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"The Lottery" Vocabulary & Context Assessment

Total questions: 10

Worksheet time: 5mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Read this quote: "School was recently over for the summer, and the feeling of liberty sat uneasily on most of them"

  • What is the meaning of the word "uneasily" in this context?

a)

Sadly or tearfully

b)
Confidently or assuredly
c)

Not Happily or joyfully

d)
Not comfortably or relaxed
2.
  • The quote reads: "[The children] tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play, and their talk was still of the classroom and the teacher, of books and reprimands.

  • What does the word "reprimands" most likely suggest/mean?

a)

praises

b)
criticisms
c)
warnings
d)
scoldings
3.

The text states, "Soon the women, standing by their husbands, began to call to their children, and the children came reluctantly, having to be called four or five times."

Which word best state the meaning of "reluctantly"?

a)
unwillingly
b)

carefully

c)

happily

d)

shyly

4.

In the story there is a line that says, "People were sorry for him because he had no children and his wife was a scold."

The word "scold" has multiple meanings. What does the word "scold" most likely suggest about the man's wife in the text?

a)

She is perceived as a shy and timid person.

b)

She is seen as someone who constantly nags and criticizes others.

c)

She is regarded as kind and compassionate wife.

d)

She is viewed as an individual who often gets into trouble.

5.

The text states: "There was a story that the present box had been made with some pieces of the box that had preceded it, the one that had been constructed when the first people settled down to make a village here."

What does the use of the word "preceded" suggest about the box?

a)
The box was made using pieces from a box that was destroyed.
b)
The box was made using pieces from a different object.
c)
The box was made using pieces from a previous box.
d)
The box was made using pieces from a future box.
6.

The reading states, "The black box grew shabbier each year: by now it was no longer completely black but splintered badly along one side to show the original wood color, and in some places faded or stained."  

  • What does the word "shabbier" most likely suggest about the box?

a)
The box has become more polished or in a better condition over time.
b)
The box has remained the same condition over time.
c)
The box has become more worn out or in a worse condition over time.
d)
The box has become smaller in size over time.
7.

Read this line from the text: "There was a great deal of fussing to be done before Mr. Summers declared the lottery open"

  • What is the meaning of the word "fussing"?

a)

to be busy or occupied

b)

to be angry or annoyed

c)
to be calm and quiet
d)
to be lazy or inactive
8.

"There had been, also, a ritual salute, which the official of the lottery had had to use in addressing each person who came up to draw from the box..."

  • Which word best state the meaning of "draw" from the sentence above?

a)
select
b)

illustrate

c)

design

d)
discard
9.

There is a line that says: "He held it firmly by one corner as he turned and went hastily back to his place in the crowd, where he stood a little apart from his family, not looking down at his hand."

  • What does the word "hastily" most likely suggest about the man?

a)
The man turned and went back to his place in the crowd cautiously or hesitantly.
b)
The man turned and went back to his place in the crowd quickly or with urgency.
c)
The man turned and went back to his place in the crowd without any purpose.
d)
The man turned and went back to his place in the crowd slowly or lazily.
10.

"She watched while Mr. Graves came around from the side of the box, greeted Mr. Summers gravely and selected a slip of paper from the box."

  • What does the use of the word "gravely" suggest about the characters in this scene?

a)

They are careless and indifferent.

b)

They are happy and excited.

c)

They are inattentive and being playful.

d)

They are serious and nervous.