The Tell-Tale Heart Vocabulary

"...and then I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed to see how cunningly I thrust it in!"

What does the word "cunningly" mean in the above sentence?

• annoyed, or bothered

• intelligence and good judgement

• disguising of intentions and/or feelings

• doing something in a sneaky, crafty, and skillful manner

Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers—of my sagacity.

What does the word "sagacity" mean in the above sentence?

• intelligence and good judgement

• boldness

• energetic gestures; strong movements of arms and hands

• disguising of intentions and/or feelings

In the wild audacity of my confidence, I invited the police into the old man's house.

What does the word "audacity" mean in the above sentence?

• intelligence and good judgement

• annoyed, or bothered

• cautious

• boldness

held in check with difficulty

• stealthily

• hideous

• stifled

• mournful

What does the word 'vexed' mean in the context of 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?

• A) annoyed, or bothered

• B) intelligence and good judgement

• C) disguising of intentions and/or feelings

• D) doing something in a sneaky, crafty, and skillful manner

In 'The Tell-Tale Heart', what does the word 'acute' mean when describing the narrator's senses?

• A) sharp or keen

• B) dull or blunt

• C) average or normal

• D) weak or ineffective

What is the meaning of 'crevice' as used in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?

• A) a large room

• B) a narrow opening

• C) a type of bird

• D) a musical instrument

In the story, the narrator describes the old man's eye as 'vulture-like'. What literary device is being used here?

• A) Simile

• B) Metaphor

• C) Personification

• D) Hyperbole

What does the word 'refrain' mean in the context of 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?

• A) to sing a song

• B) to hold back or abstain

• C) to repeat a phrase

• D) to dance

In 'The Tell-Tale Heart', what does the word 'dismember' mean?

• A) to remember something

• B) to cut off the limbs

• C) to join together

• D) to forget