“The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs

Name:

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Reading Quiz True or False: 1. _______ The story begins with a chess match between Mr. White and his son, Herbert. Mr. White loses the game on purpose, allowing his son to beat him. 2. _______ Sergeant-Major Morris had already used his three wishes before the story began. 3. _______ Mrs. White pretended not to believe the first wish would come true, but was disappointed after checking the mail because she thought the money might be there. 4. _______ Mr. and Mrs. White had their son cremated because his body was to mutilated to put into a coffin and bury. 5. _______ When the story ends, Mr. White is afraid that others will find the monkey’s paw and destroy their lives making wishes.

Multiple Choice: 6. How many people had owned the monkey’s paw before Mr. White? a. One b. Two c. Three d. Four 7. What was Mr. White’s first wish? a. He wished for two-hundred pounds. b. He wished to become an emperor. c. He wished for his son to die in a factory accident. d. He wished for a dead man to be brought back to life.

8. Which answer best describes Herbert’s attitude toward the monkey’s paw? a. He wanted it for himself because he was greedy. b. He thought it was evil and that his father should burn it right away. c. He didn’t believe it would work; he thought it was shameful that his parents wished on it. d. He had absolute confidence that the wish would come true; that’s why he checked the mail as soon as the postman had left. 9. What happened to Herbert? a. He disappeared after Mr. White made his first wish. b. He was caught in some machinery at work and killed. c. He ran away with the monkey’s paw. d. He joined the army and went to India like Sergeant-Major Morris. 10. Why didn’t Mr. White want to make the second wish his wife requested? a. He didn’t believe that the monkey’s paw would actually grant wishes. b. He was afraid that Sergeant-Major Morris would find out and take the monkey’s paw back. c. He wanted to wish for something else, but he wouldn’t tell his wife what it was. d. He knew that wishing his son back to life would produce a mutilated monster. 11. What was Mr. White’s third wish? a. He wished for his undead son to be gone. b. He wished for more money. c. He wished for his son to be brought back to life. d. He wished that the monkey’s paw would disappear.

Short Essay Question: 12. The sergeant-major says that the old fakir who put a spell on the monkey’s paw “wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow.” What do you think he meant? And how does the monkey’s paw fulfill the old fakir’s plan?