The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

Why does the narrator visit Simon Wheeler?

• To interview him about the Gold Rush

• To ask about a man named Leonidas W. Smiley

• To place a bet on a frog race

• To write an article about mining camps

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What tone does Twain use in the story?

• Serious and dramatic

• Humorous and ironic

• Angry and aggressive

• Mysterious and suspenseful

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How does Simon Wheeler describe Jim Smiley?

• A man who enjoys storytelling

• A gambler who bets on anything and everything

• A dishonest cheater

• A wealthy businessman

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What happens to Dan’l Webster, Jim Smiley’s frog?

• He wins a jumping contest

• He gets sick and refuses to jump

• A stranger fills him with quailshot, making him too heavy to jump

• He runs away and disappears into the swamp

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What happens at the end of the story?

• The narrator escapes before Simon Wheeler can tell another story

• Simon Wheeler finishes his story about Leonidas W. Smiley

• Jim Smiley catches the stranger and demands his money back

• Dan’l Webster recovers and wins another contest

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What literary technique is Twain using in Simon Wheeler’s storytelling?

• Satire

• Exaggeration and tall tale storytelling

• Foreshadowing

• Flashback

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What theme is developed in the story?

• The dangers of gambling

• The foolishness of overconfidence and trickery

• The importance of honesty in business

• The struggle between rich and poor

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How does the stranger trick Jim Smiley?

• He steals Jim Smiley’s frog before the contest

• He secretly replaces Jim Smiley’s frog with another frog

• He puts quailshot inside Dan’l Webster, making him too heavy to jump

• He distracts Jim Smiley by starting another bet

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What does the story suggest about storytelling in American culture?

• Storytelling is used to entertain and exaggerate events

• Only educated people can tell good stories

• Stories should always be truthful and factual

• Storytelling has no impact on American culture

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Why is Simon Wheeler’s storytelling style funny?

• He speaks in a serious, monotonous tone while telling ridiculous stories

• He tells his stories very quickly and dramatically

• He always tells stories with a moral lesson

• He never actually tells any complete stories

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