The Gift of the Magi

At the beginning of the story, which of the following is most upsetting to Della?

• the thought of parting with her hair
• The thought that short hair may be unattractive
• The idea of not having a present good enough for Jim
• The possibility that Jim would not be able to buy her a gift

Della's hair and Jim's watch have always made them feel:

• proud
• nervous
• worthy of each other
• ashamed of their other possessions

Della chooses the gift she gets for Jim because it:

• costs just the right amount
• seems to be made for him.
• will make his old watch look like new.
• is surely nicer than what he has bought her

Why does Jim react so strangely when Della tells him she has sold her hair?

• He thinks she looks like a chorus girl
• He is upset that she didn't consult him
• He is ashamed of not being an adequate provider
• He has bought a gift for her that is no longer usable

When Della opens her gift, she is overcome with mixed feelings that include all of the following EXCEPT:

• guilt
• despair
• delight
• disbelief

Jim has sold what in order to buy a present for Della?

• His family's watch
• He didn't sell anything
• His shoes
• His overcoat

When Jim and Della realize the full extent of what they have done, they:

• refuse to believe it
• try to make the best of it
• look for someone else to blame
• make plans to undo what they have done

At the end of the story, Jim puts his gift from Della away for safekeeping because:

• it is fragile
• it is valuable in terms of money
• it is valuable in emotional terms
• he doesn't have a current use for it

O. Henry references the Magi in both the title and the story itself. What kind of literary device is this?

• Foreshadowing
• Allusion
• Metaphor
• Personification

How much did Mrs. Sophie give to Della for her hair?

• $20.00
• $30.00
• $50.00
• $1.87