"Ruthless" Reading Comprehension

Which of the following describes how Judson feels about his possessions?

• He doesn't mind sharing with others.

• He doesn't like anyone to disturb them.

• Only his family is allowed to touch them.

• He treasures them because he doesn't have much.

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Which event sets the story into motion?

• the theft of Judson's liquor

• Judson's decision to have a drink

• Judson's relunctance to return to the city

• an argument between Judson and Marcia

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.2.3

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.4.4

How does Alec's arrival at the cabin affect the events of the story?

• It leads to Marcia leaving her husband.

• It leads to Judson drinking poisoned whiskey.

• It leads to the theft of some of Judson's liquor.

• D. It leads to an argument between Judson and Marcia.

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 actions causes Marcia's fear?

• "he turned from the bathroom cabinet, entered the expensively primitive living room of his mountain camp, and crossed to a closet set in the pine wall" (Paragraph 2)

• "he had been packing his things away for the Winter, and in a few minutes would be driving back to civilization" (Paragraph 2)

• "she saw the bottle in her husband's hand" (Paragraph 7)

• . "one by one he dropped the tablets into the bottle and held it up to watch them dissolve" (Paragraph 12)

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

How does the conversation between Judson and his wife develop the plot of the passage?

• It causes Alec to retaliate against Judson.

• It prompts Marcia to go to warn Alec's wife about the person.

• It causes Judson to be distracted by Marcia's obvious distress.

• It prompts Judson to consider throwing out the poisoned whiskey.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.2.3

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.4.4

Why does Alec give Judson the whiskey?

• He wants to stop Judson from killing.

• He wants to say goodbye to Judson.

• He believes the whiskey will make Judson sick.

• He thinks it will help Judson recover from his fall.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which statement expresses the main theme of the story?

• No crime is bad enough to warrant another person's death.

• It's important to take the opinions of loved ones into consideration.

• There will be consequences if people take justice into their own hands.

• It is fair to make sure a person's punishment fits the crime they committed.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which detail from the text BEST reveals Judson's belief about crime and punishment?

• "He corked his bottled vengeance and set it back on the shelf alongside the little whiskey glass." (Paragraph 14)

• "Also, the use of rat poison is quite legal. The only way any rat can get into this closet is to break in." (Paragraph 17)

• "We won't be here till next spring. I can't bear to think of that deathtrap waiting there all the time." (Paragraph 22)

• "'and don't worry about your poor, abused little burglar. No one is going to get hurt who hasn't got it coming to him.'" (Paragraph 25)

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

"She caught her breath at the cruel vindictiveness of his manner as one by one he dropped the tablets into the bottle and held it up to watch them dissolve."

Based on the sentence, what does the word vindictiveness mean?

• an unshakeable fear

• a strong desire to get back at someone

• a smooth execution of an action

• an evil stare

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

"And how!" He seemed fascinated as he saw the genial Bourbon change into a lethal dose: At least no one has found an antidote: once it's down it's curtains." He corked his bottled vengeance and set it back on the shelf alongside the littlle whiskey glass."

The word “genial” is used to personify the bottle of Bourbon. What does it mean in the excerpt above?

• powerful and toxic

• friendly and harmless

• lonely and miserable

• bland and tasteless

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4