"Tell-Tale Heart" Test Review

Which sentence uses “sagacity” correctly if it comes from the Latin root sagax which means “of quick perception or judgment)?

• The blue jolly rancher had the most sagacity compared to other flavors.

• The sagacity of students resulted in them being written referrals.

• The students’ ability to get work done on time and study hard showed great sagacity.

• The new law  was passed with sagacity as everyone agreed with it.

What is the impact of the underlined simile in paragraph 11?

And now have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the senses?—now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well too. It was the beating of the old man’s heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage.

• The simile emphasizes the narrator’s focus and provides foreshadowing to the reader.

• The simile emphasizes the narrator’s concern for the old man’s health as his heart beats too quickly.

• The simile emphasizes the old man’s terror and makes the narrator feel empathy toward him.

• The simile emphasizes the narrator’s obsession with the old man’s vulture eye and provides a sense of foreshadowing to the reader.

What is the impact of the underlined simile in paragraph 18?

 No doubt I now grew very pale;—but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound—much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath—and yet the officers heard it  not. I talked more quickly—more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations, but the noise steadily increased.

• The simile emphasizes the narrator’s increasing horror and the repetition of the simile reinforces that the sound is that of a heart.

• The simile emphasizes how long the sound was.

• The simile emphasizes the narrator’s obsession with the old man’s heart.

• The simile emphasizes the narrator’s fear of discovery.

Read paragraph 14, how does “triumph” impact the tone of the paragraph?

“ In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.”

• It suggests that the narrator has lost and is sure that he will be caught.

• It demonstrates the narrator’s confidence that he will not be caught.

• It furthers the idea that the narrator has defeated the old man.

• It emphasizes the narrator’s playful nature as he talks about the game of hiding his plot.

 Read the excerpt from paragraphs 6 and 7. How does the word “sprang” impact the tone of the text?

I  had my head in, and was about to open the lantern, when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old man sprang up in the bed, crying out—“Who’s there?”

I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed listening,—just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the death watches in the wall.

• It indicates the old man’s surprise which adds a sense of excitement to the text.

• It indicates that the old man is frightened and adds tension to the text.

• It indicates that the narrator is concerned about being caught

• It indicates that the narrator is jumpy which adds a sense of surprise to the text.

 Select two statements that describe the significance of the irony in paragraph 5. 

His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness (for the shutters were close fastened, through fear of robbers), and so I knew that he could not see the opening of the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily, steadily.

• The shutters were fastened to keep robbers coming from outside while the narrator is planning to murder the old man.

• The old man is keeping away danger from outside, but the murderer is inside the house.

• The narrator is considering taking more precautions to keep himself safe.

• The old man has recently started closing the shutters because he has been sleeping badly.

• The room is darker than expected since the old man usually keeps a lantern lit.

Select the statement that BEST describes the significance of the irony in paragraph 16.

'“Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks!—here, here!—it is the beating of his hideous heart!”'

• The narrator tells the police exactly where to find the old man’s body even though he spent a lot of time plotting how to remain undetected.

• The narrator hears the old man’s heart even though he is dead.

• The narrator calls the police “villains” even though they are doing their jobs

• The narrator admits where the old man is even though he feels that he is justified in his actions.

 Which underlined word from paragraph 18 has the roots meaning"mistrusted" and "to look." ?

 And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not?—no, no! They heard!—they suspected!—they knew!—they were making a mockery of my horror!—this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die!—and now—again!—hark! louder! louder!  Louder!

• suspected

• agony

• derision

• hypocritical

 Which underlined word from paragraph 18 has the roots meaning "actor" and "mask wearer." ?

 And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not?—no, no! They heard!—they suspected!—they knew!—they were making a mockery of my horror!—this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die!—and now—again!—hark! louder! louder!  Louder!

• suspected

• agony

• derision

• hypocritical

 How does the setting of the home help develop the plot?

• he saying “home is where the heart is” provides context to the reader so they can understand the resolution of the story.

• The home is a familiar place to the narrator which allows him to fully plot the old man’s demise.

• The home is a quiet place so he knows that no one will come check on the old man.

• The home frequently has shrieking so the old man knows the police will not investigate if someone hears the old man.