Contents of a Dead Man's Pocket

Which event in “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” causes Tom to panic?

• His wife goes to the movies.

• He sees the street below him.

• He thinks about the contents of his pockets.

• He sees a man reading a newspaper across the street.

Which of the following is an example of internal conflict in “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket”?

• Tom’s efforts to open the window

• Tom’s struggle to stay on the ledge

• Tom’s attempts to get someone’s attention

• Tom’s struggle to overcome his fear

At the beginning of the story, what seems to be the most important thing in Tom Benecke’s life?

• opening the window that always sticks

• going to the movies with his wife

• getting paid at the end of the week

• getting a promotion at work

Which of the following events happened first in “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket”?

• Tom thought about what the police would find in his pockets.

• Tom dropped coins from his pockets to the street below.

• Tom watched his wife get ready to go out alone.

• Tom smashed his fist through the window.

Which of the following events causes Tom to go out on the ledge?

• Tom does research on store displays.

• Clare goes to the movies alone.

• Tom’s paper flies out the window.

• Tom puts on his coat.

Which of the following is a moment of high suspense in the story?

• Clare leaves.

• Tom looks down and panics.

• Tom stares through the window into his living room.

• Tom sees the yellow paper fly out the window a second time.

Often, a seemingly minor detail mentioned early in a short story becomes very important later. Which of the following details later becomes important to Tom’s efforts to get back into his apartment?

• The window is hard to open.

• It is hot in the apartment.

• Clare is slender and pretty.

• Tom puts on his jacket.

What does Tom decide the contents of his pockets would say about him if he were to fall and die?

• His life had been wasted.

• He did not love his wife.

• He should have gotten a promotion.

• He was a selfish and foolish man.

In “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket,” Tom has an important realization during his terrible experience on the ledge. What is this realization?

• He will never get ahead at work.

• He hasn’t put enough effort into his work.

• He wants to spend more time with his wife.

• He is going to fall off the ledge and die.

What is “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket” mostly about?

• a man and the contents of his pockets

• a man who does not think about his actions

• a man and woman who go to the movies

• a man whose desire for a promotion at work nearly kills him