Literary Text: After Twenty Years by O. Henry

Which excerpt from the story includes details about the story’s setting?

• The Policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively.

• The time was barely 10 o’clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well nigh de-peopled the streets.

• ”Until five years ago,” said the policeman. “It was torn down then.”

• As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly.

Which statement below explains why the setting is important to the development of the plot?

• In the dark of the night, Bob doesn’t recognize his old friend, Jimmy.

• Bob only agreed to the meeting because it took place at night.

• The streets were also abandoned on that night twenty years ago when the two men parted.

• Bob is now a wanted man in Chicago.

Which statement below is a valid theme of the story?

• Wanted criminals always keep their appointments.

• Sometimes the right thing to do is also the hard thing to do.

• It’s fun to make future plans with your current best friends.

• Best friends never betray each other.

Which excerpt below best supports your answer to theme of the story?

• “It’s all right, officer,” he said reassuringly. “I’m just waiting for a friend. It’s an appointment made twenty years ago.”

• “You couldn’t have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth.”

• “You’ve been under arrest for ten minutes, ‘Silky’ Bob. Chicago thinks you may have dropped over our way and wires us she wants to have a chat with you.”

• Somehow I couldn’t do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothes man to do the job.

Which event occurs during the story’s climax?

• Bob exclaims, “You’re not Jimmy Wells!”

• Bob finds out he’s been under arrest for ten minutes.

• Bob strikes a match, and Jimmy recognizes him as the man wanted in Chicago.

• The tall man tells Bob that he grew some after he was twenty.

What physical feature gave the plain clothes officer away?

• his ears

• his height

• his hair

• his nose

Which piece of text evidence best supports your answer to the previous question?

• “Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man’s nose from a Roman to a pug.”

• “It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one.”

• “You’ve changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches.”

• “Going quietly, are you? That’s sensible.”

Read the excerpt below and then answer the question that follows.

As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly. “It’s all right officer,” he said reassuringly. “I’m just waiting for a friend. It’s an appointment made twenty years ago.”

Why is it important to the development of the plot that Bob speaks first as Jimmy approaches

him?

• Because it prevents Jimmy from arresting Bob himself.

• Because it denies Jimmy the opportunity to reintroduce himself or greet Bob as his old friend.

• Because Jimmy decides at that moment that he can’t arrest Bob himself.

• Because Jimmy doesn’t recognize Bob as his old friend.

How does Bob feel as he finishes reading the letter from Jimmy?

• uneasy

• arrogant

• confident

• confused

Which piece of text evidence best supports your answer to how Bob feels about the letter?

• The light showed a pale, square-jawed face with keen eyes, and a little white scar near his right eyebrow.

• The man from the West, his egotism enlarged by success, was beginning to outline the history of his career.

• His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished.

• Bob: I was at the appointed place on time.