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The Outsiders Chapter 9-12 Comprehension Test

Total questions: 85

Worksheet time: 2hrs 35mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Darry doesn't think Pony should be in the rumble because...

a)

Johnny isn't there to help him.

b)

it takes place on a school night.

c)

Pony seems to have lost his strength.

d)

Pony is a terrible fighter.

2.

Pony compares himself and Darry to other Greasers like Tim Shepard and the Brumly Boys. What is the difference?

a)

Tim Shepard and the Brumly boys grew up in worse neighborhoods.

b)

Pony's Greaser gang are more individuals part of a 'family' and don't really 'LOOK' for trouble. Shepard and the Brumly Boys are part of a gang that has a leader & followers and they like to pick fights.

c)

Darry will "get somewhere" in life and is stronger.

d)

Pony and his Greaser friends are Greasers on the outside, but Tim and the Brumly boys are greasers all the way through.

3.

Pony feels different before the rumble because he is...

a)

no longer proud of being considered a hood and doesn't want to fight/sees fighting as pointless.

b)

worried about his grades.

c)

angrier than ever at the Socs.

d)

out of shape.

4.

Just before he dies, Johnny tells Dally and Pony that fighting is...

a)

something he'll miss.

b)

useless.

c)

the only way to settle things.

d)

fun.

5.

Randy goes to see Pony because he...

a)

wants to talk about the hearing.

b)

is still angry at Pony.

c)

just found out that Johnny died.

d)

wanted to play video games.

6.

Pony doesn't want to admit to himself that Johnny is dead because he...

a)

will have to go to the hearing.

b)

will have to remember the fire.

c)

misses Johnny too much.

d)

doesn't want to re-live losing him.

7.

At the hearing, Pony is...

a)

fined, but found not guilty

b)

questioned about Bob's murder.

c)

acquitted/found guilty.

d)

acquitted/found not guilty

8.

After the hearing...

a)

Pony does poorly in school.

b)

Pony's life goes back to normal.

c)

Pony goes to live in another city.

d)

Pony has to agree to see a psychiatrist

9.

Pony finally realizes that it's not fair for Soda to serve as the middleman in he and Darry's fights.

a)

True

b)

False

10.

In Chapter 10, how does Ponyboy describe the way Dally died?

a)

gruesome

b)

unfair

c)

sad

d)

gallant

11.

Dally can't accept Johnny's death because...

a)

Johnny was only 16.

b)

Dally feels he should have died instead of Johnny.

c)

Johnny was the only person he loved.

d)

They can't afford to lose any Greasers for the rumble.

12.

In Chapter 11, Randy feels bad about...

a)

not helping Bob more.

b)

disappointing his dad by being involved in Bob's murder.

c)

letting Pony down the hearing.

d)

not warning the police that the rumble was going to occur.

13.

What is the overall message Johnny tells Pony in the letter he left him?

a)

remember him like a brother

b)

stay tough like a Greaser

c)

stay innocent and don't change

d)

harden your heart against pain

14.

What were Johnny's last words to Ponyboy?

a)

"Nothing gold can stay."

b)

"Stay a Greaser."

c)

"You're gold Ponyboy."

d)

"Stay gold, Ponyboy."

15.

What does Dally do to the police that makes them fire their weapons?

a)

He throws glass bottles at them.

b)

He pulls a knife out and ran toward them.

c)

He pulled a gun out and pointed it at them.

d)

He drove his car toward them to run them over.

16.

What really bothers Soda to the point he runs out of the Curtis house?

a)

He misses his parents.

b)

He is moving out.

c)

Sandy is moving to Florida with her family.

d)

He can't stand being in the middle anymore.

17.

What does Pony realize immediately when he sees Dally pull a gun on the police?

a)

Dally is crazy.

b)

Dally wants to escape police custody.

c)

Dally wants revenge for Johnny's death.

d)

Dally wants to die.

18.

What does Johnny tell Pony to tell Dally in his letter?

a)

There is still good in the world.

b)

Fighting is everything.

c)

Showing that you care gets you nowhere.

d)

Bob deserved to die.

19.

What is false about how the rumble?

a)

Ponyboy gets injured.

b)

Darry starts the fight by throwing the first punch

c)

Dally escapes from the hospital to fight

d)

The Socs walk away in defeat

20.

What does Johnny tell the nurse to give to Ponyboy?

a)

a letter for the kids he saved in the fire

b)

his switchblade

c)

a copy of Gone With the Wind

d)

a letter for Dally

e)

A letter

21.

How does Ponyboy react to Johnny's death?

a)

Ponyboy is in shock and denial. He refuses to believe that Johnny is really dead.

b)

Ponyboy is angry and goes after the Soc's in the rumble as vengeance.

c)

Ponyboy is angry and blindly punches the doctor for "not saving Johnny."

d)

Ponyboy runs away again and goes back to the church in Windrixville.

22.

How does Dally react to Johnny's death?

a)

Dally is furious and has a breakdown because Johnny was the one person he actually cared about.

b)

Dally is furious at the doctor for not being able to save Johnny. He refuses to believe that Johnny died.

c)

Dally is in shock and denial that Johnny died. He goes on to believe that Johnny didn't actually die.

d)

Dally wages war against the Socs, trying to avenge Johnny's death the only way he knows how: violence.

23.

Why did Dally rob the store and pull the gun on the cops?

a)

Dally thought the grocery store manager had something to do with Johnny's death.

b)

Dally wasn't thinking straight. He didn't know what he was doing because he was so broken over Johnny's death.

c)

Dally wanted to die after Johnny’s death. He knew that pulling a gun on the police would make them have to shoot him.

d)

Dally needed food to take care of the rest of the greasers and had to rob the store. He didn't mean to pull the gun on the cops.

24.

Ponyboy was sick and unconscious for days after the rumble and the deaths of his friends. When he woke up, what was Ponyboy worrying about?

a)

Ponyboy was worried about Cherry and whether the Socs would treat her badly because she helped the Greasers.

b)

Ponyboy was worried about Two-Bit and that he might have a mental breakdown like Dally did and die too.

c)

Ponyboy was worried about the court case coming up. He was worried that Randy would actually blame him for Bob's death.

d)

Ponyboy was worried that he hadn’t called out for Darry while he was unconscious, and that Darry would have been hurt by this.

25.

Whose picture does Ponyboy see in Sodapop's old high school yearbook and what does he think about?

a)

Bob Sheldon's picture/he was just a regular guy

b)

Cherry Valance's picture/she looked just as beautiful in person

c)

Darry Curtis' picture/he looked so young and happy

d)

Dally Winston's Picture/he sure looked gallant

26.

How does the court case for Bob's murder end?

a)

Ponyboy is charged with association to murder, and has to go live in an orphanage.

b)

Ponyboy is cleared of all charges, he is acquitted of Bob’s murder, and he can return home with his brothers.

c)

Randy ends up getting charged for attacking the greasers in the first place.

d)

The court case doesn't end and they have to keep finding more evidence before they have a suspect.

27.

After the court case ends, how is Ponyboy processing his friends' deaths?

a)

He works hard in school so he can go to college and get out of the Greaser lifestyle.

b)

He finally realizes that he can't bring his friends back.

c)

His grades have fallen in school, he has become absent minded and irritable, and he has stopped eating.

d)

He doesn't change at all.

28.

In Chapter 12, what does Ponyboy realize about his brothers?

a)

Ponyboy realizes that he has been selfish only focusing on his own problems and not helping his brothers.

b)

Ponyboy realizes that his brothers have been friends with Socs the whole time.

c)

Ponyboy realizes Sodapop is going to try to college and Darry is still going to take care of them all.

d)

Ponyboy realizes that his brothers are the true leaders of the Greasers.

e)

Ponyboy realizes that Darry is the glue that holds their family together.

29.

In Chapter 12, how did Ponyboy react to the Socs trying to mess with him? What did this show?

a)

He ignored them/he's no longer bothered by their irritation

b)

He ran away from them/he was scared of violence

c)

He broke a bottle and threatened them/he's not himself

d)

He broke down into tears/he's tired of the violence

30.

Select all of the points Johnny makes in his letter to Ponyboy:

a)

There is still good in the world

b)

Ponyboy can choose his own path

c)

He didn't mind dying for those kids

d)

He wants Pony to show Dally a sunset

e)

He wanted Dally to see the good in the world

31.

What does the last line of the book tell us?

a)

The whole book is actually Ponyboy writing about his experiences

b)

Ponyboy went to college and changed his life

c)

The Greasers' lives never changed

d)

It was all a dream

32.

Who shoots Dally in the BOOK?

a)

The fuzz (cops)

b)

The Socs

c)

Randy

d)

The grocery store manager and the police

33.

Select all of the events that make up the climax of The Outsiders?

a)

The rumble

b)

Bob's murder

c)

Johnny's death

d)

Dally's death

e)

The church burning

34.

What does "gallant" mean?

a)

Brave/Heroic

b)

Happy/Joyful

c)

Lonely/Afraid

d)

Angry/Fighting

35.

Who said this: "Dally didn't die a hero. He died violent and young and desperate, just like we all knew he'd die someday"?

a)

The judge

b)

The cops

c)

Darry

d)

Ponyboy

e)

Johnny

36.

In Chapter 12, who comes to visit Ponyboy?

a)

Cherry

b)

Randy

c)

The cops

d)

Steve

37.

Who said this to Ponyboy: "Don't get tough. You're not like the rest of us and don't try to be."

a)

Randy

b)

Darry

c)

Sodapop

d)

Two-Bit

38.

Who said this: "You don't just stop living because you lose someone... You don't quit."

a)

Darry

b)

Johnny

c)

Cherry

d)

Sodapop

39.

Who said this: "If you don't have anything, you end up like Dallas... and I don't mean dead, either. I mean like he was before. An that's worse than dead."

a)

Sodapop

b)

Darry

c)

Johnny

d)

Cherry

40.

In Chapter 12, what was Ponyboy's reaction when Randy mentioned Johnny's death?

a)

Ponyboy denied that Johnny killed Bob and that Johnny was dead

b)

Ponyboy blamed Bob for Johnny's death completely

c)

Ponyboy started blaming Randy for the whole situation

d)

Ponyboy completely ignored Randy's comment about Johnny

41.

Who said this: "I'd rather have anybody's hate than their pity."

a)

Dally

b)

Darry

c)

Two-Bit

d)

Ponyboy

42.

What did Ponyboy find in Johnny's copy of Gone With The Wind?

a)

A letter

b)

Two-Bit's switchblade

c)

A golden flower

d)

A copy of the poem

43.

What happened to Ponyboy right after seeing Johnny die in the hospital?

a)

He wandered around town until a stranger gave him a ride home

b)

He ran into a group of Socs who threatened him with a broken bottle

c)

He went to the vacant lot and slept on Johnny's favorite old couch

d)

He ran straight home and asked Darry to forgive him for everything

44.

What did Two-Bit say when he learned about Dally's death?

a)

"So, he finally broke. Even Dally has a breaking point."

b)

"Well, he died exactly how we all thought: violently and alone."

c)

"There was nothing anyone could do to stop it."

d)

"Dally deserved what he got."

45.

Which side won the Rumble?

a)

Greasers

b)

Socs

c)

It was a draw

d)

The rumble didn't happen

46.

Who was the leader of the Socs during the Rumble?

a)

Paul, one of Darry's old friends from football/school

b)

Randy, who actually showed up to the Rumble

c)

Cherry, because she wanted this to be the last fight ever

d)

Bob's younger brother, to take revenge on the Greasers

47.

How did Dally make it to the Rumble?

a)

He snuck out of the hospital through a window

b)

He caught a ride with Tim Shepherd.

c)

He threatened the nurse with a switchblade

d)

He didn't make it to the Rumble; he was still in the hospital.

48.

What does Dally do when Johnny dies?

a)

holds back his emotions and leaves the hospital quickly so no one sees him cry

b)

begs Johnny not to die

c)

tells Ponyboy the Greasers are all he has left

d)

tells Johnny he's glad that he died

49.

What are Darry, Soda, and Pony most worried about?

a)

being split apart and Pony going to a foster home

b)

their parent's death

c)

whether or not Pony will get better

d)

losing their house

50.

Ponyboy's English teacher will pass him for the semester if he...

a)

completes a research project.

b)

writes one good 'theme' paper.

c)

makes up his missing assignments.

d)

serves detentions for all the school he missed.

51.

Why does Ponyboy keep saying that he killed Bob?

a)

He wants to protect Johnny's memory.

b)

Dally convinced him he did it.

c)

He really was the one who killed Bob.

d)

Pretending this helped him get over Dally's death.

e)

Randy has told him he was the one who killed Bob; he now realizes the truth.

52.

What are the rules of the rumble?

a)

There are no rules.

b)

Guns are the only weapon allowed.

c)

Nothing but fists and the first to run loses.

d)

Any weapon is allowed.

e)

Only fists, chains, and pipes allowed. NO GUNS!

53.

What was the subject of Ponyboy's theme for English class?

a)

Gone With the Wind

b)

The Socs

c)

Nothing Gold Can Stay

d)

Soda's horse, Mickey Mouse

e)

None of these answers are correct

54.

Why do Dally and Ponyboy go to the hospital after the fight?

a)

To see Johnny

b)

Because Pony has been injured by a knife in the rumble and he needs treatment

c)

Because Ponyboy is injured and Dally is taking him to the hospital for his concussion

d)

To hide from the cops

55.
How do Ponyboy and Dally get to the hospital fast?
a)
They lie to the police 
b)
The police give them an escort 
c)

They drive fast

d)

All of these answers are correct

56.
Darry gets a phone call with bad news.  What is the news?
a)
Dally died 
b)
Dally shot the police 
c)
Dally robbed a grocery store
d)

Johnny is dead

57.

Why does Dally call the house? Check all that apply:

a)

He wants the gang to see him die 'gallantly'

b)

He murdered someone and was arrested

c)

He robbed a store and is being held at the police station

d)

He was shot and needs help

58.
Soda is upset after returning home from work because...
a)
...he feels he's stuck in a dead-end job.
b)

...his letter to Sandy is on the table, returned and unopened.

c)
...Ponyboy is flunking out.
d)

none of these answers is correct

59.

WHICH OF THE BELOW STATEMENTS IS TRUE?

Ponyboy and Darry ...

a)

...agree to quit fighting for Soda's sake.

b)
...help Soda forget about Sandy.
c)
...save money to buy Soda a horse.
d)

...fight with Soda until Soda gets really upset and leaves the house

60.

What does Ponyboy say he would rather have than pity?

a)

Hate

b)

Appreciation

c)

Love

d)

Sympathy

61.

What is significant about how the book ends?

a)

It was how it began

b)

It was abruptly ended

c)

It was left as a cliff-hanger

d)

It was Johnny's last words

62.

What was the part of the book that gave us the main character's names and the beginning conflict between the Greasers and the Soc's?

a)

rising action

b)

climax

c)

exposition

d)

resolution

63.

The plot begins to complicate and twist with the event in the park at the fountain..

a)

exposition

b)

resolution

c)

rising action

d)

falling action

64.

conflict begins to be worked out and tensions lessen after the court trial

a)

climax

b)

falling action

c)

rising action

d)

exposition

65.

the event that sets the story in motion

a)

conflict

b)

exposition

c)

falling action

d)

resolution

66.

the end of the story; loose ends of the plot are tied up; Pony writes his "theme" paper

a)

exposition

b)

resolution

c)

climax

d)

falling action

67.

What order is the plot diagram (first, second, third, fourth, etc.)

a)

resolution, exposition, falling action, climax, rising action, conflict

b)

exposition, falling action, climax, rising action, resolution

c)

exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution

d)

conflict, exposition, resolution, climax, rising action, falling action

68.

Which detail best describes the rising action?

a)

The turning point of a story/Johnny dies

b)

The conflict continues/Pony and Johnny go to Windrixville

c)

Shows how the conflict is resolved/Pony writes the book

d)

The most intense part of a story/Dally raises his gun to the police

69.

What is the climax of a story?

a)

the turning point of the story/the highest point of tension in the story

b)

the main problem of the story

c)

the beginning of the story

d)

the point when the conflict is resolved

70.

The story's time and place is called________? What was the story's time & place?

a)

plot/this story didn't have a time/place specified

b)

plot/Windrixville, Texas in the 50's

c)

setting/60's in Tulsa, Oklahoma

d)

setting/60's in Texas

71.
What according to nature is gold?
a)
Its first gold
b)
Its first green
c)
Its last green
d)
Early leaves
72.
The name of the poet is _________
a)
William Wordsworth
b)
Robert Frost
c)
Rabindranath Tagore
d)
John Keats
73.
What is the theme of the poem?
a)
Nature's beauty is its flowers
b)
Nothing precious stays for ever
c)
Everything subsides immediately
d)
Hold on to life as long as you can
74.
Hue means...
a)
shape
b)
size
c)
color
d)
time
75.
"Her early leaf's a flower" is an example of
a)
irony
b)
simile
c)
metaphor
d)
hyperbole
76.
"But only so an hour" means
(think about what it means non-literally)
a)
leaves only live for an hour
b)
some change happens quickly
c)
flowers only live for an hour
d)
it is only spring for an hour
77.

How does the allusion of Gone with the Wind contribute to the story?

a)

It contributes to the text because it helps illustrate the level of respect and worship Johnny has for Ponyboy.

b)

It contributes to the text because it helps illustrate the level of respect and worship Johnny has for Bob.

c)

It contributes to the text because it helps illustrate the level of respect and worship Johnny has for Darry.

d)

It contributes to the text because it helps illustrate the level of respect and worship Johnny has for Dally.

78.
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower; 
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay. 
What is the central theme of this poem?
a)
Nature and man
b)
Innocence cannot last
c)
Sunsets and sunrises are beautiful
d)
Nature and beauty
79.
What is conflict?
a)
Two characters getting along.
b)
A struggle between two opposing forces.
c)
The climax in a story.
d)
Part of the resolution.
80.
What are the two MAIN types of conflict?
a)
setting and characters
b)
internal and essential
c)
internal and external
d)
external and essential
81.
What is the definition of an "internal" conflict?
a)
A hero in a story that saves many lives.
b)
A problem that a character has with other characters.
c)
A struggle between a character and a family member.
d)
An issue that a character faces within him/her self.
82.
Which is not an example of internal conflict?
a)

Pony struggles with the reality of Johnny's death

b)

Randy struggling with whether he should fight in the rumble or not

c)

The rumble and fight between Greasers and Socs

d)

Pony struggling with his feelings about Darry

83.
What is the definition of an "external" conflict?
a)
A struggle between a character and an outside force.
b)
A problem within the story.
c)
A struggle that a character has within him/her self.
d)
A problem caused by the protagonist.
84.
What is not an example of external conflict?
a)

Pony struggles with Johnny's death

b)

the fire in the church

c)

Greasers vs. Socs

d)

Darry vs. Pony (arguing)

85.
Which one of these is NOT a theme of The Outsiders?
a)
Friends are the family you choose
b)
Fighting solves all problems
c)
Don't judge a book by it's cover
d)
Don't be afraid to be yourself