Free Printable The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

1.

Why do you think the writer made the events occur on Maple Street, U.S.A.?

a)

The aliens were told to find this street.

b)

The setting indicates that small towns are filled with superstitious people.

c)

The main characters live on this street.

d)

The setting suggests that the events could happen anywhere.

2.

All of the following events make the residents nervous and caused their suspicions except —

a)

one man’s power mower stops working

b)

Tommy’s computer starts displaying strange messages

c)

a screeching roar is heard overhead

d)

Mrs. Brand’s stove stops working

3.

When Tommy tells Mr. Brand not to go downtown, he says, “They don’t want you to.” To whom is he referring?

a)

Aliens from outer space

b)

The residents of Maple Street

c)

The wives

d)

His parents

4.

Why do the residents start to believe Tommy’s story?

a)

They had read similar stories in books.

b)

Tommy has always told the truth before.

c)

Fear overtakes their good sense.

d)

They think it is wise to consider every possibility.

5.

Which statement best describes a mob scene?

a)

One thought takes over.

b)

Many different thoughts

c)

Individual voices are heard, and everyone tries to act together.

d)

No one person is important, and each individual is respected.

6.

The residents turn against Les Goodman because they —

a)

like fifth columnists

b)

don’t like people with foreign cars

c)

distrust anyone who is different

d)

know the Goodman family owns a ham radio

7.

When Charlie sees all of Maple Street lit by candles, he says, “Why, it’s like goin’ back into the dark ages or somethin’.” What does this mean?

a)

The space creatures may take the townspeople to a different time period.

b)

The neighborhood is dark and lit up by only candles.

c)

The creatures causing the power failure are from the Dark Ages.

8.

Why does Charlie shoot Pete Van Horn?

a)

He thinks Pete caused the power failure.

b)

He believes Pete is making ham radios.

c)

He has seen Pete gazing at the night sky.

d)

He sees a dark figure approaching and thinks it is the monster.

9.

At the end of the play, it turns out that the real monster is —

a)

Tommy’s mind

b)

the fear of human minds

c)

Charlie’s behavior

d)

Steve’s mind

10.

In a play or a story, complications/events —

a)

are the most exciting moments in the story

b)

are the sequence of events in the story

c)

are the solutions to the problems

d)

make it hard for the characters to get what they want

11.

At the opening of the play, the camera pans down to show Maple Street. At this point, the residents seem —

a)

friendly with each other

b)

like a violent mob

c)

suspicious of one another

d)

like aliens from outer space

12.

At first, the residents do not believe Tommy’s tale. A complication arises when —

a)

the lights suddenly go on at Steve’s house

b)

Les Goodman’s car suddenly starts up

c)

the neighbors find out that Les Goodman is an alien

d)

he aliens send four creatures to earth to prepare for the landing

13.

At the end of the play, the residents of Maple Street are —

a)

resolving their problems

b)

meeting with the aliens

c)

turning on one another

d)

moving to another town

14.

What does the word "scapegoat" mean?

a)

A goat that escapes

b)

An innocent person forced to take the blame for other people's actions

c)

Foolish behavior

d)

An attempt to trick someone

15.

What is the correct definition of "defiant"?

a)

Stubbornly resistant

b)

Certain

c)

Full of knowledge

d)

Silent

16.

"Assent" means to

a)

Agree

b)

Smell

c)

Repeat

d)

Ask a question

17.

"The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" was an episode of The Twilight Zone. The script for a TV show is

a)

A screenplay

b)

A teleplay

c)

Always 30 minutes long

d)

A list of characters

18.

Which of these is the best summary of Act I of the play?

a)

The neighbors on Maple Street are unhappy.

b)

A strange event causes neighbors to become suspicious of one another.

c)

Les Goodman frightens his neighbors when his car starts by itself.

d)

Pete Van Horn leaves Maple Street to see what is happening elsewhere.

19.

Which of the following describes the mood on Maple Street at the end of the play?

a)

a tense nightmare

b)

a humorous sense of relief

c)

a calm return to normal

d)

an excited celebration

20.

Who were the most dangerous enemies on the people on Maple Street?

a)

monsters in the space craft

b)

aliens who looked like human beings

c)

themselves

d)

the people on Floral Street

21.

At the beginning of Act I, which event signals the beginning of the town’s troubles?

a)

A woman’s telephone does not work

b)

A man’s electric mower will not start

c)

A roar is heard, and a flash of light is seen

d)

A boy tells about some stories he has read.

22.

After the screeching roar and flash of light, the narrator speaks again and says, “Maple Street. 6:44 p.m. on a late September evening…Maple Street in the last calm and reflective moments…before the monster’s came.” What effect do these words have on the audience?

a)

It creates a feeling of tension and suspense.

b)

It makes the audience realize it is a science-fiction story.

c)

It creates a feeling of ease and relief.

d)

It establishes the time everything happened.

23.

Steve doesn’t really believe a meteor is responsible for the strange power outage. What can we infer is the reason he says it was a meteor then? Pick the best answer.

a)

Steve doesn’t want the residents of Maple Street to know that he is the alien.

b)

Steve thinks he knows who is responsible, but doesn’t want to confront him yet.

c)

Steve is trying to keep the residents calm and prevent them from going into a panic.

d)

Steve doesn’t understand the power of meteors.

24.

Which statement best describes a mob scene?

a)

Individual voices are drowned out, and fear and anger take over.

b)

Everyone works together to reach an agreement.

c)

Individual voices are heard, and everyone tries to act together.

d)

No one person is important and everyone respects each other.

25.

Which character shot Pete Van Horn?

a)

Charlie

b)

Steve

c)

Tommy

d)

Don

26.

Charlie and Don are quick to question Steve’s part in this plot based on comments his wife has made. In defense of these comments, Steve delivers this speech:

“ Go ahead, what’s my wife said? Let’s get it all out. Let’s pick out every idiosyncrasy of every single man, woman, and child on the street. And then we might as well set up some kind of kangaroo court. How about a firing squad at dawn, Charlie, so we can get rid of all the suspects?”

What emotion motivates Steve to make this speech?

a)

disgust

b)

amusement

c)

love

d)

concern

27.

Which character was an insomniac whose car started spontaneously?

a)

Pete

b)

Tommy

c)

Don

d)

Les Goodman

28.

A good synonym for this word is hopeful

a)

antagonism

b)

optimistic

c)

contorted

d)

revelation

29.

If I am acting defiantly, I am

a)

doing exactly what I am told

b)

going against what I am told to do

c)

eating lunch

d)

being curious

30.

The crowd was ________________________ towards the door as they tried to escape the fire.

a)

incriminating

b)

assenting

c)

reveling

d)

converging

31.

The chocolate pudding on the child's face was very ______________________________ even though he denied eating it.

a)

incriminating

b)

contorting

c)

optimistic

d)

antagonistic

32.

The genre of this selection is a

a)

novel

b)

teleplay

c)

poem

d)

short story

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

Total questions: 32

Worksheet time: 21mins

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