WorksheetsTell-Tale Heart. (11) (12)
Total questions: 35
Worksheet time: 18mins
What does the narrator claim his heightened senses are mistaken for?
Madness
Anger
Calmness
Happiness
What sound does the narrator describe hearing?
The creaking of a door
The ticking of a watch
The beating of a heart
The rustling of leaves
How does the narrator react to the sound of the old man’s heart?
He feels pity for the old man
It calms him down
It increases his fury
He tries to ignore it
What comparison does the narrator use to describe the beating of the old man’s heart?
The ticking of a clock
The beating of a drum
The roar of the wind
The rustling of paper
How does the narrator describe his breathing during this moment?
Rapid and loud
Slow and steady
Scarcely breathing
Completely silent
What does the narrator hold motionless?
A knife
A lantern
A rope
A candle
What does the narrator focus the ray of light on?
The old man’s face
The old man’s eye
The ceiling
The window
What does the narrator call the sound of the heart?
A peaceful hum
A hellish tattoo
A soft murmur
A dreadful echo
What emotion does the narrator believe the old man is feeling?
Anger
Joy
Fear
Sadness
How does the narrator describe the noise from the old man’s heart as it continues?
It grows softer
It stays the same
It grows louder
It stops completely
The word “tattoo” in the context of this passage most likely means:
A design on the skin
A repeated sound or tapping
A type of fabric
A musical instrument
What is meant by the phrase “over-acuteness of the senses”?
Dull senses
Sharpened or heightened senses
Loss of senses
Imaginary senses
The narrator’s statement “I scarcely breathed” indicates that he was:
Calm and relaxed
Nervous and tense
Angry and furious
Cheerful and excited
The phrase “the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage” suggests that:
The sound makes the narrator feel brave
The sound makes the narrator feel more furious
The sound calms the narrator down
The sound confuses the narrator
The term “hellish” most likely suggests that the sound is:
Pleasant
Frightening and disturbing
Ordinary
Exciting
What does the narrator fear when the noise continues to grow louder?
The old man waking up
The noise being heard by a neighbor
The light going out
The old man’s scream
The word “vex” as used in the context most likely means:
To calm
To disturb
To entertain
To confuse
Why does the narrator smile after covering the old man with the bed?
He feels relief
He is proud of his accomplishment
He feels pity
He feels anger
What does the narrator do to ensure the old man is dead?
Feels for a pulse
Looks into his eyes
Places his hand on the old man’s heart
Listens to his breathing
What does the narrator mean when he says the old man is “stone dead”?
The old man is pretending to be dead
The old man is unconscious
The old man is completely dead
The old man is as cold as a stone
What does the narrator’s focus on the old man’s eye symbolize?
Obsession
Love
Fear
Indifference
The narrator’s repeated insistence that he is not mad suggests:
He knows he is guilty
He is trying to convince himself
He is confident in his sanity
He is unaware of his actions
The phrase “extreme terror” describes the old man’s feeling. What effect does this have on the reader’s understanding of the situation?
It creates sympathy for the old man
It makes the reader fear the old man
It shows that the old man was brave
It highlights the old man’s happiness
The phrase “the dreadful silence of that old house” suggests that:
The house is comforting
The house is eerie and unsettling
The house is lively
The house is filled with light
Why does the narrator refer to himself as “nervous”?
To justify his actions
To evoke sympathy from the reader
To suggest he is a victim
To show he is calm and composed
The narrator’s fear of the sound being heard by a neighbor suggests that:
He regrets his actions
He is worried about being caught
He wants the neighbors to help him
He is trying to save the old man
What is the significance of the old man’s scream?
It shows the old man’s strength
It marks the climax of the narrator’s actions
It signals the arrival of help
It is a sign of relief for the narrator
How does the narrator feel after the old man’s heart finally stops beating?
Overwhelmed with guilt
Relieved that his plan worked
Sad that the old man is gone
Anxious about being discovered
The narrator’s statement that “his eye would trouble me no more” implies:
Relief
Regret
Confusion
Joy
What does the narrator mean by the phrase “the old man’s hour had come”?
The old man’s time to live has arrived
The old man’s time to die has arrived
The old man is waking up
The old man is going to escape
Why does the narrator leap into the room?
To help the old man
To escape from the old man
To attack the old man
To call for help
The use of the word “muffled” to describe the sound suggests that:
The sound is becoming louder
The sound is being blocked
The sound is pleasant
The sound is clear
Why does the narrator check the old man’s heart after he pulls the bed over him?
To make sure the old man is alive
To ensure the old man is dead
To wake him up
To listen for breathing
How does the narrator justify his actions in his mind?
By blaming the old man
By claiming it was necessary
By insisting he is not mad
By expressing regret
The phrase “dead hour of the night” refers to:
Early morning
The middle of the night
Evening
Late afternoon
