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.

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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.

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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

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CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.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

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CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

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.

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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

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CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.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

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CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

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

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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

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CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

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

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CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6