Abigail's reluctance to tell the truth about what happened in the woods 
• Abigail's dismissal from service in the Proctor household 

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5. In Act I of The Crucible, what justification does Mrs. Putnam give for sending Ruth to Tituba? 

• Tituba promised to revive Mrs. Putnam's dead children
• Mrs. Putnam didn't think a little foolish "conjuring" would do any harm.
• Mrs. Putnam thought it might help Ruth, who seemed to be ailing.
• Mrs. Putnam feels she deserves to know why she has had to endure the deaths of seven children and believes Tituba can talk to the dead.

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6. The dialogue that Abigail exchanges with Betty and with John Proctor in The Crucible, Act I, suggests that Abigail is 

• likely to make sure that Proctor's wife is accused of witchcraft
• full of hate for John Proctor. 
• fearful that Betty's illness is a punishment for communal sins, including Abigail's sinful affair with Proctor.
• likely to leave Salem in the near future. 

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7. Which phrase best describes Abigail Williams's character in Act I of The Crucible? 

• impulsive and thoughtless 
• naive and timid 
• proud and manipulative 
•  affectionate and vulnerable 

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8. From the details in Act I of The Crucible, what can you conclude about Abigail's relationship with the other girls?

• Her beauty and cleverly crafted purity give her great influence over the other girls. 
• She uses the other girls' fear of her and of supernatural events to intimidate them. 
• Her charm and magnetic persuasiveness make her a natural leader among the girls 
• She has little influence over the other girls, despite her social position as the minister's niece. 

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9. Consider Tituba's state of mind when she begins naming names in Act I of The Crucible. What can you infer about her motivation? 

• She is afraid of Reverend Hale and being hung. She thinks naming names will save her from punishment 
• She actually saw Goody Good and Goody Osburn in the forest and wants to tell the truth. 
• She is confused and is talking about a dream she once had.
• She does not like the women she named, and she hopes they will be punished. 

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10. From the following stage directions near the start of Act I of The Crucible, what can readers conclude about Tituba's behavior at the end of the act?
She enters as one does who can no longer bear to be barred from the sight of her beloved, but she is also very frightened because her slave sense has warned her that, as always, trouble in this house eventually lands on her back.

• Tituba is so fond of Betty that she will try anything to help her. 
• Tituba is actually in love with Reverend Parris and confesses to keep him out of trouble.
• Tituba's "slave sense" is what got her and the girls into trouble in the first place.
• She is so sure that trouble will befall her that she plays along with Hale as he pushes her for information. 

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