WorksheetsThe Gift of the Magi
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 15mins
It is repeated several times that Della only has $1.87 to spend on a Christmas present for her husband. Repeating 1.87 illustrates which of the following aspects of the setting?
She lives in poverty.
She wants to move to a new city.
She doesn't have a job.
She has just moved into a new flat.
"There was nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl." This quotation shows Della's sense of _____________.
responsibility
anger
grief
helplessness
"There was nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl." Which word in this quoted sentence indicates the couple's poverty?
nothing
flop
shabby
howl
"Life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles..." is an example of _________.
simile
personification
alliteration
onomatopoeia
Jim's full name is "Mr. James Dillingham Young" The letters of "Dillingham" looked blurred, as though they were thinking seriously of contracting to a modest and unassuming D." This quote is an example of _______________.
simile
personification
alliteration
onomatopoeia
"Della finsihed her cry...and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard." The repetition of "gray" reinforces the ____________mood.
colorful
holiday
dreary
boring
Jim's gold watch, his finest possession, is a family heirloom and is symbolic of _______________.
love for his wife
compassion
pride in his family
friendship
Della's finest possession is her hair. "Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window.... just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts." This biblical reference alludes to a famous ancient Arabian monarch known for her wealth and beauty. The purpose of this comparison is to show how _____________Della's hair is.
long
magnificent
shiny
blond
O. Henry also includes a biblical reference concerning Jim's watch. Jim's gold watch is so exquisite even King Solomon would "pluck at his beard in envy". The references is an example of which literary device?
simile
hyperbole
allusion
irony
Della looks into the "pier glass between the windows of the room.... (Her) beautiful hair fella bout her, rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters." This quotation contains an example of ______________.
simile
personification
alliteration
onomatopoeia
Which of the following events from the story best supports the theme of sacrifice?
"Cut it off and sold it!"
"Jim drew a package from his overcoat and threw it upon the table."
"One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all!"
"Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks."
"Dell", said he, "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep'em awhile. They're way too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs, and how suppose you puts the chops on."
Which of the following themes does the quote support?
friendship and understanding
sacrifice and love
pride and love
compassion and poverty
Which figurative language technique is used in the following sentence?
"I couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving you a present."
metaphor
hyperbole
personification
understatement
Which best describes the narrator's tone in this sentence from the last paragraph?
"Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication."
humorous
melancholy
serious
intolerant
Which event happened last?
Della bought herself a gift.
Della sold her hair.
Della cried about only having $1.87.
Della bought Jim a gift.
Which sentence best expresses the theme of the story?
Make sure you give people gifts they can actually use.
Spending time with the people you love is more important than getting gifts.
The best gifts involve sacrifice.
Don't waste your money on expensive gifts.
Why did Della go to Mrs. Sofronie's?
to look for work
to beg for money
to sell her hair
to shovel Mrs. Sofronie's sidewalk
With which statement would the narrator most likely agree?
Jim and Della's gifts were bad because they did not consider each other's needs.
Jim and Della's gifts were good because they sacrificed so much for one another.
Jim and Della's gifts were good because they will get a lot of use out of them.
Jim and Della's gifts were bad because they wasted their money on gifts they did not need.
Which best explains why Jim is so stunned when he first sees Della?
He doesn't like how his wife looks with short hair.
He doesn't recognize his wife.
He is shocked that she bought him such a nice gift.
He bought her a gift that she can't use.
Why is Della so upset at the beginning of the story?
She lost her job shoveling in front of the stores on her block.
She has been fighting with Jim.
She does not have enough money to buy a nice present for Jim.
She has lost her beautiful combs.
