The Tell Tale Heart Review

Which two statements best show how Poe uses irony to deepen the impact of the narrator’s perspective?

• • The narrator’s efforts to appear innocent actually lead him to confess the crime.

• The narrator commits the murder at night, when the old man is most vulnerable.

• The narrator insists he is sane, yet his words and actions reveal signs of madness.

• The narrator is haunted by the old man’s pale, cloudy eye and cannot stop thinking about it.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

How does the narrator’s mention of his sharpened sense of hearing in paragraph 1 foreshadow what will happen later in the story?

• It foreshadows the point when the old man’s heartbeat drives the narrator to kill him.

• It foreshadows the narrator’s ability to hear the police coming to check on the old man.

• It foreshadows the narrator’s decision to murder the old man partly due to his loud voice.

• It foreshadows the time when the old man’s sleep is disturbed by the narrator at the door.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Read the dictionary definition below:

acute \ə-kyoot´\ adj 1. sharp or severe 2. keenly perceptive 3. less than ninety degrees
4. high in pitch

Which definition best fits how the word acute is used in paragraph 1?

• • Definition 1

• • Definition 2

• • Definition 3

• • Definition 4

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

Read the excerpt from paragraph 2.

I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold ...

How does the author create suspense in this excerpt?

• By identifying the source of the narrator’s irrational fear

• By explaining why the narrator wants to avoid the old man

• By describing how unhealthy the old man looks to the narrator

• By repeating words to emphasize the narrator’s skill as a criminal

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

In paragraph 4, the narrator describes sneaking into the old man’s room every night around midnight. Why doesn’t he commit the murder during the first seven nights?

• He needs to have more light in order to see his victim.

• He cannot see the old man’s eye, so he lacks the motivation to act.

• He cannot sneak into the room because the old man is a restless sleeper.

• He wants to be merciful, so he gives the old man a few more days to live.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Read the dictionary entry below.

profound \prə-found´\ adj 1. showing great insight or understanding 2. deeply felt or held; intense 3. far-reaching 4. situated at a great depth

Which definition best fits how the word profound is used in paragraph 4?

• Definition 1

• Definition 2

• Definition 3

• Definition 4

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

How does Poe build suspense in paragraph 4 of “The Tell-Tale Heart”?

• Explaining the narrator’s reasons for the murder

• Having the narrator repeat the old man’s words

• Describing the narrator’s anxiety and fear

• Showing the narrator’s repetitive actions

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

In paragraphs 14–15, how would you describe the narrator’s tone as he talks about cleaning up the crime and speaking with the police?

• Anxiety

• Confidence

• Indifference

• Melancholy

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Why is Poe’s use of dashes in the final two paragraphs effective?

• Slows down the story so it is easier for readers to understand

• Suggests that the police know every detail about the crime

• • Helps readers to learn about the narrator’s true motives

• • Highlights the narrator’s increased nervousness

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

How does Poe’s use of a first-person narrator affect the story?

• Allows readers to understand each character’s viewpoint

• Helps explain how the characters are related to each other

• Gives readers insight into the narrator’s unstable state of mind

• Illustrates how the old man treats the narrator from day to day

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6