"The Ransom of Red Chief"

1. Which sentence BEST summarizes "The Ransom of Red Chief?"

• A father allows his son to be kidnapped because the son is ill behaved.

• A father convinces two kidnappers to return his son because he is missed by the neighbors.

• Two kidnappers take a child from a small town and have trouble with the child until they return the child at night.

• Two kidnappers develop a scheme to take money from a small-town family but end up paying money to the father.

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2. Which set of words and phrases BEST reveals the character of the kidnappers?

• "scheme," "desperate," "spirit was broken"

• "celebrated," "collaborated," "ought to commend itself to professional kidnappers"

• "demanding," "never lost my nerve," "willing to take a chance"

• "got him down in the bottom of the buggy," "troubled," "posted my letter surreptitiously"

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3. How does Red Chief's active imagination affect other characters in "The Ransom of Red Chief?"

• Red Chief plays with his kidnappers, and they appreciate the company.

• Red Chief's refusal to go home increases the kidnappers' excitement for ransom.

• Red Chief's unpredictable actions frighten Bill, one of the kidnappers.

• Red Chief spends his time waiting to be entertained, which frustrates the kidnappers.

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4. Which quotation from the text BEST supports the answer to question 3?

• "'I'm Old Hank, the Trapper, Red Chief's captive, and I'm to be scalped at daybreak. By Geronimo! that kid can kick hard.'"

• "'I like to camp out. You won't take me back home again, Snake-eye, will you?' 'Not right away,' says I."

• "'Sure,' said I. 'A rowdy kid like that is just the kind that parents dote on.'"

• "'You must keep the boy amused and quiet till I return.'"

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5. Which quotation from "The Ransom of Red Chief" BEST explains how the difference in Ebenezer Dorset's value of his child and that of the narrator contributes to the irony of the story?

• "'Perhaps,' says I to myself, 'it has not yet been discovered that the wolves have borne away the tender lambkin from the fold. Heaven help the wolves!'"

• "Bill and me figured Ebenezer would melt down for a ransom of two thousand dollars to a cent."

• "'Sam,' says he, 'What's two hundred and fifty dollars, after all? We've got the money. One more night of this kid will send me to a bed in Bedlam.'"

• "'Enough,' says Bill. 'In ten minutes I shall cross the central, Southern, and Middle Western States, and be legging it trippingly for the Canadian Border.'"

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6. Why does Ebenezer Dorset write, "You had better come at night, for the neighbors believe he is lost, and I couldn't be responsible for what they would do to anybody they saw bringing him back."

• The neighbors might punish Johnny for running away.

• The neighbors might harm the kidnappers when they realize the kidnappers took Johnny.

• The neighbors might punish Johnny and the kidnappers for making a scene in their quiet town.

• The neighbors might harm the kidnappers for returning Johnny because Johnny terrorizes them as well.

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7. What quotation from the text supports the answer to question 6?

• "We selected for our victim the only child of a prominent citizen named Ebenezer Dorset."

• "The kid was in the street, throwing rocks at a kitten on the opposite fence."

• "'You won't take me back home again, Snake-eye, will you?'"

• "But what I saw was a peaceful landscape dotted with one man ploughing with a dun mule."

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8. Which TWO pieces of evidence support that Bill and Sam's feelings of anxiety increase because of the kidnapping?

• "'Me?' says I. 'Oh, I got a kind of pain in my shoulder. I thought sitting up would rest it.'"

• "'What's two hundred and fifty dollars, after all? We've got the money.'"

• "'I never lost my nerve yet till we kidnapped that two-legged skyrocket of a kid. He's got me going. You won't leave long with him, will you?'"

• "Nobody was dragging the creek; no couriers dashed hither and yon, bringing tidings of no news to the distracted parents."

• “‘Tell you the truth, Bill,’ says I, ‘this little he-ewe lamb has somewhat got on my nerves too. We’ll take him home, pay the ransom, and make our getaway.’”

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9. Which TWO pieces of evidence support that Ebenezer Dorset and Red Chief are not afraid of the kidnapping.

• “Nobody was dragging the creek; no couriers dashed hither and yon, bringing tidings of no news to the distracted parents.”

• “‘You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and I agree to take him off your hands.’”

• “I hereby make you a counter-proposition, which I am inclined to believe you will accept.”

• “‘I like this fine. I never camped out before.’”

• “‘What’s two hundred and fifty dollars, after all? We’ve got the money.’”

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10. Which THREE pieces of evidence demonstrate the thoughts, feelings, or actions of Bill, Sam, and Ebenezer regarding the kid's return?

• “The boy is gone. I sent him home. All is off.”

• “‘What’s two hundred and fifty dollars, after all? We’ve got the money.’”

• “‘Tell you the truth, Bill,’ says I, ‘this little he-ewe lamb has somewhat got on my nerves too. We’ll take him home, pay the ransom, and make our getaway.’”

• “‘You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and I agree to take him off your hands.’”

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