WorksheetsThe Tell-Tale Heart (HMH)
Total questions: 16
Worksheet time: 20mins
What is the meaning of "vexed" as used in the line below:
"...for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye."
determined
annoyed
motivated
loved
What is the meaning of "conceived" as used in the line below:
"It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night."
listened to
neglected
disliked
thought of
What is the meaning of "stifled" as used in the line below:
"It was not a groan of pain or grief—oh, no!—it was the low, stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe."
smothered
passionate
chilled
booming
What is the meaning of "vehemently" as used in the line below:
"I talked more quickly—more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased."
quiet
kind
intense
slowly
What is the meaning of "derision" as it is used in the line below:
"But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision!"
ridicule
joy
passion
darkness
What is the meaning of "hypocritical" as used in the line below:
"I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die!—and now—again!—hark! louder! louder! louder!"
sad
cheerful
honest
fake
Is the narrator in The Tell-Tale Heart a reliable or unreliable narrator?
reliable narrator
unreliable narrator
Which statement best represents how the narrator attempts to prove that he is not mad?
The narrator allows the police officers to search the house
The narrator shrieks Hearken!
The narrator describes how cunning and cautious he is
He waits until the 8th night to murder the old man
What reason does the narrator give for wanting to kill the old man?
The old man snores too loud
The old man was very mean to the narrator
The old man's wealth and gold
The old man's "vulture eye"
What reason does the narrator give for not killing the old man the first 7 nights?
The vulture eye was not open
The narrator felt sorry for the old man
The narrator made a mistake when his thumb slipped on the tin fastening
The narrator didn't feel confident enough to commit the crime (yet)
The short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" is told from which point of view?
First Person
Second Person
Third Person Limited
Third Person Omniscient
Edgar Allan Poe uses repetition in "The Tell-Tale Heart." How does this literary device add suspense to the story?
It pushes the plot forward by showing how easy it is to scare readers
It creates a terrifying mood
It creates a joyful mood
It highlights the conflict in the story
How does the author create suspense in this excerpt?
"I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold. . . ."
By repeating words to emphasize the narrator’s skill as a criminal
By describing how unhealthy the old man looks to the narrator
By explaining why the narrator wants to avoid the old man
By identifying the source of the narrator’s irrational fear
Analyze the excerpt below and identify the words that best describe the mood:
"But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded—with what caution—with what foresight—with what dissimulation I went to work!"
Bragging, honest, and sane
Honest, sane, and lonely
Proud, lonely, and kind-hearted
Bragging, cocky, and proud
What tone is represented in the line below:
"I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult."
Light-hearted
dark
furious
focused
**Bonus**
Select one vocabulary word from the list below, and illustrate (draw) the meaning of the word in the blank space.
Word List: vexed, vehemently, stifle, conceive, derision, hypocritical
