Mckinney-The Tell-Tale Heart

Why does the narrator believe himself to be sane?

• He has never been called "mad" to his face.

• He wisely executes his plan to kill the old man.

• He has no reason for wanting to kill the old man.

• He can acknowledge that his plan to kill the old man is mad.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

The narrator believes the old man groans because...

• the old man cannot fall back asleep.

• the old man is dying of a serious illness.

• the old man can see the narrator at the door.

• the old man senses the man's dangerous presence in the room.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

How does the sound of the old man's heart beat affect the narrator?

• It frightens the narrator and drives him from the room.

• It helps the narrator realize that he does not want to kill the old man.

• It further encourages the narrator to silence the old man's heartbeat.

• It confuses the narrator because he is not close enough to be able to hear it.

Why does the narrator seat himself and the officers in the room where the body is hidden?

• He is feeling boastful of how well he hid the body.

• He is going mad and wants to torture himself with guilt.

• He is worried he will give away the body's location otherwise.

• He is convinced it is the only way to keep the officers from finding the body.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Why does the narrator tell the officers to "tear up the planks"?

• He wanted to be caught for the crime all along.

• He knew that they would find the evidence eventually.

• He believes they hear the heartbeat and are mocking him.

• He hears the old man heartbeat and believes he is still alive.

Which statement best describes a major theme of the story.

• People can never truly escape the terrible things they have done.

• People without remorse can commit terrible crimes without consequences.

• People often make a mistake while committing a crime because of their arrogance.

• People who are very lonely may turn their feelings on others and cause them harm.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

In the story, what causes the conflict between the narrator and the old man?

• The narrator and the old man resent having to live together because of the narrator's disease, so the narrator decides to murder the old man.

• The narrator is driven mad by the sound of a heart beating beneath the floorboards, and this causes him to kill the old man.

• The narrator watches the old man sleep, and when the terrified old man discovers this, the narrator kills him to keep his madness hidden.

• The narrator is terrified of the old man's blue eye and overwhelmed by the sound of his heartbeat, so the narrator kills the old man.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.2.3

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.4.4

Which of the following best describes the significance of the beating heart throughout the story.

• It represents the narrator's own death, like the old man's, drawing near as he faces punishment for his crime.

• It shows there is something supernatural happening to the narrator, for the ghost of the old man is haunting him.

• It represents the narrator's guilt and worsening sanity, for the beating heart serves as a reminder of his crime.

• It signifies the narrator's anxiety about not burying the old man respectfully after killing him.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2