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WorksheetsThank You Ma'am
Total questions: 49
Worksheet time: 48mins
In including the scene where the boy attempts to rob the woman, what is Hughes saying about the setting of the story?
That the story takes place in a poor urban area
That the story takes place in an affluent and luxurious town
That the story takes place in East Europe
That the story takes place in North Dakota
When Roger looks from the open door to Mrs. Jones and back to the open door, you can infer that he is
thinking about what is for dinner
deciding if he should close the door
wondering if he should try to escape
getting ready to wash his face
What is the meaning of this line from "Thank You, M'am"?
"He did not trust the woman not to trust him."
Roger knows he has hurt Mrs. Jones and feels unworthy of her trust.
Roger hopes that Mrs. will trust him so he can take advantage of her.
Roger hopes that Mrs. Jones does not trust him.
Roger has grown to trust Mrs. Jones and hopes that she trusts him, too.
Why does Roger offer to go to the store for Mrs. Jones?
He knows she wants the sweetened milk.
His escape will be easier once he gains her trust.
He wants to show Mrs. Jones that he can be trusted.
His surprise at her actions leads him to fear she will call the police.
What does Mrs. Jones mean when she tells Roger that
"shoes got by devilish ways will burn your feet."
Devilish shoes burn your feet.
People who buy shoes with stolen money will be punished.
If you buy shoes that don't fit, they will hurt so much that it will feel as if your feet are burning.
If you buy shoes with stolen money, your sense of guilt will make you feel as if the shoes are burning your feet.
After Mrs. Jones tells Roger that he could have simply asked her for the shoes,
"the boy looked at her. There was a pause. A very long pause."
What does this pause show about Roger?
He is surprised, touched, and confused by her offer.
He is growing ever more suspicious of her.
He is so unused to washing his face that he forgets to dry it.
He is waiting for the right moment to run out of the house.
Which of the following best summarizes the meaning of this passage?
The boy wanted to say something other than, Thank you, ma'am, to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, but he couldn't do so as he turned at the barren stoop and looked back at the large woman in the door.
Roger realized how inadequate a mere thank you was for all Mrs. Jones had done for him.
Roger wanted to say something nasty to Mrs. Jones, but he restrained himself.
Roger did not really want to thank Mrs. Jones because he felt that she forced him to go with her.
Roger had planned to say something, but it completely escaped his mind.
At the end of the story, you can infer that Roger
is excited about being able to buy his new shoes
resents the attitude that Mrs. Jones displayed toward him
will probably try to pay the ten dollars back to Mrs. Jones
will never forget the kindness Mrs. Jones showed him
Why did the woman most likely treat the boy so well?
She is delusional
She forgets what the boy has done
She seeks to poison the boy
She realizes it is better to help people than punish them
What IS Roger able to say before Luella shuts the door?
Readers can infer that Mrs. Jones....
thinks Roger should earn the money for shoes.
is able to forgive Roger.
wants Roger to visit her often.
wants to adopt Roger.
To show that she does not expect Roger to rob her again, Mrs. Jones....
asks if there is anyone at his house to feed him.
tells him he should not have snatched her purse.
asks him to go to the store.
turns her back on him while she cooks.
By the end of the story, you know that Roger ....
is selfish.
is a quiet, honest boy at heart.
thinks the world owes him something.
has a criminal mind.
"When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones," Mrs. Jones says. From this announcement you can see that Mrs. Jones...
Roger looks up at her.
has a powerful personality.
is courteous.
is afraid of Roger won't remember her.
After Mrs. Jones brings Roger home, she...
treats him cruelly, as if he were her enemy.
coddles him, as if he were a helpless puppy.
disciplines him as if he were her own child.
watches him suspiciously, as if he were a thief.
Why would Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones want to help the boy?
She loved children, puppies, and kittens.
She thought that he was homeless.
She identified with him because she was in similar situations when she was younger.
She wanted to help everyone she met.
What is the most likely reason why Mrs. Jones left her purse on the daybed where the boy could have grabbed it?
She was old and forgetful.
She didn’t have any money in the purse.
She wanted to give the boy a chance to make the right decision.
She wanted the boy to help himself to the money he needed.
What word means "to discover or reveal (something) through detailed examination" ?
analyze
frail
linger
What is the climax/turning point in the story "Thank You, Ma'am"?
Roger tries to steal Mrs. Jones' purse
Roger offers his help by asking to go to the store
Mrs. Jones and Roger eat dinner together
What can you infer about Mrs. Jones's first reaction to Roger from this sentence in Thank You, Ma’am?
“The large woman simply turned around and kicked him right square in his blue-jeaned sitter.”
She is puzzled
She is frightened
She is angry
She is deeply hurt
“He looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and blue jeans.”
The above is an example of:
Direct characterization.
Indirect characterization.
Dynamic characters change in an important way because of the story’s action.
Who is dynamic in "Thank You Ma'am"?
Mrs. Jones
The people on the street
Roger
The neighbor
In the sentence, “The large woman simply turned around and kicked him right square in his blue-jeaned sitter” (Paragraph 1), which word most strongly suggests Mrs. Jones’s levelheadedness?
large
simply
turned
kicked
How does Roger respond the first time Mrs. Jones asks why he tried to steal from her?
He downplays his responsibility.
He plays to Mrs. Jones’s sympathy.
He stays defiantly silent.
He invents a story.
Which of the following best describes Roger’s initial demeanor towards Mrs. Jones?
fearful
remorseful
frustrated
embarassed
The door to Mrs. Jones’s apartment symbolizes which of the following?
confinement
hospitality
neglect
agency (action or intervention, especially such as to produce a particular effect.)
Roger’s surprise when Mrs. Jones says he “could of asked” her for money most strongly implies which of the following (Paragraph 32)?
He suspects she is lying or joking.
He realizes she has tried to steal too.
He does not expect much from life or others.
He would not lend anyone money himself.
One possible theme of the story is:
Crime doesn't pay
Be kind to others
If you steal, you should go to jail
If you get caught telling a lie, it's best to admit it
Which of the following passages evokes an America that contrasts with that of the rest of the story?
“When she got to her door, she dragged the boy inside, down a hall, and into a large
kitchenette-furnished room at the rear of the house” (Paragraph 22).
“The boy could hear other roomers laughing and talking in the large house” (Paragraph 22).
“She heated some lima beans and ham she had in the icebox, made the cocoa, and set the
table” (Paragraph 42).
“She told him about her job in a hotel beauty shop that stayed open late […] and how all
kinds of women came in and out, blondes, red-heads, and Spanish” (Paragraph 42).
The story is told from what point of view?
omniscient
first person
second person
third person limited
The tone of the story can best be described as
Distant & impersonal
angry & distraught
Cynical & critical
positive & uplifting
How does Mrs. Jones's admission that she did bad things when young reveal a theme in the story?
She brags about her young adventures so that Roger will be humble in her presence.
She is older and lonely and needs to confide in someone younger.
She wants to be the adult whom Roger trusts to understand him.
She wants to prove to Roger that all teenagers are delinquents.
