ELA - The of Story of the Bad Little Boy

What is the most distinct difference between the main character Jim and all of the others in the Sunday-school books?

• Jim's mother is neither pious nor loving.
• Jim has a lot of dumb luck.
• Jim doesn't face consequences and never reforms.
• Jim is never harmed.

Part A: What does the word 'boxed' mean as it is used in paragraph 2?

• Slapped
• Checked
• Caressed
• Whispered

Part B: Which TWO phrases from the paragraph best support the answer to Part A?

• "rather stout than otherwise"
• "not pious"
• "anxious on Jim’s account"
• "always spanked"
• "never kissed"

Which answer best describes Jim's mother in comparison to the mothers in the 'Sunday-school books'?

• Jim’s mother lacks religious faith, whereas the school book mothers are pious.
• She is neither loving nor devoted to her son, whereas the school book mothers are.
• She is healthy, whereas the school book mothers are always dying of consumption.
• She physically hits him, whereas the school book mothers are gentle and affectionate.
• All of the above

Which paragraph from the story best supports the answer to Part A?

• Paragraph 1
• Paragraph 2
• Paragraph 3
• Paragraph 6

What happens to Jim when he grows up?

• He reforms and becomes well-respected.
• He does not reform and is run out of town.
• He marries, has a large family, and becomes a respected government representative
• He commits many crimes, including murder and theft, and goes to prison.
• He commits murder, cheats, gets rich, and becomes a respected government representative.

Paragraph 8 tells us what happens to Jim as an adult. What does this paragraph contribute to the story’s overall meaning?

Which of the following quotes best sums up the author’s use of irony in the text?

• 'No; that is the way with all other bad boys in the books; but it happened otherwise with this Jim, strangely enough.' (Paragraph 3)
• 'Everything about this boy was curious—everything turned out differently with him from the way it does to the bad James in the books.' (Paragraph 3)
• '...he is the infernalist wickedest scoundrel in his native village, and is universally respected.' (Paragraph 8)
• 'This Jim bore a charmed life—that must have been the way of it.' (Paragraph 7)

Summarize the theme or central idea of the text. How does the author’s utilization of irony contribute to this idea? Cite evidence from the text.