WorksheetsRuthless by William De Mille
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 17mins
Which of the following describes how Judson feels about his possessions?
He doesn't mind sharing with others
He doesn't like anyone to disturb them
Only his family is allowed to touch them
He treasures them because he doesn't have much
What happened at Judson's mountain cabin last winter?
He drank too much and got sick
A thief broke in and stole his whiskey
He decided to give his wife a key to the cabin
His wife forbade him from drinking during the day
What is Judson doing with the whisky?
He is drinking all the whiskey before he leaves
He is hiding the whiskey in a new location
He is taking the whiskey home with him
He is adding poison to the whiskey
What does Judson want to happen when the thief returns?
He wants to give the thief a good scare.
He wants to provide the thief with help.
He wants to poison and kill the thief.
He wants to make the thief very sick.
What does Judson's wife think about his actions?
She does not approve of what Judson is doing.
She wants to help Judson protect his property.
She understands why Judson wants to kill the thief.
She thinks Judson should be reported to the police.
Why does Alec give Judson the whiskey?
He wants to stop Judson from killing.
He wants to say goodbye to Judson.
He believes the whiskey will make Judson sick.
He thinks the whiskey will help Judson recover from his fall.
Which event sets the story into motion?
The theft of Judson's liquor.
Judson's decision to have a drink.
Judson's reluctance to return to the city.
An argument between Judson and Mabel.
How does Alec's arrival at the cabin affect the events of the story?
It leads to Mabel leaving her husband.
It leads to Judson drinking poisoned whiskey.
It leads to the theft of some of Judson's liquor.
It leads to an argument between Mabel and Judson.
Which of the following causes Mabel's fear?
"He turned from the bathroom cabinet, entered the expensively primitive living room of his mountain camp and crossed to a closet set in the pine wall." (para 2)
"He had been packing his things away for the Winter and in a few minutes would be driving back to civilisation." (para 2)
"She saw the bottle in her husband's hand." (para 7)
"one by one he dropped the tablets into the bottle and held it up to watch them dissolve."
How does the conversation between Judson and his wife develop the plot of the passage?
It causes Alec to retaliate against Judson.
It prompts Mabel to go and warn Alec's wife about the poison.
It causes Judson to be distracted by Mabel's obvious distress.
It prompts Judson to consider throwing out the poisoned whiskey.
Which statement expresses the main theme of the story?
No crime is bad enough to warrant another person's death.
It's important to take the opinions of loved ones into consideration.
There will be consequences if people take justice into their own hands.
It's fair to make sure a person's punishment fits the crime they committed.
Which detail from the text best reveals Judson's belief about crime and punishment?
"He corked the bottle and set it back upon the shelf alongside the little whiskey glass" (para 14)
"Also, the use of rat poison is not forbidden. The only way any rat can get into the closet is to break in." (para 17)
"We won't be here until next Spring. I can't bear to think of that death trap waiting there all the time." (para 22)
"and don't worry about your poor little burglar. No one is going to get hurt who hasn't got it coming to him." (para 25)
How does Judson cause his own death in "Ruthless"? Be sure to identify the most important lines of dialogue or events in the story and explain how they cause an important decision or action to take place.
Do you think Judson was right to take justice into his own hands?
Yes
No
Are there other ways that Judson could have possibly held the thief accountable without hurting anyone?
