Name______Date______
“CASK OF AMONTILLADO” SKILLS QUIZ
Read the following selection and answer the questions that follow with the BEST possible answer.
It was Nicole’s first year of high school. She was so nervous that her mom desperately wanted to help. To ease Nicole’s transition, her mom decided that Nicole should try out for the marching band flag corps. Nicole’s mom had been in the flag corps when she was young, and she had met some of her best friends there.
“I’m totally clumsy,” Nicole said. “ I’mgonna be GREAT at this,” she said with sarcasm to her little brother. Nicole neglected to mention to her mother that she had no desire of joining the flag corps. Practicing every night after school in the blazing head did not appeal to her. Spending every weekend at football games and competitions sounded incredibly boring. Because Nicole’s mom was so excited, though, Nicole couldn’t bear to disappoint her.
“You’ll absolutely love it,” Nicole’s mom said. “It is so much fun. You’ll meet a whole new group of friends. It was the best thing I ever did.”
“Okay,” Nicole agreed reluctantly. “I’ll try it.” Nicole did not have a lot of confidence about making the flag corps. She had never been coordinated—she was more of a bookworm than an athlete. Night after night, though Nicole diligently practiced with her mom. After weeks of practice, she wasn’t so bad.
Finally, the day of tryouts arrived. Nicole’s mom was far more nervous than Nicole. Nicole, however, was apprehensive for another reason. She didn’t want to join the flag corps, yet she didn’t want to disappoint her mother. She felt totally and completely stuck. After weighing her options, she finally knew what she had to do.
A month later, on a Saturday afternoon, Nicole could hear her mother cheering boisterously from the audience. Nicole had just scored the winning point for the quiz bowl team. It turns out that Nicole had not tried out for flag corps after all. She knew that finding an activity was a good idea, but the flag corps was not the one for her. Quiz bowl, though, was perfect. She made many new friends who shared her interests. Instead of being upset, Nicole’s mom was happy her daughter had found a way to meet new people and do something that she enjoyed.
“CASK OF AMONTILLADO” SKILLS QUIZ
______1.What is the mood in the last paragraph of this story?
- sadB.hostileC.loudD.happy
______2.What is Nicole’s motivation for trying out for flag corps?
A. she doesn’t want to disappoint her mother
B. she doesn’t want to be lame in high school
C. she wants to make more friends
D. she doesn’t have anything else to do
______3.Which of the following is NOT a static character?
A. Nicole’s momB. the quiz bowl team C. NicoleD. Nicole’s little brother
______4.Which of the following would best describe the internal conflict of the story?
A. Nicole doesn’t want to be on flag corps vs. her mother’s wants her to join the team
B. Nicole doesn’t want to disappoint her mother vs. she doesn’t want to be on flag corps
C. Nicole wants to make her mom happy vs. her little brother wants to make her mom happy
D. Nicole doesn’t want to join flag corps vs. Nicole doesn’t want to be friendless
______5.Which literary element is used in the following quote?
“ I’mgonna be GREAT at this,”
- dramatic irony B. mood C.verbal irony D. imagery
______6.What point of view is this story told from?
A. 1st personB.2nd personC.3rd person limitedD.3rd person omniscient
______7.What does flag corps symbolize for Nicole’s mother?
A.popularity, funB. academic successC.lifetime achievements D.divorce
______8. The following quote is an example of which literary element?
“Nicole neglected to mention to her mother that she had no desire of joining the flag corps.”
- Verbal ironyB.dramatic ironyC.moodD.point of view
______9. What type of characterization is being used in the quote:
“I’m totally clumsy,” Nicole said
A.static characterization C.indirect characterization
B.simple characterization D.direct characterization
______10.Which of the following is a correctcharacterization of Nicole’s mother?
A. “She didn’t want to join the flag corps”
B. “‘ I’mgonna be GREAT at this,’ she said with sarcasm to her little brother.”
C.“It was Nicole’s first year of high school.”
D.“Nicole could hear her mother cheering boisterously from the audience.”
______11. What is the climax of the story?
A.when Nicole’s mother tells her to try out for flag corps
B. when Nicole tells the reader that she doesn’t want to be on flag corps
C.when Nicole doesn’t make the flag corps team
D.when Nicole scores the winning point for her quiz bowl team
______12.Why is the ending of the story ironic?
A.she doesn’t make the flag corps team
B. her mom hates the captain of the team
C. she doesn’t even try out for the team
D. she is good at the quiz bowl team
______13.All of the following pieces of evidence support the fact that Nicole’s mom is supportive EXCEPT:
A. “Nicole’s mom had been in the flag corps when she was young,”
B. “Night after night, though Nicole diligently practiced with her mom.”
C. “Nicole’s mom was happy her daughter had found a way to meet new people and do something that she enjoyed.”
D. “Nicole’s mom was far more nervous than Nicole.”
______14. Why does Nicole’s mother push her to join flag corps? (infer)
A. because she doesn’t want her to be a social outcast in high school
B. because her mother really enjoyed her flag corps experience when she was in high school
C. because she doesn’t want Nicole’s little brother to make fun of her
D. because she wants her to expand her horizons and try new things.
______15. Which of the following gives direct proof that Nicole loves her mother? (Infer)
A.” Spending every weekend at football games and competitions sounded incredibly boring.”
B. “She didn’t want to join the flag corps, yet she didn’t want to disappoint her mother.”
C. “Quiz bowl, though, was perfect.”
D.” Nicole’s mom was far more nervous than Nicole.”